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Hot on the heels of their annual World Wide Developers Conference this year, Apple has released updates for GarageBand 10 on macOS and GarageBand 2 on iOS.

Apple hasn’t touched GarageBand’s aesthetics since updating to version 10 way back in 2013. With the interface overhauls that GarageBand iOS and Logic Pro X received recently, it was only a matter of time before the macOS version of GarageBand received the same treatment.

That’s not all that has changed, though. Here’s a run-down of the new stuff you can expect to get to grips with upon updating:

GarageBand 10.2

New Modern Design

GarageBand 10.2 has a refreshed look to its interface. Bringing it in line with the design of Apple’s other DAW, Logic Pro X.

Everything is decidedly flatter, losing what little skeuomorphic elements were left over from Apple’s older design philosophy.

Still, it’s very familiar. The new design makes everything cleaner and a little easier to follow.

GarageBand 10.2 also brings a number of usability improvements. For example, double-clicking anywhere on a track’s header will open Smart Controls for that track.

It’s also now much easier to loop and extend your regions. New context-sensitive controls now appear when you hover your cursor at the edges of your regions.

GarageBand 10.2

 

Get a feel for Garageband’s new modern design by checking out the video below:

 

 

 

More Touch Bar Features

Apple has added more Touch Bar features in the 10.2 update. These allow you to adjust Smart Control parameters, navigate around GarageBand’s Workspace without using a mouse or trackpad and even play some instruments with it.

 

GarageBand 10.2 Touch pad

 

If like me, you have big sausage fingers though, you may find zipping about the Touch Bar a little tricky.

Still, with Apple committing to including the Touch Bar on the Mac lineup going forward, more functionality doesn’t hurt.

 

New Drummers

There are 3 new Drummers available in this latest update, all of whom play a mix of different percussion instruments.

GarageBand 10.2 Drummers

The whole Drummer Track interface has had an overhaul too. Genre, Drummer, and Kit selections now take place in a Library Pane that’s specific to the Drummer Track.

This, in turn, frees up space in the Drummer Track’s Editor window, which has also undergone a minor redesign.

You can get a taste of how one of the new Drummers, Isabela, sounds in the video below:

 

 

Drummer Loops

Yellow Drummer Loops are essentially Drummer Track regions that you can find in the Loop Browser.

They work the same way as Software Instrument and Audio Loops. You can preview these yellow loops from the browser itself, before dragging them into either an existing Drummer Track, or into a blank section of the workspace.

Set a little time aside as you’ll need to download the new loops (and Drummers). I also had to reindex my Apple Loops before any of the Drummer Loops appeared in my browser.

If you run into the same problem, simply click the drop-down menu at the top of the Loop Browser, scroll to the bottom and select ‘Reindex All Loops’. Give GarageBand a few seconds (or more if you have a lot of loops or aren’t using an SSD) and you’ll see them appear.

Garageband 10.2

 

Find out more on the new Drummers and how to use Drummer loops in the video below:

 

 

 

Share To GarageBand iOS

As mentioned, Apple also updated GarageBand iOS, in part it seems to allow files to be shared between the two programs via iCloud Drive.

Garageband 10.2 has a new option in the Share menu. This allows you to save either the whole project or individual tracks to iCloud Drive.

These tracks can then be retrieved and opened in GarageBand iOS, worked on and then bounced back.

Very very useful if you have access to both versions of GarageBand and fancy adding a bass/guitar/erhu solo to your next magnum opus.

 

Find out how it works in the video below:

 

 

 

I’ll be diving into GarageBand 10.2 in much more depth over the next few weeks and letting you know more about the changes mentioned above, as well as anything else I find.

In the meantime, make sure you get in touch with any issues or bugs you find (or stuff you just can’t figure out) in the Comments below or on Facebook or Twitter.

 

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Show Comments (23)
  1. “BLOKE”: I was/is really NICE that GarageBand finally came to the REALIZATION that Latin music, (MEXICAN GENRES) is NOT: “Afro-Black-R & B”!! “LATINOS”, Mexicans in particular, have their OWN-PERCUSSIONS-GENRE(S)!!! Perhaps Garage-Band will take into CONSIDERATION THESE “BEATS”:

    Bandas, (Musical Ensembles): “CUMBIAS”, “BOLEROS”, RANCHEROS, POKAS, “NORTEROS” “CORRIDOS”!! This is not too mention “OTHERS”–who share SPANISH! Spanish is the SECOND MOST-SPOKEN language, SECOND only to CHINESE!!!!

    AND, I thank YOU for ALL your PATIENCE with us!!!!

    martine estrada
    06/07/2017

  2. The new GarageBand 10.2.0 GUI looks great and so far appears to be a bit easier to use (like it couldn’t get easier! But Apple has done exactly that) … EXCEPT, mine keeps freezing up every time I perform this action: I will type my key word(s) in the search line/area/space (!!!) to locate certain loops. I find them and drag them into the tracks area. All good and fine like it should be. Until I click on the “X” to the right of the search line/area/space to delete the search word(s) I had just typed. It is at that instance that GarageBand becomes unresponsive and so I have to force quit the app with “⌘+⌥+esc”. I had already downloaded the new loops and reindexed all my loops.
    Before the update, I had no issues with GarageBand.

    iMac MID 2011 27inch 16GB memory 10.11.6 El Capitan

  3. Hi Patrick,

    Where did the yellow volume adjust line and nodes that allowed you to control volume in the track go? I used this all the time and can’t seem to find it in the refresh. Thanks for the help!

    Bob

    1. Automation is no longer shown on the track header, Bob. With the track you want to Automate selected, simply hit the ‘A’ key on your keyboard to open it up.

  4. Hey Pat,

    I always like to use the Mastering Presets which I can access in the “older Versions” – “Logic” which are still there, but don´t work anymore in the new version. BG 10.2.0 has overwritten the old version.
    how can I get to work this, or how can I get the former version back to do Mastering in? Thanks for helping out!
    Bert

  5. Did you notice changes to the classic vocal echo plugin? My tracks had far more echo after I performed this update… gonna take a bit of tweaking to get it back – thanks for all of your work

  6. I only use midi so a bit disappointed there aren’t any new instruments relevant to me. There’s plenty of bugs I’ve not seen before including note velocity and opening an old project so a waste of time for me.

  7. I’m still running GB 10.1.3 Why am I not being prompted to “get the update” ? …and I can’t find any “check for updates” prompts either in the Garageband pull-down menu, or ‘about garageband’ odd.
    How do I find this 10.2 update?
    Thanks.

  8. So I’ve tried importing an MP3 and changing the tempo ( guitar backing tracking for my little one to practice grade 1 guitar with)

    I highlight the track with ctrl alt G and change the tempo but to no avail. Running 10.2.0… what am I doing wrong lol

  9. Hi. I’ve noticed a problem using GB 10.2 with an external hires/4k display, and also when using split-screen mode on a macbook built in display.

    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8016029

    Please have a read of the discussion thread and let me know your thoughts anyone as I’d like to know what is causing these problems.

    Many thanks

  10. The end of my tracks are automatically fading out then the rest of the track (if I loop existing or add to some track) is muted! Please help, I cannot figure this out!

    Thanks

  11. I have Garageband 10.2 on my iMac and since the June update I suddenly cannot select Create Takes in the Cycle On option in Preferences on my songs that are still in progress. When I click on it, it just stays on Merge as though I have done nothing. I can select it on NEW projects, but I still need to use it in the ones I have not finished!!!!! Please help!

  12. My work requires pads to hold one note throughout the song, so I used to freeze the tracks so I could work in the middle of the song without having to start it at the beginning. Now when I click on the lock to freeze them the track I locked will go silent. How do I freeze a track on GB 10.2? Thanks!

  13. Hi guys!
    I’ve just got the new update and I cannot figure out how to change the pitch of the key to a song? I looked at transposing option but it didn’t do anything? Help!
    Please and thank you!

  14. How do you add instruments to specific keys of the Musical Typing Keyboard in 10.2 like you could in previous versions?

  15. I have been having trouble finding the additional vocal/voice loops that were supposed to come with the download of the complete sound library. Can anybody advise on why that is and how to remedy it!?

    Thank You!

    Silvio

  16. I’m trying to record a synth, but every time I press record, it goes back to a recent vocal track and tries to record over it! I can’t make it record anywhere else. What am I doing wrong?

  17. dude!? can you answer this question? Please! h0ow to make samples like you (we) could before 10.2

    like, where is the ‘details’ option in Musical Typing? How do we drag & drop audio tracks/files into the sampler????
    I am literally (literally!) pulling my hair out here, trying to figure this absurd change.
    HELP

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