Do you want to learn GarageBand? Click HERE to get started (it's free)
GarageBand 2.2 Update

GarageBand 2.2 Update

 GarageBand 2.2 for iPhone and iPad opens up a new world of possibilities for mobile music makers

Surprise, huh?  Proving that it is possible to improve on perfection Apple sneaked out a massive update to GarageBand iOS on Wednesday, adding a plethora of new features and instruments as well as updating GarageBand’s interface.

There’s a lot to sink your teeth into – here’s the highlights:

 

Redesigned Sound Browser

thegaragebandguide.com Garageband 2.2 update tracks sound browser

From its very first iteration, I’ve felt that GarageBand iOS’ interface has been incredibly intuitive and slick. It’s hard to imagine that Apple could make the app any easier to use, but they’ve done exactly that.

Adding several instrument specific options to each Instrument in the sound browser makes exploring and setting up your Touch Instrument tracks faster and easier.

The redesign brings a lot of the options that were hidden behind menus or dropdowns in the instrument screens themselves front and center.

For example, you can now choose whether you want a clean, distorted or bass sound in the amp modeler directly from the sound browser.

 

You can get more specific and select preset patches from the browser too by tapping the ‘more’ button.

 

Alchemy

Apple made waves back in 2015 when it bought Camel Audio, the makers of the hugely popular freeware synth plug-in; Alchemy.

A fully featured and redesigned version of Alchemy has since appeared in Logic X and Mainstage, with GarageBand 10 getting a simplified version last year too.

Functioning almost identically to it’s (now unavailable) standalone app, Alchemy is a fantastic addition to GarageBand’s Touch Instruments. Accessible from the Keyboard Touch Instrument menu, there are over 150 Apple designed patches from a wide variety of genres to get stuck into (EDM, Hip Hop, Pop and even Rock).

 

Alchemy’s Transform pad has made the transition too, allowing you to morph between eight sonic snapshots in real-time. There’s also specific controls for patch types as well as crossfade and distortion X-Y pads.

All in all, Alchemy is a superb addition to GarageBand iOS and one that the vast majority of users will get a hell of a lot of use from.

Which makes Apple’s decision to severely limit which iOS devices Alchemy will work with all the more baffling.

You see, any iDevice that can run the latest version of iOS can update to GarageBand version 2.2, but only iPhone 6 onwards and iPad Air 2 onwards will have access to Alchemy.

A lot of users were not happy to find out that their (in some cases) barely 3-year-old iPad Airs couldn’t run the coolest part of the 2.2 update:

 

 

 

 

It’s a bizarre limitation that Apple will hopefully rectify in the near future.

 

Power Editing

Seasoned GarageBand iOS users looking for more control over their songs can get to grips with a selection of new editing tools.

 

There’s a visual EQ that will look familiar to anyone who’s used the visual EQ in GarageBand 10 on Mac. 

 

Multi-take recording has (finally) been introduced in this new update, allowing you to record multiple passes of a looped section in your project. You can then go back and cherry pick the best performance available.

 

Perhaps most exciting of all, the Garageband 2.2 update introduces Audio Unit integration, allowing you to use third-party effects in your projects. It’s slim pickings at the minute, but you can find all available Audio Units in the App store.

 

This is by far the biggest update to GarageBand iOS for years. Far from the lightweight ‘sketchbook’ app it started out as Garageband iOS now seems to be usable as an almost ‘proper’ Digital Audio Workstation.

UI redesigns and instrument additions aside, it’s the new editing features that really elevate this Garageband 2.2 update. I for one am really excited to dive in and see what it can do!

What do you think? Loving the changes? Frustrated by some aspects? Let me know in the comments below!

Show Comments (13)
  1. I find it really strange that my iPad mini2 can’t access alchemy and yet my iPhone se can? This is really annoying as I do most of my work on the iPad as the iPhone being the size of the se is rather fiddly. Both are running iOS 10.2 so I don’t see why they are limiting my iPad. I have alchemy stand alone on my iPad so I can at least use alchemy through the use other apps part of GarageBand.

  2. Hey Patrick!

    Thanks for the overview man! Great stuff as always!
    Quick question… You mentioned the ability to record multiple takes on a “looped” section. This may be the dumbest question you’ll ever get, but how do you “loop” a section in GB iOS? I use Logic Pro X, GB, and Studio One 3 Professional, so I’m very familiar with looping sections, I just couldn’t ever figure out how you could do it in GB iOS.

    Thanks in advance brother, and keep up the great work!

    Respectfully,

    Todd Dickinson

  3. Hi Patrick

    Can i use a midi controller keyboard (ive got Novation Launchkey Mini) to operate basic tasks on garageband (ipad) when recording..? ie: drum pads and keyboard / synths.

    Ive got Garageband on an ipad air…the ipad is connected to a Focusrite i-track dock via lightning connector…and the Novation Launchkey connects to the USB on the I-track (as set out in the set-up diagram that comes with the I-track)…
    There doesnt seem to be specific Novation software for Garageband (I know this controller is more designed for Live, Reason, FL…)

    Im a novice with this sort of stuff so any advice will be greatly appreciated.
    regards
    Darren

  4. Is there a logical explanation why multi-take cannot be used with audio recorder tracks? Is it only for touch instruments?

    I was hoping to be able to lay down multiple takes of vocals, but that doesn’t seem to work.

  5. I can’t update my I phone6 garage band from 2.1.2 to 2.2. In the App Store it shows the new version but I don’t get an ‘update’ button only an ‘open’ button..

    1. Hi Tony,

      Are you updated to the latest version of iOS? A colleague of mine had the same problem, but once he updated, he could update garageband as well.

  6. Hi Patrick and everyone! I haven’t used GarageBand for a while and missed the point when the red loop pack disappeared. I had to restart my IPad because I forgot the new password. And now those samples are gone out but I had a precious project based on them. Can I find them somewhere else?

  7. I like this update, however I don’t have the complete set of loops and sounds available like I do for the desktop version. I only have a few loops from each category. The App Store claims the “Complete set” of loops is available for the iOS version.

    When I try to download the loops through the “Restore Purchases” option in the settings all I get is a never ending spinning wheel. I have let it go for over an hour without any progress.

    I contacted apple support and interacted with a support person on the “Garageband team” via email and phone multiple times for a few weeks. In the end they didn’t really have any usable info other than “it should download them”.

    They could not provide me with a list of the loops I should expect to be included with the app or with the free “in-app” purchase feature for all the sounds.

    An example of what I am talking about: on my desktop for the category “70’s Electric Piano” I have 29 apple loops labeled 1-29. In iOS I have only 3 loops for “70’s Electric Piano”

    Can anyone verify what I should expect to be considered the complete set of loops for the 2.2 version of Garageband for iOS?

  8. Hi: Does Patrick or anyone else….have an easy way or idea how i can re-access accidentally deleted tracks on garageband 2.2 played on 2013
    iphone 5c……i can,t find relevant info on that subject anywhere,just snippets of work arounds that don’t work.

    Thanks Gary

  9. Will IPAD 2 update to the newest version of Garageband?
    Also, is there any app that I can use to add vocal effects after I’ve already recorded the vocals?

    Thanks GUYS.

    Curt

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.