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Chapter 1 Welcome to GarageBand 7
Before You Begin
To make it easier to follow the tutorials as you work, print each tutorial before you start.
In many of the tasks shown in this document you need to choose menu commands. In
the tutorials, and in GarageBand Help, menu commands appear like this:
Choose Edit > Join Selected.
The first term after Choose is the name of the menu in the GarageBand menu bar. The
term (or terms) following the angle bracket is the command you choose from that
menu.
What You Need to Get Started
All you need to create music in GarageBand is a Macintosh computer that meets the
system requirements, as listed in the Read Me file. Optionally, you can use any of the
following equipment to expand your music-making possibilities:
 A microphone to record your voice or an acoustic musical instrument
 An electric musical instrument, such as an electric guitar or bass
 An audio interface to connect microphones and music instruments to your computer
 A Universal Serial Bus (USB) or other MIDI-compatible music keyboard to play and
record Software Instruments
 A pair of speakers or monitors to hear the music you create with greater audio
quality
Where to Go for Help
You can access these resources for help as you complete the tutorial:
 Onscreen help: GarageBand comes with a built-in help system. With a GarageBand
project open, choose Help > GarageBand Help. When the help page opens, type a
word or phrase into the search field at the top of the page, or click one of the topic
areas to get detailed instructions for completing specific tasks.
 Help tags: Help tags describe the functions of buttons, tools, and other onscreen
items. To see a help tag, hold the pointer over an item for a few seconds.
Finding Out More
For up-to-date information on GarageBand, including news about new features, user
tips, and a list of supported music equipment, go to the GarageBand website at
www.apple.com/ilife/garageband.
For support, go to the GarageBand support site at
www.apple.com/support/garageband.