Apple turns iPhones into recording studios

Post contributed by Alex Aubuchon -


Earlier this month, Apple released a new version of their GarageBand software for iOS – creating a version of their popular music production software that is compatible with the iPhone 4 and 4S. 
  GarageBand has been available on iPad and iPad 2 since March of this year, and consistently amazed reviewers by allowing them to compose music in just a few button clicks, and with no prior musical experience whatsoever.  And yes, the GarageBand app has loads of features with the casual user in mind. Smart instruments allow for computer-generated drum tracks, melodies, and backing chords based on a few parameters designated by the user, and these allow anyone to effortlessly compose music.
  But the app provides plenty of appeal for the serious musician as well, with features such as drum machines, a full-fledged guitar amp modeler, sampler, audio recorder, and an 8 track non-linear mixing studio all in one. It’s features like these that have attracted attention from several high profile musicians – for example, Bjork’s latest album Biophilia was partly recorded and mixed on the iPad version of Garageband.
  The app’s appeal isn’t limited to musicians, though. A fully functioning audio recorder and 8-track mixer means that anyone can record and edit professional quality audio on the fly. This could be of use to field journalists, who could simply plug in a microphone, recording and editing SoT’s without ever needing to access a laptop.
  The fact that a non-linear audio editor can function on today’s smartphones means that a non-linear video editing application such as iMovie (which, by the way, is also available on iPad and iPad 2 currently) could be ported to smartphones in the near future. And when that happens, journalists will be able to record and edit audio AND video using solely their smartphones – transitioning from a “backpack journalist” to a “back pocket journalist” – and at only $5 for the full GarageBand software, it won’t break the newsroom’s bank either.

Sources -  Hands-on with GarageBand for iPhone: 8-track studio in your pocket,  Ars Technica
GarageBand for iPhone: First Hands-On Impressions,  Wired.com