After using GarageBand for iPad for almost 2 years, here are the top 5 missing features I’ve noticed along the way, with workarounds.
Is it still the best DAW experience out there?
GarageBand for iPad missing feature #1. No Track Routing or Grouping.
Track routing (or bussing) is a really useful feature, for example, to set up a delay effect on a single channel, once, and route all channels that need to use that effect through that channel. E.g. for two tracks of backing vocals. In GarageBand for iPad, FX are applied per track, meaning a lot of re-work in setting up FX and a more cumbersome workflow.
Also, track grouping is another useful DAW feature that allows, for example, the overall level of all grouped backing vox to be controlled with a single control, and is sadly omitted from GarageBand for iPad.
Workaround:
None. All FX are applied and configured individually to each track. All track levels need to be controlled individually.
Result:
Although the results are the same. If you’re using a lot of tracks and a lot of FX, the GarageBand for iPad workflow is slower and more complex.
GarageBand for iPad missing feature #2. No Master Track.
Although there is a master FX track in GarageBand for iPad, it’s more limited than a dedicated master track in that you only have access to a set number of controls (level, EQ, and some sound-sculpting, DJ style features).
There is no master track automation, meaning no track fade-ins, fade-outs, plug-ins can’t be assigned to it, which is a bummer as I liked to be able to drop in mastering plugins (e.g. Izotope Ozone) directly on the master.
Workaround:
I now use Final Touch Audio Mastering by Positive Grid Inc. The workflow is more clunky (you need to export your project to it), but the results are on par with what I was achieving in Ableton with Ozone.
With regard to automation, I’ve found AudioShare by Kymatica AB to be invaluable for the trimming and fading of the finished, mastered track as well as having the more obvious sharing tools and a few other tricks up its sleeve, like normalisation.
Result:
Same as point #1. Although the results are the same, the GarageBand for iPad workflow is slower and more complex.
Missing feature #3. No Location Markers.
This is a really useful feature in most other DAWs in that you can set up specific markers for your verses, choruses, etc, and easily jump to them.
This is a terrible omission from GarageBand for iPad, made even worse by the frustratingly confusing song section system which effectively splits up your song and makes navigation to different parts even harder.
I miss those location markers.
Workaround:
None. You need to manually nav to the location of the song you require.
Result:
Again, although the results are the same, much more time is wasted having to manually find and re-locate to song parts
Missing feature #4. No Tempo Change Automation.
I only came across this limitation a few weeks ago, but I can confirm that a GarageBand for iPad song can only have a single tempo, with no automation control. Nothing much more to say here.
Workaround:
I can’t really call this a workaround, but the only way to put together multi-tempo songs in GarageBand for iPad is to record the sections separately. Say for example the verses are at 100bpm and the choruses are at 120bpm, a separate Garageband project needs to be set for each. Once done, the tracks from the projects need to be imported into a third project to combine the two.
The only problem with the above method (besides it being a very long-winded way to achieve multi-tempo) is that I don’t think the final, merged project can be a Garageband one, as that too has a single tempo assigned to it. Hmmmmm.
Solution (again, if you can call it one). I imported my project tracks into Ableton Live, and disabled warping. I guess this could also be achieved on other DAWs.
Result:
It’s doubtful that multi-tempo songs are achievable in Garageband for iPad at all.
Missing feature #5. No Loop Recording.
We’ve all been there, that difficult vocal or lead guitar phrase we can’t quite nail. Hitting that record button over and over again.
DAWs can’t really help with a lack of talent, but most modern DAWs do at least have a loop recording feature, which automates the constant record, stop, go back to start of the phrase, record again process.
Most modern DAWS, except GarageBand for iPad.
Workaround:
None. You’ll need to record, stop, re-position to the start of the phrase, and record again, manually.
Result:
Once again, Garageband for iPad slows down your workflow in probably the most crucial place.
Conclusion
I still love GarageBand for iPad, it’s still my DAW of choice, explained in more detail in garageband-ios-vs-ableton-live/
Now that I’ve had more experience with it, the cracks are beginning to show. It is slower and more cumbersome in some ways (particularly the lack of loop recording), you can’t do as much stuff, and it is, at times, frustrating to use.
But, and this is a big BUT. Taking everything into consideration. I think the pros vastly outweigh the cons. Let me explain…
Firstly, now that I have a mastering solution. It’s not really so bad, it’s just a different way of doing it, and I like having AudioShare as a sort of final edit after the master is done.
With regards to the lack of UI features like the grouping, location markers, transport controls, etc. All that is true, but just out of curiosity I gave the full-fat GarageBand macOS a run for its money recently, and I can’t go back to a keyboard and a non-touchscreen again, it’s awful to work with.
I’ve leveled the clunky and cumbersome accusations at GarageBand for iPad all over this article, but NOTHING is as clunky and cumbersome as a mouse and keyboard compared to the joy of a touch-screen DAW, which makes up for all of GarageBand for iPads flaws, and then some! It’s not all about features, and GarageBand for iPad proves all that really matters for home music production is that thing they call UX. It’s about spark, inspiration, fun, all the things that are really hard to re-create with 1’s and 0’s.
Garageband for iPad’s trump card, as I’ve preached many times in these pages, is the synergy of hardware and software which all contributes to the music-making experience.
Ok, maybe for the more serious producer with their own space/studio and lots of expensive outboard gear, an iPad may not be the ultimate, professional option, and indeed, with all the flaws ironed out, it could be better, but for someone like me, who likes to get tracks down as intuitively (and quickly) as possible, who enjoys to be mobile and collaborate (check out Harson Robkus). Garageband for iPad is as close to perfect as it gets.
… And I can live without multi tempo-songs, for now.
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