Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here you can get answers from some of the frequently asked questions by the Garageband users.

1. What Happens When I Lock A Track?

Answer: Once you lock a track, all the work of creating an instrument or even rendering any effect to the track is done at the moment and is saved to disc as a new file. When the locked track is played again, the only on the Garageband has to do is read it from the disc and play it. This poses significantly less pressure on the processor, which helps you to do more than the Garageband.

2. How Does The Garageband Work Without Locking The Track?

Answer: On an occasion when the Garageband has to play a “software” track, it has to do a number of jobs like generate the instrument, apply added effects while playing and play the notes. This entire process takes up a lot of your CPU power. While playing a “real” track, it does not have to necessarily create the instrument, which is less to do, anyway. However, the effects have to add in real time.

Want to Download Garageband on your Windows?

3. When A File Is Saved To Disc, Is The Original Recording Lost?

Answer: No, a new file is saved as well as used only if you keep the track locked. Once the track is unlocked, the Garageband uses the original recording or even the MIDI track, which can be further modified as well as relock, if you want to.

4. If I Change My Mind After Adding Effects To A Song, Can The Original Recording Somehow Be Retrieved?

Answer: No.Garageband is often rendered in real time. Your original recording is, however, never erased from the system. You can turn off or modify the changes you’ve made at any time.

5. While Changing The Input Option For The Garageband, It Is Always The “Built-In” Option, Can I Change It To Line-In?

Answer: If you do not have Firewire or USB device that is plugged into your Mac, then the only option you have to record is the Built-in options. However, you can define your Built-in option via your System Preferences. However, you can set your system to use the Line-in.

6. Is It Possible For Me To Plug A Turntable Into My Line-In?

Answer: You can do it, but you will not have great results. A phono input on a system stereo adds an important EQ to the signal, and it also adds a “pre-amping” the signal. If you want better results, you might want to plug the turntable into a regular system stereo to the Line-in of your computer system. For an even better result, you may even use a USB or Firewire interface except for Line-in.

7. What Exactly Is Eq?

Answer: EQ is the abbreviation for Equalization. Many frequencies are ranging from high to low that make up a sound. The volume control of this sound is done by the EQ, essentially. If, for example, the bass of the sound created by your audio is too high, but the overall sound quality is very good, the EQ can help you reduce the bass keeping the higher frequency of the sound constant.