Learn to play.

The application that helped millions make music can help you learn to play an instrument. Basic Lessons in GarageBand teach you piano and guitar right on your Mac. Follow along with 40 interactive video lessons that teach you the fundamentals and get you ready to play a whole song. See finger placement and basic chords on animated onscreen instruments. Basic Lessons give you complete control over how you learn. With Artist Lessons, you can learn to play a song from the artist who made it famous.2 Have Sting teach you how to play “Roxanne,” Colbie Caillat teach you how to play “Bubbly,” Fall Out Boy teach you how to play “I Don’t Care,” and many more. Browse, preview, and purchase Artist Lessons from the Lesson Store inside GarageBand. GarageBand even tells you how well you’re playing in real time with a feature called “How Did I Play?” When you’re more comfortable, you can practice your new skills with a complete backing band.

Turn your Mac into a musical instrument.
With GarageBand, the proof is in the playing. Plug a USB music keyboard into your Mac and you get instant access to over 100 realistic software instruments — pianos, strings, drums, guitars, horns — everything from bass to woodwinds. Just create a new track, choose your instrument, and play. Don’t have a keyboard? Try the one onscreen, which is resizable and can display up to 10 octaves at once. Or turn on Musical Typing and use the keys on your computer keyboard to play. If you have an electric guitar, then you’re in for a musical treat. Plug it in and play through 12 amps modeled after the most revered in the world. Choose from over 30 complete rigs, including Brit Pop, Honky Tonk, Lowdown Blues, Seattle Sound, Stadium Solo, and Woodstock Fuzz. You can also reproduce the sound of classic foot pedals with 15 stompbox effects, including Fuzz Machine, Blue Echo, and Auto-Funk.

Jam with a full-screen band.
When it’s time to focus on jamming, turn your Mac into a full-screen stage with Magic GarageBand Jam. Assign instruments and styles to your guitarist, bassist, drummer, and keyboard player. Shuffle instruments randomly to instantly hear a new sound from your backing band. Create a custom mix using volume sliders or by muting and soloing any instrument. Quickly navigate to any part of the song using the new Arrangement Track, or just repeat your favorite part. When you’re happy with rehearsals, you can record right into Magic GarageBand.

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