When Apple announced the new iPad 2, it also announced two major new content creation apps for the platform: iMovie and GarageBand. iMovie is an extension of the iPhone app that Apple introduced with the iPhone 4 in 2010, adapted to the iPad's larger touchscreen. But GarageBand is a completely new app that brings a slimmed down, slightly re-imagined version of Apple's entry-level audio recording software from the Mac to the iPad.

GarageBand for iPad is an 8-track recorder, virtual synth, drum machine, virtual guitar, complete virtual amp modeler, competent virtual sampler, and a fun, loop-based song-making app all in one. At just $4.99, GarageBand could potentially replace at least a half dozen or more music apps, all the while integrating with its 8-track recording ability for songwriting on-the-go.

While it doesn't include all the features of the full desktop version of GarageBand, the iOS version is an array of music-making tools all translated to the iPad's touchscreen interface. While there are some interface issues and limitations that might frustrate more experienced musicians or recording pros, the breadth of GarageBand's music creation capabilities will certainly appeal to mobile music professionals as much as they might fascinate budding musicians, or even just those with the inclination to explore and experiment.

Instruments, virtual and smart

One of the biggest impediments to starting a band (in your parents' garage or otherwise) is acquiring instruments. Shoddy, cheap drum sets and guitars churned out of Chinese factories are available from a variety of mass retailers, but even those will cost in the range of $100-$150. Add in costs like amps and tuners for guitars, stands and cymbals for drums, and mics and PAs for singers, and even the original $100 investment can quickly turn into a few hundred dollars. On top of this, the instruments will take up space and have to be lugged around to practice spaces or gigs.

GarageBand offers a virtual Ford Econoline-full of gear that fits into the confines of the slim iPad for a measly $5. This won't necessarily replace real instruments, especially for serious musicians, but especially in the case of synths or drum machines, it certainly could.

There are two virtual "regular" instruments: Keyboard and Drums. There are also four "smart" instruments: Smart Guitar, Smart Bass, Smart Keyboard, and Smart Drums. Additionally, there is a simple virtual sampler, which aside from the sample recording and editing, works just like the regular keyboard. A complete amp and effects modeler, called "Guitar Amp," as well as a simple audio recorder, mainly intended for vocals, are lumped in the instruments list within the app, but we'll delve into those in a later section.

We'll discuss the all virtual instruments first, since GarageBand prompts you to pick an instrument as the first action when launching it for the first time or starting a new song. We'll then discuss the recording features in-depth, including recording with Smart Instruments, mixing, song structure, and more. As we go along, you'll see that GarageBand for the iPad invites users to experiment with different instruments and explore song ideas in a very casual way, while still including enough attention to detail to make the app accessible and usable by more experienced songwriters.

Keyboard

The keyboard offers a selection of virtual piano, electric piano, organ, and clavinet, as well as a range of 72 virtual synthesizers. The piano offers two sampled sounds, Grand and Classical Grand, with the Classical Grand sounding a bit more like it was sampled in a large concert hall. The other instruments offer plenty of room for tweaking the sound via controls common to each instrument. For instance, the organ has nine tone bars, a speed control for a virtual tone wheel (replete with a spinning animation), percussion and chorus rocker switches, and a six-way distortion knob.

The included digitally modeled synthesizers also boast an impressive array of sounds, from the theremin-like "Fifties Sci-Fi" to the dance-floor-inspired "Warp Lead." The presets are arranged into bass, lead, pad, FX, and "classic" categories. Further knob tweaking can be done, though each synth only offers four different adjustments which change depending on the preset. The "Classic Synth Bass" offers controls for cutoff, resonance, filter decay, and filter sustain, while the "Digital Wave" lets you tweak cutoff, glide, volume attack, and volume release. The combinations possible between the 72 presets and virtual knob tweaking should satisfy all but the pickiest users.