GarageBand for PC
GarageBand for PC and GarageBand for Windows are terms that appear frequently in search requests at the GarageDoor. Here are some tips:
The good news: some very useful free recording software is available for PC. For a complete overview, see
GarageBand for Windows
does not exist. However, ...
On Friday, April 7th 2006 MicrosoftWatch reported that Microsoft is working on a recording software package similar to Apple's GarageBand, named "Monaco".
"Microsoft is still pushing full-steam-ahead with a music-making program, code-named "Monaco," according to Microsoft partners who requested anonymity. Monaco would be very similar to Apple's GarageBand application, but would be optimized to take advantage of Windows Vista and the Aero user interface". As enthusiastic fans of GarageBand, we at the GarageDoor would love to see a version of GarageBand for PCs. However, there have been no updates at all on the April 2006 MicrosoftWatch news release. The GarageDoor continues to receive queries about it and hunderds have signed up to our newsletter.
Mary Jo Foley, who writes the MicrosoftWatch blog for eWeek.com, caused quite a stir with the release of this story but so far she has not followed it up. After 16 months, I think that the right thing to do for Mary Jo would be to go back to her sources ("Microsoft partners who requested anonymity") and post a follow up article which either produces new information or quashes the rumour.*I contacted Mary Jo Foley on August 1st 2007 (on her MicrosoftWatch blog comment page) and on August 6th (by e-mail) for a response.
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Session 
M-Audio produces a software package that aims to be like GarageBand for PC users. It comes with the M-Audio Micro USB interface (see picture) and is priced (street) at $49"M-Audio's Session software empowers virtually anybody turn their PC into a fun and versatile home recording studio. The software was designed with the typical consumer in mind, with an emphasis on ease-of-use. Session greatly reduces the learning curve and lets users dive right in and begin making music almost instantly."
It is by no means as powerful and slick as GarageBand, but a good and cheap option for beginners nevertheless. Be sure to first check out the free recording software alternatives available on www.Software4Free.org.
Vista Audio
Any "GarageBand for PC" will be built on the foundations of the new Vista Audio architecture. The audio stack been completely overhauled in an effort to overcome the many problems associated with audio under Windows. Microsoft wants to win back a large part of the pro audio community that it admits left the platform for the superior Core Audio of Mac OSX. Microsoft blogger Larry Osterman explains:
- "The first (and biggest) change we made was to move the entire audio stack out of the kernel and into user mode. Pre-Vista, the audio stack lived in a bunch of different kernel mode device drivers, including sysaudio.sys, kmixer.sys, wdmaud.sys, redbook.sys, etc. In Vista and beyond, the only kernel mode drivers for audio are the actual audio drivers (and portcls.sys, the high level audio port driver).
- The second major change we made was a totally revamped UI for audio. Sndvol32 and mmsys.cpl were completely rewritten (from scratch) to include new, higher quality visuals, and to focus on the common tasks that users actually need to do. All the old functionality is still there, but for the most part, it's been buried deep below the UI."