Garage Band ’09 Announced
Apple announced the new iLife ’09 yesterday at MacWorld. One of the biggest features, from a musician’s standpoint, is the new GarageBand ’09. In addition to some extra stomp boxes and amp models, GarageBand ’09 includes the new GarageBand Lesson Store. This new feature allows users to purchase music lessons from popular artists, allowing users to learn how to play some of the artists’ most renowned songs via very slick and well-produced HD video.
Apparently, Apple didn’t get the memo about iVideoSongs.com, or perhaps decided to partner with them, as their products are eerily similar. Though stealing it’s name from what has become an Apple trademark, iVideoSongs did beat Apple to the punch with artist video music lessons. They also don’t force you to spend $100 for a software update to Garage Band ’09 first, though their lessons on their own are priced the same as Apple’s at $5 each. As solid as their site might be, iVideoSongs stands little to no chance of emerging the victor for marketshare with regards to video music lessons. Apple has far too big a platform to launch from. The positive in that is exactly that Apple does have such a huge platform. While most might not have ever considered the option of learning a song from a rock legend before, Apple has thrust the concept into the limelight. As people exhaust the videos that Apple has to offer, they may turn to a smaller site like iVideoSongs to acquire new material. So while iVideoSongs may never emerge as the primary video provider for artist-led music lessons, they may still gain more business from Apple having made this move than otherwise.
As music education in schools becomes increasingly scarce, could a product like this gain in popularity, or even replace formal music training? On the flip side, with the lack of music education in public schools, will there then be a lack of interest in music appreciation altogether, foreshadowing a dim future for software music lessons and the like? I would argue against a generic video tutorial ever being able to replace a hands-on, face-to-face music lesson as there’s simply no way to personalize an encounter on a one-way system. Your “teacher”, with as much star power as they might have, can never reach out from your computer screen to correct your finger positionings, or even tell you that you’re playing it wrong for that matter. What a product like this may do however, is peak users’ interests enough to encourage them to seek out professional music lessons. We’ve even seen products like Guitar Hero, a simple video game, inspire kids to go take real guitar lessons. Few things could hinder the rockstar ambitions of kids, and as long as those are going strong, there will be a niche for music lessons, video or otherwise.
Where I could see Apple really blowing this thing open is if they begin making videos of recording tips and techniques with studio legends rather than just lessons on how to play your favorite song. Just don’t tell Apple that I suggested that. I mean, we’re not scared or anything, we know you’d keep coming here for all of your music advice… right?
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2 Responses to “Garage Band ’09 Announced”
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The only problem with iVideoSongs is that it is very guitar-centric (as I expected it to be). If you’re a keyboard player, there’s very little here. Same if you are a drummer. In fact, most of these kinds of sites really focus on guitarists because those are the folks most likely to seek this out (I guess).
Still, it’s a good move for Apple to offer yet another incentive for GarageBand upgrades.
Hey Kent,
I totally agree. I think that’s a systemic trend across all mediums too. I see a lot more guitar books and tab sites, and even more guitar shops, than piano music or piano stores. I think it just speaks to the popularity of guitar, since it’s such a simple and easy instrument for many to pick up. A big contributor to that could also be the rockstar ambitions, as metioned above. I think most of us would rather be Slash or John Mayer than Elton John or John Tesh. ;)
I think you’re right on with Apple offering this as an incentive to sell GarageBand upgrades. I think that may be the primary reason for their investment in the lessons.