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GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Not Enough Instruments...

Written by CB

14-Dec-2008

I like the sounds, but there are not enough seperate instruments along with the sections of istruments in the Orchestra Version like there is in Guitar, Organ or other sections.

I like to have individual instruments in strings, brass, etc. and there is not that at all. Who ever put this together has never played in an Orchestra or Concert Band, for there are parts (soloists) as well as sections who are featured to create a mood of feeling in a song.

I am a songwriter and score arranger. It seems to me someone needs to send us all out (FREE) a CD to fill in the gap on this.

It would be HONORABLE if you would give us (FREE) a Download of individual instsruements, don't you think? After all, we pay way more for programming for Mac compared to PC.

200 of 216 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

I was pleased

Written by JZ from Madison

1-Sep-2008

I was very pleased with the quality of the sounds and the ease of use--I simply installed as directed & everything appeared in Garage Band with no additional fancy footwork. Some of the sounds are really nice--the harp, the harpsichord, and the celesta are among my favorites. The string sounds are rich and easily used for a high sound-quality result. I am not quite as fond of the horns and woodwinds, but they are fine, and I have been able to use them to good effect.

I am giving four instead of five stars in deference to some of the other feedback given here--no solo strings, the misleading box--but overall I have been very pleased by this purchase.

67 of 84 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

DON'T BELIEVE THE SAX ON THE BOX!!!

Written by JH from Stroudsburg

18-Jun-2008

Bought this primarily for the woodwinds (I'm a sax player) and admittedly didn't check well enough. I guess the pinheads who made the orchestra jampack didn't realize that some symphonic works do indeed include saxophones, but then WHY CLEARLY SHOW A TENOR SAX ON THE BOX!!! (it's right there, clearly behind the harp!). I feel ripped off. The horns are mediocre, although they get a better sound in their appropriate tonal range (so I suppose I can't whine about a tinny sounding trumpet on notes even Marsalis couldn't hit).

But seriously Apple, I thought you were better than this, what I consider to be borderline bait and switch advertising. Where are the saxes?

243 of 301 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Blown away

Written by AD from Lakewood

1-May-2008

I'm not a professional musician, or even a musician. I'm a dabbler. The big question for me was how far beyond the standard strings included with GarageBand this Jam Pack would go. I will just say that when I switched some of my music from the stock instruments to these new instruments, I was blown away. The sound is that much richer and more realistic. I don't have any basis for comparison, only that I wasn't really happy with GB until getting this Jam Pack. Now I'm in love with it.

122 of 201 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Pretty good for the money

Written by CT from Nashville

21-Apr-2008

As a professional musician I was immediately impressed with Garageband when I got my mac. The sounds were an even more pleasant surprise. I used this Jam Pack with GB's default sounds scoring a film ("Scream Farm", probably won't be in a theater near you) and was very pleased with much of the outcome. Don't get me wrong you can get better sounds, but you'll spend several hundred more dollars to get only slightly better quality. There ARE a couple of areas that are lacking (brass and a lack of solo strings) that others have pointed out, but the woodwinds and the few percussion sounds are really top notch. Highlights for me have been the keyboards, strings (and their various articulations; pizz, arco, staccato, tremolo), and pitched percussion. I consider it a worthy investment for any composer.

149 of 222 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

OMG TUBA!!!!!!!

Written by GF from staten island

21-Feb-2008

nice selection of brass but i think it could hve had more string solos

152 of 270 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Disappointing

Written by ZZ from london

18-Feb-2008

No solo strings, and the string ensembles are very cheap sounding - not the warm and lush sound I was looking for.

The Steinway piano that is included sounds ok, but unfortunately it is missing some vital velocity layers.

123 of 213 people found this useful

GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra

Great

Written by TB from New York

25-Jan-2008

I've purchased a few of the jam packets, and this one immediately changed the overall feel and scope of Garageband. I believe it is easily one of the most elemental of the JamPacks.

73 of 131 people found this useful