GarageBand

 With GarageBand for iPad, Apple is sending a message: sure, here's a tool for making music, but anyone - from musicians to tin-eared newbies - can use it. Although no talent is required, that doesn't make GarageBand for iPad a toy or somehow unworthy of trained musicians. After spending many hours with GarageBand for iPad, I'm a believer. You should be too.

MAKING TRACKS One of the challenges of any iPad musical instrument is finding an intuitive way to turn taps into musical expressions. Another is making a musical app that can still be fun for non-musicians. GarageBand addresses both.

When you first launch GarageBand for iPad you'll be presented with a variety of instruments. To play, simply tap on virtual keys or drums as

increases or decreases volume accordingly. Cool as this idea is, it's a hit-or-miss feature (heh!). You'll be most successful when placing the iPad on a hard surface.

PLUGGING IN Along with the in-built instruments, Guitar Amp allows you to port your guitar into your iPad and apply various effects, while an Audio Recorder uses the iPad's or an external microphone. The Amp feature includes nine amps and 10 stomp box effects, all of which are a joy to behold. The detail of the interface and controls is impressive. Also included is a sampler to capture and modify sounds recorded via a microphone and play those sounds on a musical keyboard.

LAYING IT DOWN Alter arranging your track, pushing a button at the top-left corner of the screen transports you to the My Songs screen where you can access ah your saved projects. Tapping an Export button, you can choose to send your song to iTunes or email it as either an AAC or GarageBand file.

Note that while you can import iPad's GarageBand projects into the Mac's version of GarageBand to work on them, you can't do the reverse.

EXTERNAL CONTROL An important question for musicians is whether you can control GarageBand for iPad with external devices. Based on our tests with a first-generation iPad, the answer is yes, but you'll need Apple's iPad Camera Connection Kit. Note the word 'compatible', however.

Not all devices we tested worked, but, despite some glitches, it turns the app into a viable (and highly portable) musical sketchpad for musicians.

OPEN G AR AGE While GarageBand may indeed be an invaluable companion for trained musicians, musical newbies are just as welcome. Regardless of your musical skill, GarageBand has something to offer. With very little effort you can strum out the chords to a favourite song.

There are, of course, some sour individuals who claim that the iPad is a tool for consumption rather than creation. GarageBand for IPad proves them wrong. This amazing tool may be the most inspiring musical iOS app I've ever used. And at a meagre SS.99 it's an astonishing bargain. Musician or not, it's a must-have app.