Thursday, July 26, 2012

Super-QUICK Preview of Music Projects on a Mac

THIS IS SO COOL!
Songwriters often create their initial tracks on their home computer, such as on a Mac using Garageband. And we often have many draft files as we record the "music in our heads" so we don't lose it.... but are too busy on other projects to immediately finish.

And then when we go back later, we can't remember amid all our other song ideas, what we recorded for "this" draft! So as we look in Finder at our list of draft projects... well, have you ever had a really long music project with so many tracks that it takes a few moments to load even on a super-fast computer, just to hear a bit of what your project sounds like?

Here's a fast way to remember what your project sounds like WITHOUT opening the .BAND file or looking for the matching .MP3 (and hoping it hadn't changed since your last file-save):

I have about 230 songs on my websites, and about 80 Draft BAND files for future songs, some with only 2 tracks some with about 10. I couldn't remember if I had added Claxton's scripture reading for Prayer Without Asking MP3 track from his studio's ProTools project to my GarageBand project. But I didn't want to bother loading the BAND file to check.

So I decided to see if Quick Look shows the picture like GB's iLIFE preview window....

HERE'S HOW TO QUICKLY HEAR YOUR PROJECT:
In Finder,
1. single click to highlight the .BAND file name,
2. right click on it,
3. select Quick Look --- and

Not only will you see what your .BAND file window looks like (the iLIFE preview),
but Quick Look will PLAY your project.... even a huge project with many tracks.
THERE'S ONE CONDITION ---
You must have had "bounced" the project (In GarageBand: "Send Song to iTunes") in order to hear the associated .MP3 file when you click on Quick Look.

This is far faster than waiting to open the project! Cool!
May you find MUCH joy in using and finding shortcuts to efficiently record your music!
©2012 DianaDee Osborne
www.DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com
www.DiDoReflections.com (Die to Self, Do for Christ,
Reflect God, all with the help of the Holy Spirit)    -- full SEARCH website in development