Microsoft Readies 'Monaco' Competitor to Apple's GarageBand
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Some industry watchers have portrayed Apple Computer's decision to make Windows available as a dual-boot on Intel-based Mac OS X systems as a big win for Microsoft. Microsoft doesn't seem to be taking the move as a sign that it can call off the dogs, however. 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. GarageBand is Apple's MacOS application for amateur musicians. It comes with 1,000 pre-recorded sampled loops, and 50 sampled or synthesised instruments that can be played using a MIDI keyboard connected to the computer, or using an on-screen keyboard. Monaco will be aimed at the same audience, sources said, and will be positioned in the same way – except that it will work on Windows only. Microsoft also is expected to play up Monaco's use of Microsoft-devised search algorithms for finding particular music clips. Microsoft officials declined to comment on Monaco.
One Microsoft-media-savvy programmer said if and when Microsoft delivers such a product, "I'd be very interested in running it on Vista or Windows XP."
One partner said Microsoft might use Monaco as a showcase Vista application, similar to the Microsoft "Max" photo-sharing application, upon which a team of Microsoft developers is working. Max is optimized to take advantage of Vista's Windows Presentation Foundation and Aero technologies. It's not clear whether Microsoft is considering bundling Monaco with Vista. Apple makes GarageBand available as part of iLife, a suite of applications for creating and organizing digital content. Other iLife applications include iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iTunes and iWeb. Apple unveiled the third iteration of GarageBand, GarageBand3, at the 2006 Macworld Conference and Expo. |
Comments (26)
As Microsoft is presumably trying to enrich their consumer media production capabilities like Apple did with iLife, forgive me for not knowing this for sure, but MS doesn't have an equivalent to iDVD. Right? As far as i am aware, the "equivalency chart" would look something like this?WMP = iTunesPhotoMax, Windows Explorer = iPhoto(??)??! = iWebMonaco = GaragebandMovie Maker = iMovie??! = iDVD??If this is the case, it would seem to me that Microsoft should get a better grasp of a user's media workflow so they might see that an iDVD equivalent is sorely needed. From the "beginning" of a video media workflow as it merges to the end, iLife offers the whole enchilada:iTunes-\-------- iMovie ---< iWeb OR iDVD iPhoto-/You can add Garageband before or after iMovie, but in any case you STILL want to author the final production to a pervasive distribution media: either the web -- or DVD... and, a Garageband equivalent would have a niche user-base, whereas DVD authoring is much more universally applicable..Seems obvious to me. Maybe there's more of this going on deep in the bowels of Redmond I don't know about.Any thoughts?PS: Will Monaco handle Podcasting? ;)
Posted by Bob Barker | April 8, 2006 3:24 PM
As Microsoft is presumably trying to enrich their consumer media production capabilities like Apple did with iLife, forgive me for not knowing this for sure, but MS doesn't have an equivalent to iDVD. Right? As far as i am aware, the "equivalency chart" would look something like this?WMP = iTunesPhotoMax, Windows Explorer = iPhoto(??)??! = iWebMonaco = GaragebandMovie Maker = iMovie??! = iDVD??If this is the case, it would seem to me that Microsoft should get a better grasp of a user's media workflow so they might see that an iDVD equivalent is sorely needed. From the "beginning" of a video media workflow as it merges to the end, iLife offers the whole enchilada:iTunes-\-------- iMovie ---< iWeb OR iDVD iPhoto-/You can add Garageband before or after iMovie, but in any case you STILL want to author the final production to a pervasive distribution media: either the web -- or DVD... and, a Garageband equivalent would have a niche user-base, whereas DVD authoring is much more universally applicable..Seems obvious to me. Maybe there's more of this going on deep in the bowels of Redmond I don't know about.Any thoughts?PS: Will Monaco handle Podcasting? ;)
Posted by Bob Barker | April 8, 2006 3:28 PM
This site and Safari are not playing well together :-/
Posted by Bob Barker | April 8, 2006 3:45 PM
Of all the iLife applications that MS could put some energy into, GarageBand does not seem to be the one that is going to grab the average user by the tail. Are most computer users musicians? Not likely... much more apt to own a digital video camera than an acoustic guitar I would think. Is a pro version - like Logic Pro - going to come out of Redmond to augment the pro market? MS should concentrate on building the digital media household - they've a nice headstart there.
Posted by Ben Dychowishinko | April 17, 2006 8:46 AM
A few changes...
FrontPage = iWeb
But I still come to this:
??! = iDVD??
Posted by Andrew Davis | November 28, 2006 8:57 PM
But FrontPage costs extra. Doesn't it? On MS's site, the original license fee is $199.00, and the upgrade is $109.00. The entire Apple iLife suite -- iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, Garageband and iWeb -- costs only $79.00! And that includes some very nice virtual instruments, audio effects, loops and beautifully put together appearance templates consistent throughout iMovie, iDVD an iWeb. For ease of use, it's those templates that make it easy to look great -- but also the way these programs share their data and respective "lists" (iTunes' playlists, iPhoto's photo albums) that make them smooth to use.
Now, I'm assuming that FrontPage is more powerful than iWeb, but the entire iLife suite is geared towards home personal use, not the Dreamweaver crowd. Despite this, I use iLife for my work all the time. Saved me THOUSANDS of dollars over the years.
Some company would have to go a looooooong way to equal the comprehensive array that is iLife. There's more to it than a bundle of software.
Posted by Bob Barker | December 5, 2006 8:16 PM
Any idea of a release date on this product?
Posted by Teena Shouse | December 7, 2006 4:30 PM
Windows DVD Maker= iDVD
Posted by Max C. | December 11, 2006 11:07 PM
It looks really good, from what basic info they have.
Just would like to know of any rough idea when it will be released.
Posted by Doobrie Firkin | March 1, 2007 1:13 PM
is there any new info on this software? is it ever going to come out? this story is over a year old at this point and i haven't seen any updates, anywhere.
Posted by sean conners | May 9, 2007 9:41 AM
is monaco free? and if it is how do i download it?
Posted by michele | June 25, 2007 9:03 PM
It is over a year ago that your original article appeared. It has left a lot of people wondering. Is it not time now to go back to your sources, the "Microsoft partners who requested anonymity", and ask them if Microsoft is still "pushing full-steam-ahead" with this project. I have written a page on thegaragedoor.com dedicated to the possibility of seeing GarageBand for PC at some time:
http://www.thegaragedoor.com/roadcrew/garageband-for-pc.html
and I am keen to have your response to pass on to my readers.
Posted by Victor Hookstra | August 1, 2007 8:59 PM
stupid liers, the last time an article was posted about this said "monaco" wad one and a half years ago.....stupid pathetic cowards
Posted by me! | September 4, 2007 9:44 PM
Bob:
Microsoft allow their users freedom - there are applications that perform tasks of iDVD and so on extremely better.
Microsoft dosen't keep their OS exclusive - one of the reasons a PC is still the better over a Mac.
Posted by Microsoft User. | September 7, 2007 2:47 AM
Its October 17th, 2007. Still Nothing.
Posted by Kevin | October 18, 2007 1:48 AM
Windows movie player for the windows vista is a great app like imovie but imovie is better i think. but i would like to know when microsoft makes monaco so i can buy it i played around with garage band and i think garage band is nice. i made a few good songs but mixcraft is better i am right now using it with my band and have hooked everything up to my computer. so i thnik so far mixcraft is the windows monaco for now till the actuall monaco comes out...
reply thanks
Posted by Mr. T | January 18, 2008 2:53 PM
i would like that to
Posted by simon cowell | January 18, 2008 2:55 PM
It looks really good, from what basic info they have.
Just would like to know of any rough idea when it will be released
Posted by oyun | February 25, 2008 10:32 PM
actually Ben Dychowishinko i think youll find that a good music programme like garage band for windows would be very popular. as a musician garage band is an amazing programme if you have the keyboard pluggd in and theres no need for a mic cause thers one on the laptop. its just windows is generally better. bring on monaco!
Posted by Joe | April 28, 2008 5:35 AM
Hmmm.....Very doubtful as to wether Monaco will ever make it onto the shelves. Even if they do release such a program, it will probably be well after Windows SEVEN (after vista) ships.
But lets be frank here. All the information on the EXISTENCE of a GarageBand Windows wannabe is nothing more than rumors and heresay.
Probably just some MS marketing "sock-puppet" trying to impress potential mac-to-windows converts (And there seems to be more people moving from Windows to Mac now than the reverse - Myself included to a degree - I have uses for both).
Give it up. It ain't happening. Windows will not make for a good DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) any time soon. Sure it's great for gaming, but you can't make a musical masterpiece with "World Of Warcraft" or "MS Hold'em" can you?
Posted by Naht-Gowna-Happin | June 11, 2008 4:09 PM
Hello I find Monaco very nice but garageband is better. I have a Mac Pro with garageband and it is very cool to create my loops. Windows is fu**
because they imitate apple.
Posted by ich | June 13, 2008 8:26 AM
Hello I find Monaco very nice but garageband is better. I have a Mac Pro with garageband and it is very cool to create my loops. Windows is fu**
because they imitate apple.
Posted by ich | June 13, 2008 8:27 AM
Hello I find Monaco very nice but garageband is better.
Posted by oyunlar | July 27, 2008 11:55 AM
I have always led to believe that Garage Band was written for Mac computer.The majority of people i know in the the music industry do use mac because it is better geared up for it and a lot easier to work with.Because of this a large number of schools worldwide do use Garage Band to introduce young students to the world of basic studio recording and songwriting.
One comment made in this article about FL [Fruity Loops] being a far superior program is quite true.The problem is for the amateur enthusiast it
is a complex program to grasp initially.
This is where Garage Band is a winner for most.It
is much easier and quicker to get to grips with for those with a basic knowledge of music.
My personal question is can Microsoft or anybody for that matter create a music software program that is easy to learn and use like Garage Band for
PC users or is the reality that PC platform is just not really geared up for music programs?
There are a lot of people out there who only have
a PC at home and would gladly welcome a simple to use music program like Garage Band.
Posted by Patrick | August 1, 2008 4:49 AM
Of all the iLife applications that MS could put some energy into, GarageBand does not seem to be the one that is going to grab the average user by the tail. Are most computer users musicians? Not likely... much more apt to own a digital video camera than an acoustic guitar I would think. Is a pro version - like Logic Pro - going to come out of Redmond to augment the pro market? MS should concentrate on building the digital media household - they've a nice headstart there.
Posted by toner | August 11, 2008 9:06 PM
It looks really good, from what basic info they have.Just would like to know of any rough idea when it will be released
Posted by oyun | August 12, 2008 5:34 PM