Audio Units

The DoorPost - GarageBand tips newsletter is sent to you every three months and is full of extra tips on how to get the most out of GarageBand. It takes a more in-depth look at some important aspects of digital audio and home recording with GarageBand. Also: Links to free loops, effects and software instruments. Apple's GarageBand contains scores of great software instruments and hundreds of audio loops. What it doesn't have is a sampler'a way for you to create your own instruments from audio files. Since GarageBand lets you use Audio Unit instruments, you can make use of samplers like Native Instruments Kontakt from within GarageBand. Adding More Instruments to Garageband Garageband makes it really easy to get in there and easily set up virtual instruments that come built-in. However, if you're going in to Garageband with the intention of using a third-party plug-in, you might be scrat.

Audio Units can be added to GarageBand to give you many more instruments to play with.
Here are some good sources for Audio Units

1. One of the largest makers of Audio Units and other GarageBand plug-ins is AMG.
   
2. MDA-VST: Which contrary to its name has over a dozen AU plugins includung Amp Sims, Detuner, Delay, Comperssor/Limiter, and more
   
3. MacMusic.org: a HUGE list of Freeware, Shareware and Commercial Plug-Ins.

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SoundFonts

There are literally thousands of SF2s available on the web. In fact if you google 'SoundFont' you'll find more hits than you could probably look through in a lifetime. SoundFonts page.
SoundFont sources:
sf2midi.com presents a massive collection: At last count over 3,860 free SoundFonts available!
Hammersound
Tons of SoundsFonts nicely categorized. just shy of 1,100! (Piano, Chromatic Percussion, Organ, Guitar, Bass, Solo Strings, Ensemble, Brass, Reed, Pipe, Synth Lead, Synth Pad, Synth Effects, Ethnic, Percussive, Sound Effects, Drumkits and percussive kits, Collections, Miscellaneous)

Fox-gieg
Over 220 nicely categorized SoundFonts (Bass, Brass, Guitar, Loops (not loops like GB loops, actual instruments that paly sequences), noise, Orch Hit, Organ, Perc, Piano, Strings, Synth, Voice, Wind)
The Jazz Page
Muted Trumpet, Trombone, Flute, Trumpet, Brass, Tenor Sax, Acoustic Bass, Contrabass, Harmonica, Soprano Sax, Alto Sax. Guitars: Jazzguitar, Nylon Guitar, Steel Guitar, Clean Guitar, Muted Guitar, Overdrive Guitar, Distortion Guitar, Guitar Harmonics.

Software

MidiKeys
MidiKeys is a small application for Mac OS X that presents a miniature MIDI keyboard onscreen. You can use the computer keyboard to play MIDI notes, or click on the keys with the mouse. There is also an option to select a MIDI source and see incoming notes played on the keyboard.

iDrum adds the missing ingredient to your Mac-based home recording studio - a fully programmable drum machine. It's just as easy to use as the hardware drum machines of yesteryear, but with all the flexibility of a software-based virtual instrument. iDrum integrates seamlessly with GarageBand - or you can run it as a standalone application. Create drum patterns in iDrum right alongside your existing tracks, perfectly in time, all the time. Or use iDrum as the backbeat when you're laying down new tracks. Use the hundreds of included pre-programmed patterns and rhythms or roll your own. The price is a very reasonable $49.

Boldt Software Instruments For Garageband 2020

Boldt Software Instruments For Garageband Free

Download Demo - The iDrum Demo Version is identical to the full version except that it will time-out ten days after you install it. It includes Audio Unit and Standalone versions of iDrum.
Free Beats
From the same company comes the offer of 74 FREE iDrum beats for GarageBand.

Boldt Software Instruments For Garageband Free

The Best Free Instrument for GarageBand

Over 20 unique, pro quality software instrument sounds captured in one of London’smost prestigious sound stages.

Boldt Software Instruments For Garageband Download

A dedicated App and Plugin with fully featured, clutter free and focussed controls.

Garageband Audio Units

Presets and sounds sculpted by some of the brightest and best composers, engineers and musicians on the planet.

Sounds pretty good, right? How much would you be willing to pay for something like that?

This is LABS from Spitfire Audio, An infinite series of free software instruments, made by musicians and sampling experts in London, for anyone, anywhere.

It is, in my opinion, essential and the best free instrument plugin for any GarageBand music maker. The best part about LABS? It’s completely free.

In the video below, discover how to install LABS, how to use it in GarageBand and some of my favourite free instrument sounds.