(For more of my articles about recording and home studio software, check out my new site, StudioRoll.)

Over at Download Squad, they’ve posted a bit about Microsoft’s new development: a music creation tool that looks decidedly like GarageBand, at least based on the image the DL Squad guys have gotten their hands on. Now, I suppose if you don’t have a Mac, you don’t now how cool GarageBand is, with its multi-track recording, loop mixing, tuning features, editing, effects, and built-in podcasting and video sync features. All for the price of iLife, which is 99 bucks. It will be interesting to see how Microsoft positions Monaco against GarageBand, and more interesting if Monaco turns out to be in the same class as GarageBand.