In this series, we dig into an app we think you should be using, and explain what it is, why it’s great, and how to get started. This time, we’re covering GarageBand.
What is GarageBand?
A music recording studio. Despite being free, GarageBand includes tools that 40 years ago would have cost as much as a small house. But despite its scope, this is a recording studio for everyone, whether you’re a newcomer who likes the idea of making music or a jobbing pro with the need for a sketchpad for songwriting on the go.
What makes GarageBand great?
It’s packed with features and easy to use. There are loads of built-in instruments, including a fantastic synth that on its own would cost hundreds of dollars on other platforms. Best of all, it makes no assumptions. Want to mess around with pre-made loops? Go for it. Keen to connect a guitar and record every note yourself? That’s possible too.
How can I get started with GarageBand?
There’s a lot going on in GarageBand, so our plan is to introduce you to a range of features. By the end of the article, you’ll have a custom loop you created yourself. Before starting, we recommend you familiarize yourself with the control bar. Note also that should you tire of GarageBand’s built-in sounds, plenty of free ones are available from Sound library in the Sound browser.
Perform with loops: Launch GarageBand, tap + to create a new song. Select Live Loops. Pick a genre. When the playback grid appears, tap a cell to trigger it. Tap further cells to play them (which always happens on the beat) or an upward-facing arrow to trigger every cell within that column. Vertically drag the instrument column at the left of the screen to access off-screen instrument rows.
Make a beat: Playing with canned loops is fun, but let’s explore how GarageBand helps you make your own compositions. Tap the Navigation button (downward-facing triangle) to return to My Songs, and create a new song (+). Select Tracks, swipe to Drums, and choose Beat Sequencer. You can use the Navigation button to select a different kit, but we’ll stick with Modern 808. Pre-made patterns can be loaded from the Patterns button (at the bottom left – and see above for example patterns), but try tapping out your own.
Record a loop: Once you have a pattern you like (feel free to copy ours), tap the record button in the control bar. GarageBand will count in and record an eight-bar loop. You can adjust your pattern as the recording happens, for example to add variations and fills at the end of every two, four and/or eight bars. Use the Settings (cog) button to temporarily slow the tempo to make this easier. (This is a good tip when live recording anything in GarageBand!)
Play a smart instrument: Let’s add another instrument. Tap the Tracks button (horizontal stripes) and + to add a new track. Swipe to Bass and select Smart Bass. Tap the Navigation button and the selected instrument (likely Liverpool) and choose Sequence Bass to replace it. Tap the Controls button (dial) to access further settings. Experiment with the Autoplay dial and tap some chords to play a semi-automated bass line.
Record your bass: To record atop the eight-bar drum loop, first reset the playhead. Tap the stop button and then the Go to Beginning button (which is what stop turns into when a song isn’t being played). Press the first chord in your sequence and then record. (Stuck for chord progression ideas? Try: Em/Em/Dm/G/Em/Em/Dm/Am.) Don’t worry if things go wrong – you can redo this step as many times as you need.
Add a synth: Go back to Tracks view, and add another track. This time, select Alchemy Synth from the Synth section. Explore instruments and experiment with playing different notes. If you find this intimidating and find it difficult to compose something that works with the existing backing, keep things simple and limit yourself to D4, E4, G4, A4. (Go here if you need a quick guide to piano key note assignments.)
Edit your notes: Using GarageBand isn’t like the old days of recording to tape. What you capture can be quickly adjusted. Enter Tracks view, select your synth track, tap it to reveal the menu, and select Edit. You can tap bad notes to select them and tap-hold to move them to new positions. Or if your timing is off, open the Track Controls (vertical sliders) in Tracks view, go to Track Settings > Quantization, and set Straight to a value that improves things. Note that quantization in GarageBand is non-destructive, which means you can try different settings with no risk.
Add effects: Track Settings is also a place where you can explore effects. Use Master Effects to add echo and reverb (and tap on the heading to choose which types you’re applying). Above, use Plug-ins & EQ > Edit to add other effects to the current track. If you have other music apps installed that support Audio Unit extension effects, they can be selected here.
Mix and share music: Still in Track Controls, use Output to adjust your track’s volume and panning (left/right placement in stereo). You can mute and solo a track to focus on specific parts of your song. Or drag an instrument to the right in Tracks view to access track headers, which make it simple to adjust volume, soloing and muting across multiple tracks. Back in My Songs, tap-hold a song and select Share to export it as a mixed down audio file, a ringtone or a multi-track project.
There is much more to GarageBand, such as Alchemy Synth’s alternate keyboards and wonderful arpeggiator, and connecting instruments such as mics, piano-style keyboards and guitars (GarageBand has great amps). But this is where we’ll leave things for now. If there’s something specific you’d like to learn in GarageBand next time, let us know!
Get GarageBand (free) from the App Store. Visit the Apple website for GarageBand support and user guides.