GarageBand Basics:
“Getting the Band Back Together”
Nick Gogno
Technology Applications for the
Classroom
I wonder
if there’s
on your laptop that
Go ahead.
Pick itanything
up!
ay
ascan
youuse
are
your
office,
you
decide
tofrien
sta
ounds
w
can
you
pretty
show
good…
offrecord
your
Youinmusical
still
gotwicked
it!
talents
Maybe
to
ifyour
you’re
friends…a
old
you
tositting
your
chops.
Looks like you’re in luck!
You have GarageBand installed
on your laptop. This program can
help you create a song that will
convince your old band members
to start jamming again!
To get started learning the software,
click on the guitar icon.
Track Info pane
timeline
loop browser
With
This
Click
But
Find
screen
this
on
first,
any
software,
and
you
ispart
preview
the
have
ofGarageBand
you
the
to
loops
must
GarageBand
learn
in
create
the
the
window—including
basics
loop
a window
basic
browser…
of
the
podcasting
tobe
program…
see
the
what
timeline,
project
each
that
the
y
After
You
Change
record
listening
track
Real
instrument,
to
and
your
Software
music,
effects,
they
Instruments
and
surely
input
won’t
and
settings
arrange
able
in
the
to
and
resist
Track
mix
getti
Info
you
panel does.
You can click
the name to
type a new
track name.
Click the
Mute
button to
silence
the track.
Click the
Record Enable
button to turn
on the track for
recording.
Click the Lock Track
button to lock the
track.
Click the Solo
button to hear
the track by
itself.
Click the
Track
headers:
mixer:
Guitar
Drag
The
icon
the
instrument
topan
return
dialtoto
icon
the
adjust
and
full GarageBand
the
name
panare
position
shown
window
ofatthe
the
ortrack
left
click here to return to your office.
Also includes the beat ruler, which you use to move the
playhead and align items in the timeline with beats and
measures.
Zoom
slider:
Drag
the
zoom
in forReal
a closer
view
Click
the
Guitar
icon
tozoom
returnslider
to thetofull
GarageBand
window
orof paI
Timeline:
Contains
the
tracks
where
you
record
and
Software
click here to return to your office.
Add Track
button: Click to
add a track
below the
existing tracks
in the timeline.
Loop Browser
Master volume slider and
and Editor
level meters: Drag the
buttons: Click to volume slider to adjust
open the loop
the project’s master
browser or the output volume level.
editor.
Track Info and Media Browser buttons: Click
to open the Track Info pane or the Media
Browser
Keyword buttons: Click a keyword button to display
matching loops in the results list. Click multiple
keyword buttons to narrow your results.
Click
thepreview
Guitar
icon
toyou
return
to the
full
GarageBand
or time
You
The
and
It
shows
add
can
loop
more
the
browser
tempo,
loops
loops
lets
key,
to
GarageBand
in
and
the
quickly
number
loop
find
browser
by
ofloops
dragging
beats
before
tofor
add
them
each
you
towindow
your
add
onto
loop.
them
projects
the
to a
click here to return to your office.
Since you’ll want to add a voice over on the track, you’ll need to
create
a podcast.
theyou
following
tutorial
onperfect
your own
Now that
you knowComplete
the basics,
must make
the
demo tra
computer. Back to the laptop again!
When you open a new project in GarageBand, this window should
appear. Click on New Podcast Episode.
When the new podcast project opens, go to File > Save As, and
save it with a new file name such as “getting the band back
together”
Now you will need to remove the extra voice track. Highlight the track you do
not want in the track info pane, and go to Track > Delete Track. Repeat this
process for the Jingles and Radio Sounds tracks.
First, start with the drummer by dragging a beat loop from the loop browser and
To
Also,
You
add
must
remember
loops,
addthe
first
loops
that
make
for
you
each
sure
canRepeat
instrument
that
browse
the
loop
inloops
browser
your
band
different
isbass
that
showing
will
views
remin
by
by
cli
dropping
it into
timeline
panel.
thisthe
process
forin
your
player
and
your guitarist, or any other instruments you might want.
Next, click on the top right hand corner of each track in the timeline and drag
each out to 20 seconds. Then, rename each instrument track after your old
band members in the track info pane by clicking on the track name once.
To experiment with track volume settings, select a track and then click the down
To
hear
how
song
sounds,
make
sure
theyou
playhead
is at the be
arrow
button
to your
show the
track
mixer. This
mixer
allows
to set volume
levels. Also, don’t forget about the record enable, mute, solo, and lock buttons.
Select the voice track and when ready click the record button.
To
record voice
overcomputer’s
your song,mic,
make
all the other
tracks
Speaking
into your
saysure
“Remember
when
we are m
used to sound like this. We gotta get the band back together!”
Click on the media browser button and drag a photo from your
Finally,
youdrop
mustitadd
picture
to your
that will remind
your
library and
into athe
podcast
trackpodcast
in the timeline.
You may
have to add new photos to your iPhoto library.
Click
on
your
iPod
find
how
to share
GarageBand
Now that
Since
your
you
masterpiece
knowtothe
basics
isout
completed,
of GarageBand,
you’llyour
want
you
to can
share
create
it with
any
friek
music.
To send a project to an iTunes playlist: Choose Share > Send to
You
can
send
a project
to an
playlist, format,
then
play
your
exported
Files
areThe
exported
to
iTunes
iniTunes
AIFF
format.
iTunes.
entire
project,
from
the
(measure
1)asto
the or
You
can
convert
the
exported
file
to beginning
another
such
AAC
end of the last region, is exported.
Additional Help
Make sure that you listen to your project
in iTunes before sharing it with anyone.
 Consult the GarageBand help file for
further information
 Useful Links:

 Apple's GarageBand
 The GarageDoor
 iCompositions
 MacJams
Support