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GarageBand Tutorial For Beginners – 5 Things You NEED To Know

GarageBand Tutorial for Complete Beginners

From finding your way around the sound browser, to using touch instruments and recording audio, in this GarageBand tutorial for complete beginners I help you get started in GarageBand on iPad and iPhone.

Find more GarageBand for iOS tutorials here.

GarageBand Tutorial for Beginners

Are you  just starting down the path to GarageBand enlightenment?
I’ve put together this GarageBand tutorial that outlines a selection of the best tricks and tips.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or are just looking to learn a few new tricks, you’ll love these essential tips to get you started.

If you’re just getting started with GarageBand on Mac, and feel a wee bit overwhelmed by all of the knobs, buttons and options this video is for you.

Find more GarageBand for Mac tutorials here.

GarageBand Tutorial for iPad and iPhone

Do you want to get into the mobile music making scene but don’t know where to start?

In the video below I share my top tips for getting started with GarageBand on iPad and iPhone

Are you ready for more? You can find all of the GarageBand for iOS tutorials you could ever need right here.

Bonus Tips!

Are you ready to learn more? Below you’ll find more detail on the info covered in the video as well as some more useful tips and tricks.

Musical Typing

From classical pianos to EDM synths, percussion to hard rock guitar sounds; GarageBand 10 comes pre packaged with a ton of great sounding virtual instruments that can really bring your project to life.

Digging into the instrument sounds available to you is as easy as opening a new Software Instrument track and choosing a Patch from the Library pane, but what about actually playing your chosen instrument? Ideally you could attach a USB keyboard or controller to your Mac. But maybe you don’t have access to one? Or maybe you’re on the move and didn’t have room to pack your keyboard/controller?

Luckily GarageBand has an ingenious built in solution – Musical Typing.

Here’s how it works:

To open Musical Typing, first click on “Window” in the toolbar at the top of your screen.

Next, click on “Show Musical Typing” (Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut ⌘+K)

GarageBand tutorial for beginnersThe Musical Typing window will appear in all its glory!

Here’s a rundown of the features:

Pitch Bend: You can use the 1+2 keys to adjust the pitch of whatever note/s you are playing in real time.

Modulation: Keys 3 through 8 will add a set amount of modulation to the note/s played. The effect will differ depending on the instrument you have selected.

Sustain: You can toggle sustain on and off with the Tab key.

Black and White Keys: These are the keys you’ll use to create your melody. Garageband presents them in a way that corresponds to a single octave (C3 to C4 by default) on a Piano keyboard.

Octave: Use the Z and X keys to shift octaves for lower or higher pitched notes.

Velocity: The C and V keys allow you to change to velocity (how hard the note is struck) of your chosen instrument sound.

All that’s left for you to do is hit record and start playing!

Improve Your Workflow with Keyboard Shortcuts

You will want to get to grips with GarageBand’s keyboard shortcuts as soon as possible.

You’ll get your projects up and running faster, so you don’t need to worry about finding your way around GarageBand’s interface and can concentrate on the creative side of things.

Find out more about GarageBand’s Keyboard Shortcuts (and download your free Shortcut Cheat Sheet) right here.

Want to keep learning? Grab your free copy of my GarageBand Quick Start Guide and find out just how deep the rabbit hole goes…

Need a helping hand? Got a question about GarageBand? Leave it in the comments or get in touch via The GarageBand Guide Facebook page!

Show Comments (78)
  1. Hi Patrick, i’m Jack from Indonesia. Though im a vet, i love to play music, a lot. And i’m new to this awesome app. I was amazed by your video tuts. Can you send me an email to get the ebook tuts? Sorry for my bad english. Thanks a lot.

      1. Thanks a lot for your reply. I have already subscribed by sending my email. I’m using my ipad for the garage band, was it significantly different from Mac version? Thanks

        1. Hmmm. Give it 24 hours from now Jack – you should receive an email asking you to confirm your subscription – make sure to click the link in said email and you’ll be whisked away to the email download page.

          The ebook does focus on the Mac version of Garageband and there are some big differences between the two versions, yeah.

  2. Patrick,
    I too am using the iPad version of Garageband via my Alesis iODock. Looking thru your Quick Start Guide was very informative, but there seems to be tons of things not available on my iPad. Any tricks to be able to edit volumes on only sections of tracks. (I recorded part of a track outside of my home studio and it’s coming across pretty loud on playback). Any help would be appreciated!
    Thanks,
    Rick

    1. Hey Rick,

      As there’s no automation function in the Garageband IOS app, you could split your individual track at the point you’d like the volume to increase, and again where you’d like the volume increase to end. Drag the split section to a new track and adjust the volume.

      Bit of a work around, i know, but the only alternative I can see is importing your GB IOS project into the full Garageband 11′ program and applying automation there.

      Hope this helps!

  3. Hi Patrick,
    Not so much a comment more a question. I have an older version of Garageband (’08). I am a Hypnotherapist and want to record some Hypnotherapy projects for clients. These projects require only my voice and some background music (which I already have in iTunes). Could you advise me of the best way to go about this project, particularly the mixing of music and voice. I would also like to know if it is worth me upgrading from ’08 to the latest for this kind of project.
    Thanks

    1. Hi Dave,

      I’ve just shot you an email outlining this in greater detail, but incase you’ve missed it, here it is again. 🙂

      You can import any track from iTunes in a couple of ways:

      1. Drag the track you need from iTunes onto your desktop. From here, open up your Garageband project and drag the file from your desktop into the GB project window.

      2. Click and open the media browser. It’s the icon on the bottom right hand corner of the Garageband 08′ window (I think – it’s been a while since i’ve used that version) that looks like a musical note + Film. From here, just choose to import from your iTunes library and select the track you need.

      Also, it might be an idea to look into ‘ducking’, especially if you plan to talk over parts of the backing track. Here’s a great article from iCreate.com that outlines how to use it (I haven’t got round to putting my own guide together quite yet….):

      http://www.icreatemagazine.com/tips/ilife-tutorial-use-ducking-in-garageband/

      You can do everything you need to do in Garageband 08′ David, though you might be missing out on some of the newer and useful features found in the latest version.

      Hope this helps!

      1. Hi Patrick
        I will absolutely LOVE you if you can fix this.
        I’ve been using Garageband 11 6.0.5 to record my hypnotherapy sessions, and then give the client an mp3.
        However, sometimes (around 1 in 10) I get a short high pitched sound, and then my voice sounds slurred and echoes really slowly.
        This happens without having edit/echo switched on, and I can find no way to stop it once it starts.
        I then have to abandon the session and start again
        I use a Blue Snowball microphone which has a slightly lose USB fitting – could it be this, or do you have any other ideas.
        Desperate to hear back from you!
        Jay Dudley

  4. Hi Patrick,
    Is there a way to pitch correct a specific region in a song? My experience is when you apply the pitch correction slider to a selected track, it apples the pitch correction to the entire track. For example, I would like pitch correction on each chorus but not on the verses. By the way, your page rocks! Thanks for you help!

    1. Hey Graham – So, after experimenting and doing a wee bit of research, i’ve concluded that you SHOULD be able to use the split function (⌘ + T) to ‘cut out’ the are of a region you want to autotune, double click the offending (and now separate) area and apply the pitch correction to only that part.

      Only problem – it doesn’t work. :/

      For me, even after doing all of the above, the pitch correction was applied to the whole track, no matter how much I fiddled about…

      A good alternative would be to create a ‘duplicate’ vocal track (that way your effects, compression etc. data will be identical on both tracks). Again, ‘cut out’ the chorus section then drag and drop the chorus sections into your new, identical duplicate track. Then just apply pitch correction to that track.

      Bit fiddly, but should get the job done?

      1. Thanks so much Patrick! Even thought it is a bit convoluted, at least I know how to do it now. Your page is a wealth of knowledge and an oasis for all those garageband newbies such as myself. Thanks for all your support!

  5. I would like to have a printout of the learning/practice music, without having to copy down every note. Is there a way to obtain such? I thought of screenshot, but am unable to discover how that is done on my new iMac.

    Walter

  6. One thing that is driving me crazy with version 10 of GB is, I can’t find a way to import tracks or the saved song from one GB project to another. I did this in the previous version but the option doesn’t seem possible now. I need this since I record more than the maximum number of tracks on my iphone in different projects (but the same song), then move the two or three songs to my iMac and do the final editing there. I can’t do it if I can’t merge the songs. There must be a way. Please help.
    I have just discovered your web site and love it. Love the free download too!

  7. Hey guys,

    I’ve accidently applied pitch correction to an entire track on Garageband 2013 version. How on earth do I remove it??
    !!

    SO SCARED.

  8. I would like to be able to record vocals and keys/ simultaneously, rather than laying down keys first and then vocals. I purchased the irig pro which enables me to plug in midi, mic, and lightening pin into my ipad, however I have yet to figure out how to record playing and singing at the same time using GarageBand bad ipad. Any suggestions?

  9. Hi, if it wasn’t for you, I’d probably take a long time to master Garage band, & the video of u-tube helped so much, with you talking & the video together made a big difference. Especially fock like me that’s had at stroke, showing both was brilliant idea. Thank you.

  10. Hey Patrick, COOL NAME! Coincidence? I THINK NOT! I am thoroughly enjoying your tuts. Could you possibly make some on how to create DUBSTEP. Many thanks, your partner in nameship,

    Patrick 😀

    1. Holy cricket, it’s not the Three Amigos, it’s the Three Patricks! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

      In relative news, your vidz really helped me excel in my music exam. At the start of it I was bricking it, but now, after many hours of help, I have finally passed!

      From the bottom of my heart, I salute you brethren.

      Patrick, out.

    2. Holy cricket, we have the same name! Wowzers! Never before has three of us ever united as one but today is the day!

      Anyway, your vidz helped me a great deal and am forever in your debt. With that, Patrick, I salute you!

      Patrick Out!!!!!!! LOL 🙂
      #GetNaughty #IWontTell

      1. Good golly gosh, I’m getting overwhelmed here, I’ve always wanted a Patrick of my own, and now I Have 3!! WOW! PATS UNITE! 😉

  11. Hey,

    My name is Christian Langley, and I am doing a project for school where I am basically expanding my Garageband Library, by adding plugins for instruments and loops. However, I have found that all the free plugins for garageband for some reason haven’t been in the right format to use in garageband even when they say compatible with garageband. I have watched your tutorials on changing the AU switch on, and I have done everything correct and yet they still don’t work. I don’t want to buy a plugin for $50 and find it can’t be brought into Garageband…

    SO MY MAIN QUESTION IS:
    What are (in your opinion) 10 of the best paid (any range between $0 – $100) instrument plugins (I’m mainly interested in synthesiser, piano and drum), and the best 10 loop plugins from loop masters.com (I’m interested mainly in electro house plugins)???

    Thanks,

    Christian Langley, Merewether High School.

  12. Hey Patrick, please help me out here. I was pretty sure, that you made a tutorial about reversing the audio sample a while ago. How?
    Cheers, Son

  13. I can’t locate info to ‘share’ my recorded tracks with i-Tunes- the conversion goes on and on, the indicator turns from the active blue/white to grey/white. What am I doing wrong please.
    My Mac is 10.8.5 professor 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5, with 8GB memory and 1600MHz DDR3

  14. I’m a beginner on GarageBand, and lately this guidance from you has shot forward my interests to the skies. Thank you so much for this Patrick.

  15. Hello Patrick, im seeing some of the timestamps on these posts and i believe im a bit late to the GB party. I’ve been bit by the musical bug again recently and have previous experience on classical pianos. My question is, how do i attach an MIDI controller and have it register on GB? I purchased an old pawn shop keyboard with MIDI ports in the back, i also got the MIDI-USB adapter and have plugged it all in. GB even says it knows the USB exists though when i play anything on the keyboard, it doesn’t exist/register on the computer. Suggestions?

  16. Patrick
    Long story short…I hv had brain surgery and have a difficult time with memory and comprehension. It takes me a little more time and effort for things. Enough about me. I can follow basic step by step on paper that I can read and reread and yes reread…lol. How can I print instructions. I at this point only want to blend music and take bad words out. About eight years ago I did 3 songs but as I said I have to relearn a lot. I am ready to tackle this project.

    SandyJo

  17. Hi
    I just started use garageband ,clicked empty project then I press the play button and instead of having empty sound I hear the sound bip bip bip ,empty project should let me insert my sounds without the bip tip sound no? couldn’t find were to delete it, its frustrating

    Thank you

  18. HI Patrick!

    I come from Slovene and i love music. Your videos realy helped me. I would be pleased if you would send me gmail to your Ebook.

    Thanks and wish you all the best

  19. Can anybody please guide how you trigger auto accompaniment option in piano or guitar section using a midi keyboard

  20. Can anybody please guide how you trigger auto accompaniment option in piano or guitar section using a midi keyboard please guide favourably.

  21. Ciao Patrick: Some really good stuff, here. Sure takes the angst out of getting started with GarageBand. I already feel more confident about learning this program. Thanks. You da man!

  22. So after years trying to learn Ableton by myself and not feeling very competent, I decided to explore Garageband on my iPad and finally on my Mac. Your videos make it so simple to learn. Can’t wait to listen to more and learn more. Thank you so much! Much love from Canada

  23. All I want to do is simply import a purchased song (from iTunes) and edit it. Slow it down or speed it up; those sorts of things. Used to be simple. Now I cannot figure it out with this new version. Help! Thanks, Paulette

  24. Completely new to GarageBand and this has been really helpful! Explained very well and easy to follow for someone as clueless as me. Thanks!

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