- On-Screen Keyboards
- External Instruments
- Choosing a GB Instrument
- Recording Options
- Recording a Track
PDF Handout
Download Adobe Reader
Creating Your Own Loops
Did you record the perfect bass line or drum riff? Make it into a loop! Now, you'll be able to use that perfect rendition again and again, even in other songs.
First, select the track you'd like to use to create the loop. Open the Track Editor.
Highlight the area of the track that you'd like to become the loop. Here, I've highlighted a portion of my piano recording.
Copy your selection (Edit menu - Copy) and paste it into the track window as a new track (be sure to move the progress triangle so you don't paste over your original recording!). Below, I've copied the highlighted section of my track (Live Classical Piano) and pasted it as a new track (which GarageBand has automatically named Sequence).
If you want to make an entire track into a loop, don't worry about cutting and pasting.
Now, select the new sequence you just created (click once on it to highlight it) and, in the Edit menu, select Add to Loop Library. This will bring up a box where you can describe the new loop.
Here, you can name the loop and describe its instrument, scale, genre, and mood. When selecting Type (Loop or One-Shot), think about how you would like the loop to be used in the future. If you'd the loop to change its tempo to match any song you use it with, select Loop. One-Shot is best for arrhythmic loops that do not need to adjust to match different tempos (such as sound effects) or for loops that will become distorted if they are not played at the original tempo. However, remember that One-Shot loops will be less versatile and harder to use in other songs.
Click on Create to create your new loop. You can now find your loop in the Loop Editor for use in this and other songs. Just like Apple's pre-made loops, it can be repeated.
Watch the video
Creating Your Own Loops
dial-up | broadband
flash movie
Entire Tutorial
