GarageBand 101

February 13, 2025 3:49 PM

I want to learn how to use GarageBand on my Macbook so I can record basic drum/guitar/bass rock songs on my own. I'm assuming some kind of YouTube tutorial is the best way to go. But there are so many!

I'm an experienced musician and familiar with the recording process--my band has recorded a few albums at a local studio.

Now I want to try putting together some instrumental rock songs myself at home, and GarageBand seems like the easiest (and cheapest) way to go. I'm modestly technologically proficient and a fast learner. I don’t want to sit through hours and hours of videos explaining every tiny detail; I just want a quick-and-dirty into to the basics so I can:

* Lay down digital drum tracks that I can also edit
* Record guitar and bass tracks using a Focusrite Scarlett, add effects, etc
* Maybe add some keyboard/midi tracks too eventually
* Mix, edit and tweak as necessary

There are so many options for this type of thing when I search. Who are a few of the best?

posted by gottabefunky to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

Apple’s own GarageBand User Guide is a good place to begin.
posted by conscious matter at 4:19 PM on February 13 [3 favorites]

I saw a tutorial here on MeFi, that made it look so easy.

Could not duplicate. My GarageBand seemed different.

But watch all of them you can. It will give you the jist.

Rock on!
posted by Windopaene at 4:45 PM on February 13

You might try just diving right on in without a tutorial. GarageBand has a pretty good built in tutorial and help system, but it is quite intuitive and obvious, at least for the most important basics. Give it a try, I bet that given your previous recording experience and technical proficiency will be enough to hit the ground running.
posted by tybstar at 6:51 PM on February 13 [3 favorites]

I can go with tybstar, GarageBand is fairly intuitive and it doesn't take long to figure out the essentials just by playing with it for a little while.

If you like a simple book, How to For Dummies series has a GarageBand book and it's probably available at your local library. Handy for suggestions on opening special features.
posted by ovvl at 5:55 AM on February 14

Garage Band is highly intuitive, especially if you're familiar with the process of recording instruments in a studio setting and the visual representation of different instrument tracks inside a digital audio workstation app.

One thing that you might find helpful, to get yourself familiar, is to open the Loop browser and use the search bar to find different loops, then drag a few into the tracking area. You'll quickly learn that there are different kinds of loops, some that are prerecorded audio and some that are MIDI notes triggering onboard sampled instruments. Regardless of the type, you can trim either end of the loop, or you can... loop them. With the loops made from MIDI notes, you can double-click on one of those loop sections and edit the notes — take some out, move them around, add some more, etc.

Definitely explore Apple's extensive help documentation.
posted by emelenjr at 8:14 AM on February 14

This is pretty great resource for beginners. I've learned a lot from it myself.
posted by General Malaise at 11:20 AM on February 14

Best answer: Hm I see most of the videos are just at the Youtube channel now (they used to all be listed on the website), which is here.
posted by General Malaise at 11:22 AM on February 14

seconding what General Malaise linked to, The Band Guide. you can start simple and get more complicated with his instructions.
posted by entropone at 2:03 PM on February 14