GarageBand User Guide for iPad

GarageBand

User Guide

for iPad

2GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Contents

Get started 5

Play Touch Instruments 7

Play the Keyboard 7

Use the Sampler 13

Play the Drums 16

Play the Smart Drums 18

Create drum patterns with the Beat Sequencer 20

Play the Amp 23

Record sounds with the Audio Recorder 27

Play the Strings 30

Play the Bass 32

Play the Guitar 34

Play the Pipa 36

Play the Erhu 37

Play the Guzheng 39

Play the Koto 41

Use Drummer 43

Use the track controls 45

Use effect plug-ins with Touch Instruments 47

Save custom sounds 49

Add custom chords 50

Use a Bluetooth MIDI device with Touch Instruments 50

Set the control knob orientation 51

Use MPE controllers 51

Record Touch Instruments 52

3GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use the control bar and the track headers 56

Use the control bar 56

Use the track headers 57

Build a GarageBand song 60

Build a song in Tracks view 60

Create and save songs 61

Play and navigate songs 63

Change song settings 64

Use the Note Pad 67

Add Apple Loops 68

Import audio and MIDI files 70

Import a song from the Music app 72

Edit regions 73

Edit notes in regions 76

Change region settings 78

Automate volume changes 79

Merge tracks 81

Extend a song with song sections 82

Use Live Loops 85

Live Loops overview 85

Work in the Live Loops grid 86

Play cells in the grid 87

Edit cells 87

Choose a Touch Instrument 89

Record to a cell 90

Add Apple Loops and audio files 90

Add playing cells to a column 91

Record a Live Loops performance 91

Remix a song 92

Download additional sounds and loops 94

Jam with other GarageBand users 98

4GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use other music apps with GarageBand 101

Use iCloud with GarageBand 104

Use Schoolwork with GarageBand 106

Share GarageBand songs 108

Share songs 108

Mirror GarageBand to an Apple TV 114

Use VoiceOver with GarageBand 115

Intro 115

Use VoiceOver to play and record Touch Instruments 116

Navigate in tracks view with VoiceOver 117

Use VoiceOver to arrange and edit regions 119

Use VoiceOver to edit notes in regions 120

Use VoiceOver with automation 122

Use VoiceOver with plug-ins 123

Use keyboard shortcuts 125

5GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Get started

Get started with GarageBand for iPad

The first time you open GarageBand, you see the Sound browser, where you can choose a

Touch Instrument to play. There are Touch Instruments for keyboard, guitar, bass, drums,

strings, and more, designed to help you make music easily.

When you tap Live Loops above the Sound browser, you see the Template browser, where

you can choose a template or empty grid for Live Loops. You can use Live Loops to play,

edit, and arrange musical ideas in real time like a DJ or electronic music producer.

In the Sound browser you can also open the Sound Library, where you can download

additional Touch Instruments, sounds, and loops.

Choose a Touch Instrument

• In the Sound browser, swipe left or right to view the instruments, and tap the one you

want to play. Tap More Sounds to see additional sounds for that instrument.

The Touch Instrument opens. To choose another instrument, tap the Browser button

on the left side of the control bar to return to the Sound browser, then tap a different

instrument. You can also touch and hold the Browser button, and choose another

instrument from the list.

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Each Touch Instrument has a play area and a controls area. You play melodies, chords, and

sounds by touching the keys, strings, or other elements in the play area, and change the

sound of the instrument using the knobs, buttons, and other controls in the controls area.

At the top of the screen is the control bar, featuring navigation, playback, and volume

controls. Below the control bar is a ruler that shows musical time in bars and beats. The

playhead moves across the ruler to show what part of the song is currently playing.

After the Touch Instrument opens, you can start playing. The following sections give

specific information about each type of Touch Instrument:

• Play the Keyboard

• Use the Sampler

• Play the Drums

• Play the Smart Drums

• Create drum patterns with the Beat Sequencer

• Play the Amp

• Record sounds with the Audio Recorder

• Play the Strings

• Play the Bass

• Play the Guitar

• Play the Pipa

• Play the Erhu

• Play the Guzheng

• Play the Koto

• Use Drummer

You can also tap the Info button in the upper-right corner to show the coaching tips

overlays, which contain helpful information about the current instrument or Tracks view.

You can play the instrument and use all its controls while the coaching tips are visible. Tap

the Info button again to hide the coaching tips.

7GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play Touch Instruments

Play the Keyboard in GarageBand for iPad

Using the Keyboard Touch Instrument, you can play different keyboards, including grand

piano, electric piano, organ, clavinet, and synthesizer, by tapping the keys.

You can choose a keyboard sound, move higher or lower on the keyboard, hold notes, and

change the keyboard layout and size. Some keyboards include controls for pitch bend,

modulation, velocity, and other sound parameters. Alchemy synth sounds have an extended

set of controls that you can use to customize the sound.

You can now use the chord strips (previously available on the Smart Keyboard) with all

keyboard sounds to play chords, bass notes, and comping patterns.

Choose a keyboard sound

• Tap the name of the sound near the top of the screen, then tap the sound you want to

play. You can also swipe left or right to change to the previous or next sound. To view

keyboard sounds in a different category, tap one of the category names.

Play higher or lower on the keyboard

• To move the keyboard by octaves, tap the Octave Down or Octave Up button.

To return to the keyboard’s middle range, tap the Reset button between the octave

buttons. The number on the button shows the current octave transposition.

8GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Hold notes longer

• Touch and hold the Sustain control as you play. You can also drag the Sustain control to

the right to lock it on.

Organ sounds have a Rotation switch instead of a Sustain control.

Change the keyboard layout and size

• Tap the Keyboard Options button , then do either of the following:

• Change the keyboard layout: Tap the single- or double-row keyboard.

• Change the keyboard size: Tap the small, medium, or large-size keyboard.

Bend notes and modulate the sound

Some keyboard sounds, including synthesizers and clavs, have pitch bend (Pitch) and

modulation (Mod) wheels in the controls area. You can use these to bend notes or change

the character of the sound as you play the keyboard.

• Drag the Pitch wheel up or down to bend the pitch of notes as you play.

• Drag the Mod wheel up or down to change the sound of the keyboard. Modulation can

add vibrato, resonance, or other changes to the sound.

Adjust the touch sensitivity of the keys

Increasing the touch sensitivity makes notes sound louder or softer depending on how hard

you tap the keys.

1. Tap the Keyboard Options button

, and turn on Velocity.

2. Pinch the two ends of the Velocity bar apart to increase the sensitivity range, or pinch

them together to decrease the range.

3. Drag the Velocity bar up or down to move the sensitivity range. This is particularly

useful after pinching the ends closer together to limit sensitivity to a narrow range.

9GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play the keyboard by swiping left or right

You can control the keyboard in different ways by swiping left or right across the keys. By

default, swiping horizontally plays notes on the keyboard smoothly. You can change the

swiping behavior using the Glissando button.

• To move higher or lower on the keyboard by swiping across the keys, tap the button

until it says Scroll.

• To return to the default behavior, tap the button until it says Glissando.

• Some instruments, particularly synthesizers, have a third setting. For these instruments,

to slide smoothly between notes (called portamento), tap the button until it says Pitch.

Adjust the sound

Some keyboard sounds, including electric piano, synthesizer, and organ, include knobs or

other controls you can use to change the sound while you play. When available, the knobs

are labeled with the sound parameters they control. When you record the Keyboard, any

movements to the controls are also recorded.

• Turn the knobs while you play the keyboard, and listen to how the sound changes.

Adjust Alchemy synth sounds

Alchemy synth sounds include additional parameter knobs, the Transform Pad, and XY

pads. You can view the other Alchemy synth controls by swiping the controls area left

or right.

The Transform Pad has eight sections (called snapshots) that represent a group of

settings for the sound of the instrument. You can adjust the sound by tapping a snapshot

or dragging the rectangular framing box between the snapshots. When the framing box is

over one snapshot, you hear the sound of that snapshot. When the framing box partially

covers multiple snapshots, the sound of those snapshots is transformed to create a new

sound. The amount that each covered snapshot contributes to the sound is determined by

how much of the framing box covers the snapshot.

10GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Do one of the following:

• Play using a single snapshot: Tap a snapshot to place the framing box over it.

• Transform the sound between multiple snapshots: Drag the framing box so that it

partially covers the snapshots.

• Transform the sound using Gyro control: Tap the Gyro Control button above the

keyboard and tilt your iPad to move the framing box.

• Transform the sound using the XY pads:Swipe the controls area left or right to view the

XY pads, then drag the pucks on the two XY pads. Moving a puck changes the X and Y

axis values on its pad.

Adjust organ sounds

Organ keyboard sounds include drawbars on the left side of the controls area. Drawbars

let you quickly change the sound of the organ by adjusting the relative volume of different

harmonics or stops. The drawbars are arranged left to right from lower to higher stops;

dragging a drawbar down increases the volume of its harmonic, while dragging it up

decreases the volume of its harmonic.

You can also control the speed of the rotating speaker effect using the Rotation switch.

• Make the speaker rotate faster or slower: Drag the Rotation switch right or left.

Adjust the sound with Face Control

If your iPad supports facial recognition, you can add vibrato, resonance, or other changes

to some keyboard sounds by moving your mouth while you play.

1. Hold your iPad 10–20 inches (25–50 cm) away from your face and tap the Face Control

button .

The first time you use Face Control, GarageBand asks for permission to access the

camera on your iPad.

2. As you play, open and close your mouth to change the sound.

3. To turn Face Control off, tap the Face Control button again.

When playing Alchemy synth sounds, you cannot use Gyro Control and Face Control at the

same time.

Note:GarageBand uses ARKit face tracking features to translate your facial expressions

into instrument effect controls. Your face information is processed on device, and only

music is captured during your performance.

Play the keyboard using a particular scale

• Tap the Scale button , then tap the scale you want to play.

After you choose a scale, the keyboard changes to show note bars rather than keys. Tap

the bars to play the notes of the scale.

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View note labels on the keyboard

You can view note labels for every key on the keyboard.

1. Close GarageBand.

2. Open the Settings app, scroll down, then tap GarageBand.

3. Tap Keyboard Note Labels.

Play arpeggios automatically

The Keyboard Touch Instrument includes an arpeggiator. When you turn on the arpeggiator,

chords you play on the keyboard are arpeggiated, or played one note at a time rather than

simultaneously.

Note:The arpeggiator is not available for Alchemy synth sounds listed under Arpeggiated.

• Tap the Arpeggiator button , then tap the Run switch.

When you turn on the Arpeggiator, other controls appear below the Run switch, letting

you set the order, rate, and octave range of arpeggiated notes.

• Tap Note Order, then choose the direction of arpeggiated notes.

• Tap Note Rate, then choose a note value for arpeggiated notes, based on the tempo

of the song.

• Tap the Octave Range up or down arrow to set how many octaves the arpeggio

covers.

When the Arpeggiator is turned on, the Sustain control becomes a Latch control. If you

touch and hold or lock the Latch control, the current arpeggio keeps playing. Tapping a

different key transposes the current arpeggio to start on the tapped note.

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Play the keyboard using chord strips

• Tap the Chord Strips button to view the chord strips.

Play chords or bass notes with chord strips

• Play chords higher or lower: Tap one of the five upper segments of a chord strip.

• Play a bass note or sets of bass notes: Tap one of the three lower segments of a chord

strip.

• Play chords and bass notes together: Tap an upper segment and a lower segment at the

same time.

You can add your own custom chords to play.

Play comping patterns

1. Turn the Autoplay knob to one of the numbered positions.

2. Tap a segment of one of the chord strips.

• The upper segments (showing the chord names) play chords and bass notes

together.

• The middle segments play chords only. Tapping with two or three fingers plays

variations of the pattern.

• The lower segments play bass notes only.

3. Tap the segment again to stop playing the pattern.

Chord strips for monophonic keyboard sounds are not divided into segments. Turn the

Autoplay knob to select a pattern that plays when you tap the chord strips. Tapping a

different chord strip plays the same pattern with the notes of that chord.

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Save your own custom sounds

1. Modify an existing keyboard sound by adjusting the keyboard controls.

2. Tap the name of the keyboard sound near the top of the screen, then tap Save.

3. Type a name for your custom sound, then tap Done.

The first time you save a custom sound, a new Custom category appears. You can

rename or delete the sound by tapping Edit, then tapping the icon (to rename the

sound) or the red circle (to delete the sound).

Use the Sampler in GarageBand for iPad

You can record (or sample) a sound using a microphone, or add an audio file, and then

play it back like a melody on the Sampler keyboard. You can save samples to use in other

GarageBand songs, and edit them in several ways.

Open the Sampler

• Tap the Browser button , swipe to the Keyboard, then tap the Sampler button.

Record a sample

1. Tap the Record button to the right of the Sampler.

2. Play, sing, or make sound into the built-in microphone or a connected microphone.

3. When you finish, tap the Stop button to stop recording.

Adjust the microphone input level

When you make sound, the Input Level meter shows that the Sampler is receiving an

input signal from your microphone. If your audio device supports software level control or

monitoring, the Input Settings button is available in the Sampler window.

1. Tap the Input Settings button , then drag the Input Level slider left or right to set the

input level.

The Input Level slider is available if your input source supports software level control.

2. To set the level automatically, tap the Automatic switch next to the Input Level slider.

3. If your audio device has multiple inputs, tap Channel, then choose the input channel.

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Turn on monitoring for an external microphone

When an external microphone or other audio device (such as a headset or an audio

interface) is connected to your iPad, a Monitor switch appears in the Input Settings. When

monitoring is on, the sound picked up by your microphone is sent to your headphones or

audio interface.

1. Tap the Input Settings button .

2. Tap the Monitor switch to turn monitoring on. Tap the switch again to turn monitoring

off.

Play the sample

• Tap notes on the Sampler keyboard.

The sound plays higher or lower as you play higher or lower on the keyboard. You can

play multiple keys to create “chords” with the sound.

The Sampler also includes controls that let you change the keyboard range, hold notes,

change the keyboard layout and size, bend notes and add modulation, adjust touch

sensitivity, arpeggiate chords, or play using a particular scale. These controls are the

same as the controls for the Keyboard Touch Instrument.

Choose a different sample to play or edit

1. Tap the name of the current sample above the waveform display, tap This Song or

Library, then tap the name of the sample you want to play.

2. When you finish, tap Done.

Add an audio file to the Sampler

You can add Apple Loops, audio files, and audio regions to the sampler.

• In Tracks view:

• Drag a blue region from an Audio Recorder or Amp track to the Sampler track.

• Drag an Apple Loop or audio file from the Loop Browser to the Sampler track.

• In the Sampler:

• Tap the name of the current sample above the waveform display, tap Import, then

locate the audio file you want to import.

• Tap the Import button .

The file is added to the Sampler.

• When you finish, tap Done.

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Edit the sample

• Do any of the following:

• Trim the beginning or end of the sample: Drag the blue handles on the left or right

edge of the waveform. You can touch and hold either handle to zoom in for more

precise editing.

• Play the sample backward: Tap Reverse.

• Loop the sample so it plays repeatedly: Tap Loop. Drag the yellow left and right Loop

handles to change which part of the sample loops.

• Edit the volume of the sample over time: Tap Details, then drag the Shape points on

the curve.

If you edit the volume by dragging the Shape points, the volume edits are saved with

the sample.

• Adjust the pitch of the sample: Tap Details, then turn the Coarse Tune knob (for big

adjustments) or the Fine Tune knob (for small adjustments).

When you record a new sample, GarageBand detects the pitch of the recording and

matches it to the closest musical note. If you change the pitch settings, tap Detect

Pitch to return them to their original values.

• Undo your edits and start over: Tap Revert.

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Save a sample to the Library

You can save your samples so you can use them in other songs.

1. Tap the name of the current sample above the waveform display, tap This Song, then

tap the sample you want to save.

2. Tap Save to Library.

3. Enter a new name for the sample, then tap Done.

The sample is added to the Library.

4. When you finish, tap Done.

Rename the sample

1. In the Sample Library, tap the sample to select it, tap Edit, then tap the sample again.

2. Type a new name, then tap Done.

Play the Drums in GarageBand for iPad

Using the Drums Touch Instrument, you can play a drum kit simply by tapping the onscreen

drums. You can choose either an acoustic or electronic drum kit.

17GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Choose a drum kit

• Tap the name of the drum kit at the top of the screen, then tap the drum kit you want to

play. You can also swipe left or right to change to the previous or next drum kit.

Acoustic drum kits show a realistic-looking set of drums, and electronic drum kits show

a grid of drum pads.

You can access an acoustic or electronic drum kit directly from the browser by tapping

Acoustic Drums or Electronic Drums.

Play the drums in the drum kit

• Tap the onscreen drums (for electronic kits, drum pads).

Some drums, such as the hi-hat and snare drum, make different sounds when you tap

different parts of them. To see which sounds they make, tap the Info button

to show

the coaching tips.

Some drums also respond to other gestures.

Touching and holding a drum with two (or more) fingers plays a repeating pattern. By

changing the distance between your fingers, you can make the repeats faster or slower.

Moving a finger up or down makes the repeats play louder or softer.

Record a drum groove

1. Tap the Record button in the control bar.

2. Tap the drums in the drum kit.

You can record one or more drums at a time. When the playhead starts over from the

beginning of the section, you can record another part and it will be merged with the

existing parts. You can turn off merging in the Track controls.

3. When you finish, tap the Play button in the control bar to stop recording. Tap Play

again to hear the drum groove.

Play the crash cymbal and bass drum together

By default, when you tap the crash cymbal on the acoustic drums kit, the bass drum

plays together with the cymbal. You can set whether tapping the crash cymbal plays both

sounds, or only the cymbal.

1. Tap the Track Controls button in the control bar, tap Track Settings, then tap Recording.

2. Tap the “Bass Drum with Cymbal” switch to turn it on or off.

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Adjust the touch sensitivity of the drums

You can set the touch sensitivity for the drums to one of four levels. Increasing the touch

sensitivity makes hits sound louder or softer depending on how hard you tap the drums. If

you turn touch sensitivity off, all notes sound the same regardless of how hard you tap the

drums.

1. Tap the Track Controls button in the control bar, tap Track Settings, then tap

Velocity Sensitivity.

2. Tap the sensitivity level you want to use for the drums.

Save your own custom drum sounds

1. Modify an existing drum sound by adjusting the control knobs (for electronic drum kits

only).

2. Tap the name of the drum kit at the top of the screen, then tap Save.

3. Type a name for your custom sound, then tap Done.

The first time you save a custom sound, a new Custom category appears, with an icon

for your sound. You can rename or delete the sound by tapping Edit, then tapping the

icon (to rename the sound) or the red circle (to delete the sound).

Play the Smart Drums in GarageBand for iPad

You can quickly create drum grooves with Smart Drums. Simply drag drums into the grid

and position them to set the complexity and intensity of each drum part. After you record

a drum groove, you can make changes and preview the changes before re-recording the

drum groove.

19GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Open the Smart Drums

• Tap the Browser button , swipe to the Drums, then tap the Smart Drums button.

Choose a drum kit for Smart Drums

• Tap the drum kit icon in the upper-left corner, then tap the drum kit you want to play.

You can also swipe left or right to change to the previous or next drum kit.

Preview drums in the drum kit

• Tap a drum to the right of the grid.

Add drums to the grid

• Drag a drum into the grid.

The farther right you place the drum in the grid, the more complex its part; the higher

you place it, the louder it plays. You can reposition drums in the grid until you like the

part each one plays.

To stop playback, tap the Power button to turn it off. To clear the grid, tap Reset.

Create a drum groove automatically

• Tap the Dice button to the left of the grid.

You can tap the Dice button multiple times to try out different grooves.

Record a drum groove

After you have created a drum groove, you can record it to use in the song.

1. Tap the Record button in the control bar.

2. If you drag drums into the grid, change their position, or drag them out of the grid, your

changes are recorded as part of the drum groove.

3. When you finish, tap the Play button in the control bar to stop recording.

Edit the drum groove after you record

After you record a drum groove, the grid shows what has been recorded at the current

playhead position. For example, if you recorded a snare drum starting at bar 5, moving the

playhead to bar 5 (or later) shows the snare in the grid.

• You can edit the recorded drum groove and try out your changes without altering

the recording. Playback starts when you add or move drums in the grid so you can

hear your edits. To stop playback, tap the Power button to turn it off. To keep your

changes, record the groove again.

20GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use the Beat Sequencer in GarageBand for iPad

You can create repeating drum patterns with the Beat Sequencer by tapping squares or

steps in a grid. Each grid row controls a different drum sound (kit piece), and each column

represents a beat in the pattern. When the Beat Sequencer is on (running), each lit step

plays its corresponding sound. You can choose different drum sounds and patterns, and

adjust velocity and other settings to customize the pattern.

Open the Beat Sequencer

• Tap the Browser button , swipe to Drums, then tap the Beat Sequencer button.

Choose a drum pattern for the Beat Sequencer

The Beat Sequencer comes with many drum patterns that you can change and save.

• Tap the Patterns button under the Beat Sequencer, then tap a pattern shown in the

list.

Choose a drum kit for the Beat Sequencer

• Tap the drum kit name in the lower-left corner, then tap the drum kit you want to play.

You can also swipe left or right to change to the previous or next drum kit.

Start or stop the Beat Sequencer

• Play the Beat Sequencer by itself: Tap the Start/Stop button in the Beat Sequencer.

• Play the Beat Sequencer along with recorded tracks: Tap the Play button in the

control bar.

Turn steps on or off

• Tap the Step On/Off button under the grid and then do any of the following:

• Tap a step to turn it on or off.

• Drag across the grid in any direction to turn multiple steps on or off.

• Tap a row header to open the Row Settings, then tap Randomize Step On/Off to turn

on random steps for that row.

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Change the volume of steps

You can change the volume and attack of steps by adjusting their velocity.

• Tap the Velocity button under the grid, then do any of the following:

• Drag up or down on a step to raise or lower the velocity.

• Touch and hold a step to see an expanded view, then drag up or down.

• Drag left or right to change the velocity for multiple steps.

• Tap a row header to open the Row Settings, then tap Randomize Velocity to create

random values for that row.

Repeat notes in a step

You can set the note to repeat in each step to create effects like snare rolls and

double hits.

• Tap the Note Repeat button under the grid, then do any of the following:

• Drag up or down on a step to raise or lower the number of repeats.

• Touch and hold a step to see an expanded view, then drag up or down.

• Drag left or right to change the number of repeats for multiple steps.

• Tap a row header to open the Row Settings, then tap Randomize Note Repeat to

create random values for that row.

Add variations to your drum patterns

Using the Chance value, you can add variations to your drum patterns so they sound a bit

different each time they repeat. The Chance value of a step determines the probability of

whether or not a step is played when lit.

• Tap the Chance button under the grid, then do any of the following:

• Drag up or down on a step to raise or lower the probability.

• Touch and hold a step to see an expanded view, then drag up or down.

• Drag left or right to change the probability for multiple steps.

• Tap a row header to open the Row Settings, then tap Randomize Chance to create

random values for that row.

Change the number of steps in a row

• Tap the Loop Start/End button under the grid, then do either of the following:

• Drag the handle on the left or right edge of the loop to change its start or end point.

• Tap a row header to open the Row Settings, then tap Randomize Loop Start/End to

create random start and end points for that row.

Change the kit piece for a row

You can change which kit piece a row plays.

1. Tap the row header to open the Row Settings, then tap Kit Piece.

2. Tap the play button in the list to preview the kit piece.

3. Tap the name of the kit piece to select it for that row.

4. When you finish, tap the row header to close the Row Settings.

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Create a drum pattern automatically

• Tap the Dice button at the bottom of the grid.

You can tap the Dice button multiple times to try out different drum patterns.

Save your own custom drum patterns

1. Modify an existing drum pattern or create your own.

2. Tap the Patterns button under the Beat Sequencer, then tap Save.

3. Type a name for your custom drum pattern, then tap Done.

The first time you save a custom drum pattern, a new Custom category appears, with an

icon for your drum pattern. You can rename or delete the drum pattern by tapping Edit,

then tapping the icon (to rename the sound) or the red circle (to delete the sound).

Change the length of the drum pattern

• Tap the Inspector button , tap Length, then tap the number of steps for the drum

pattern.

View different sections of the drum pattern

If your drum pattern is longer than 16 steps, an overview of each section appears above

the grid.

• Tap the section at the top of the grid to select which one you want to view and edit.

Change the swing value of the drum pattern

• Tap the Inspector button , tap swing, then choose a swing value from the list.

Add or delete a row

• Add a row: Drag the row header up, tap the Add Row button , then tap a kit piece for

the row.

• Delete a row: Tap the icon for the row you want to delete, then tap Delete.

Mute or solo a row

• Drag the row header to the right and do one of the following:

• Mute the row: Tap the Mute button .

• Solo the row: Tap the Solo button .

Change the playback mode

The playback mode determines the order in which steps are played. You can change the

playback mode for the whole drum pattern or for each row.

• For the whole drum pattern: Tap the Inspector button , tap Playback Mode, then

choose a playback mode from the list. Tap the Inspector button when you are done.

• For a row: Tap the row header for the row you want to change, tap Playback Mode, then

choose a playback mode from the list. Tap the row header when you are done.

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By changing the playback mode, you can create interesting and dynamic rhythms. You can

choose from four modes:

• Forward: The pattern plays from left to right, to the end of the loop, and then repeats.

• Reverse: The pattern plays from right to left, to the end of the loop, and then repeats.

• Ping pong: The pattern plays back and forth, first from left to right, then from right to

left.

• Random: The steps in the pattern are played randomly.

Reset the Beat Sequencer

• Tap the Inspector button , tap Reset Pattern, then tap Reset.

Record a drum pattern

After you create a drum pattern, you can record it to use in the song.

1. Tap the Record button in the control bar.

2. If you turn steps in the grid on or off, or change their settings, your changes are

recorded as part of the pattern.

3. When you finish, tap the Play button in the control bar to stop recording.

After you record your pattern, it appears as a region in Tracks view.

Play the Amp in GarageBand for iPad

You can connect an electric guitar or electric bass and play it using a variety of highly

realistic amp sounds that combine a guitar or bass amp with one or more stompbox

effects. You can adjust the amp controls, add stompbox effects to customize your sound,

and visually tune your instrument.

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Choose a guitar or bass sound

• Tap the name at the top of the screen, then tap the sound you want to use. You can also

swipe left or right to change to the previous or next sound.

To switch between guitar and bass sounds, tap Guitar or Bass. To view sounds in a

different category, tap one of the category names.

Change the amp

• Swipe the amp left or right.

Adjust the input level

When you play your guitar or bass, a circle next to the Input Settings button lights green

to show that GarageBand is receiving input from your instrument. If the circle turns red,

lower the volume on your instrument to prevent distortion.

1. Tap the Input Settings button, then drag the Input Level slider left or right to set the

level.

The Input Level slider is available if your input source supports software level control.

2. To set the level automatically, tap the Automatic switch next to the Input Level slider.

3. If the input device supports left and right channels, tap Left or Right to select the input

channel.

Adjust the amp controls

• Touch and turn the knobs to adjust the amp controls.

Reduce unwanted noise

You can use a noise gate to reduce low-level input noise when you record. A noise gate

cuts off the sound when it falls below a certain minimum level.

1. Tap the Input Settings button , then turn Noise Gate on.

2. Drag the Noise Gate slider until the noise stops or decreases to an acceptable level.

Turn on monitoring for an external device

When an electric instrument or audio interface is connected to your iPad, a Monitor switch

appears below the Noise Gate controls.

1. Tap the Input Settings button .

2. Tap the Monitor switch to turn monitoring on. Tap the switch again to turn monitoring

off.

25GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Add, replace, or remove a stompbox effect

You can add up to four stompboxes, and change the order of stompboxes by dragging

them left or right.

1. Tap the Stompbox button in the upper-right corner to show the stompboxes.

2. To add a stompbox, tap an empty stompbox slot, then select a stompbox.

3. To replace a stompbox, tap the stompbox you want to replace, then select a new

stompbox.

4. To remove a stompbox, drag it down toward the bottom of the screen.

5. Tap the Amp button in the upper-right corner to return to the amp controls.

Turn a stompbox on or off

1. Tap the Stompbox button in the upper-right corner.

2. Tap the round On/Off button on the stompbox. If the small round LED (usually red) on

the stompbox is lit, the stompbox is turned on.

3. Tap the Amp button in the upper-right corner to return to the amp controls.

Adjust the stompbox controls

1. Tap the Stompbox button in the upper-right corner.

2. Drag or tap the knobs and switches to adjust the controls.

Use the wah pedal with Face Control

If your iPad supports facial recognition, you can move the pedal on the Modern Wah

stompbox by moving your mouth while you play. When you record, any pedal movements

you make with Face Control are also recorded.

1. Tap an empty stompbox slot, then select Modern Wah from the list.

2. Hold your iPad 10–20 inches (25–50 cm) away from your face, then tap the Face Control

button .

The first time you use Face Control, GarageBand asks for permission to access the

camera on your iPad.

26GarageBand User Guide for iPad

3. As you play, open and close your mouth to move the wah pedal up and down.

You can tap the Amp button and adjust the amp controls while continuing to use

Face Control.

4. To turn Face Control off, tap the Face Control button again.

Note:GarageBand uses ARKit face tracking features to translate your facial expressions

into instrument effect controls. Your face information is processed on device, and only

music is captured during your performance.

Tune your guitar or bass

1. Tap the Tuner button in the upper-left corner.

2. Play an open string you want to tune, watching the tuner.

The red horizontal lines show whether the string is too low (flat) or too high (sharp).

When the string is in tune, the note name in the center turns blue.

3. Tap the Tuner button again to close the tuner.

Save your own custom sounds

1. Modify an existing amp sound by changing the amp, adjusting the amp controls, adding

or removing stompboxes, or adjusting the stompbox controls.

2. Tap the name at the top of the screen, then tap Save.

3. Type a name for your custom sound, then tap Done.

The first time you save a custom sound, a new Custom category appears, with an icon

for your sound. You can rename or delete the sound by tapping Edit, then tapping the

icon (to rename the sound) or the red circle (to delete the sound).

27GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Turn crosstalk protection on or off

When your guitar or bass is connected to the headphone port and monitoring is turned on,

you may experience unwanted feedback due to crosstalk. GarageBand includes crosstalk

protection to help protect against feedback caused by crosstalk. Crosstalk protection is

especially useful when using high gain settings on a guitar or bass amp, or when using an

overdrive or boost stompbox together with a high-gain amp such as the Modern Stack. In such

cases, feedback caused by crosstalk can result in sudden, unpleasantly high output levels.

Crosstalk protection can change the sound of the instrument while monitoring is on, but

the sound returns to normal when monitoring is turned off or another track is selected.

You can turn off crosstalk protection to hear how it changes the sound; however, it is

recommended that you decrease the volume of your iPad to a low level before doing so.

1. Close GarageBand.

2. Open the Settings app, choose GarageBand, then turn Crosstalk Protection on or off.

Use the Audio Recorder in GarageBand for iPad

Using the Audio Recorder, you can record your voice, an instrument, or any other sound

using the microphone on your iPad, and play it back in GarageBand. You can also record

sounds using an external microphone connected to your iPad.

The Audio Recorder has two sets of controls you can use to change the sound. Fun view

lets you quickly change the sound of your recording, while Studio view gives you more

options to enhance your recording.

You can quickly create a new audio recording from the Home screen or the My Songs browser.

Tip:If you want to record a sound longer than the current section, change the section

length in the song section controls.

28GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Switch between Fun and Studio view

• Tap the Fun or Studio button at the top of the Audio Recorder.

Record a sound

1. Tap the Record button in the control bar.

Recording starts at the current position of the playhead. The ruler shows the area being

recorded in red.

2. Play, sing, or make sound into the microphone.

3. When you are finish, tap the Play button in the control bar to stop recording. Tap the

Play button again to hear your recording.

Adjust the microphone input level

The In level slider on the left shows the input level from the microphone or input source. If

your iPad or input source supports input level control, the slider is active and you can drag

it up or down to adjust the input level. If the level turns red, drag the slider down (or record

the part again more softly) to prevent distortion.

1. Drag the In level slider up or down to set the input level.

2. If the input device supports left and right channels, tap Channel button under the In

level slider, tap Input 1 or Input 2 to select the input channel, or tap Stereo to record in

stereo.

Set the input level automatically

When an external microphone or other audio device (such as a headset or an audio

interface) is connected to your iPad, the input level can be set automatically.

• Tap the Input Settings button , then tap the Automatic switch.

29GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Reduce unwanted noise

You can use a noise gate to reduce low-level input noise when you record. A noise gate

cuts off the sound when it falls below a certain minimum level.

1. Tap the Input Settings button , then turn Noise Gate on.

2. Drag the Noise Gate slider until the noise stops or decreases to an acceptable level.

Turn on monitoring for an external microphone

When an external microphone or other audio device (such as a headset or an audio

interface) is connected to your iPad, the Monitor button under the Out level slider becomes

active.

• Tap the Monitor button to turn monitoring on. Tap the button again to turn monitoring off.

Change the sound using a preset

The Audio Recorder includes presets that appear after you record a sound. Each preset

adds an interesting character to the recorded sound.

1. Do one of the following:

• In Fun view, tap or turn the dial to select one of the presets.

• In Studio view, tap the icon in the middle of the screen and choose a preset from the

list.

2. Turn the knobs to change the sound of the preset.

You can try out different presets by tapping them and turning the knobs.

Set the key and scale for Extreme Tuning

The Extreme Tuning preset is a popular vocal effect that changes the pitch of your

recording based on your song’s key and scale settings.

• Tap the Settings button , tap Key Signature, then tap a new key or a different scale

(major or minor).

If the actual key or scale of your song differs from the key or scale setting, the effect might

be less pronounced, or might change the pitch of individual notes in undesirable ways.

30GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play the Strings in GarageBand for iPad

Using the Strings, you can choose different string sounds, and play one or several strings

at once. You can play notes, chords, and rhythm patterns, and play either legato, bowed,

or pizzicato.

Choose a string sound

• Tap the name of the sound in the upper-left corner of the screen, then tap a new string

sound you want to play.

Play different string instruments

• When you open the Strings in Chords view, all string instruments are active. Tap the

instrument or instruments you want to turn off. Tap them again to turn them back on.

Play chords

1. Tap the Chords/Notes switch on the right to switch to Chords view.

2. Do any of the following:

• Play a chord with bowing: Touch and hold a segment of a chord strip, then swipe up

and down. Swiping faster or slower plays the chord louder or softer.

• Play a chord staccato (arco): Quickly swipe a segment of a chord strip.

• Play a chord pizzicato: Tap a segment of a chord strip.

When playing pizzicato, the chord plays when you lift your finger.

You can add your own custom chords to play.

31GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play a rhythm pattern

1. Turn the Autoplay knob to one of the numbered positions.

2. Tap a chord strip. Tapping a different chord strip plays the same pattern with the notes

of that chord, and tapping with two or three fingers plays variations of the pattern.

3. Tap the chord strip again to stop the pattern playing.

Play individual notes

In Notes view, you can play individual notes on a single string instrument.

1. Tap the Chords/Notes switch on the right to switch to Notes view.

2. Tap the instrument you want to play.

3. Do any of the following:

• Play notes legato: Touch and hold a string.

• Play notes short legato: Tap a string.

• Play notes with bowing: Touch and hold the Articulation button on the left, then

swipe a string up and down.

• Play notes pizzicato: Touch and hold the Articulation button on the left, then tap a

string to play notes pizzicato.

When playing pizzicato, notes play when you lift your finger.

• Lock the Articulation button: Double-tap the Articulation button. Double-tap it again

to unlock it.

32GarageBand User Guide for iPad

4. To play notes of a particular scale, tap the Scale button , then tap the scale you want

to play.

The fingerboard changes to show note bars. Play the notes of the scale as described in

Step 3.

Play the Bass in GarageBand for iPad

Using the Bass, you can play notes and bass lines. You can choose from different acoustic

and electric bass sounds.

Choose the sound of the Bass

• Tap the bass icon in the upper-left corner, then tap the sound you want to play. You can

also swipe left or right to change to the previous or next sound.

33GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play notes of a chord

• Tap the strings on the fretboard in one of the chord strips. Each string plays a different

note of the chord.

You can add your own custom chords to play.

Play a bass line

1. Turn the Autoplay knob to one of the numbered positions.

2. Tap a chord strip. Tapping a different chord strip plays the same pattern with the notes

of that chord, and tapping with two or three fingers plays variations of the bass line.

3. Tap the chord strip again to stop the pattern.

Play individual notes

1. Tap the Chords/Notes switch on the right to switch to Notes view.

2. Tap the strings on the fretboard at the fret for the note you want to play. You can also

bend strings vertically to bend the pitch of a note.

3. To play notes of a particular scale, tap the Scale button, then tap the scale you want to

play.

The fretboard changes to show note bars rather than frets. Tap the bars to play the

notes of the scale.

34GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play the Guitar in GarageBand for iPad

Using the Guitar, you can play notes, chords, and strumming patterns. You can choose

from acoustic or electric guitar sounds, and turn on stompbox effects to customize

the sound.

Choose the sound of the Guitar

• Tap the guitar icon in the upper-left corner, then tap the sound you want to play. You

can also swipe left or right to change to the previous or next sound.

Play chords

1. Tap the Chords/Notes switch on the right to switch to Chords view.

2. Do any of the following:

• Strum a chord: Swipe across the strings in one of the chord strips. You can also tap

strings to play individual notes of a chord.

• Play the full chord: Tap the top of a chord strip.

• Mute the strings: Touch and hold the fretboard to the left or right of the chord strips

as you play.

You can add your own custom chords to play.

Play a strumming pattern

1. Turn the Autoplay knob to one of the numbered positions.

2. Tap a chord strip. Tapping a different chord strip plays the same pattern with the notes

of that chord, while tapping with two or three fingers plays variations of the pattern.

3. Tap the chord strip again to stop the pattern playing.

35GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play individual notes

1. Tap the Chords/Notes switch on the right to switch to Notes view.

2. Tap the strings on the fretboard to play notes. You can also bend strings vertically to

bend the pitch of a note up.

3. To play notes of a particular scale, tap the Scale button, then tap the scale you want to

play.

The fretboard changes to show note bars. Tap the bars to play the notes of the scale.

Turn stompbox effects on or off

When you choose an electric guitar sound, stompbox effects appear above the Guitar

fretboard. You can turn on the effects to change the sound.

• Tap the round On/Off button in the lower part of a stompbox. A red light indicates that

the stompbox is on.

Play the Retro Wah guitar with Face Control

If your iPad supports facial recognition, you can move the wah pedal on the Retro Wah

guitar by moving your mouth while you play. When you record, any pedal movements you

make with Face Control are also recorded.

1. Tap the guitar icon in the upper-left corner, then tap Retro Wah.

2. Hold your iPad 10–20 inches (25–50 cm) away from your face, then tap the Face Control

button .

The first time you use Face Control, GarageBand asks for permission to access the

camera on your iPad.

3. As you play, open and close your mouth to move the wah pedal up and down.

4. To turn Face Control off, tap the Face Control button again.

Note:GarageBand uses ARKit face tracking features to translate your facial expressions

into instrument effect controls. Your face information is processed on device, and only

music is captured during your performance.

36GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play the Pipa in GarageBand for iPad

The pipa is a lute used in Chinese classical music. It has four strings (tuned A-D-E-A from

low to high) and is played with finger picks. Plucking the strings is called pi outward and pa

inward. You can press down on the strings to add vibrato, and you can also bend and strum

strings while playing. An important technique called Lunzhi involves rapidly plucking the

string with different fingers while fretting a note.

Open the Pipa

• Tap the Browser button , swipe to World, then tap the Pipa button.

Play chords

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Chords view.

2. To play a chord, swipe up or down on one of the chord strips. You can also tap strings

to play individual notes of a chord.

You can add your own custom chords to play.

Play a pattern

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Chords view.

2. Drag the Autoplay slider to one of the numbered positions.

3. Tap a chord strip. Tapping a different chord strip plays the same pattern with the notes

of that chord.

4. To stop the pattern playing, tap the chord strip again.

37GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play individual notes

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Notes view.

2. Do any of the following:

• Play notes: Tap the strings on the fretboard. You can also bend a string vertically to

bend the pitch of a note up.

• Strum notes: Swipe vertically on the area to the right of the strings.

• Play notes of a particular scale: Tap the Scale button , then tap the scale you want

to play.

Add Lunzhi tremolo

You can add Lunzhi tremolo while playing either notes or chords.

• Touch and hold the Lunzhi slider as you play. You can control the speed of the tremolo

by moving your finger left or right.

Play the Erhu in GarageBand for iPad

The erhu is a traditional Chinese instrument with a short body and a long neck. The strings

are tuned in fifths. The bow is never lifted from the strings, but passes between them,

producing a continuous, voice-like sound. Playing styles include glissando, grace notes,

trills, vibrato, and a characteristic horse effect, which uses upper glissando harmonics and

deep vibrato.

38GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Open the Erhu

• Tap the Browser button , swipe to World, then tap the Erhu button.

Use the chord strips

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Chords view.

2. To play glissando, swipe a chord strip up and down. You can also tap to play individual

notes.

You can add your own custom chords to play.

Play a pattern

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Chords view.

2. Drag the Autoplay slider to one of the numbered positions.

3. Tap a chord strip. Tapping a different chord strip plays the same pattern with the notes

of that chord.

4. Tap the chord strip again to stop the pattern playing.

Play individual notes

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Notes view.

2. Do any of the following:

• Play notes: Tap the strings on the fingerboard. Move your finger horizontally to

glissando between notes. Move your finger vertically to play notes louder or softer.

• Add a grace note: Touch and hold the Grace Note button as you play.

• Play trills: Touch and hold the Trill button as you play. You can control the speed

of the trill by moving your finger away from or towards the button.

• Use the horse effect: Touch and hold the Horse Effect button as you play.

• Play notes of a particular scale: Tap the Scale button , then tap the scale you want

to play.

Add vibrato

• Drag the Vibrato slider to the right. You can also control the amount of vibrato by tilting

your iPad.

39GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play the Guzheng in GarageBand for iPad

The guzheng is a traditional Chinese zither-like instrument with 21 strings mounted over

bridges on a long hollow resonant body. The strings are tuned to a major pentatonic scale.

The guzheng is played by picking or plucking the strings with the right hand, and pushing

or pulling the strings with the left hand to change the pitch and create vibrato. The Yaozhi

tremolo technique involves rapidly picking a string inward and outward repeatedly.

Open the Guzheng

• Tap the Browser button , swipe to World, then tap the Guzheng button.

Use the chord strips

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Chords view.

2. To play glissando, swipe a chord strip up and down. You can also tap to play individual

notes.

You can add your own custom chords to play.

Play a pattern

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Chords view.

2. Drag the Autoplay slider to one of the numbered positions.

3. Tap a chord strip. Tapping a different chord strip plays the same pattern with the notes

of that chord.

4. Tap the chord strip again to stop the pattern playing.

40GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play individual notes

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Notes view.

2. Do any of the following:

• Play notes: Tap the strings.

• Bend notes: While tapping a string, drag left or right to lower or raise the pitch. Drag

back and forth to create vibrato.

• Strum: Swipe strings up or down.

• Mute strings: Play notes by tapping or swiping the strings, then tap the Guzheng in

the area to the left of the strings.

• Play harmonics: Touch and hold the Guzheng in the area to the left of the strings,

then play notes by tapping or swiping the strings.

• Play notes of a particular scale: Tap the Scale button , then tap the scale you want

to play.

Play more precisely

You can use the zoom boxes to show a larger set of strings and to change between a

picking or plucking sound.

• Tap the Zoom buttons

at the upper-left and right, and do either of the following:

• Play with a picking sound: Tap the strings in the right zoom box.

• Play with a plucking sound: Tap the strings in the left zoom box.

In each zoom box, the left strip shows the lower-pitched strings, the right strip shows the

higher-pitched strings.

Add Yaozhi tremolo

• Touch and hold the Yaozhi slider as you play. You can control the speed of the tremolo

by moving your finger left or right.

41GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play the Koto in GarageBand for iPad

The koto is a traditional Japanese zither-like instrument with 13 strings mounted over

bridges on a long hollow resonant body. The strings are tuned to a minor pentatonic scale

called Hira Choshi. The koto is played by picking or plucking the strings with the right hand,

and pushing or pulling the strings with the left hand to change the pitch and create vibrato.

Open the Koto

• Tap the Browser button , swipe to World, then tap the Koto button.

Use the chord strips

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Chords view.

2. To play glissando, swipe a chord strip up and down. You can also tap to play individual

notes.

You can add your own custom chords to play.

Play a pattern

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Chords view.

2. Drag the Autoplay slider to one of the numbered positions.

3. Tap a chord strip. Tapping a different chord strip plays the same pattern with the notes

of that chord.

4. Tap the chord strip again to stop the pattern playing.

42GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play individual notes

1. Tap the Chords/Notes button to switch to Notes view.

2. Do any of the following:

• Play with a picking sound: Tap the right side of a string.

• Bend notes: While tapping a string, drag left or right to lower or raise the pitch. Drag

you finger back and forth to create vibrato.

• Strum: Swipe strings up or down.

• Mute strings: Play notes by tapping or swiping the strings, then tap the Koto to the

left of the strings.

• Play harmonics: Touch and hold the Koto to the left of the strings, then play notes by

tapping or swiping the strings.

• Play notes of a particular scale: Tap the Scale button , then tap the scale you want

to play.

Play more precisely

You can use the zoom boxes to show a larger set of strings and to change between a

picking or plucking sound.

• Tap the Zoom buttons at the upper-left and right, and do either of the following:

• Play with a picking sound: Tap the strings in the right zoom box.

• Play with a plucking sound: Tap the strings in the left zoom box.

In each zoom box, the left strip shows the lower-pitched strings, the right strip shows the

higher-pitched strings.

Add tremolo

• Touch and hold the tremolo slider as you play. You can control the speed of the tremolo

by moving your finger left or right.

43GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use Drummer in GarageBand for iPad

You can add a virtual drummer to your song that plays realistic drum grooves. You can

choose drummers from different genres, each with its own acoustic, electronic, or

percussion drum kit. A GarageBand song can have up to two Drummer tracks.

You can change the drummer’s playing style by choosing different presets, and adjust

drum patterns using the Drummer controls—which include an XY pad for adjusting the

drummer’s performance, and controls for choosing different performance variations and fill

settings. You can also have the Drummer follow the rhythm of another track.

If your song contains multiple Drummer regions, the changes you make using the Drummer

controls affect only the currently selected Drummer region.

Choose a drummer

• Tap the drummer name, tap the style of drum kit you want to use (Acoustic, Electronic,

or Percussion), then tap the drummer you want to play.

All Drummer regions in a track use the same drummer.

Choose a drummer preset

• Tap the current drummer preset above the XY pad, scroll vertically through the preset

list, then tap a preset.

To hear the preset, tap the Play button in the control bar.

Adjust the loudness and complexity of the selected region

In the XY pad, do any of the following:

• Make the region louder or softer: Drag the yellow puck up or down.

• Make the region simpler or more complex: Drag the yellow puck left or right.

44GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Mute or unmute a drum kit piece

• Mute a drum kit piece: Tap a yellow (unmuted) kit piece.

• Unmute a drum kit piece: Tap a gray (muted) kit piece.

Choose a different pattern for a drum kit piece

Each style of drum kit —acoustic, electronic, or percussion— has different groups of drum

kit pieces. The slider to the right of each group controls the pattern for that particular

group.

• Tap a drum kit piece, then drag the slider for that piece left or right.

Change the swing value of the selected region

• Tap the Swing button, then choose a swing value from the pop-up menu.

Adjust the amount of fills

• Drag the Fills slider right to increase the number of fills, or drag it left to decrease the

number of fills.

Have a Drummer region follow the rhythm of another track

You can have the kick and snare portions of an acoustic or electronic Drummer region

follow the rhythmic groove of another track. Each Drummer region can follow a different

track.

1. Select a Drummer region.

2. Swipe the Follow switch right to turn it on.

3. Tap the Follow Track pop-up menu that appears under Kick & Snare (Kick, Snare &

Claps on electronic drum kits), then choose a track from the list.

Edit the selected Drummer region

• Tap the selected region, then tap one of the editing commands.

For information about the region editing commands, see Edit regions.

Replace the selected Drummer region

1. Delete the selected Drummer region: Tap the Trash icon on the right side of the region.

On an iPad Pro, double-tap the region, then tap Delete.

2. Create a new Drummer region: Tap an empty part of a Drummer track, then tap Create.

45GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use the track controls in GarageBand for iPad

Each Touch Instrument has a set of track controls that lets you adjust its volume level, pan

(stereo) position, and effect levels. You can also solo the instrument to hear it by itself,

quantize or transpose the recordings on the instrument’s track, and change the master

effects. You can save track control settings and use them on another track or in another

project. A Touch Instrument’s track controls are available both when playing the instrument

and when the track is selected in Tracks view.

Open the track controls

• Tap the Track Controls button in the control bar.

Mute or solo the track

• Mute or unmute the track: Tap the Mute button .

• Solo or unsolo the track: Tap the Solo button .

Adjust the track’s volume and pan position

Do either of the following:

• Drag the Track Volume slider left or right.

• Drag the Track Pan slider left or right.

You can also automate track volume changes. When using volume automation, the Track

Volume slider cannot be adjusted.

Adjust the track’s compression

A compressor smoothes the difference between the loudest and softest parts of a track,

and can help the track stand out or sound more “punchy.”

• Drag the Compressor slider left or right.

Adjust the track’s treble and bass levels

Do either of the following:

• Drag the Treble slider left or right.

• Drag the Bass slider left or right.

Quantize regions in the track

You can correct the timing of recordings in a track to a certain note value (called

quantization). After you turn on quantization for a track, any new recordings or loops you

add to the track are also quantized.

1. Tap Track Settings, then tap Quantization.

Quantization values appear in three categories: Straight, Triplet, and Swing.

2. Tap one of the categories, then choose the note value you want to quantize the regions to.

Quantization applies to all regions in the track for the current song section, but you can

choose different quantization values for the same track for different song sections. If you

move or copy a region to a different section with a different quantization value, the value

appears as Multiple. For more information about song sections and quantization, see

Extend a song with song sections.

46GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Transpose regions in the track

You can change the pitch of (or transpose) recordings or loops in a track up or down by

semitones or octaves. After you turn on transposition for a track, any new recordings or

loops you add to the track are also transposed.

Regions recorded with the Guitar, Bass, or Strings instruments cannot be transposed.

1. Tap Track Settings, then tap Transposition.

2. To transpose by octaves, tap the Octaves up or down arrow, or swipe vertically to

transpose by multiple octaves.

3. To transpose by semitones, tap the Semitones up or down arrow, or swipe vertically to

transpose by multiple semitones.

Transposition applies to all regions in the track for the current song section, but you can

choose different transposition values for the same track for different song sections. If you

move or copy a region to a different section with a different transposition value, the value

appears as Multiple. For more information about song sections and transposition, see

Extend a song with song sections.

Merge recordings in a track

You can merge recordings made with Touch Instruments to create more complex parts.

When you turn on merging, you can record a part, and, when the playhead starts over from

the beginning of the section, record another part. The parts are merged into a single region.

The Merge Recordings switch is available when a track that supports merging is

selected. By default, merging is on for the Drums, and off for the other supported Touch

Instruments. Using Merge Recordings, you can also record notes for an instrument, then

record changes to knobs and other controls separately and have the two merged.

• Turn merging on or off: Tap Track Settings, tap Recording, then tap the Merge

Recordings switch.

Take Recording and Merge Recordings cannot both be activated at the same time. For

more information about take recording, see Record multiple takes.

Change the master effects

Each song has a set of master effects, including master echo (delay) and master reverb.

You can choose the master effects for the song, then use the Echo Level and Reverb Level

sliders to control how much of the master effects is added to each instrument in the song.

1. Tap Master Effects.

2. Do one of the following:

• Tap Echo, then choose a new master echo preset from the list.

• Tap Reverb, then choose a new master reverb preset from the list.

3. To return the master effects to their original settings, tap one or both of the effects,

then tap Default.

Adjust the track’s master effect levels

Do either of the following:

• Drag the Echo Level slider left or right.

• Drag the Reverb Level slider left or right.

47GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use effect plug-ins in GarageBand for iPad

Effect plug-ins are used to shape and enhance the sound of your music in a variety of

ways. Many familiar sounds in popular music are created using effects. Effects include

reverb, compressors, and delays. You can use multiple plug-ins on each individual track

and change the order in which they affect the sound.

Effect types

GarageBand includes a variety of effect plug-ins that you can use on the tracks in your songs:

• Bitcrusher: A bitcrusher creates distortion by reducing the sampling rate and bit depth of

the signal. The result is a lo-fi digital sound similar to old video games or drum machines.

• Compressor: A compressor adjusts the volume of the sound to smooth out sudden level

changes. Compressors can add punch and definition to a track making it stand out from

the rest of the mix.

• Delay: Delay effect repeats a sound like an echo. It can add a subtle sense of space to a

sound, or create the impression that a voice or an instrument is in a large room or cavern.

• Distortion: Distortion and overdrive effects change the tone of the original sound,

making it sound “dirty” or “fuzzy.”

• EQ: EQ (short for equalization) lets you change the level of selected frequencies in a

sound. You can use EQ to make both subtle and dramatic changes to your songs.

• Modulation: Modulation effects, such as chorus, flanger, and phaser, repeat the sound

along with the original, but they shift or modulate the repeated sound during playback.

The result is often a shimmery or swirly effect on voices and instruments.

• Reverb: Reverb simulates the natural reflections of a sound in a surrounding space. It

can add definition and presence to voices and instruments, add ambience to a sound, or

simulate different rooms and other acoustic environments.

• Tremolo: Tremolo raises and lowers the volume of a sound at regular intervals, creating

a wobble effect.

• Vocal Transformer: The Vocal Transformer changes the pitch and tone of your voice.

View plug-ins for a track

You can view track plug-ins either when playing an instrument or when the track for the

instrument is selected in Tracks view.

• Tap the Track Controls button in the control bar, then tap Plug-ins & EQ.

Add a plug-in

1. Tap the Track Controls button in the control bar, tap Plug-ins & EQ, then tap Edit.

2. Tap the Add Plug-in button on one of the empty plug-in slots or tap the name of the

plug-in you want to replace.

3. Tap a plug-in in the list.

You cannot replace the Compressor and Visual-EQ plug-ins. If you want to turn them

off, see Turn a plug-in on or off.

Change the order of plug-ins

1. Tap the Track Controls button in the control bar, tap Plug-ins & EQ, then tap Edit.

2. Touch the handle to the right of the plug-in and drag it up or down to the position you

want, then let go.

48GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Turn a plug-in on or off

1. Tap the Track Controls button the control bar, then tap Plug-ins & EQ.

2. Tap the plug-in’s On/Off button to turn it on or off.

Change plug-in settings

1. Tap the Track Controls button, tap Plug-ins & EQ, then tap the name of the plug-in.

2. Drag the sliders to change the settings.

You can change the settings while playing an instrument to hear how the sound changes

in real time.

3. When you finish, tap the name of the plug-in to close the settings.

Use the Visual EQ

You can use the Visual EQ plug-in to optimize the sound of your tracks and songs by

adjusting the level of three ranges, or bands, of frequencies: bass, mid, and treble.

1. Tap the Track Controls button in the control bar, tap Plug-ins & EQ, then tap Visual EQ.

2. Do any of the following:

• Adjust an EQ band: Tap the colored puck for an EQ band to activate it, then drag

up or down to raise or lower the level for that band. Drag left or right to change the

frequency for that band.

Double-tap the puck to move it to its original position.

• Raise or lower the overall gain: Drag the Gain slider on the right up or down.

• Use the Analyzer: Click the Analyzer button, then play an instrument or a region on

the selected track.

While playing an instrument or a region, the frequency curve for the track appears in

the EQ display, showing which frequencies are louder or softer. You can adjust the

EQ bands while you watch the frequency curve.

Click the Analyzer button again to turn it off.

3. Tap Done when you finish.

49GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Remove a plug-in

1. Tap the Track Controls button in the control bar, tap Plug-ins & EQ, then tap Edit.

2. Tap the Remove Plug-in button , then tap the Delete button.

Note:You cannot remove the Compressor and Visual-EQ plug-ins.

3. Tap Done when you finish.

Enable Apple-designed Audio Unit Extensions

There are several Audio Unit Extensions included in iPadOS that you can use in your

GarageBand song.

1. Close GarageBand.

2. Open the Settings app, scroll down in the sidebar, then tap GarageBand.

3. Tap to turn on Enable Apple-designed Audio Unit Extensions.

The plug-ins appear in the Audio Unit Extensions list when you add a plug-in to a track.

Save custom sounds in GarageBand for iPad

You can save, rename, and delete your own custom sounds for each Touch Instrument and

use them on another track or in another song. Changes saved include settings for Touch

Instruments, master effects, plug-ins, and EQ.

1. Tap the Track Controls button in the control bar, then tap the name of the sound

above the track controls.

2. Tap Save, type a name for your custom sound, tap the Return button to dismiss the

keyboard, then tap Done in the upper-right corner.

The first time you save a custom sound, a new Custom category appears in the sidebar

at the bottom of the list of sounds. To rename or delete the sound, tap Edit, then tap

the icon (to rename) or the Delete button (to delete).

A dot to the left of the name indicates that the settings were modified from the last saved

version. Some Touch Instruments also let you save sounds in the same window that opens

when you choose a different sound.

50GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Add custom chords to GarageBand for iPad

You can add your own custom chords to a song. Custom chords can include extensions

(added notes) and alternate bass notes. When you add a custom chord, it is available to all

instruments played with chord strips in the current song.

Add a custom chord

1. Tap the Settings button in the control bar, then tap Edit Chords.

2. Tap the chord strip you want to use for the custom chord.

3. Swipe the Chord wheels to set the chord root and chord quality, and to add an

extension (added note). Swipe the Bass wheel if you want to add an alternate bass note.

4. When you finish, tap Done to return to the song.

Use a Bluetooth MIDI device with GarageBand for

iPad

You can connect a compatible Bluetooth® MIDI device to your iPad, and use it to play and

control Touch Instruments in GarageBand.

1. Tap the Settings button in the control bar.

2. Tap Advanced, then tap Bluetooth MIDI Devices.

3. Tap the name of the device you want to connect, then tap the Connect switch on.

4. To stop using the device, tap the Connect switch off.

51GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Set the control knob orientation in GarageBand for

iPad

You can set whether Touch Instrument control knobs respond to linear gestures, circular

gestures, or both. By default, the orientation is set to Automatic, which lets control knobs

respond to both linear and circular gestures.

Set the orientation for control knobs

1. Close GarageBand.

2. Open the Settings app, choose GarageBand, then tap Knob Gestures.

3. Choose the orientation you want to use (Automatic, Linear, or Circular).

Use MPE controllers with GarageBand for iPad

You can use GarageBand with controllers that support MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE).

MPE assigns each note to its own MIDI channel so that information about pitch, timbre, and

expression controls are applied to notes individually.

Turn on support for MPE controllers

1. Close GarageBand.

2. Open the Settings app, scroll down, then tap GarageBand.

3. Tap the Support MPE Controllers switch.

52GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Record Touch Instruments

Record Touch Instruments in GarageBand for iPad

You can record your Touch Instrument performances to play and use in a GarageBand

song. When you record a Touch Instrument, your recording appears in a region in the

instrument’s track in Tracks view. You can edit and arrange your recordings in Tracks view.

You can also record other music apps on your iPad, including both instruments and effects,

to GarageBand using Inter-App Audio.

If you have purchased and installed Audiobus on your iPad, you can record from other

music apps on your iPad to GarageBand using Audiobus. You can record from Audiobus

to an Audio Recorder, Amp, or Sampler track. You can record from Audiobus to an Audio

Recorder, Amp, or Sampler track.

When connecting apps in Audiobus, GarageBand can be used only as an output, not as an

input or an effect.

Record a Touch Instrument

1. Tap the Record button in the control bar.

Recording starts at the current position of the playhead. The ruler shows the area being

recorded in red.

53GarageBand User Guide for iPad

2. Play the Touch Instrument (or, for the Audio Recorder or Amp, sing or play).

The notes you play, as well as any changes to knobs, sliders, or other controls, are

recorded.

3. When you finish, tap the Play button in the control bar.

The new recording appears as a region in the ruler.

If you are recording to the Audio Recorder, Sampler, or Amp using a device with stereo

inputs, you can tap the Input Settings button , then choose whether to record the left or

right side of the stereo signal. If you are using an audio interface with multiple channels,

you can choose the input channel. For the Audio Recorder, you can also record the full

stereo signal.

When you tap Record, the current Touch Instrument starts recording at the location of the

playhead. Previous recordings (which appear as blue or green areas in the ruler) in the

same track are replaced by the new recording. If you don’t want to record over an existing

part, move the playhead to another area before you start recording.

When you record the Drums Touch Instrument, new recordings are merged with existing

regions on the track. You can turn off merging using the track controls.

Record multiple Touch Instruments at the same time

You can record more than one Touch Instrument at the same time. With a multichannel

audio interface connected to your iPad, you can record several Audio Recorder or Amp

Touch Instruments together with one other Touch Instrument. Without an audio interface,

you can record one Audio Recorder or Amp Touch Instrument together with one other

Touch Instrument.

1. To turn on multitrack recording, tap the Settings button in the control bar, tap

Advanced, then tap the Multitrack Recording switch.

2. Tap the Tracks button in the control bar.

3. Drag a track icon to the right to show the track headers.

4. Tap the circular Record Enable button in the header of each track you want to record.

5. For each Audio Recorder or Amp you want to record, tap the track’s header, tap Input,

then choose the input channel.

6. When you are ready, tap the Record button in the control bar to start recording.

7. When you finish, tap the Play button in the control bar.

Use the metronome for recording or playback

GarageBand has a metronome to help you play and record in time. The metronome includes

a count-in that plays before recording starts, to help you get ready. When the visual

count-in is turned on, the metronome displays the beat of the count-in. You can turn the

metronome on or off anytime while you are working.

• Turn the metronome on or off: In the control bar, tap the Metronome button .

In the song settings, you can turn the count-in on or off, change the sound of the

metronome, or make the metronome silent.

54GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Quickly edit a Touch Instrument recording

After you record a Touch Instrument, you can quickly edit the recorded region. You can

move, trim, cut, copy, paste, delete, loop, or split the region in the Touch Instrument

without switching to Tracks view.

1. Swipe down on the ruler below the control bar.

The play area of the Touch Instrument moves down, showing the recorded region. The

play area dims to indicate that you can’t play the instrument while the region is visible.

2. Tap the region to select it.

You can move or trim the selected region following the steps in Edit regions.

3. Tap the selected region again to show editing options.

You can cut, copy, paste, delete, loop, or split the region following the steps in Edit regions.

4. You can quickly switch between different Touch Instruments by dragging the instrument

icon in the track’s header up or down. You can also move to adjacent song sections by

swiping the track left or right.

5. To hide the region and return to the Touch Instrument, drag the instrument’s play area

(below the region) back up.

55GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Record multiple takes

You can record multiple versions, or takes in quick succession, and then choose and edit

the one you like best. When multi-take recording is turned on, a new take is created each

time the playhead starts over from the beginning of the song section.

1. If the length of the song section you want to record to is set to Automatic, tap the

Automatic switch to turn it off.

2. Tap the track containing the instrument you want to record.

3. Tap the Track Controls button , tap Track Settings, tap Recording, then tap the Multi-

Take Recording button.

4. Tap the Record button in the control bar to start recording.

Each time the playhead starts over from the beginning of the section, a new take is

created.

5. When you are done recording, double-tap the new region, tap Takes, then choose the

take you want to hear from the list.

6. To delete takes, do either of the following:

• Delete individual takes: Tap Edit and delete the takes you don’t want to keep.

• Delete all but the currently selected take: Tap the take you want to keep, then tap

Delete Unused Takes.

Prevent a recording from being interrupted

While you are recording a Touch Instrument, it is possible that audio events from other

applications on your iPad can interrupt the recording. Take the following steps to minimize

the possibility of interruption from competing audio events:

• Open the Settings app, and ensure that Airplane Mode is turned on.

• Make sure there are no alarms scheduled for the time you plan to record in the Calendar

app or any other app (including third-party apps).

• Do not connect or disconnect headphones or other external devices during recording.

• Do not connect or disconnect the iPad from your computer while recording.

• Do not connect the iPad to (or disconnect it from) a power outlet while recording.

Record from another music app using Audiobus

1. In GarageBand, choose an Audio Recorder, Amp, or Sampler Touch Instrument.

2. Open the Audiobus app, and add GarageBand as the output.

3. Open the app you have added as the input in Audiobus.

4. In the Audiobus connection panel, tap GarageBand to show its remote controls, then tap

the Record button.

5. Play, sing, or create sound using the input app.

6. When you finish, tap the Play button in the remote controls section of the Audiobus

connection panel, or tap the Record button again.

The recording appears as a blue region on the track for the Audio Recorder or Amp

Touch Instrument, or as a new sample in the Sampler Touch Instrument.

56GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use the control bar and the track headers

Use the control bar in GarageBand for iPad

The control bar is located at the top of the screen. It includes controls that let you navigate

to different parts of GarageBand; control playback, recording, and volume; and open the

Loop Browser, Tracks view, and song settings.

The navigation buttons on the left include:

• The My Songs button saves the current song and opens the My Songs browser, where

you can create and save songs, and share songs.

• The Browser button opens the Sound browser, where you can choose a Touch

Instrument or open the Live Loops grid.

Touch and hold the Browser button to choose a different Touch Instrument.

• The Tracks button lets you switch from the Live Loops grid or the current Touch

Instrument to Tracks view. Touch and hold the button while using a Touch Instrument to

switch to another Touch Instrument in the song. The Tracks button is available after you

make the first Touch Instrument recording in Tracks view.

• The Instrument button opens the Touch Instrument for the currently selected

track. It’s to the right of the Browser button in Tracks view, and resembles the Touch

Instrument of the currently selected track.

• The Live Loops button lets you switch between Tracks view and the Live Loops grid.

The Live Loops button only appears if a Live Loops grid has been created for the song.

• The Track Controls button opens the Track Controls for the currently selected track.

• The FX button shows or hides the Remix FX controls.

• The Undo button appears after you record a Touch Instrument or make changes in

Tracks view. Tap it to undo your previous edits.

The controls for playing the song (called transport controls) in the center include:

• The Go to Beginning button moves the playhead to the beginning of the song. While

the song is playing, the Go to Beginning button changes to a Stop button.

57GarageBand User Guide for iPad

• The Play button starts the song playing, or stops it if it's currently playing.

• The Record button starts recording. To stop recording and stop the playhead, tap the

Play button.

• The Master Volume slider lets you change the overall volume of the song. The Master

Volume slider is also controlled by the iPad’s hardware volume buttons.

• The Metronome button starts and stops the metronome click.

The buttons on the right include:

• The Loop Browser button opens the Loop Browser, where you can find and preview

loops to add to your song. The Loop Browser button is available only in Tracks view.

• The Settings button lets you view and edit song settings, including metronome,

tempo, and key signature settings.

• The Info button displays coaching tips for the current Touch Instrument or Tracks

view.

Use the track headers in GarageBand for iPad

Each Touch Instrument has a track that holds the recordings (called regions) you make with

that instrument. In Tracks view, each track has an icon, a name, and controls that let you

adjust its volume, and silence (mute) or solo the track. You can also reorder, rename, and

delete tracks in Tracks view.

Open Tracks view

• Tap the Tracks button

in the upper-left part of the control bar.

The Tracks button is available after you make the first Touch Instrument recording in a

song.

Show the track headers

• Drag a track icon to the right. The track headers extend to show the controls for each

track, including Mute and Solo buttons and a Volume slider.

• You can hide the track headers by dragging the track icon back to its original position.

Adjust the track volume

• Raise or lower the volume: Drag the Volume slider right or left.

• Reset the volume to a neutral setting (0 dB): Double-tap the Volume slider.

58GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Mute or solo a track

• Mute the track: Tap the Mute button in a track header.

• Solo the track: Tap the Solo button in a track header.

Tap the Mute or Solo button again to unmute or unsolo the track. You can mute or solo

more than one track at a time.

Enable tracks for recording

When Multitrack Recording is turned on, you can record multiple tracks at the same time.

• Tap the Record Enable button in the header of each track you want to record.

Turn on input monitoring

When Multitrack Recording is turned on, you can turn on input monitoring for Audio

Recorder and Amp Touch Instruments to hear them as you play.

• Tap the Input Monitoring button in the header of each Audio Recorder or Amp track

you want to record.

Change the order of tracks

1. Touch and hold the icon of a track you want to reorder.

The track lifts up slightly to indicate that it can be moved.

2. Drag the lifted track up or down to reorder it.

Add a track

• Tap the Add Track button below the track headers.

If the currently selected track is not empty, you can add a track and choose the Touch

Instrument for the track by touching and holding the Instruments button in the control bar.

Change the Touch Instrument for a track

• If the currently selected track is empty, touch and hold the Browser button in the

control bar to choose a different Touch Instrument for the track.

Duplicate a track

1. Tap the header of a track you want to duplicate to select the track, then tap it again.

2. Tap Duplicate.

An empty, duplicate track with the same Touch Instrument and track settings appears

below the original one.

If the song already has the maximum number of tracks, you cannot add or duplicate a

track.

59GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Rename a track

1. Tap the header of a track you want to rename, then tap Rename.

2. Type a new name for the track.

3. When you finish, tap Return.

Delete a track

1. Tap the header of a track you want to delete to select the track, then tap it again.

2. Tap Delete.

Change the icon for a track

1. Tap the header of the track with the icon you want to change, then tap Icons.

2. Choose an icon from the list.

3. When you finish, tap anywhere outside of the list.

In addition to the controls in the track header, you can control other aspects of the track,

including pan position, quantization or transposition of regions in the track, and effects

levels, using the track controls.

60GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Build a GarageBand song

Build a song in GarageBand for iPad

You build a song in GarageBand by recording Touch Instruments and arranging your

recordings in Tracks view. You can also add Apple Loops (prerecorded drum beats, bass

lines, and other background parts) from the Loop Browser. A GarageBand song can have up

to 32 tracks and be up to 2000 bars long.

Tracks view is organized into horizontal rows called tracks. Each track contains the

recordings of one Touch Instrument, which appear as rectangular regions. To the left of

each track is a header with an icon for that track’s Touch Instrument. You can add, reorder,

duplicate, and delete tracks, and control the sound of a track in several ways. You can also

edit regions in a variety of ways to build your song arrangement.

At the top of the screen is a ruler that shows bars and beats. The left edge of each region

aligns with the bar or beat on the ruler to show where it starts playing. The playhead is

a vertical line that moves across the ruler as the song plays, showing the part currently

playing. You can move the playhead to hear a different part of the song.

Each song has a tempo, key, and time signature that last for the entire song. You can

change these song settings, turn the count-in on or off, and change the metronome sound.

61GarageBand User Guide for iPad

The following sections give more information about specific tasks for building a song in

GarageBand:

• Create and save songs

• Play and navigate songs

• Change song settings

• Add Apple Loops

• Import audio and MIDI files

• Import a song from the Music app

• Edit regions

• Edit notes in regions

• Change region settings

• Automate volume changes

• Merge tracks

• Extend a song with song sections

Create and save songs in GarageBand for iPad

When you first open GarageBand, a new, empty song is created automatically. You can

create new songs to record and arrange your music in. In the My Songs browser you can

duplicate, name, save, and delete songs. You can also create folders, and add or remove

songs from folders.

Open the My Songs browser

• Tap the My Songs button

in the control bar.

The default view shows songs in their current location on your iPad. Tap Recents in the

sidebar to show songs you last worked on.

Create a new song

• In the My Songs browser, tap the Add Song button at the top-right of the screen.

The Sound browser opens, where you can choose a Touch Instrument to use in the

song.

Create a new song for recording audio

You can quickly create a new song optimized for audio recordings from the Home screen or

the My Songs browser.

• Do either of the following:

• On the Home screen: Touch and hold the GarageBand app icon until the menu

appears, then tap Create New Audio Recording.

• In the My Songs browser: Tap the New Audio Recording button near the upper-

right corner of the screen.

A new song is created and the Audio Recorder opens. The Time Ruler is turned on and the

section length is set to Automatic.

62GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Open a different song

• In the My Songs browser, swipe until you see the song you want to open, then tap the

song. To see the songs in a folder, tap the folder.

Save the current song

• You save the current song by opening the My Songs browser. Tap the My Songs

button

in the control bar.

To continue working on the song, tap it again in the

My Songs browser.

Create a song folder

1. Tap the New Folder button .

If you don’t see the New Folder button, touch and hold an empty area in the My Songs

browser and drag down.

2. Use the keyboard to type a name for the folder, then tap Done.

Move songs

• Move one song into a folder: Touch and hold a song, then drag it onto the folder.

• Move multiple songs:

• Tap Select at the top-right of the screen, then tap the songs you want to move.

• Tap Move at the bottom of the screen.

• Tap to the location of the Folder where you want to save your songs, then tap Move

at the top-right of the screen.

When you move songs to iCloud Drive, a copy of the song is uploaded to iCloud Drive.

Rename a song or folder

1. In the My Songs browser, touch and hold a song or folder, then tap Rename.

A keyboard appears, and the name appears in the name field with an insertion point.

2. Do one of the following:

• Tap the X on the right side of the name field to delete the existing name.

• Drag the insertion point to the left of the place where you want to start typing.

3. Use the keyboard to type a new name, then tap Done.

Sort items in the My Songs browser

You can sort songs and folders in the My Songs browser by name, date, size, or tags. By

default, items are sorted by name.

1. Touch and hold an empty area in the My Songs browser and drag down.

2. Tap the Name, Date, Size, or Tags button.

Duplicate a song

1. In the My Songs browser, tap Select, then tap the song you want to duplicate.

2. Tap Duplicate.

63GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Delete a song

• In the My Songs browser, do one of the following:

• Tap Select, tap the song or songs you want to delete, then tap Delete.

• Touch and hold the song you want to delete to open an option menu, then Tap

Delete.

Play and navigate songs in GarageBand for iPad

Tracks view shows a representation of musical time moving from left to right. Each Touch

Instrument has a track where its recordings appear as colored regions. The playhead

moves across the ruler as the song plays, showing the part currently playing. You can

move the playhead to hear a different part of the song. You can also zoom and scroll in

Tracks view.

Open Tracks view

• Tap the Tracks button

in the upper-left part of the control bar.

The Tracks button is available after you make the first Touch Instrument recording in a

song.

Play the current song

• Tap the Play button in the control bar.

Go to the beginning of the song

• Tap the Go to Beginning button in the control bar. If the song is playing, it starts over

from the beginning.

Move the playhead

• Drag the playhead to the point on the ruler where you want to start playback. If the

song is playing, it continues from the new location.

Start playback from any position

• Double-tap the position on the ruler where you want to start playback. The playhead

moves to that position and playback starts.

Scroll Tracks view

• Swipe left or right across an empty part of the screen to move forward or back to a

different part of the song.

Zoom Tracks view horizontally

• Pinch open to zoom in, or closed to zoom out.

64GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Continue playing after you close GarageBand

1. Tap the Settings button in the control bar.

2. Tap Advanced.

3. Tap Run in Background.

4. To improve performance when running GarageBand in the background with other music

apps, turn on Use with Music Apps.

When Run in Background is turned on, GarageBand continues playing after you close it, or

when you open another app from the app switcher. If recording is active when you close

GarageBand, you can continue recording. A red bar at the top of the display indicates that

GarageBand is still playing and recording in the background.

If a Touch Instrument is open when you close GarageBand, you can continue playing

it. If an Audio Recorder, Amp, or Sampler Touch Instrument is open when you close

GarageBand, you can continue recording or playing it.

When “Use with Music Apps” is turned on, you may notice a delay when playing some

Touch Instruments.

Change song settings in GarageBand for iPad

Every GarageBand song has settings for the metronome and count-in, as well as the song

tempo (speed), key, and time signature, which you can change at any time. You can also

add an automatic fade-out.

Open the song settings

• Tap the Settings button in the control bar.

Change the metronome settings

GarageBand has a metronome to help you play and record in time. The metronome includes

a count-in that plays before recording starts, to help you get ready. When the visual count-

in is turned on, the metronome displays the beat of the count-in. In the song settings, you

can turn the count-in on or off, and change the sound of the metronome.

1. Open the song settings, then tap Metronome and Count-in.

2. To turn the count-in on or off, tap the Count In switch. When the count-in is on, you can

turn the visual count-in on or off by tapping the Visual Count-in switch.

3. To change the sound for the metronome, choose a new metronome sound from the list.

4. To change the volume of the metronome, drag the Metronome Level slider left or right.

65GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Change the tempo of a song

Each song has a tempo (speed) that lasts for the entire song. You can change the tempo

when either a Touch Instrument or Tracks view is open.

1. Open the song settings, then tap Tempo to show the tempo controls.

2. Do one of the following:

• Set the tempo: Tap the tempo bar repeatedly.

• Change the tempo incrementally: Tap the up or down arrow next to the tempo

number. You can swipe vertically to change it in larger steps.

When you change the tempo of a song, recordings from Touch Instruments (except the

Audio Recorder and Amp) change to match the new tempo. Apple Loops also change to

match the new tempo.

Change the time signature of a song

Each song has a time signature that lasts for the entire song. You can change the time

signature in any Touch Instrument or in Tracks view.

• Open the song settings, tap Time Signature, then tap a new time signature.

When you change the time signature of a song, existing recordings and loops in the song

do not change.

66GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Change the key of a song

Each song has a key that lasts for the entire song. You can change the key in any Touch

Instrument or in Tracks view.

• Open the song settings, tap Key Signature, then tap a new key. You can also select a

different scale (major or minor).

When you change the key of a song, recordings from Touch Instruments (except the Audio

Recorder and Amp) change to match the new key. Apple Loops also change to match the

new key.

Turn off Follow Song Key for recordings and loops

By default, when you change the key of a song, the recordings and loops in the song

change to match the new key (except Audio Recorder and Amp recordings). You can turn

off this setting if you want to try out different keys without changing the recordings and

loops in the song.

• Open the song settings, tap Key Signature, then turn Follow Song Key off.

Tap Follow Song Key again to turn it on.

Show Time Ruler

You can change the ruler to show minutes and seconds (absolute time) instead of bars and

beats. This can be useful if you want to record audio for a certain length of time, or for an

interview or podcast. When the Time Ruler is on, snapping regions and notes to bars and

beats is disabled.

• Open the song settings, then turn Time Ruler on.

Add a fade-out

You can add an automatic fade-out to the end of a song. When you turn on Fade Out, the

last ten seconds of the song fade to silence. If you extend the last section by adding or

moving regions, the fade-out adjusts to the new end of the song. You hear the fade-out

when you play or share the song, but not while recording.

1. Open the song settings.

2. Turn Fade Out on.

Tap Fade Out again to turn off the automatic fade-out.

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Use 24-bit audio

When 24-bit audio is turned on, GarageBand records, mixes, and exports audio in 24-bit

resolution. 24-bit audio uses more storage space, but provides higher resolution for audio

editing.

1. Open the song settings, then tap Advanced.

2. Turn 24-bit Audio Resolution on.

Send tempo information to music apps and MIDI devices

You can use MIDI clock to sync other music apps or MIDI devices to the tempo used in

GarageBand when playing or recording.

1. Open the song settings, then tap Advanced.

2. Turn Send MIDI Clock on.

When you use Live Loops, MIDI clock is only sent when recording or playing back a Live

Loops performance.

Use the Note Pad in GarageBand for iPad

You can create, view, and edit notes for a song with the Note Pad. Each song can contain

one set of notes.

• Tap the Settings button in the control bar, then tap Note Pad.

To start typing, tap inside the text area.

68GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Add Apple Loops in GarageBand for iPad

GarageBand includes a set of Apple Loops you can use to easily add drum beats, bass

lines, rhythm parts, and other sounds to a song. Loops contain musical patterns that can

be seamlessly repeated over and over. You can extend a loop to fill any amount of time.

When you change the tempo or key of a song, Apple Loops also change to match the new

tempo or key.

You can quickly find loops in the Loop Browser and preview them to find the ones you want

to use in your song. You can specify loops as favorites and use them as a starting point for

many of your songs. Audio loops are blue, Touch Instrument loops are green, and Drummer

loops are yellow.

You can download sounds packs containing more Apple Loops in the Sound Library.

Open the Loop Browser

• Tap the Loop Browser button in the control bar. The Loop Browser button is available

only in Tracks view.

Find loops using keywords

• Search by instrument: Tap Instruments, then tap an instrument in the grid.

• Search by genre: Tap Genres, then choose a genre from the list.

• Search by descriptor: Tap Descriptors, then choose one or more descriptors from the

list. Descriptors are listed in contrasting pairs.

The results list shows loops that match your search criteria.

You can narrow search results by using instruments, genres, and descriptors together. The

results show only those loops that match all the selected keywords.

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Specify and access your favorite loops

1. To specify a loop as a favorite, tap the Favorite button for the loop in the list of

search results.

2. To access your favorite loops, tap the Favorites button near the upper-right of the

Loop Browser.

Search for loops by name

1. Tap the search field in the upper-right corner of the Loop Browser.

2. Type the name you want to search for, then tap Search on the keyboard.

Matching loops appear in the results list.

Find loops using filters

1. Tap Filter by, then do any of the following:

• Tap Sound Pack, then select one or more sound packs.

• Tap Type, then select Audio Loops, MIDI Loops, or Drummer Loops.

• Tap Scale, then tap a scale mode.

2. Tap Apple Loops in the upper-left corner to view the filtered results in the Loop Browser.

To return to the Loop Browser, tap Reset Filter.

Add a loop to the song

• Drag a loop from the results list to an empty part of the Tracks view screen. Align the left

edge of the loop with the bar or beat (on the ruler) where you want it to start playing.

The loop extends to the end of the current song section, or to the beginning of the next

region in the track.

70GarageBand User Guide for iPad

You can also drag:

• Audio loops to an Audio Recorder or Amp track

• Drummer loops to a Drummer track with the same drummer

• Touch Instrument loops to a track that uses the same Touch Instrument

The loop replaces any existing regions in the same part of the track.

Preview a loop

• Tap the loop in the results list.

Tap the loop again to stop the preview, or tap a different loop.

Reset the Loop Browser keywords

• Tap Reset Keywords.

Any keyword selections are cleared. You can now select a new keyword.

Import audio and MIDI files into GarageBand for

iPad

You can import audio and MIDI files from your computer and use them in your GarageBand

song. You can add:

• Audio files to an existing Audio Recorder or Amp track

• MIDI files to an existing Keyboard or Drums track

• Audio or MIDI files to new tracks

• Audio or MIDI files to your song from iCloud Drive or your iPad using the Files app

You can import AIFF, WAV, Apple Loops, AAC, and MP3 audio files. When you import an

audio file, it’s converted to a 44.1 kHz sample rate, 16-bit depth format if the original

format is different. With the exception of Apple Loops, imported audio files don’t follow

tempo changes you make in GarageBand.

When you import a multitrack MIDI file, GarageBand creates a new Keyboard track for each

track in the MIDI file. The total number of resulting tracks cannot exceed 32 tracks. You

cannot add multitrack MIDI files to cells in Live Loops.

Import audio and MIDI files from your Mac

1. Connect your iPad to your Mac using a USB or USB-C cable.

Your connected iPad appears in a Finder window sidebar under Locations.

2. On your Mac, select the icon for your iPad, then click Files.

GarageBand appears in the list of apps.

3. Drag the audio or MIDI files you want to import from another Finder window (or from

your Mac desktop) to GarageBand in the list.

4. In GarageBand on your iPad, set the length of the song section to Automatic to import

the entire audio or MIDI file; otherwise, only the portion of the file that fits the current

song section is imported.

After importing the audio or MIDI file, you can make the song section longer, then resize

the region so more of it plays.

71GarageBand User Guide for iPad

5. Tap the Tracks button to open Tracks view, then tap the Loop Browser button in

the control bar.

A message appears asking if you want to move the audio or MIDI files to the

GarageBand File Transfer folder.

6. Tap Move Files.

The files are moved to the GarageBand File Transfer folder and are now visible in the

Files tab of the Loop Browser.

7. To preview an audio file, tap it in the list. You can control the preview volume with the

slider at the bottom of the list.

8. Drag an audio or MIDI file from the list to Tracks view. Align the left edge of the file with

the bar or beat (on the ruler) where you want it to start playing.

A new region created from the audio or MIDI file is trimmed to the end of the current

song section, unless the current song section is set to Automatic. You can make the

song section longer or slow down the tempo, then resize the region so that more of

it plays.

Import audio and MIDI files with the Files app

1. Set the length of the song section to Automatic to import the entire audio or MIDI file;

otherwise, only the portion of the file that fits the current song section is imported.

After importing the file, you can make the song section longer, then resize the region so

that more of it plays.

2. Tap the Tracks button to open Tracks view, tap the Loop Browser button in the

control bar, then tap Files.

3. Tap “Browse items from the Files app,” then locate and tap an audio or MIDI file to

import it.

4. To preview an audio file, tap it in the list. You can control the preview volume with the

slider at the bottom of the list.

5. Drag an audio or MIDI file from the list to Tracks view. Align the left edge of the file with

the bar or beat (on the ruler) where you want it to start playing.

A new region created from the audio or MIDI file is trimmed to the end of the current

song section, unless the current song section is set to Automatic. You can make the

song section longer or slow down the tempo, then resize the region so that more of it

plays.

Import audio and MIDI files using Slide Over

1. Set the length of the song section to Automatic to import the entire audio or MIDI file;

otherwise, only the portion of the file that fits the current song section is imported.

After importing the file, you can make the song section longer, then resize the region so

that more of it plays.

2. Swipe up twice from the bottom edge of the screen.

The Dock appears.

3. In the Dock, touch and hold the Files app, drag it towards the upper-right corner of the

screen, then let go.

A Slide Over window opens.

72GarageBand User Guide for iPad

4. Locate the audio or MIDI file you want to import. If the file is in iCloud Drive, tap the

Download button to download it before importing.

5. Touch and hold the file, then drag it from the Slide Over window to Tracks view. Align

the left edge of the file with the bar or beat (on the ruler) where you want it to start

playing.

A new region created from the audio or MIDI file is trimmed to the end of the current

song section, unless the current song section is set to Automatic. You can make the

song section longer or slow down the tempo, then resize the region so that more of it

plays.

Import a song from the Music app into GarageBand

for iPad

You can import songs from the Music app on your iPad into Tracks view. You can import a

song to an existing Audio Recorder or Amp track, or have GarageBand create a new Audio

Recorder track for the song.

Songs imported from the Music app do not follow tempo changes you make in GarageBand.

Note:You can only import unprotected songs stored locally on your iPad.

Import a song from the Music app

1. To import the entire song, set the length of the song section to Automatic; otherwise,

only the portion of the song that fits the current song section is imported.

2. To get a list of tracks, tap the Tracks button .

3. Tap the Loop Browser button in the control bar, then tap Music.

4. You can search for songs by name, or browse by album, artist, genre, or playlist.

5. To preview a song, tap it in the list. You can control the preview volume with the slider

at the bottom of the list.

6. Drag a song from the list to Tracks view. Align the left edge of the song with the bar or

beat on the ruler where you want it to start playing.

After importing the song, you can make the song section longer, then resize the imported

region so that more of the song plays.

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Edit regions in GarageBand for iPad

Regions are the building blocks of a GarageBand song. When you record a Touch

Instrument, use the Drummer, or add Apple Loops to a song, a region appears in the

instrument’s track in Tracks view. There are three types of regions:

• Regions from Audio Recorder and Amp recordings and from imported audio files are

blue.

• Regions from other Touch Instruments are green.

• Regions from Drummer are yellow.

Blue regions show the audio waveform inside the region. For green regions, the sound is

generated in real time by GarageBand; notes appear as rectangles inside these regions.

Yellow regions show a simplified waveform representing the Drummer's performance.

If you change the tempo or key of a song, the green Touch Instrument regions, yellow

Drummer regions, and blue regions from Apple Loops all change to match the new tempo

or key. Blue regions from Audio Recorder and Amp recordings and from imported audio

files don’t change to match the tempo or key.

You can select regions and edit them in a variety of ways.

Select regions

• Select a single region: Tap the region in Tracks view.

• Select multiple regions: Do one of the following:

• Touch and hold a region. As you continue holding the region, tap other regions you

want to select.

• Touch and hold an empty area in the Tracks area, then drag around multiple regions

to select them.

• Select all regions in a track: Tap the track header.

• Select all regions in the current song section: Tap an empty area, then tap Select All.

When you tap a region, a frame appears around it. When selecting multiple regions, the

frame appears around the last selected region. If you do not see the frame, try zooming

until the left and right edges of the region are easily visible.

To edit a multiple selection after you have lifted your fingers, tap a region in the selection,

then tap unselected regions to add them to the selection, or tap selected regions to

remove them from the selection.

74GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Move a region

• Move a region forward or back in time: Drag the region left or right. Align the left edge

of the region with the bar or beat on the ruler where you want it to start playing.

• Move a region to another track with the same Touch Instrument: Drag the region up or

down. You can also drag regions between Keyboard and Sampler tracks, and between

Audio Recorder and Amp tracks. Smart Drums regions cannot be dragged to another

Smart Drums track.

If you move a region so that it overlaps another region, the overlapped part of the

“covered” region is deleted.

Trim a region

• Tap the region, then drag the left or right edge of the frame. To zoom in for more

precise editing, touch and hold either edge.

If the region is currently looped, tap it again, then tap Trim before dragging the left or

right edge.

If multiple regions are selected, all of the selected regions are trimmed by the same

amount.

You can shorten blue regions on either their left or right edge, but you cannot lengthen

them beyond their original length. You can shorten or lengthen green regions on

either edge.

Loop a region

1. Tap the region to select it.

2. Tap the region again, then tap Loop.

The region loops until the end of the song section, or until the beginning of the next

region in the same track. You can change how long it loops by dragging the right edge

of the region.

Split a region

1. Tap the region to select it.

2. Tap the region again, then tap Split.

3. Drag the Split marker (with the scissors icon) left or right to the point where you want to

split the region.

4. Drag the Split marker down.

To cancel the split, tap anywhere outside the region before dragging the Split marker

down.

5. To make multiple splits, move the Split marker to different parts of a region and drag it

down in each part.

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Join multiple regions

1. Make sure the regions are in the same track, with no other regions between them.

2. Touch and hold the first region, then tap the other region or regions while holding the

first one.

The regions change color to show they are selected, and a frame appears around the

last selected region.

3. Tap one of the selected regions, then tap Join.

Note:You cannot join blue regions. When you join yellow regions, the settings of the first

region are given to the resulting joined region.

Cut, copy, or delete a region

1. Tap the region to select it.

2. Tap the region again, then tap Cut, Copy, or Delete.

When you cut a region, the region is placed on the clipboard so you can paste it in a

different location.

Paste a region

You can paste a region you have copied, or paste an audio file from an app that supports

copying audio to the clipboard. GarageBand supports 44.1 kHz sample rate, 16-bit depth

uncompressed audio files.

You can paste copied regions to another track with the same Touch Instrument. You can

also paste regions between Keyboard and Sampler tracks, and between Audio Recorder

and Amp tracks. Smart Drums regions cannot be pasted to another Smart Drums track.

Audio files copied from another app can be pasted to Audio Recorder or Amp tracks.

1. Move the playhead to the point where you want the region to start.

2. Tap the header of the track where you want to paste the region to select the track.

3. Tap the track where you want to paste the region, then tap Paste.

You can also tap an empty area of Tracks view, then tap Paste. In this case the region is

pasted into the currently selected track.

Rename a region

1. Tap the region you want to rename to select it, then tap it again.

2. Tap Rename.

3. Type a new name for the region, then tap Done.

Turn off Snap to Grid

GarageBand includes a Snap to Grid feature that helps align regions in the Tracks area with

measures, beats, and beat divisions in the ruler. You can turn Snap to Grid off in order to

edit regions free of the grid–for example, to align a beat in an audio region with a precise

point in time not corresponding to any beat division.

If you are editing notes in a region, you can also turn off Snap to Grid to edit notes free of

the grid.

76GarageBand User Guide for iPad

1. Pinch to zoom in to the maximum level, then lift your fingers.

2. Pinch to zoom in again.

The text “Snap to Grid off” appears at the top of the Tracks area, indicating that Snap

to Grid is off.

To turn Snap to Grid back on, pinch to zoom out.

Undo and redo your edits

You can undo and redo edits to regions and other operations such as recording and

changing the sound.

• Undo: Tap the Undo button in the control bar.

• Redo: After undoing an edit, touch and hold the Undo button, than tap Redo.

Edit notes in regions in GarageBand for iPad

You can edit notes in green Touch Instrument regions. The editor is like a close-up version

of Tracks view, showing the notes in the region as rectangular bars. When you open the

editor, you can change the pitch, length (duration), and velocity of individual notes. For

some instruments, you can also change the articulation of notes, or the instrument that

plays the note. Notes in blue regions cannot be edited.

You can also turn off Snap to Grid to edit notes free of the grid. To learn how to turn off

Snap to Grid, see Edit regions.

Open the editor

Do one of the following:

• Double-tap a region, then tap Edit.

• Swipe up or down in a region with two fingers.

The editor opens. You can swipe left or right to move back or forward in the editor,

swipe up or down to view higher or lower notes, and pinch to zoom in or out.

77GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Select notes in the editor

Do any of the following:

• Tap a single note to select it.

• Touch and hold a note, then tap other notes to select them.

• Touch and hold an empty part of the editor, then drag around multiple notes to select

them.

• Touch and hold a note bar on the left edge of the editor to select all notes of a certain

pitch.

Add notes

• Touch and hold the Add Notes button on the left side of the control bar, then tap in

the editor. You can also drag the Add Notes button right to lock it.

Move notes in time

• Select one or more notes, then drag the selected notes left or right.

Change the pitch of notes

• Select one or more notes, then drag the selected notes up or down.

For Drums tracks, moving notes up or down changes the drum sound for the notes.

Change the length of notes

• Select one or more notes, then drag the double-arrow handle of the last selected note.

Change the dynamics of notes

1. Select one or more notes, then tap the last selected note.

2. Tap Velocity.

3. Drag the slider left or right.

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Change the articulation of notes

1. Select one or more notes, then tap the last selected note.

2. Tap More, then tap Articulation.

Articulation is available only for the Strings Touch Instrument.

3. Tap the articulation you want the notes to use.

Change the instrument that plays selected notes

1. Select one or more notes, then tap the last selected note.

2. Tap More, then tap Instrument.

Instrument is available only for the Strings Touch Instrument.

3. Tap the instrument you want to play the notes.

Copy notes

1. Select one or more notes, then tap the last selected note.

2. Tap Copy.

3. Move the playhead to the point where you want to paste the notes.

4. Tap an empty area of Tracks view, then tap Paste.

Delete notes

1. Select one or more notes, then tap the last selected note.

2. Tap Delete.

When the Add Notes button is held down, or is locked on, you can delete notes simply

by tapping them.

Close the editor and return to Tracks view

• Tap Done in the upper-right corner of the control bar.

Change region settings in GarageBand for iPad

Each region in the Tracks area includes settings. Different region types may have some

different settings.

You can view and change the settings for a region in the Tracks area.

View and change region settings

1. Double-tap the region, then choose Settings from the Edit menu.

2. Change one or more of the region settings:

• Gain: Drag the Gain slider left or right to adjust the cell’s volume (blue regions only).

• Velocity: Drag the Velocity slider left or right to adjust the cell volume (green and

yellow regions only).

• Looping: Swipe the Looping switch right to turn on looping for the cell.

• Follow Tempo & Pitch: Tap to have the region follow the song tempo and key (blue

regions only).

79GarageBand User Guide for iPad

• Octaves: Tap the – and + buttons to raise or lower the pitch (green regions only).

• Semitones: Tap the – and + buttons to raise or lower the pitch (green regions only).

• Speed: Drag the Speed slider left to right to change the speed (tempo) of the cell.

• Reverse: Swipe the Reverse switch right to have the cell play in reverse.

• Reset All: To reset all cell settings, tap Reset All.

3. When you finish, tap Done.

Automate volume changes in GarageBand for iPad

You can automate volume changes over time using automation curves. When you show track

automation, each track’s automation curve shows the volume level over time. You can create

volume changes by adding automation points, and dragging them to different values.

Open the automation editor

• Tap a track header, then tap Automation.

The tracks expand vertically and a volume automation curve appears over each track.

Add automation points

• Touch and hold the Edit Automation button on the left side of the control bar, tap a

track automation curve, then drag vertically to adjust the value of the automation point.

You can also drag the Edit Automation button right to lock it.

Select automation points

• Tap an automation point to select it.

• To select multiple automation points, do one of the following:

• Touch and hold an automation point, then tap others to add them to the selection.

• Tap the automation curve between two automation points to select both of them.

• Touch and hold an empty part of the track, then drag around automation points to

select them.

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Move automation points

• Drag one or more automation points left or right.

Cut and paste automation points

You can cut and paste automation points to a different position on the same track, or to

another track.

1. Select one or more automation points, tap one of them, then tap Cut.

2. Position the playhead at the point where you want to paste the first cut automation

point.

3. Tap the track where you want to paste the cut automation points, then tap Paste.

Copy and paste automation points

You can copy and paste automation points to a different position on the same track, or to

another track.

1. Select one or more automation points, tap one of them, then tap Copy.

2. Position the playhead at the point where you want to paste the first copied automation

point.

3. Tap the track where you want to paste the copied automation points, then tap Paste.

Delete automation points

• Touch and hold the Edit Automation button (or lock it), then tap an automation point to

delete it.

To delete multiple automation points, select the automation points, tap one of them,

then tap Delete.

Turn off automation for a track

You can turn off (or bypass) automation for a track so that the track sounds without the

automation.

• Tap the Bypass button in the lower-right corner of the track header. Tap the Bypass

button again to turn on automation for the track again.

If the Bypass button is yellow, automation is on. If the Bypass button is white,

automation is turned off. While automation for a track is turned off, you cannot edit

automation points.

Close the automation editor

• Tap Done in the upper-right corner of the control bar.

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Merge tracks in GarageBand for iPad

You can merge (or bounce) any number of unmuted tracks in a song. This can be useful

if you reach the maximum number of tracks for a song, but want to add more Touch

Instruments.

When you merge tracks, the tracks are replaced with a single track containing a stereo

audio file in a new copy of the song. The original song is available in the My Songs browser,

so you can edit the original tracks.

Merge tracks

1. Tap a track header to select it, tap the track header again, then tap Merge.

2. In the track header area, tap the circles for the additional tracks you want to merge.

3. Tap Merge in the upper-right corner.

A new copy of the song is created, with the merged tracks replaced by a single Audio

Recorder track. The original song remains available in the My Songs browser.

You can also merge one or more tracks with the FX track. Any effects recorded to the FX

track are added to the new Audio Recorder track, and the FX track is turned off (so the

effects are audible only on the new track). For information about using the FX track, see

Remix a song.

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Add song sections in GarageBand for iPad

Many songs are organized in sections such as intro, verse, and chorus. Each section is

usually eight bars long, or a multiple of eight. When you create a GarageBand song, it

contains one repeating section. You can add more sections, set the length of a section, and

play back a single section or all sections.

When you tap the Song Section button, Tracks view changes to show all existing sections

in the song, and the ruler shows the letter of each section at the beginning of that section.

Open the song section controls

• Tap the Song Section button on the right edge of the ruler.

Add a song section

1. Open the song section controls, then tap Add.

The new, empty section is added after the last section.

2. Tap anywhere in Tracks view to close the song section controls.

Add a copy of a section

1. Open the song section controls, choose the section you want to copy, then tap

Duplicate.

The copy is added after the last section.

2. Tap anywhere in Tracks view to close the song section controls.

Set a section to automatically fit the length of your recording

When you record a Touch Instrument, the section length determines how long the

recording is. However, you can set the section to automatically fit the length of your

recording. This is useful when you record something of an undetermined length (such as

an improvised performance or spoken word), or when you import audio or MIDI files into

your song.

1. Open the song section controls.

2. Tap the Inspector button next to the section name. If you have more than one

section, tap the Inspector button next to the last section.

3. Tap the Automatic switch to turn it on.

4. Tap anywhere in Tracks view to close the song section controls.

Change the length of a section

1. Open the song section controls.

2. Tap the Inspector button next to the section name.

3. If the section is set to Automatic, tap the Automatic switch to turn it off.

83GarageBand User Guide for iPad

4. Tap the up or down arrow next to Manual to lengthen or shorten the section

incrementally by bars. You can swipe vertically to change it in larger increments.

5. Tap anywhere in Tracks view to close the song section controls.

When you shorten a section, any regions extending past the end of the section are

shortened. When you lengthen a section, all regions that extend from the beginning to the

end of the section now loop to the new end of the section. A section can be any number of

bars, and the overall song can be up to 2000 bars long.

Play a different section

1. Open the song section controls, then choose the section you want to play. To play all

sections in the song, choose All Sections.

Tracks view changes to show the section, and the ruler shows the bar numbers for the

section.

In Tracks view, you can also switch between adjacent song sections by swiping left or

right until the next section is visible.

If you set different quantization or transposition values for a track in different sections,

the quantization or transposition value for that track appears as Multiple when you

choose All Sections.

2. Tap anywhere in Tracks view to close the song section controls.

3. To play the current section or sections, tap the Play button in the control bar.

Change the order of sections

1. Open the song section controls, then tap Edit.

2. Drag a section up or down in the list by the handle on its right edge.

3. When you finish, tap Done.

4. Tap anywhere in Tracks view to close the song section controls.

Extend a region across multiple sections

1. Open the song section controls, then tap All Sections.

2. Tap anywhere in Tracks view to close the song section controls.

3. Move, resize, or loop the region to extend across multiple sections. You can also record

a new region across multiple sections.

84GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Delete a section

1. Open the song section controls, then tap Edit.

2. Tap the red circle to the left of the section you want to delete.

If the song has only one section, the section cannot be deleted.

3. Tap anywhere in Tracks view to close the song section controls.

Set the first section of new songs to match the length of your recording

By default, the first section of a new song is 8 bars long. You can set the length of the first

section of new songs to Automatic, in which case it matches the length of your recording.

1. On the Home screen, tap Settings.

2. In the Settings app, scroll down, then tap GarageBand.

3. Tap the Automatic Recording Length switch.

85GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use Live Loops

GarageBand for iPad Live Loops overview

Live Loops is designed to make it easy to create music like a DJ or electronic music

producer. With Live Loops, you can play, edit, and arrange musical ideas in real time. Each

musical phrase or loop exists in a cell in the Live Loops grid. Working in the grid, you can

start and stop playback of cells freely, while keeping everything in sync.

When you tap Live Loops in the Sound browser, the Template browser appears in place

of the Sound browser. You can choose a Live Loops template which includes a set of

instruments and prerecorded cells, or choose an empty grid. You can record your own

ideas, and add loops or audio files to the grid. You can also add regions from Tracks view

to the grid, use Remix FX, and record a Live Loops performance to Tracks view.

Choose a Live Loops template

1. In the Sound browser, tap Live Loops.

2. In the Template browser, swipe left or right to view additional templates.

3. Tap a template.

Switch to a different template

1. In the Live Loops grid, tap the Browser button .

2. In the Template browser, tap a different template.

86GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Work in the Live Loops grid in GarageBand for iPad

The Live Loops grid is where you record, play, and edit your musical ideas. The grid

consists of cells, which can be empty or filled. Cells can contain Touch Instrument

recordings, loops, or audio files. You can start and stop individual cells freely, or start

multiple selected cells in sync.

In the grid, cells are arranged in rows and columns. Each row uses the same Touch

Instrument, similar to a track in Tracks view, and only one cell in a row can play at a time.

Cells in a column can have different lengths (durations). You can play back cells in a

column individually, or start playback for all cells in the column simultaneously, using the

trigger at the bottom of the column.

Playing cells and other actions in the grid follow the current Time Snap setting. Time Snap

ensures that your changes start at musically meaningful points in time (beats or bars), so

they are in sync with other cells. You can set the Time Snap value and change it while you

are working in the grid.

Set the Time Snap value for the grid

• Tap the Time Snap value located in the upper-right corner of the grid, then choose a

Time Snap value from the pop-up menu. You can tap the Time Snap value and swipe to

choose a value in one motion.

Turn off Time Snap

• Choose Off as the Time Snap value.

Zoom the grid in or out

Do one of the following:

• Pinch the row headers.

• Pinch the column triggers.

When cell editing is turned on, you can pinch directly on the grid to zoom in or out.

Scroll the grid

• Show any hidden tracks: Swipe the row headers vertically.

• Show a different part of the grid: Swipe the column triggers horizontally.

When cell editing is turned on, you can touch and hold a cell, then swipe horizontally or

vertically to show a different part of the grid.

87GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Play Live Loops cells in GarageBand for iPad

You can start and stop playback of cells in the grid individually, start cells in a column

simultaneously, and start playback of selected cells simultaneously regardless of their

position in the grid.

Select cells

• Tap a cell to select it.

When cell editing is turned on, you can select multiple cells for editing. You can select and

edit multiple cells in the same row, but only one cell in a row can play at a time.

Play cells

• Start or stop playback: Tap a cell.

• Start playback of all selected cells: Tap a selected cell.

• Start all the cells in the column: Tap the trigger below a column.

Stop playback

• Stop playback of a cell: Tap a playing cell or tap an empty cell in the same row as the

one playing.

• Stop playback of all selected cells: Tap a selected cell to stop playback of all selected

cells.

• Stop playback of all cells in the grid: Tap the trigger below an empty column.

Edit cells in GarageBand for iPad

You can edit cells in the Live Loops grid in a variety of ways. You can cut, copy, and paste

cells, move cells, delete cells, and change cell settings. When you turn on cell editing, you

cannot start or stop playback of cells (but you can edit cells that are already playing).

You can also copy regions in Tracks view and paste them in the grid, in a row using the

same instrument as the track they were copied from.

88GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Turn on cell editing

• Tap the Edit Cells button in the lower-left corner of the Live Loops grid.

To turn off cell editing, tap the Edit Cells button again.

Cut a cell

• Double-tap the cell, then choose Cut from the Edit menu.

Copy a cell

• Double-tap the cell, then choose Copy from the Edit menu.

Paste a cell

• Double-tap a cell, then choose Paste from the Edit menu.

You can paste a cell in another row using the same Touch Instrument as the row it was

copied from. You can also paste a cell from a row using the Audio Recorder or Amp to

another row using either of these instruments, and paste a cell from a row using the

Keyboard or Sampler to another row using either of these instruments. The cell takes the

sound of the Touch Instrument in the row you you paste it to.

Move a cell

• Touch and hold a cell, then drag it to an empty cell in the grid.

If you drag it to a cell that is not empty, the contents of the starting cell and the

destination cell are swapped.

You can move a cell to another row using the same Touch Instrument as the row it was

moved from. You can also move a cell from a row using the Audio Recorder or Amp to

another row using either of these instruments, and move a cell from a row using the

Keyboard or Sampler to another row using either of these instruments. The cell takes the

sound of the Touch Instrument in the row you you move it to.

Delete a cell

• Double-tap the cell, then choose Delete from the Edit menu.

Edit cell contents

• Double-tap the cell, then choose Edit from the Edit menu.

You can edit the cell contents, similar to editing regions. For green cells, you can also edit

notes in the cell, similar to editing notes in a region.

Change cell settings

1. Double-tap the cell, then choose Settings from the Edit menu.

2. Change one or more of the cell settings:

• Gain: Drag the Gain slider left or right to adjust the cell’s volume (blue and yellow

cells only).

• Velocity: Drag the Velocity slider left or right to adjust the cell volume (green cells

only).

• Time Snap: Choose the Time Snap value for the cell.

• Play Mode: Choose the play mode for the cell.

89GarageBand User Guide for iPad

• Looping: Tap the Looping switch to turn on looping for the cell.

• Follow Tempo & Pitch: Tap to have the cell follow the song tempo and key (blue cells

only).

• Octaves: Tap the – and + buttons to raise or lower the pitch (green cells only).

• Semitones: Tap the – and + buttons to raise or lower the pitch.

• Speed: Drag the Speed slider left to right to change the speed (tempo) of the cell.

• Reverse: Tap the Reverse switch to have the cell play in reverse.

• Reset All: To reset all cell settings, tap Reset All.

3. When you finish, tap Done.

While the Cell Settings menu is visible, you can tap the selected cell to start or stop

playback, in order to hear your changes. You can also tap other cells and edit their

settings.

Edit a column trigger

• Tap a column trigger , then tap one of the editing commands.

Show a row in the Tracks view

• In the Live Loops grid, double-tap a row header, then tap Show in Tracks view.

Show a track in the Live Loops grid

• In Tracks view, double-tap a track header, then tap Show in Grid.

Play a Touch Instrument in Live Loops in

GarageBand for iPad

You can choose the Touch Instrument for an empty row in the grid. Any cells you record

use the Touch Instrument for that row. If you choose an Audio Recorder or Amp Touch

Instrument, you can also add loops to empty cells in the grid.

If you choose Drummer as the Touch Instrument for an empty row, a yellow Drummer

region is added to the first cell in the row, using the current Drummer settings.

Choose a Touch Instrument for an empty grid row

1. To create a new, empty row at the bottom of the grid, tap the Add Row button below

the track headers.

2. Tap a cell in an empty row, then tap Instruments.

The Sound browser opens.

3. Tap the Touch Instrument you want to use.

4. To return to the Live Loops grid, tap the Live Loops button in the control bar.

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Record to a cell in GarageBand for iPad

You can record to a cell, using the Touch Instrument for the row in which the cell is located.

When you record to a cell, other cells playing when recording starts continue playing, but

any tracks playing in Tracks view stop playing. The ruler shows the units of time for the

cell, not for a song section.

If the cell is already filled, the new recording replaces the existing one. For the Keyboard,

Drums, Sampler, Guitar, and Bass, you can merge new recordings with existing ones by

turning on Merge Recordings in the track controls.

Note:You can’t record to a Drummer cell.

Record to a cell in the grid

1. Do one of the following:

• Tap the cell, then tap Record from the shortcut menu.

• Double-tap the cell.

The Touch Instrument for the cell’s row opens. If the cell is in an empty row, the last-

used Touch Instrument opens, and becomes the Touch Instrument for the cell’s row. If

no cell has been used, double-tapping shows the Edit menu.

2. To start recording, tap the Record button in the control bar.

3. Play the Touch Instrument.

The notes you play, and any changes to knobs, sliders, and other controls, are recorded.

4. To finish recording, tap the Record button again.

5. Tap the Live Loops button to return to the Live Loops grid.

Use Apple Loops and audio files with Live Loops in

GarageBand for iPad

In addition to recording, you can add Apple Loops and audio files to cells in an Audio

Recorder or Amp row of the grid, or to an empty row. If your song has an empty grid, and

has regions in Tracks view, you can import all of the regions from Tracks view to the Live

Loops grid.

Add an Apple Loop to a cell in an Audio Recorder or Amp row

1. Tap an empty cell, then tap Loops.

The Loop Browser opens.

2. Do one of the following:

• Tap Download button for the loop you want to add.

• Drag a loop from the Loop Browser to the empty cell.

If the loop features a different instrument that the one originally used by the row, the icon

for the row changes to a speaker icon.

91GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Add an Apple Loop to a new, empty row

1. Tap the Add Row button below the track headers, then tap Loops.

The Loop Browser opens.

2. Do one of the following:

• Tap the Download button for the loop you want to add.

• Drag a loop from the Loop Browser to the empty cell.

Add an audio file to a cell in an Audio Recorder or Amp row

1. Tap an empty cell, then tap Loops.

The Loop Browser opens.

2. In the Loop Browser, tap Audio Files.

3. Select the audio file you want to add.

4. Do one of the following:

• Tap Download button for the audio file you want to add.

• Drag an audio file from the Loop Browser to the empty cell.

Add playing cells to a column in GarageBand for

iPad

When cells from different columns are playing, you can add the playing cells to a single

column. If you add playing cells to an empty column, the cells in the corresponding rows

are added to the column. If you add playing cells to a column that already contains cells,

the playing cells replace any existing cells in the corresponding rows.

Add playing cells to a single column

1. Tap the Edit Cells button in the lower-left corner of the Live Loops grid.

2. Tap the column trigger for the column you want to add the playing cells to.

3. Tap Merge Playing Cells.

Record a Live Loops performance in GarageBand

for iPad

You can record a Live Loops performance to Tracks view. When you start recording, any

cells currently playing are recorded to the corresponding track in Tracks view, from the

beginning of the current song section. If you start cells playing while recording, they are

recorded from the beat (time position) when they start playing. Any changes you perform

to cell settings, such as adjusting the speed, pitch, or direction of cells, are also recorded.

Record a performance to Tracks view

1. Tap the Record button in the control bar.

2. Start the performance by tapping cells or triggers to start playback. Cell playback is

recorded to the track in Tracks view that corresponds to the row of the cell.

3. To stop recording, tap the Stop button in the control bar.

4. To view and play your performance, tap the Tracks button in the control bar.

92GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Remix a song

Remix a song with GarageBand for iPad

You can remix a GarageBand song in real time, in either the Tracks area or the Live Loops

grid. Using the Remix FX, you can scratch mix the song like a DJ using a turntable, play the

song in reverse, stop or downsample the song, and use a variety of remix effects.

Remix FX includes a set of buttons and XY pads which you can use to control various

effects. The three central buttons are: Reverse, Scratch, and Tape Stop. The two vertical

sliders are: Gater and Downsampler. The selectable effects for the XY pads include Filter,

Wobble, Orbit, Repeater, Reverb, and Delay effects.

You can also control the XY pads with the motion sensors on your iPad using Gyro Control,

and lock an effect using FX Lock, so it continues to sound after you lift your finger.

After you record a remix, you can edit the Remix FX region like other regions in Tracks view.

If you cut or shorten the FX Remix region made with a locked effect, that effect shuts off

at the end of the region, and starts again at the start of the next region when you play the

remix.

Open the Remix FX controls

• In the control bar, tap the FX button.

To close the Remix FX, tap the FX button again.

Turn on Gyro Control

• Tap the Gyro Control button above the XY pad.

93GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Lock an effect

• Tap the FX Lock button above one of the XY pads.

To unlock the effect, tap the Reset button, or double-tap the FX button.

Record a remix

1. For each XY pad, tap the effect to use for that pad.

2. Tap the Record button.

3. As the song plays, use the Remix FX buttons, XY pads, and other controls.

A purple region with your changes appears in the FX track at the bottom of the Tracks

area.

4. When you finish, tap the Play button to stop recording.

Bypass Remix FX when you play a song

1. In Tracks view, drag a track header right to show the track controls.

2. In the FX track, tap the On/Off button to bypass the Remix FX.

To hear the Remix FX again, tap the On/Off button again.

You can also merge one or more tracks with the FX track. Any effects recorded to the FX

track are added to the new Audio Recorder track, and the FX track is turned off (so the

effects are audible only on the new track).

94GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Download additional sounds and loops

Download additional sounds and loops for

GarageBand on iPad

After you install GarageBand, three types of additional content (collectively called content

packs) are available to download in the Sound Library: sound packs, Producer packs, and

Remix sessions. Sound packs contain sounds, loops, and other kinds of content you can

use to build songs. Producer packs contain content similar to sound packs, created by well

known producers and artists. Remix sessions contain Live Loops grids with original tracks

from popular songs. Producer packs and Remix sessions are available for download in the

Producers and Artists section of the Sound Library.

Each content pack in the Sound Library has an icon and a name, and shows a brief

description and preview button when you tap it. The descriptions for Producer packs and

Remix sessions also contain a short video.

Notifications on your iPad and numbered badges in GarageBand indicate that new or

updated content packs are available in the Sound Library.

95GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Sound packs

Sound packs can contain different types of content, including the following:

• Apple Loops

• Sounds for the Keyboard and Alchemy synth

• Drum kits for Drums and Beat Sequencer

• Live Loops grids

• Drummers

• New Touch Instruments

• Guitar and Bass effects

Some sound packs may also be required in order to perform certain tasks, such as opening

a GarageBand song created on another device. If so, a message appears asking if you want

to download the required sound pack.

Producer packs and Remix sessions

The Producers and Artists section of the Sound Library contains Producer packs and Remix

sessions.

• Producer packs are sound packs created by well known producers and artists. You can

use the sounds from Producer packs in your songs to create, arrange, and mix your own

music.

• Remix Sessions contain original tracks from popular songs arranged in a Live Loops

grid that you can rearrange and remix to create your own version. Remix sessions are

created by the artist, together with Today At Apple and Apple Music. Remix sessions

downloads are available for a limited time.

Note:Remix sessions are provided to GarageBand users for personal and non-

commercial purposes only and may not be used or distributed outside of the

GarageBand app without the explicit prior written consent of the copyright holders.

Producer packs and Remix sessions include a short video in their description that contains

information or guidance from the producer or artist.

96GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Open the Sound Library

Do one of the following:

• Tap the Browser button , swipe left or right, then tap Sound Library.

• Tap a numbered badge in the Sound browser, Template browser, Loop Browser, or

anywhere you can choose instrument sounds.

Download Sound Library content

1. In the Sound Library, tap the content pack you want to download.

Swipe horizontally or tap See All to view more content packs for each section.

Sound packs and Producer packs that are required in order to open an existing song

have a badge with an exclamation point.

2. Do any of the following:

• Tap the Preview button to hear a sample.

• Tap the Play button in the upper-left corner of Producer packs and Remix sessions

to watch a video.

• In Producer packs and Remix sessions, tap the Apple Music or the Apple TV+

buttons for any additional content by the artist or producer.

• Tap Get to download.

Downloaded Remix sessions are saved to your iPad in the My Songs browser.

Delete a sound pack or Producer pack

1. In the Sound Library, tap the sound pack or Producer pack you want to delete, then tap

Delete.

2. Tap Delete to confirm the deletion.

97GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Delete a Remix session

You can delete Remix sessions as you would any GarageBand song in the Files app or the

My Songs browser.

• In the Files app or the My Songs browser, navigate to the Remix session you want to

delete and do either of the following:

• Tap Select, tap the Remix session, then tap Delete.

• Touch and hold the Remix session to open the option menu, then Tap Delete.

Manage Sound Library content

You can manage content packs to free up storage space on your iPad. The total amount of

space used for all installed Sound Library content is shown at the top of the list. The size

of each pack is shown in the list.

1. Open the Sound Library and tap Manage Packs in the upper-left corner.

2. Do either of the following:

• Delete a content pack: Tap Edit at the upper-right, tap the Delete button next to

the content pack you want to delete, then tap Delete. Alternatively, you can swipe

left on the content pack, then tap Delete.

• Download a content pack: Tap Get next to the content pack you want to download.

Manage notifications

You can change the settings for notifications you receive when new Sound Library content

is available. You can turn notifications on or off, choose how and where you want the

notifications to appear, choose how you want the notifications grouped, and more.

1. Close GarageBand, then open the Settings app.

2. Tap Notifications, scroll down, then tap GarageBand under Notification Style.

3. Change the various settings for GarageBand notifications.

98GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Jam with other GarageBand users

Jam with other users in GarageBand for iPad

You can make music with other GarageBand users sharing a Wi-Fi connection. The

bandleader creates a jam session, then up to three band members can join the jam session.

Playback and recording are synchronized between all devices, so everyone can play

and record together as a band. The leader can keep exclusive control of playback and

recording, or allow all members to share control.

When members join a jam session, the song settings on their devices are matched to the

current jam session song settings. Jam session song settings include the tempo, key, and

time signature; the number and length of song sections; any master effects used; any

custom chords; a fade-out; or a count-in. Only the leader can change the jam session song

settings.

After members record tracks to add to the jam session, the leader collects all unmuted

tracks from the members' devices. Playback and recording stop while the recordings are

collected.

If any device cannot start playback because it is optimizing performance, all other devices

remain stopped until the optimizing device is ready. If anyone in the band opens the Sound

browser during playback or recording, the song stops playing but the jam session is still

active.

Jam Sessions work with Touch Instruments and Tracks view, but not with the Live

Loops grid.

Open the Jam Session controls

1. Tap the Settings button in the control bar.

2. Tap Jam Session.

Create a jam session

• In the Jam Session controls, tap Create Session.

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Share control of playback and recording

By default, the bandleader controls playback and recording for the jam session. When

Bandleader Control is on, the transport controls appear dimmed on members’ devices.

• Turn the Bandleader Control switch off.

When the leader turns off Bandleader Control, band members can share control of

playback. When a band member taps Record, recording starts on their device, and

playback starts on all other devices. While the song is playing, band members can tap

Record to “punch in” or tap Play to “punch out” on their device.

Join a jam session

When the Jam Session controls are visible on the leader’s device, other nearby devices can

join the jam session by using Wi-Fi.

• In the Jam Session controls, under Join Session, tap the session you want to join.

The leader sends the jam session song settings to the open song on the member’s

device. If the member’s song has a different time signature, a different number of song

sections, or song sections with a different length than the leader’s, a new, empty song

is created.

Collect band member recordings

The bandleader can collect recordings from all the band members, either automatically

or manually. When the leader collects recordings, the unmuted tracks (including soloed

tracks) from each member’s song are added to the leader’s song. While the leader collects

recordings, playback and recording stop, and all GarageBand controls are paused.

By default, recordings are collected automatically after each recording when Bandleader

Control is on. The Auto-Collect Recordings setting is available only when Bandleader

Control is on. The leader can also turn off auto-collection and collect recordings manually.

1. Open the Jam Session controls.

2. Do one of the following:

• Turn off Auto-Collect Recordings.

• Turn off Bandleader Control.

3. Tap Collect Recordings.

If the number of tracks exceeds the maximum number (eight), the leader can delete tracks,

or ask members to mute or delete tracks, then collect recordings again.

The collected tracks are muted in the leader’s song. If the leader starts a new recording

or manually collects tracks again, all collected tracks are deleted and replaced by new

collected tracks. However, if the leader unmutes or edits a collected track, it is not

deleted. If the leader copies a collected track, the copy is not deleted. If the leader turns

Auto-Collect Recordings on or off after collecting recordings, the collected tracks are not

deleted the next time recording starts.

After collecting recordings, the leader can make changes to the song, and then email the

finished song to the members as an audio file.

100GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Leave a jam session

A band member can leave the jam session at any time.

• In the Jam Session controls, tap Leave Session.

If members leave a jam session, either by tapping Leave Session, opening the My Songs

browser, or because of a network problem, they can rejoin the session by following the

same steps they used to join the session originally. When a member leaves a session,

everyone in the session receives a message that the member has left. Other members can

keep jamming.

Stop a jam session

The leader can stop a jam session at any time. All members receive a message that the

session has stopped.

• In the Jam Session controls, tap Stop Session.

If the leader opens the My Songs browser during a jam session, the session stops.

101GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use other music apps with GarageBand

Use other music apps with GarageBand for iPad

If you have Audio Unit Extensions or Inter-App Audio apps installed on your iPad, you can

use them with GarageBand as instruments or effects.

You can buy Audio Unit Extensions or Inter-App Audio apps on the App Store or from third-

party vendors.

Add an Audio Unit instrument

You can add Audio Unit instruments to your song and then play and record them as Touch

Instruments, similar to the Keyboard. You can save, rename, and delete custom sounds for

an Audio Unit instrument in the same way you do with sounds for a Touch Instrument.

1. In the Sound browser, swipe left or right until you see External, then tap Audio Unit

Extensions.

2. Tap the instrument you want to add.

3. Tap Presets to load, save, and edit sounds.

If the Audio Unit instrument has its own preset sounds, the name of the sound appears

instead of Preset.

Some Audio Unit instruments have their own custom view. If so, the custom view appears

when you open the instrument. You can switch between the custom view and the standard

view by tapping the Controls View button . If your iPad supports facial recognition, you

can control the mod wheel of an Audio Unit instrument with Face Control.

102GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Add an Audio Unit effect

You can use Audio Unit effects to change the sound of instruments, similar to plug-ins in

the track controls.

1. Tap the Track Controls button in the control bar, tap Plug-ins & EQ, then tap Edit.

2. Tap the Add Plug-in button on one of the empty plug-in slots or tap the name of the

plug-in you want to replace.

3. Tap Audio Unit Extensions.

4. Tap an Audio Unit effect in the list.

The Audio Unit effect is added to the list of plug-ins.

5. Tap the Audio Unit effect in the list to view its settings.

6. Tap Presets at the lower-left of the plug-in window to save, rename, and delete your

own custom presets.

If the Audio Unit effect has its own presets, its name appears instead of Preset.

Add an Inter-App Audio instrument

You can record the sound output of an Inter-App Audio instrument to an Audio Recorder,

Amp, or Sampler track in your song.

Do one of the following:

• In the Sound browser, tap External, tap Inter-App Audio, tap Instrument, then tap an

app.

• In an Audio Recorder, Amp, or Sampler Touch Instrument, tap the InputSettings

button , tap Inter-App Audio, then choose an app from the Instrument submenu.

103GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Add an Inter-App Audio effect

You can use an Inter-App Audio effect to modify the sound of an Audio Recorder, Amp, or

Sampler Touch Instrument when you record it in GarageBand.

Do one of the following:

• In the Sound browser, tap External, tap Inter-App Audio, tap Effect, then tap an app.

• In an Audio Recorder, Amp, or Sampler Touch Instrument, tap the InputSettingsbutton

, tap Inter-App Audio, then choose an app from the Effect submenu.

Record a performance with an Inter-App Audio instrument

Some Inter-App Audio instrument apps provide support for controlling GarageBand. If the

app supports such controls, you can play your GarageBand song, and record to it, from

within the instrument app.

For instrument apps that do not provide support for controlling GarageBand, start

recording in GarageBand, then switch to the instrument app to play your performance.

Before you start recording, you may want to set the song section length to Automatic, so

the recording is not cut off before you finish the performance.

1. In GarageBand, tap the Record button to start recording.

2. Open the Inter-App Audio instrument app from the app switcher.

3. In the Inter-App Audio instrument app, play your performance.

4. When you finish playing, open GarageBand again from the app switcher.

5. In GarageBand, tap the Stop button to stop recording.

You can record from other music apps to GarageBand using the Audiobus app if it is

installed on your iPad.

104GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use iCloud with GarageBand

Use iCloud with GarageBand for iPad

You can upload your GarageBand songs to iCloud Drive and access them from another app

or other devices. You can open your songs directly from iCloud Drive in the sidebar in the

My Songs browser, or download them to your iPad.

When you close a song or close GarageBand, the song is updated with your latest changes

in iCloud. If changes made on multiple devices are out of sync, a copy of the song with the

newest changes is saved to the same location as the original in iCloud Drive.

Before you can use iCloud Drive with GarageBand, you must set up iCloud in the Settings

app on your iPad. More information is available online at the iCloud Support website.

Turn on iCloud for GarageBand

You turn on iCloud for GarageBand in the Settings app on your iPad.

1. Close GarageBand.

2. On the Home screen, tap Settings, then tap your name at the top of Settings.

3. Tap iCloud, then tap the switch next to GarageBand in the list of iCloud apps.

You might have to scroll down to see the GarageBand icon.

Upload a song to iCloud Drive

1. In the My Songs browser, tap Select, tap the song you want to upload, then tap Move in

the quick actions menu.

2. Locate where you want to save your song on iCloud Drive, then tap Copy.

Copy a song in iCloud Drive to your iPad

1. In the My Songs browser, tap iCloud Drive in the sidebar and locate the song you want

to copy.

2. Tap Select, tap the song you want to upload, then tap Move in the quick actions menu.

3. Locate where you want to save your song on your iPad and tap Copy.

105GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Open a song in iCloud Drive

Songs available to download from iCloud Drive appear with an iCloud download badge .

• In the My Songs browser, tap iCloud Drive in the sidebar, then locate and tap the

GarageBand song you want to open.

The song is downloaded. If there is a newer version in iCloud, the newer version is

downloaded to your iPad. If the version on your iPad is newer, that version is uploaded

to iCloud.

Create a song in iCloud Drive

1. In the My Songs browser, tap iCloud Drive in the sidebar, locate and tap the GarageBand

for iOS folder, then do one of the following:

• Tap the Add Song button at the top-right of the screen.

• Tap Create Document in the My Songs browser.

The Sound browser opens, where you can choose a Touch Instrument to use in the

song. When you close the song, the latest changes are saved to the original location in

iCloud Drive.

Delete a song in iCloud Drive

When you delete a song in iCloud Drive, the song is deleted on all your devices.

1. In the My Songs browser, tap iCloud Drive in the sidebar, then locate the song you want

to delete.

2. Tap Select, tap the song you want to delete, then tap Delete.

If you turn off iCloud for GarageBand, your songs stored in iCloud Drive will be deleted

from your iPad, but will remain stored in iCloud Drive.If you want to turn off iCloud and

keep your songs on your iPad, you need to duplicate the songs you want to keep before

you turn off iCloud.

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Use Schoolwork with GarageBand

Use Schoolwork with GarageBand for iPad

With the Schoolwork app, teachers can add GarageBand activities to handouts and assign

them to their students. A project can also be attached to a handout and shared between

teacher and students via iCloud Drive.

To use GarageBand with Schoolwork, the Schoolwork app must be installed on your iPad,

and you must sign in with the Managed Apple ID for your school or class. If you need help

with your Managed Apple ID account, contact your teacher (teachers should contact their

school administrator).

Add an activity to a handout

Teachers can add a GarageBand activity to a new handout, and then post the handout to

their students or save it as a draft in the Schoolwork app.

1. In the Schoolwork app, create a new handout.

2. On the handout, tap Add Activity, tap Apps, then tap GarageBand.

3. Choose one of the available activities from the shortcut menu:

• Audio Recording: Create an audio recording using the Audio Recorder Touch

Instrument.

• Create New Live Loops Song: Choose a Live Loops template in the Template browser

to create a new song.

• Create New Tracks Song: Choose a Touch Instrument in the Sound browser to create

a new song.

4. Fill in the title, due date, and other information for the handout, tap the Inspector button

to choose a share option for the attached song, then tap Post to send the handout.

When a student completes an activity, it shows as Done on the handout, and shows the

time taken to complete it.

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Share a GarageBand song to a handout

Teachers can share a GarageBand song to Schoolwork and attach it to a new handout, then

post the handout to their students. Students can share a song to an existing handout for

their class.

1. In the My Songs browser, tap Select, tap a song, then tap Share.

2. Do one of the following:

• To share the song as an editable GarageBand project: tap Project.

• To share the song as an audio file: tap Song.

3. Tap Share with Schoolwork.

For teachers: A New Handout window opens with the GarageBand song attached. The

teacher can assign the handout to a class or to individual students.

For students: A list of available handouts appears.

4. Do one of the following:

• For teachers: Fill in the title, due date, and other information for the handout, tap the

Inspector button to choose a share option for the attached song, then tap Post to

send the handout.

• For students: Tap a handout to attach the song, then tap Submit.

For complete information about using the Schoolwork app, open Schoolwork Help from

within the app.

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Share GarageBand songs

Share songs with GarageBand for iPad

You can share a song as a GarageBand project or as an audio file. You can share

GarageBand songs to a Mac or to another app on your iPad. You can also send a song in an

email, share it to nearby devices using AirDrop, or use it as a ringtone. If you have set up

iCloud, you can also use iCloud to share songs between devices.

You can import a GarageBand song created on another iPad or iPhone. Because

GarageBand for Mac offers features and functionality not found in GarageBand for iPad,

you can’t import a GarageBand for Mac song to GarageBand for iPad.

In Logic Pro and GarageBand for Mac, you can share a special GarageBand for iPad-

compatible version of your project to iCloud.You can add, edit, and arrange new tracks in

GarageBand for iPad. When you reopen the project in Logic Pro or GarageBand for Mac,

the new tracks are added to the original project.

Share a song to a Mac

1. In the My Songs browser, tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, then

tap Share.

2. Do one of the following:

• To save the song as an editable GarageBand project: Tap Project.

• To save the song as an audio file: Tap Song.

You can add the artist, composer, and title information, choose the audio quality, and

add an image for the audio file.

3. Tap Share, tap Save to Files, locate and tap the GarageBand folder, then tap Add.

4. Connect your iPad to your Mac.

Your connected iPad appears in a Finder window sidebar under Locations.

5. On your Mac, select the icon for your iPad, click Files, then click GarageBand in the

Apps list.

6. Drag the song from the GarageBand list to the Finder.

You can open a GarageBand project in GarageBand on your Mac, or play the audio file

in the Music app on your computer. You can’t open a GarageBand project on a Windows

computer.

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Share songs to a Mac using the GarageBand File Transfer folder

GarageBand uses the GarageBand File Transfer folder to store audio files that you can

import into GarageBand or use with other music apps. You can copy the GarageBand File

Transfer folder to your Mac to create a backup or to use the contents with other apps.

1. In the My Songs browser, tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, tap

Share, then tap Song.

You can add the artist, composer, and title information, choose the audio quality, and

add an image for the audio file.

2. Tap Share, tap Save to Files, locate and tap the GarageBand File Transfer folder, then

tap Save.

A stereo audio file is saved to the GarageBand File Transfer folder.

3. Connect your iPad to your Mac.

Your connected iPad appears in a Finder window sidebar under Locations.

4. On your Mac, select the icon for your iPad, click Files, then click the disclosure arrow

for GarageBand in the Apps list.

The GarageBand File Transfer folder appears.

5. Drag the GarageBand File Transfer folder to the Finder.

6. To save any changes made on your Mac to your device, drag the GarageBand Transfer

folder from your Mac back to the GarageBand area in the Finder window.

Send a song in an email

1. In the My Songs browser, tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, tap

Share, then tap Song.

You can add the artist, composer, and title information, choose the audio quality, and

add an image for the audio file.

2. Tap Share, then tap Mail.

A new email is created with the song as an attachment.

3. In the email, tap the To, Cc/Bcc, and Subject fields to edit the recipients and the subject

of the email.

4. Tap the body of the email to edit the message text.

5. When the email is ready, tap Send.

You can’t send the email until you add at least one recipient.

110GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Send a song using Messages

1. In the My Songs browser, tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, tap

Share, then do one of the following:

• Send a stereo audio file: Tap Song, then tap Share.

After you tap Song, you can add the artist, composer, and title information. You can

also choose the audio quality and an image for the audio file.

• Send a GarageBand project: Tap Project.

2. Tap Messages.

3. Choose a recipient for the message. You can also add message text.

4. When the message is ready, tap the Send button .

You can’t send the message until you add at least one recipient.

Send a GarageBand song to the Clips app

You can add your GarageBand song to videos you create with the Clips app, available from

the App Store.

1. In the My Songs browser, tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, tap

Share, then tap Song.

You can add the artist, composer, and title information. You can also choose the audio

quality and an image for the audio file.

2. Tap Share, then tap Clips.

The Clips app opens and shows a list of projects.

3. Tap the project you want to add the song to.

If the video project in Clips doesn’t contain imported audio, the song is added to the

project. If the project already contains imported audio, you can choose to replace it by

tapping Replace.

Important:Replacing imported audio can’t be undone.

4. Tap Done.

Open a song in another app on your iPad

You can open a GarageBand song in iMovie or another app on your iPad. The app must be

compatible with the “Open in” feature.

1. In the My Songs browser, tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, tap

Share, then do one of the following:

• Send a stereo audio file: Tap Song, then tap Share.

After you tap Song, you can add the artist, composer, and title information. You can

also choose the audio quality and an image for the audio file.

• Send a GarageBand project: Tap Project.

2. Tap “Open in.”

A list shows apps that can open the song. If there are no compatible apps on your iPad,

the list is empty.

3. Tap the icon of the app you want to open the song in.

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Import a GarageBand for iPad song

Using a Mac, you can import a GarageBand song that was created on another iPad or

iPhone. Because GarageBand for Mac offers additional features and functionality not

found in GarageBand for iPad, you can’t import a GarageBand for Mac song to GarageBand

for iPad.

1. Connect your iPad to your Mac.

Your connected device appears as an icon in a Finder window sidebar under Locations.

2. Select the icon for your iPad, click Files, then select GarageBand in the Apps list.

3. Drag a song to the GarageBand files list.

After you import a song, you can open it in the My Songs browser.

Share a song to nearby devices using AirDrop

You can share songs to other devices using AirDrop. AirDrop is available for devices

featuring a Lightning connector.

Before sharing a song using AirDrop, you must turn AirDrop on in Control Center. You

can also choose whether to share with all devices using AirDrop, or only those in your

Contacts.

1. In the My Songs browser, tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, tap

Share, then do one of the following:

• Send a stereo audio file: Tap Song, then tap Share.

After you tap Song, you can add the artist, composer, and title information. You can

also choose the audio quality and an image for the audio file.

• Send a GarageBand project: Tap Project.

2. Tap the device you want to share with.

To return to the My Songs browser without sharing the song, tap Cancel.

A notification appears on the device it is shared with. After the song is downloaded to the

device, it opens in GarageBand (if GarageBand is the only compatible app) or presents a

list of compatible music apps.

Collaborate with other users using iCloud Drive

You can invite people to collaborate with you on songs stored in iCloud Drive. When you

or one of the other users close a song you are collaborating on or close GarageBand,

the song is updated with the latest changes in iCloud Drive. If changes made on multiple

devices are out of sync, a copy of the song with the new changes is saved to the same

location as the original in iCloud Drive.

1. Ensure that you are signed in to iCloud on all devices you want to share with.

2. In the My Songs browser, tap iCloud Drive in the sidebar, and locate the song you want

to share.

3. Tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, tap Share, tap Project, then tap

Add People.

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4. Tap Share Options to change access and permissions settings.

5. Do one of the following:

• Tap Message to share a link to your song using Messages.

• Tap Mail to send a link to your song in an email.

• Tap Copy Link to copy the link to your song to the clipboard.

If “Only people you invite” is selected in Share Options, a window appears where you

can add people that can access the song. When you are done, tap Copy Link.

Share a GarageBand song using a sharing extension

1. In the My Songs browser, tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, tap

Share, then do one of the following:

• Send a stereo audio file: Tap Song, then tap Share.

After you tap Song, you can add the artist, composer, and title information. You can

also choose the audio quality and an image for the audio file.

• Send a GarageBand project: Tap Project.

2. Tap the icon for the social network or service.

3. Follow the instructions in the dialog for your social network or service.

Before you can share GarageBand songs using a sharing extension, you must install one or

more apps that include a sharing extension.

Share a GarageBand song as a ringtone or text tone

1. In the My Songs browser, tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, tap

Share, then tap Ringtone.

The Export Ringtone panel opens, showing the name for the ringtone. By default, the

ringtone uses the same name as the song.

The maximum length for exported ringtones is 30 seconds. If the exported ringtone

exceeds the maximum length, a dialog appears. Tap Continue to have GarageBand

shorten the ringtone automatically, or tap Cancel to return to the song so you can

shorten it.

2. To rename the ringtone, tap the name and type a new name.

3. Tap Export.

4. In the Ringtone Export Successful panel, do one of the following:

• Return to the My Songs browser: Tap OK.

• Choose a use for the ringtone: Tap “Use sound as,” then do one of the following:

• Use the ringtone as your standard ringtone, replacing the existing ringtone: Tap

Standard Ringtone.

• Use the ringtone as your standard text tone, replacing the existing text tone: Tap

Standard Text Tone.

• See a list of your contacts: Tap “Assign to contact,” then tap the contact you want

to use the ringtone with.

• Return to the My Songs browser without assigning the ringtone: Tap Done.

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Manage exported GarageBand ringtones

1. In the My Songs browser, tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, tap

Share, then tap Ringtone.

The Export Ringtone panel opens.

2. Tap Your Ringtones.

A window opens showing all previously exported ringtones.

3. To delete a ringtone:

Tap Edit, tap the Delete button , then tap Delete for any ringtone you want to delete.

4. When you finish, tap Done.

To return to the Export Ringtone panel without deleting ringtones (or if there are no

existing ringtones), tap Export Ringtone.

Send a GarageBand song to YouTube or Facebook via iMovie

1. In the My Songs browser, tap the Select button, tap the song you want to share, tap

Share, then tap Song.

After you tap Song, you can add the artist, composer, and title information. You can also

choose the audio quality of the file, and choose an image for the audio file.

2. Tap Share, then tap Copy to iMovie.

3. Add your idea to a new iMovie project, then share the resulting movie to YouTube or

Facebook.

If iMovie is not installed on your iPad, download it from the App Store.

114GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Mirror GarageBand to an Apple TV

Mirror GarageBand for iPad to an Apple TV

You can mirror the GarageBand app along with its audio output via Screen Mirroring to an

Apple TV.

Mirror GarageBand to an Apple TV

1. Make sure your iPad and the Apple TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

2. Open Control Center, tap the Screen Mirroring button , then tap Apple TV.

The GarageBand window appears on both the iPad and the Apple TV. Audio output is

streamed to the Apple TV only.

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Use VoiceOver with GarageBand

Intro to VoiceOver with GarageBand for iPad

VoiceOver is an advanced screen reader that lets you use your iPad without seeing the

screen. After you turn on VoiceOver in the Settings app, you can use VoiceOver gestures

and rotor actions to navigate within GarageBand, choose and play Touch Instruments, edit

your performance, and arrange your songs.

To learn more about VoiceOver, see Turn on and practice VoiceOver, Learn VoiceOver

gestures, and Control VoiceOver using the rotor in the iPad User Guide.

The following topics provide information about using VoiceOver to perform specific tasks

within different areas of GarageBand:

• Use VoiceOver to play and record Touch Instruments

• Navigate in tracks view with VoiceOver

• Use VoiceOver to arrange and edit regions

• Use VoiceOver to edit notes in regions

• Use VoiceOver with automation

• Use VoiceOver with plug-ins

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Use VoiceOver to play and record Touch

Instruments in GarageBand for iPad

In GarageBand for iPad, you can use VoiceOver gestures to choose a Touch Instrument in

the Sound browser, start and stop playback and recording, and adjust the value of knobs

and sliders. And when you turn on the Direct Touch accessibility feature, you can also play

a Touch Instrument.

To learn more about recording Touch Instruments, see Record Touch Instruments in

GarageBand for iPad.

Choose a Touch Instrument in the Sound browser

When you first open GarageBand for iPad or create a new song, the Sound browser opens.

In the Sound browser, you can choose a Touch Instrument to play in your song.

1. In the Sound browser, swipe right repeatedly until you hear the name of a Touch

Instrument button (for example, “Keyboard button”).

2. Do any of the following:

• Navigate to another instrument: Swipe right or left with three fingers.

• Navigate through quick options for that instrument: Swipe right or left.

• Open a list of additional sounds for that instrument: Swipe right until you hear “More

Sounds.”

3. Double tap to select the instrument you want to play.

The Touch Instrument opens.

Turn on Direct Touch

When the Direct Touch accessibility feature is on, you can play a Touch Instrument like the

Keyboard or Drums in real time, just as you would when VoiceOver is off. Even when Direct

Touch is on, you can still use VoiceOver gestures to interact with the nonplayable areas of

the Touch Instrument, as well as the control bar and ruler. You can also use Direct Touch to

control the Pitch and Mod wheels on some Keyboard Touch Instruments.

1. Do one of the following:

• Choose a Touch Instrument from the Sound browser.

• In Tracks view, navigate to the Instrument button in the control bar, then double-tap.

The Touch Instrument opens.

2. Navigate until you hear the name of the Touch Instrument.

If Direct Touch is off, the name of the Touch Instrument is followed by “Use the rotor to

enable Direct Touch for this app.”

3. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Direct Touch, then swipe up or down until you hear “Direct

Touch on for GarageBand.”

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Adjust knobs and sliders

Most Touch Instruments have controls like knobs and sliders to change parameter values.

You can adjust these controls using VoiceOver gestures. When you navigate to such a

control, VoiceOver announces that it’s adjustable.

1. Navigate to the knob or slider you want to adjust.

2. Do any of the following:

• Change the parameter value: Swipe up or down.

• Change the parameter value in smaller increments: Double-tap and hold until you

hear three rising tones, then drag left or right.

VoiceOver announces the new value each time it changes.

Start and stop playback or recording

You can use a VoiceOver gesture to start and stop playback or recording, depending if a

Touch Instrument or Tracks view is active.

Do one of the following:

• When a Touch Instrument is active: Double-tap with two fingers to start or stop recording

• When Tracks view is active: Double-tap with two fingers to start or stop playback

Navigate in Tracks view with VoiceOver in

GarageBand for iPad

In GarageBand for iPad, you can use standard VoiceOver gestures to navigate through the

interface. When you navigate to a track, the track icon is the first selected item in a track,

followed by any regions on the track. If the track headers are open, the Mute and Solo

buttons are selected next, followed by the Volume slider, and then the regions. When you

navigate past the last region on a track, the VoiceOver cursor moves to the track icon of

the next track.

You can use additional gestures to zoom in and out, move the playhead, scroll tracks left to

right, jump to the previous or next tracks, open track headers, and change the order of tracks.

To learn more about navigating songs, see Play and navigate songs in GarageBand for iPad.

Get ruler position announcements

• When you navigate to items that have a ruler position like regions, notes, or the

playhead, VoiceOver announces the full ruler position.

• When you move an item forward or backward in time, VoiceOver announces only the

part of the time position that changes.

For example, if you navigate to the playhead at the beginning of the second bar, VoiceOver

announces its position as “Bar 2, Beat 1.” If you move the playhead to the second beat of

the same bar, only the beat is changed and VoiceOver announces “Beat 2.” As you move

the playhead further in time, VoiceOver announces each following beat. When the playhead

reaches the next bar, VoiceOver announces “Bar 3, Beat 1.”

When you move an item while zoomed in, VoiceOver also announces smaller time divisions

like ticks and divisions.

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Zoom a region

• Navigate to any region, turn the VoiceOver rotor to Zoom, then swipe down to zoom in

or swipe up to zoom out.

Scroll tracks to the left or right

When you zoom in on a region, you can scroll tracks to the left or right.

• Navigate to any item in a zoomed track, then use three fingers to swipe left or right.

The visible range of the ruler is announced as you scroll.

Move the playhead

Do any of the following:

• Navigate to the playhead, double-tap and hold until you hear three rising tones, then

drag left or right to move the playhead to any position.

• Navigate to the playhead, then swipe up or down to move the playhead in one-bar

increments.

• Navigate to a track icon or region, turn the VoiceOver rotor to Playhead, then swipe up

or down to move the playhead in one-bar increments.

Each time you move the playhead, VoiceOver announces the new position.

Select the next or previous track

• Navigate to a track icon or a region, turn the VoiceOver rotor to Tracks, then swipe up

or down.

Open or close track headers

When track headers are open, you can select and adjust the volume, mute, and solo

controls for a track. Do one of the following:

• Navigate to a track icon, turn the VoiceOver rotor to Toggle Track Headers, then swipe

up or down.

• Navigate to the Track Headers button, then double-tap.

If the track headers are open, you can close them by navigating to a Solo button, Mute

button, or Volume slider in the track header, then turning the VoiceOver rotor to Toggle

Track Headers.

Change the order of tracks

1. Navigate to the track icon of the track you want to move.

2. Double-tap and hold until you hear three rising tones.

3. Drag vertically to move the track up or down.

When you drag the track, VoiceOver announces the new position in relation to the other

tracks.

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Use VoiceOver to arrange and edit regions in

GarageBand for iPad

You can use several VoiceOver gestures to arrange and edit regions in GarageBand for

iPad. You can use the Actions rotor option to access most editing functions and additional

region settings.

To learn more about editing regions, Edit regions in GarageBand for iPad.

Select a region

• Navigate to the region you want to select, turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up

or down until you hear “Activate,” then double-tap.

Select multiple regions

1. Navigate to the additional region you want to select.

2. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you hear “Add to or Remove

from Multiselection,” then double-tap.

Deselect a selected region

1. Navigate to the region you want to deselect.

2. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you hear “Add to or Remove

from Multiselection,” then double-tap.

Trim a region

1. Navigate to the region you want to trim, then select it.

2. Swipe right until you hear “Left Resize Handle” or “Right Resize Handle” to select the

left or right resize handle.

3. Swipe up or down to move the resize handle to the right or left by one beat.

4. To move the resize handle in smaller increments, double-tap and hold until you hear

three rising tones, then drag up or down.

Split a region

1. Navigate to the region you want to split, turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up

or down until you hear “Split,” then double-tap.

The VoiceOver cursor moves to the Split marker that appears on the region.

2. To move the Split marker to where you want to split the region, do one of the following:

• Move the Split marker right or left to the nearest beat: Swipe up or down.

• Move the Split marker in smaller increments: Double-tap and hold until you hear

three rising tones, then drag left or right.

3. Double-tap to split the region at the Split marker.

After you split a region, the VoiceOver cursor remains on the Split marker. If you want to

make additional splits, move the Split marker to a new location and repeat step 3.

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Move a region

1. Navigate to the region you want to move, then double-tap to select it.

2. Swipe right until you hear “Move Region Handle.”

3. To move the Region, do one of the following:

• Move the region right or left to the nearest beat: Swipe up or down.

• Move the region in smaller increments: Double-tap and hold until you hear three

rising tones, then drag left or right.

Access additional region settings

You can access additional region settings using the Actions rotor option. These settings

include Gain, Speed, Looping, Reverse, and so on, depending on what kind of region is

selected.

1. Navigate to a region, then double-tap to select it.

2. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you hear “Settings,” then

double-tap.

A window opens containing a list of additional region settings.

3. Swipe horizontally to navigate through the settings.

4. To adjust a selected setting, do one of the following:

• Adjust a slider: Swipe up or down.

• Turn a switch on or off: Double-tap.

• Open a menu: Double-tap.

• Choose a menu item: Double-tap.

5. When you’re finished making changes, navigate to Done, then double-tap.

Use VoiceOver to edit notes in regions in

GarageBand for iPad

In GarageBand for iPad, you can use VoiceOver gestures to edit notes in regions recorded

with Touch Instruments.

To learn more about editing notes, see Edit notes in regions.

Open the Editor

• Navigate to a MIDI region, turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until

you hear “Edit,” then double-tap.

Select notes

• Navigate to a MIDI note in the Editor, then double-tap.

Select multiple notes

1. Navigate to the additional note you want to select.

2. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you hear “Add or Remove

from Multiselection,” then double-tap.

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Deselect a selected note

1. Navigate to the note you want to deselect.

2. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you hear “Add to or Remove

from Multiselection,” then double-tap.

Move notes

1. Navigate to the note you want to move, then double-tap and hold until you hear three

rising tones.

2. Do any of the following:

• Drag horizontally to move the note to the previous or next beat.

• Drag vertically to change the pitch.

If you’re editing the notes for a drum kit, dragging vertically changes the kit piece.

Copy and paste notes

1. Select one or more notes.

2. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you hear “Copy,” then

double-tap.

3. Move the playhead to the point where you want to paste the notes.

4. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you hear “Paste,” then

double-tap.

Delete notes

1. Select one or more notes.

2. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you hear “Delete,” then

double-tap.

Change the length of a note

1. Select one or more notes.

2. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you hear “Update Length

via Gesture,” then double-tap.

3. Double-tap and hold until you hear three rising tones, then drag horizontally to change

the length of the note.

4. Double-tap again when you are done.

Change note velocity

1. Select one or more notes.

2. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you hear “Velocity,” then

double-tap.

3. Swipe up or down to increase or decrease the velocity.

4. Double-tap and hold until you hear three rising tones, then drag horizontally to change

the velocity.

5. When you finish, move two fingers back and forth three times quickly, making a “z.”

Close the editor

• Navigate to the Done button, then double-tap.

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Use VoiceOver with automation in GarageBand for

iPad

In GarageBand for iPad, you can use VoiceOver gestures to create and edit volume

automation points for each track.

To learn more about using automation in your song, see Automate volume changes in

GarageBand for iPad.

Open automation

• Navigate to a track icon, turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you

hear “Automation,” then double-tap.

Activate automation lane

• After you open automation, swipe horizontally until you hear the track name and number

followed by “Automation Points,” then double-tap.

The automation lane is activated and the VoiceOver cursor moves to an automation

point at the beginning of the first bar.

Create automation points

After you activate the automation lane, do one of the following:

• Create an automation point at the next beat: Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe

up or down until you hear “Create New Automation on the Next Beat,” then double-tap.

• Create an automation point between existing automation points: Swipe left or right to

select the automation point to the left of where you want the new automation point to

appear. Turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or down until you hear “Create

New Automation Point Between This and the Next Point,” then double-tap.

Select automation points

• After you create automation points, navigate to an automation point, then double-tap.

To select multiple automation points, navigate to each point you want to add to the

selection, then double-tap. To deselect an automation point, navigate to it, then

double-tap again.

Move automation points

• Select one or more automation points, double-tap and hold until you hear three rising

tones, then drag horizontally or vertically.

Delete automation points

• Select one or more automation points, turn the VoiceOver rotor to Actions, swipe up or

down until you hear “Delete,” then double-tap.

Close automation

• Navigate to the Done button, then double-tap.

123GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use VoiceOver with plug-ins in GarageBand for

iPad

You can use VoiceOver gestures in GarageBand for iPad to add plug-ins and Audio Unit

Extensions to tracks, access parameters for Audio Unit Extensions, and use the Visual EQ

plug-in.

To learn more about using plug-ins in your song, see Use effect plug-ins with Touch

Instruments.

Add a plug-in to the selected track

1. Navigate to the Track Controls button in the control bar, then double-tap.

2. Navigate to the Plug-Ins & EQ button, then double-tap.

The list of plug-ins for the selected track opens, and the Bypass button of the first

plug-in is selected.

3. Swipe left until you hear “Edit button” then double-tap.

The plug-in list expands to Edit mode, where you can add, delete, and rearrange plug-

ins. Items in the list labeled “None” are empty slots where you can add a plug-in.

4. Swipe right until you hear “None,” then double-tap.

A list opens containing plug-ins that you can add to the selected track.

5. Navigate past the GarageBand Effects heading to the list of plug-ins, then double-tap

the plug-in you want to add.

The plug-in is added to the selected track and GarageBand exits Edit mode.

6. Navigate to the plug-in you want to edit, then double-tap to access its settings.

Add an Audio Unit Extension to the selected track

If you’ve enabled Apple-designed Audio Unit Extensions in the Settings app or installed

Audio Unit Extensions from other manufacturers on your iPad, you can add them to the list

of plug-ins on the selected track.

1. Navigate to the Track Controls button in the control bar, then double-tap.

2. Navigate to the Plug-Ins & EQ button, then double-tap.

The list of plug-ins for the selected track opens, and the Bypass button of the first

plug-in is selected.

3. Swipe left until you hear “Edit,” then double-tap.

The plug-in list expands to Edit mode, where you can add, delete, and rearrange plug-

ins. Items in the list labeled “None” are empty slots where you can add a plug-in.

4. Swipe right until you hear “None,” then double-tap.

A list opens and the Effects button is selected.

5. Swipe once to the right to select the Audio Unit Extensions button, then double-tap

124GarageBand User Guide for iPad

6. Navigate past the Audio Unit Extensions heading to the list of Audio Unit Extensions,

then double-tap the Audio Unit Extension you want to add.

The Audio Unit Extension is added to the list of plug-ins the selected track, and

GarageBand exits Edit mode.

7. Navigate to the plug-in you want to edit, then double-tap to access its settings.

Edit Audio Unit Extensions

If the interface of an Audio Unit Extension is difficult to navigate to and edit with VoiceOver

gestures, you can turn on Edit view to improve access to the parameter controls.

1. After you Add an Audio Unit Extension to the selected track, open the Plug-ins & EQ list.

See steps 1 and 2 of Add a plug-in to the selected track.

2. In the Plug-ins & EQ list, navigate to the name of the Audio Unit Extension you want to

edit, then double-tap.

The interface for the Audio Unit Extension opens.

3. Navigate to the Edit button, then double-tap.

Accessible controls for each parameter are available.

4. Navigate to a control, then swipe up or down to adjust it. To adjust in smaller

increments, double-tap and hold until you hear three rising tones, then drag up or

down.

5. To close the plug-in, navigate until you hear “Done,” then double-tap.

Open and edit the Visual EQ

1. Open the Plug-ins & EQ list.

See steps 1 and 2 of Add a plug-in to the selected track above.

2. In the Plug-ins & EQ list, navigate to the Visual EQ, then double-tap.

The interface for the Visual EQ opens and the Bass puck is selected.

3. Navigate to any of the frequency pucks and do any of the following:

• Swipe up or down to raise or lower the gain of the frequency band.

• Double-tap and hold until you hear three rising tones, then drag vertically to raise or

lower the gain, or drag horizontally to raise or lower the frequency.

4. To close the Visual EQ, navigate until you hear “Done,” then double-tap.

125GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Use keyboard shortcuts

Use keyboard shortcuts with GarageBand for iPad

If you have an external keyboard connected to your iPad, you can use keyboard shortcuts

in Tracks view to play, navigate, and edit your GarageBand song.

Action Shortcut

Start or stop playback Space bar

Go to the beginning Return

Move forward Period (.)

Move back Comma (,)

Create a new track Option-Command-N

Duplicate the selected track Command-D

Delete the selected track Command-Delete

Select previous track Up Arrow

Select next track Down Arrow

Solo the selected track S

Mute the selected track M

Undo Command-Z

Redo Shift-Command-Z

Select all regions or cells Command-A

Delete the selected regions Delete

Select the previous region on the selected track Left Arrow

Select the next region on the selected track Right Arrow

Add previous region to selection Shift-Left Arrow

Add next region to selection Shift-Right Arrow

Split selected region or event at the playhead Command-T

Join selected regions or notes Command-J

126GarageBand User Guide for iPad

Action Shortcut

Cut Command-X

Copy Command-C

Paste Command-V

Loop the selected region L

Start recording R

Turn the metronome on/off K

Turn count-in on/off Shift-K

Show/Hide Remix FX Option-R

Show/Hide Automation A

Open Loop Browser O

Instrument Browser - Previous Instrument Left Arrow

Instrument Browser - Next Instrument Right Arrow

Show/Hide coaching tips H

Show Help Option-H

127GarageBand User Guide for iPad

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Use of the “keyboard” Apple logo (Option-Shift-K) for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of

Apple may constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws.

Apple, the Apple logo, 3D Touch, AirDrop, Apple Music, Apple TV, ARKit, Finder, GarageBand, iMovie, iPad,

iPad Air, iPad Pro, iPhone, Lightning, Logic, Logic Pro, Mac, Safari, Smart Strings, and Touch Instruments are

trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

App Store, iCloud, and iCloud Drive are service marks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Apple

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Cupertino, CA 95014

apple.com

IOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco in the U.S. and other countries and is used under license.

Other company and product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective companies. Mention

of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a

recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the performance or use of these products.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Apple is not responsible for

printing or clerical errors.

Some apps are not available in all areas. App availability is subject to change.

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