How to Make a Professional Sounding GarageBand Song with Just Your Mac

Setting out to write a song can seem like a daunting task when you're staring at a blank sheet of paper or a lone guitar.  Even Mac's DIY music program GarageBand can be overwhelming when you first approach it.  After much experience with the old MIDI program Metro in high school, I assumed for a long time that I needed a keyboard, a MIDI-to-USB converter, and a host of other materials before I could even begin using GarageBand.  This is all incorrect, as you can make a full song in GarageBand with nothing more than your computer keyboard, and your voice can embellish it further, even if you can't sing.

The first, most important thing to understand is your shortcuts.  This can save you hours in the long run simply by using the Command key instead of your mouse.  Here's some of the most effective shortcuts:

Option + Command + N = New Track  - choose "Real" to record live audio with your built in mic, choose "Instrumental" to use one of GB's preprogrammed sounds.

Shift + Command + K = Onscreen Keyboard - This is absolutely crucial to know if you plan on making music without a MIDI controller (which is completely possible, by all means - it's how I do it)

Command + Z = Undo.  Huge help.

Command + S = Save.  Also a huge help.

Your first goal is to lay down a drum track.  Pull up the loop browser with the Eye icon in the bottom left, choose one, and drag it in to the track.  Pay attention to the tempo associated with the loop.  If the loop is live audio, you'll have to mold your music to fit the track.  If it's MIDI, the loop will adjust itself to the tempo of your song.  You can extend your loop by clicking in the upper right hand corner of the loop you brought in, and looping it.  Get it?

Second, create a new instrument track, and pull up the Track Info with the encircled "i."  Pick a bass, and pull up your on-screen keyboard.  Hit Shift + Command + U to turn on the "Count In." Make sure your bass track is highlighted, and then hit R to record, then Shift + Command + K to bring up your keyboard.  I usually let the drums play for a minute to get ideas for a bass line.  Always remember you can just press Space to stop and Command + Z to get rid of something if you mess up.  Once you've laid your bass track, double click on it in the upper browser, and highlight all the notes in the bottom.  Turn "Enhance Timing" all the way up and select 1/4 note, if you played slow and steady, or 1/16 if you had lots of pops.  Remember, you'll have to play to the computer, it won't play to you.  This is called quantizing though, and it can make your timing sound much better.

Now, create another new instrument track and choose some synth sounds, layer them on top with the same process, and quantize them.  If a note seems out of place, you can double click on the bar in the browser and drag the notes up and down in the bottom screen until the chords sound right.  Now's your time to go back and edit your sounds.  You can add additional drum loops to get a fuller beat, and make sure to tweak all of your sounds in each track info's "Details," the small arrow underneath the instrument selection box.  Trial and error is the best way to find the sound you're looking for, but save often when you get a sound you like or you'll be going back over and over to retweak your sounds.  You can also just "Save Instrument" in a category to make things easier for next time.

Now come the vocals.  Assuming you know a little bit about music, select your project settings in the center, and change the key accordingly.  Now add a New Real Track, and go ahead and sing to it, no matter how bad.  Afterwards, just double click on it, and turn on the "Enhance Tuning" feature, and click "Limit to Key."  Add some reverb, chorus, slight distortion, and echo, and you should be golden!

Of course GarageBand has somewhat of a learning curve, as all programs do.  But with a little tweaking, you can have a Pro-quality song having used nothing but your Mac and it's built in iSight Microphone and GarageBand program!  Good luck!