In our DAW Fundamentals collection, we’re going to indicate you across the newest model of Apple’s GarageBand, guiding you thru the steps that you must take to create your personal tune, and taking inventory of this system’s most important options alongside the way in which.
Following on from our first tutorial, which confirmed you program a lead synth melody and chord sequence in GarageBand, we’re detailing put collectively a easy drum beat that may accompany your melodic creation.
(Picture credit score: Apple GarageBand)
Step 1: Open up a New Undertaking, or an present undertaking that comprises some materials you’d like so as to add a drum sample to. In my case, I’m opening up the undertaking I began in our first version of this collection.
When the immediate above seems, choose Software program Instrument. If you happen to’re working with an present undertaking, choose Monitor after which New Monitor on the high of the window to entry the identical choices.
(Picture credit score: Apple GarageBand)
Step 2: Now we have to choose a drum package to work with. Choose Digital Drum Equipment within the Library bar on the suitable, then select a particular drum package that you simply just like the sound of. I’ve gone with 808 Flex.
This may load the samples from the package chosen into your Software program Instrument observe. These are normally triggered by utilizing a MIDI keyboard, or by getting into in MIDI data along with your keyboard and mouse.
If you happen to’re utilizing a MIDI keyboard, ignore the subsequent few steps and hit Report on the high of the window (the pink circle). This may assist you to play in drum sounds and create a area mechanically.
(Picture credit score: Apple GarageBand)
Step 3: We’re going to program in a drum sample with our keyboard and mouse. Our subsequent step is to create an empty area, so we will program within the notes (or samples) that may type our drum sample.
To do that, we’ve bought to create an empty area within the Software program Instrument observe we simply created. This creates an area for our drum beat to sit down in on the timeline. Proper-click the area throughout the observe and hit Create MIDI Area to create an empty area.
Then, drag the underside proper nook of the area (the inexperienced field) to the suitable in order that it covers twice the period of time within the timeline. This implies the area will final for 2 bars.
(Picture credit score: Apple GarageBand)
Step 4: The area we’ve created is an area during which to enter notes. Double-click the area to open up the Piano Roll, a zoomed-in map of the area which permits us to enter notes that the Software program Instrument (our drum package) will play.
As we’re working with a drum package and never a pitched instrument, our Piano Roll will solely have sounds out there on a sure variety of keys. These will likely be between the C1 and C3 you’ll be able to see operating up the aspect – ensure you solely enter notes within the area that line up with these notes.
(Picture credit score: Apple GarageBand)
Step 5: Let’s begin getting into some notes into our area, to create our drum sample. Notes are entered by urgent the Command key whereas clicking into the area. The vertical placement of the be aware determines which key of the piano roll it performs (and which sound within the drum package) and the horizontal placement determines what time within the area’s length it’ll play.
A great place to start out is with a kick drum sample – you’ll be able to normally discover a kick drum on C1 of the Piano Roll. Enter in a sample just like the one you’ll be able to see right here that fills up the two bars of your area.
(Picture credit score: Apple GarageBand)
Step 6: Now we need to add some evenly spaced hi-hats and an everyday clap or snare – these are the constructing blocks of many standard drum patterns. The hi-hats are going to play on the “off-beat”, which is the area between the 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the metronome. The claps are taking part in on each 2 and 4.
Add these in and press play, and also you’ll recognise any such beat immediately. I’ve added a second hi-hat that sounds one Sixteenth-note after the primary, as soon as each bar – this offers the sample a little bit of rhythmic flavour.
(Picture credit score: Apple GarageBand)
Step 7: Now we’re going to loop this sample, so it matches the chord sequence and synth sample we created within the final tutorial. We are able to loop areas by clicking and dragging on the top-right nook, in direction of the suitable. Earlier than we loop it, let’s duplicate it, in order that we now have a brand new copy of the area on the finish of the chord sequence which we will edit as a variation.
To duplicate the area, use the Copy and Paste instructions as should you’re copying textual content: Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V will work. When your duplicate has been dragged to the top of the sequence, click on and drag on the top-right nook of your unique area to loop it 3 times.
(Picture credit score: Apple GarageBand)
Step 8: Now we need to edit our duplicate area to create a variation on our unique drumbeat. Double-click the duplicate area, and both take away a few of your unique notes, or add in some extra – experiment till you discover a sample that sounds good. I’ve taken away a pair kick drums, and added an additional clap and a reversed hi-hat sound on the finish of the bar.(Picture credit score: Apple GarageBand)
Step 9: There you’ve gotten it – your first beat in GarageBand. Activate the yellow Cycle bar on the timeline and drag it to the size of your beat so that you could hear it play on a loop.
Lastly, to form the sound of your drum package, hit the Controls knob on the high (it’s a circle surrounded by dots, subsequent to a pair of scissors) and experiment with the Results panel that seems on the backside of the display. I’ve added some Drive and Reverb to offer the drum package a extra participating sound.