GarageBand: Compose With Loops

Click this arrow for a new project.

Today we'll learn how to write a song in GarageBand using loops. Loops are repeated sections of music used as building blocks to create your song. Start with a new blank project in GarageBand.

Remember that this button will bring you back to the project view.

ProjectView: This is where you can see each instrument in your project and the loops you have recorded or placed for each one. This is currently blank since we have not made any loops yet.

Let's start by clicking this button to pick our first loop.

Tap "instrument" to browse by instrument type.

Let's start with the drums. Click on "kits to chose your first sound".

Your choices for drum loops will appear here. You can tap on each one to hear how it sounds.

Let's drag the first choice, "60's Shuffle" into the blank space on your project.

Voila! A new track has been created for your drums. If you press play, your song (just drums so far) will play to the end of the blue bar (your loop) and repeat back to the beginning.

Now chose and add a bass guitar loop in the same way you added your drum loop.

Now we have two tracks, one for our bass loop and one for our drum loop. When you hit play, each loop will play at the same time.

This white line is the playhead. It shows what part of your project you are currently hearing.

Now add a few more sounds to make your project even more interesting.

If you don't like how something sounds, tap on the loop and 'delete'.

To create another section to your song, simply click on this plus sign and "add".

Chose all sections to see everything at once. This will allow you to play your project in its entirety with each section sounding for as many measures as you set.

Have fun creating your song! Once you become more familiar with the process try to add loops that you create by recording your own guitar, drum, and piano tracks.