Using the Arpeggiator featureĪnother fun tool is the arpeggiator. Now all of the notes are ones contained in the chosen scale or mode, meaning you can't play a wrong one. Once you've selected a scale you'll see that the keyboard has been simplified. Minor blues for, well, sad blues (is there any other kind?) or Japanese for tunes that add the mysteries of the Orient. The first is marked Scale and when you press it you'll see a list of scales and modes.Įach of these arranges notes in ways that conform to various styles of music. On the right side of the strip you find above the keyboard are some of the automated features. The modes are Glissando (playing all notes you slide between), Scroll (moving the physical keyboard up or down the scale), and Pitch (bending notes up or down as you slide).Īs well as these, there are a few other interesting features that we'll move on to next.
In the centre is a button adjusting the way the keyboard responds to sliding your finger across it. Slide it to the right to lock it on, and back to the left to release it. Next to this is a feature specific to the instrument on a piano this is sustain, while on an electric organ it might control the rate of a rotary speaker. These allow you to raise or lower the pitch of the keyboard by an octave. On the left you'll see two arrows with a number in the middle. On keyboards you have the keys themselves, with a row of options just above. The controls for each instrument differ slightly. Tap on the one you want to use and it will open a new window with a digital representation of the instrument. To find them, choose the Tracks option when you open a new project and you'll be presented with a scrollable selection. These are virtual guitars, pianos, strings and so on which you can actually play. If you want to be more hands-on in the creation of melodies then you can use Touch Instruments instead. When you're finished, tap the stop button at the top. You'll be counted in, then it's time to play the loops in the order you've worked out. To do this, press the record button at the top of the screen. Once you've played with the Live Loops and worked out a sequence that you like, it's time to record them. Best of all, these techniques can be used when recording. Basically, it's a DJ deck that can help you make some fantastic sounds. There's also a turntable icon with which you can scratch, a back arrow to hold a loop in a certain position, and the square icon for slowing a loop to a stop. The right box allows you to repeat parts of a loop at different speeds, while the buttons change the frequency shapes when you slide your finger up or down them. Try experimenting with it to see the kind of sounds you can produce. The left box controls a filter when you move your finger around inside it. You'll see this button along the top of the screen and tapping it opens up a section of the page containing a couple of large boxes with buttons between them. Tapping the arrow at the bottom of each column will also switch on all of those squares at the same time.Īnother fun feature is FX. GarageBand will begin each one on the correct beat, so you can't really make any mistakes. Now just tap each square to stop or start the playback, adding others whenever you please.
Each square represents a loop, all of which have been selected to work together both in terms of timing and melody. This might sound complicated, but it's actually very easy.įirst of all, select the genre of music you want to use (there's Hip Hop, EDM, Rock and several others available) and you'll be taken to a grid with a number of different coloured squares. Live Loops is a relatively new addition to GarageBand, which allows you to sequence existing recordings in real time. At the top of the screen you'll see two options: Live Loops and Tracks. When you first open GarageBand you'll be asked to select the kind of instrument you want to use.
Garageband iphone 5 tutorial software#
In our GarageBand masterclass we show the basics of finding your way around one of Apple's finest software offerings.
Garageband iphone 5 tutorial how to#
With this free music creation tool, you can quickly put together songs adorned with drums, bass, keyboards, guitars and exotic instruments, all without even needing to know how to play. IOS has a huge number of fun and useful apps, as you can see from our Best free iPhone apps guide, but one of the very best is Apple's own GarageBand.