How to Use GarageBand Loops

Add and use loops with a project in GarageBand on your computer.

GarageBand is an audio editing application for Apple Mac computers, and the program allows users to record audio, edits songs, create podcasts and more. The application also includes the Apple Loops feature that is a library of pre-recorded sounds for various types of instruments that repeat a pattern. Users can create their own loops to be added to the Loop Library for use in a music project. By using the Apple Loops feature, you can preview how certain types of instruments would sound along with other tracks you have recorded.

Things You'll Need

• GarageBand

Instructions

1. Open the GarageBand application on your computer. Click on the "Loop Browser" button, which is the icon over an open eye. The Loop Browser will then appear and you can select the "Column," "Button" or "Podcast Sounds" views from the view buttons located at the lower left corner of the browser.

2. Click on the type of loop you want in "Column" view from the left column and then click on the type of instrument you want for your loop for the middle "Instruments" category.

3. Click on the specific type of instrument sample from the right "Keyword" column. Click on any loop from "Results" column to preview it, and then click on the loop again to stop playing it.

4. Drag the loop that you want to use in your project to an empty portion of the track timeline, which will create a new track for the loop within your project. Adjust the volume of the loop using the volume button on the track.

5. Create your own loop by selecting the area of a track that you want to add to the Loop Library. Click on the "Edit" option, then click on the "Add to Loop Library" option. Enter a name for your loop, select the scale and genre, choose the type of instrument from the drop-down menu, then click on the "Create" button.

References

• Apple: GarageBand Manual
• Apple: Using Apple Loops