Since Macs are often known as computers for creative types, they are often praised for being especially good at helping you make music. Just look at what any DJs and production studios are using and you’ll mainly see MacBooks and iMacs. So if you’ve just bought a Mac with a goal of creating the music you’ve always dreamed about — good choice! But now where do you start?
Cutting Tracks with GarageBand The track is the basic building block of a song; each song is made up of one or more tracks. In GarageBand, you can record only one track at a time so that you can adjust and mix separate elements. GarageBand is a fully equipped music creation studio right inside your Mac — with a complete sound library that includes instruments, presets for guitar and voice, and an incredible selection of session drummers and percussionists.
Naturally, there are lots of professional music-making and mastering apps, such as Logic Pro X and Ableton Live, but the learning curve to master them is so steep that most beginners will probably give up before making any significant progress.
A better way is to start creating music gradually, covering all the foundations first before graduating into pro-level apps. That’s why apps like GarageBand exist to help you bridge the gap.
What Is GarageBand For Mac?
GarageBand is a digital audio workstation, meaning it lets you record your own music with a possibility of using a library of GarageBand instruments, such as a GarageBand keyboard and a variety of other virtual keyboard pianos (even an online MIDI keyboard).
Alternatively, you can simply record your voice for a podcast or voiceover, and then edit it with all the necessary arrangement right within the app.
While GarageBand offers versatility and plenty of robust features, it has become really popular for (1) being pre-installed on every macOS and (2) being absolutely free to use. An iOS GarageBand piano keyboard app is also available in the App Store at no cost. Sounds fantastic! Let’s begin with a simple GarageBand tutorial.
How to start a project in GarageBand
When you’re convinced that it’s not yet time to use any of the GarageBand alternatives, you’re ready to start on your learning path. To begin, let’s create your first project:
- Open GarageBand from your Applications folder (or download from the App Store)
- Let any sounds and add-ons download automatically if asked
- In the “Choose a Project” window, navigate to Project Templates
- Select one of the templates that resembles what you have in mind the most
- If you already know the tempo and key you want to play in, click Details to open additional options
- Hit Choose when ready
Let’s assume you’ve clicked the Keyboard Collection and get you all set up properly from there.
How to fine-tune your workspace
If you haven’t set up a custom tempo in the menu and not sure how to slow down a track in GarageBand, don’t worry — you can simply double-click the tempo in the middle of the top bar and enter the new value, or literally drag that number up or down. Similarly, if you’re wondering how to change pitch in GarageBand, you can use the dropdown menu next to tempo.
Since we have lots of different keyboards enabled, let’s get rid of the unneeded ones simply by clicking on them and hitting Delete. To add new instruments (or voice), click the plus (+) icon above the instruments, choose the tool you need, and then Create.
How to add Apple Loops
Another great reason to use GarageBand is its abundant library of Apple Loops that will quickly teach you how to sample in GarageBand — the essential skill for any music maker.
To use Apple Loops:
- Select View ➙ Show Loop Browser from the menu bar
- Filter the database by Instrument or Genre
- Click on the loop to play in preview
- When you like the tune, drag it over to your main instruments panel
To increase the loop’s length, just drag it to the right over how many bars you need. If you need to know how to cut a track in GarageBand, a good way is to position the playhead bar at the place you’d like the track to split and then use the shortcut ⌘ + T. Mastering how to cut in GarageBand will open completely new avenues for your creative expression through advanced sampling. While on this topic, to start your instruments at different times and get that layered feel, just move the tracks to the right.
How to record on GarageBand with instruments
While loops can carry you quite far, and you can even compose whole tracks with them, the dream of every musician is to create something original that has never existed before.
To record using GarageBand instruments:
- Select the GarageBand keyboard track
- Go Window ➙ Show Musical Typing, or use the shortcut ⌘ + O to open the online MIDI keyboard
- Hit the record icon and use the keys on your Mac keyboard to play your music
- Click the record icon again to stop recording
While virtual keyboard pianos are quite limited compared to the real ones, you can record real instruments with GarageBand as well:
- Click the plus (+) icon to start a new instrument track
- Choose the option that allows you to connect a guitar or bass
- Connect your instrument to GarageBand
- Hit the record icon and play as usual for complete control
- Press Record once again to stop
The combination of Apple Loops, GarageBand instruments, and your own bass or guitar could easily result in thousands of unique tracks and compositions. Possibilities are endless!
How to save and share your music
When your creation is ready, you naturally want to save it and share it with the world. To only save the GarageBand project itself and maybe work on it later, use the standard File ➙ Save As option.
How To Cut Music Files Free
To export your track into a complete song, go Share ➙ Export Song to Disk, where you’ll be able to choose the format as well as the quality of your audio. Now you just need really good speakers to get all the complexity you’ve put into your song right.
How to get the best sound possible
What if you don’t have the budget to splurge on expensive audio gear? How do you maximize your Mac’s sound then? The answer is Boom 3D.
Boom 3D is a simple but mighty equalizer and volume booster for your Mac. With a simple slider, it lets you override your Mac’s internal volume limits and really get the maximum out of your speakers.
In addition, Boom 3D is a precise equalizer that allows you to adjust all the frequencies to the kind of song being played, which works both for your music collection and your own tracks too. Just select the closest preset from the dropdown and fine-tune as you see fit.
How to graduate beyond GarageBand tutorials
Garageband Cut Part Of Track
While you’re learning how to use GarageBand on Mac, it’ll seem like it’s never going to get boring. But with time you’ll get too comfortable and even hit the ceiling in terms of being able to execute on your creative vision. At that point, you might start looking for GarageBand alternatives. Your next best step — n-Track Studio.
n-Track Studio is a fully fledged music studio right in your Mac, while still in many ways as accessible as GarageBand. The professional mixer and sequencer allow you to DJ right within the app, and live input recorder makes it possible to record all the songs live during a concert or session. Finally, the app’s own massive library of effects will considerably extend what you thought was possible in creating new sounds.
To sum up, finding out what is GarageBand really is an essential part of becoming a well-rounded musician. And using extra help provided by Boom 3D and n-Track Studio will only accelerate you in your goals.
Best of all, Boom 3D and n-Track Studio are available to you at no charge at all during the seven-day trial through Setapp, a platform with over 160 excellent Mac apps curated to significantly extend the possibilities of your Mac. With so many opportunities at your disposal, you have no option but to start creating music right away!
If you're a musician or simply like to produce music, a great music editing apps is the best way to go about turning your recordings into well-produced masterpieces. Whether you're just a novice or a seasoned pro, a DJ or an acoustic guitar player, there's a music editing app for you!
GarageBand
Apple includes their entry-level GarageBand music editing app with every new Mac. That means, if you're new to music or a hobbyist, GarageBand is where it's at. GarageBand uses the same Drummer digital session player as Logic Pro X (though to a lesser extent in terms of available sounds) and is the perfect app to help you start creating and mixing songs — especially if you're a super novice.
![How To Cut Music On Garageband Mac How To Cut Music On Garageband Mac](/uploads/1/2/6/0/126036264/732656852.jpg)
The interface is easy to use and though the app is powerful and full of controls, it's not overwhelming or as involved as some of the more professional audio editors.
You can upload your own recordings to GarageBand and mix them with the digital instruments, or you can create an entire song using just your recordings or just the instruments found in GarageBand. If you're not satisfied with the instruments available, you can also purchase instrument packs to get different sounds. Use iCloud to store your projects or share them with friends for collaboration. You can even start a song on your iPhone and then finish it on your Mac!
If you want to get into music production and also want to keep things convenient and within the Apple ecosystem, GarageBand is the best place to start.
- Free with new Macs or $4.99 - Download now
Logic Pro X
Logic Pro X is Apple's pro-level music editing software that still manages to be accessible to beginners. The powerful app has all the tools you could want for mixing, editing, and songwriting, with a massive library of instruments and effects. If you're looking to make polished, professional-sounding recordings, without a ton of complexity, then Logic Pro X is where it's at.
The 64-bit architecture supports projects featuring hundreds of tracks and instruments, so if you're a composer, it's like heaven. I have to say: As a drummer, I hate canned drum sounds. Logic Pro X's Drummer is top-notch when it comes to producing authentic acoustic drums sounds, and sometimes I actually can't tell the difference (I know, shame on me).
The app does come at a professional-level price, at $200, but if you're serious about music editing on the Mac and enjoy songwriting and composing on a grand level, it's easily one of, if not the best choice out there.
How To Edit On Garageband
- $199.99 - Download now
Pro Tools
Pro Tools, by Avid, is one of the most popular music editing apps in the industry. It can be used to record, mix, master, and much, much more. You can lay down up to 128 tracks per session, with 32 inputs and over 60 plugins, and you can create an unlimited number of sessions.
Pro Tools is definitely not for the faint of heart and isn't necessarily an app you can just pick up and go with. I had to go to school to learn how to use it (before all these damn YouTube tutorials made school obsolete!). That being said, it isn't beyond the pale to learn the basics and get yourself up and running fairly quickly. Importing audio is as easy as dragging from the Finder window and placing it on the timeline (so long as your current session supports that file format).
From there, you can add a plethora of effects to your audio and edit it like mad, controlling volume, speed, pitch, tone, and much more. Honestly, the stuff you can do with Pro Tools seems just about endless. It is one of the most robust audio editing apps available, and is definitely for those looking to tackle things on a professional level.
That being said, if you have the cash, go for it, and learn all there is to know!
Pricing is what you'd expect: $24.92 per month with a 12-month agreement or $29.99 month-to-month, $599 to buy it outright.
djay Pro
For the performance DJ (or even the hobbyist, really) djay Pro has all the effects, compatibility, and mixing capabilities you could ask for. You can sample from iTunes and Spotify simultaneously, and you can even mix in video from the extensive video library for the ultimate experience.
You can mix from four decks and create mashups and transitions galore, and you can edit playlists on the fly, use external displays and AirPlay, and there's Pioneer CDJ/XDJ integration for even more versatility.
If you're a pro DJ or just want a fun way to mix at a house party, djay Pro's price might be its best selling feature, at only $40.
- $39.99 - Download now
Audacity
Audacity is a free open source audio editing and recording software that lets you cut, copy, paste, and delete audio. It isn't exactly the most powerful when it comes to music editing, but if you're wanting to slap together some demo material or something like that, it's perfect. You can import audio in many formats, though for MP3, you'll have to install a separate, optional encoder library.
You can edit and mix a large number of tracks at once and even alter individual sample points, though you can't add effects or do any sort of mastering. Audacity may be better-suited to podcasting, but, like I said, if you're putting together demos or just need to create rough ideas, it's perfect, because FREE.
- Free - Download now
Are you a mixmaster?
What's your favorite music editing app for Mac? Are you a pro or is it more of a hobby? Let us know in the comments below!
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
? ❤️How To Cut On Garageband
Apple reminds us all that 'creativity goes on' in new YouTube video
![Garageband Garageband](/uploads/1/2/6/0/126036264/221144957.jpg)
Garageband Trim Track
Apple's latest YouTube video knows just how to tug at the heartstrings.