Creating Background Music with the GarageBand Loop Library

In this tutorial for audio production students, we explore GarageBand's features for creating background music to use for media projects.

Learn how to add background music using the loop browser, filter loops by type and keywords, and refine your project by previewing and selecting the right elements. Dive into crafting music with loops and MIDI editing, including extending looped patterns, adding layered elements, and adjusting velocity to match your sound dynamics.

Enhance your production with techniques to adjust velocity, apply reverb and EQ effects, and mix music with spotlight elements, such as voiceovers.

This tutorial is an quick and painless guide to learning recording, mixing, editing, and automation in GarageBand.

00:00 Introduction and Overview
00:23 Starting a New Project in GarageBand
01:23 Setting Up Your First Track
02:18 Using the Onscreen Keyboard
04:35 Exploring the Loop Browser
06:03 Filtering and Selecting Loops
09:20 Building the Beat
11:37 Adding Bass Sounds
13:35 Incorporating Horns and Final Touches
16:49 Adjusting MIDI Performance
18:21 Exploring the MIDI Editor
18:43 Adjusting Note Velocity
20:27 Editing Note Lengths
22:04 Trimming and Looping Clips
25:00 Balancing and Mixing Tracks
28:10 Saving Your Project
28:55 Adding Voiceover to Music
31:07 Final Adjustments and Automation
37:03 Conclusion and Tips