Apple's GarageBand software allows you to record and edit original music even if you have absolutely no studio experience. Using the software's user-friendly interface, you can alter recorded music by selecting individual parameters. For example, if you want to add echo to a recording, you locate the "Echo" button. Once you familiarize yourself with the software's layout, you can begin editing music according to your needs.
Instructions
1. Open a song project in GarageBand. If editing a song file not created in GarageBand (such as an MP3 music file), open GarageBand and click "New" in the File menu to create a new project and then drag the song file directly onto your new project window.
2. Click the "i" symbol on the right side of your window to view your track options. A "track" is a recording space. If you recorded a song in GarageBand, you might have separate tracks for vocals, guitars, keyboards, drums and bass (for example). If you imported a song file, it will appear on a single track, which looks like a horizontal bar, at the top of the window. Each time you click to highlight an individual track in the left column, your track options will change to reflect the settings for the selected track.
3. Select options from the "Track Info" menu to apply filters to each track. For instance, if you want to add reverb to a vocal track, just select the track containing your vocal recording, check the "Reverb" box on the "Track Info" menu and drag the reverb slider to the right until you achieve the desired amount of reverb. To apply equalization (EQ) to a song file, check the "EQ" or "Visual EQ" box (depending on your software version) and select an EQ setting from the menu, or click the pencil button to set your own EQ parameters.
4. Chop up songs. GarageBand allows you to divide your recordings or eliminate portions altogether by cutting up the recorded regions. First, place your vertical cursor over any spot that you want to split, using your mouse. For example, if you want to split the verse from the chorus on a song file, place the cursor in the exact spot where the verse and chorus come together in the recording. Once you have it in place, click "Split" under the Edit menu on the menu bar. From there, you can delete unwanted portions or move regions around by dragging them with your mouse.
5. Speed up or slow down a song. Click the blue "Tempo" indicator beneath the main track viewer, then drag the number upward to speed up your song or downward to slow your song. You can also change the key of the song by clicking the "Key" indicator (to the left of the "Tempo" indicator) and selecting a different key. Note, however, that changing the key might adversely affect the quality of your audio recording.
