Importing audio into Garageband, align beat

Question

Level 1

8 points

Importing audio into Garageband, align beat

Hi guys, I just started working with Garageband and have found it to be a fun experience working with the existing loops.

Say that I've made a song consisting of several loops from Garageband. I like how Garageband automatically makes the tempo equal for each of my tracks.

However, if I drag an mp3 from my own collection, say some acapella, into Garageband, what's the best way I can stretch the wave form of the acapella so that it matches the existing beat? In Acid, they had something called Beat Mapper or Beat Mapping Wizard. I found that to be useful so that I could easily mix audio files while keeping them at the same tempo. Thanks!

iMac G5 2.1 Ghz, Mac OS X (10.4)

Posted on May 19, 2006 12:59 AM

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Answer 1

May 19, 2006 1:20 AM in response to castlljs

Garageband doesn't have this kind of tool.

Some remarks to your post:

If you have an a cappella recording that wasn't done with headphones and a clicktrack, it probably doesn't have a consistent beat (or these guys must be really great!).

Do you want to match the loops to the audio's tempo or the audio to the loops'? This would require two different approaches, and in the latter case it will sound quite unnatural if you speed up (or slow down) the recording more than just a little bit.

To match the tempo of the song to the recording's beat:
Mute everything but the imported audio track, select some other track and hit record, with the metronome on. You'll notice if the song's beat is too fast or too slow, keep on adjusting it until it fits perfectly (as I said, a perfect match will only be achievable for recordings that were done using a clicktrack with an integer bpm number).

To match the recording to the existing beat is more tricky:
1. You first have to turn it from an orange to a purple region (press control-option-g and then click anywhere in the timeline).
2. Make sure the little box "follow tempo and pitch" in the editor window is unchecked.
3. Adjust the tempo of the song so it matches the recording's.
4. Now check the box "follow tempo and pitch".
5. Change the tempo back to the one you started out with. The recording should now stay on the beat.

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Answer 2

castlljs Author

Level 1

8 points

May 20, 2006 12:02 AM in response to Christoph Drösser

Garageband doesn't have this kind of tool.

Some remarks to your post:

If you have an a cappella recording that wasn't done
with headphones and a clicktrack, it probably doesn't
have a consistent beat (or these guys must be really
great!).

Do you want to match the loops to the audio's tempo
or the audio to the loops'? This would require two
different approaches, and in the latter case it will
sound quite unnatural if you speed up (or slow down)
the recording more than just a little bit.

To match the tempo of the song to the recording's
beat:
Mute everything but the imported audio track, select
some other track and hit record, with the metronome
on. You'll notice if the song's beat is too fast or
too slow, keep on adjusting it until it fits
perfectly (as I said, a perfect match will only be
achievable for recordings that were done using a
clicktrack with an integer bpm number).

To match the recording to the existing beat is more
tricky:
1. You first have to turn it from an orange to a
purple region (press control-option-g and then click
anywhere in the timeline).

What's the difference between orange and purple?

2. Make sure the little box "follow tempo and pitch"
in the editor window is unchecked.

Where do I see the "follow tempo and pitch" check box to make sure that it's not checked?

3. Adjust the tempo of the song so it matches the
recording's.

Adjusting the tempo changes it for all the tracks. I must not be doing something correctly.

4. Now check the box "follow tempo and pitch".

I don't see this box.

5. Change the tempo back to the one you started out
with. The recording should now stay on the beat.

Please help. Thank you very much for your time!

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Answer 3

May 20, 2006 2:47 AM in response to castlljs

What's the difference between orange and purple?

Normally, orange tracks are the ones you imported, and purple tracks are the ones you recorded in GB. Only purple tracks can change tempo and pitch when you change the song's.

Where do I see the "follow tempo and pitch" check box to make sure that it's not checked?

Double-click the region, and the editor should pop up in the lower half of the window (you can see the waveforms of the track in a bigger version). The checkbox is in the lower right of this window!

Adjusting the tempo changes it for all the tracks. I must not be doing something correctly.

It should change for all software tracks, for all loops and for purple regions where the box is checked.

Post back if you have more questions!

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