- Preparing the Project
- Using Catch Mode to Keep the Playhead Visible
- Single-Take Recording
- Playing Music with Your Computer Keyboard
- Recording a Single Take in the Timeline
- Fixing Notes in the Piano Roll Editor
- Project Tasks
- Working with Smart Controls and the Arpeggiator
- Preparing the Project
- Recording Multiple Takes
- Choosing a Take
- Editing Multiple Notes Simultaneously in the Editor
- Project Tasks
- Copying Parts of a Song with the Arrangement Track
- Project Tasks
- Recording Multiple Tracks
- Lesson Review
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Recording a Single Take in the Timeline
You have all the skills to record this part. All you need to do is hide the editor, turn off Cycle mode, and set your count-in. Cycle mode is used for multitake and overdub recording. Although using the cycle area was useful for practicing your part, it must be turned off to perform a single-take recording. Remember, many keyboard shortcuts do not work while the Musical Typing window is open, so you’ll need to manually click the buttons to turn off Cycle mode and hide the editor.
- Click the Cycle button to turn it off.
- Click the Editors button to hide the editor.
Drag the Musical Typing window to the bottom of the tracks area.
The last thing to do before recording is set a “count-in” so that the metronome will click for one full bar (four clicks in this case) or two full bars (eight clicks) before the actual recording begins. The count-in gives you a “one-two-three-go” so that you don’t have to start playing the instant you click Record. The Count-In button is on the left side of the Metronome button and turns purple when it is turned on.
Click the Count-In button to turn it on and set the count-in to two bars so you will hear eight clicks before you start recording.
- Choose Record > Count-In > 2 Bars.
- Make sure the empty Fingerstyle Bass track is selected.
Click bar 9 on the ruler to move the playhead to that position.
In GarageBand, the color red is only used for recording. During a recording, the record button turns red, whereas a red region appears in the timeline as you record to represent the live recording. Also, the playhead turns red during recording, as does the LCD display during recording count-in.
Starting the instant you click Record, the playhead will move back two measures from its current position. You will hear the count-in for eight beats as the playhead moves across the two bars in the ruler toward the record-start position. Time to record—good luck!
Click the Record button in the transport controls on the toolbar. Record the bass part that you practiced. A red region appears in the selected track as you record. The region doesn’t appear until you record the first note. When you are finished recording, press the Spacebar to stop recording.
Notice that the newly recorded region changes from red to green, indicating it is a Software Instrument region.
- If you don’t like your recording and want to try again, press Command-Z or choose Edit > Undo Recording. Repeat step 8.
Press Command-S to save your finished recording. Close the Musical Typing window.
The recorded region is named after the track and should look a lot like the original Fingerstyle Bass region in the track above it.
- Mute the original Fingerstyle Bass track. Listen to your recording with the rest of the tracks. How does it sound?
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Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect; you’ll fix the timing in the Piano Roll Editor next.