GARAGE BAND PRACTICE

Thanks to Brandywine Heights High School for this project.

Objectives:

• In this project you will edit purple AUDIO regions.

• By the end of this project, you will have lots of practice in using the GarageBand editing tools, and will be ready to move to the next step in music production!

Here is what you are going to do…

Step 1: Create a new audio project and save it, and then create a new track.

Step 2: Record your voice saying the alphabet BACKWARDS.

Step 3: Use the split tool to separate the letters.

Step 4: Name each new region so you can keep track of each one.

Step 5: Create a new track and put the alphabet back in order in that track.

Step 6: Clean it up - get rid of gaps and any unwanted sounds.

Procedures

Step 1:  First, we need to create a new GarageBand project and make a recording of the alphabet recited backwards.

1.  Open GarageBand and select New Project, and then Loops.

2. Save it in your Music Tech folder as Alph_last name. An empty Garageband project will appear.  It should like something like this.

Step 2:   Now it is time to record your voice. 

First, make sure the metronome is OFF.  Check the icon at the bottom of the screen.

Find the round, red record button at the bottom of the screen.     

• Click the record button and say the alphabet backwards, slowly and clearly:

Z  Y  X  W  V  U  T  S  R  Q  P  O  N  M  L  K  J  I  H  G  F  E  D  C  B  A

• Click the spacebar to stop recording. Notice that the region that appears is purple - this is the audio recording of your voice.

• Move the playhead to the beginning and click the spacebar or PLAY button to hear your recording. (Make sure the volume is up on your computer.)

• If you don't like the recording, you can undo (Ctrl-Z) or delete the region and do it again.

Two suggestions...

• Put a brief bit of silence between each letter - this will make it easier to edit.

• Say the letters with different vocal inflections for a fun result.

Save your work!

Step 3:  Now it's time to put the alphabet back in the proper order.

1. Click on the audio region to select it. (A region will be a bright color when selected and a pale color when not selected.)

2.  You are going to use the Split tool to separate ach letter in the alphabet starting with the letter “Z.”

• Press Play and then press Stop immediately after hearing “Z” and before you hear “Y.”

• At the end of “Z”, press Command+T or go to the Edit menu, then select Split Regions at Playhead to insert a new region boundary. 

• Continue this process for each letter, until all of the letters are split into new regions.

• To split the regions quickly, press Command+T while the file plays.

Save your work!

Step 4: Name each region so you know which is which

Click somewhere in the gray area of the window to deselect the audio regions. Now you are going to name each region using the Track editor.

1. Open the Track editor by clicking on the Scissors icon in the bottom left toolbar.  The track editor will appear at the bottom of the screen.

2. Double‐click the name of the first region. It most likely is currently named “No Effects”. Rename the first region "Z" and press Return.

Note: If you find that the regions aren't going exactly where you want them to go, you might need to adjust the SNAP ICON.

Save your work!

Step 6:  Smooth everything out, get rid of gaps and weird sounds

1. Now that everything is back in order, you need to listen to the file to evaluate your edits.

• Listen to the file. You want the speech to flow smoothly, without any gaps in the sound. You can tell that there will be gaps in the sound if you see black space between each region. 

• You want to drag the regions closely together so there are no gaps. You can even overlap the regions a little bit, as long as you don’t lose any of the text.

• (When dragging regions around, keep the Track Editor open and use the ZOOM TOOL to see a more detailed view.)

2. Now you want your project to stop playing at the end of the text, so you need to place the END OF PROJECT ICON at the end of your project.

Look for the small gray triangle icon at the end of the timeline.

Drag that marker point to the end of the last region (Z).

This will end the project, even if there is extra time left over.

3. Make sure the file is saved in your own folder.

4. Go back and check your work.

5. Export the mp3 (Share to disk).

6.  Turn in the GarageBand file AND the exported mp3 on Google Classroom.

Tips:  

1. If you accidentally cut off a word, use the Trim tool to bring back the missing audio.   

    Place your cursor in the lower‐right or –left corner of any region to bring up the Trim tool and click and drag to reveal more audio in the region.

2.  Use the zoom tool for a closer look at what you are doing!

Project Extension: If you get done early...

1. Create another new track 

2. Use this new track to spell out new words. Try spelling out a word, your name, or an entire sentence! 

SCORING RUBRIC

Steps 1 and 2.  

You named the file Alph_lastname.  [2 points]

You split each letter into a new region.  [5 points]

Step 3.

You renamed each region with the appropriate letter name.  [5 points]

Step 4.  

You created a new track.  [2 points]

You dragged the regions from the first track into the new track until the alphabet is back in order.  [5 points]

Step 5.

There are no gaps in sound in the new track.  [5 points]

You placed the End of Project icon at the end of the last region (Z).  [2 points]

TOTAL:  26 points.