Apple GarageBand '08 User Manual
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Chapter 3
Tutorial 1: Creating, Playing, and Saving GarageBand Projects
Setting the Key
Each project has a key, which defines the central note to which the other notes in the
music relate. The key can be any key between A and G-sharp (G#). Along with the key,
you can choose to use either the major or minor scale.
7
Choose a key from the Key pop-up menu, and choose “major” or “minor” from the Scale
pop-up menu to the right of the Key pop-up menu.
8
When you have finished making the project settings, click Create.
Note: You can change the tempo, time signature, and key later in the LCD or in the
Track Info pane for the master track.
Your new project appears. New projects have one track by default, with the Grand
Piano instrument loaded and ready to play. A project can be up to 9999 measures long.
The central area of the GarageBand window is the timeline, which is organized into
horizontal rows called tracks, which hold your music. The left area shows the track
headers, where you can adjust volume and other settings for each track. Below the
timeline is a row of buttons for different editors and inspectors, and transport controls
you use to play your projects. For more information about the controls in the
GarageBand window, see Chapter 2, “GarageBand at a Glance.”
You can make music in three different ways using GarageBand:
 By adding Apple Loops
 By recording sound from a microphone or an electric instrument connected to your
computer
 By connecting a USB or MIDI keyboard and playing the Software Instruments built
into GarageBand
Creating a Project Automatically with Magic GarageBand
You can also have GarageBand create a project for you automatically with Magic
GarageBand. When GarageBand creates a Magic GarageBand project, you can choose
the genre (style) of music, and choose the instruments. GarageBand creates the project,
which you can play, edit, and share as you can any GarageBand project.
To create a project automatically:
1
Choose File > New.
2
In the GarageBand screen, click Magic GarageBand.