Apple GarageBand '09 - Manual (Page 91)

Chapter 8 Tutorial 6: Arranging and Editing Your Music 91
Setting Real Instrument Regions to Keep Their Original
Tempo and Pitch
By default, Real Instrument recordings (purple) and Real Instrument loops (blue) in the
timeline follow the project tempo and key. You can set a Real Instrument region to
keep its original tempo and pitch instead.
To set a Real Instrument region to follow its original tempo and pitch:
1 In the timeline, select the Real Instrument region.
2 Open the editor.
3 Deselect the Follow Tempo & Pitch checkbox.
If you decide you want the region to follow the project tempo and key, select the
region, then select the Follow Tempo & Pitch checkbox.
The Follow Tempo & Pitch checkbox is unavailable when an audio file (orange),
a Real Instrument loop tagged as a “one-shot,” or a Software Instrument region (green)
is selected. You can convert a Software Instrument loop to a Real Instrument loop
when you add it to the timeline, and then set the Real Instrument loop to keep its
original tempo.
Importing Audio and MIDI Files
You can also add audio files in any of the following formats to your project from the
Finder: AIFF, WAV, AAC (except protected AAC files), Apple Lossless, or MP3. When you
add a compressed file to a project (such as an AAC or MP3 file), it stays compressed,
saving space and time.
To import an audio file:
m Drag the audio file from the Finder to the timeline, either to a Real Instrument track or
to the empty area below the existing tracks.
If you drag an audio file to the empty area below the existing tracks, a new basic track
is added to the timeline, and the audio file is placed in the new track.
You can also import MIDI (short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface) files into a
project, and use them in Software Instrument tracks.
To import a MIDI file:
m Drag the MIDI file from the Finder to the timeline, either to a Software Instrument track
or to the empty area below the existing tracks.
When you drag a MIDI file to the empty area of the timeline, a new Software
Instrument track is added to the timeline, and the audio file is placed in the new track.