How to Make a Rock Song in GarageBand with Guitar & Midi

In this video, I record a rock intro song for the Moby Pixel Show, and tell all the steps in making it. The drums are GarageBand’s smart drums, the bass is midi, and the guitar and vocals are the “real” instruments. I’m pleased with how the tune turned out and I hope you pick up some useful tips while watching this video.
Let me know which tips helped you out the most and if you need me to clarify any of the steps. If you’d like some more GarageBand Tutorial Tips let me know in the comments. Good luck making your rock anthems!
#GarageBand #Tutorial #Tips
Thanks for watching!
Nick
Moby Pixel
Subscribe: / mobypixel
Follow on Twitter: / mobypixel
Join the Moby Pixel Discord: / discord

[@TheOverdrive45]

I’m shocked to see this video only have so few views, absolutely awesome stuff dude!

[@mobypixel]

Thanks for checking out the video! I'm having a lot of fun making them. I'll just keep throwing things at the wall to see if anything sticks.

[@anthonyrocket588]

same, it's very informative and done so professionally!

[@SNI3PER956]

Cheers for this man, Thought I already thought I knew heaps about garageband but wow it's more powerful than I thought

[@mobypixel]

Haha, I'll take it! That dude is so talented.

[@johnsguitarmusicanddemos]

*Really cool how you created this track. 🎶🎸🔌🎙 Adding vocals seems to be the hardest part for me to keep them standing out but not too loud. Great job!*

[@benngullie9110]

Man, I just love your video. It’s the whole package, tons of information with a good dose of humour. Hope to see more from you 👍👍👍

[@mobypixel]

Thanks, Ben! Good luck with your tunes!

[@xholydiver]

Terrific video! I was actually looking for song structure tips in search, but the content was so good and helpful that I watched til the end. :)

[@mobypixel]

Awesome! Good luck with your music!

[@edwindijk2877]

Quite some good tips and tricks in here! Thanks!

[@mobypixel]

Awesome! Thanks for watching and good luck with your tunes!

[@adamstube0]

Great video man .. thank you

[@delboy2503]

I am a guitar player new to G/Band & Recording....this video was extremely useful to me ( although I paused/rewound every 5 seconds because I didn't have a clue what you was going on about ha! ) Cheers Bud ! Thanks for the knowledge !

[@mobypixel]

Awesome, I'm so glad it helped! Good luck with your tunes!

[@JaimeIniesta]

Hey thanks for this video, I didn't know about the "follow" feature on smart drums and the multiple takes on audio recording.

[@mobypixel]

Thanks for watching, Jaime! Good luck with your tunes!

[@MrLankyGames]

Me neither

[@richiemehall2160]

Learned a lot thank you!!!

[@mobypixel]

Awesome! Thanks for watching, Richie!

[@fightingfoosonvr5999]

This is awesome thanks bro

[@Dennythetrainer]

Brilliant stuff man... thank you.

[@mobypixel]

Thanks, Coach Denny!

[@johnshepherdsg]

thanks for the video was so fun to watch

[@mobypixel]

Awesome, thanks for checking it out!

[@Voven]

Thank you, I learned some simple tips but they were certainly very helpful!

[@mobypixel]

That's awesome! Thanks for checking out the video.

[@MatthiasWunsch1]

Great tutorial! 👌

[@mobypixel]

Thanks, Matthias!

[@di0n727]

Never had fun watching a tutorial! lol Liked and subbed!

[@mobypixel]

Awesome! Thanks for checking out the video, Dionne!

[@vegman]

super helpful, thanks

[@mobypixel]

Awesome! Good luck with your tunes!

[@Pomdaddy]

Great tutorial!

[@mobypixel]

Awesome! Thanks for checking it out!

[@SaathvikPoluri]

dude this video is so good! very helpful.

[@mobypixel]

Awesome! Good luck with your music, SPP!

[@thomasschellekens5084]

Very well done.

[@mobypixel]

Thanks for watching! Cheers!

[@c10_c10]

This is one of the best tutorials on GarageBand!

[@mobypixel]

Thanks, C 10! I'm glad it was helpful.

[@c10_c10]

@@mobypixel During this pandemic, and after recovering from Covid, I picked up the guitar after not playing for almost 20 years. I found this video to be so helpful, entertaining, and inspiring.

[@gillifish]

That drums trick just saved my life 🥺🥲🥰

[@mobypixel]

Awesome! Good luck with your music, Gilli!

[@gelloyangsteryang6481]

thank u for this video

[@mobypixel]

You're welcome! Good luck with your music!

[@anthonyrocket588]

great job! you just gained a new sub🤙🏼

[@mobypixel]

Thanks for checking out the video, Anthony!

[@Ucci]

This tutorial was full of awesome tips about features I've never used in Garageband! Great, thanks!

[@mobypixel]

Awesome! Thanks for watching and good luck with your music!

[@futur_sunds]

Well I learned a lot today!

[@mobypixel]

Haha, awesome! Thanks for watching!

[@DeeDubStyle619]

good video. i like using real guitar and putting the octave pedal on and using that for my bass track

[@mobypixel]

Thanks, Don! I have a buddy that does the same thing with the octave pedal. It can make guitar parts sound HUGE! Thanks for watching!

[@justinTime077]

Very good

[@TrevorLahey3]

Dude. I never knew I could drag the smart drums into a drum track and edit…thank you lol! All I have is an iPad, and I need a reasonably priced way to lay down some decent vocals for my songs. Any tips my man?

[@mattworon]

I just recently got an XLR adapter, gonna see how my mic gonna work with it in connection to this tutorial :D

[@mobypixel]

Awesome! Good luck with your music, Matt!

[@mattworon]

@@mobypixel thanks :) and yeah, XLR worked out well!

[@gradymcdonald4155]

You should make a similar video using only the factory plug-ins on guitar. I'm curious to find out the potential of Garage Band for people that live quietly with no amps miced. Maybe the factory plug-ins sound terrible, which leaves little options for recording, we don't know.....Unless you show us?

[@mobypixel]

Great idea! Right off the bat I can tell you that Amazing Tweed, Cool Jazz Combo, Move The Mics, and Brit and Clean sound great.

[@roklee6037]

you did a good job Jessie 😂

[@MrLankyGames]

My bad, let me clarify. You did a good job Joe mama

[@RoashanVEVO]

I am thinking about your neighbor when you scream 😂

[@mobypixel]

Me too, haha! I think I was even more self-conscious about yelling with my wife and daughter being in the next room. Thanks for checkin' out the video!

[@wifinesesi]

Ah yes, the version 10.4.something. great video tbh

[@justinTime077]

Nice Mesa Boogie

[@mobypixel]

Thank, JU5TNTIM3!

[@muk020485]

Cheers bro!! Btw did u ever get error message for so many track and need optimizing performance?

[@mobypixel]

Yes, I have. It's a pain! Usually in those cases I duplicate the project so that I don't lose anything. Then I export groups of tracks and reimport them into one mixed down track.

[@muk020485]

@@mobypixel thank u bro for the tips

[@marsgaming3386]

I just feel wrong making a song and i just used the sample sounds. I wish i could play my guitar better but I’m just not progressing like i want to.

[@mitschcrafter6766]

i have a little question. i wanna recreat the E guitar from persona 5s OST whims of fate. it does like this "woarp woarp woarp, wap wap wap" sound. you can hear it in classic cop or haist parodys. iam trying to recreat it so badly since me and my friend wanna remix MK wii coconut mall with almost every persona 5 song. i could provide a link for context.

[@mitschcrafter6766]

you can hear it at the beginning kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6fJhGing9Krmtk

[@mobypixel]

That sounds like a wah-wah pedal. I'm pretty sure that the guitar pedalboard in GB has an auto wah that might work.

[@amastermusic7130]

Wich Chord progression did you use? please answer

[@mobypixel]

Hey, Amaster Music! The short version is C, D, Em and the longer version at the end is Em, D, G, Bm, C, D, Em. Thanks for watching!

[@jakevr4803]

do u live alone because i heard a voice in the background

[@mobypixel]

Haha! That's my 4 year old barking in the background.

[@MrLankyGames]

Same bro

[@jordanbrock8055]

What do you mean by lock in the tempo? How do you do that?

[@mobypixel]

Hey Jordan! I meant just picking the bpm I want for the song before I start recording line-in instruments. Changing the tempo of a song that uses MIDI is fine but the audio tracks would have to be re-recorded.

[@jordanbrock8055]

When you grab it at the edges to shorten them, doesn’t it mess up its tempo? I always just cut and delete where I want the drums or whatever instrument to end. I just cut and delete. Maybe it only messes with the timing if you stretch it out instead of shortening now that I think about it 🤦‍♂️

[@mobypixel]

Cut and delete works too. Dragging from the start or end of a region should just trim the region without changing the timing. Changing the project's tempo is when audio tracks get all wonky.

[@donharrold1375]

Good content. Just tone down the shouting a little bit man!

[@BrandonBennettMusic]

Anyone ever told you that you sound like Link from Good Mythical Morning?

[@mobypixel]

Haha! I think I remember hearing that one other time. Link has a little more Matthew McConaughey in his drawl.😄

[@iain.altrock3206]

you sound a bit like rhett and link in someway ? haha

[@mobypixel]

Haha! Thanks for checking out the video, lain!

[@V0X6666]

Actually, no, you don’t have to be on Mac to use GarageBand. I can use on my iPad.

[@mobypixel]

True that! I meant it isn't available on other desktop operating systems, like Linux or Windows.

[@pdodo388]

I am not a person from the future I assure you lol lol lol lol lol lol

[@teaed9821]

Congrats you made a end song

[@mobypixel]

Haha! Thanks, Teaed!