How to make your own drum pattern in GarageBand?

[jon08]

I'm new to GarageBand. I used to use Reason back in the days but I haven't touched it in a while, and now that I switched to Mac I thought I'd give GarageBand a shot since it already came installed with my Mac.

But one of the problems I'm tackling is the following: I prefer to use my own KICKS, SNARES and even HI-HATS. As it seems, the only way I can use them is if I drag-n-drop one by one and it will make a separate track for each of them. Ok, fine with me, but now I have to combine each track (kick track, snare track and hi-hat track) to make it sound like a beat pattern, which is a pretty time-consuming process.

Reason, for example, has REDRUM, where you can easily select a beat pattern that you want, and you're all set. Now is there something similar in GarageBand that I'm missing, or do you simply have to do it all manually??

 

[swedefish]

The iDrum plugin is not bad (a little pricy thought, but there is a free full-version trial you can use before deciding on a purchase): http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/idrum/

 

[TheAngusBurger]

Unfortunately Garageband won't have the same capabilities as Reason as far as kits etc. are concerned. Another option would be to upgrade to Logic Express, Ultrabeat will do what you want.

 

[MezicanGangxtah]

I'm new to GarageBand. I used to use Reason back in the days but I haven't touched it in a while, and now that I switched to Mac I thought I'd give GarageBand a shot since it already came installed with my Mac.

But one of the problems I'm tackling is the following: I prefer to use my own KICKS, SNARES and even HI-HATS. As it seems, the only way I can use them is if I drag-n-drop one by one and it will make a separate track for each of them. Ok, fine with me, but now I have to combine each track (kick track, snare track and hi-hat track) to make it sound like a beat pattern, which is a pretty time-consuming process.

Reason, for example, has REDRUM, where you can easily select a beat pattern that you want, and you're all set. Now is there something similar in GarageBand that I'm missing, or do you simply have to do it all manually??

of course!. i cant believe nobody has mentioned the software instruments..duh!

you click on track on the menu then go to new track..
then you click on software instrument from there a new side window will appear, go to drum kits. then take your pick.

if you have a midi keyboard hook it up. if not you can go to window then click musical typing and play the parts out with the built in keyboard. its really simple. if you want to make your own loop then click on the recyclying looking sign on the transport controls at the bottom.a yellow bar will appear at the top drag it out to how many bars you want to record then click record and play it. if you dont wanna do that you can just play free hand and record away.

 

[jon08]

of course!. i cant believe nobody has mentioned the software instruments..duh!

you click on track on the menu then go to new track..
then you click on software instrument from there a new side window will appear, go to drum kits. then take your pick.

if you have a midi keyboard hook it up. if not you can go to window then click musical typing and play the parts out with the built in keyboard. its really simple. if you want to make your own loop then click on the recyclying looking sign on the transport controls at the bottom.a yellow bar will appear at the top drag it out to how many bars you want to record then click record and play it. if you dont wanna do that you can just play free hand and record away.

Ohh, yeah that works!! Thanks! I was wondering, is there a way to make the pattern more automated? Because when you play the parts out by yourself, it doesn't sound 100% right, esp. since it all depends on your own reflexes etc. Any way to make it work right away as a pattern, without having to fix the kicks, snares and all that manually?

 

[swedefish]

Ohh, yeah that works!! Thanks! I was wondering, is there a way to make the pattern more automated? Because when you play the parts out by yourself, it doesn't sound 100% right, esp. since it all depends on your own reflexes etc. Any way to make it work right away as a pattern, without having to fix the kicks, snares and all that manually?

Check out the iDrum plugin I mentioned in an earlier post. It has a slight learning curve, but once you know it is very easy to make good beats.

 

[jon08]

Check out the iDrum plugin I mentioned in an earlier post. It has a slight learning curve, but once you know it is very easy to make good beats.

Okay man, I'll give it a try. Thanks

 

[deej999]

iDrum is really nice. But swedefish is right it is pricey at $60. If you think you may ever want to do more than GB can offer, $199 for Logic Expresss will give you UB - a drum sampler / synth with a step sequencer and much more.

 

[MezicanGangxtah]

Ohh, yeah that works!! Thanks! I was wondering, is there a way to make the pattern more automated? Because when you play the parts out by yourself, it doesn't sound 100% right, esp. since it all depends on your own reflexes etc. Any way to make it work right away as a pattern, without having to fix the kicks, snares and all that manually?

no problem. and yeah recording in loops with bars like i mentioned in my other post helps the problem of a persons natural ability to activate the kick/snare/whatever at the time you want. other than that you can quantize.click on the little scisors on the bottom left after you've selected the area you want to quantize, and go to the enhance timing bar and adjust to your needs.
if you want something like the drum machine in reason or ultrabeat in logic or idrum. you wont find it in garageband built in.