automation in GarageBand for Mac

By Tree, 29 November, 2018

Forum
macOS and Mac Apps

Hi everyone, I have been using GarageBand for quite a while now, and I have had an easy enough job figuring out the program. However, no matter what I try I have not been able to figure out any way of using automation. For example, I need to be able to write automation to a track so that it fades in and out. Am I missing something obvious, or is automation inaccessible in the Mac version of GarageBand ?

I would very much appreciate any info.

Thanks

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Comments

By Tree on Monday, December 3, 2018 - 08:35

It's a shame that no one knows how to use automation in GarageBand. The app is pretty ok for some fun music making, I myself really like some of the built-in guitar effects etc. but if automation is inaccessible that's quite a limitation.

By the way, I offten get strange performance issues in garageband that can seem a bit random. These can include terrible cliping like glich sounds that pop up during play back, but are not actuilly on the tracks and do not show up upon export. I could understand some issues on my files that have dozens of tracks, each one with dozens of effects and possibly hundreds of regions, but it also sometimes happens on small files. Has anyone else experienced this, I would love to hear some ideas of what might be going on. Really wish automation worked.

By Remy on Monday, December 3, 2018 - 08:35

Hi there. WHile I don't know anything about automation is garage band, it is possible that the clicks you are hearing are related to either your computer's performance, or perhaps the sound card. Effects take memory, and if certain settings aren't configured correctly your memory might not be used correctly. That's the laimman's explanation, because while I understand the potential cause, the solution I do not. But I have no doubt at all you could find it just by searching. The other solution to your automation issues is Reaper, a very powerful yet also either free or extremely cheap Digital Audio Workstation with a lot of great accessibility scripts via the OSARA application. Even if you do all your performing in Garage Band, you could easily use Reaper for the mixing and automation. I have never used it on the MAC, but on the PC it works wonders.

By Tree on Monday, December 3, 2018 - 08:35

In reply to by Remy

Thanks for the info Remy. Yes, I have been planning to learn Windows Reaper, for a while now, ever since I moved away from Pro Tools. In fact, I use Windows for every single thing and only grit my teeth and log into the mac to use Garageband. I just can't seem to find the time to devote to learning Reaper, after work I am lucky if I can find an hour to record, but I think I will just bite the bullet soon. Never having to use Mac OS again is a very tempting motavator.

Thanks again.