Use the track controls in GarageBand for iPhone
Each Touch Instrument has a set of track controls that lets you adjust its volume level, pan (stereo) position and effect levels. You can also solo the instrument to hear it by itself, quantise or transpose the recordings on the instrument’s track, and change the master effects. You can save track control settings and use them on another track or in another project. A Touch Instrument’s track controls are available both when playing the instrument and when the track is selected in Tracks view.
Open the track controls
Tap the Track Controls button
in the control bar.On iPhone SE, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 or iPhone 6s, tap the Settings button
in the control bar, then tap Track Controls.
Mute or solo the track
Mute or unmute the track: Tap the Mute button
.Solo or unsolo the track: Tap the Solo button
.
Adjust the track’s volume and pan position
Do either of the following:
Drag the Track Volume slider left or right.
Drag the Track Pan slider left or right.
You can also automate track volume changes. When using volume automation, the Track Volume slider cannot be adjusted.
Adjust the track’s compression
A compressor smooths the difference between the loudest and softest parts of a track, and can help the track stand out or sound more “punchy”.
Drag the Compressor slider left or right.
Adjust the track’s treble and bass levels
Do either of the following:
Drag the Treble slider left or right.
Drag the Bass slider left or right.
Quantise regions in the track
You can correct the timing of recordings in a track to a certain note value (called quantisation). After you turn on quantisation for a track, any new recordings or loops you add to the track are also quantised.
Tap Track Settings, then tap Quantisation.
Quantisation values appear in three categories: Straight, Triplet and Swing.
Tap one of the categories, then choose the note value you want to quantise the regions to.
Quantisation applies to all regions in the track for the current song section, but you can choose different quantisation values for the same track for different song sections. If you move or copy a region to a different section with a different quantisation value, the value appears as Multiple. For more information about song sections and quantisation, see Add song sections in GarageBand for iPhone.
Transpose regions in the track
You can change the pitch of (or transpose) recordings or loops in a track up or down by semitones or octaves. After you turn on transposition for a track, any new recordings or loops you add to the track are also transposed.
Regions recorded with the Guitar, Bass or Strings instruments cannot be transposed.
Tap Track Settings, then tap Transposition.
To transpose by octaves, tap the Octaves up or down arrow, or swipe vertically to transpose by multiple octaves.
To transpose by semitones, tap the Semitones up or down arrow, or swipe vertically to transpose by multiple semitones.
Transposition applies to all regions in the track for the current song section, but you can choose different transposition values for the same track for different song sections. If you move or copy a region to a different section with a different transposition value, the value appears as Multiple. For more information about song sections and transposition, see Add song sections in GarageBand for iPhone.
Merge recordings in a track
You can merge recordings made with Touch Instruments to create more complex parts. When you turn on merging, you can record a part, and, when the playhead starts over from the beginning of the section, record another part. The parts are merged into a single region.
The Merge Recordings switch is available when a track that supports merging is selected. By default, merging is on for the Drums, and off for the other supported Touch Instruments. Using Merge Recordings, you can also record notes for an instrument, then record changes to knobs and other controls separately and have the two merged.
Turn merging on or off: Tap Track Settings, tap Recording, then tap the Merge Recordings switch.
Take Recording and Merge Recordings cannot both be activated at the same time. For more information about take recording, see Record multiple takes.
Change the master effects
Each song has a set of master effects, including master echo (delay) and master reverb. You can choose the master effects for the song, then use the Echo Level and Reverb Level sliders to control how much of the master effects is added to each instrument in the song.
Tap Master Effects.
Do one of the following:
Tap Echo, then choose a new master echo preset from the list.
Tap Reverb, then choose a new master reverb preset from the list.
To return the master effects to their original settings, tap one or both of the effects, then tap Default.
Adjust the track’s master effect levels
Do either of the following:
Drag the Echo Level slider left or right.
Drag the Reverb Level slider left or right.