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	All About.. Building Software Instruments Creating a Template Recording 2 Tracks The Best Panning Converting Sound Formats Audio Units SoundFonts ClickTracks Effect Automation Moving Regions Copyright Fair Use Rescuing files Creating an Aggregate Device Balanced systems Transferring LPs to iTunes FAQ
		All about...... Creating a Template

Is there some way I can change GarageBand so that a new project starts the way I want it to start?

If you tend to start out with the same set up for every new project, yeah, it can be tiresome to create the same layout of tracks, icons, names and effects repeatedly.

Yeah, that's the problem exactly!

If you dig into your System, you could alter or replace the template files that GarageBand uses to start a new project, but there's a much easier and safer way.

Safer is good for me.

Yeah, I know. Start out by creating a new project and make all the changes you need.

As an example, here is How I like to set up my projects to start a new recording session

First I change the default Piano track to a Bass track by pressing the button and selecting my preset

Since I start by recording Drums, I create 8 Basic Tracks using the New Basic Track menu Item

One at a time I select each of my New tracks, (click the button if the Track Info pane isn't already open), and select icons for each track

With all the icons set, my project looks like this

Since the Icons aren't perfect representations, I also change the name of each track

I do not change any effect settings at this point, I always record everything dry.

One final option I like to have in my template is a ClickTrack. For this I pick a simple drum loop that keeps good time, drop that into the timeline, and change its icon and name

My project template is complete, so I save it.

Now I'm going to set up my Dock so that this will be easy to access. I also like to give it GarageBand's icon, but you can skip these steps if you wish

I first find GarageBand by clicking and holding its icon in the dock, or right-clicking it, and choosing "Show in FInder"

Then select "Get Info" from the File Menu in Finder

When the Info window opens

I click on the Guitar icon once to select it

And choose "Copy" from the Edit menu

Then I close the Info window, and find the Template project I just saved and follow similar steps: select the file, choose get info, and click once on its icon to select. This time, though, instead of choosing "Copy", I choose "Paste"

The final step is that I drop the Template project into the Dock

Now, when I want to start a fresh project, instead of clicking on the actual GarageBand application icon in my dock, I click on my template icon. Once it opens I "Save As" and begin work in this new project. If I want to simply let GB open the last project I was working on, then I launch the application itself instead of my template.

I don't quite get the "Save As" part

Well, you don't want to alter your template, you always want it to be pristine, just set up correctly for your projects, right?

I guess.

So after you open it

you choose "Save As"

Enter the name of your new Project

And you're ready to work!

Simple as that?

Simple as that.

Yay!