Creative GarageBand
Work with Controller automations for MIDI regions
Discover how to edit software instrument performances with automated Piano Roll adjustments for note velocity, modulation, pitch and more
• App credit: Apple Inc
Automation is a fundamental technique to master in GarageBand. Most simply, it enables us to change track sounds and performance on the fly. Track automation ‘curves’ are used to make hands-free changes to volume, panning and effects during project playback. This should be familiar to most beginners, but the Controller options for MIDI or ‘software instrument’ regions (green) are less well known. These automations are essential for setting parameters like note velocity, modulation and pitch bending. In this guide we’ll examine Piano Roll automation types, showing where and how to make these edits. By combining these performance effects you can achieve much more varied, organic instrumentation