GarageBand
How to mix vocals in GarageBand on a Mac
GarageBand is free, and it shares much of its sound engine with Logic Pro. You can get a release-ready vocal out of it if you skip the presets and set the chain up yourself.
A lot of artists start in GarageBand and assume they have to move to Logic before their songs can sound professional. You don’t. GarageBand uses many of the same plug-ins as Logic, including Channel EQ and Compressor. What it hides is the control, behind Smart Controls and presets. This guide shows you where to find it.
Set up the session
- Import the beat onto its own audio track by dragging the file into the Tracks area. Set the project tempo to match the beat if you know it, so the grid lines up.
- Lower the beat’s volume by about 6 dB. A mastered beat at full level leaves no room for your voice.
- Record your vocal on a new audio track, with the input level set so your loudest parts peak well below the top of the meter.
- Turn off the preset effects. New vocal tracks often load a patch with effects already on. Start from a clean patch so you know what each step does.
Build the vocal chain
Open the Smart Controls (press B), then click the Plug-ins area to see the actual effect slots. This is where the real control is.
1. Channel EQ
Double-click the EQ section in Smart Controls, or add Channel EQ from the plug-ins list.
- High-pass at 80 to 100 Hz.
- Cut 2 to 4 dB around 250 to 400 Hz if the vocal sounds boxy.
- Gently boost 3 to 5 kHz for clarity and add a high shelf above 10 kHz for air.
2. Compressor
Add Compressor after the EQ. Start at about 4:1, a fast attack and medium release, and lower the threshold until loud phrases are reduced by 3 to 6 dB. Use the gain control so the level matches when you bypass it.
3. De-essing
If your version of GarageBand includes a DeEsser plug-in, add it after the compressor to tame harsh S sounds. If not, a narrow EQ cut of a few dB at the harshest point between 5 and 9 kHz is a workable substitute.
4. Pitch correction
GarageBand’s tuning is in the audio editor rather than a plug-in. Double-click the vocal region, open the Track settings, and use the Pitch Correction slider. Turn on Limit to Key and make sure the project key matches the beat. Lower values sound natural; turning it all the way up gives the hard autotune effect. Our tuning guide explains how to find the key.
5. Reverb and delay
GarageBand gives every track a send to its master reverb and echo, found in the track’s Smart Controls or the Master Track settings. Keep both low. A small amount of echo synced to tempo adds depth without pushing the vocal back the way heavy reverb does.
Balance and automation
Set the vocal level against the beat at a quiet listening volume: every word should be clear without the vocal sitting on top. Then show automation (press A) and ride the volume up a little on lines that get lost, especially in the hook.
Master the song
Open the Master Track (Track → Show Master Track). GarageBand puts a preset chain on it with compression and a limiter. Choose a gentle preset or set your own, keep the limiter’s output just below 0 dB, and listen for distortion on loud parts.
GarageBand has no LUFS meter, so you can’t read your loudness directly. One way around this is to share the song to disk and check it in a free loudness meter. Aim for around −14 LUFS and below −1 dB true peak for streaming. Our mastering for Spotify guide explains why.
When to move to Logic
GarageBand is enough for great-sounding songs. Logic is worth it when you want more than a few tracks of adlibs and doubles to manage, buses for shared reverb, detailed automation, Flex Pitch for note-by-note tuning, or a proper loudness meter. A GarageBand project opens directly in Logic, so nothing you do now is lost.