Produce a Beat in GarageBand From Scratch

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90 minutes

5 steps

·Beginner

After 90 min: You can create an original drum beat, add bass, and layer sounds into a complete 8-bar loop.

What you need

GarageBand app or softwareHeadphones

The 90-Minute Plan

Set tempo and create a drum track0–12 min

Open GarageBand. Set tempo to 90 BPM (slower for learning). Add a Drummer track. Choose a rock or hip-hop preset. Listen to the default beat. Your beat foundation is ready.

Edit the drum pattern12–32 min

Click the Drummer track. Open the pattern editor. Click to add or remove hits on kick, snare, and hi-hat. Create a simple 8-beat pattern: kick on 1-3, snare on 2-4, hi-hat on eighths. Test it.

Add a bass line32–52 min

Create a new track: bass. Record yourself playing simple bass notes (root notes of your chord progression). Or use the software instrument with bass preset. Keep it simple—mostly on beats 1 and 3.

Layer melodic elements52–72 min

Add a synth, piano, or guitar track. Play a simple melody or chord progression. Use GarageBand presets if you're not comfortable improvising. Keep it minimal—2-3 notes per bar.

Mix and master your beat72–90 min

Adjust volume levels so nothing overpowers. Add reverb to make it spacious. Pan kick/bass center, drums slightly left/right. Loop the 8 bars. Listen 5 times. This is your beat—share it.

Pro Tip

Simple beats are better than complex ones—leave space so the listener's ear can breathe. Overcrowding kills groove.