GarageBand loop helper

Loop Key Fix

Green MIDI Apple Loops can insert at their own key instead of your project's. Enter the loop's key (from the Loop Browser's Key column) and your project key; this shows how far to transpose the loop's notes.

Loop's key — Loop Browser Key column
Project key — your song

Detailed instructions for using the calculator above

In the current GarageBand for Mac, green MIDI loops can insert at their own key instead of the project key. These steps show how to see a loop’s key, work out how far to transpose it, and apply the fix so the notes truly sit in your project’s key. (These instructions don’t apply when a loop is the first region in a project and the project hasn’t had its key changed yet—in that case, the project key sets itself to the loop key automatically.)

1. Show the loop’s key in the Loop Browser

The Loop Browser can display each loop’s original key, but the option has to be switched on. Make sure it’s checked:

  1. Choose GarageBand › Settings (or press Command-Comma).

  2. Click the Loops tab.

  3. Confirm “Display original tempo and key” is checked. The Loop Browser will then show a Key column.

2. Note the two keys

  1. In the Loop Browser’s Key column, read the loop’s key (e.g., “D” for D major or “Dm” for D minor).

  2. Check your project’s key in the LCD display at the top of the GarageBand window.

3. Get the transposition amount

  1. In the Loop Key Fix calculator, choose the loop’s key and mode and the project’s key and mode. Some keys can be written two ways (e.g., C♯ and D♭). The buttons show both, so just match what you see.

  2. Read the semitone offset the calculator gives (for example, −2). Note: if the calculator tells you the keys already match, no transposing is needed—you may proceed to drag the loop into the project and ignore the rest of these instructions.

4. Apply the transposition

Put the loop into the project and transpose its notes.

  1. Drag the loop to the empty area below all tracks. GarageBand creates a new track with the loop alone in it.

  2. Double-click the loop to open the Piano Roll Editor.

  3. Click an empty gray area of the Piano Roll Editor’s grid to put the editor in focus, then select all its notes (choose Edit › Select All, or press Command-A).

  4. Press Option-Down Arrow or Option-Up Arrow once per semitone, in the direction and amount the calculator gave.

  5. Leave the loop in this track if you intend to keep the track, or, if you intend to put the loop in a different track, drag it to that track and delete the now-empty track (click its track header and choose Edit › Delete, or press Delete).

Reference notes, prepared from testing in GarageBand 10.4.14. Steps reflect that version and may differ in others.