How to Make Drum Tracks Using GarageBand's Beat Sequencer

Lesson #442 • Jun 22, 2022

Video lesson

Editor’s notes

Hey there, my friends! Quick tutorial today where I show you how I’ve been creating the custom drum tracks used in some of my recent videos. This is in response to Song Notes member Byron, who asked about this after my latest video teaching Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding. In my playthrough for that song, you can hear a drum track in the background – which I created using GarageBand’s Beat Sequencer tool. While I have next to zero experience as a drummer, I’ve been able to figure out the process of creating such tracks in just seconds — which I’m excited to share with you in this video.

If you want to try this out yourself, you’ll need GarageBand for either the iPad or iPhone (here’s the download link). The great part is, GarageBand is free to download! The Beat Sequencer is just one of the many features included within GarageBand, which is an incredibly powerful tool for amateur musicians.

Lessons I’ve Made with Backing Tracks

Here’s just a few of the recent lessons I’ve made which include a backing track as an optional download to Song Notes members.

Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding
A Pirate Looks at Forty by Jimmy Buffett
Fire and Rain by James Taylor
Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain by Willie Nelson
Using Slides to Connect Pentatonic Scale Shapes
Beginner Arpeggio Fun! One Shape, 10 Riffs (Amaj7 & Dmaj7)

Browse Related Lessons

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How to Make Drum Tracks Using GarageBand's Beat Sequencer

Video lesson

Editor’s notes

Lessons I’ve Made with Backing Tracks

Browse Related Lessons

About Song Notes

Get Free Lessons Each Week!

Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Fret Monster

Capo Captain

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Recent Lessons

Q&A: Best Way to Memorize Song Lyrics?

Major Key Cheat Sheets: Must-Know Chords, Scales, and Fretboard Diagrams

"Stuff That Works" by Guy Clark

Monday Morning Triad Practice! (Key of A Major)

"Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison

Practicing Major Arpeggios in Each CAGED Shape

Travel Guitar... Worth It, or a Waste? (Taylor GS Mini review, 3 years later)

Creating a Fingstyle Arrangement from Scratch (feat. Graceland by Paul Simon)

"Bouncing Around the Room" by Phish

Simple Way to Travis Pick Any Song (Key of C)

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