Have you ever highlighted a GarageBand music track in its "Score" mode, clicked on
File > Print > Preview
and watched a DOZEN pages of music sheets pop up on your screen?
Before you waste all that paper (and confuse anyone who might try to read your score), there are
TWO SIMPLE METHODS for shortening the length of your score:
(1 - The QUICK easy one). While the Score for the music track you want to print is in the window, you can adjust the width of the music measures you see with the slider at the bottom left right below "Auto Align to".
HINT: The SCORE will include the Track's Name under the Project Title; you can change it to be longer, more descriptive, if desired.
a. Slide it to the left to make your measures more narrow.
b. Return to File > Print > Preview.
c. If there are only a few lines of music notes on one page, repeat steps 1a and 1b to tighten them.
d. Return to File > Print > Preview AND set the print range to pages 1 through the last page that has music notes on it.
e. Then when you print, whether to a printer or to a PDF file, you'll get a MUCH shorter SCORE!
(2 - Still easy but more time consuming). Let's assume you want to print the PIANO score.
a. Highlight your piano track (not the notes in the Score view) -- both the MIDI track and the NAME of the track (for example "Grand Piano on Stage" - my favorite).
b. Go to Track > Duplicate Track. A new UN-populated (in GB, not other programs) track appears. RE-NAME this track, such as SCORE PIANO. [All files in your computer's file list are grouped under "Score" if you put the instrument name last.] **THIS IS THE NAME THAT APPEARS on GarageBand SCORE printouts. You ARE allowed odd characters like & or +).
c. Hit the HOME key to move the red line (playhead) to Measure 1.1.001.
d. Return to the piano track and copy its MIDI notes onto the new track (Ensure still at 1.1.001).
e. Play your music, and then STOP and SPLIT the track at the end of the first Verse+Chorus (etc.) -- in front of music that repeats.
f. If you have a special ending such as a Tag, do a SPLIT in front of that also.
g. Delete the MIDI region (if any) in between the main region and the Tag region.
h. Ensure SNAP TO GRID is on (Control Menu). Then slide the Tag region to begin after the main region, with at least 3 empty measures so musicians can see the break.
i. IMPORTANT --- now MUTE the new track! Otherwise you'll get an 'interesting' result when you play your project!
THAT'S IT! An easy way to shorten your score!
Future hint under DianaDee Osborne GarageBand Hints will be for
CREATING A SINGLE SCORE FROM MULTIPLE TRACKS for the same instrument.
Much joy in music to you as we enter another year of opportunities and doors!
©2018, 2011 DianaDee Osborne
An updated version published 27 April 2018.
