EASY MERGE (JOIN) TRACKS SUBSCRIBE
https://dianadeegarageband.blogspot.com -
RECORDING HINTS -- written about using GarageBand -- BUT
these Hints help increase your skills in ProTools, Logic, etc.
This hint works for ProLogic, Protools, any recording program.
Example: One online GarageBand manual I found is almost 100 pages long.
In 100 pages, this is what it says about joining or merging regions:you can. Instruction: "Select the region, then choose Edit > Join."
The "rest of the story" --
Well, it's a bit harder to do than those TWO STEPS!
Without any manual in hand, I learned after much frustration that in GarageBand you first have to:
3 . Be sure you have selected Control > SNAP TO GRID already.
Click on the instrument's track name (left column) to highlight it.
Until then, the Edit>Join menu option stays GRAYED OUT,
___even if you've highlighted the regions you want to join,
___even if your cursor is in the editor,
___even if you've selected a MIDI note or highlighted a wave in the editor.
I'm still a bit miffed to think of all the frustrating time
I spent trying to figure out why the logical Edit>Join did not work.
So I hope to help many of you miss out on the AGGRAVATION
of that annoying omission in technical manuals
(which SHOULD have been user tested with complete novices like I was!).
4. This step is logical even if you have no manual:
Highlight EVERY region in that SINGLE TRACK and select Edit>Join (duh).
5. Here's a hint I learned the hard way because it wasn't in the manuals:
BEFORE you hit File > SAVE,
ALWAYS play your full piece of music for the newly joined regions
WITH OTHER TRACKS.....
to be sure you didn't accidentally move anything while highlighting the regions.
Cool Hint "as you go"
In fact: Here's a really cool hint (imho) I worked out from personal experience:
ENSURE YOU DIDN'T SHIFT YOUR REGIONS while highlighting them....
which is
It is easy to ACCIDENTALLY shift your regions while highlighting them:
If you bump any region just a bit as you touch it with your cursor,
your entire piece will be off... and you will be quite frustrated as you try to repair "whatever I did." Especially if you save the file immediately after joining (merging) regions.
So DO NOT SAVE BEFORE TESTING!
To avoid this easy mistake:
1. BEFORE you even begin the 3 steps above, SAVE your file.
2. After you highlight (ONLY) the regions to be joined,
go to Edit > and ensure that the Undo item is still gray.
Hit UNDO if it says you ARE ABLE to undo anything!
Especially if it said your last action was "Change position of region"!
It's still a safety feature to check with Step 5 above,
but not so essential if you've first done these two steps.
Much joy to you creating new music!
Lots of Examples to hear free at http://www.DianaDeeOsbornesongs.com/
©2018, 2011 DianaDee Osborne; all publication rights reserved
(An earlier version published in this blog 8.6.2011)
