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I have some recorded track vocals that I would like to work with in GarageBand. For example, add a beat soundtrack to it. The problem is I fail at exactly matching the bpm of the vocals track.
I try playing around with the master bpm, sometimes seems like I've got it, but after a while you can hear the gap in synchronization increasing more and more.
Is there any way to systematically succeed at matching a track's beat in GarageBand?
Can you slice your drum track into individual hits and then place them manually, maybe phrase by phrase? Do you have a midi keyboard or pads that would allow you to create a simple beat along with your vocals? You could then try matching the one you want to use to the simple one you created. The other option would be to try editing the vocal to match the tempo.
Despite the commented objection to the answer above from @robert winsly, he may have the right idea. It seems that your vocal track wasn't recorded at a constant tempo. In fact, unless it was specifically recorded against a click, it's almost certain its tempo varies. It IS possible to align a sequencer tempo map to such a recording, either manually, by entering individual tempo changes, or with some degree of automation - though I think you'll need a more advanced program than Garage Band for that. But think what you'll get. A continually-varying tempo map. When you program a beat over that, you'll just get what sounds like a drummer who can't keep time! Not a very good groove.
So you try the other way. Fool around with the vocal track to tweak it into a steady tempo. This will involve slicing it into chunks, moving and/or time-stretching each one to get it 'on the beat'. But however skilfully done, you'll hear the artefacts.
Much better to re-record the vocals to a click, or (better) to a dummy drum track. Though what you're asking for CAN be done, it's turd-polishing (you can polish a turd all you like, but you'll never get a good shine). Far too much of today's 'music production' involves turd-polishing, when a better (and easier) approach would be to go back and record it right in the first place.
You can follow the method i use but for this you should know how to write a vocal in music notation by hearing the vocal or by playing the lead using a instrument.
1) Write the vocal in music notation (Lead sheet) form in any of the notation writing software with defined tempo.i use muse score for this (free music writing software) 2) Export the vocal in wav format and import in garage band- select the scale, meter and tempo of the song. 3) Add a software instrument dum beat and allow to run. 4) Sing and record the vocal along with the tempo of the Vocal wav file imported in garage band.Follow the tempo of wav fil without any lapse.
Now save with the vocal recorded and the drum part - There will not be any mismatch of tempo. Your song is ready with excellent drum beats.
If you want to measure the thickness of a piece of paper, that's hard to do with one sheet, but easy if we have 500 sheets - we can measure the total thickness and divide by 500. We can use a similar trick if we have a long instrumental or vocal solo part that was recorded to a click (or steady beat):
e.g. if the difference between the markers is 1 minute, and you counted 30 bars of 4/4, then the BPM = (30 * 4) / 1 = 120 BPM.
The main point of this technique is that if you use the longest section possible of your vocal track to work out the BPM, it minimises error - you're measuring lots of 'beats' all together and then dividing, just like with the paper.
Of course there may be challenges in counting if there are long silences in the recording - in this case it might be best to split up the recording and sync each piece separately. And if the original vocal wasn't recorded to a click, that's when you start to need fancy time-stretching and beat matching tools.
