Autotune in GarageBand: Pitch Correction and Extreme Tuning

Want that autotune sound on your vocals, but you work in GarageBand? You don't need an extra plug-in. On the Mac it's called Pitch Correction, on your iPhone or iPad it's Extreme Tuning. Here's how to use both.

First: the key of your beat

Autotune pulls your voice to the nearest note. If you want it to pull to the right notes, your project has to be in the same key as your beat. Don't know it? Check it with the free Beat Lab. More in how to find the key of a song.

On your Mac: Pitch Correction

  1. Set your project key. You do that at the top, in the display that also shows the tempo.
  2. Select your vocal track.
  3. Open the Audio Editor and make sure the Track button is selected.
  4. Drag the Pitch Correction slider to the right for more correction, or to the left for less.
  5. Check Limit to Key. Then GarageBand only corrects to notes in your project's key. Without that box checked, it pulls to the nearest note of all twelve.

Used lightly, it helps straighten out small off-key bits. Push the slider far and you get more of that robotic effect.

Heads up: according to Apple, Pitch Correction only works well on recordings with one note at a time, like a single vocal. It doesn't work well on chords or sounds without a clear pitch.

On your iPhone or iPad: Extreme Tuning

  1. Tap Song Settings in the control bar, then Key, and choose the key and whether it's major or minor.
  2. In Tracks view, tap your recording to select it.
  3. Tap the microphone icon in the toolbar to open the Audio Recorder settings.
  4. Choose Fun and then Extreme Tuning.
  5. Adjust Pitch Control and Distortion until it sounds the way you want.

According to Apple, Extreme Tuning works best when the key in your settings matches the actual key of your song.

Tips

  • Record as in tune as you can first. Autotune works better on a good take.
  • Put autotune on your lead vocal, and decide per track whether you want it on your doubles and ad-libs too.
  • Sounds weird or your voice jumps all over? Check first whether the key is right.

Also read how to record vocals in GarageBand on Mac and how to record rap on iPhone with GarageBand. Ready to mix? Read how to build a rap vocal chain in GarageBand.

FAQ

Does GarageBand have autotune?

Yes. On the Mac it's called Pitch Correction, on iPhone and iPad it's Extreme Tuning.

Why does my autotune sound off-key?

Your project is probably in a different key than your beat. Set the right key and use Limit to Key on the Mac.

Does Pitch Correction work on a rap vocal?

Yes, as long as it's a single vocal. Rap has fewer fixed notes than singing, so keep the correction a bit lighter, unless that effect is exactly what you're after.

Source: Apple's GarageBand user guides for Mac and iOS.

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