How to Use the GarageBand Arrange Track

By Mark L. Chambers from MacBook All-in-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition

GarageBand includes the Arrange track that you can use to define specific sections of a song, allowing you to reorganize things by selecting, moving, and copying entire sections.

For example, you’re probably familiar with the chorus (or refrain) of a song and how often it appears during the course of the tune. With the Arrange track, you can reposition the entire chorus within your song, carrying all the loops and settings within the chorus along with it! If you need another chorus, just copy that arrangement.

To use the Arrange track, display it by clicking Track→Show Arrange Track. The Arrange track then appears as a thin strip at the top of the track list. Click the Add Region button in the Arrange track (which carries a plus sign) and you’ll see a new, untitled region appear.

You can drag the right side of the Arrangement region to resize it, or drag it to move it anywhere in the song.

Who wants an arrangement full of regions named “untitled”? To rename an Arrangement region, click the word untitled to select it (the Arrange track turns blue), and then click the title again to display a text box. Type a new name for the region and press Return.

Now, here’s where Arrangement regions get cool:

To move an entire Arrangement region, click the region’s title in the Arrange track and then drag it anywhere you like in the song.
To copy an Arrangement region, hold down the Option key and drag the desired region’s title to the spot where you want the copy to appear.
To delete an Arrangement region, select it and press Command+Option+Delete.
To replace the contents of an Arrangement region with those of another Arrangement region, hold down the Command key and drag the desired region’s title on top of the offending region’s title.
To switch two Arrangement regions in your song — swapping the contents completely — drag one of the Arrangement region titles on top of the other and lift your finger from the trackpad.