In iOS 11, the My Songs browser in GarageBand works together with the Files app to keep your songs up to date across all your iOS devices. To browse your songs when you have a song open:
- On your iPhone, tap , then tap My Songs.
- On your iPad, tap My Songs.
Browse songs
To browse locations where you've stored songs, tap Browse in the My Songs browser—you might have to tap more than once. In the Browse menu, tap a location to open it in the browser. Locations can include your device and iCloud Drive.
Dec 14, 2015 Tap My Songs, then tap Select. Tap the song you want to send, then tap the Action button. A list of available iOS devices appears. Tap the device you want to share with. If you wish, you can enter artist, composer, and album information for the song in the Share Song pane.
You can also browse your songs by doing any of the following:
- To see songs you’ve opened recently, tap Recents.
- To look for a specific song, tap in the Search field at the top of the window, then enter all or part of the name of the song.
- To sort songs by different criteria, tap Name, Date, Size, or Tag.
- To view the documents as thumbails or a list, tap .
- To see the documents that share a tag, tap a tag in the Browse menu.
Organize your songs with folders and tags
You can keep your songs organized by creating folders and storing songs in them. To create a folder:
- Tap Browse in the My Songs browser then tap a location.
- Swipe down, then tap .
- Name the new folder, then tap Done.
- To create a new song in that folder, open the folder, then tap Create Document. GarageBand automatically saves the song in that location until you move it.
You can also use tags to organize your songs and audio files. Tags make it easy to quickly find the song or other file you need.
Tag a song
- Tap Select, then tap the document thumbnail so a checkmark appears on it.
- Tap Share on your iPad, or tap on your iPhone, then tap .
- You can select an existing tag, or create your own. To create your own tag:
- Tap Add New Tag.
- Enter a name for the tag and select a color.
- Tap Add Tag. You can tag documents with the new tag, and the tag also appears in the Browse menu.
![Files Files](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125636612/596943230.jpg)
Manage tags
- Tap Browse to open the Browse menu, then tap Edit.
- Tap the name of an existing tag.
- Then enter the name of your new tag.
- Tap Done.
Manage songs
You can share, move, copy, and delete songs in the My Songs browser or the Files app. Tap Select, tap the document thumbnail so a checkmark appears on it, then tap the option you want at the bottom of the screen.
- To share a song, tap Share on your iPad, or tap on your iPhone, then choose how you want to share the song.
- To copy or move the song to another folder or location, tap Move on your iPad, or tap on your iPhone, select the new location, then tap Copy or Move. If you’re copying songs between locations from iCloud Drive to your device, a copy of the song remains in the original location.
- To delete a song, tap Delete on your iPad, or on your iPhone.
Work with audio files
If you want to use audio files in GarageBand for iOS 2.3, use iTunes File Sharing on your Mac or PC to add them to your iOS device. Then, access the files from the GarageBand File Transfer folder on your iOS device.
To add audio files to your device using iTunes File Transfer:
- Open iTunes on your Mac or PC.
- Connect your iPad or iPhone to your computer using the USB cable that came with your device.
- Click your device in iTunes. Get help if you can't find it.
- In the left sidebar, click File Sharing.
- Select GarageBand, then drag files from a folder or window onto the Documents list to copy them to your device.
If you’re upgrading to GarageBand for iOS 2.3 and have existing audio files on your device, GarageBand automatically moves the files to the GarageBand File Transfer folder after upgrading.
Add audio files to your song
After you've added the audio file to the GarageBand File Transfer folder, you can them add the audio file to your song.
- Open GarageBand on your iOS device, and open the song you want to add an audio file to.
- If necessary, tap to open the song in Tracks view.
- Tap to open the Loops browser. If a dialog appears asking if you want the files moved to the GarageBand File Transfer, tap Move Files.
- Tap Audio Files, then drag the file to the Tracks area in GarageBand.
Add audio files from a third-party cloud service
If you want to add audio files saved in a third-party cloud service or another location, copy them to the GarageBand File Transfer folder using the Files app.
- Open Files app, then tap Browse.
- In the Browse menu, tap the location where the file is stored, then locate the file.
- Tap Select, then tap the file so a checkmark appears on the file.
- Tap Move, tap On My [device], then tap the GarageBand folder.
- Tap the GarageBand File Transfer folder, then tap Copy. You can now add the file to your song using the Loops browser in GarageBand.
Learn more
- Learn more about using third-party cloud services with GarageBand for iOS.
GarageBand User Guide for iPad
You can make music with other GarageBand users sharing a Wi-Fi connection. The bandleader creates a jam session, then up to three band members can join the jam session. Playback and recording are synchronized between all devices, so everyone can play and record together as a band. The leader can keep exclusive control of playback and recording, or allow all members to share control.
When members join a jam session, the song settings on their devices are matched to the current jam session song settings. Jam session song settings include the tempo, key, and time signature; the number and length of song sections; any master effects used; any custom chords; a fade-out; or a count-in. Only the leader can change the jam session song settings.
After members record tracks to add to the jam session, the leader collects all unmuted tracks from the members' devices. Playback and recording stop while the recordings are collected.
If any device cannot start playback because it is optimizing performance, all other devices remain stopped until the optimizing device is ready. If anyone in the band opens the Sound browser during playback or recording, the song stops playing but the jam session is still active.
Jam Sessions work with Touch Instruments and Tracks view, but not with the Live Loops grid.
Open the Jam Session controls
- Tap the Settings button in the control bar.
- Tap Jam Session.
Create a jam session
Share control of playback and recording
By default, the bandleader controls playback and recording for the jam session. When Bandleader Control is on, the transport controls appear dimmed on members’ devices.
- Turn the Bandleader Control switch off.
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When the leader turns off Bandleader Control, band members can share control of playback. When a band member taps Record, recording starts on their device, and playback starts on all other devices. While the song is playing, band members can tap Record to “punch in” or tap Play to “punch out” on their device.
Join a jam session
When the Jam Session controls are visible on the leader’s device, other nearby devices can join the jam session by using Wi-Fi.
- In the Jam Session controls, under Join Session, tap the session you want to join.The leader sends the jam session song settings to the open song on the member’s device. If the member’s song has a different time signature, a different number of song sections, or song sections with a different length than the leader’s, a new, empty song is created.
Collect band member recordings
The bandleader can collect recordings from all the band members, either automatically or manually. When the leader collects recordings, the unmuted tracks (including soloed tracks) from each member’s song are added to the leader’s song. While the leader collects recordings, playback and recording stop, and all GarageBand controls are paused.
By default, recordings are collected automatically after each recording when Bandleader Control is on. The Auto-Collect Recordings setting is available only when Bandleader Control is on. The leader can also turn off auto-collection and collect recordings manually.
- Open the Jam Session controls.
- Do one of the following:
- Turn off Auto-Collect Recordings.
- Turn off Bandleader Control.
- Tap Collect Recordings.
If the number of tracks exceeds the maximum number (eight), the leader can delete tracks, or ask members to mute or delete tracks, then collect recordings again.
The collected tracks are muted in the leader’s song. If the leader starts a new recording or manually collects tracks again, all collected tracks are deleted and replaced by new collected tracks. However, if the leader unmutes or edits a collected track, it is not deleted. If the leader copies a collected track, the copy is not deleted. If the leader turns Auto-Collect Recordings on or off after collecting recordings, the collected tracks are not deleted the next time recording starts.
After collecting recordings, the leader can make changes to the song, and then email the finished song to the members as an audio file.
Leave a jam session
A band member can leave the jam session at any time.
- In the Jam Session controls, tap Leave Session.
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If members leave a jam session, either by tapping Leave Session, opening the My Songs browser, or because of a network problem, they can rejoin the session by following the same steps they used to join the session originally. When a member leaves a session, everyone in the session receives a message that the member has left. Other members can keep jamming.
Stop a jam session
The leader can stop a jam session at any time. All members receive a message that the session has stopped.
- In the Jam Session controls, tap Stop Session.
If the leader opens the My Songs browser during a jam session, the session stops.