Garageband under MacOS 10.15 MP3 import failure

The same thing happens with Logic Pro X

Imported Audio files get totally messed up and the tempo cannot be set to fix it.

This has been fixed for Logic Pro X in V10.4.6

I'm having the same issue. Can't play any imported mp3 or WAV files. It appears the playback is corrupted or distorted on GarageBand.

Was there ever a resolution to this?? I'm having the same problem on GarageBand. Was fine on previous version of macOS

Was there ever a resolution to this?? I'm having the same problem on GarageBand. Was fine on previous version of macOS

The solution I have discovered that works is to convert the audio file to WAV. That’s should remedy the issue.

Same problem. I drag perfect mp3s in and they are garbled or seeming to play too fast. GarageBand 10.3.2 but says everything is up to date. Running Catalina 10.15.7

[SOLVED] I have had the same problem (March 2021). I'm running Mac OS Catalina 10.15.7. Since my iMac can't be updated to Big Sur, I decided to try to delete Garageband from my iMac and reinstall it.

But to reinstall you have to go on the App Store in your computer and then click under your user name and then you'll see all the apps you have previously downloaded or bought. Click to download the last version of Garaband you had (which is the one that will be available to you.

Don't try to download garage band searching the store because the version that will be there will be the one made only for mac OS 11.

That worked for me.

[SOLVED] I had the same problem (June 2022). I'm using Garageband 10.4.6 under mac os Big Sur 11.6.5 (on an old macBook Pro late 2013). When dragging a ".mp3" file (generated with Audacity), the music can be more or less recognised, but the speed is at least twice faster than the original, with kind of distorsion/saturation.

When dragging a ".aiff" or a ".wav" file (generated with Audacity), the waiting wheel does not stop turning. Garageband does not respond anymore and I have to kill the process.

Like paulowinner suggested, I put "Garageband.app" into the trash, launched "App Store...", clicked menu "Store" > "See my account", entered my apple id and password, scrolled down to find "Garageband" (oct 2014), clicked once to display the page about "Garageband", clicked the "cloud/download" button, waited a few minutes (~800Mb), opened "Garageband" (still 10.4.6) and voilà !

The problem is solved: I can now drag any file type (.mp3 .wav .aiff). They are correctly imported and played as expected.

Many thanks, paulowinner. You saved my day !