How to Make Chopped and Screwed Vocals in Logic Pro and GarageBand

Last updated: October 26, 2026.

Quick answer: A chopped and screwed vocal is slowed down, pitched down and cut into rhythmic repeats. In Logic Pro, lower the speed with Varispeed (speed and pitch together), then add a long, dark reverb, an echo with higher feedback and stutter cuts on key words. The sound started in Houston with DJ Screw's slowed mixes. GarageBand lacks Varispeed, so you approximate it with a pitch plug-in and a slower tempo.

This guide shows the effect in steps for Logic Pro and GarageBand, with a speed-to-pitch table, chop patterns and the mix fixes that matter. It describes a technique and a style. Use only audio you have the rights to use. The effect sits on top of a clean vocal chain: see the complete Logic Pro vocals guide or the complete GarageBand vocals guide first.

In this guide

• What defines the sound
• How slow, and how much the pitch drops
• Step by step in Logic Pro
• The same effect in GarageBand
• Chop patterns to try
• Problems that show up
• Using other artists' songs
• Get the Chopped and Screwed preset
• Frequently asked questions

What defines the sound

• Slow tempo. The track is slowed far below its original speed, often into the 60 to 70 BPM range.
• Low pitch. Slowing the audio like tape also lowers the pitch, so voices sound deep and heavy.
• Chops. Short phrases or syllables repeat or stutter on the beat.
• Dark space. Reverb and echo are long and muffled, with the highs rolled off.

How slow, and how much the pitch drops

When speed and pitch move together, as on tape or vinyl, the pitch drop follows a fixed rule: semitones = 12 x log2(speed). The table and chart use that formula, so you can plan the pitch before you touch a control. These are calculated values, not measured results.

Playback speed	100 BPM source becomes	Pitch drop
90%	90 BPM	about 1.8 semitones
85%	85 BPM	about 2.8 semitones
80%	80 BPM	about 3.9 semitones
75%	75 BPM	about 5.0 semitones
70%	70 BPM	about 6.2 semitones
65%	65 BPM	about 7.5 semitones
60%	60 BPM	about 8.8 semitones

Our own table and chart, calculated from the formula above.

Start near 80 percent and keep slowing until the track feels heavy and still grooves. A 100 BPM song at 65 percent lands at 65 BPM, which fits the usual range.

Step by step in Logic Pro

1. Set the tempo. Pick a slow target, for example 65 BPM for a 100 BPM source.
2. Slow with Varispeed. In the control bar, switch Varispeed to Speed and Pitch, then lower it. Speed and pitch fall together, like slowing a record.
3. Or slow a single vocal. Use the Time and Pitch Machine function on the vocal region to lower speed and pitch by chosen amounts. Use the table above to match them.
4. Chop it. Split the vocal into short regions at key words, then duplicate and repeat them on the grid. Stutters on the last word of a line are classic.
5. Add echo. Use Echo on a send with a quarter-note time and 40 to 50 percent feedback.
6. Add reverb. Use ChromaVerb with a long hall of 2.5 to 4 seconds and cut the highs above 5 kHz.
7. Shape the tone. Use Channel EQ to cut above 6 to 8 kHz, add warmth near 150 to 250 Hz and high-pass at 80 Hz.

Stage	Plug-in	Starting settings
Speed and pitch	Varispeed (Speed and Pitch) or Time and Pitch Machine	80 to 65 percent speed
Tone	Channel EQ	High-pass 80 Hz, cut above 6 to 8 kHz, warmth at 150 to 250 Hz
Echo	Echo on a send	Quarter note, 40 to 50 percent feedback, highs reduced
Reverb	ChromaVerb on a send	Hall, 2.5 to 4 seconds, highs cut above 5 kHz

The same effect in GarageBand

GarageBand has no Varispeed. You build the same sound in two moves: slow the tempo, then drop the pitch.

1. Lower the project tempo. Use the Flex Time on the audio region so it follows the new tempo.
2. Add a pitch-down effect with a pitch plug-in in Smart Controls. Lower the pitch by the amount in the table, for example 4 semitones for a speed near 80 percent. A range of 3 to 7 semitones fits most tracks.
3. Use the Echo and Reverb controls, with feedback high and the highs reduced.
4. Duplicate regions and split them for the chops.

The result sounds close, but it will not match tape-style slowing exactly, because Flex Time keeps pitch separate from speed. If you want the real thing, use Logic Pro's Varispeed.

Chop patterns to try

Pattern	How
End stutter	Copy the last syllable four times in a row on sixteenth notes
Half-bar loop	Repeat the first half of a line twice before the second half
Reverse hit	Reverse a word and place it before the downbeat
Pitch dip	Lower a single word by an extra 2 semitones on the repeat
Echo throw	Send only the last word of a line to the echo, so it trails into the next bar

Cut every chop on a grid line. Off-grid chops feel like mistakes. Add a short fade to each region edge so the cuts do not click.

Problems that show up

• Muddy mix: long reverb and low pitch pile into the low mids. Cut 2 to 3 dB near 250 to 400 Hz and high-pass the reverb.
• Clicks on chops: add short fades to every region edge.
• Vocal loses clarity: raise presence a little near 2 to 3 kHz before the low-pass.
• Beat and vocal drift apart: slow everything together, not only the vocal.
• Vocal sounds like a cartoon: the pitch drop is too large. Raise the speed to 80 percent or higher.

More echo and reverb values by style are in reverb and delay for vocals.

Using other artists' songs

Releasing a slowed remix of a song without permission can infringe copyright. Use your own recordings, licensed samples or audio you have written permission to use. Posting for private practice is different from releasing publicly.

Get the Chopped and Screwed preset

Want a finished chain instead of building one? Start with the free Toronto Warmth vocal preset for Logic Pro X. Then compare the Logic Pro Starter Pack, the GarageBand Starter Pack and the Vocal Preset Mega Bundle for Logic Pro X. Browse the Logic Pro vocal presets and GarageBand vocal presets collections.

We do not publish the exact values inside our paid presets. The starting points above are general mixing practice.

Frequently asked questions

What does chopped and screwed mean?

Slowed, pitched-down audio with repeated cuts. DJ Screw made the style popular in Houston.

How slow should I go?

Many tracks sit in the 60 to 70 BPM range. Start near 80 percent speed and slow until it feels heavy and still grooves.

How many semitones should I drop the pitch?

If you slow like tape, the pitch follows the speed: about 3.9 semitones at 80 percent and 6.2 at 70 percent. In GarageBand, lower the pitch by 3 to 7 semitones.

Can I do this in GarageBand?

Yes, though without Varispeed. Use a lower tempo and a pitch effect.

What is Varispeed in Logic Pro?

A control that changes speed and, optionally, pitch for the whole project at once, much like a tape machine.

Is it legal to chop and screw other artists' songs?

Releasing a remix without permission can infringe copyright. Use your own recordings or licensed samples.

Keep going: Logic Pro vocals complete guide | GarageBand vocals complete guide | phone effect vocals.