Garageband as a sequencer

Question

Level 1

8 points

Garageband as a sequencer

Can I use garageband as a sequencer to play an external midi instrument? Furthermore can I turn OFF the midi tracks from playing the internal default sounds?

GarageBand (Mac) '11, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Jan 19, 2012 5:36 PM

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Answer 1

HangTime

Level 9

53,853 points

Jan 19, 2012 5:40 PM in response to robvuk

robvuk wrote:

Can I use garageband as a sequencer to play an external midi instrument?

GB does not support MIDI-OUT

at best you might play with the MIDIO plug-in for a single track:

http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/GBFAQ.html#getmidio

(Let the page FULLY load. The link to your answer is at the top of your screen)

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Answer 2

robvuk Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 19, 2012 5:47 PM in response to HangTime

Thank you. I've been pulling my hair out for days trying to figure out why I wasn't getting midi out. No where does it out right say it can't be done. I purchased '11 under the premises that I could do that. Are there any other cheap or free sequencers I can use with my MacBook Pro?

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Answer 3

HangTime

Level 9

53,853 points

Jan 19, 2012 5:51 PM in response to robvuk

robvuk wrote:

Are there any other cheap or free sequencers I can use with my MacBook Pro?

i'm really an audio guy, but maybe something here will help:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_MIDI_editors_and_sequencers

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Answer 4

Jan 19, 2012 5:54 PM in response to robvuk

Few marketing sheets will say what *can't* be done. Do you have an interface for your instrument? Sometimes they come with a free sequencer.

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Answer 5

robvuk Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 19, 2012 6:04 PM in response to HangTime

Thanks. I'm an audio guy too. Hence the dumb question about midi. It just seems lame to me that GB can't support something as simple as midi out. Record and edit MIDI but no MIDI out? Ludicrous. :-D Thanks!

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Answer 6

robvuk Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 19, 2012 6:07 PM in response to Keith Barkley

Yes, I have an M-Audio Fast Track Pro. No sequencer software. You're right about not listing what can't be done but recording and editing midi without output is like buying an audio recorder that you can only listen to on the computer and not expecting to be able to play on external sound system. :-D Thanks.

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Answer 7

isteveus

Level 5

4,340 points

Jan 19, 2012 6:24 PM in response to robvuk

I think you're confused. You can play garageband midi instrument to a audio system. You just can't send midi out to a outboard midi instrument source.

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Answer 8

robvuk Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 19, 2012 8:09 PM in response to isteveus

Not confused. I understand that. I just think a device that records and edits midi should also be able to output midi. Thank you.

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Answer 9

Jan 20, 2012 1:29 AM in response to robvuk

Not to excuse, but to explain: GB is desgined as an amateur program to make music with the computer and mix it down to get an audio file. It's not made for people who have a rack of external sound modules and a recording studio. Apple does have software for this audience though, it's called Logic.

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Answer 10

Jan 20, 2012 7:52 AM in response to robvuk

The M-Audio web site says that the FastTrack Pro is bundled with ProTools SE which does sequencing:

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.bundled&ID=8826025bd89c6df433190a40 eb1109dd

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Answer 11

Nov 24, 2012 3:18 PM in response to robvuk

I used a Korg Microstation and recorded midi to a track in garageband (made edits, etc) and then output the midi back to the Korg again via the supplied VST.

I then created a real instrument track to record the results from via audio inputs.

The best thing with the Korg Microstation is that you can create Zones on the keyboard to use different instruments.

This was the result:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvEdrsV70Hs&feature=share&list=UUWMd_cOTL-DuQ3IQF HuPY0g

I am looking for a simple 16 track midi sequencer... wish me luck.

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Answer 12

Mar 26, 2013 3:22 PM in response to robvuk

I'm a fan of Garage Band and Logic (now that Logic is only $200), but if you need something that is more capable on the MIDI OUT front that is free, the only thing I'd recommend right now (until you pick up logic), is Studio One Free by Presonus (http://studioone.presonus.com/free/). It is Mac and PC compatible. Scroll down to the middle of the page of the link. It requires that you sign up for their news letter via email, but you can unsubscribe at anytime.

Good Luck.

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