MIDI not working in GarageBand

Question

Level 1

1 points

MIDI not working in GarageBand

I am about ready to rip my hair out on this one. I have surfed through a ton of forums and can't get a straight answer. I bought an MIDI to USB interface to play my keyboard in GarageBand. It is a E-MU X midi 1x1 Tab connector and a Casio CTK-558 keyboard. I plugged the cables in correctly and checked my GB settings to see that one MIDI connector is working. I created a new SOFTWARE track and I still can't get any sound. I went to utilities and MIDI audio set-up and my keyboard shows up. When I hit the test connection and press the keys it occasionaly makes a click sound. I am assuming that means its working. IDK what the arrows under it mean. It is a plug and play device so there aren't any drivers for it. I just don't know how people in the YouTube videos make it work so easy. I could really use some help here.

GarageBand '09, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Apr 7, 2012 5:01 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

BrendonFromPalmDesert

Level 1

4 points

Oct 13, 2012 3:37 PM in response to FrostArc

This drove me up the wall as well. I was having the exact same experience as you and I spent hours trying to figure out what was wrong. Turned out, either my MIDI to USB Interface (made by Hosa Technologies and purchased at Best Buy) OR my Casio LK 100 was improperly labeled with the IN/OUT cables/jacks reversed. If anyone is still experiencing problems with this I would suggest switching the cables, especially if you're using the aforementioned brands.

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Answer 2

Jan 1, 2013 10:55 PM in response to BrendonFromPalmDesert

Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this. I have a Casio LK-100 also, and I switched the cables like you suggested, and BINGO. I can't believe the keyboard is mislabled.

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Answer 3

japiejo

Level 1

0 points

Apr 8, 2012 7:35 AM in response to FrostArc

You can drag from the arrows which are part of the midi interface to the arrows which are part of your instrument to "connect" them. Not sure if this helps though. May be you can give this a try? More info: http://www.icreatemagazine.com/tips/mac-os-x/os-x-tutorial-learn-about-audio-mid i-settings/

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Answer 4

Aug 15, 2012 9:51 PM in response to FrostArc

FrostArc I had similar frustration. It was saying it detected the midi input but nothing came through. Searched everywhere nothing helped.

Do all the basic things like midi in to out and vice versa. Now this sounds simple and what not but I noticed, after a long time, when I played my keyboard there were tiny indicators it was working. Only 1 green line in the volume feedback on garageband. Something really unnoticable. So I put down the volume on my keyboard and put up the volume to all max levels on my speakers and the volume bars in garageband and finally the sound came through. I really needed to crank all the levels up to hear it. It's still rather quiet but it works.

I have a Casio CTK-900 and a Carilion M1X1 usb cable. I hope this helps let me know if it doesn't!

P.S In my frustration I downloaded the newest version of garageband. Don't know if that changed it.

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Answer 5

Apr 20, 2013 7:49 PM in response to melissajenna

IN -> OUT and OUT->IN is the *correct* way to connect MIDI device chains, so your keyboards/interfaces are not mislabelled.

Example:

http://www.musiconmypc.co.uk/art_keyboard_connection.php

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Answer 6

Apr 18, 2016 7:53 AM in response to JustLarry

Oh my goodness!! I can't believe I missed that step in my instructions manual! Thank you for pointing out the obvious.

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