Importing MIDI to Garageband

For people who are familiar with this file extension, and know their way around Garageband, and who've had experience converting files (especially to and from PC/Mac), your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I have never used a Windows-PC, but importing midi into GarageBand is not only a question of the file name extension, it is depending on the format of the midi file that you are trying to import.

In any event, I've tried converting the .mid to a ".mp3" or a ".wav" or a ".aiff", and while I'm able to change the file extension, doing so renders to the file unplayable by anything, either QuickTime or iTunes.

You cannot change the encoding of a midi file by simply changing the extension. The file will remain midi and not change its formats, if you rename it ".aiff".

Does the notation software you are using ( Tabit ) offer export options, when you export the midi? For example, I am using "Finale" to create midi files - when I export from Finale with the "Format 1: All instruments are saved as separate tracks" I can import the midi directly to GarageBand and each instrument appears on its own track, but with "Format 0: All instruments are saved on a single tracks" the import to GarageBand fails. The "Format 1" files I can drag directly into GarageBand's timeline and then assign suitable software instruments to the tracks from Instruments browser.

GarageBand understands the file name extension ".mid" as well as ".midi".

If tabit let's you pick different midi options on export, try if saving in different format will help.

Regards

Léonie

I've messed around in Garageband, and as of yet I've not been able to accomplish my goal of importing the fully written song that exists as a MIDI.

Can you tell us more about what you tried and what happened?

The straightforward way of importing midi files is to just drag them into the timeline (the big grey area in the middle of the GB window).

You can open new project in GarageBand, delete the tracks if there are any, and then drag the midi file into GarageBand. This works for most midi files. When you do this it will create as many tracks as there are in the midi and will try to match each intrument as best it can to the instruments in your library. I do this quite often. When I'm not writing my own songs in GarageBand, I'll download a midi for a song I want to learn and start replacing each track one at a time with my own real instrument or software instrument track. It works, and it is fun to do 🙂

I am trying to do the same thing. I keep hearing (drag the midi file) drag it from where on the Ipad? When GarageBand comes up I see no place to drag anything from anywhere. I've been trying to do this for years for files made by a pro who uses midi and WAV files. How do I get them to my GarageBand on my Ipad?

Also..I'm thinking the WAV files I can buy will sound better than a midi or will a midi file trigger the the wonderful sounds of GarageBand via an Ipad that sound so real.

1. I buy a download of a multi track song

2. It is in my PC laptop

3. I want it on my Ipad and into Garage Band

How is this done?

How do I get them to my GarageBand on my Ipad?

GarageBAnd on the iPad does not (yet) support midi file import. Convert the midi to a song format that you can sync with iTunes to your iPad, and then use the Loop Browser in GarageBand on the iPad to add the converted song to a track.

Or sync your GarageBand on iPad project to a mac by sharing the project to iTunes, open the song in GarageBand on your mac, add the midi file to a software instrument track (a instrument that is supported on the iPad), then upload the project again using iTunes.