External Sound Device>MIDI Controller>Garadge Band
I recently purchased a MacBook Pro, with the included Garage Band. I successfully attached an M-Audio Axiom 49 to it, and it has worked very well. Now the problem; I am trying to attach a Roland JV-2080 synth module to my Axiom 49 using a standard MIDI cable, then run the Axiom into Garage Band through the USB MIDI interface. I can't get any sound out of the combination, and I was hoping someone could help me out.
Thanks for the help, and the welcome. I'll try working with M-Audio to see if I can do anything about it. 'Till then what you told me seems to be the answer.
to applecart12: hi i was just getting ready to buy one of the axiom 49 midi controllers and was trying to reach out to somebody who had one already to ask a question.
basically i just wanted to know if all of the knob/slider/button assignments work well with the built in instruments and other software instruments, and if you are able to manipulate the parameters in real time while playing the controller?
To Justin, as far as the sliders/knobs go, I have not yet figured or tried to use them. However, the midi controller works very well with the touch sensitive pads and pitch bend, which is what I use most. I have not yet tried to assign the pads to any midi sounds, but I suspect gb will not do that. Christoph is exactly right, although GB draws midi sounds from its software, it is not capable of producing a MIDI out signal. Learned that from Apple. I have found that the software voices sound great, and so I have no complaint. I also got around the problem by purchasing a "Lightsnake" cable. It goes from standard 1/4" input directly to USB in the same cable. Sound quality is decent and is much less spendy than a recording hardware interface. I just plug into the sound module's audio out and can record that way.
To Hang Time, yes I would gladly offer my approval of the Lightsnake to other guitar players. Do not use GB built in distortion however, as I have found it sounds terrible only because of a massive buzz it creates. Clean electric sounds great however, so I believe it is the method in which GB distorts the signal that is the culprit. I plug in my boss distortion pedal, tweak some of the settings on the track, such as bass, treble, compressors, etc. to get the sound I like. I have acheived some very nice sounding distortion, and I am recording my band with a GB and a MB pro with surprizing results. We also own a MOTU traveller, which of course blows the lightsnake away, but me being a college student I can't remove that from my house; I don't own it. Dang. Difference is, the MOTU is almost $1,000 (if memory serves me right) were as the lightsnake cost me about $50. Beautiful! To mashby, I must confess I am MIDI stupid. I know what MIDI is, what it does, but I do not understand simple terminology such as what a control surface button is. Please discribe it/them to me and I would love to see if mine work.
Thanks for posting make. I'm going to save your note should anyone ask.
As for a controller and control surface button. A MIDI Controller sends events to a Synth, in our case GarageBand is the Synth. A Control Surface gives you access to onscreen controls like Faders, Pan, Play, Record, etc. Some controllers have programmable buttons that can work as a control surface.
Thanks for the heads up HangTime. Points awarded for helpfulness and speed of answer. To answer your question mashby, I too am unable to use the buttons you are referring to. My sliders, touch sensitive pads, mod. and pitch bend wheel all work. If you are referring specifically to the stop, play, record buttons, I was (as I am sure you are) slightly dissapointed that they do not work (out of the box) with GB. Hopefully there is a patch I have not yet found. M-Audio redeemed this problem with it's solid construction of the Axiom 49. I have not gone a day that I am unhappy I purchased it. Hopefully I have answered your question, and feel free to ask more, although I am forgetful and do not answer with much speed. I will try and improve.
I too can't get the control surface buttons to work. I'm not giving up though. 🙂 Here's what I found thus far.
1. There is free software from M-Audio, called Enigma (
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Enigma-main.html) that allows you to edit the presets on the Axiom series. The only problem is that the Axiom can't send the specific sysex messages requires by GarageBand.
2. There's a free tool called GarageRemote (
http://www.muratnkonar.com/otherstuff/garageremote/) that can work as an interpreter to translate other MIDI messages into the the specific messages that GarageBand needs. Unfortunately, it uses hex expressions and I haven't quite figured it out.
Bottom line? Out-of-the-box the buttons don't work and you can't remap them natively to what GarageBand needs. My best bet is that I can figure out the hex codes necessary for a work around.
Thanks for the Garage Remote tip, I think that will be the answer once we find out where to input those hex numbers in the Axiom Editor (Enigma) software.
I've got the same situation - Axiom 61>no transport control for GB.
The info I sent into M-Audio is:
"How do I get the Axiom transport controls to work in Garageband?
Using a 3rd pary app called Garage Remote
http://muratnkonar.com/otherstuff/garageremote/faq.shtml I should be able to use the Axiom to control GB, but using Enigma's editor window I don't see a place to enter the CC information like I need... i.e. to assign loop to the loop button I need the loop button on the Axiom to send this message "F0 7D 05 F7 " How do I do that?"
The M-Audio manuals are skinny & not well written (The Axiom only has 3 troubleshooting questions). They have a Hex - Decimal conversion chart but don't tell you how to use the info.
