GarageBand and Logic Software Instrument Compatibility

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GarageBand and Logic Software Instrument Compatibility

Hi, I'd like to pick up some additional software instruments, (specifically a high quality piano with way too many samples) and it's very unclear to me what formats GarageBand is compatible with. Ideally I'd like to get Logic eventually (once I'm out of college and can actually justify it), so I'd like to be able to use any instruments that I buy with logic also. I've seen instruments available in GIGA, Kontakt, Halion, EXS, Soundfont (SF2), Pulsar (.p), and Akai (.akp) formats. Which, if any of these formats can GB and Logic both use?

Thanks much

MBP15CoreDuo, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Jan 27, 2007 5:40 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 28, 2007 12:52 AM in response to TraxusIV

Soundfonts should work fine (I believe GB3 will handle them without the use of SoundFontSynth which GB2 needs). I believe EXS will work. Try some free ones before buying anything:

http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/PlugInsSoundFonts.html
http://www.petethomas.co.uk/logic-exs24-samples.html
http://www.ontology.com/exs24/

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Answer 2

HangTime

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Jan 28, 2007 8:59 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

which GB2 needs

SoundFonts work in all versions of GB without any other software.

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Answer 3

Jan 28, 2007 9:12 AM in response to HangTime

... and SoundfontSynth is needed if you have banks of SoundFonts and want to comfortably pick a particular instrument. Independent of GB's version.

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Answer 4

Jan 28, 2007 9:16 AM in response to HangTime

SoundFonts work in all versions of GB without any
other software.

I have to say that even following the instructions in your FAQ I couldn't access the SoundFonts I have when I removed SoundFontSynth - DLSMusicDevice simply showed QT Instruments (and only the piano at that, where SoundFontSynth enables easy access to all the QT Instruments), though I note that you said that some SoundFonts don't work this way. This is in GB2.

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Answer 5

HangTime

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Jan 28, 2007 9:20 AM in response to Christoph Drösser

if you have banks of SoundFonts

You can also choose various banks via a MIDI keyboard like the 49e (but of course I can't remember the correct buttons to press, and don't think I ever noted them in the FAQ [kicks self])

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Answer 6

Jan 28, 2007 9:22 AM in response to HangTime

That's why I wrote "comfortably". 🙂

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Answer 7

HangTime

Level 9

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Jan 28, 2007 9:23 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

That's rather odd, Roger, even the SFs that didn't work still showed up for me, they just made no sound. THis was all GB1 and 2 (GB3 is nothing but a test platform for me, all work is done in v2)

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Answer 8

Jan 28, 2007 9:29 AM in response to HangTime

Where I had saved an instrument it still showed but wouldn't work, bringing up a dialog box. Trying to access the actual SoundFonts in DLSMusicDevice, as I said, got me nowhere - so I don't know what is going on (This is on a G4 machine running 10.3.9 - don't know if that's relevant - I wouldn't have thought so). However SoundFontSynth is worth it for being able to access the banks in a multiple instrument SF, and also the QT instruments (despite their limitations).

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Answer 9

TraxusIV Author

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Feb 4, 2007 4:49 PM in response to TraxusIV

Thanks all. That's the info I was looking for. Looks like EXS files have to be converted before they can be used, but are still more or less compatible. I've tried a bunch of .sf2 files, and the majority of them work with no trouble. The ones that don't probably weren't worth it anyway. 😀 Looks like I can use VST plugins too, though i haven't tried yet.

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Answer 10

HangTime

Level 9

53,853 points

Feb 4, 2007 5:44 PM in response to TraxusIV

Neither GB nor Logic support VST, only AU. You would need to buy some adaptor software that puts an "AU Wrapper" around the VST plugin for any to be used.

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