Can I put Apple Loops on External Drive?

Question

Level 2

155 points

Can I put Apple Loops on External Drive?

I need some help in sorting out the Apple loops.

I've just got a new Macbook Pro and between Garageband and loading the new Logic 7.2 and Soundtrack Pro, I must have 15-20 gig of Apple Loops, (many duplicated ?) on the drive - and I'm running out of space already with Final Cut Studio and Itunes hogging up much of it along with the loops.

Can I transfer the loops onto an external drive for use? How do I index them? I hardly use them anyway, especially the sound effects, but drums are useful for rough song ideas so I would like to keep a 'best of' on the computer, and archive the rest in case I need them in the future. Can I do this?

Macbook Pro 2.16, G5 iMac Mac OS X (10.4.8) Logic Pro, Final Cut Studio

Posted on Mar 2, 2007 5:36 PM

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Answer 1

sonther

Level 3

570 points

Mar 2, 2007 9:02 PM in response to antenna45

"Can I transfer the loops onto an external drive for use?"

Yes you can, although Logic likes to see it's own sounds close by... I successfully moved my Apple Loops to an external HD and placed aliases into the original folders, which are:

1. Mac HD > Library > Audio > Apple Loops > Apple > Apple Loops for Garage Band,

2. Mac HD > Library > Application Support > GarageBand > Apple Loops > Apple Loops for GarageBand,
and

3. Username > Library > Audio > Apple Loops > User Loops.

"How do I index them?"
They are automatically indexed. If you want to create your own folders, create them here:
Username > Library > Audio > Apple Loops > User Loops.

This method should work fine for you regarding all soundfiles concerned.

sonther

P.S.:
BTW, I am certain FCS and Soundtrack Pro are eating away much more space on your HD than the Apple Loops that ship with GarageBand and LP. Unless you have done a lot (and I mean "a ton") of work creating your own Apple Loops, I doubt that your file size for all of the Apple Loops created in GarageBand or Logic is anywhere near 15-20 GB.

Granted, I am on LP 7.1.1 and don't use Soundtrack Pro, but the file size for - see above numbers - 1., is around 75 MB, and for 2., it is around 1 GB, over here.

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Answer 2

antenna45 Author

Level 2

155 points

Mar 3, 2007 3:11 AM in response to sonther

Thank you, I will try that.

It looks like I have:

library/audio/ilife sound fx 1.19 GB
library/audio/apple loops for gband 1.91 GB

library/audio/apple loops for soundtrackpro/soundideas 3.24 GB
library/audio/apple loops for soundtrackpro/powerfx loops 2.90 GB
library/audio/apple loops for soundtrackpro/appleloops 1.10 GB

library/app. support/garageband/instrument library 1.60 GB
library/app. support/garageband/apple loops 1.00 GB

library/app. support/logic/exs factory samples 3.40 GB

Thats 16GB - granted some are instrument libraries etc.

Also I have 11GB Live Type library, 8.4GB DVD Studio pro library, 6GB Motion library, 2GB printers and 2GB IWork demo - and 30GB Itunes library!

It would be handy to put a lot of this on a portable drive in case I need it - but i doubt I'd use it on a daily basis. I'm usually editing live recorded instruments in LP or editing film in FCP.

MAcbook Pro 2.16, G5 iMac Mac OS X (10.4.8) Logic Pro, Final Cut Studio

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