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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We can have a discussion about audio and appropriate use of computers vs modules sometime but I really wasn't trying to get into that topic. I was actually trying to use Garageband as a sound resource. I thought it would be interesting to test the waters with Garageband but I was not successful trying to use a MIDI controller through a MIDI to USB device. I don't think that it would be much fun to only use the Mac to input all my music ideas. The mouse and keyboard (QWERTY) are all good and fine but I like to use a keyboard controller to input my ideas. Even if my drums just sit there and repeat, I usually input all the drum rhythms myself. So that is what I was trying to accomplish and was unable. Also, according to Garageband information that I have gleaned, Garageband does not output MIDI at all. This is another major problem I have with this program. The ability to export audio and MIDI so you can work on them with more extensive programs should be a given. We can get into that discussion at another time if you'd like as well.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm actually not practicing any more on Wednesdays but have moved that to Tuesdays. Unfortunately, if I were to start playing with another band my wife would cut my head off and place them on the shell the other things she cut off. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We should continue this conversion through our own personal email.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'd still like a solution to my odd MIDI problem. No MIDI input was seen at the iMac through a USB/MIDI I/O device.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV>In a message dated 05/05/09 11:54:21 Central Daylight Time, ka_klick@mac.com writes:</DIV>
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Unfortunately, I believe in those 18 or so years, you've missed a bit <BR>of a paradigm shift in the music production industry, and that's the <BR>main thing that's probably making all of this more complicated than it <BR>needs to be. <BR><BR>The old model of a MIDI based studio is just about dead. That is: <BR><BR>Control Chain: <BR>MIDI Controller --> Computer --> Outboard MIDI modules, Synths etc. <BR>Audio Chain: <BR>MIDI stuff -->| <BR> | Mixer --> Effects --> Final 2 track audio destination (Tape, <BR>DAW etc.) <BR>Audio Playback -->| <BR><BR><BR>Has pretty much become: <BR><BR>Midi Controller -->| <BR> | DAW --> Direct output to "finished" audio file <BR>Audio sources -->| <BR><BR><BR>Most of the sound production tasks that were done via MIDI instruments <BR>have been taken over by the sound generation capabilities of the <BR>computer itself. When I use "MIDI" in GarageBand it's pretty much just <BR>as a control source. All the sound is generated via the mac. While <BR>it's possible to make it send that back out to external devices, it's <BR>not really what it was intended or designed to do. I've re-rendered a <BR>lot of my old projects from the 80s and 90s in GarageBand and some of <BR>them were pretty complex setups, but I haven't made it try and output <BR>to any of my old modules (mostly because they sound pretty bad <BR>compared to the sounds the Mac can make on it's own these days). <BR><BR>In fact I haven't really had my "MIDI" sound generators in my <BR>recording rig for several years, and just this weekend was in a live <BR>situation where we ended up using one of them. It worked OK for live, <BR>but it probably would have sounded better to have used GB to make the <BR>sounds on a Mac. <BR><BR>When I was at CalArts, I had a seminar class w/ Morton Subotnick ( http://w
ww.mortonsubotnick.com/ <BR> ) who predicted this shift - back in 1988 - and most of us had a <BR>hard time swallowing it at the time, but now that I've been working <BR>"in the computer" for a few years, I find it makes life much less of a <BR>pain. I've now managed to get 3 CDs out the door (the 3rd should hit <BR>CD-Baby today btw) and I did them all w/ GarageBand and every one of <BR>those albums contained at least a modicum of "MIDI" but none used <BR>outboard MIDI gear - it's all in the machine. Here's a good example <BR>(for complexity) of what can be done with an old MIDI project if you <BR>keep an open mind. http://www.macjams.com/song/3254 <BR><BR>I know your style of music, and understand why GB is maybe not the app <BR>for you (it's limited to 1 tempo and 1 time sig). I have been able to <BR>work with/around this for myself, but I know you'd have problems. <BR><BR>Having also used (and loathed) OMS your calling it robust made me <BR>laugh out loud, then again, you used Opcode products, which I'm sure <BR>always worked well with it. At least now w/ AM Setup, it's a level <BR>playing field for all developers. <BR><BR>btw Chris, are you busy wed. nights? Figured you might be, but that's <BR>when the band rehearses - we could use another guitarist. <BR><BR>On May 4, 2009, at 7:27 PM, cmsspace wrote: <BR>> I'm fairly familiar with MIDI on the old Studio Vision software and <BR>> have used it almost exclusively for the past 18 years. I decided to <BR>> try out a USB MID interface with our newer 20" iMac. After a couple <BR>> of frustrating hours trying to work with the iMac through various <BR>> applications, I have been unsuccessful in receiving MIDI from an <BR>> outside controller or instrument. I've tried a couple MIDI <BR>> controllers as input device including a piano and drum machine. Both <BR>> of these work
correctly and are able to receive and transmit MIDI. <BR>> The Vista based laptop we own seems to work fine with the USB MIDI <BR>> port device. The iMac seems to see and recognize the USB device as <BR>> a MIDI port with 1 in and 1 out. I've gone through the Audio/MIDI <BR>> setup application on the iMac and set up the USB port to look for <BR>> MIDI on the appropriate channels. I've used both the free MIDI <BR>> Monitor application and the ittybittymidi widget to look for <BR>> incoming MIDI as well as Garage (garbage) band. (I call it garbage <BR>> band because it is seems pretty useless for MIDI.) The Audio/MIDI <BR>> setup application was able to send the test MIDI out through the <BR>> port. At this point I've given up until I can hear from someone who <BR>> might have more experience and give me an idea. <BR>> <BR>> iMAc <BR>> 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo <BR>> MAc OS X version 10.4.11 <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> The Audio/MIDI setup application reminds me a lot of OMS but not <BR>> nearly as robust. <BR>> <BR>> Any suggestions? <BR>> _______________________________________________ <BR>> DMMUG mailing list <BR>> Use this Address to send mail to the list: <BR>> DMMUG@dmmug.org <BR>> Use this page to modify subscription options: <BR>> http://cialug.org/mailman/listinfo/dmmug <BR><BR>-- <BR>Bryan "ka-klick" Baker <BR>Singer/Songwriter <BR>ka-klick@ka-klick.com <BR>http://ka-klick.com <BR>http://twitter.com/ka_klick <-- Twitter Feed <BR><BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________ <BR>DMMUG mailing list <BR>Use this Address to send mail to the list: <BR>DMMUG@dmmug.org <BR>Use this page to modify subscription options: <BR>http://cialug.org/mailman/listinfo/dmmug <BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
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