G
gvdv
Member
Hi,
Although I have been recording for many years, I have never used MIDI before, and am having a problem getting GarageBand to recognize it. Actually, I have always had many, many problems with GarageBand despite my Mac Pro being 'empty' of all files except those created in the program.
My set up is:
Mac Pro Quad Core 2.66
1 TB HD space (combination of several empty, new hard drives)
5 GB RAM
Firestudio 26 x 26 Firewire Audio Interface / Preamp
OS X 10.6.2
GarageBand '09 5.1
I bought the Mac Pro specifically for use as a DAW and have not used it for anything else - I think that I have only connected to the net on a few occasions with it.
PROBLEMS
1. Sometimes, the computer records perfectly, although there is something wrong with the software interface for the Firestudio as it is impossible to set different output/monitoring headphone levels for each track (I have had an audio pro who deals exclusively in Mac products come and try to troubleshoot this on two occasions, and he is clueless about this specific problem).
2. On other occasions, though, I can't get the computer to record at all: on those occasions I can't even hear previously recorded material in GB, although I can see it playing.
3. One of the 'wrinkles' is that there are two different drivers installed for the Firestudio in the Mac and GB 'System Preferences' - one is called 'Presonus Firestudio', and the other is called 'Presonus 1394).
4. The crazy thing here is that I can hear the playback only when the Mac 'System Preferences' is set to 'Presonus Firestudio' for both Input and Output, and the GB 'System Preferences' for Input and Output are each set to 'Presonus 1394' - if I choose the same named drivers for the Mac and GB 'System Preferences', I cannot hear anything when the track is playing.
5. A few months ago, I upgraded to Garageband '09, 5.1 (398), but had had the above problems before this.
6. In order to accommodate the new version of GB, I upgraded my OS to OS X 10.6.2
ATTEMPTED SOLUTIONS
1. I tried to uninstall the Firestudio drivers and software and erase all trace of them from the system, by following instructions I found on the Presonus website (I found the Presonus people very unhelpful - although several people on the forums were more helpful)
2. I reinstalled OS X 10.6.2 three times in order to try to get rid of the problem
3. Before making the above changes, I changed the system drive to a brand new, never used, hard drive.
CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS
1. Although it would be nice to send different monitor output mixes to my headphone amp (see 1. under 'Problems' above), this is not essential, and I can record (most of the time, as I said above). So, I can record pretty consistently.
2. Having said that, sometimes I will inexplicably lose the ability to record, often during the middle of a project or during tracking
3. I cannot get rid of the two sets of drivers for the Presonus in 'System Preferences'
4. Today I tried to use MIDI for the first time. I had bought a MIDI - to - USB cable, which has two 'male' 5 PIN DIN connections on one end - one for MIDI IN, and other for MIDI OUT - and a 'male' USB connector on the other end.
I plugged both of the DIN connectors into the back of my keyboard, and I then plugged the USB connection into my Mac Pro.
I received the message that '2 MIDI Connections are Present' (or something to that effect), but was unable to get any input signal and was unable to hear my keyboard playing via the computer.
QUESTIONS
1. My main question right now is really about MIDI, as I have resigned myself to most of the above.
So, what am I doing incorrectly? As I understand it, this way of connecting should work, although now I am tempted to buy the alternative form of MIDI connector, which has DIN connectors on both ends, and then plug these into the MIDI IN and OUT on the back of the Firestudio.
Will this make a difference?
Also, if anyone has any suggestions about any of the other problems, I would be very grateful.
Sorry for the length of this post, but I wanted to give a complete and detailed context for these problems.
Thanks,
_____________
Although I have been recording for many years, I have never used MIDI before, and am having a problem getting GarageBand to recognize it. Actually, I have always had many, many problems with GarageBand despite my Mac Pro being 'empty' of all files except those created in the program.
My set up is:
Mac Pro Quad Core 2.66
1 TB HD space (combination of several empty, new hard drives)
5 GB RAM
Firestudio 26 x 26 Firewire Audio Interface / Preamp
OS X 10.6.2
GarageBand '09 5.1
I bought the Mac Pro specifically for use as a DAW and have not used it for anything else - I think that I have only connected to the net on a few occasions with it.
PROBLEMS
1. Sometimes, the computer records perfectly, although there is something wrong with the software interface for the Firestudio as it is impossible to set different output/monitoring headphone levels for each track (I have had an audio pro who deals exclusively in Mac products come and try to troubleshoot this on two occasions, and he is clueless about this specific problem).
2. On other occasions, though, I can't get the computer to record at all: on those occasions I can't even hear previously recorded material in GB, although I can see it playing.
3. One of the 'wrinkles' is that there are two different drivers installed for the Firestudio in the Mac and GB 'System Preferences' - one is called 'Presonus Firestudio', and the other is called 'Presonus 1394).
4. The crazy thing here is that I can hear the playback only when the Mac 'System Preferences' is set to 'Presonus Firestudio' for both Input and Output, and the GB 'System Preferences' for Input and Output are each set to 'Presonus 1394' - if I choose the same named drivers for the Mac and GB 'System Preferences', I cannot hear anything when the track is playing.
5. A few months ago, I upgraded to Garageband '09, 5.1 (398), but had had the above problems before this.
6. In order to accommodate the new version of GB, I upgraded my OS to OS X 10.6.2
ATTEMPTED SOLUTIONS
1. I tried to uninstall the Firestudio drivers and software and erase all trace of them from the system, by following instructions I found on the Presonus website (I found the Presonus people very unhelpful - although several people on the forums were more helpful)
2. I reinstalled OS X 10.6.2 three times in order to try to get rid of the problem
3. Before making the above changes, I changed the system drive to a brand new, never used, hard drive.
CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS
1. Although it would be nice to send different monitor output mixes to my headphone amp (see 1. under 'Problems' above), this is not essential, and I can record (most of the time, as I said above). So, I can record pretty consistently.
2. Having said that, sometimes I will inexplicably lose the ability to record, often during the middle of a project or during tracking
3. I cannot get rid of the two sets of drivers for the Presonus in 'System Preferences'
4. Today I tried to use MIDI for the first time. I had bought a MIDI - to - USB cable, which has two 'male' 5 PIN DIN connections on one end - one for MIDI IN, and other for MIDI OUT - and a 'male' USB connector on the other end.
I plugged both of the DIN connectors into the back of my keyboard, and I then plugged the USB connection into my Mac Pro.
I received the message that '2 MIDI Connections are Present' (or something to that effect), but was unable to get any input signal and was unable to hear my keyboard playing via the computer.
QUESTIONS
1. My main question right now is really about MIDI, as I have resigned myself to most of the above.
So, what am I doing incorrectly? As I understand it, this way of connecting should work, although now I am tempted to buy the alternative form of MIDI connector, which has DIN connectors on both ends, and then plug these into the MIDI IN and OUT on the back of the Firestudio.
Will this make a difference?
Also, if anyone has any suggestions about any of the other problems, I would be very grateful.
Sorry for the length of this post, but I wanted to give a complete and detailed context for these problems.
Thanks,
_____________
