If you're on iOS, GarageBand is a great app to test with as it supports a wide range of Bluetooth MIDI devices. On OSX, any DAW or virtual instrument that supports MIDI will do. Open up the app, and you should be able to select your MIDI device from whatever preferences menu or MIDI input menu the app typically uses. The best audio interface for beginners to Garageband is the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, which is definitely the most suggested as well. The second best audio interface for Garagageband, in my opinion, is the iRig Pro I/O, which is not only for guitars but also for microphones. It is simple, and the DMX side of things could definitely be done on an ATMEGA328. The less simple part would be programming the usb device type to show up as usb-midi (as opposed to simply using an FTDI usb interface). Showing up as a class compliant usb midi device is a critical component to the project - and that makes it worth using a Teensy. Open your song in GarageBand on Mac and then open the Score Editor. You can do this by double-clicking the MIDI region or pressing your N key. At the bottom, in the center, click Score. This will display the musical notation for that region. You can zoom in or out on the display by using the Zoom slider to the right. It is simple, and the DMX side of things could definitely be done on an ATMEGA328. The less simple part would be programming the usb device type to show up as usb-midi (as opposed to simply using an FTDI usb interface). Showing up as a class compliant usb midi device is a critical component to the project - and that makes it worth using a Teensy.
Connecting Music Equipment
to Your Computer
If you sing or play a musical instrument, you can connect
a musical instrument or a microphone to your computer
and record your performances in your GarageBand
projects.
Each recording appears as a region in a track in the timeline. You can add effects to the
track, and edit the region in the editor.
Connecting a Microphone or Musical Instrument
You can connect an electric musical instrument or microphone to your computer and
record it in a Real Instrument track.
You can connect a microphone to your computer using the computer's audio input
port, if your computer has one. You can also connect an audio interface to your
computer, and then connect instruments and microphones to the audio interface for
recording. Audio interfaces are available in a variety of compatible formats, including
USB, FireWire, PCI, and PC card formats. You can also connect an audio mixer or console
to your computer, and record microphones or instruments through the mixer.
If you use an audio interface to connect musical instruments, check the manufacturer's
specifications to make sure the interface is compatible with Mac OS X 10.2.6 or later.
Also make sure the audio interface uses a format supported by your computer. Follow
the manufacturer's instructions, which may include installing the correct driver on your
computer.
If you connect an instrument or microphone to your computer's audio input port, open
System Preferences and click Sound, click the Input tab, select Line In in the sound
input list, and then drag the Input volume slider to set the input level.
Appendix B
Connecting Music Equipment to Your Computer
121
Connecting a Music Keyboard to Your Computer
If you play a keyboard instrument, you can connect a MIDI-compatible music keyboard
to your computer to play and record Software Instruments.
To connect a music keyboard to play Software Instruments:
 If the keyboard is a USB MIDI keyboard, connect the USB cable to the keyboard and
to your computer.
 If the keyboard is a standard MIDI keyboard, connect the keyboard to a MIDI
interface using standard MIDI cables, then connect the interface to your computer.
Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the keyboard, which may include
installing the correct driver on your computer.
Connecting Other Music Equipment
Connecting a Microphone or Musical Instrument
You can connect an electric musical instrument or microphone to your computer and
record it in a Real Instrument track.
You can connect a microphone to your computer using the computer's audio input
port, if your computer has one. You can also connect an audio interface to your
computer, and then connect instruments and microphones to the audio interface for
recording. Audio interfaces are available in a variety of compatible formats, including
USB, FireWire, PCI, and PC card formats. You can also connect an audio mixer or console
to your computer, and record microphones or instruments through the mixer.
If you use an audio interface to connect musical instruments, check the manufacturer's
specifications to make sure the interface is compatible with Mac OS X 10.2.6 or later.
Also make sure the audio interface uses a format supported by your computer. Follow
the manufacturer's instructions, which may include installing the correct driver on your
computer.
If you connect an instrument or microphone to your computer's audio input port, open
System Preferences and click Sound, click the Input tab, select Line In in the sound
input list, and then drag the Input volume slider to set the input level.
Appendix B
Connecting Music Equipment to Your Computer
121
Connecting a Music Keyboard to Your Computer
If you play a keyboard instrument, you can connect a MIDI-compatible music keyboard
to your computer to play and record Software Instruments.
To connect a music keyboard to play Software Instruments:
 If the keyboard is a USB MIDI keyboard, connect the USB cable to the keyboard and
to your computer.
 If the keyboard is a standard MIDI keyboard, connect the keyboard to a MIDI
interface using standard MIDI cables, then connect the interface to your computer.
Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the keyboard, which may include
installing the correct driver on your computer.
Connecting Other Music Equipment
You might also want to connect speakers or monitors to your computer to hear your
projects play back with greater audio quality than is possible from your computer's
speaker. A variety of monitors and speakers is available, including speakers you can
connect directly to your computer's audio out port, through a USB port, or by using an
audio interface.
Garageband Import Midi
If you connect an audio interface to your computer, you set the audio interface as the
audio input device for GarageBand. Before setting the audio input device, be sure to
install any necessary driver software for the audio interface.
To set an audio interface as the audio input device:
1
Choose GarageBand > Preferences, then click Audio/MIDI.
2
In the Audio/MIDI pane, choose the audio interface from the Audio Input pop-up
menu.
If you connect a microphone, an instrument, or other audio device directly to your
computer's audio input port, you may need to configure the input settings for the
device in the Sound pane of System Preferences.
To configure input settings in System Preferences:
1
Choose Apple () > System Preferences, then click Sound.
2
In the Sound pane, click the Input button.
3
Select Line In from the sound input devices list, then drag the Input volume slider to
set the input level.
© 2009 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.
Apple, the Apple logo, GarageBand, iDVD, iLife, iMovie, iPhone, iPhoto, iPod, iTunes, Macintosh, and QuickTime are trademarks of Apple Inc.,
registered in the U.S. and other countries. Finder and iWeb are trademarks of Apple Inc.
Midi To Garageband
019-1440 1/2009
www.apple.com/garageband
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus isan award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you useyour other music apps together. Chain effects on your favouritesynth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app likeGarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface outputfor each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive asynth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDIkeyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear.And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
I now believe it's possible to do this (unless everyone else already knew how to do it and I just couldn't find it).
Here's what's I've found so far:
Exporting midi from GB on iOS is something heard of lots of people wanting to do, including myself. So I ask, why should it be difficult? Why isn't a feature?
But since it's not a feature, why can't we just reach in and take it for ourselves by force if we must?
I may be missing it but I haven't found the technique yet so I've started to crack things open just a bit. Here's what we can see inside..
..continued on a blog page so I could easily upload related files:
https://groundjuggling.wordpress.com/export-midi-from-ios-garage-band-projects
Comments
I use the RouteMidi plugin to get midi out from regular midi tracks in GB. It doesn't work for the smart instruments or drummers or drum sequencer though.
It basically works on the piano/kb type of tracks. Works good for those.I don't know much about the smart instruments other than to my ear, the violin sounds horrible and airy compared to apps like ThumbJam.
However, even if they don't rely on midi internally, I wonder if there could be some sort or mapping that could be useful (for the instruments that sound good).
@SevenSystems really has found a niche. Comparing many of the DAWs
Cubasis
GarageBand
GadgetNone of them export Midi!!!
WHY!!!!
Doesn't Cubasis export MIDI? Rar zip indir. Are you sure?
Auria Pro does, the option is located in the Menu dialog.
@theconnactic said:
Doesn't Cubasis export MIDI? Are you sure?Auria Pro does, the option is located in the Menu dialog.
@theconnactic said:
Doesn't Cubasis export MIDI? Are you sure?Auria Pro does, the option is located in the Menu dialog.
If it does there's no option in the share menu. So I'm afraid NOT!
@LucidMusicInc said:
@SevenSystems really has found a niche. Comparing many of the DAWsCubasis
GarageBand
GadgetNone of them export Midi!!!
WHY!!!!
Gadget can export midi
Cubasis can too
After creating the mixdown just share it.
@White said:
@LucidMusicInc said:
@SevenSystems really has found a niche. Comparing many of the DAWsCubasis
GarageBand
GadgetNone of them export Midi!!!
WHY!!!!
Gadget can export midi
Cubasis can too
After creating the mixdown just share it.
Awesome sauce!
@CracklePot said:
I use the RouteMidi plugin to get midi out from regular midi tracks in GB. It doesn't work for the smart instruments or drummers or drum sequencer though.
It basically works on the piano/kb type of tracks. Works good for those.This app fucks up Garagebands internal timing.. Try and use the Arpeggiator, ba-bow.
Just a FYI for anyone else thinking of buying it!
@BroCoast said:
@CracklePot said:
I use the RouteMidi plugin to get midi out from regular midi tracks in GB. It doesn't work for the smart instruments or drummers or drum sequencer though.
It basically works on the piano/kb type of tracks. Works good for those.This app fucks up Garagebands internal timing.. Try and use the Arpeggiator, ba-bow.
Just a FYI for anyone else thinking of buying it!
Just tried it.
What is ba-bow?
Seems to work fine for me, but I am just going by ear.
Haven't looked closely for jitter and whatnot.@CracklePot said:
@BroCoast said:
@CracklePot said:
I use the RouteMidi plugin to get midi out from regular midi tracks in GB. It doesn't work for the smart instruments or drummers or drum sequencer though.
It basically works on the piano/kb type of tracks. Works good for those.This app fucks up Garagebands internal timing.. Try and use the Arpeggiator, ba-bow.
Just a FYI for anyone else thinking of buying it!
Just tried it.
What is ba-bow?
Seems to work fine for me, but I am just going by ear.
Haven't looked closely for jitter and whatnot.My bad humour!
Hmm, I wonder why it messes up GB for me? A few other people have said the same thing.
It was changing 8th notes to triplets!
RouteMIDI plugin is useful. When using it with Gadget for example, midi timing while just playing/monitor is usable. But when you want to record Gadget IAA on an audio track, there will be some important offset and you will find that midi timing is also wrong. So here is the trick: record in real-time GB RouteMIDI output in Gadget sequencer with some quantize, then export to audio from Gadget and import in GarageBand for your mixdowns. Timing will be perfect. This plugin is useful when you want to sequence everything in GB.
- edited November 2018
Can Midiflow be used to export MIDI out of GB into Cubasis without using a computer? How? I don't see GB as in its lists. There are videos on Midiflow for Audiobus, etc but none on just Midiflow router app.
- edited November 2018
@CracklePot said:
I use the RouteMidi plugin to get midi out from regular midi tracks in GB. It doesn't work for the smart instruments or drummers or drum sequencer though.
It basically works on the piano/kb type of tracks. Works good for those.I've both RouteMIDI and Midiflow but couldn't figure out how to get MIDI out of GB into Cubasis. I tried RouteMIDI as AU in GB:
set BG Audio in both apps => On
GB > Use with Music Apps => On
GB > Send MIDI Clock => On
GB > added RouteMIDI as an AU track
GB > RouteMIDI > set MIDI Out to Cubasis
matched channels in both apps
played back the GB project
tapped Record in CubasisIt records just empty events in Cubasis with no notes inside them. How did you export MIDI out of GB? There are no videos on how to use these apps.
@MobileMusic said:
@CracklePot said:
I use the RouteMidi plugin to get midi out from regular midi tracks in GB. It doesn't work for the smart instruments or drummers or drum sequencer though.
It basically works on the piano/kb type of tracks. Works good for those.I've both RouteMIDI and Midiflow but couldn't figure out how to get MIDI out of GB into Cubasis. I tried RouteMIDI as AU in GB:
set BG Audio in both apps => On
GB > Use with Music Apps => On
GB > Send MIDI Clock => On
GB > added RouteMIDI as an AU track
GB > RouteMIDI > set MIDI Out to Cubasis
matched channels in both apps
played back the GB project
tapped Record in CubasisCamera raw 9 0. It records just empty events in Cubasis with no notes inside them. How did you export MIDI out of GB? There are no videos on how to use these apps.
It is working for me. You should hear Cubasis playing back the midi when GB is playing, even before you record.
Do you have midi data on the track in GB that has RouteMidi loaded on it? I usually record in GB with a piano/kb instrument track to get the midi. Then I make a new track with RouteMidi and copy the midi information to it. It will send that out to your other apps.@CracklePot said:
@MobileMusic said:
@CracklePot said:
I use the RouteMidi plugin to get midi out from regular midi tracks in GB. It doesn't work for the smart instruments or drummers or drum sequencer though.
It basically works on the piano/kb type of tracks. Works good for those.I've both RouteMIDI and Midiflow but couldn't figure out how to get MIDI out of GB into Cubasis. I tried RouteMIDI as AU in GB:
set BG Audio in both apps => On
GB > Use with Music Apps => On
GB > Send MIDI Clock => On
GB > added RouteMIDI as an AU track
GB > RouteMIDI > set MIDI Out to Cubasis
matched channels in both apps
played back the GB project
tapped Record in CubasisIt records just empty events in Cubasis with no notes inside them. How did you export MIDI out of GB? There are no videos on how to use these apps.
It is working for me. You should hear Cubasis playing back the midi when GB is playing, even before you record.
Do you have midi data on the track in GB that has RouteMidi loaded on it? I usually record in GB with a piano/kb instrument track to get the midi. Then I make a new track with RouteMidi and copy the midi information to it. It will send that out to your other apps.LOL, I was thinking it would export the entire project as a single track. I just copied the MIDI data to the RouteMIDI's track and it worked Thanks!
I have just emailed the route midi dev about the GB timing issue. I am guessing if it hasn't been fixed it can't.
So I don't really see the use of Route Midi if the timing is all out. #refundtime
@topaz said:
I have just emailed the route midi dev about the GB timing issue. I am guessing if it hasn't been fixed it can't.So I don't really see the use of Route Midi if the timing is all out. #refundtime
It's fixed, at least the last few times I have used it.
- edited August 2019
This draft is from last year - posted now
@CracklePot said:
@MobileMusic
Awesome.
You're welcome.Holy crap, Apple! They did it again!!
Since it doesn't work with Smart Instruments, Live Loops, Drummer, etc to export MIDI - I thought I was smart -
I went into the Piano Roll of a Smart Instrument
selected all MIDI notes and copied to clipboard
went into the Piano Roll of an empty region on the RouteMIDI AU track
and Pasted the MIDI notes !!!!! (not )WHERE IS THE PASTE OPTION, Apple??? Did they forget it? They are just MIDI data right - just notes and length - how does it matter if I want to paste them into any instrument's MIDI region using 'Piano Roll'? If I just want to yank out the performance part of it (MIDI data), I could apply any instrument to the track but there is no Paste option in the Piano Roll.
This should work even with Drummer, etc - they are all just MIDI data - I should be able to copy/paste that data into any other track - it's just data, right? Paste option is available only for the same track's copied MIDI notes.
@MobileMusic said:
This draft is from last year - posted now@CracklePot said:
@MobileMusic
Awesome.
You're welcome.Holy crap, Apple! They did it again!!
Since it doesn't work with Smart Instruments, Live Loops, Drummer, etc to export MIDI - I thought I was smart -
I went into the Piano Roll of a Smart Instrument
selected all MIDI notes and copied to clipboard
went into the Piano Roll of an empty region on the RouteMIDI AU track
and Pasted the MIDI notes !!!!! (not )WHERE IS THE PASTE OPTION, Apple??? Did they forget it? They are just MIDI data right - just notes and length - how does it matter if I want to paste them into any instrument's MIDI region using 'Piano Roll'? If I just want to yank out the performance part of it (MIDI data), I could apply any instrument to the track but there is no Paste option in the Piano Roll.
This should work even with Drummer, etc - they are all just MIDI data - I should be able to copy/paste that data into any other track - it's just data, right? Paste option is available only for the same track's copied MIDI notes.
Yeah I found the same a year ago.
That's why I specifically recommended using the piano/keyboard instrument to create the Midi data, and not a Smart Instrument.
It seems that only the piano in GB is using general Midi, and everything else uses some GB data format or Audio.
Sorry if I caused you any confusion.- edited August 2019
@CracklePot said:
@MobileMusic said:
This draft is from last year - posted now@CracklePot said:
@MobileMusic
Awesome.
You're welcome.Holy crap, Apple! They did it again!!
Since it doesn't work with Smart Instruments, Live Loops, Drummer, etc to export MIDI - I thought I was smart -
I went into the Piano Roll of a Smart Instrument
selected all MIDI notes and copied to clipboard
went into the Piano Roll of an empty region on the RouteMIDI AU track
and Pasted the MIDI notes !!!!! (not )WHERE IS THE PASTE OPTION, Apple??? Did they forget it? They are just MIDI data right - just notes and length - how does it matter if I want to paste them into any instrument's MIDI region using 'Piano Roll'? If I just want to yank out the performance part of it (MIDI data), I could apply any instrument to the track but there is no Paste option in the Piano Roll.
This should work even with Drummer, etc - they are all just MIDI data - I should be able to copy/paste that data into any other track - it's just data, right? Paste option is available only for the same track's copied MIDI notes.
Yeah I found the same a year ago.
That's why I specifically recommended using the piano/keyboard instrument to create the Midi data, and not a Smart Instrument.
It seems that only the piano in GB is using general Midi, and everything else uses some GB data format or Audio.
Sorry if I caused you any confusion.It doesn't seem like a proprietary data format but just that the Paste option is missing! They look like any other MIDI data - editable, drawable, deletable, copy-able but not paste-able across instruments
I tried Smart Instrument to Piano and Piano to Smart instrument - Paste option is missing either way even though it is allowing to copy data. Paste is possible only within the same instrument. This is dumb on Apple's part. If I can copy paste data from one instrument into another, what is Apple going to lose? Maybe it would sound different based on target instrument (that's how MIDI data works) but that's my problem.
Nope, timing is still way off and state not saved.
@BroCoast said:
@topaz said:
I have just emailed the route midi dev about the GB timing issue. I am guessing if it hasn't been fixed it can't.So I don't really see the use of Route Midi if the timing is all out. #refundtime
It's fixed, at least the last few times I have used it.
@BroCoast said:
@topaz said:
I have just emailed the route midi dev about the GB timing issue. I am guessing if it hasn't been fixed it can't.So I don't really see the use of Route Midi if the timing is all out. #refundtime
It's fixed, at least the last few times I have used it.
@topaz said:
Nope, timing is still way off and state not saved.@BroCoast said:
@topaz said:
I have just emailed the route midi dev about the GB timing issue. I am guessing if it hasn't been fixed it can't.So I don't really see the use of Route Midi if the timing is all out. #refundtime
It's fixed, at least the last few times I have used it.
@BroCoast said:
@topaz said:
I have just emailed the route midi dev about the GB timing issue. I am guessing if it hasn't been fixed it can't.So I don't really see the use of Route Midi if the timing is all out. #refundtime
It's fixed, at least the last few times I have used it.
Hmm, well I was able to get MIDI out of Garageband via MIDI clock sync to Xequence 2 with RouteMIDI a few weeks ago.
I do remember RouteMIDI breaking the timing in Garageband a few times back when I first bought it, but since I last uninstalled/reinstalled it's been fine.
@MobileMusic said:
@CracklePot said:
@MobileMusic said:
This draft is from last year - posted now@CracklePot said:
@MobileMusic
Awesome.
You're welcome.Holy crap, Apple! They did it again!!
Since it doesn't work with Smart Instruments, Live Loops, Drummer, etc to export MIDI - I thought I was smart -
I went into the Piano Roll of a Smart Instrument
selected all MIDI notes and copied to clipboard
went into the Piano Roll of an empty region on the RouteMIDI AU track
and Pasted the MIDI notes !!!!! (not )WHERE IS THE PASTE OPTION, Apple??? Did they forget it? They are just MIDI data right - just notes and length - how does it matter if I want to paste them into any instrument's MIDI region using 'Piano Roll'? If I just want to yank out the performance part of it (MIDI data), I could apply any instrument to the track but there is no Paste option in the Piano Roll.
This should work even with Drummer, etc - they are all just MIDI data - I should be able to copy/paste that data into any other track - it's just data, right? Paste option is available only for the same track's copied MIDI notes.
Yeah I found the same a year ago.
That's why I specifically recommended using the piano/keyboard instrument to create the Midi data, and not a Smart Instrument.
It seems that only the piano in GB is using general Midi, and everything else uses some GB data format or Audio.
Sorry if I caused you any confusion.It doesn't seem like a proprietary data format but just that the Paste option is missing! They look like any other MIDI data - editable, drawable, deletable, copy-able but not paste-able across instruments
I tried Smart Instrument to Piano and Piano to Smart instrument - Paste option is missing either way even though it is allowing to copy data. Paste is possible only within the same instrument. This is dumb on Apple's part. If I can copy paste data from one instrument into another, what is Apple going to lose? Maybe it would sound different based on target instrument (that's how MIDI data works) but that's my problem.
Yeah, I totally agree with you here.
I was just giving Apple the benefit of the doubt, but it just as likely that they are just being weirdly restrictive.To make it more confusing, most of the Smart Instruments can be selected as the sound presets on the Piano, and sound pretty much the same when played with Midi data.
Just tried again after reinstall, timing is way out.
@topaz said:
Just tried again after reinstall, timing is way out.I did a little testing as well.
I find that the main problem is everything is early when you record the audio back into GB, but even when you try to line up the audio with the original midi, there seems to be jitter in the timing in the recorded audio.If you aren't using any external Midi FX processing, but just playing an instrument in AUM and recording audio back into GB, you could just load the instrument directly in GB, copy the Midi to its track, and use the merge tracks function to freeze the instrument track.
Will test but it would be nice if the dev could fix the save state as well as some kind of offset.
@MobileMusic said:
@CracklePot said:
@MobileMusic said:
This draft is from last year - posted now@CracklePot said:
@MobileMusic
Awesome.
You're welcome.Holy crap, Apple! They did it again!!
Since it doesn't work with Smart Instruments, Live Loops, Drummer, etc to export MIDI - I thought I was smart -
I went into the Piano Roll of a Smart Instrument
selected all MIDI notes and copied to clipboard
went into the Piano Roll of an empty region on the RouteMIDI AU track
and Pasted the MIDI notes !!!!! (not )WHERE IS THE PASTE OPTION, Apple??? Did they forget it? They are just MIDI data right - just notes and length - how does it matter if I want to paste them into any instrument's MIDI region using 'Piano Roll'? If I just want to yank out the performance part of it (MIDI data), I could apply any instrument to the track but there is no Paste option in the Piano Roll.
This should work even with Drummer, etc - they are all just MIDI data - I should be able to copy/paste that data into any other track - it's just data, right? Paste option is available only for the same track's copied MIDI notes.
Yeah I found the same a year ago.
That's why I specifically recommended using the piano/keyboard instrument to create the Midi data, and not a Smart Instrument.
It seems that only the piano in GB is using general Midi, and everything else uses some GB data format or Audio.
Sorry if I caused you any confusion.It doesn't seem like a proprietary data format but just that the Paste option is missing! They look like any other MIDI data - editable, drawable, deletable, copy-able but not paste-able across instruments
I tried Smart Instrument to Piano and Piano to Smart instrument - Paste option is missing either way even though it is allowing to copy data. Paste is possible only within the same instrument. This is dumb on Apple's part. If I can copy paste data from one instrument into another, what is Apple going to lose? Maybe it would sound different based on target instrument (that's how MIDI data works) but that's my problem.
For the smart instrument, all you need to do is always use the keyboard section, instead of the others for your instruments. All the sounds are there, so you can reuse the MIDI information if you create another keyboard layer.