I'm having trouble recording keyboards on GB. GB gives me the keyboard but it doesn't seem to turn on and I can't record with it. How do I turn it on?
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Turn on the Keys
- Thread starter driscm123
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How it is connected? What kind of cables and interfaces.
What MIDI "channel(s)" is GB listening on and what channel the keyboard set to transmit on? If using "real MIDI" make where the cables are crossed in to out the out to in.
Turn On The Keys
I am using a Lexicon Lambda interface. My keyboard is a Roland, FP8. My setup doesn't use Midi as far as I know.
I am using a Lexicon Lambda interface. My keyboard is a Roland, FP8. My setup doesn't use Midi as far as I know.
Are you using the sounds in your FP8, which is what your trying to record or are use using one of the instruments in Garageband?
turn on the keys
I'm using the Roland FP8 as the keyboard I'd like to record the Steinway or the Classic Electric Piano with. If I just enter the Roland on a track that works, but I'm thinking if I could depend on GB's interpretation of their piano sounds I would be farther ahead. I just can't get the Steinway or the Classic Electric Piano to turn on for me so I could use them.
I'm using the Roland FP8 as the keyboard I'd like to record the Steinway or the Classic Electric Piano with. If I just enter the Roland on a track that works, but I'm thinking if I could depend on GB's interpretation of their piano sounds I would be farther ahead. I just can't get the Steinway or the Classic Electric Piano to turn on for me so I could use them.
You do need to use MIDI then. Has your FP8 got a USB port? Or MIDI DIN connectors?
turn on the keys
My fp8 does not have USB port or MIDI DIN connectors, but using the function setting I can use transfer and receive for midi. I have tried this but to no avail.
On my GB 11 screen I have guitars, bass, acoustic guitars and vocals all lit up and ready to record. The keyboards like Steinway, Classic Electric Piano are there in name but the instrument icon for both is dark, not lit up like on the other instruments. This tells me they are not turned on like the others. My main question is, how do I turn them on?
My fp8 does not have USB port or MIDI DIN connectors, but using the function setting I can use transfer and receive for midi. I have tried this but to no avail.
On my GB 11 screen I have guitars, bass, acoustic guitars and vocals all lit up and ready to record. The keyboards like Steinway, Classic Electric Piano are there in name but the instrument icon for both is dark, not lit up like on the other instruments. This tells me they are not turned on like the others. My main question is, how do I turn them on?
Yes sorry I thought Garageband would have that but it doesn't, I'm just downloading it now so I can try and help you out.
So what are you actually trying to do?
Play the instruments in Garageband (Steinway piano etc) with you Roland FP8?
Record your FP8's sounds into garageband?
How is your FP8 connected to your computer, (which cables, interface etc)
Hopefully I will have a better idea of what your trying to achieve.
Cheers
hear keyboard
I'm just trying to use GB sounds like Steinway Grand and any other GB keyboard sounds. I can already record my FP8 on GB but I can't seem to open the GB keyboard settings. I just want to hear how these GB keyboards would improve the sound I am after.
I use a Lexicon Lambda interface which hooks up using a USB into my mac. There is no problem using my Roland, it is a great keyboard, but Garageband doesn't seem to want me to try its own keyboard settings.
I'm just trying to use GB sounds like Steinway Grand and any other GB keyboard sounds. I can already record my FP8 on GB but I can't seem to open the GB keyboard settings. I just want to hear how these GB keyboards would improve the sound I am after.
I use a Lexicon Lambda interface which hooks up using a USB into my mac. There is no problem using my Roland, it is a great keyboard, but Garageband doesn't seem to want me to try its own keyboard settings.
Ahh I see, what do you mean by use them? Record them, play them with your computer keyboard, play them with your Roland?
hear keys
I want to record a keyboard track, a piano track actually. I've already recorded the track but I still wish I could get the Steinway to open up for me. Oh we'll....
I want to record a keyboard track, a piano track actually. I've already recorded the track but I still wish I could get the Steinway to open up for me. Oh we'll....
Ok so you have a MIDI part recorded already?
Try opening up a blank GarageBand session add a Steinway piano, then import your MIDI file/part you recorded and try playing it.
After reading this thread I think you might have a basic misunderstanding about the difference between a midi and an audio track in Garage Band. An audio track is sound. You can edit it, make it louder, add an reverb but it is still sound that is recored in the track. You can't change the sound of a piano to a trumpet.
a MIDI track is a list of key presses. It records only the time you pressed the key and how hard you pressed it and when the key lifted up. There is no sound in a MIDI file. It is up to the playback software (that would be Garage Band) to assign some sound to the file. MIDI only records what your fingers did. The big advantage is that if say you played a wrong note, you can change it. If you timing was off you can fix it. You can change the tempo. It is just a list like a word processing document.
I think you might be trying to axing a new sound to an audio recording. That will not work.
I just down loaded and read the Roland user manual. Your keyboard has BOTH "line out" and "midi" outputs. That is it. If you want to record from the piano you have to use one or both of these.
The line out sends only the sound that your piano generates inside.
The midi sends only the key presses and NO SOUND.
Which of these to you wish to move from the piano to Garage Band?
To use any of GB's internal sounds yu will need to use MIDI, to record the interal piano sounds yu need "line out" Note that you can do both at the same time if you wish.
Tell us which you want to record and how ALL the cables are connected. (for each cable say where each end goes.) This can work and it's not that hard.
FINALLY, Here is my opinion of the different piano sounds available to you.
(1) the Roland FP8 internal piano sounds are pretty good. If you can use Roland's "Super Natural" piano sounds on the FP8 than even better
(2) Garage Band's piano sounds, that you would apply to a MIDI file are arguable worse than Roland's. The sour better then a cheap $200 keyboard but all the higher end digital pianos beat GB. Which is not saying much.
(3) there are third party add-on sounds you can add into Garage Band that are MUCH BETTER than the sounds in either Roland or GB. But the price is getting into at least low to mid three digits. But if doing professional work you need these The best of these add-on piano libraries sound like recordings or very nice high end acoustic pianos.
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hear keyboards
Well, midi or not, I still should be able to record on a track given by GB, I just can't turn the track on to record. There is no record button on the track header. I have an acoustic guitar recorded on my tune, and I can easily record my piano on this track, this works so why won't the same thing work when I try to record on Steinway Grand Piano?
Well, midi or not, I still should be able to record on a track given by GB, I just can't turn the track on to record. There is no record button on the track header. I have an acoustic guitar recorded on my tune, and I can easily record my piano on this track, this works so why won't the same thing work when I try to record on Steinway Grand Piano?
No one here will be able to help you until you tell us (1) how everything is connected and (2) what kind of GB track you are talking about.
There are multiple kinds of tracks and cables and no one here can see what you have and you have yet to tell anyone.
Post SCREEN SHOTS and Diagrams.
My bet is still that you are trying to record a MIDI track and have no MIDI instrument pugged in. But who knows, we can't see it and you don't say.
hear keyboards
Okay, I plug my keyboard with a 1/4 inch jack into the lexicon lambda interface. I plug the lambda into my Mac with a USB type connection. I can test to see that my keys are connected by the volume indicator for each track i select.
So far I have 3 acoustic guitar tracks, 2 electric guitar tracks, a bass track, a drum track, 3 vocal tracks, and a keyboard track. I'm not happy with the keyboard track which is why I want to try out the GB pianos like the Steinway or other pianos it offers. I found a way to make the record buttons show up but I still can't record on these GB pianos. I even tried using my Roland E09 keyboard, but that wouldn't work either.
For years I have used GB 6 and I never had any problems at all, of course now I have the problem with 6 that I can only use 1 electric guitar. That's a problem for another day.
Anyway, thank you very much for all the help you have given me. I normally focus on the music so it's good to communicate with someone who can see the technical aspects of recording.
Okay, I plug my keyboard with a 1/4 inch jack into the lexicon lambda interface. I plug the lambda into my Mac with a USB type connection. I can test to see that my keys are connected by the volume indicator for each track i select.
So far I have 3 acoustic guitar tracks, 2 electric guitar tracks, a bass track, a drum track, 3 vocal tracks, and a keyboard track. I'm not happy with the keyboard track which is why I want to try out the GB pianos like the Steinway or other pianos it offers. I found a way to make the record buttons show up but I still can't record on these GB pianos. I even tried using my Roland E09 keyboard, but that wouldn't work either.
For years I have used GB 6 and I never had any problems at all, of course now I have the problem with 6 that I can only use 1 electric guitar. That's a problem for another day.
Anyway, thank you very much for all the help you have given me. I normally focus on the music so it's good to communicate with someone who can see the technical aspects of recording.
Still don't think you are getting it. ChrisA was correct.
If you are wanting to play the "Steinway" piano sound in Garageband, you need to connect the MIDI Out of your Roland to the MIDI In of your Lexicon interface. That will allow you to use the Roland as a MIDI Controller for Garageband and play all the built-in piano, organ and synth sounds of Garageband.
Not sure how to make it any clearer...
Wow, now I don't know if you are just trolling or what. Why "just be satisfied" with the FP8 sounds? Why not just simply do what both me and ChrisA suggested? It's exactly what you are wanting to do... Play your internal Garageband Steinway Piano. And to do that, you need to do it via MIDI. And luckily for you, your FP8 has MIDI out! So just do it.
Wow, now I don't know if you are just trolling or what. Why "just be satisfied" with the FP8 sounds? Why not just simply do what both me and ChrisA suggested? It's exactly what you are wanting to do... Play your internal Garageband Steinway Piano. And to do that, you need to do it via MIDI. And luckily for you, your FP8 has MIDI out! So just do it.
Okay, I just looked and of course your right, midi out on the FP8...I've never noticed it because I never knew I'd need it, and of course the Lexicon has the same connections. Now all I need is to buy an adapter that I can use to make the job work, I don't have such a cord right now. Is it called a midi cord? I'll buy one as soon as I can. Again, thank you so much for your ideas. Are you a musician? I'd like to jam with you!
Get two. They need to cross in goes to out and out to in.
monoprice.com has them for under $5 put any local music store has them too.
Technically you only need one cable with Garage Band. But other DAWs like Logic can actually send data to the piano. Also with two cables you never have to think about which of the two ports to use.
Likely you'd find piano sounds built-into GB are less than great. But you can add third party plug-in sounds to GB. Some of those are really good.
This technical stuff is the easy port you can learn is 30 minutes. Music takes more then one lifetime.
the midi connection on both the roland and my processor are round, all i could find today were flat, seems round go back a few years. I'll keep looking.