Subject: newbie can't get Radium 49 to show up in GB

Hi,
I'm a longtime mac user, have a G5 running 10.4.6.
Bought an M-Audio Radium 49 (w/USB), and cannot make it show up as a MIDI device in GB.
I've fooled some with GB, no problems using loops or their silly little floating keyboard to enter single note stuff, no probs in laying down real instrument tracks (harmonica, vocal, etc.) on top of loops.

But even though I've obtained and installed what I'm told is the most current M-Audio driver, and played with the MIDI input window (correct name?) -- I've been unable to use the controller at all...

Any suggestions? I just found this site via Google, and have read a number of the articles (and learned a lot). It seems as though the R49 "should" be pretty much plug and play, but it sure isn't for me.

Disclaimer: Although I've had macs for over 20 years, I'm not much of a tech-type person, and I find both what the M-Audio people consider a manual (some stapled together sheets) and the controls on the controller itself to be very confusing and intimidating...

I'd appreciate any help that's out there.

Question #2: My daughter, now a freshman in college, is a good blues and bebop pianist, and needs something to play. She got a new iBook from the college, and I was going to let her use the R49, but she has had no more success than I in hooking the Radium 49 up to her iBook (and she's much better at such things than I).

Also, since she might want to join jamm sessions, I am wondering if she needs a sequencer rather than "just" a controller (I only learned the difference today from MacJam, much appreciate the info). As I understand it, the Radium49 is only a controller.

Does anyone have a suggestion for an inexpensive sequencer (under $200, or $250) that would work with GB and the iBook? I went to a music store and looked at a few, but many seem to be really aimed at beginning players, with lots of teaching stuff (lightup keys, etc) built in that she does not need. She definitely does need velocity-sensitive keys, weighted or partially weighted would probably be good...

I'd very much appreciate any advice or help.

Thank you,
david harp

Hmm. First off, I don't want to knock people who use M-Audio products successfully; there are plenty who do. However, in my experience, M-Audio is notorious about non-updated/bad drivers. With that said, I can't offer any help as to why GarageBand isn't "seeing" it as a MIDI device.

As to your question about inexpensive "sequencers," GarageBand is a sequencer. Maybe I am confused by the terminology you are using. As far as cheap sequencers go, they don't come any cheaper (in price not in quality) than GarageBand.

Oh, and by the way, welcome to MacJams:D

check your garageband preferences there are midi options there

some questions: did you run the audio-midi program found in the /applications/utilities folder of your hard drive? did u use the rescan midi system from the midi menu after installing the drivers(and rebooting the system)? If so and the radium shows up on the audio -midi pane then it will be available to garageband as a midi input. in garageband go to the preferences menu and u should see a midi status with one midi input........hope this helps....also update to latest garageband if u have'nt and the latest 10.4.8 OS X from the software update menu(the blue apple on the uppermost left hand side of the menu)..........

As was said before, according to the terminology I am familiar with, a MIDI controller does just that... it controls things... it doesn't out put any sound. You can play your nice little piano lines and it sends them to a sound module, computer, etc... to 'Control' how a particular sound (ie an organ or synth pad) outputs itself (how it sounds).

I MIDI sequencer creates sounds. It takes the commands/signals directed by a controller and turns them into sound. Garageband with its library of sampled midi instrument sounds is a sequencer. Similar devices would be a Edirol SD-20 which is a module thatyou can set on top of your keyboard (although I think this one still needs to be connected to a computer....).

I use a iBook G4 with Logic Express 7.2 (used to use garageband) hooked up to a Roland EP-77 digital piano, via an Edirol UM-1SX midi to usb connector. Works a treat :). The EP-77 can be used as a MIDI controller but is also a stand alone keyboard with 8 decent (not amazing, but good) sounds and built in speakers.

As for your setup, I found this picture (click on it to blow it up):



What are you using for your power source? The controller probably needs to be on in order to be recognized. If you are not using a power adaptor, make sure the power selector switch at the back of the keyboard is set to USB, or vice versa....

Otherwise, just try what has been said earlier..

I have the same problem, tried all of those things and still can't get the midi option in the audio source selector, either in Garage Band or in the Sound general preferences. I'm using a roland UM-1 interface with drivers I just loaded. Any other ideas?