[jamesuk]

Hi everyone,

Im a newbie and have found these forums to be very helpful and very informative as i discover the delights of apple. I just wanted to know if is possible to connect my korg triton extreme to my apple imac by simply using a usb cable? Or will i need some sort of audio interface/mixer to connect the two successfully?

I tried connecting them today and tried playing a track that i had written on my korg triton extreme but i could hardly hear the track being played as it was barely audible.

Anyway any help given would be most appreciated.

Many thanks
James.

[turtle777]

First off, WHY do you want to connect the keyboard to the computer ? What do you want to achieve.

I don't know about the USB connection, it is possible that your Mac will read the keyboard as if it was a memory stick.

However, the most common connections are via audio cables to record audio music or via a MIDI cable and interface to record the music data or use the keyboard as an input device.

-t

[jamesuk]

Hi turtle777,

Thanks for your response. The reason why i want to connect my korg triton extreme to my apple imac and garageband is because i want to transfer a song i have written on my korg triton extreme onto garageband in its complete form ie with the same sounds/instruments it has on the korg triton extreme and then save it onto one track and then record vocals on another track and then mix the two together to get a complete song.

I find that i can now hear the song playing but it is playing a version of the song i have written with the garageband instruments and not with the original sounds/instruments i wrote it with on the korg triton extreme. I also want to know how to save a drum track from the loops that are available on garageband so i can write a track completely on garageband without using my synthesizer at all.

Many thanks,
James.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by jamesuk 

I tried connecting them today

How?

If all you want to transfer from your Triton to the Mac is AUDIO, and you're running an Intel iMac, then the simplest and cleanest way is to use the Extreme's OPTICAL digital out into the iMac's input (using a Toslink adapter to get the S/PDIF to fit into the 3.5mm minijack socket on the iMac - you can get one for about a pound at any music store, and a lot of Hi-Fi or computer dealers).

You must select the appropriate input in the GarageBand audio preferences.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by jamesuk 

I also want to know how to save a drum track from the loops that are available on garageband so i can write a track completely on garageband without using my synthesizer at all.

Drag the loops from the loop browser into the arrangement area.

The Help menu is your friend, and it gives you an excellent introduction to GarageBand's features and basic workings.

[turtle777]

So, what you are trying to do is to transfer the MIDI data from the Korg to Garageband, and then have Garageband play the MIDI back through the Korg, using the original KORG sounds ?

I'm sure it can be done, but I'm not at all an expert. Analogika would know how to do that.

-t

[jamesuk]

Thanks analogika,

Once again your help has been invaluable for a newbie like myself! I will get one of those Toslink adapters you recommended too as it sounds exactly what i need to transfer my music files from my korg triton extreme to my apple imac.

So thanks again,
James.

[analogika]

Just to clarify:

How exactly were you connecting the Triton to the computer so far?

(Oh, and the Toslink adapter needs to attach to an optical cable from the Extreme's S/PDIF output, so if you haven't one sitting around in your cables'n'stuff chest of drawers, you'll need that, too.

[jamesuk]

Hi analogika,

I was connecting the korg triton extreme to my apple imac wih a USB cable!

And i have found a Toslink adapter here and i think that this is the type of product you are recommending: http://www.dvd.co.uk/Hw/Belkin-PRO-S...htm?fs=froogle

I have also seen this product here which seems to have the audio cable as well: http://www.cabling4less.co.uk/Optica...FQ3NXgodOF4r7w

Please let me know which one you think is best?

Many thanks,
James.

[analogika]

The combination of those two should be fine, but I'm sure you should be able to get the optical cable for considerably less. The adapter seems expensive at £3 + postage, but what's a pound among friends.


What was happening via USB was that the Triton was sending MIDI data into the computer, which was then read and played by GarageBand (the difference between MIDI and audio is the difference between sheet music and a recorded piano piece on CD - MIDI doesn't contain music, it merely contains information ABOUT the music).

The good news is that you can connect your Triton via USB to control any and all of the virtual instruments built into GarageBand.


What *MIGHT* be possible - but I have no idea - is to set up the Triton to output AUDIO via USB into the computer. Check the manual if this if possible. In that case, the Triton should show up as an audio interface in GarageBand's audio preferences, and you could record directly that way, completely eliminating the need for any further cables.

You'll have to search the manual for this - possibly under headings "audio/sound outputs" or "USB socket" or such.

[jamesuk]

Hi analogika,

The first product listed on second link i gave you earlier: http://www.cabling4less.co.uk/Optica...FQ3NXgodOF4r7w

seems to have both the items you mentioned earlier the optical cable and the Toslink adapter in the one product? So can i just buy this product to connect the korg triton extreme and my Imac computer?

And i will explore the other suggestion u mentioned too. Thanks again for all your help.

Many thanks,
James.