Nord User Forum

useless with technology, was wondering if its possible to connect and use the np88 with garageband on mac? do i require anything else to connect?

Hi,
sure it should be no problem. just connect the USB Cable and assuming youve installed the Nord Driver it should be recognized as MIDI interface in Garageband, maybe you have to set the right MIDI devices but normally they should be automatically selected. Hope it helps, otherwise ask again.

Hi

Although it seems that the NP 88 is compatible with GarageBand, I haven't succeeded in hearing anything when the piano is connected as a MIDI device to my MacBook. So I connected the USB cable, I upgraded the software of the piano, I checked the Audio/MIDI configuration and started GarageBand. I didn't get any sound. I've tried almost any combination of MIDI setting in the menu on the piano, but to no avail.

What am I doing wrong? Last time when I connected another MIDI controller to my Mac, I didn't have any issues with GarageBand, it played the sounds right away.

And what is the MIDI light for on the piano? Will that light up when some MIDI input is received?

Can someone please help me?
Thanks

I just stumbled upon your post - have you gotten it working ? If not, maybe I can help.

No, I have not, so I'd be glad if you could help.

Just a thought,
the Nord piano has to be set in the MIDI Menu to send over normal (5 pin din midi) or USB midi and a specific channel, this has to match the configuration in GB.
The MIDI LED lights whenever the Nord Piano is receiving midi.

I tried the NP88 with GB '08 (old Mac) and GB '09 (newer Mac). The exact sequence of events varies a little, but here's what you do :
First be sure have the NP88 set up properly. Select "USB 1" as your midi channel.
Connect to the Mac with the USB cable.
Open GarageBand and select "New Track", then select "Software Instrument".
When you play the Nord you should hear sound from the computer speakers. It will be the sound of the computer's built-in piano, not the Nord's sound.
Note that the NP88 Midi indicator DOES NOT blink, As far as I can tell, GB does not send midi back to your keyboard - it is strictly a one-way street. This means that you can't play back a recorded midi track from GB thru the NP88. You can control any of the Mac's software instruments. You can't record and edit a midi track and have it control the Nord for playback.If you need this capability buy Logic Express.
If you want to record the actual sound of the Nord you simply connect a cable from the audio outputs to the audio input of the Mac. Select "New Track", the select "Real Instrument Track". The Nord should now play thru the computer speakers. (You may to hit the Record button to hear it, I don't remember now).

I hope this helps - let us know what happens !

Al

Hi Al

Thanks a million! The last time I tried, I thought: "Well, there are only 15 midi channels, why go beyond that?" But apparently "USB 1" is beyond that
So I just had to go one more up to find USB 1 as midi channel and now it works!

Great help, thanks

You aren't the first one to miss the "USB" midi channels in the menu ! Glad you're cooking now !

Amazing! Simply amazing; that some of us share the same concerns for connecting to Garage Band. And why didn't I think to connect from the CH1 directly into the iMac?
Thanks for all the relevant questions.