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What to use for OM 6.16 when "SimpleSynth" does not work in macOS Catalina interface?

Dear all,

As you know that “SimpleSynth” is no longer compatible with MacOS Catalina, so I am wondering that are there any alternatives of “SimpleSynth” to play score objects?

Would be really appreciated if anyone could help me out with this issue!

Hello. You can use GarageBand, that is shipped with macOS, or any other music software or synth with MIDI input, and connect it throught the Mac IAC driver.

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I use Dorico from Steinberg, and by accident I discovered the following, which is kind of cool:

If Dorico is in write mode and the caret (the input device) is activated, and then push play in Open Music, the pitch information is recorded in Dorico. If one in Dorico has pre defined rhythms, thru activating “lock to duration” the pitches will attach to the rhythms. (Sorry for bad English). It functions best on monophonic lines. Also Poly Objects with superimposed monophonic lines. When using a chord object with chords, the first chord is decided in one single note and then the rest of the short. I’m trying to find a work around on that issue.

Thanks you both so much! The problem have been solved by using of “DLS-MIDI-Synth”, which is available in App Store!

Where can I find more information about how make a MIDI canal in GarageBand, that I can indicate in the settings of OM?

If you have a DAW, most of them will play the output of OM. I use logic. You have to set up four channels with the same instrument, tuned 25 cents apart. (Or not, if you’re not using microtones). In the OM preferences, you can set the MIDI to output the microtones to different channels. Logic has an additional step, you have to go to File -> Project Settings ->Recording -> Auto Demix by channel if multitrack recording. I’m not sure if Garageband has the option to multitrack record, I believe it doesn’t.

Thanks for the information. This worked so far:

  • I open Garageband.
  • I open “Audio MIDI Setup” and create the channel “IAC Driver” as explained here: (https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/209774225-How-to-setup-a-virtual-MIDI-bus)
  • I open OM 6.16 and go to the Preferences. I select “midi-player” and under “Ports setup” - “output devices”, I can now select “IAC driver bus 1”.
  • When I want to play back for example a chord, I still have no sound.

What should I do? Do I have to specify a setting in Garageband?
Is it not possible to play back in OM without using an external MIDI player?

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hi testmw

Below some answers:

What should I do?
Don’t panic !

Do I have to specify a setting in Garageband?
Most probably you should setup garageband somehow. (sorry i don’t use it so no much help here…)

Is it not possible to play back in OM without using an external MIDI player?
No. OM is not a midi synthesizer. You should have a MIDI external synthesizer.

best
K

Hello

One of my students found a simple synth version for catalina and it works beautifully.

Yan

Hello ! (Salut Yan :wink: )
Got today a new macbook, and I first installed OM6.16 !
About getting midi sounds, after a few hours of tries, I didn’t get any good solution.
This matlimatli/simplesynth opened once or twice, but now crash at launch…
Does anyone has catalina here, and the same problem with simplesynth? is there somewhere an updated version, or any fresh information to know?

Otherwise, I can get sound via mainstage (but so far no microtones - I need to study a little this program to figure out if it’s possible or not, I don’t think so)
Are microtones possible with garageband?

Thanks in advance for the help !
Matthias

Halo Matthias !

I can’t really help you since I don’t have catalina.
A student of mine told me about this and he uses it.

For garage band, I guess you could duplicate a software instrument, then detune it 50ct higher and change it’s receive channel to 3.
I never tried.

Best
Yan

Salut Yan !
Thanks for the reply !
Impossible in garageband to get microtones, but I solved it with Logic Pro X.
of course, via an active Midi IAC bus in midi preferences.
In Logic Pro :
Create a new session, first setup logicproX into multiplayer mode - that was a little hard option to find ( https://www.logicprohelp.com/instruments-tracks-midi-channels/ )
choose File > Project Settings > Recording, and under MIDI, select Auto demix by channel if multitrack recording
Then, for 8th tones, by creating 4 similar tracks, set up each on channels 1 2 3 4, and detune them accordingly - in the virtual instrument setup.


I leave this here, it may help another cata(stroph)lina dummy like me.
Best,
Matthias

Please be advised of the microtunig problem fix here:

Best
K

The problem is, it is impossible to hear microtones on f.e. garageband. I have a OMpatch for Simplesynth that can play microtones. Where is the OMpatch for Logic or whatever?

hugo vogel

Desafis@gmail.com.

Dear Hugo,

You can either use VMPK, or install fluidsynth.
please see here:

for VMPK: Can't hear sound of MIDI with vmpk
for fluidsynth: FLUIDSYNTH AND OM | OpenMusic

Best regards

Karim

I have the same problem but with Reaper. Can anyone make a guide on how to sync Open Music with the DAW? Thanks

Not sure i understand your problem.
You want to “sync with your DAW” ?
Is it a synth? no!
so what you can do is save-as-midi the material you need to send to your DAW and import it in.
Or, maybe i didn’t understand your problem well.

Best
K

HI All,

If I understand good the question, for using Reaper (or another DAW) as synth for OpenMusic, it should possible to follow this procedure:

  • open Reaper and OpenMusic
  • set the MIDI preferences in both softwares so that OpenMusic sends MIDI data to Reaper and Reaper receives them from OpenMusic. Probably you must set the same driver for MIDI out and in for both softwares
  • create a new MIDI item in Reaper, that is a MIDI track
  • set the track for receiving MIDI from the common MIDI driver precedently set
  • set the track in recording mode (set only the track, don’t play the real recording)
  • insert a virtual synth on the track
  • play a score on OpenMusic, and the result should sound into Reaper
    I have just successfully tested it on Linux using Jack audio server, on Mac it should be the same using IAC Driver as common MIDI driver.

If you run the global Reaper recording the MIDI data from OpenMusic are recorded into the track, otherwise you can only listen the sound by the virtual synth of the track.

I hope it is all clear, Best

fdsdb

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