Logic Pro 9 Converting EXS 24 Instruments

bayswater

bayswater

Logician
I'm working with a composer who uses Garageband as a scratch pad. We have sampled a couple of instruments he uses, and I've made EXS 24 instruments out of them under Logic 9.1.7. I wanted to make GB versions of these and send them to him.

There are a number of methods I can find via Google, including dropping sound files on the internal GB keyboard, copying the EXS file and sample folder into the GB libraries, and editing a copy of a plugin preset to reference it. And a few other approaches.

None of these have worked in Garageband '11. And I assume it is not formally supported in GB.

Does anyone know of a method that might work? I've seen a few commercial applications that claim to be able to do a conversion, but given my experience and Apple's apparent reluctance to let people customize their GB setup, I'm not confident these would work either.
 
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bayswater;32964 There are a number of methods I can find via Google said:
This last one does work, I have just done it. Alternatively you can use Redmatica Keymap software to do this. better check first though, I know older version would convert to GB (and Kontakt)
Click to expand...
 
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Thanks.

What version of GB did you use (I have '11)? When I did this, the edited and renamed versions of presets did not appear anywhere in the GB menus.

I checked with Redmatica and it does still work on GB, but I'd have no other use for use if simply copying instrument files and making small edits works for what I want.
 
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Yes, Gargeband 11

Some of those instructions you find on the internet are a bit wrong.

The file you edit is .CST. You must edit with plain text app, not a wordprocessor, and the place you change the name is about half way down the gobblydygook, not the one near the top.

Make sure you also put the exs. instrument in the right directory and the samples in the right directory, GB is very picky about this:

.exs in:

(User) Library/Application Support/Garageband/Instrument Library/Sampler/Sampler Instruments

samples in:

(User) Library/Application Support/Garageband/Instrument Library/Sampler/Sampler Files


and edited .CST save as (rename) to same folder:

(User) Library/Application Support/Garageband/Instrument Library/Track Settings/Software
 
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bayswater said:
Is this sort of thing documented anywhere by Apple, or is it a hack that has to be changed from time to time?
Click to expand...

It's a hack which I doubt they would document or support. That page you refernce is very old, it should be the .cst file you edit (in the Track Settings/software folder), and be careful to only edit the exact filename of the .exs, e.g:

Code: 
,,ÄÄËËËËdËdËËd»dd»d$`$```d»dd»d'N'bb""dc∆cË›2bbÄQâQââ------ââË-Ë?-?ââË-ËË-ËââË-ËË-ËââË-ËË-ËââË-ËË-ËââË-ËË-ËââË-ËË-ËââË-ËË-ËââË-ËË-ËËËËËZMELCPMAS1MAS[COLOR="Blue"]editthisname.exs[/COLOR]∫}Úˇˇˇˇˇˇˇ HIÛËK.ZƒˇˇˇY<=b>@?"LMNOP\[RSTQU)_ba•ÃŸb¶ˇˇˇˇ¨@≠Æ˝ˇˇˇØˇˇˇˇ∞˱Ë≥¥Ùˇˇˇµ∂∑Wπ∫ˇˇˇˇªˇˇˇˇºΩø¿ˇˇˇˇ¡ˇˇˇˇ¬√≈∆ˇˇˇˇ«ˇˇˇˇ»...ÀÃˇˇˇˇÕˇˇˇˇŒœ-"ˇˇˇˇ"Ë‡Ë‡Ë‡Ë‡"˜'◊ÿˇˇˇˇŸˇˇˇˇ⁄€"ºï¬Ë‡Ë‡Ë‡Ë‡ï¬‚ˇˇˇˇ"¡Â·"*ˇˇˇˇÂˇˇˇˇÊÁ˛ËX4)Channel EQGAMEÏ,¿fl$$`fl`0`0*4*" ï¬‚" 0`0**flflfl0`0$$fl0`0$$fflf0`0$$ØflØ0`0"4""˜ï¬‚"˜$$0`0(¿*GAMETSPPÏAÄ@è¬5?Ä?" BÕÃå?Ä?%DÄ?33≥?Ë™Cè¬5?ñDè¬5?¿ZEè¬5?Ä?Ä;F AÕÃå?-ÑF@è¬5? A@@ AX4	CompressorGAMEö@<d<UdCwC(n(
 
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I used your instructions, and the instrument did show up in GB. But GB said there were components it could not find, and it appears that it could not find the samples. I looked inside the .exs file and it shows explicit references to the sample file locations in places other than the correct GB library folders.

In Logic, I refreshed and exports the instrument to the GB library, and the .exs file does appear to show the correct sample locations. Now, GB sees the instrument and appears to be attempting to load it, but crashes.

Perhaps I can ask two more questions?

Does GB actually use the path information to the samples in the .exs files or does it just go directly to the default folder?

Does GB work with any exs instrument or are there some features it will not recognize (and crash if they are there)?
 
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bayswater said:
I
Does GB actually use the path information to the samples in the .exs files or does it just go directly to the default folder?

Does GB work with any exs instrument or are there some features it will not recognize (and crash if they are there)?
Click to expand...

GB must have the samples in the Samples folder.

I don't know about the crashing if there are parameters it doesn't recognise.

Maybe reset it to defaults in Logic then try again?
 
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All this does it let you move the instrument to the iPad version GB. You still need Redmatica Keymap One to actually create the GB instrument from the exs files. For the price Keymap and a cup of coffee, I could buy the composer a copy of Logic Express, and the problem would go away.

I did buy Redmatica's Autosampler to get my custom patches off my hardware synths into software formats. It works well so their other products are a possibility. But I have some time to figure out how to do it for free.
 
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bayswater said:
!! Just had a look at the App Store. No more Logic Express ?!?!
Click to expand...

Discontinued, Logic Pro $199 is your only choice.

Yep after going to Redmatica's site I see that it's for iOS, my bad.

:eeek:

I also used Autosampler to capture my midi hardware, and some old PPC only virtual instruments.
:cool:
 
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I've had Logic Pro (or equivalent) since V5, along with DP and Cubase. But the composers I'm working with generally have GB or nothing. Too bad there is nothing between GB and Logic Pro we could use to exchange songs and sounds. GB is a bit too restricted, but Logic Pro is overkill.
 
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bayswater said:
I've had Logic Pro (or equivalent) since V5, along with DP and Cubase. But the composers I'm working with generally have GB or nothing. Too bad there is nothing between GB and Logic Pro we could use to exchange songs and sounds. GB is a bit too restricted, but Logic Pro is overkill.
Click to expand...

Have you checked out the current version of GB?

They did add flextime and groove matching, but editing is a pain.

Key One looks like the solution.

:cool:
 
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For the composers I'm dealing with, grooves and flextime would not be of interest. Most are accomplished performers. They want better scoring, and access to a wider variety of sounds.

What is Key One? I googled, but all I found was a streaming service in the UK.
 
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