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I'm going to use my audio interface to record my friend when I travel. He uses garage band and I use Cubase and I heard garage band doesn't export tracks. Is this true and how would I be able to use it when I comeback from florida onto cubase?

Comments

anonymous Fri, 03/22/2013 - 02:06

I am not a garageband user. Never even tried it. But here's what a cursory search turned up...

[[url=http://[/URL]="http://delora.com/t…"]Exporting GarageBand Files[/]="http://delora.com/t…"]Exporting GarageBand Files[/]

According to the article, it's not "easy", but it can be done... kinda....and in the end, the quality will be substantially lowered ...and here's why:

GB apparently allows the user to export "songs". So, you would have to export each track as a "song". Here's the rub: You can only export these "songs" in either MP3 or AAC formats.

Now, while most other DAW progs like PT, Sonar, Cubase, etc., can all import these formats, your resolution will be lowered accordingly because of the conversion to the compressed formats.

It seems pretty time consuming, and in the end the quality will suffer because you are forced to work with these lower quality audio files.

It all depends on what it is you want to do and how much time you want to spend doing it. If you guys are just working out pre production note-pad stuff that will be re recorded for real at some point in the future, or just having fun, then you can work between the two platforms, although as mentioned, it seems to be a pretty time consuming process, but yeah, you could do it.

However, if you think your collaborations with your friend will continue over time, or you are looking at a certain higher standard fidelity-wise, it may be more beneficial for your friend to get into a more widely accepted DAW program that will work and play well with the other widely accepted DAW programs. It would probably be advisable for him to get Cubase, because that's what you are using. You two could then collaborate over long distances using Dropbox as a delivery method, or even better, an FTP program. This is done all the time between collaborators that can't actually get together face to face.

fwiw
-d.

anonymous Fri, 03/22/2013 - 13:10

I would be interested in finding the location (on the hard drive) where GarageBand stores the audio files... they have to be somewhere, although what resolution GB saves files in would be a consideration.

Other than that, an easy-to-install program like Audacity or Reaper might be an easier solution for recording and exporting the tracks.

Sent using more processing power than NASA used to go to the moon.

gdoubleyou Sun, 03/24/2013 - 11:19

GB can export 24bit .aif, in the preferences under advanced set audio resolution to best.

Under the share menu, export song to disk.

He will have to solo the track and mute the other tracks rename and save to disk each time.

Also if he knows someone with Logic Pro, Logic can directly open GB sessions, and has an export all tracks feature.
:cool:

RemyRAD Sun, 03/24/2013 - 13:16

You do know this is why God created laptop computers don't you? I mean are you making this recording for him? Or are you making this recording for yourself? How many tracks are you recordings simultaneously? There are other programs you can install on his Macintosh that will record in uncompressed formats, easily translated/trans-coded/transferred without the sound falling apart. Then your program will run on Macintosh which is why you should load that on his Macintosh. You're either going to make something professional or you're going to make something strictly for the garage-based listeners. And if the translation does not provide for adequate results, it's not doable. It's that simple. You can't get milk out of a dead horse. You can't even get it out of a dead cow. And those are zoological absolutes. And you don't want your recording to sound like the monkey House at the zoo do ya?

So you either attempt installation of proper software for tracking purposes only onto his Macintosh or you deal with less than stellar results. It doesn't matter if you put 100+ octane aviation gasoline into your 1978 Toyota. It will still be a 1978 Toyota that really doesn't go any faster. And then you end up with that 1978 Toyota with a big dent in the side when ya get home. And that will be something you'd be very proud of. The recording will end up the same way. So it's a laptop with your software or, on his Macintosh. And it won't be Garbage Band. Because that won't run on a PC. It's like MOTU, just ported their Digital Performer, after all of these years, over to PC. For those that want to spend $1500 on audio software. Otherwise it's what you got that makes practical sense. And ya have to be a wee bit practical in this line of work.

I'm too practical for my own good.
Mx. Remy Ann David

BobbyRose23 Sun, 03/24/2013 - 15:25

We are using his girlfriends laptop, we are using 3 channels simultaneously. Going go DI from his amp and then I'm bringing it home to add my part, cause its for vacation and I just don't like laptops for myself personally. I don't expect it to be the best quality but I'm going to do best I can with what I got. It's for me the project is our band from 10 years ago.