Getting Started With Midi Keyboard
- Set Up The PreSonus
Be sure the Presonus is on and set up correctly. If you want to hear audio from the speakers be sure the speakers knob is turned up. If you are trying to listen through headphones, make sure the headphones knob is turned up.
BE WARNED
If you turn the Presonus on after you've already launched a software, you'll have to restart the software by right clicking the icon in the dock and selecting quit. - Check Global Sound Settings
You'll need to go into System Preferences, then navigate to Sound and be sure, under BOTH Input and Output, the option PreSonus Firestudio is selected. You may need to scroll down a little bit in the selection window.
- Launch GarageBand And Set Inputs/Outputs
Navigate to Preferences at the top left of the screen. From there click on Audio/Midi. Then make sure BOTH Input and Output are set to PreSonus FireStudio.
- Set Up New GarageBand Track
Navigate to the top left of the screen and click on the Track button. Scroll down and then select the New Track option. From there select the piano icon. Because the software instrument is utilized through a midi controller (most commonly the keyboard) you won't need to select an input. The computer should do this automatically.
- Change Sounds, Pitch, Arpeggiator etc.
You can choose different sounds (grand piano, synthesizers, drum kits, etc.) within the Browse window on the left-hand side of the screen. Many of the keyboard controls are disabled when interfacing with a program that uses it as a controller. The modulation and pitch shift controls on the far left of the keyboard DO work, as does the arpeggiator and some of the tone controls.
You can select different keyboard presets by turning the knob next to the LCD display to the left or right. Press the knob in to select the preset. You’ll see that, depending on the program, the presets may or may not change the output. Each preset DOES affect how the arpeggiator and pitch/modulation controls work.