Unable to drag midi or audio from GarageBand onto Scalar 2 GUI

I have a Mac Mini M1, 16 GB RAM, Ventura 13.3.1

I am unable to drag a short MIDI file or audio file from a track in GarageBand onto the Scalar 2 GUI.

1:
Scalar 2 is in DETECT mode and set to MIDI. I try to drag a short MIDI clip from Garage Band onto the Scalar GUI and nothing happens. I have watched your video over and over and I see nothing wrong on my end.

2:
Scalar 2 is in DETECT mode and set to Audio. I try to drag a short audio clip from a GarageBand audio track onto the Scalar 2 GUI and Scalar 2 disappears.

Hi @conan55 and welcome to the forum.

In regards to point number 1. You need to drag your Midi clip onto the track you have Scaler 2 loaded on (not the Scaler 2 GUI itself) and start playback in Garageband. Just make sure you have detect enabled inside Scaler 2 before you start playback.

and to point number 2. You cannot drag an already imported piece of audio from within your project onto the Scaler 2 GUI for detection, you would need to drag an audio file directly from your mac Finder onto the Scaler 2 GUI or use the “Import Audio File” option in the detect menu. To do this, simply drag the audio from Garageband onto your desktop first and you will then be able to drag it back in directly onto Scaler2Audio for detection.

Hope this helps and happy creating!

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I’m sorry, but your reply makes no sense. If you watch this video, you will see what I mean.

I tried cutting and pasting a short midi clip into Scalar2, just as you described. It did not work. Please see attached screen shot. It should be self explanatory.

The active file, Scaler-Chord.mid will only move within Logic Pro. It doesn’t “iconize” and detach from Logic Pro and allow itself to move onto the Scalar GUI.

Hey @conan55 James point 2 is relevant here. You would just need to export file as midi on Logic to your desktop then reimport into Scaler or even easier - just put Scaler on as a midi fx on that channel or put Scaler on an another instrument channel and drag the midi to that channel and hit detect in Scaler!!!

and to point number 2. You cannot drag an already imported piece of audio from within your project onto the Scaler 2 GUI for detection, you would need to drag an audio file directly from your mac Finder onto the Scaler 2 GUI or use the “Import Audio File” option in the detect menu. To do this, simply drag the audio from Garageband onto your desktop first and you will then be able to drag it back in directly onto Scaler2Audio for detection.

Hi @conan55,

I think you may be misinterpreting what Davide is doing in this video when he drags audio onto Scaler. Davide is working in Logic Pro X, not Garageband, and he is dragging an audio file from his browser window directly onto Scaler 2. This is essentially dragging audio that is stored elsewhere on his computer onto the Scaler GUI via Logic Pro’s browser window. This is not the same as dragging audio already inside a project on a track onto Scaler.

The way in which you are trying to drag your midi and audio files from within your garageband project onto Scaler does not work. It never has worked that way.

To detect Audio without exporting and re-importing you will need to load ScalerAudio as an fx onto the track that you have your audio file on, set detection to audio, adjust the threshold and then begin playback. Scaler will attempt to detect the chords and notes being played.
See this video here Scaler 2 Workflow | Audio & Midi Detection - YouTube

See also this video here at the start Scaler 2 | Using Audio Detection to Make a Track - YouTube

Midi works essentially the same, you need to load Scaler 2 up as an instrument (not fx this time) in Garageband, place the Midi region you would like to detect onto the same track as Scaler 2, arm Scaler for recording and begin playback within Garageband.

There are many videos and resources out there that can help with how to detect audio and Midi, but I can assure you that you cannot drag Midi or audio from within your project onto the Scaler GUI for detection.

I am using Logic Pro, not the erstwhile Logic Pro X.

“To do this, simply drag the audio from Garageband onto your desktop first and you will then be able to drag it back in directly onto Scaler2Audio for detection.”

Mac Mini M1
Ventura 13.4

I have switched to Logic Pro. When I drag midi or audio from Logic Pro onto my desktop, I see a “+” icon which disappears. Finder shows me the files in the Desktop folder as type .aif. That’s kind of inconvenient. I did not see you have these issues. You seemed to drag files directly from Scalar onto the desktop, and back again.

I do not see a “Detect” menu. I have no idea what that is. There is a Detect button however. It doesn’t seem to be working for some reason right now. More troubleshooting.

The other instance of Scalar is working, and I seem to be able to drag files from the Finder onto Scalar.
Midi saved as type .aif