Help With Osx 10.2.4 And Midi Set-up, Can't set up MIDI keyboard with software Options

[parente]

It's been 3 years since I've set-up my music software and it seems like 100. The fog is starting to clear a little... but not much.

I recently bought a Mac G4 1Gh, 768 ram running OS 10.2.4 to compose and record more of my own material which I used to use a tangerine iMac for. I spent the day (all day) trying to use a FastLane USB interface with my Casio CTK-540 MIDI keyboard along with Bitheadz Unity DS-1 2.1 sampler software. I've used all of this equipment and software before. I'm not new to a Mac, but am new to Mac OSX and no matter what I try, I can't get this system work.

I tried downloading from MOTU's website the most recent FastLane drivers for both OS9 and OSX and installed both of them. If I start up Audio MIDI from OSX, it sees the Fastlane but not Unity DS-1. If I start-up OS9 and open FreeMidi, it sees Unity DS-1 but not FastLane. I tried loading Performer 6 and the installer program gave me an error screen saying it couldn't find the CD.

I downloaded Pro Tools Free and Musy software hoping to make some progress and see what current sequencing software was like. Along with these downloads came OMS, which I installed to see if it would help make the MIDI connections. Nothing seems to work.

I can start-up Unity DS1 by itself and access the sound banks directly using the onscreen virtual keyboard, but that's about it. Can anyone tell if I'm doing something wrong, or do I need to buy all new eqipment and software? This is really frustrating

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Steve

[Levon River]

Steve: I feel yer pain.

Not having the same combination of hardware/software that you're wrestling with, I can't get right down to the nuts & bolts on all you described, but I'll start with some basic suggestions:

OS X:

1) I don't think Unity 1.2.1 works with OS X. Contact Bitheadz about upgrading. That should solve the fundamental problem with Unity in X (but not the congenital problems in Unity itself ). Seriously, I'd start looking at alternatives for sampling growth in OS X if I were you. There are some very attractive ones either freshly out, or just on the horizon. (Reason's NN-XT runs rings around Unity in my book. MOTU is promising MachFive, which looks mighty impressive.)

2) There are a lot of MIDI freeware and shareware programs for X that you could use to test out yer Fastlane/hardware setup. I had a USB Fastlane connected in X for a brief period and had no problems with it at all. Go to VersionTracker for OS X and search on MIDI and have fun (till you can get yer Unity upgrade).

OS 9

I haven't booted into 9 in months, so am *very* rusty in that area, but...

1) Get the latest version of FreeMIDI if you're using a FastLane in 9.

2) If you have to use OMS, brush up on what you have to set in there to get a MOTU interface working with it. I still wake up screaming from nightmares about OMS.

One thing I will say: trying to straddle two operating systems--in *any* field--is hell enough; in the field of music and audio, I'd rather juggle rattlesnakes.

OS X is the future. My advice would be to settle on a good set of programs for X, start building yer music machine in that, give OMS/FreeMIDI a burial in the back yard, and don't mark the spot.

Keep in touch, and good luck...