Q: How do I setup my M-Audio Oxygen Series* Keyboard to control the transport buttons in Apple’s GarageBand?

A:  Most music/recording applications allow you to use standard MIDI messages (the kind sent by virtually any MIDI controller on the market) to externally control your software’s Play, Record, Fast Forward, Rewind, Loop, etc buttons.  These buttons are known collectively as the “transport controls”.

However, most parameters in GarageBand (including the transport controls) are controlled using a system of non-standard messages that the majority MIDI controllers on the market (including Oxygen) are not capable of transmitting.  If you are looking for a product that can control GarageBand’s transport controls “out of the box”, one of the few options currently available (from any manufacturer) is M-Audio’s iControl– a control surface designed for specifically for GarageBand.

If you wish to use a MIDI controller other than iControl to remotely control GarageBand’s transport controls, you will need to run a third-party application known as GarageRemote in conjunction with GarageBand.  GarageRemote is a free application that actively transforms the standard MIDI data from your hardware controller into the proprietary messages GarageBand requires.

Please note that GarageRemote is a third-party application developed by Murat N. Konar.  GarageRemote is in no way affiliated or endorsed by M-Audio or its parent company Avid Technology, Inc.  M-Audio does not warrant the performance of GarageRemote in any way.

To use GarageRemote with the M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2, 49, and 61 follow these simple steps:

1. Download the latest version of GarageRemote from muratnkonar.com.

2. A folder named “GarageRemote Folder” will be unzipped to your hard disk.  Open this folder and double-click the “Readme.rtfd” file.

3. Follow the readme file’s instructions regarding how to move the GarageRemote Preference Pane file to the proper system folder.

4. Once the Preference Pane file has been moved to the proper location, open up System Preferences (accessible from the Dock) and click the GarageRemote icon under “Other” at the bottom of the System Preferences menu.

5. Under the MIDI tab, enter the following information:

 

 

Note: in the above settings, the Oxygen Stop button is mapped to GarageBand’s “reset/return to start” control, as the Play button functions as both Play and Stop in GarageBand.

6. Once the above information has been entered, click the Listener tab and activate the Start button.  If you would like to have GarageRemote active at login, click the available checkbox.

7. Now make sure your Oxygen is set to factory preset 1, as the settings illustrated above correspond to the data the Oxygen transport buttons send out under those presets.  To change the presets on your Oxygen 8 v2, press the Select button until the red dot on the LCD appears above "Preset", then scroll with the + and – buttons to “P01”.  The Oxygen 49 and 61 have dedicated +/- Preset buttons, scroll to "P01".  If you have modified the data sent by your Oxygen's transport buttons for preset 1, you will need to reset your Oxygen.

GarageRemote is now active and ready to translate the incoming MIDI data from your Oxygen's transport buttons. Launch GarageBand and enjoy!


* This does not apply to the Original Oxygen 8 because it does not feature transport buttons.