Has anyone got the software to work on a Mac without using Parallels or Fusion or spending more than $5-10? If so, please share.
I tried Virtual Box and Crossover, couldn’t figure either one of them out.
I don’t think there is a solution that doesn’t involve installing Windows somewhere, either directly on the Mac or within a virtual machine like Parallels or VMWare etc. I think the reason for this is that the BB Manager comes in an installer .exe that when run installs the software and this will only work in a full Windows environment. This is different from a Windows standalone .exe that runs without an installation procedure and therefore would likely run within some of the cheaper suggestions such as Crossover etc.
Mac users! - I have managed to get the BB Manager running of a sort within an app called Wine and Winebottler. This is free software available here http://winebottler.kronenberg.org. You can actually create a standalone app on the Mac from the BB files. However you need to download the BB files (BBManager132.zip) as posted by Daefecator here:
- the Windows installer .exe as posted in the official download will not work. Briefly, to get it to work you need to:
- go to the Advanced tab in Winebottler
- Leave Prefix Template as is with “new prefix (default”
- Set the program to install as /Users//Downloads/BBManager132/BBManager.exe assuming you have downloaded the files mentioned into the Downloads folder - not the user name is whatever you have on your Mac.
- Set the radio button to the third option: “This is an actual program, copy it and all the files that are in the same folder”
- Click the Bundle: setting (Include Wine binaries…)
- Click Install - this will prompt for a name and location for the app.
The process takes a little while but in the end it should create an app with the BB as an icon which you simply double-click to get running. You may have a little difficulty in getting used to the locations of all files etc. Remember that Mac apps are often packaged and within Finder you need to show the package contents to see all files etc. I say this because projects I created using this solution ended up in the package contents and not elsewhere in on the Mac - just be aware that can happen.
The result is not a fully working BB manager - for example it will not play the .wav files from within the BB manager. But most of the essential pieces work.
Tomd100,
Thanks! I was able to creat the app. I’ll try to plug it in sometime soon:)
Ryan
Thanx! I was able to create the app, too. But when I connect my BB, My MacBookPro does not recognize it. And I can’t try with a SDCard reader I haven’t one for this time… Anone has a solution?
I didn’t bother connecting the BB directly to my Mac. Instead I used the BB Manager to export to a folder on the Mac using the Export Project option. I then transferred the results to the SD Card via a card reader. I think this is a better workflow than exporting directly to the BB anyway as I usually have the BB setup with all connections etc. on the floor and would find it a pain to have to connect it to the Mac each time.
Thanks for the Winebottler workaround - I was hoping someone would post the instructions as the last time I delved into this application I got a bit lost 
I have one like this for my Mac and it works a treat:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/7-IN-1-USB-S … 3ce3db21ca
Cheers
Richard
Thanks for trying to help with this!
Questions:
-
When you say it won’t play the wav files from within the manager software, do you mean that the “virtual beatbuddy pedal” won’t work to play any of the songs or parts?
-
My mac will not recognize any card readers for some reason and when I try and connect the BB pedal via USB, the pedal says “USB Connected” but my Mac says only"USB Device Needs Power - Connect “Mass Storage Device” to power or a USB port on this Mac." The Pedal IS powered and it IS connected to USB port on the Mac.
-
Could you post steps to get started with the software on the Mac - I’m completely lost with the files names and the menu names - they make no sense to me.
Much appreciated!
If and when they ever do come out with a Mac version, I surely hope they issue some tutorials for the layman.
I have used VirtualBox with Windows 7 to run the BBManager however there were some issues:
-
Make sure you have downloaded and installed all VirtualBox extensions or you will not be able to see your SD Card Reader or USB Connected BeatBuddy - I suggest creating a shared folder in VirtualBox which will give you access to your BeatBuddy files and let you drag and drop your updated files between the two systems
-
Audio playback has very long lag times - it does play but from play to start of pattern is several seconds - it is not practical to utilize the virtual BB pedal
I am wondering if anyone has experienced the 500 midi event limit and if there is a way around this?
WineBottler - no sound
Hey all,
Another frustrated Mac user here, who like many, didn’t realize there wouldn’t be a working Mac Beat Buddy Manager when I bought it. SO - thanks to all the info on this post, I DID manage to get the software up and running using Wine and Winebottler after much maneuvering of the .wav and midi files into the right folders, so something actually shows up if you click on a song part.
HOWEVER - I’ve got no sound no matter what I do. Has anyone successfully used Wine and Winebottler to get the whole thing up and running WITH sound? Because without sound, well it might as well not be running at all. Really don’t want to have to purchase Windows and a partitioner to get what I thought came as part of the package here, so any help would be hugely appreciated. I’m so close! It all looks to be working the way it should…I JUST CAN’T HEAR IT!
There was a time during my beta test when I was in the same boat. The file format has changed, and a new version of the software just didn’t play any sound. I could only compose new songs and play them only with my pedal after I’ve uploaded them.
This was definitely very inconvenient, yet definitely doable!
I have had the same problem with sound in this config. I found a solution which is sort of OK but doesn’t work well enough for me to get excited about it (and be happy with this version as an alternative to a definitive Mac version). The sound from the BB appears to be sent to AirPlay when using Winebottler etc. So if you open up Audio MIDI Setup and go into the Audio Devices window you should see at least 1 channel showing as “out” on the AirPlay section. If, like me, you use AirPlay and have speakers attached to an Airport Express then you can play sound though them, with a considerable lag though.
Alternatively a neater solution is to use AirFoil from Rogue Amoeba which will let you pick up the audio from any given application and direct it to wherever you want - this works better I think. AirFoil is a very useful product that also includes a feature that allows you to send sound from videos to AirPlay. Sending sound to AirPlay always involves a considerable lag between source and speaker - the cool thing about AirFoil though is that it will sync the sound with the video, if you play the video within AirFoil itself, removing the lag.
While exploring Winebottler I noticed there is a setting under the Winetricks section, in Advanced tab of the Winebottler app, that provides an option to “set sound driver to Mac Core Audio”. I haven’t tested this yet but it looks like it should fix the audio issue on Macs when using Winebottler.
I tested the Winebottler setting that supposedly allows the building of the app to use the Mac CoreAudio, mentioned in my previous post. It doesn’t appear to make a difference. Therefore the best solution I have is still to use Airfoil by Rogue Amoeba which works but with a lag.
I paid for new tech in advance and while waiting past the "Investor " point saw units being sold . I saw add ons being offered for a discount before i saw a product. I Finally received a product and was somewhat happy then received an email of a firmware update and was excited being a Techie by trade but when downloading update while away from the bat cave the only device was my hated enemy the mac. A toy with a lot of issues but it can do a simple task of downloading and updating firmware on a device used in recording and musical purposes. something that macs with their native midi interface I always used as their saving grace. And I am shut down like a Horney teenager in a whorehouse with monopoly money. There isn’t even a universal device recognition when plugged in. Why have the plug just say you need a memory card port or adapter end load the software. Guys Brilliant idea but once you went to production in China all common sense went out the window. Make your money…Then make it right for us who paid to get you there
Joe
Again Young company moving forward but think of most road musicians. macs are toys but the interface with most sound rigs is brainless plug and play. Granted you don’t have a manager for Mac yet but you post an update to everyone in a win.rar format that is self explanatory in a windows environment. for mac you can download. then download the rar program for mac (thats free) then un zip to a folder (That you need to create and specify) then hopefully you have a usb card device that recognizes the adapter then you can follow the directions to drag and drop files. Im a Geek and Im Bitching, Someone on the road waking up from a gig from last night with fur on their tongue wants to plug in with the shitty internet from the Holliday Inn Express check email see an update,download,pick up the box from the floor , plug it in to their laptop (windows or Mac book from their Uptight high school they hated) and be able to jam with the rest of the band for practice because the drummer just happened to hit on the towns only cops daughter, It could happen but plain language and clear directions work. Don’t send me a christmas card in an envelope I can’t open
Yes, it is indeed bad as there is no Mac version of the software. It is coming, though.
I have tried installing BB manager twice but with no success, winebottler seems to work ok but as soon as I try to open BB manager
it goes through the motions and then before any windows can open it crashes.
Does anyone have any ideas.
Mac OS is Yosemite on Macbook Pro
I also tried the Wine and Wine bottler apps but the app it created would not even open. I really don’t want to partition my drive and buy a copy of Windows. And who knows when the Mac version will actually arrive.
So here is my thought foe a solution. I propose to purchase a Win tablet running Windows that would interface with the Beat Buddy. And I’m thinking I could actually bring that tablet on gigs and be able to create new songs during breaks. I anticipate using the Beat Buddy to trigger the patterns with the foot switch tapping tempo and the pause (that is such a great idea). This is probably not the cheapest idea but I’m thinking I’ll get Band in a Box and export the midi drum files and tweak them to fit my style.
A native MIDI editor will soon be available right inside the BBManager.
I’ve spent a lot of time installing virtualbox , parallels and others . Tried to work with SD card in the internal macbookpro card reader, with an external Lexar USB3 card reader, with the pedal directly connected to the usb mac port , … nothing work well . always an issue .
I am very disappointed because on the “mybeatbuddy” web site it’s a macbookpro display on the page that let think it’s compatible . But in fact it’s not . How can you create pedal for musician and not use OsX ? that’s no sence
Conclusion : I don’t use my pedal for now . I was one of the firsts on crow funding . Grrrrr