Can Logic accept multiple inputs into a plugin ala Protool?

[JT3_Jon]

I'm wondering if Logic can accept multiple separated inputs into a single plugin? Apparently Protools, Reaper & Cubase can. In Logic I'm not sure if/how I can do this.

Heres a youtube explaining what I'm looking to do: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1UlZ5N3R6k

[hmowday]

There wasn't any sound on the video,....and wasn't too sure what you're on about, BUT why don't you just buss the inputs to a bus and use one plugin on that?

[David]

Yes, Logic supports multi-channel and surround plug-ins, up to 8 channels:

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[JT3_Jon]

WAY COOL! And I can have these in stereo projects, right? Any advice on how to set this up? (trying to find a step by step in the manual) I've figured out how to add a "surround" version of SPAT, but I need to setup a multi-channel bus or some way to specify what signals are on the 8 separate channels.

For example, Spat is a room simulator capable of receiving 16 mono (or 8 stereo) signals which then allows you to place each individual signal in different placements in this room. So for example I can have my violins on the far left about 3 meters from the conductor, Violas in the center 3 meters back, cellos on the right 3 meters back, flutes about 60 degrees 5 meters back, etc.

How do I get these separate signals into a multi-channel plugin and effect each one separately? In the video above you can see they setup protools to allow individual paths to the separate channels of a 5.1 bus in protools. Can this be done in Logic? I'm not looking to work in surround, only to demo this plugin to its full capabilities. Thanks in advance for the help and reply.

[David]

How do I get these separate signals into a multi-channel plugin and effect each one separately?

Create an Aux, set its format to Surround, choose your surround format under Settings > Audio. Choose a bus as the input for that Aux.

To route a track to that Aux, set its output to that same bus.

To route the signal on that track to a specific channel on the bus, use the surround panner (double-click it to get the bigger GUI, click on the individual speakers to activate / deactivate them).

[JT3_Jon]

Thanks, this is very helpful! Is there anyway to send actual stereo files to a single "speaker" ala protools? I would like to process separated stereo files. Also, I choose 7.1 in my preferences (in the hopes of having more speakers) but there still only show 5 in my surround panner. Is this normal?

Thanks again.

[David]

I choose 7.1 in my preferences (in the hopes of having more speakers) but there still only show 5 in my surround panner. Is this normal?

Yes. Do this:

choose your surround format under Settings > Audio.

To send a stereo file to a single speaker, place it on a mono audio track and follow my previous instructions. It will sum the two channels to mono and send the sum to a single channel.

If you want to keep the stereo signal of your source and place the left and right channels on separate channels then you'll be limited to only 4 stereo signals (which is 8 channels).

[JT3_Jon]

Thank you very much!! I was thinking "audio preferences" when you clearly said "audio settings." Sorry!!

Its all working GREAT now!! Thank you very much!!!

One final question though, If I'm manually turning off speakers in the surround panner so I'm only using 2, does the panner still have any effect on the stereo width of the signal? For example, say I choose the back 2 speakers. Do I now need to adjust the surround panner & width settings so that the L & R of the source is only hitting those two speakers? Or since I only choose those two speakers is the L&R of the instrument automatically going to those two speakers?

[David]

You're welcome! Glad to hear you made it work.

I don't believe the width matters for surround channels (the back speakers), so just set the Angle to -180, Diversity to 0, and the width to, say, 140 and you should be alright.