Fix for Logic's multi-timbral software instrument AUX hassle

***NOTE: This is working very well with the V-BUS protocol on Apogee Symphony, but I think it will also work with any core audio virtual output app (i.e Jack OSX, soundflower)

If you're like me, you HATE the fact that you need to use those extra AUX channels and assign them to arrange page tracks just to adjust the panning/levels of your multi-timbral/multi-output software instruments. Pardon me if this has been discovered in the past, but I couldn't find it anywhere... I HAVE THE FIX!

This example uses Stylus RMX, but it will work with any multi-timbral VI with multiple outs.

1. Create an instrument track in the arrange page and load a multi-output version of RMX. Set its Midi channel in the inspector to "All".

2. Click the '+' sign on RMX's mixer channel to create 7 stereo aux channels that logic will automatically to the correct audio outputs of RMX.

3. Open the environment and create a new multi-instrument and name it RMX (or whatever instrument you are using). Run a cable from the multi-instrument to the instrument channel-strip that's hosting RMX. Click on midi channels 1-8 of the multi-instrument.

4. Create 7 new software instrument tracks in the arrange page. On each of these, load one of Logic's External Instruments. This is where it gets interesting.

5. On the Midi input menu of each External Instrument, select a different midi channel from the RMX multi-instrument. You'll only need to channels 2-8, because channel 1 is handled by the instrument track hosting RMX.

6. On the Audio Input menu of each External instrument, select a different apogee V-bus input. You'll need 7 pairs of V-bus inputs for RMX. Again, I believe this will also work with Jack OSX, etc.

7. Go back to your original RMX aux channels. Assign the outputs of each channel to a pair of V-bus outputs that match up to the inputs you just picked in step #6.

8. Set the outputs of your RMX instrument and the external instrument channels to 1-2 or however you choose to bus your RMX audio signal.

9. In the RMX plugin, make sure you have all of the audio outputs set for each part to a different output A-H.

10. ***Very Important*** Make SURE you have created output channels in the environment to correspond to the V-bus outputs you have assigned. SOLO-SAFE each one (control-click the solo button). Project settings>audio>"automatic management of channel strip objects" should take care of creating the output channels.

To manage all the new mixer tracks that this requires, I usually just hide the aux tracks in the mixer, or add them to the arrange page and use the hide button, while the mixer is in arrange view.

What you have now are 8 RMX instrument channels, channels 2-8 "fooled" into thinking they are accessing an external instrument (RMX, which is actually on the first channel). You can automate, mute, solo, add effects,or treat them them any other single instance VI. You still can't freeze the new tracks or original RMX channel, but you couldn't do that anyway.

Hopefully I didn't leave anything out - and BTW, this process takes awhile, so save the environment or the project as a template!

This wont work for everyone, but feedback welcomed, and ENJOY. Now time to go write some cues.

Nice. Cool idea..

We stiiiilllllll need a REAL fix for this though. Cubase has it right.

Simplesly,

What I see in your original post is that you try to use two different ways of Multi Timbral and Multi Out implementation of the Virtual Instrument midi and audio routings. What I mean is combining the "Old Way" and the "New Way" which causes this mess I guess...

For example...

3. Open the environment and create a new multi-instrument and name it RMX (or whatever instrument you are using). Run a cable from the multi-instrument to the instrument channel-strip that's hosting RMX. Click on midi channels 1-8 of the multi-instrument.

This is the "Old Way" of the midi Multi Timbral routing we used in the former Logic versions.

4. Create 7 new software instrument tracks in the arrange page. On each of these, load one of Logic's External Instruments. This is where it gets interesting.

This is the "New Way" implemented in L8/L9.

As a whole I'm a fan of the "Old Way" cause the Environment Multi Instrument gives you much more possibilities to control the RMX (in your scenario). So you have one Multi Instrument inc. 8 midi sub tracks for that Multi ch.1-8 cabled to the RMX and 8 audio Auxes.

As an example go to my website shown in my signature below and watch the "RMX Power CTRL" videos, where I use the "Old Way".

A.G

I find this cure worse than the disease.

Right, it's about 7 steps more than using Auxs.

But, each to their own.