Using multiple synths in logic pro x

Dear people,

 

I have found several topics regarding the controlling of multiple software instruments with multiple midi controllers, however my question is a bit different.

 

I own a nord stage piano, moog sub 3, and prophet 6 (i'm a lucky guy). 

 

I connected them all to my computer (mostly via usb as they all support midi via usb). 

When I make external midi instruments / tracks for each synth (on their own midi channel; e.g. moog on channel 1, prophet on channel 2, etc)., everything seems fine at first.

 

However, I noticed that inserting midi in one of the tracks (e.g. the moog) also triggers my other synths, and eventually everything goes crazy. 

I don't want one synth to trigger the other, heck I don't even want to use my synths as midi controllers, I just want them to communicate with logic to receive midi notes, and be synced with logic's clock.

 

Any advice/help would be highly appreciated!

 

cheers from Amsterdam,

 

Oscar

Hi Oscar!

 

Can you tell us how you've set up your tracks? How did you choose a destination for each one? An input for each one? Etc... 

Hi there! what i've done is connect my synths via usb, and create an external midi instrument track for each one. 

 

In the output menu, I get a dropdown menu where the synth can be selected, and then I choose the corresponding midi channel (which is also set in the synth itself). 

So what I get is something like this:

 

For the moog: input 1 (on my audio interface) , output moog sub 37, channel 1, and output to speakers 1+2 (on my audio interface)

and for the prophet: input 5+6, output prophet 6, channel 2, output to speakers 1+2, and so on.

 

Am I doing something wrong here?

I would recommend you keep your Library open to check the destination of each external MIDI track. Now if you place a MIDI region on a track that has a specific destination selected in the Library, only that destination should be triggered by that MIDI region. Can you double-check that? 

Hi,

 

First of all, follow David's advice, if you manage your MIDI output port and channel assignments from there things will just work.

 

On the other hand, to understand why your getting unexpected results when doing it he way you've done it:

 

Creating an external instrument track in Logic creates an Multi-instrument object in Logic's MIDI environment (MIDI Instr. layer) which is basically a bundle of 16 MIDI channels that correspond to a unique MIDI out port (or all available out ports, or none at all). The track you create will be assigned to that object.

 

If you create three external MIDI tracks in one go from the New Tracks dialog, you'll see you will only be able to select one output option for all three, which means all tracks will output through the same single port (meaning all three tracks will be assigned to the same multi-instrument object in the MIDI environment). 

 

If you go ahead and change the (output) Port parameter in one of the track's Track Parameters in the Inspector believing (intuitively) that it will only change the port for that track, it won't. It will change it for all three tracks because they all point to the same object.

 

Same thing happens if you create one external track and then others by double-clicking below the first one. 

 

So again, to avoid this, you either follow David's advice and create your tracks then set your ports and channels from the Library. This will ensure each track is assigned to a distinct Multi-instrument object in the MIDI Environment.

 

J.

Great stuff, thanks! with 'library' you mean the track inspector right? the parameter that says 'midi channel'?

Hi,

 

Great stuff, thanks! with 'library' you mean the track inspector right? the parameter that says 'midi channel'?

 

No, by Library I mean Library. When it's open it appears to the left of the Inspector. Go to View > Library or use the key command (should be "Y").

 

J.

Hmmm so I think we're getting close to the issue here, yet I don't fully understand yet.

 

What I do is:

- make a new external instrument

- in track inspector, change midi channel to the port that corresponds to the port set up on my hardware synth (so that each synth has its own port)

- repeat this for all my other synths

- auto demix on in preferences

- record enable/arm all synths.

 

In this way I can play them at the same time, and there is no 'crosstalk'.

There is still some weird stuff though; e.g. when I have midi regions on them and I want to mute one of the tracks during playback sometimes you still hear them.

 

So here is a screenshot, with the library opened. I don't understand: where can I set up the destination in the library? I just see user patches and so on...

 

Hi,

 

So here is a screenshot, with the library opened. I don't understand: where can I set up the destination in the library? I just see user patches and so on...

 

You need external MIDI track for that...without the plug-in. In Logic you have two options: The "classic" external MIDI tracks (no plug-in), and software instrument tracks that use the external instrument plug-in.

 

J.

hi everyone, its years later now and hooking up my studio again, but the newer version of logic does not have the 'auto demix' function anymore?

Revisiting the same issue now, have several synths set up on their own external midi tracks/channels, but when I play e.g. my prophet, it also triggers the other synths (crosstalk).

any tips/tutorials?

1 minute ago, TendingTropic said:

the newer version of logic does not have the 'auto demix' function anymore?

Correct, you can now choose the MIDI in Port and MIDI in Channel directly from the track inspector for each individual track. 

 

thanks david, weirdly enough, if i choose the corresponding midi out channel there are no problems, but if i set the midi in channel in the track inspector to the same channel (that is in the synth) the synth goes crazy with a drone like sound that doesnt stop... sound familiar?

12 hours ago, TendingTropic said:

but if i set the midi in channel in the track inspector to the same channel (that is in the synth) the synth goes crazy with a drone like sound that doesnt stop... sound familiar?

Have you set Local Control to Off in your synth? If you haven't, then please do so.

J.