Can I "Select Track" via Midi-Controller & Key Command ?

Hello,

I don't thing it is possible, but I better ask I am looking for a way to use the buttons of my Midi-Controller to select specific tracks. I have a template session, where the track layout is always the same. f.e. Piano track#1... . It really would make my workflow faster. I couldn't find any solution so far. anyone? (Don't mean select NEXT track etc... .) 

 

Regards,

Sebmo

Indeed, not obvious or intuitive. Sebmo, if you're willing to puzzle your way through this, consider this thread which is lengthy but ultimately successful, thanks to shivermetimbers and fader8.

 

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=75093&hilit=nanopad

 

The important distinction: key commands cannot do this, but a MIDI device set as a control surface can. Jordi has already guided you in this direction. This approach may be easier, though, with a dedicated control surface. Assigning actual keys to change tracks from your main keyboard may stop them from entering notes in Main. (Perhaps Jordi can clarify that.) Or, you may be gifted with a main keyboard that has a whole lot of buttons, so keys aren't needed. 

 

"Dumb MIDI devices" like the Nanopad mentioned in the attached thread are inexpensive. In any case, when you've got a MIDI input device with a whole lot of buttons on a separate port, your options multiply. 

 

As track selection is feasible with control surfaces, the likelihood of programmers adding key commands for that purpose is low. 

Hi,

The way I set this up is not that complicated, really. Here's a condensed guide to save you from reading lengthy threads:

- From the Control Surfaces Setup window I install a Logic Control (which I don't have) from New > Install.

- Select the newly installed control surface and set its input port to that of whichever MIDI controller you use. 

- Open the Controller Assignments > Expert View and look for the commands you need (Zone > Channel Strips, Parameter > Select) and delete what you don't need.

- Edit the assignments to your liking. I changed the Channel Strip parameter from "Fader Bank" to "Index" and removed the velocity byte (the third one) from "Value Change" field so that the commands are called regardless of velocity. Of course, you can change the type of MIDI message to whatever else you like, just look for the hex equivalent of each type of message (Note, Program Change, Control Change, etc).

Final note, if you need more than assignments of the same type, select, copy/paste, then edit.

J.

Jordi Torres said:

Hi,

Not super obvious/intuitive to set up, but possible indeed:

Do I understand that setup correctly, that you select the channels via notes? That's pretty cool. Didn't know that channel selection was assignable to MIDI events, and wouldn't have though at all, that you can connect them to notes. 

Then you can get a small and thin MIDI keyboards (something like that below from CME: https://www.cme-pro.com ) just as a channel selector 

Hi Murat. You're saying channel. Do you mean track (or channel strip)? Yes, as Jordi explains, any MIDI message at all (including MIDI note commands) can be used to select a track.

( As an aside, you can set the MIDI channel that Environment sends to the Sequencer Input by any MIDI message (note commands included) using a transformer object. But that's off-topic. Peter Schwartz' ArtzID behaves similarly, assigning Articulation ID's to notes before passing them into Main. )

You are correct: an inexpensive MIDI device can be used for this purpose. As Jordi said, you create a Logic Control object, but that's just a pass-through to receive a command, subsequently assigned to a track number.   

Jordi Torres said:

Hi,

The way I set this up is not that complicated, really. Here's a condensed guide to save you from reading lengthy threads:

- From the Control Surfaces Setup window I install a Logic Control (which I don't have) from New > Install.

- Select the newly installed control surface and set its input port to that of whichever MIDI controller you use. 

- Open the Controller Assignments > Expert View and look for the commands you need (Zone > Channel Strips, Parameter > Select) and delete what you don't need.

- Edit the assignments to your liking. I changed the Channel Strip parameter from "Fader Bank" to "Index" and removed the velocity byte (the third one) from "Value Change" field so that the commands are called regardless of velocity. Of course, you can change the type of MIDI message to whatever else you like, just look for the hex equivalent of each type of message (Note, Program Change, Control Change, etc).

Final note, if you need more than assignments of the same type, select, copy/paste, then edit.

J.

This post, no the whole thread, is very inspiring... although kinda boring and just a technical stuff at a first glance.

Makes me thinking a lot, so here are some more questions. 

Are such settings globally saved, or per project?

I hope and think globally. 

Are the assigned channels fixed? 

Like note C0 will always select channel Inst 1, C#0 Inst 2, C#2 always Audio 15, and so on; how it was configured in the beginning. If they are assigned to one unique channel

Is there maybe another possibility, so that a MIDI note selects the next channel and/or track?

If they are assigned to one unique channel, can be a MIDI note set so it selects the next track below or up in the arrangement window, resp. left and right for the next channel strip in the mixer? That'd could be a great time saver. 

Or any other MIDI control data, let's say pedal? 

My feets are not often involved (I suppose that's the case for the most of us), except you're tapping your foot if the song rocks   

Somehow I believe they could be put to better use. I imagine the following situation: I need to edit regions and thus go thru each channel, one by one, hands on the keyboard/mouse and with a foot pressing the pedal I select the next channel and continue the editing/work without the mouse have to move around to select the next channel, or leave the main hand position to click the arrow button. Would be very good for those simple and/or repetitive tasks, where you just want to be fastly done with it. Next channel, one simple command/click/edit/gain stage, then pedal/knob/note for next channel, etc etc etc... I assume you got the idea. 

How would you configure "note X selects channel X"? What scenarios should I think thru? 

If I want to use MIDI notes to select channels, I would think about which notes should I assign. Particularly if this setting is saved globally. If you have a separate keyboard, I'd opt for C-2 for channel #1 and transpose the keyboard permanently to that position, so I wouldn't have to transpose it always down. If I have just one MIDI keyboard that has to do all the MIDI tasks, I'd go for C0 = first channel, so I don't have to transpose back and forth too much. Or create a preset that goes for C3, the default middle key? But then in projects with high track count, this C3 would not allow enough notes. Hmm...tuff decisions. And some more questions... 

And what about if I change the order of the channels?

Will it still select the same channel no matter where it is located? Or even hidden? Or will it select the same position in the arrangement, e.g. third channel, no matter what it is?

I realize now that it's probably better, that these settings should be or can be saved by project, and not only globally. Depending on the track count and other tasks, I'd need different setups within Logic part and the MIDI keyboard presets. . Or at least stay flexible. 

That leads me now to my next two questions: 

Can those configurations be saved, and reloaded, like templates? (especially if only globally saved)

Can I create different zones, let's say for different behaviours? (if I did understand correctly what Zones are for)

Why inspiring?

This topic made me thinking about my workflow, and how I could increase the speed and efficiency and productivity, thus further decrease of technical/organisational/adminstrational stuff that stop the creative flow. Inspiring ideas I have now... in the middle of the night, where I should do some final tweaks to mixes...

I especially imagine a MIDI foot controller (Google MIDI foot controller)) that I assign to some "special tasks", or an extra small thin (in order to have it right in front of me, on the desk, Google small thin MIDI keyboard) MIDI controller with a keys and a couple knobs. Where I have direct access to certain MIDI-assignable stuff, like channel select. Or before I start a mixdown and have just imported the audio files into the sesssion, one of the next tasks, I do, is gain staging. Since I have plugin VUMT in the first slot on all channels, I think it should be possible to select with a pedal, turn Gain knob with the MIDI controller, or even set it to a fixed value when pressing a note. Then nex channel. No need to use the mouse anymore. This could be fasten up a lot. This scenario is also very handy, when switching between presets, and some are loud as hell. Others are low, barely heard. Then with one note you can turn down the gain to a fixed value, vice versa make it loud with another note. 

>> Is this scenario possible? 

Gotta dive deeper into this topic. With your help. I guess with a lot help. Good to know there are supporting Logic boys and girls here in this forum, that know Logic inside out *shy request to all of you experts*  . 

A couple years ago, I tried to configure certain fixed MIDI CC no. to certain plugins, but failed hardly. Somehow I had to have the plugin in the same slot, but then even that didn't work always, or if I remember correctly, the settings were lost or just stopped working. And so on, until I got frustrated and gave up after a couple trials. I wonder why I haven't asked here. Maybe it was way before I registered here. 

And now, it's already 2.35am, good night to those in Europe, good evening to those in America and good day to those in Asia. Have fun and be creative, and don't stop growing. 

Murat

Plowman said:

Hi Murat. You're saying channel. Do you mean track (or channel strip)? Yes, as Jordi explains, any MIDI message at all (including MIDI note commands) can be used to select a track.

( As an aside, you can set the MIDI channel that Environment sends to the Sequencer Input by any MIDI message (note commands included) using a transformer object. But that's off-topic. Peter Schwartz' ArtzID behaves similarly, assigning Articulation ID's to notes before passing them into Main. )

You are correct: an inexpensive MIDI device can be used for this purpose. As Jordi said, you create a Logic Control object, but that's just a pass-through to receive a command, subsequently assigned to a track number.   

I actually meant both, tracks in the arrangement and tracks in the mixer (channel strips of all kinds). Maybe this can be differently configured?

Ok, not mixing but experimenting with the assignments. There are quite some (almost infinite possibilities, on how and what you want to control... wow...

Some controls I wasn't able to assign to a note. 

Is there a book, that explains that also for newbies/dummies? Possibly shows up creative ways on what you could do?

Hi,

stardustmedia said:

Are such settings globally saved, or per project?

I hope and think globally.

Globally, in the control surfaces preference file (com.apple.logic.pro.cs).

stardustmedia said:

Are the assigned channels fixed? 

Like note C0 will always select channel Inst 1, C#0 Inst 2, C#2 always Audio 15, and so on; how it was configured in the beginning. If they are assigned to one unique channel

No, you can set it up however you like.

stardustmedia said:

Is there maybe another possibility, so that a MIDI note selects the next channel and/or track?

That's already available through standard key commands (which are also assignable to MIDI messages).

stardustmedia said:

Or any other MIDI control data, let's say pedal? 

Yeah, we already mentioned this earlier.

stardustmedia said:

How would you configure "note X selects channel X"? What scenarios should I think thru? 

Take a look at my animated gif again. Setting the Channel Strip parameter to "Index" and setting a number that matches your channel strip will allow you to set it however you like.

That's it for now, I may comment on your other points later.

J.

Thank you so much for your solution!! So clever! When I'm back in the studio I'm trying it out.

Sebmo

Hi,

Sebmo said:

Thank you so much for your solution!! So clever! When I'm back in the studio I'm trying it out.

You're welcome, hopefully you managed to get it working.

stardustmedia said:

And what about if I change the order of the channels?

Will it still select the same channel no matter where it is located? Or even hidden? Or will it select the same position in the arrangement, e.g. third channel, no matter what it is?

You would have to explore the different options for the Channel Strip parameter. When using the "index" one the selection depends on the position.

stardustmedia said:

Can those configurations be saved, and reloaded, like templates? (especially if only globally saved)

You would have to save different versions of the control surfaces preferences file and deal with them manually or write a program to manage handle them or something.

stardustmedia said:

Can I create different zones, let's say for different behaviours? (if I did understand correctly what Zones are for)

Yeah you can do stuff like that with zones and modes. I haven't used them in a while so can't give you an explanation, but we've covered it before in the forum. There's also the Control Surfaces Support manual, worth checking out.

J.

Hi, Could you explain how to assign it? When I click the "Learn Mode" it create me new file with "Volume" parameter instead of the Ch. 1 Select. I tried to copy the pad code to the "Value Change" but it does not work, Please Help

Hi,

You don't really use Learn Mode at all for this. You use the assignments that are already part of the Logic Control device you install in the Control Surfaces Setup window, then modify them to be triggered with whichever MIDI message you want. Make sure you read what I already posted:

viewtopic.php?p=703295&sid=352dd58ceaa66436b9757512343c3d30#p681488

J.

How to modify them to be triggered?

this is my screen

Jakub Kujawski said:

How to modify them to be triggered?

From this same thread:

Jordi Torres said:

-Edit the assignments to your liking. I changed the Channel Strip parameter from "Fader Bank" to "Index" and removed the velocity byte (the third one) from "Value Change" field so that the commands are called regardless of velocity. Of course, you can change the type of MIDI message to whatever else you like, just look for the hex equivalent of each type of message (Note, Program Change, Control Change, etc).

J.

@Jakub Kujawski, good to know you managed to get it working in the end!

 

J.

Thank you Jordi! The problem was with the setting the "input" and "output" in "Control Surface Setup". I should choose "Launch Control XL HUI" instead of Launch Control XL

I've revisited this thread quite a few times now and I still can't get it right, is there's anyone on here that's figured it out and is available/willing to show me on a zoom call or something? If so please contact me asap. (payment included for your time of course).

I've revisited this thread quite a few times now and I still can't get it right, is there's anyone on here that's figured it out and is available/willing to show me on a zoom call or something? If so please contact me asap. (payment included for your time of course).

Can you post a screenshot of a channel select key command so that we can see your assignment? How to attach files to your post

like this?

like this?

Ok that helps, but also can you post the equivalent to this screenshot, so we can see how it is on your machine? download/file.php?id=38183

I've basically started from scratch

I've basically started from scratch

What I need to see is the details in the right tab when one of the "Channel Select" assignments is selected.

Is this it?

If like the OP in this thread you're trying to troubleshoot channel selection then we need you to select "Ch1 select" in the "Command" column, so that we can see the assignment details on the right.

Is this correct?

Yes. So which type of controller are you assigning: a knob, fader, pad, key?

I would like to assign track select via the drum pads on my midi controller

To correspond to Jordi’s solution, In the Controller Assignment Parameter section, I would try changing the ‘Channel Strip’ parameter from Fader bank to Index.