not funny, update logic 10.4.7, Catalina and Bitwig

Finally there is some movement on the use-all-the-midi-ports-at-once-so-you-only-have-16 channels dilemma, when you make a midi recording on Logic, at least it seems that way looking at the expanded midistudio (apple’s system app) in Catalina. The midi studio has a new way of mapping with ports and channels so you can choose what is connected with what.

The not-funny part is: Logic 10.4.7 can’t use this for now I think. The only au3 plugin that you can select a port from is still the one from Vienna (Beta: with restrictions).

Why you need more then 16 channels at midi recording? MPE! What? MIDI Polyphonic Expression.(4 months ago there was a topic on this forum where the site admin asked what is MPE?! So if you don’t use it is not strange that you don’t know it) If you want to record a live midiperformance with two or more MPE instruments you need more then 16 channels.

Almost six years on the market, It is still not common today but for example the Seaboard Rise and Block keyboards are here to stay so it seems not only to me. MPE is also part of midi 2.0 and that is the nearby future. It is thru that not every DAW supports MPE easily (Logic does a reasonable job with only one MPE instrument) but all the 43 DAW’s (still counting) * that I’ve checked let you choose the midi port with midi recording. That is except Logic.

By the way: for all other kinds of situations then the use of MPE instruments it is nice to choose your midi port at midi-recording as all other DAW makers know, apparently.

Logic has some incredible features. Some from the Notator beginning: the score possibilities. Some from later: built-in instruments, effects.

But without the integrated score features of Logic, almost all the other parts are nowadays better with other DAW’s in my view. With the last version of Bitwig this thing that’s called “the grid” compensates for me the built in Logic instruments. The Grid is a modular synth/arp/etc with a very gentle learning curve with the possibility to make a gigantic synth or whatever you want all with amazing sound quality. Bitwig let you choose on horizontal recording (like Logic) and the use of clips(like Ableton) or combine them. As I use also two W10 pc’s in my setup (they are connected with VSL to a iMac, one W10 has touchscreen) the bonus with the trial version of Bitwig was: they take the touchscreen seriously! This complete DAW works at a pro level with a touchscreen! You have to try it. I’ve tried it and I can’t go back.

I’m 100% sure that midi-port choosing and touchscreens are coming to Logic/Apple; in fact they know how to as for the use of touchscreens; look at the iPad! But when it is finally time for the liberation of the midiport and the touchscreens at Apple's probably 2026 or 2027, I hope I made the right choice to have left Logic and go Bitwig in 2019.

In a interview with a Bitwig developer the man said something about their policy; they want to give customers what they want. Incredible, how smart! That is logic!

* The counting is not a hobby for me, I did this for an education-project.