Routing / external instrument

Hi there, I’m looking for some advice regarding routing of external midi gear. Current setup:

 

My hardware synths go into a line mixer. I have an FX chain in the send of the effects loop of the line mixer and the return of the FX comes in on its own input on my audio interface. I’m able to track the synths and FXs on separate tracks in Logic. All works well. However, when I use the “External instruments” plugin in Logic on more than one Instrument (via usb from synth or midi via midi/usb box) because everything is coming in to the same audio input on my interface I can hear all the other midi parts.

 

Other than printing each “external instrument” track before moving on to the next synth part or getting a line mixer with direct outs, what else could I try?

 

Thanks!

Jam

If you use the External Instrument plug-in in Logic on multiple software instrument tracks, and those different plug-ins all have the same audio input selected, then they are all routing the same audio signal to different channel strips in Logic's mixer. You can have separate live audio signals simultaneously in Logic's mixer only if you can route separate audio signals simultaneously to your interface. Depending on your mixer, that may or may not be possible.

 

See my answer to this other recent thread on the same topic: viewtopic.php?t=139692#p718465

Hi David - thanks for your reply. I did see that link too. Looks like I'll need a mixer with direct outs as I mentioned . I was hoping not to spend more $$$ ! haha.

 

Stay health!

Hi David - thanks for your reply. I did see that link too. Looks like I'll need a mixer with direct outs as I mentioned.

That, or an multi-in audio interface and NO mixer, but you mix everything 'in the box', ITB, in Logic's mixer. That's been my way of working the last 20 years soon, but I do realize that we have various workflows and needs when it comes to tactile faders and pots etc etc.

Hi there! Yeah, that's what I've been doing mostly but wanted to do try something more er.. "organic". Will have to rethink. Thanks guys!

I would recommend a multi-i/o interface coupled with a control surface if you need faders and pots.

I have a multi i/o interface. The main thing is I'm trying to track the FX on a separate input at the same time. This is why I got the line mixer as it has an FX send (and returns to it's own input on interface). I can easily connected everything to in own decocted input for sure. How would I deal with the external FXs? thanks again!

What FX is that? And what interface?

What mixer do you have?

 

Many analog mixers have additional outputs, these can be labelled as 'sub' or '3+4' and you can pick any one of the channels on your mixer to go out via this second output and straight into channels on your audio interface, thus isolating it from the rest which gives you a little bit more freedom for tracking,

 

But of course, if it's only FX channel you want - you only have to run a cable from the FX out into your audio interface IN to capture the FX feed. But where are the FX being generated from the mixer itself, or you going into an FX rack?

 

If you're going into an FX rack you can use the FX outs from your analog mixer, into the FX rack, and then the output of the FX rack comes out to the input on audio interface. You can record dry and wet onto separate channels and control the FX amounts via the analog mixer that way - is that the kind of thing you had in mind? Remember most FX channels are mono on analog mixers tho, and you would need to think about how to best handle parallel/serial FX processing.

What mixer do you have?

If you're going into an FX rack you can use the FX outs from your analog mixer, into the FX rack, and then the output of the FX rack comes out to the input on audio interface. You can record dry and wet onto separate channels and control the FX amounts via the analog mixer that way - is that the kind of thing you had in mind? .

 

Yes, this is how I have it setup at the moment. I changed from the "External Instrument" plug and did the classic way mention above (thank you!). That now works the way I had in my head. Separate synth and FX tracks in Logic and hardware monitoring. I have a chain of FX pedals on the SM10 Line Mixer where I can adjust the amount in addition to the pedals themselves outside of "the box".

 

If I decide to put the FX chain on it's own i/o and used the IO plug in Logic on an aux, would there be any significant latency involved? Pedals are mostly delays or modulated reverbs.

 

Thanks again everyone for your help! This place is always so helpful.

 

Stay healthy,

Jam.