Using multiple tracks /w the same channel.

Hi,

 

For most of the folks here this might be an old hat, not of interest or whatever (so please ignore if you are one of those folks).

But, as I'm ocassionally helping people out with finding their ways through Logic (admittedly a little less during the last years as I was still on LP9 until recently), I often noticed the "New Track with same Channel" feature to go unused. Might as well be that it's only still there for the Logic oldtimers as it's one of the rare reminders of Logics "object based" character (that once used to scare the hell out of, say, Cubase switchers).

Whatever, for me it's still one of the most useful functions up to this day. I mainly use this for drum programming, but I still find it to come in handy for other tasks as well.

Once you use it (or even just become aware of its existance), it should be completely clear what it does, but still, here goes:

 

When you create a new track with the same channel, it will use, well, the same channel. Unlike the "officially available" buttons for a completely new track (with the following selection dialog), "duplicate track" and the other "new track" entries (such as new Drummer track, new audio track, etc.) this will not exactly create anything new. It'll use the same mixer channel "object" for whatever you do on that track. This is true for both MIDI and audio tracks - which might confuse some people. And which might as well be the reason for it to not be all too popular/promoted, simply because on MIDI tracks using the same objects, all data is merged whereas on audio tracks only the newest recording (or dragged file) is played back. Which is why I'm mainly using it for MIDI (has been my go to tool for audio comping before swipe comping showed up, though, and I still use it every now and then).

 

So, let's say you have whatever drum instrument track set up. And let's further assume you're like me and not the greatest realtime keyboard drumming artist. Because of the latter, you may want to record just the kickdrum pattern at first (or maybe kick and snares, but you get the idea...). Once done, you might want to record a snare take. And this is where things already start to get interesting. When you record on the same track, your data will be merged (I know, there's alternate settings, but that should be the default most people work with). Which is fine in case your performance is fine and you don't need to reach much for further finetunings. But if you do, this is where using a new track playing through the same object comes in extremely handy. Just use the function from the track > other menu and record your snare on the new track. It'll play through the same instrument used (which IMO is a good thing as it saves CPU, mixer channels and allows for common adjustment of overall levels, etc.). You do however now have independent access to the dynamics, quantization and what else is on offer in the region parameter box. For me, that's quite a thing - I may for instance keep my kick perfectly on the beat whereas I might like my snare to be a little laid back, so I would only delay the regions of the recorded snare. It's also a nice way to record alternate patterns for each drum kit part, as you can easily mute regions.

When done with my programming/recording, I usually slap things into a folder (now named track stack) or merge the parts together.

 

Hm, guess that was it already. As said, probably an old hat for most, but for me it's still something that I love a lot about Logic (and not all other sequencers allow for such things as easily).

Thanx for sharing your experience!

Your insight highlight one of Logic's old feature that are indeed overlooked, as it gets inevitably drowned in the myriad of ever growing other new features list, all more exiting from one to the next.

This is one good thing I like with Logic, the good old stuff remains available (most of the time) offering extra solution to achieve one's goal, and expanding also the creativity possibilities.

 

BTW, not intending to be nitpicking, but folders are different from stack, although there is indeed a stack type called folder stack, (without mentioning the take folder).

This is one good thing I like with Logic, the good old stuff remains available (most of the time) offering extra solution to achieve one's goal, and expanding also the creativity possibilities.

 

Well, most of the time, yes... seriously, if they only had kept the "zoom memory" available/intact, quite likely the biggest gripe I'm having with LPX. I can only hope they'll fix that in whatever update.

Anyway...

 

BTW, not intending to be nitpicking, but folders are different from stack, although there is indeed a stack type called folder stack, (without mentioning the take folder).

 

Oh, I know all this (at least sort of, given I'm not on LPX for too long so far...) - and well, I should've probably said that I used to use folders here and there. But fwiw, I guess with track stacks (the folder type) these times are over forever, I can't see any advance of the old folder "model" over track stack folders. Track stacks (both types) are in fact one of the amazing new things I'm enjoying with LPX.

This is one good thing I like with Logic, the good old stuff remains available (most of the time) offering extra solution to achieve one's goal, and expanding also the creativity possibilities.

 

Well, most of the time, yes... seriously, if they only had kept the "zoom memory" available/intact, quite likely the biggest gripe I'm having with LPX. I can only hope they'll fix that in whatever update.

Anyway...

Don't worry, that will be...

 

BTW, not intending to be nitpicking, but folders are different from stack, although there is indeed a stack type called folder stack, (without mentioning the take folder).

 

Oh, I know all this (at least sort of, given I'm not on LPX for too long so far...) - and well, I should've probably said that I used to use folders here and there. But fwiw, I guess with track stacks (the folder type) these times are over forever, I can't see any advance of the old folder "model" over track stack folders. Track stacks (both types) are in fact one of the amazing new things I'm enjoying with LPX.

IMHO, the older Folder remains a useful option way to organize a project, or projects within a project.

IMHO, the older Folder remains a useful option way to organize a project, or projects within a project.

 

Out of interest: What is it that you can't do with a track stack folder that you can do with an oldschool folder? Right now, I couldn't think of anything.

IMHO, the older Folder remains a useful option way to organize a project, or projects within a project.

 

Out of interest: What is it that you can't do with a track stack folder that you can do with an oldschool folder? Right now, I couldn't think of anything.

You can insert an oldschool folder inside a summing stack, while you cannot insert a folder stack inside a summing stack... But if the folder stack is packed in an oldschool folder, then you can.

You can have several layers of an oldschool folder, which you can't with the folder stack.

That might not be of interest to you, but consider that Logic's userbase accounts for many thousands users of different backgrounds and probably with as many workflows...

You can insert an oldschool folder inside a summing stack, while you cannot insert a folder stack inside a summing stack... But if the folder stack is packed in an oldschool folder, then you can.

You can have several layers of an oldschool folder, which you can't with the folder stack.

That might not be of interest to you, but consider that Logic's userbase accounts for many thousands users of different backgrounds and probably with as many workflows...

 

Oh right - completely forgot about nested folders. And you're right, I never needed them. Or let me rather say I also didn't want to use them because even single folders more often than not resulted in all sorts of strange things when unpacking them (seems to be adressed with LPX as well, just fooled around with them a little). IIRC, back in the L7 (and earlier) days using folders and unpacking them was an excellent receipe for complete nervous breakdowns.

Another useful thing with the old folders is that you can loop a bunch of regions that have different lengths, by packing them in a folder (and loop the folder)

Another useful thing with the old folders is that you can loop a bunch of regions that have different lengths, by packing them in a folder (and loop the folder)

 

Oh yeah, true!