Logic's Test Oscillators - Automation [BUG]

[Chrispire]

Logic's T.O isn't capable of fine frequency adjustments and it can't accurately automate frequency adjustments.

 

For example, between 100 and 200 Hz it can only create frequencies in 5 Hz increments. I understand the programming reasons behind this, but it's a big problem nonetheless. It is quite limiting in some sound design situations and it also means that the T.O cannot be used for accurately testing frequency response in an acoustic environment.

 

Try this.

 

Create a track with the T.O on it and try to set the frequency to 111 Hz. It's not possible with the mouse, but if you type the value directly into the T.O then it sticks...for the time being.

 

Now open automation on that track and create another automation point so that the frequency will sweep from 111 Hz to 125 Hz.

 

Done that? It all looks fine for now, but try to move the 111 Hz node left or right. The moment you do so it snaps to 115 Hz. Logic simply cannot produce that 111 Hz frequency.

 

I do need to be able to create accurate oscillator frequency sweeps in my work, especially low frequency sweeps. At the moment the T.O just goes bump, bump, bump as it moves though those frequencies in big steps.

[Eric Cardenas]

Confirmed.

 

It works fine when not using automation but as soon as you start creating automation points it breaks.

[ew1]

Has any solution been found for this?

 

I'm trying to automate TO to go up in 1 Hz increments for a room test. Automation point can't be click-dragged to 51 Hz. It can only go from 50 Hz to 52Hz. 

 

You can type 51 Hz into TO and you can save this as automation point in touch mode but as soon as you stop playback, the 51 Hz automation point moves to 52 Hz.

This is true for multiple other frequencies too. For example, TO jumps from 86 Hz to 88 Hz.

 

Would really love a solution to this.

 

And ideally, I would like to be able to set the automation points to match the fundamental frequencies of the chromatic scale at A 440. So that would be 32.7 Hz, 34.65 Hz, 36.71 Hz and so on.

It seems crazy that TO can't be precisely automated.

 

If there is no solution, can anyone suggest a third part oscillator that can be precisely automated?

 

Many thanks

Edited June 2, 2022 by ew1

[fuzzfilth]

I'm not sure why the Test Oscillator is getting such a bad rap here.

Yes, if you need precision (and 1Hz resolution is nowhere near precise or fine enough at 50 Hz, while completely pointless at 5000 Hz) and three decimals of accuracy, possibly for professional acoustic engineering, then yes, you need a specialized piece of gear or an extra app for this, and you will not rely on a freebie kind of thing.

As for being able to mis-use the TO as a playable instrument (which is what Sampler gives you from the get go and is also easily achievable from Logic's other synths), just put it into an instrument slot and play it, like this:

I think that's pretty darn ok for a plugin tucked away under Utilities ?

Edited June 2, 2022 by fuzzfilth

[ew1]

15 minutes ago, fuzzfilth said:

I'm not sure why the Test Oscillator is getting such a bad rap here.

Yes, if you need precision (and 1Hz resolution is nowhere near precise or fine enough at 50 Hz, while completely pointless at 5000 Hz) and three decimals of accuracy, possibly for professional acoustic engineering, then yes, you need a specialized piece of gear or an extra app for this, and you will not rely on a freebie kind of thing.

As for being able to mis-use the TO as a playable instrument (which is what Sampler gives you from the get go and is also easily achievable from Logic's other synths), just put it into an instrument slot and play it, like this:

I think that's pretty darn ok for a plugin tucked away under Utilities ?

Great! Thanks!

[David Nahmani]

18 minutes ago, fuzzfilth said:

As for being able to mis-use the TO as a playable instrument (which is what Sampler gives you from the get go and is also easily achievable from Logic's other synths), just put it into an instrument slot and play it

That's really cool! I did not know this. I know some people who are going to love this trick to do bass drum doubling with a sine wave on a specific note. Thanks Christian! 

[fuzzfilth]

You're welcome. Although it might be not ideal for actual music, as it does not have an envelope, so it sounds at the given pitch until you hit the next note. 

But anyway, Sampler with no preset loaded does precisely this and has pretty much the smallest footprint possible.

Edited June 2, 2022 by fuzzfilth

[David Nahmani]

5 minutes ago, fuzzfilth said:

You're welcome. Although it might be not ideal for actual music, as it does not have an envelope, so it plays at the given pitch until you hit the next note. 

When doing kick drum doubling I recreate the desired envelope with a noise gate that has the original kick as the external side chain input. 

[fuzzfilth]

Exactly. Or use Replace or Double Drum Track, with an empty Sampler...

[David Nahmani]

5 minutes ago, fuzzfilth said:

Exactly. Or use Replace or Double Drum Track, with an empty Sampler...

Yes that works if your kick track's performance is written in stone. 

[ew1]

Great stuff! Thanks