Benefits of assigning Controller Assignments to a Smart Controller first vs assigning directly to the plugin

[JoshJ]

Im in the process of setting up a midi controller to control my channel strip (a combination of one or 2 insert plugins) and (in a separate mode) my mixer settings (pan, sends, mute, etc).

I want to be able to use this assignment setup to control my plugins and the mixer, whichever Logic session I am in and on whichever track where those plugins are preset.

Is there any preset management / recall benefits to assigning plugin parameters to Smart Controls first, and then assigning a midi controller to the Smart Controls? vs just assigning the midi controller directly to the plugins. Or is there no difference?

[David Nahmani]

Smart Controls are macro sliders and knobs saved with each patch and recalled on each track. Let's say I have knob 1 on my controller assigned to Smart Control 1. Now if I select track 1 where I've loaded a patch when SC1 controls the gain of the amp but also starting at 7 through 10 turns on a low pass and as I raise from 7 to 10 it decreases the cutoff frequency of the low pass and finally exactly at 10 it turns on a de-esser, then that's what knob 1 on my controller controls. But if I select track 2 where I've loaded a patch where SC1 controls the amount of send to a reverb bus, then that's what knob 1 on my controller controls.

[JoshJ]

So you’re saying (if I understand) Smart Controls are patch dependant and cant be global. ie once a SC is setup It cant then universally control any targeted channel. The SC’s patch must be manual loaded in the channel strip settings?

[David Nahmani]

So you’re saying (if I understand) Smart Controls are patch dependant and cant be global. ie once a SC is setup It cant then universally control any targeted channel. The SC’s patch must be manual loaded in the channel strip settings?

The assignment from a controller knob to a Smart Control knob is global. The mapping of a Smart Control knob to various parameters in a patch is done at the patch level. The patch contains all the plug-ins and Smart Control layout and mapping.

[JoshJ]

So if I already have a Channel Strip setting loaded (without Smart Controls), or just plugins already setup on a channel, is it possible to copy/load ONLY a Smart Control to a channel without it affecting the plugins already existing on that channel? Or is the only way of loading Smart Controls to save the combined plugins and SC setting into a channel strip setting and then load it onto the channel (and overwrite the plugins/plugin settings that were currently on the Channel)

[David Nahmani]

Channel strip settings are a legacy item, you shouldn't use those any longer, and favor patches instead. There's no need to save anything to use Smart Controls. Just open the Smart Controls pane and start using the existing Smart Controls or customize them to map them however you'd like. When you insert plug-ins, Logic automatically creates some Smart Controls assigned to some plug-ins on the channel strip.

 

Just give it a try and it will make more sense. Open a new empty project, create an empty software instrument channel strip and open the Smart Control pane, then start inserting an instrument and some audio fx plug-ins. If you want to do your own Smart Control mappings, use this: https://www.logicprohelp.com/assign-midi-controller-knobs-plugin-logic-pro/ — then if you're happy with your patch and its Smart Controls mappings, save the patch in the Library and the Smart Controls pane layout and mapping are saved along.