Logic custom Instrument Folders

[woods101]

Greetings people,

I always find myself here when it's just been slightly too long for me to remember how to do something I used to know how to do and this is one of them.

I know how to make custom effects plugin folders in Logic. I'm trying to make custom instrument folders so I can group the Logic stock instruments and also add some 3rd party synths, samplers etc to those same folders so all my preferred instruments are available from one dropdown. At the moment, the only custom instrument folders seem to be some of the effect plugins that I've just added (see photo), which is pretty weird - I can drop an effect into an instrument slot it seems. Is this an obscure logic glitch? Anyways, can anyone advise?

Thanks, Woods.

[des99]

There is only one set of plugin folder organisations in play. Logic always shows you in the menus the plugins that are valid for a given context - so if you are in the Instrument plugin menus, you will only see plugins that can be loaded into instrument slots - instruments of course, but also MIDI Controlled FX, Generators and other things.

If you are in an audio FX plugin insert slot, you won't see instruments, but you may see them if they have "FX" versions which you can run audio through.

Same is true for the channel format too - eg if you're on a mono channel insert, you will only see plugins that can be loaded as a mono plugin - you won't see any plugins that don't support a mono config.

So if a plugin is displayed in the menu, it's applicable for the given context you are inserting a plugin.

18 minutes ago, woods101 said:

At the moment, the only custom instrument folders seem to be some of the effect plugins that I've just added (see photo), which is pretty weird - I can drop an effect into an instrument slot it seems

I can't see any custom instrument folders in your screenshot, so I'm not exactly sure to what you are referring.

Edited June 20, 2023 by des99

[David Nahmani]

6 hours ago, des99 said:

I can't see any custom instrument folders in your screenshot, so I'm not exactly sure to what you are referring.

He's referring to the custom effect plugin folders he's seeing in the instrument drop down menu (Delay, Dynamics, Filter, Modulation, Pitch). Are those MIDI controlled effects? 

[woods101]

@des99 Thanks Des, yes got ya with the plugin slots etc., I'm down with that but I'm pretty sure I've created custom instrument folders that then appear in the instrument drop down menu in past versions. Do you just do this in the 'general' Plugin manager window? I thought the plugin manager used to be split into two sections - FX and instruments but it seems it's just one generic one now, though my memory is hazy.

@David Nahmani Thanks David, yes I guess this is a weird Logic glitch right? Tbh there's a lot less bugs these days, it almost feels nostalgic!

[des99]

17 minutes ago, woods101 said:

I thought the plugin manager used to be split into two sections - FX and instruments

No, as I said, there is just one configuration for all your plugins.

If you create a "Moog" folder, and put your three Moog plugin instruments in there, then when you open the Instrument plugins menu, you'll see that folder and plugins inside. If you open the Audio FX plugins menu, you won't see that folder, because none of the plugins inside it will work as audio FX.

Like I say, what items show up in which menus is context sensitive. In the Instrument menus, you'll see whatever instrument plugins, in whatever folders you've made or are using, and likewise in the FX plugins menu, you'll see all your FX plugins that are applicable in that slot.

Edited June 21, 2023 by des99

[woods101]

Thanks for clarity Des!