How to insert multiple plugins in-between existing plugins like an "Effect Rack"

[jaysunice]

I'm not sure this is possible, but doesn't anyone know of a way (or third-party programs/apps) to insert multiple plugins in between (or above or below) existing plugins?

Example:

• Track has EQ > LIMITER. I want to insert three (3) compressors in between the EQ and LIMITER. So it would go: EQ > COMP1 > COMP2 > COMP3 > LIMITER. Let's call that group of three (3) compressors my "compressor stack" -- Ableton has the concept of a "mix/effect rack".
• What about inserting those three compressors before or after the existing plugin chain? So:
  • EQ > LIMITER > COMP1 > COMP2 > COMP3
  • or COMP1 > COMP2 > COMP3 > EQ > LIMITER
  • but in either case, treating those three compressors as a single unit or rack of "COMP1 > COMP2 > COMP3"

Why not just create a channel strip? Well, that's a lot of strips to manage and I'm mostly interesting in trying on different flavors of racks. In this case, I'm not sure which of the three compressors will work so why not quickly load all three and then bypass accordingly.

There are other times when you might have a track and want to insert a different type of rack that has flavor/color/saturation/FX without jeopardizing the existing plugins on the chain.

[David Nahmani]

This is not currently possible. You're not the first one to express that need though: 

[jaysunice]

Thanks @David Nahmani -- apologize for the double-post (didn't find that on my initial search). Feel free to delete. FWIW, I did reach out to Speakerfood (makers of the excellent PlugSearch product and others) to see if they know of a solution or could build it. 

I'll keep my fingers crossed to hit the roadmap at some point.

[David Nahmani]

2 minutes ago, jaysunice said:

apologize for the double-post (didn't find that on my initial search). Feel free to delete.

Oh no, do not worry about it, that's perfectly fine, I just like to cross link related posts, both for you the author but also for anyone in the future finding that topic. 

3 minutes ago, jaysunice said:

FWIW, I did reach out to Speakerfood (makers of the excellent PlugSearch product and others) to see if they know of a solution or could build it. 

@speakerfood's work has proven invaluable for the community.

However that kind of request reaches outside the capabilities of a 3rd party developers and would have to be handled by Apple themselves. At least when it comes to Logic's own factory plug-ins, which aren't really plug-ins at all, but part of the Logic Pro code itself. 

[des99]

43 minutes ago, David Nahmani said:

However that kind of request reaches outside the capabilities of a 3rd party developers and would have to be handled by Apple themselves.

It actually *can* be done - as I mentioned before, I was working on a plugin organisation and launcher utility for Logic but then Apple finally previewed the plugin manager in a WWDC session which Sherlocked 50% of the point of the app and I stopped working on it (especially as the other 50% could have been Sherlocked at any time). But yes, it let you load plugins via keyboard search, and while I didn't at the time support plugin groups, I had a range of features along those lines (eg, bypass all plugins on a track in one click etc) and it would be easy enough to support in that context.

If I went back and started working on that app again, you can be sure that after a bunch of work, that's when Apple would Sherlock the rest of it and add plugin search/load via keyboard, making the effort pointless - so it got shelved as there's only a finite amount of stuff I can productively work on.

But yes, I heartily wish Apple would seriously upgrade the plugin handling throughout - plugin icons, plugin search and launch via the keyboard and so on. That, and improving the library/patch browsing features are the things I most want to see in Logic, as they will make a big difference in workflow to me.

Edited November 14, 2023 by des99

[Atlas007]

I wonder if the I/O plugin could be used for same (in conjonction with utilities such as Soundflower or Loopback or the like…)

[David Nahmani]

8 hours ago, Atlas007 said:

I wonder if the I/O plugin could be used for same (in conjonction with utilities such as Soundflower or Loopback or the like…)

I was thinking the same but it would be a bit convoluted. 

A more streamlined solution would be to use Blue Cat's Patchwork: https://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_PatchWork/

Of course that would work only for 3rd party plug-ins and not Logic plug-ins so the best solution would be if Logic were to implement it internally. 

[oscwilde]

Bluecat is well-regarded.
I've also heard a few folks who love this:
https://www.newsonicarts.com/html/freestyle.php

 

[speakerfood]

Having Plug-In chains is definitely possible in PlugSearch, good suggestion. The only drawback as opposed to channel strips / patches is that Plug-In settings can't be stored within the chain, so they will all instantiate with the default setting.