How to play/record in Logic when the "start" order comes from an external controller?

[nubie]

I didn't find the simple parameter in the prefs that allows to start+record in Logic when starting from an external controller.
The record fucntion is always deactivated once the sequencer starts. But I want it to record, not to only play.

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by nubie

[enossified]

What controller are you using? Does it have transport controls?

[nubie]

9 hours ago, enossified said:

What controller are you using? Does it have transport controls?

I am using here a Arturia Beatstep Pro. I don't see a function related to my issue*** in the Arturia MIDI control center.
***I press play on the Beatstep Pro and then it starts Logic but also stops the recording function.

[oscwilde]

I have a Keystep 37....so don't know if the Beatstep works the same way.
Press SHIFT on the Beatstep, then use the Play, Rec, Stop buttons to control Logic's transport.
This ^^^^^ works for the Keystep.

You "may" need to enable "Listen for MMC Input" in the Project Settings (Synchronisation - MIDI tab).

[polanoid]

You seem to misunderstand how to start a recording in Logic. You don’t start playback and pause, you just press the record button and it starts. The play button is - quite logically - for playback only.

So if you want to control this from an external controller, you need to have the record button (more specifically, the “Record”, or probably better the "Record/Record Toggle”) function assigned to some hardware control on your controller. I don’t know anything about Arturia controllers, so probably @oscwilde will be more helpful than me here, but this is possible with every MIDI controller available. 

[nubie]

3 hours ago, oscwilde said:

I have a Keystep 37....so don't know if the Beatstep works the same way.
Press SHIFT on the Beatstep, then use the Play, Rec, Stop buttons to control Logic's transport.
This ^^^^^ works for the Keystep.

You "may" need to enable "Listen for MMC Input" in the Project Settings (Synchronisation - MIDI tab).

Cool thx! I'll try that.

[nubie]

3 hours ago, polanoid said:

You seem to misunderstand how to start a recording in Logic.

I see, but honestly this is how I ever did. From a drum machine or any external MIDI sequencer using Cubase or Logic for decades (starting with an ATARI back in the 80s). I never assigned any control to start recording. I always had the DAW on pause/record and pressed play on the drum machine or the ext. sequencer.
But then I stopped using the DAW for at least one decade and now I'm confronted with numerous simple things that do not work like they used to and have to ask on this forum for help.
Also the fact that I had to change the MIDI interface for a Mio XL because all what I had earlier is not supported anymore in recent OS, makes all more complicated. I used to set any machine in a few minutes (believe it or not) without even ever reading a manual and now I'm struggling for hours looking for a solution to set a MIDI environement, set a machine, start a recording etc etc. Waste of time.
And on top I'm getting older...
Anyway.
I'm not giving up for now and ready to ask questions that might sound stupid.

[des99]

59 minutes ago, nubie said:

I see, but honestly this is how I ever did. From a drum machine or any external MIDI sequencer using Cubase or Logic for decades (starting with an ATARI back in the 80s). I never assigned any control to start recording. I always had the DAW on pause/record and pressed play on the drum machine or the ext. sequencer.

Sure, but that's a different scenario. You would have had Logic slave to MIDI clock from the drum machine or external sequencer, and in record mode, but not moving because there was no clock signal. When Logic started receiving clock, it would carry on recording.

You can't set those things up in the same way these days - for a start, Logic won't slave to MIDI clock at all (for over a decade, most DAWs don't because MIDI clock isn't sufficiently accurate to keep audio in time). And it depends on how you're currently sending "play" commands to Logic, if you're expressly using your controller to tell Logic to "Play", then it will play (cancelling any record modes). You'd need instead to expressly tell Logic to "Record", rather than play.

I can't advise on the Keystep as I don't have one, or know how it's set up or what it sends to Logic...

[polanoid]

1 hour ago, nubie said:

I'm not giving up for now and ready to ask questions that might sound stupid.

That's the spirit!

[oscwilde]

12 minutes ago, des99 said:

I can't advise on the Keystep as I don't have one, or know how it's set up or what it sends to Logic...

Beatstep....
I have the Keystep and the Play, Rec, Stop buttons just work out of the box with Logic (when Shift mode is active on the Keystep).

[des99]

10 minutes ago, oscwilde said:

Beatstep....

Sorry, I just glanced up and saw:

5 hours ago, oscwilde said:

This ^^^^^ works for the Keystep.

Hence the hastily posted reference to that... the sentiment is the same either way though - I have neither. 🙂

[JakobP]

1 hour ago, des99 said:

if you're expressly using your controller to tell Logic to "Play", then it will play (cancelling any record modes). You'd need instead to expressly tell Logic to "Record", rather than play.

Possibly the OP instead could send "Pause" to have recording behave as before? 🙂

[enossified]

The Beatstep Pro does have a Record button, it’s to the left of Stop and Play/Pause. See p.2 and p.123 in the manual. 

"The BeatStep Pro will transmit its transport commands over MIDI but does not respond to incoming transport control messages."

So you should be able to just hit the record button and Logic will start recording. If necessary, use MIDI Monitor to verify that the Beatstep sends the message.

Edited December 20, 2023 by enossified

[nubie]

I took time again to test.
To resume: I only want to put Logic in record/pause mode and then when I start an external sequencer I want Logic to start recording, so all is in sync.
No matter what I do, no matter what setting, it does not work with the Beatstep Pro (BSP).

As mentionned earlier, as I know it always used to work fine (I insist), I decided to try with different MIDI controllers/sequencer. I tested with the Keystep Pro (KSP) and it worked right away (!!!). No need to change any setting, apply any key. It just works.
I put logic in record/pause mode, I press play on the KSP and logic starts recording.
If I wanted to record also at the same time on the KSP, I'd simply put Logic in pause mode and then click record on the KSP (or the BSP).

I tried with Keystep and it did not work.

As it just worked on the Keytep Pro which is connected to HST3 port on the Mio XL (USB port 3) and it does not with the controllers connected to the other USB host ports on the Mio XL, I checked the settings in Auracle (Mio XL admin so to say). The only difference is I have DIN12 not active on HST3. DIN12 is the MIDI port going to the Pulse+ synth (which plays no role in the game).
Abs. no clue why it is interfering***, but if I deactivate this DIN12 port, then the issue is gone. I can start recording from any ext. sequencer!

***and not asking here, as too many factors play a role in the studio. What I'll do is check the MIDI settings on the Pulse+.

This was a long journey!

Edited December 22, 2023 by nubie

[nubie]

As I can't edit the first post to add to the title "SOLVED", I'm posting here and referring to my last post, the issue is solved. It was not coming from Logic.