Trying to Start Playback from Control / Meta / Fader

[TomHoward]

Hi All

 

I am trying without much success to try and start playback in Logic Pro 7.1 from a fader - either with Meta, Control data, whatever. There is a meta control for Goto Marker etc, and even Stop - but it seems not for Start.

 

Is there a meta control for Start playback, or another way around this?

 

 

Cheers in advance for any replies.

[TomHoward]

Or a way to start through MMC on a SysEx fader?

[Fred B]

In Preferences > Key Commands... you can assign any MIDI message to the 'Play' command.

[TomHoward]

Ok, I had a look at that but I'm having a little trouble routing it internally - I'm routing the faders with the MIDI commands into a sequencer input and have it appearing at the MIDI In, but the MIDI messages don't seem to take control.

 

Sorry about this, I'm not totally up to speed on this, but the reference manual seems a little lacking in some areas.

[shivermetimbers]

The manual explains just about anything if you know where to look for it.

As mentioned earlier, in the KEY commands, a midi control can be set to trigger Play.

 

Do you need to know how this is set up?

In the Key command window, hilight the 'Play' command you wish to use. Use the learn Midi section to select the controller you want.

[TomHoward]

I have got this working from a key on an external MIDI keyboard, via the Key Commands, but I am having trouble getting it working from a fader in the Environment. I have a fader patched into the Physical Input, as the Reference manual explains, but I'm just getting no response to that compared to the external control.

[David Nahmani]

What are you trying to achieve? Why do you want to start playback with a Fader? Just being curious!

 

I'm routing the faders with the MIDI commands into a sequencer input and have it appearing at the MIDI In, but the MIDI messages don't seem to take control.

 

MIDI Key commands need to come from "outside" Logic. You can send the fader to an IAC port and it will start Logic. Let me know if you need help setting it up, I was able to make it work just now.

 

. I have a fader patched into the Physical Input, as the Reference manual explains

Where in the manual? Again, curious. I didn't know you could cable things into the physical input object.

[shivermetimbers]

What are you trying to achieve? Why do you want to start playback with a Fader? Just being curious!

 

I'm routing the faders with the MIDI commands into a sequencer input and have it appearing at the MIDI In, but the MIDI messages don't seem to take control.

 

MIDI Key commands need to come from "outside" Logic. You can send the fader to an IAC port and it will start Logic. Let me know if you need help setting it up, I was able to make it work just now.

 

. I have a fader patched into the Physical Input, as the Reference manual explains

Where in the manual? Again, curious. I didn't know you could cable things into the physical input object.

 

Remote Midi Control pg 237 Ref. Manual

[shivermetimbers]

IF you could get Logic to 'Play' using a fader, how would you activate it?

 

 

How will you use this function??? I mean if logic is just sitting there in a stop mode, it won't automatically start by itself with a Fader.

 

[fader8]

Remote Midi Control pg 237 Ref. Manual

 

I think this is another manual errata. I have never been able to get this to work.

[fader8]

Is there a meta control for Start playback, or another way around this?

 

Depending on what you want to do, Touch Tracks may be your best solution. In addition to the manual's entry, there's a great article by Len Sasso in SOS:

 

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec04/articles/logicnotes.htm

[David Nahmani]

Remote Midi Control pg 237 Ref. Manual

 

I think this is another manual errata. I have never been able to get this to work.

 

Thanks for the pg# shivermetimbers. But yeah, that doesn't work. Sending the MIDI Remote events to an IAC bus does work, however.

[Fred B]

Yes, I can confirm that it works well with IAC. Fortunately in this case the usual danger of infinite feedback loop doesn't exist since the specific events are "absorbed" at input.

[David Nahmani]

Yes, I can confirm that it works well with IAC. Fortunately in this case the usual danger of infinite feedback loop doesn't exist since the specific events are "absorbed" at input.

Yes, that's what I noticed too! At first I was doing my classic "cable the IAC input into a monitor" trick, but that's not necessary for MIDI Key Commands.

 

It's kind of an odd logic (pardon the pun) where to have Logic receive the MIDI Key Command, you just need to route it OUT of Logic.

[shivermetimbers]

Remote Midi Control pg 237 Ref. Manual

 

I think this is another manual errata. I have never been able to get this to work.

 

Thanks for the pg# shivermetimbers. But yeah, that doesn't work. Sending the MIDI Remote events to an IAC bus does work, however.

 

Also pg 47 talks about the Midi remote checkbox (from the key command window). The environment doe not record these commands because it makes no sense to do so. So if the Remote midi box is checked I can use the remote midi commands. This is fine. I assigned my C1 key to 'Play' and Logic will play if I am in the arrange window and Midi Remote is checked. If the Midi Remote is unchecked, then nothing happens.

 

So if Remote midi works this way, why would I need the environment to do this?

 

Pg 47 also states that if Faders and Transformers are used, then the Midi Remote is to be checked if they are cabled to the Physical input.

 

I am not an environmentalist (ha ha ha... forgive me, it sounded funny at the time )

 

I have the IAC driver in my Audio/ Midi set up and I can add many Busses that show up on the Physical environment. So how is the Tranformer/Fader to be connected?

 

Is the bus a common in/out? (Receive/ Transmit)

[David Nahmani]

So if Remote midi works this way, why would I need the environment to do this?

You certainly don't need to do anything in the environment. The original poster still hasn't explained why he is attempting to do it from the environment, but we offered our help nevertheless.

 

Pg 47 also states that if Faders and Transformers are used, then the Midi Remote is to be checked if they are cabled to the Physical input.

Cabling the MIDI Remote events into the Physical Input object still doesn't work though. The Remote events have to come from outside Logic.

 

So how is the Tranformer/Fader to be connected?

Cable the fader into an instrument, and set the port of that instrument to the IAC bus.

[Fred B]

It's kind of an odd logic (pardon the pun) where to have Logic receive the MIDI Key Command, you just need to route it OUT of Logic.

Yes, it looks odd from Logic's view. However, one could also argue that IAC isn't really "outside" of Logic but rather a communication layer "below" Logic built into OS X. So why not utilize it within a single application? The only problem here is that IAC busses are global, ie. if you have multiple applications using IAC you must be careful to choose separate IAC busses for individual communications.