Logic Pro 9 Disable MIDI Thru for multiple instruments?

[mk3]

Hello, all -

Is there any way to disable the automatic MIDI Thru for multiple external (physical) instruments?

Logic seems to only allow one to turn this off for a single instrument (with the setting:
Project Settings:MIDI:General:Instrument Without MIDI Thru Function

Thank you for any advice!

Best,
mk3

P.S. I do not wish to switch local control off on external devices where I am using their own sounds, as local control gives the tightest response, versus sending MIDI through the interface, into Logic, and back to the device.)

 

[Eli]

You could try setting the MIDI port parameter to "off" in the channel strip parameters.

 

[mk3]

You could try setting the MIDI port parameter to "off" in the channel strip parameters.

Dear Eli,
Thank you for the suggestion. Unfortunately, that would also disable MIDI playback of the tracks. Need to be able to record and immediately play back tracks.

Best,
mk3

 

[mk3]

P.S. The reason I want this functionality is for writing/jam sessions where multiple players are playing from their own MIDI instruments. It's important to be able to try out ideas, immediately record and play back parts, etc, without the MIDI loop/doubling problem. Obviously, this is technically possible, since Logic allows this functionality for at least one instrument at a time (via the aforementioned preference). I am hoping there is a way to set this for multiple instruments.

 

[Eli]

Here's hwo you can do it:

* set your MIDI instrument port assignment to "off"

* Create a fader object in the Environment.

* Set the "filter" parameter at the bottom of the object parameters in the Inspector to "thru".

* Cable your instrument into this fader.

* Cable the fader to another "dummy" instrument that's used to establish the port assignment.

* On this "dummy" instrument (which doesn't need to be in your Arrange Window), set the port and channel assignment as needed.

Here is a small environment with this setup. It should do the trick.

 

[mk3]

Dear Eli,
Thank you for the effort in this! I was afraid that this might only be solved via the Environment. I will try your approach, but then will have to update a number of projects and the template.

Ideally there would be a "MIDI Thru" checkbox in the Inspector for each Channel Strip. Another feature request that I shall send to Apple.

mk3

 

[Eli]

It's an extremely easy Environment patch. You can patch the fader with the filter parameter set to filter out "Thru" between the Physical Input and To sequencer objects on the Clicks and Ports layer. You can easily insert a cable switcher set to button mode, so that you can easily just turn it on and off globally for all MIDi tracks at once with one click. I haven't tried using it this way, but it should work. I used the patch I sent you for years for my Roland TD 5 drum pads, which didn't have easy access to local off.

 

[xmiinc]

Very interesting! I just bookmarked this because I used to do a fair amount of midi multi-track recording (and plan to again, in future) using SVP, which had a dedicated midi input-assignment page. I'm still learning the Logic basics, but this thread implies there is no such thing in Logic, correct? Or have I just not discovered it yet?

Which leads me to another question...

In SVP they used to have what was called 'Players', where sequences (think multiple Arrange windows) could be triggered (and recorded to a new sequence) by either hitting keys on the computer keyboard, or assigned keys on a midi device. It was great for setting up parts that could be triggered as a live arrangement (great for dance mixes). Is there anything analogous to that capability in Logic? Or is that what Mainstage basically functions as, a glorified Logic playback trigger environment? TIA for any comments!

 

[Eli]

There is no specific MIDI input assignment page. It is done in the Channel Strip parameters for each Channel Strip. And yes, Logic certainly can do multi track MIDI recording with multiple players triggering different instruments.

And in terms of triggering and re-recording regions into a performance, check out using the Touch Tracks object in the Environment. Window. It's a bit of work setting it up, but will certainly do this and more.

And BTW - an update to the original poster asking about disabling MIDI thru. I gave you the "old skool" way - using the Environment. The newer way is to simply disable the "R" button in the Track header. This will temporarily disable MIDI thru. The problem is, that once you start recording, the MIDI thru bypass is defeated. It becomes record enabled, and thus thru enabled.

As an alternative, you could disable the R button, put Logic in Play mode instead of record mode while you are performing your part; and then use the Capture As Recording key command to capture your performance. This will do what you want without having to deal with the Environment.

But, OTOH, if you are dealing with multiple players and tracks, it might be easier to set up a global Thru bypass button in the Clicks and Ports layer using the Fader object as I described previously, and just deal with them all at once with a single mouse click.

 

[mk3]

Eli, thank you for all the input. You bring to mind a certain issue with track record-enabling.

Logic's automatic behaviour with record-enabling of tracks strikes me as being a bit "too helpful", like the salesman (who undoubtedly works on commission) who follows you around the shop relentlessly suggesting items in which you have no interest.

I, for one, would prefer that the Record-Enable buttons operated completely manually. You turn them on or off, and they stay that way until you manually change them again. Also, selecting a given track should have absolutely no effect on MIDI Thru or Record-enable status.

Instead, Logic does strange things depending on which track you happen to select, automatically enabling that track, disabling others. Similarly, record enabling some tracks disables others. Furthermore, the behavior is different for MIDI tracks and Audio tracks. I would like to just be able to turn off all this automatic behavior. Finally, there should be a MIDI Thru parameter for each track, accessible in the Inspector.

Example scenario, which occurs often: While recording another musician or just allowing one to use MIDI through, I want to be able to select a different track in order to edit that track, or see and adjust its Inspector parameters. However, doing so disables the MIDI Thru / Record Enable of other tracks, including those which musician(s) are playing/recording thru. Suddenly they will have dead silence. Very unintuitive.

Cheers,
mk3

 

[Eli]

I hear you. They're all good suggestions. Unfortunately, it's just not the way Logic works. Unfortunately, I think the workaround with the Fader's Filter parameter set to tru is as close as is possible to manually controlling MIDI thru in record mode.

And of course you can shift click the R button on multiple tracks to selectively record enable them. But yes, changing track selections disables them.

 

[mk3]

Dear Eli,
Hope springs eternal: If I keep making suggestions to the Logic powers that be, perhaps a magic button will appear in the Preferences. It can be called "Turn Off All Features I Hate".

Although a more likely scenario will the be the addition of a button called "Convert Bugs Into Features", which will probably alter one's mental state rather than changing anything in Logic.
Cheers,
mk3

 

[xmiinc]

Agreed, mk3. There oughta be a 'manual track arm' mode that would allow this. I'm really getting to like how the display of midi selections works in Logic, and so much is otherwise tweakable...too bad Track Select/Record Arm isn't as well. Ya got my vote.

 

[hhd56]

.....As an alternative, you could disable the R button, put Logic in Play mode instead of record mode while you are performing your part; and then use the Capture As Recording key command to capture your performance. This will do what you want without having to deal with the Environment. .....

Trying to apply this to using Logic Pro X with an old Unitor interface and Roland Fantom G88 (trying to defeat MIDI thru echoing which doubles notes when selecting the Fantom's object assigned to a track in the arrange window - or when recording - AND W/O SETTING LOGIC TO TREAT THE FANTOM AS THE INSTRUMENT W/O MIDI THRU, e.g., like "NO OUTPUT").

I tried setting up the MIDI thru fader in the environment per the example file download; maybe I did something wrong, but it did not work for me. I also played with using the MIDI filter as well, but checking the note box apparently filters out all MIDI note data to the sequencer input. I also checked the Fantom system settings to be sure that any local MIDI echo was off, etc.

Another way I tried is to use the external instrument plugin and define two different channels in the mixer. One channel in the mixer as the external instrument plugin set to accept MIDI in from all channels but does not route it to any destination (e.g., label MIDI REC). The second channel in the mixer accepts no MIDI input, and just plays back MIDI routing it to the port the Fantom is on (e.g., label FS88 Port 1). Workflow wise, this means you do have to drag MIDI regions from the "MIDI REC" track down to the playback track that routes MIDI to the channel for the FS88 (or whatever instrument you want to use for playback).

I also note that the "input" (input notes keyboard object) can be assigned to a track in the arrange window. This track also seems to also work as a way to record incoming MIDI. Then selecting the track for the FS88 instrument will apparently directly play back the MIDI recorded on the "input" track - no need to drag the MIDI region in this case.

I like removing the Record button via the track header options (as logic will record on whatever track you select). I agree that having the record button seems redundant, and also concur that Logic should simply have an option for every instrument object to select a "no MIDI thru" option. Why this option is only allowed for one object/instrument seems quite arbitrary to me.