Logic Pro 7 & earlier Help!

[James Gorse]

I am in an ignorance-induced predicament and I would really appreciate some advice...

I am running an old G4 imac which is a powerpc processor wise. Sorry my technical knowledge kind of stops there! I was until today happily running Logic Audio 6, on which I cobbled together all sorts of good stuff while learning on the job, ie not very thoroughly.

The start of this disaster was when I bought a Presonus Firebox the other day, which seemed to be syncing OK with Logic, but no audio was audible or visible in Logic. I fixed the Logic audio preferences and the Mac's system preferences, did all the basics, but something wasnt right at the computer end. Today, plugging in the Presonus, actually have level in Logic, but still no sound (check speakers, all fine). SO I decided to reinstall Logic using the one CD I had retained since buying (actually having chucked everything out in a recent house move). I had the install CD, fine, but I think I lost the one with plug ins. Anyway I delete everything in the Logic folder in Applications, and install the new (replacement) version. No dice, I i manage to open previously saved songs, but all the plug ins are crossed out, and no audio at all happening. In fact, none of the tracks are visible on the Environment window which really freaks me out (I didnt realise these were 'plug ins').

Anyway the upshot of this is, I am screwed, stuck with old songs I still need to work on, saved in Logic 6, but with software that is incomplete/doesnt work.

My main question is, if I buy Logic 7, will it work on my OS X (Tiger - 10.4.11), but will it also load up the old Logic 6 songs, and replace the plug ins/comply with the Track Automation etc? I need to know this before I shell out on more software.

I can't think of anything to ask right now, my brain is so fried with self-loathing at having deleted all the plug-ins (I think this is what I did, I must have?). Having talked to a mate, another option might be full system restore of my Mac, but I don't know how to do this, and I'll have to back up all media.

Anyway many apologies for excrutiatingly long question, and just to say I will repay any help with copious amounts of gratitude...

Best wishes

James

 

[georgelegeriii]

James, first thing is don't do anything else. You might not need too.

First, when you go into your audio preferences, do you actually have a driver selected? If not, your plug-ins won't be seen by Logic.

If the answer is no, select you Presonus from the driver popup in the audio preferences.

If the answer is yes, you already have the Presonus selected as your driver, have you checked the AU manager and made sure your Audio Units are seen and checked so Logic will use them?

If the answer to this is no you don't see them, even with the driver enabled, go into your main Mac HD, open the Library folder, then the audio folder, and then plug-in and finally components. Do you see your plug-ins there?

So, do this and let me know what the answers are. I can't help any more until I know these things, ok...

And don't worry. It isn't going to help one iota, and in the end this might well be a simple resolution.

 

[James Gorse]

Hi George, firstly many thanks for the reply.

In answer to your first question, in System Preferences, input selected is Presonus Firebox, output is headphone jack (my speakers are plugged in to this, and working). In Logic, I just checked (having earlier had the Presonus set as Core Audio (theres only one option in Audio Driver, Core Audio).

(Weirdly just having re-opened Logic after trying an abortive data rescue - (from what didnt turn out to be a free program), the plug ins such as Channel EQ, effects etc, are all now uncrossed and seemingly working - however still no audible audio.)

In answer to your second point (and this is where I gnash my teeth), I'm sorry I just dont know the answer. What is the AU Manager and where will I find it? What are the Audio Units we are talking about here - are they all the 'plug-ins' (ie channel EQ etc) that previously had disappeared or had strikes through them?

I opened the Library - Audio - Components folder as you suggested, and nothing was in there apart from 1 seemingly non Logic related item.

The good news is that my existing tracks in Logic now look the same as I had left them previously, the bad news is I am getting no audio at all out. Have checked to see if computer is playing MP3s/itunes etc, and it is no problem,so problem does seem to be in Logic.

Thanks again - any further thoughts?

 

[georgelegeriii]

OK, so I'm going to assume you had no 3d party plug-ins.

Second: in your LOGIC preference, NOT your mac system preferences, you see the core audio driver, but in the same dialog you should have an I/O device, and that should say firebox... I do wonder if you have old enough drivers (I just went through that today with another client who has 10.4.11 as his main OS). Whatever the deal, the Presonus must be selected in LOGIC as the main audio device, not the system prefs.

Can you take a screen shot of your Logic audio preferences and post it here?

The AU manager is in the main Logic menu... it shows any 3d party plug-ins you own. I thought that there might have been some installed (when you accidentally delete a plug-in you get the crossed out line thing, as well as when your audio driver is not enabled).

For whatever reason your Firebox drivers aren't selected properly. That's your issue.

 

[ThomasM]

But if your speakers are plugged into the headphone jack of the Mac you won't be getting any audio at all if you have selected the Presonus in Logic. Or did I misunderstand something?

 

[James Gorse]

Really? As I said before there's no output setting in Logic Preferences (will double check, am not at home right now, will also try screenshot), just Core Audio - which I have selected as the Presonus. Does that mean no audio will output at all? As I also said (sorry if I'm not being clear), the speakers are working- via itunes/volume checks from keyboard. So therefore problem seems to be in Logic.

System Preferences for the Mac itself- just selected output-headphones/input - Presonus.

 

[ThomasM]

Exactly. When you select the Presonus as your interface in Logic you need to hook up your speakers to the Presonus as well. If you want iTunes and everything to sound as before you need to set the Presonus as your output. Do that in the System Preferences, select output = Presonus.

You can do a quick check and connect a pair of headphones to the Presonus before you do anything at all, I'm quite certain that you have audio there if you say that the Presonus is selected in Logic.

 

[James Gorse]

Wow if this works I am saved (it seems too simple), but thanks. I can't check this til tomorrow unfortunately.

Just one last thing, if all the plug-ins (eq etc) are now visible and working on my Logic tracks, it means I can't have deleted them right? I do find it somewhat odd that I managed to reinstall them all off the one Install CD. This does include settings info for them, which I found in Logic folder once installed, but cant see if they are the actual plug-ins themselves.

 

[James Gorse]

Hello (and thanks again), well here's where I am now

Reference to "in the same dialog you should have an I/O device, and that should say firebox."

I double-checked, and there is no I/O picker in Logic preferences, just Core Audio, this has been set to Presonus all along. I now have volume/signal coming through headphone jack of the Presonus - nothing at all coming from the the Mac itself. The weirdest thing is even with the Output in System Preferences (computer, not Logic), set to Speakers or Headphones, audio still only comes out of the Firebox/Presonus.

My question now on this score is should I set the Presonus as output as well as input on System Prefs, although to be honest it doesnt seem to make any difference, the interface (Presonus) seems to have taken over as the sound card.

HOWEVER is this correct (previous reply): "the Presonus must be selected in LOGIC as the main audio device, not the system prefs." - Ie do I need to have my Mac as input in System Prefs? This doesnt seem to make sense and I dont think it works.

Bottom line right now, I have level, all plugins still there in Logic, BUT one major problem, even with Presonus' input level and phones level quite low, there is a lot of popping and scratchy sounds coming from Logic tracks which arent in fact 'there' (proven by bouncing tracks then playing through other media.) SO what's causing this? Any Presonus experts out there I would love to know.

As requested, attached files are how my Prefs are set up at the moment "Picture 2" is Logic Preferences, the other two are System. Thanks again all.

(EDIT: I've just noticed the output is set to 'mute' on prefs, I REALLY hope that wouldnt be causing this...that would be too embarrassing! As I said the presonus seems to be dealing with all sound from Logic as it's set as Core Audio, itunes etc has been coming out of main speakers via Macm when tested. )

 

[georgelegeriii]

First thing: looking at your audio preferences: You have the core audio driver checked. In the driver box you see the "Presonus firebox" as the selected driver. If you put your mouse over this and press down, a pop up box will come up. Is there any other driver available there, specifically one also named "Presonus Firebox" with a different set of numbers beside it?

Second, your I/O buffer is WAY too small. Try 128 or 256. 64 will cause dropouts, clicks and pops.

Change the "process buffer range" to medium, Large also causes many issues. You can check the "Larger disc buffer", that will help.

I would suggest you also not have the presonus selected in either of your audio drivers boxes, as this can cause potential issues between the presonus drivers and the system drivers.

Q: is there a presonus control panel application somewhere on your computer? Can you take a look around and see please?