Logic Pro 9 Logic & MIDI questions

[GlynH]

Hi there...second question this week as a newcomer to Logic...sorry.

Can some kind soul please explain or point me towards an idiots guide to setting up a Korg Trinity keyboard via a MOTU UltraLite MKIII into Logic Pro 9?

I must have the Trinity connected properly as it appears in Audio MIDI Setup and passes the Test Setup when I click on the out triangle on the MOTU.

I have set up an audio track that I can hear when I click the 'I' button on the track or record the output from the keyboard.

I have also setup a MIDI track and can select a voice from the Inspector by clicking on the Program button but they only appear as numbers not patch names.

So...two questions if I may;

1. How do I record the actual MIDI data into the MIDI track? I record enable & play the keyboard and I can see the notes being played at the bottom of the transport bar but no data seems to be recorded in the MIDI track itself.

2. How do I get the names of the Trinity voices in the patch selection window instead of just numbers? I have found an excellent YouTube video but stumble when it comes to finding the correct Trinity Multiset.

I have some more MIDI modules I wish to add (M1R-EX, JV-2080 + cards, TR Rack and maybe a Motif ES Rack at a later date but really need to walk before I run so will stick to just adding the Trinity for the time being until I can get my head around how it all works!

Any help/hints/tips/gotchas would be much appreciated.

Thanks & kind regards,
-=Glyn=-

 

[CSeye]

Hi Glyn,

I'll start off, but hopefully others who are more experienced with hardware modules will offer input.

The Wiki video is really an excellent accelerated overview of setting up external hardware. Download the Various Multis Logic file here if you don't already have it: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20203707/Audio/Logic/Various Multi Sets 6.zip

Start watching at the about 3 minute into the Wiki video. This will explain what you need to know on how to copy and paste the Korg Trinity multi instruments from the Various Multis file into a new "Empty" project. Once you have the Trinity multi instrument set up in the new project, save it as a template so that you don't have to repeat the set up steps each time.

_____
To further help you understand how to use external hardware, download the PDF version of the Logic manual here: http://www.apple.com/logicpro/resources/
Click on Logic Pro 9 User Manual (the first item listed under Documentation to the right) which opens up the PDF version. Click on the floppy disc icon on the upper left of the PDF to save this to your desktop or Documents folder.

Click on the first listed item in the PDF which is... Logic Pro 9 User Manual. This is a more detailed reference than what's available in Logic's Help menu. In the "Working with Instruments and Effects chapter is a section "Working with Instruments" and subsection on "Processing External MIDI Instruments with Effects". Read through this as it will answer many questions that you may have. The "Processing External MIDI ...." section explains how to bring external sound module into Logic in a different way then demonstrated in the Wiki video.

You can work through most of the information in the sections above using the GM instrument that's created when you add an External MIDI track, while you wait to get your new interface.

___

Hopefully the Trinity multi file will contain the patch names that you need. If so, you've just saved yourself a boat-load of time.

Generally folks search on-line for PDF versions of patch lists for their respective instruments and copy and paste them into the external instrument patch list box that opens up when you double click on the multi instrument in the instrument, or... manually enter the patch names if no such list is available...

 

[GlynH]

Well I have to own up here at the risk of embarrassing myself...the 'problem' I had with Logic recording the audio from the Trinity but not not recording the MIDI notes on the MIDI track I set up?

It helps if you record enable the MIDI track!

So now I can record the audio from the Trinity either via Analog 3-4 or S/PDIF 9-10 and the MIDI data and play back either track by muting (or soloing) one track or the other to listen to either the recorded audio track or drive the Trinity to play in realtime via MIDI which was what I wanted all along!

Thanks for the tips on the external stuff CSeye...I already have the Logic manual in iBooks on the iPad (all 1342 pages of it :eeek🙂 but much of the MIDI info refers to using the external MIDI keyboard as an input device to trigger internal sounds rather than external MIDI devices if I recall correctly?

I'll take a look at the section you mentioned.

I will have to take a look at the WIKI and see if I can get my head around it all and check to see that the Multiset contains all the voices in my expanded Trinity.

The interface was swapped out a couple of days ago and so I am going to stick with my MIDI hardware rather than internal sounds as that is where my main interest lies.

Thanks again for your input CSeye...

-=Glyn=-

 

[CSeye]

You're very welcome.

I'm no stranger to user error. It has a way of reinforcing what not to do.😀

Your question actually got me to revisit my hardware sound module set up with Logic. The end result was a template with both External MIDI and Software Instrument tracks (with the External Instrument plug-in) and a few text reminders entered into the very handy Notes panel.