Logic Pro 8 MIDI problems with Korg X5D

I Brian

Logician
I'm having real problems setting up my Kord X5D with Logic 8 on an iMac.

I've connected the MIDI out/in to an M-Audio device which connects via USB to to back of the iMac.

And the USB M Audio device is showing up in the list of MIDI instruments in Logic.

I can play existing Logic virtual instruments fine on the X5D as a MIDI keyword, but I just can't play/record the X5D synth sounds to play/record them in Logic.

This issue is causing a lot of despair. Anyone able to help, please?
 
Looks like your first post. Welcome to the forum.

Everybody has a different background, so it is always helpful to give readers a clue as to your own, to help determine whether you may be having a hardware or software issue.

If you are using a non-USB keyboard, you will have to define it in the environment so Logic knows about it. To get its internal sounds to play back, you need to set it up to receive on a specific MIDI channel, and then transmit your Logic MIDI track on the correct MIDI channel.

This is not difficult, but it is also not "plug and play" -- if you are not familiar with this procedure, it is likely your issue.
 
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Many thanks for the reply, and the welcome, Juan. :)

Used to compose a lot with the Korg and Emagic Logic back in the days of Windows 95/98.

Am trying to get back into recording and have imported all my old compositions (had to buy Logic 7 just to do the import) into Logic 8 format.

I run an internet business, so am fairly computer savvy, but am completely lost with what I'm doing wrong with the Korg/Logic 8.

If you are using a non-USB keyboard, you will have to define it in the environment so Logic knows about it. To get its internal sounds to play back, you need to set it up to receive on a specific MIDI channel, and then transmit your Logic MIDI track on the correct MIDI channel.

This is not difficult, but it is also not "plug and play" -- if you are not familiar with this procedure, it is likely your issue.

Hm, this could be it - the interface in Logic shows MIDI in is active, but that there's nothing going through on MIDI out. That makes your suggestion sound like a possibility, but I'm a little lost how to proceed.

Any help/advice/pointers would be very gratefully received. Been fighting with this issue on and off for a couple of years now with no success. :(
 
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Sounds like you have been at the whipping post for a while. But your background should qualify you beyond the basics.

So, try this:

1) Start Logic, create a new, empty project, and from the main pull-down, click Window, then click Environment (Env).
2) In the upper left corner of the Env window, click on the "down triangle" to have a look at the submenu. You should see, "All objects". "Global Objects", "Click & Ports" and "mixer"..maybe others.
3) Click "Create Layer" then click "(unnamed)" and rename it "MIDI inst 2"
4) Move a little to the right (on your screen), and click the down triangle next to "New" -- Then click on "Multi-Instrument"
5) Double-click on the new icon for "Multi-instrument" and you should get a large pop-up showing the default names for a General MIDI enabled keyboard or soundcard.
6) Under "Device name" -- highlight the default "Multi-instrument" and rename it "Korg"
7) Close the pop-up. Your multi-instrument should now say "Korg" -- both under the icon and in the parameter box to the left within the environment layer you just created.
8) Click on each of the 16 channels in the "Korg" icon so you remove the slashes. This will allow your Korg to be active on any of the 16 channels within whichever MIDI port you select.
9) In the parameter box to the left, click next to "Port" -- you should see your MIDI interface and however many ports are available. Pick the port to which both your IN and OUT MIDI cables from your Korg are attached.
10) Close the environment window and open the arrange window. Under the "Track" pull-down, select "New" and under the "New Tracks" pop-up, select "External MIDI" -- then click "Create"
11) I have been doing these steps in Logic 9, and it created a Korg track, probably because there is only one defined external instrument in this project. I have Logic 8 too, but just in case you need to change your new track -- right-click on the new track and select: "Reassign Track" -- another pop-up window will list several of your layers from your environment window, including your new "MIDI Inst 2" -- Drag your mouse over to the right and you will see yet another pop-up named "Korg" -- and even farther to the right, yet another pop-up that lets you select whichever MIDI channel you would like, or you can set it to transmit on "All MIDI channels."
12) If your reason for doing this is because your external MIDI instrument has some sounds you want to play back or record, and assuming it is multi-timbral...you can repeat this (create new track) procedure and select different MIDI channels for each sound. For instance, your Drums might transmit on channel 10, your bass guitar on channel 7, your piano on 1 and your organ on 4, etc.
13) To select the specific sounds you want your Korg to play, you can click on the information triangle for "Korg" to the left of the arrange window. There, you can select not only port and channel, but also the program (i.e., the sound) you want your Korg to play. If your Korg is not General MIDI, you can rename the "sounds" list by going back to the environment, double-clicking on your "Korg" multi-instrument, and then renaming the default programs to match what is actually part of the ROM in your Korg.
14) You can keep adding new multi-instruments (drum machines, Kurzweils, Rolands, etc) if you want to expand your sound palate.
 
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JuanTahnahmahrah, many many thanks!!

The environment issue looks like it was the problem - I'm now able to play/record MIDI with the X5D sounds with headphones plugged into the synth! :)

I figure if I connect the Korg audio output into an iMic then I should be able to get the Korg sounds to play through the Apple as well, which would be nice.

Curiously enough, it appears I can't play the software instrument tracks alongside the Korg MIDI ones - I figure that's an environment issue, and that I'll just have to bounce the MIDI tracks I want to record with X5D sounds and then work with them as audio.

Either way, while the set up isn;t perfect yet, it's brilliant to be able to hear my music again after all these years - been asking about this on and off at various forums since I got my iMac 4 years ago, but it's only your reply that has helped me reclaim my music.

You're a star!! :)
 
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