Logic Pro 8 Mixer: Channel Strip Name?

[mk3]

A quick query:

Why does the Mixer only give the option to show Track Names below the Channel Strips? There seems to be no way to show the Channel Strip Name instead, which seems rather odd, since these are....Channel Strips...

...mk3

 

[Eli]

FWIW, I totally agree. I think this is an oversight. And I have heard other Logic users complain about it as well.

 

[Orren Merton]

A quick query:

Why does the Mixer only give the option to show Track Names below the Channel Strips? There seems to be no way to show the Channel Strip Name instead, which seems rather odd, since these are....Channel Strips...

Honestly, naming in Logic 8 is FUBAR as far as I'm concerned. My understanding is that:

• If you double click the "name" area in the Mixer channel strip, you will be adding a "channel strip name." This name will then be the name of the channel strip
• If you enter a name on the Arrange track header, this name will be the "track name." If you have already named the "channel strip," this track name will replace it on the Mixer channel strip.

The naming scheme of Logic 8 is very flexible, allowing you to show two names, give everything a different name, etc. This can come in very handy if, for example, you have a single channel strip named "MIDI Drum Kit" and then you have 10 tracks pointing to that single channel strip. You can name the channel strip and each of the ten tracks differently, and via the Configure track header show them all. But if you want a simple naming scheme, in which the Track Name and the Channel Strip Name are always identical, it becomes more complicated...

Orren

 

[mk3]

• If you double click the "name" area in the Mixer channel strip, you will be adding a "channel strip name." This name will then be the name of the channel strip

• 
  
  This doesn't seem correct. Editing the name area in the Mixer channel strip changes the track name, rather than the channel strip name! This seems like a but.
  
  Check it as follows:
  
  In the Arrange Window, choose View: Configure Track Header. For the two name options, choose "Track Name" and "Channel Strip Name".
  
  If you change the Track Name of a track, the corresponding Mixer Channel Strip in the Mixer will change its name accordingly. Changing the Channel Strip name in the Arrange Window, however, does not affect the name below the Channel Strip in the mixer!
  
  Similarly, changing the name area below the Mixer Channel Strip will change the Track Name in the Arrange window, rather than (as one would expect) the Channel Strip Name.
  
  So one can only conclude that what is shown below the Mixer Channel Strip is always the Track name, and never the Channel Strip name.
  
  There is one exception: If there is NO track name at all (left at the default name "Audio XX" or whatever), then the Channel Strip name will appear below the Channel Strip. That is quite a rare circumstance, at least to this user, as I always name my tracks.
  
  So this really seems like a simple bug: There is no way to force the Channel Strip name to show below a Channel strip in the Mixer (at least for tracks with names).
  
  

  [*]If you enter a name on the Arrange track header, this name will be the "track name." If you have already named the "channel strip," this track name will replace it on the Mixer channel strip.

Not exactly. The Channel Strip in the mixer never had a (channel strip) name, but was only showing the Track name. If you turn off View: Track Name in the mixer, then the Channel Strip will show no name at all! (One would expect it to show the Channel Strip name, but it never does).

...mk3

 

[Orren Merton]

• If you double click the "name" area in the Mixer channel strip, you will be adding a "channel strip name." This name will then be the name of the channel strip

• 
  
  

  This doesn't seem correct. Editing the name area in the Mixer channel strip changes the track name, rather than the channel strip name! This seems like a but.

  I think it depends on the settings in the Configure Track header, but I could be wrong. Honestly, I think the naming scheme is just totally screwed up. I much prefer the Pro Tools way of doing it where there is just a single name, and that's the end of it. You always know that the one name is the one name, there's no room for a second. It's not nearly as flexible, and I know a lot of people do use the multiple name capacity of Logic, but the "one name" of Pro Tools is idiot-proof, and when it comes to naming, I can be quite an idiot.
  
  Orren

 

[Eli]

Just to add to the confusion, try this:

Create several tracks in the Arrange Window all assigned to the same Channel Strip. Give them each unique Channel Strip names. Then open the Mixer and under the View menu, enable "Same Instrument Tracks". Now it _will_ display the Channel Strip Names.

 

[mk3]

I think it depends on the settings in the Configure Track header, but I could be wrong. Honestly, I think the naming scheme is just totally screwed up. I much prefer the Pro Tools way of doing it where there is just a single name, and that's the end of it. You always know that the one name is the one name, there's no room for a second. It's not nearly as flexible, and I know a lot of people do use the multiple name capacity of Logic, but the "one name" of Pro Tools is idiot-proof, and when it comes to naming, I can be quite an idiot.

Orren

Absolutely right. This multiple-naming "feature" also compounds the confusion many new Logic users will experience regarding Tracks, Channel Strips, and Objects.

To be honest, I have been using Logic for years, and I still get confused at times. Maybe I'm just easily confused.

...mk3

 

[ozinga]

it's really time consuming
names change in mixer when you change between all and arrange.
creating new track takes the previous name etc. I really hate it. Sometimes I just create tracks and compose without dealing with names and soon I have 8 tracks all named strings.

 

[Sascha Franck]

The channel strip / object / track / region naming in Logic has once been sort of OK-ish, but ever since the invention of the track header configuration and the dreaded "let's use this and that preset name as a track name and automatically name recorded regions like that, too" event, things have gone downhill quite a bit.

As a rather simple example: Back in the days (well, actually, just back at Logic 7), there's been an option to name audio files following the object names, so whenever I record something on a channel called "bass", the audio file (and hence the region) will be called "bass" (plus some take number) as well.
This is still working. But: It's only working for audio, not for MIDI anymore - which it was, in previous versions. So, regardless whether I call my channel strip "bass", the recorded regions will be named after the preset I'm using, which is making pretty much no sense in a lot of cases. Let's say I'm using a preset called "yo mofo's fat funky bazz" or so, my regions will already not display the full name anymore in most "normal" zoom modes, so all I may see would be "yo mofo's" or whatever, with little information of the regions content.
Then, once you change the preset you used (but keep the recorded regions), there's absolutely no connection between preset (and channel strip) name and region names anymore, which is making things even more weird. And I mean, it's not as if changing presets after you already recorded something would be an esoteric thing that almost nobody is doing, more to the opposite.

The track header configuration menu makes little or no sense in that regard, either. Sometimes things change the behaviour *somehow* (I still can't see anything logical behind it), sometimes they don't. I sometimes end up with regions called "default", just because the plugin apparently doesn't communicate with Logic (Battery is one of the contenders here), even if I manually rename my channel/object and/or track.
Logic 8 seems to offer a whole lot more options in terms of track/channel namings, but I seriously think that this very issue is a rather large step back.

- Sascha

 

[Ginger]

A quick query:

Why does the Mixer only give the option to show Track Names below the Channel Strips? There seems to be no way to show the Channel Strip Name instead, which seems rather odd, since these are....Channel Strips...

The default in L8 is actually to show Channel Strip names. The names you see in the tracks (by default) aren't Track Names, they are Channel Strip names.

If you enter a name on the Arrange track header, this name will be the "track name."

Unless you use the command to create a Track Name, in which case you'll first see the dummy name "*Track Name", or have configured your track header to do something else, you are editing the CHannel Strip name when you edit the name that appears in the track list.

If you have already named the "channel strip," this track name will replace it on the Mixer channel strip.

Here, if I rename the Channel Strip, that would be a Channel Strip name, and it appears in the Mixer as expected.

It's so easy to call the name in the track list for track names, but that's how all this got messy in the first place. The thing that works the best, is to stick to naming Channel Strips only, because these names appear also in the Mixer (unless you want to use track names to, which I do).

For a simple solution, it's probably a good idea to configure the track header so it shows Channel Strip names or Track Names consistently. By choosing to view only one column and avoiding Auto-NAme mode, you'll avoid a lot of confusion. Much of the problems come from the Auto-Name mode, which - of you use software instruments and want to see patch names in the mixer, or use external MIDI, is bound to create confusion, especially in two column mode.

Changing the Channel Strip name in the Arrange Window, however, does not affect the name below the Channel Strip in the mixer!

It does here, in 8.02, - both in Auto-Name mode and Channel Strip Name mode, if I don't use Track Names.

Similarly, changing the name area below the Mixer Channel Strip will change the Track Name in the Arrange window, rather than (as one would expect) the Channel Strip Name.

Maybe what you (or I) describe only appears on some Macs, but remember that the name you see in the track list actually IS not Track Names (by default), but Channel Strip names.

I think the confusion mainly comes from the fact that Logic doesn't default to show track names in the track list, but Channel Strip names.

So this really seems like a simple bug: There is no way to force the Channel Strip name to show below a Channel strip in the Mixer (at least for tracks with names).

If the track has actual track names (and not just "track list names' = names in the track list), that's true, but you can show Channel Strip Names in the channel strip still, if you enable 'Instrument Name' in the MIDI Track Components menu. Then they will appear at the top of the Channel Strip, and not at the bottom.

I like the idea of having an option for seeing both Channel and Track names for audio tracks in the at the bottom of the channel strips in the Mixer.

It can be confusing to mix a song if one by accident has assigned the same audio channel to several tracks, so ideally, a mode where the channel strip would show the Channel Strip Name, and - under that - a small pop-up menu showing the various tracks that use this channel would serve as a warning that one has used the same CHannel Strip for several tracks. Since one cannot have more than one set of automation and plug-ins for a channel strip, it would be good to have a way to make newbies discover that they are about to edit the settings of several arrange tracks - if they change the setting of a channel strip that's used by several tracks. That pop-up menu could look like the menyi at the top of the CHannel Strip (which says "Setting" when not used), ad an asterisk could at the pop-up menu could indicate that this Channel Strip is used by several tracks.

The Channel Strip in the mixer never had a (channel strip) name, but was only showing the Track name. If you turn off View: Track Name in the mixer, then the Channel Strip will show no name at all!

Actually, it shows the Channel Strip name until you manually enter a track name - which I somehow like, even if it would be better to be able to show both (as an option).

(One would expect it to show the Channel Strip name, but it never does).

You probably use Track Names then?

Just to add to the confusion, try this:

Create several tracks in the Arrange Window all assigned to the same Channel Strip. Give them each unique Channel Strip names.

But - that's not possible!

If they are all assigned to the same Channel Strip, they can only have/share one Channel Strip name, meaning that if you edit one of them, the other is edited as well.

OTOH, if you have enabled "Same Instrument Tracks", you'll see the same channel strip several times in the Mixer (if it is used several times in Arrange), and with unique track names (if real track names have been given to them).



Since people will always think of the names that appear in the track list as track names, I believe there will be confusion around Logic's solution until the end of time - or until the track list defaults to show track names. This also would have it's pros and cons, but I still think it would have been a better solution.

Anyway, by configuring the track header to show either Track Names or Channel Strip names, you'll avoid some of the confusion trigger by the fact that the track by default doesn't show track names. But that's not a global preference, so you have to make sure this setting is chosen in every song.

If you want to use both track names and channel strip names, let alone see two columns at the same time, and click on the name in the right (or left) column to edit it's name, you're bound to get gray hairs.

 

[mk3]

If you enter a name on the Arrange track header, this name will be the "track name."

Unless you use the command to create a Track Name, in which case you'll first see the dummy name "*Track Name", or have configured your track header to do something else, you are editing the CHannel Strip name when you edit the name that appears in the track list.

I've configured the Track Header to show both Track Names and Channel Strip names, in 2 columns. So this way I know exactly what I am viewing, and what name I am editing.

It's so easy to call the name in the track list for track names, but that's how all this got messy in the first place. The thing that works the best, is to stick to naming Channel Strips only, because these names appear also in the Mixer (unless you want to use track names to, which I do).

Fine as a work-around, except that I do want to use independent track and channel strip names. I often have multiple split-out parts in different tracks for the same channel strip (say, the different parts of a drumkit, or the different sections of a virtual string section), and it's the only way to keep matters organized.

I like the idea of having an option for seeing both Channel and Track names for audio tracks in the at the bottom of the channel strips in the Mixer.

Another good idea would the option to have header labels (which can be turned on or off) at the top of the columns so one knows what's what.

mk3

 

[Eli]

A quick query:

Just to add to the confusion, try this:

Create several tracks in the Arrange Window all assigned to the same Channel Strip. Give them each unique Channel Strip names.

But - that's not possible!

My mistake - I meant give them each unique track names.

But just trying to follow this whole thread is evidence enough of how obtuse and convoluted the naming scheme is currently!!