Logic Pro 9 Moving EXS24 Folders and Other Logic Files

[bayswater]

I searched the forum on this topic but didn't see the specific info I'm looking for. I understand the EXS24 samples and instruments can be moved to an external drive, and that this can be done (as per Apple advice) using aliases, or by simply moving the factory samples, and letting Logic find them again.

What do people advise on the best way to do this? One caveat for me, is I intend to access the EXS instruments with MachFive 3. I think I recall from Eli's MachFive tutorials, that the samples and instruments have to be in the same directory to do this.

 

[Eli]

Hey Bayswater,

I remember stumbling onto this limitation when I was doing the MachFive|3 videos. I can't recall for sure if it was documented anywhere, but it was the only way I could get it to work (importing EXS to MF).

The actual instrument files are pretty small, so if you are planning on doing a lot of importing into MF, you'll just need to take the time to make a copy of the EXS instrument file and place it within each folder of accompanying samples. I'm not sure that there is any shortcut for this. If you come across a better way, let me know....

 

[bayswater]

Thanks Eli. (I see you guys have done a DP 8 video. Good stuff.)

I'll go back and follow the video instructions.

Meanwhile, anybody, any advice on the best way to put the original EXS stuff on an external drive?

 

[Eli]

In terms of moving the original EXS factory content onto an external drive, there's really nothing complicated about it. Just move the samples to where you want them, and then delete the originals. That's it. Leave the sampler instrument folder where it is, that doesn't take up much room anyway.

And optionally copy and place the sampler instruments into the samples folders for use with MF. This unfortunately isn't a one step process, you'll need to move them for each folder. But do it once, it'll take ten minutes, and then you're done.

 

[CSeye]

I've had good success placing an alias in the user instruments folder for instruments (and samples e.g. instruments created by Autosampler) located on external drives when using the EXS24. Otherwise... what Eli said.

MachFive does want the .exs instrument in the samples folder, and, it does not want samples in sub-folders.

As a test, I copied the full EXS Cellos instrument samples from their respective sub folders into a single folder on the desk top. Then copied the .exs instrument into the same folder.

MF did a great job of repackaging the properly-named samples into appropriately labeled layers with all key groups in place per layer.

What I'm not clear on is whether or not it preserved the CC#1 controller assignment for selecting layers.

Copying a few .exs files into a samples folder without subfolders is not too bad...

 

[bayswater]

Thanks Eli and CSeye. I'll just move them, and then copy the instruments into the respective folders. It's only Logic, which seems to be able to find the moved files, and MF, which has to be shown where they are anyway, that will be using these.

To simplify things, I'll make a second copy of it all for MF, and get rid of any subfolder structures in prep for loading into MF, and saving as MF instruments.

 

[CSeye]

What I'm not clear on is whether or not it preserved the CC#1 controller assignment for selecting layers.

MF3 did an excellent job of reading the controller assignments for the various layers. It's all in the Rules. Gotta say that Eli's tutorial was extremely helpful in navigating the depths of MF3.

Interesting that MF3 assigned CC#4 instead of CC#1 as in the exs Cello instrument. However, each layer is assigned the absolutely correct controller range for each articulation.

Among the many benefits of Logic is the ease of setting up MIDI faders assigned to controllers in the Environment. A vertical fader assigned to output CC#4 was cabled to the instrument, with a monitor cabled from the fader for the readout.

The articulations switched accordingly. Very cool😀

 

[Eli]

Thanks Wally! Glad to hear the conversions went smoothly for you.

 

[CSeye]

Eli,

You're most welcome.

The MF3 manual was well written but watching your tutorial was certainly a more productive learning experience for me.

wv