Logic Pro 9 Newbie needs to understand Environments?

enossified

enossified

Logician
I'm in research-before-purchase mode and need to understand what the Environment is and how it's used :brkwl:

Looking for pointers to any good explanations.

Bummed there is no way to demo before buying 🙁
 
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It's good that you are doing research, but I wouldn't base your purchase decision on how useful the environment is for your needs, many users are blissfully unaware of it, and Logic is well worth the price without even thinking about it.

However there are some very useful things "under the hood". I use the environment mostly for transforming, ie changing one type of MIDI info into another, it's where you can route MIDI via cables to different things.

My main use these days is to convert text and score symbols into notes or CC data to use to change articulations on software instruments.
I also use it for footpedal data to control plugins, e.g. wah wah.
Cabling instruments to software instruments for drum mapping.

There are many more uses, which I'm sure people will chime in with.
 
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Like Pete says, the environment area of Logic Pro is something you don't have to know anything about to use Logic , and you can learn about it over time, as you discover it's potential.

It is an area that allows you to "customize" Logic's internal "guts" (like that one, big tech term ;-). You can create custom midi to audio instrument setups, midi transformer items, etc. That said, one really doesn't even need to go there, and I have plenty of clients who have never even ventured near the thing...
 
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I see posts online (some right here in fact) by users looking for environments for particular hardware, I guess for dealing with program changes. Can you fill me in on what that is about?

You can be quite specific I've got 20 years of using MIDI software and understand patch bank mumbo-jumbo quite well 😉
 
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At it's most basic level, when people are looking for "Environments" it is generally referring to multi instrument objects with patch names already setup to correspond to their hardware.

So if, for example, you are using a Roland JV 2080 synth, a basic 2080 environment would include a multi instrument with patch lists for all the banks, plus some custom bank messages for moving between banks. That way you can see the specific patch names when loading in patches.

That's a basic use of the Environment. One step up from that would be objects to control other aspects of the hardware. maybe some sysex faders to control internal patch parameters like envelopes or LFOs, etc. Maybe some MIDI CC faders to control the effects processing values on the patch, etc. It might include a small MIDI mixer if the hardware is used multitimbrally. It of course depends on the hardware.

Anyway, that's one general old school use of the Environment.
 
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Eli said:
At it's most basic level, when people are looking for "Environments" it is generally referring to multi instrument objects with patch names already setup to correspond to their hardware.

So if, for example, you are using a Roland JV 2080 synth, a basic 2080 environment would include a multi instrument with patch lists for all the banks, plus some custom bank messages for moving between banks. That way you can see the specific patch names when loading in patches.

That's a basic use of the Environment. One step up from that would be objects to control other aspects of the hardware. maybe some sysex faders to control internal patch parameters like envelopes or LFOs, etc. Maybe some MIDI CC faders to control the effects processing values on the patch, etc. It might include a small MIDI mixer if the hardware is used multitimbrally. It of course depends on the hardware.

Anyway, that's one general old school use of the Environment.
Click to expand...

How would one create a general Environment for the Dave Smith/Linn Tempest?
 
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Basically the whole midi side of Logic is based on the Environment and it is one of the most powerful features in comparison with the other DAWs.
We need to draw a bible about all that... The basic Environment object functions and usage are well described in the Logic documentation (more examples are missing but this can be commented in the forums like this).
Apart of the regular usage I can say that you can create a full complex midi tools using the Environment. For example you can design smart midi features in that tools like internal clipboards, note number registers etc so you can emulate the hardware intelligent synths. For example "True Midi Latch/Hold" tool which can be used with any controller and behaves as the hardware True Midi Latch (I have developed a 16 multicultural Midi Latch so you can Latch multiple midi channels in real time). Input Channelizer "Divisi" which can demix the incoming midi polyphony to different midi channels (i.e instruments) with custom channel settings for each midi voice etc, Midi Scaller (cents) tool supporting full midi CC# external control and presets control etc, intelligent real-time transposition tool supporting key switching and smart transposition which behaves as the hardware synts and prevent from any "hang" notes during the transposition (i.e the note previous note OFFs are registered in special tables, hardware environment synth editors like this having randomizer features, true midi latch, preset managers (extra midi features that are not present in the hardware synth). You can watch some videos in my site shown in the signature below just to have an idea - "Logic Snapshot Console" & "RMX Power Control" to be exact.
Hope you see what is the big Environment power...
A.G
 
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sounds like some of the stuff people are doing with Max For Live
Click to expand...
Definitely !
The difference is that you store your work or template as a Logic song project (you can import environment layers and midi tools from one song to another) and you do not need to use any third party apps like Max, virtual midi cables like IAC ect. Something more - the Environment can beat even the Main Stage...🙂 which is Environment based having a new UI only.
I say that cause I developed an Environment template prototype named "Logic Jammier Pro (LJP)" long time ago so you can pre-load up to 256 Software Instruments and retrieve them via CC bank & Program change. The LJP works as a hardware synt offering smooth patch changes (Main Stage supports that too but up to 128 instruments). The smooth patch changes require intelligent program features. For example if you play a chord holding a few notes and change the patch via Program Change message, after the Program change if you play more notes they will use the new patch (instrument) and the held notes will play the old instrument patch. After releasing the old notes the note OFF messages will come to the old instrument and kill the playing notes correctly - no sustain issues. It is an advanced method which is possible in the Logic Environment but never made buy now. The well known techniques like using Cable Switcher, Transformer Channel remote cause patch change interruption and note hanging if tweak them during note layering. The new Channel Strip "Program Change" performance feature supported by Logic 8 & 9 makes patch interruption too during switching.
Right now I spend more time in the NI Kontakt scripting, but I found that all midi tools created in the Kontakt KSP require serious work and time.
For example one Logic transformer object is equivalent of 50-60 or more KSP hard scripts or templates.
If I have time I can start a new topic and make some Logic environment midi processing comparison using the same conditions in the KSP. So we can put our hats to the old Emagic developers who do all that hard programing offering us full multi-complex midi objects (scrips) in the Environment !
A.G
 
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Wowzers! Your deep in the environment man.

I'v been using Logic since version 7 and have written countless songs. I know what I'm doing but all I know about external gear is to get a basic sync happening and record basic midi and audio into Logic.

My original question I know the answer to now. Logic no longer receives midi clock. So having a Roger Linn designed Drum machine I was hoping to use the rock solid clock of the drum machine. But alas I cant. And logic's transmission of Midi Clock is sloppy.

I have considered getting a Inner Cock Systems Sync Gen II I have heard great things about these devices.

Seems pretty stupid that Logic no longer receives Midi Clock....
 
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enossified said:
I'm in research-before-purchase mode and need to understand what the Environment is and how it's used :brkwl:

Looking for pointers to any good explanations.

Bummed there is no way to demo before buying 🙁
Click to expand...

In my opinion, it's macros like this and stuff I've created that gets the creative side flowing.
https://logic-users-group.com/forums/threads/harmonic-xpander-v1-0-now-available.5628/

What's really cool is you don't need to purchase addtional software to do this.

Here's a great read about The Enviroment
http://audio.tutsplus.com/tutorials/recording/understanding-logic-pros-environment/
 
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