Logic Pro Recording External Instruments in Logic

[neonreymun]

hi I'm recording some chords with my Microkorg and I'm having some problems. i rarely use this thing since theres always some kind of problem, its very tedious. i am creating a software instrument track and opening up an external instrument within that track and i get signal and am able to record. but when i duplicate the track and choose a different patch on the MK to overdub and add more synths to the song, it changes my first original patch into the new one I've selected, which isn't allowing me to progress and i don't know why it is doing this. i tried to create a new track without duplicating the first one but that didn't help. I also tried to bounce the first track in place to convert the MIDI data into an audio wave but then i can't hear anything when i play it back. then i open up the audio wave and it is just a straight line. see picture below... please if anyone could help me out here I'd appreciate it, this thing is getting on my nerves

 

[CSeye]

This is for Logic 9 but still applies to LPX
http://music.tutsplus.com/tutorials...al-instrument-plugin-in-logic-pro--audio-6054

Edited 4/7/16
It sounds like there are two issues
1. You want to use your MicroKorg as a multitimbral sound source, playing back different sounds on different channels?

2. Recording the audio output of the keyboard.

The link above explains how to set up a multi instrument so you can assign different sounds per channel.

As mentioned below and at the end of the linked information, you'll need to record the audio output of the keyboard to audio channels.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I also tried to bounce the first track in place to convert the MIDI data into an audio wave but then i can't hear anything when i play it back. then i open up the audio wave and it is just a straight line. see picture below... please if anyone could help me out here I'd appreciate it, this thing is getting on my nerves

This is very odd because as far as I'm aware BIP is not available for external instruments.

This makes total sense because the MIDI region itself has no information about the audio, or on which input to Logic it may or may not be.

It's years since I used external instruments, but my understanding is that the only way to convert t to an audio file within Logic's arrange window is to physically record the audio signal from the external synth's output. Either analogue or digital.

So whatever input on your interface your korg is connected to has to be used for the Audio channel strip.

Arm that track then it record and it will record the audio that is triggered by your MIDI region/s to the Korg.

 

[neonreymun]

This is for Logic 9 but still applies to LPX
http://music.tutsplus.com/tutorials...al-instrument-plugin-in-logic-pro--audio-6054

Edited 4/7/16
It sounds like there are two issues
1. You want to use your MicroKorg as a multitimbral sound source, playing back different sounds on different channels?

2. Recording the audio output of the keyboard.

The link above explains how to set up a multi instrument so you can assign different sounds per channel.

As mentioned below and at the end of the linked information, you'll need to record the audio output of the keyboard to audio channels.

thank you i will look into this and let u know how it goes!

 

[neonreymun]

This is very odd because as far as I'm aware BIP is not available for external instruments.

This makes total sense because the MIDI region itself has no information about the audio, or on which input to Logic it may or may not be.

It's years since I used external instruments, but my understanding is that the only way to convert t to an audio file within Logic's arrange window is to physically record the audio signal from the external synth's output. Either analogue or digital.

So whatever input on your interface your korg is connected to has to be used for the Audio channel strip.

Arm that track then it record and it will record the audio that is triggered by your MIDI region/s to the Korg.

i thought i was already recording the the audio? i have both a MIDI cable transferring the MIDI data and an audio cable to capture the actual audio itself. if i record using an audio track instead of a software instrument track I'm still able to record and play back what i record, but i wanna use MIDI because I'm not a great keyboard player and i wanna be able to open the piano roll and maybe change a few things or quantize the notes, stuff like that. i wouldn't be able to do this with an audio track. and i was trying to bounce it in place so i could reverse the synths and come up with some crazy sounds that way, you know just experiment, but wow i didn't know logic didn't allow bouncing in place for external instruments, seems kinda odd and limiting. if i woulda known i would've never bought analogue gear haha

 

[Pete Thomas]

i thought i was already recording the the audio?

It doesn't look like it. In your image you only show an external instrument track and the BIP track. Where is the audio recorded?

BIP can create audio with an internal Software Instrument as it the audio information all within Logic and connected directly to that instrument.

With an external instrument, if BIP was going to work it would need to be told (manually) which input to use for the audio.

but wow i didn't know logic didn't allow bouncing in place for external instruments, seems kinda odd and limiting. if i woulda known i would've never bought analogue gear haha

Obviously it does work for you because you manage to do it, as your image shows the external instrument and the BIP track, albeit with silence recorded presumably for reasons stated above.

 

[neonreymun]

so what are you telling me i need to create both a MIDI track AND audio track to be able to do what im trying to do? how exactly do i "arm" it like you stated before

 

[CSeye]

1. Create an External MIDI track and a Multi-instrument in the Environment as shown in the link above.
2. Create an audio track (or tracks) assigned to the output (or outputs) of your MicroKorg.

When recording MIDI data, the audio track allows you to monitor the output of the keyboard. At this point, you're only recording the MIDI to the External MIDI track and monitoring the sound via the audio track.

When it's time to record the audio, the External MIDI track should not be record enabled, but the audio track is record-enabled.

If all MicroKorg sounds are routed to a stereo out, then you'll need to record the audio for each External MIDI track on at a time.

I'm away right so unable to provide a screen shot.

 

[sonnykeyes]

What's confusing you is that Logic's External Instrument tracks function as a MIDI record track and an audio input monitor track simultaneously. This has fooled you into thinking that you are recording audio, when in fact the MicroKorg is playing back the sounds fresh (from the recorded MIDI) every time you play the song. I think if you follow CSeye's instructions above you'll be able to make an audio recording of the MicroKorg's output, then make a new, separate audio track to record on with the patch changed on the MicroKorg and record that.

 

[neonreymun]

1. Create an External MIDI track and a Multi-instrument in the Environment as shown in the link above.
2. Create an audio track (or tracks) assigned to the output (or outputs) of your MicroKorg.

When recording MIDI data, the audio track allows you to monitor the output of the keyboard. At this point, you're only recording the MIDI to the External MIDI track and monitoring the sound via the audio track.

When it's time to record the audio, the External MIDI track should not be record enabled, but the audio track is record-enabled.

If all MicroKorg sounds are routed to a stereo out, then you'll need to record the audio for each External MIDI track on at a time.

I'm away right so unable to provide a screen shot.

yes thank you thats what i needed, i remember when i first bought the MK and tried recording it didnt give me any problems but because i was using audio tracks only. so you need both gotacha, and if i open the piano roll and move some notes around after recording, the audio itself will change also right?

 

[sonnykeyes]

... if i open the piano roll and move some notes around after recording, the audio itself will change also right?

The MicroKorg will play the new MIDI information into the audio inputs of your interface. The audio that you HEAR will change, but there still isn't a recorded audio file yet until you print it.

 

[neonreymun]

print it how?

 

[sonnykeyes]

You need to create a new stereo audio track and assign its input to the audio inputs that your MicroKorg are plugged into. Then play down the whole song, recording on that track. If you were using plug-ins on your External Instrument track, you might want to copy them over to this new audio track so it sounds the same as the External Instrument did.

The External Instrument track only records the MIDI information, not the audio, that's why you have to do this to 'print' the sound from your MicroKorg before you change the patch on it and combine the new sound with the old sound. The MicroKorg can only make one sound at a time (well, two if you read the manual, but it cuts your polyphony) so to get it to play two different sounds with itself, you have to print one to an audio track and add the other one to it. Once you've printed the sound, you can't change the MIDI notes any more, so make sure the part is exactly perfect before you do this step.

 

[neonreymun]

got it thanks!

 

[CSeye]

Since I didn't previously know the MicroKorg can only create one sound, disregard my suggestion to create the Multi-instrument in the Environment.

A MIDI instrument will be automatically added in the Environment when you create an External MIDI track, which is good to know, but you're not required to go into the Environment to record your MIDI parts.