Can't Hear Logic Internal Sound Banks Options

[pwpi]

Hello, My first post here, hopefully the beginning of many more.

I've just installed Logic Pro and have a couple of issues:

I can't seem to get any sound from Logic's stock instruments. My midi in/out is active in the right side of the transport window but the selected track (let's say for argument purposes "grand piano") can't be heard. I see the midi signals being sent in the console section (little green light flashing when I press a key on my midi controller) but no sound from the actual instrument.

The loops can be heard and manipulated no problems.
I can import audio files no problem and hear them. (aif, wave, etc.)

I suspect I'm doing something wrong or not enabling a switch/button or whatever so that I can hear the sound.


Also . . . none of my VST Plug-ins are showing up. (Absynth, Vanguard, Arp 2600, Reason, etc.) They are all located in User Library/Audio/Plugins/VST

Any help with these matters would be graciously appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance for reading this post.

PW

[banevt]

Hello, My first post here, hopefully the beginning of many more.

I've just installed Logic Pro and have a couple of issues:

I can't seem to get any sound from Logic's stock instruments. My midi in/out is active in the right side of the transport window but the selected track (let's say for argument purposes "grand piano") can't be heard. I see the midi signals being sent in the console section (little green light flashing when I press a key on my midi controller) but no sound from the actual instrument.

The loops can be heard and manipulated no problems.
I can import audio files no problem and hear them. (aif, wave, etc.)

I suspect I'm doing something wrong or not enabling a switch/button or whatever so that I can hear the sound.


Also . . . none of my VST Plug-ins are showing up. (Absynth, Vanguard, Arp 2600, Reason, etc.) They are all located in User Library/Audio/Plugins/VST

Any help with these matters would be graciously appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance for reading this post.

PW

As far as I know Logic doesn't use VST plugins only AU. You can probably try a VST to AU adapter but some plugs don't work so well wrapped. What hardware are you using with Logic? If you look to the left of the screen you'll see your track settings. In your instrument track is your device setting on Core Audio? Or is it blank or set to a different device than your using?

[pwpi]

Hello, My first post here, hopefully the beginning of many more.

I've just installed Logic Pro and have a couple of issues:

I can't seem to get any sound from Logic's stock instruments. My midi in/out is active in the right side of the transport window but the selected track (let's say for argument purposes "grand piano") can't be heard. I see the midi signals being sent in the console section (little green light flashing when I press a key on my midi controller) but no sound from the actual instrument.

The loops can be heard and manipulated no problems.
I can import audio files no problem and hear them. (aif, wave, etc.)

I suspect I'm doing something wrong or not enabling a switch/button or whatever so that I can hear the sound.


Also . . . none of my VST Plug-ins are showing up. (Absynth, Vanguard, Arp 2600, Reason, etc.) They are all located in User Library/Audio/Plugins/VST

Any help with these matters would be graciously appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance for reading this post.

PW

As far as I know Logic doesn't use VST plugins only AU. You can probably try a VST to AU adapter but some plugs don't work so well wrapped. What hardware are you using with Logic? If you look to the left of the screen you'll see your track settings. In your instrument track is your device setting on Core Audio? Or is it blank or set to a different device than your using?

Hi,

Well I have a Delta Audiophile 2496 PCI card but I'm not using it. I mean, it's installed, but I'm just using Built in Audio. I didn't realize that Logic ignored VST. That really sucks. Any idea why I can't get a signal outta the Logic instruments?

Thanks so much for your reply.

This post has been edited by pwpi: Tue 26 Jun 2007, 06:21

[Jim Hoyland]

On the VST front, you'll need something like this:

http://www.fxpansion.com/index.php?page=5&tab=22

there may be freeware equivalents but someone else will have to fill you in on this. On the plus side, Logic comes with a huge array of plug-ins and there are many freeware Audio Unit (AU) plugs out there. Bear in mind that with all the programmes out there, people wouldn't use Logic if it wasn't any good.

On the instrument side, it sounds like you're actually addressing a midi channel rather than a built-in instrument. When you load Logic the Arrange page shows a selection of tracks available to use (Audio Tracks, Audio Instruments, Midi Instruments). The default view for midi instruments (unless you've set up your enviroment properly) is a selection of GM sounds and I think you've selected one of these.

To access the internal instruments, select an Audio Instrument track. On the left hand side of the screen you'll see a channel strip with a volume fader, pan pot and an IO section with two small boxes. The bottom box will usually show the selected audio output (defaulting to 1 & 2). The top box is where you select your audio instrument. Click and hold on this box and a dialogue box will appear where you can select the type instrument (Apple / AU / Logic), then the number of channels (Mono / Stereo / Multichannel) and then the actual instrument itself.

Once you've picked the instrument, you may have to choose the patch. Often this is located in a drop-down menu indicated by a downwards pointing triangle, but click around the interface and you'll find out what the thing can do.

[jannop]

[quote name='banevt' date='Tue 26 Jun 2007, 03:58' post='243382']
[quote name='pwpi' post='243381' date='Mon 25 Jun 2007, 17:57']
Hello, My first post here, hopefully the beginning of many more.

I've just installed Logic Pro and have a couple of issues:

I can't seem to get any sound from Logic's stock instruments. My midi in/out is active in the right side of the transport window but the selected track (let's say for argument purposes "grand piano") can't be heard. I see the midi signals being sent in the console section (little green light flashing when I press a key on my midi controller) but no sound from the actual instrument.


[/quote]

And you have selected the instrument from the insert button on the channel strip on the audio instrument track? Track names can be for example "grand piano" without anything assigned to them.

[pwpi]

Jim, Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your time.

I've looked in the place you suggested and all that appears when clicking and holding the mouse on the top box "inserts" are Mono>Audio Units and Logic and
Mono>Stereo > Audio Units > Logic
At the head of both it says "No Plugins"

Same goes for the Insert button below.

And you have selected the instrument from the insert button on the channel strip on the audio instrument track? Track names can be for example "grand piano" without anything assigned to them.
[/quote]

There are none to be selected. When I click on an individual instrument from the list (with the cute little icons beside them) under the Inst and Audio areas I get the option of changing those under the "midi Inst." menu but stangely, they are under the sub-heading of "edirol" and "midiman". I musty have screwed up my in/out assignment in the midid menu and will check that now. But still, I do see midi input coming into the program at the far right side of the transport window but am getting no sound.

Thanks to you both for your assistance. I feel like a fool, but thanks!

[pwpi]

OKay Guys,

I think I figured it all out; I can only add plug-ins from the mixer/console area of the App. Is that right? Furthermore, one can only assign plugins from the "instrument" faders of the console. As a recording engineer myself, I'm used to working with Neve's, and SSL's so, this type of routing is not so "logic"al. I'd much prefer to add instruments (plugins) from the tracking area of song composition as opposed to the mixing section. Not likely you guys will be able to change this so I don't know why I'm even mentioning it at all.

I'm used to using DP 5.0, and being an avid Apple fan, decided to check Logic out for myself - given the rave reviews etc. So far, so good other than the regular pain in the neck (idiot associated) problems one encounters using a new app.

Another conundrum though, given Apple's exposure to the MP3 world aas such via iTunes and GB. Why did they choose to import only aif. and wave files as audio formats? That to me is very peculiar. Although I love ais/aiff formats bcz of their superior sound quality, MP3 is convenient for working demos and messing around with song comps. Again, not that you guys are gonna change anything about it . . . JMHO.

Guys . . . thanks again for your support and for your time. My first experience here is a Great one!

Cheers!

pw

[gdoubleyou]

VST is getting scarce on the Mac, Cubase is the VST only DAW, Live supports VST and AU.

[banevt]

OKay Guys,

I think I figured it all out; I can only add plug-ins from the mixer/console area of the App. Is that right? Furthermore, one can only assign plugins from the "instrument" faders of the console. As a recording engineer myself, I'm used to working with Neve's, and SSL's so, this type of routing is not so "logic"al. I'd much prefer to add instruments (plugins) from the tracking area of song composition as opposed to the mixing section. Not likely you guys will be able to change this so I don't know why I'm even mentioning it at all.

I'm used to using DP 5.0, and being an avid Apple fan, decided to check Logic out for myself - given the rave reviews etc. So far, so good other than the regular pain in the neck (idiot associated) problems one encounters using a new app.

Another conundrum though, given Apple's exposure to the MP3 world aas such via iTunes and GB. Why did they choose to import only aif. and wave files as audio formats? That to me is very peculiar. Although I love ais/aiff formats bcz of their superior sound quality, MP3 is convenient for working demos and messing around with song comps. Again, not that you guys are gonna change anything about it . . . JMHO.

Guys . . . thanks again for your support and for your time. My first experience here is a Great one!

Cheers!

pw

I'm also a recording engineer and I find it's easier to figure out DAW's if you try and look at them from the same perspective as a console and the recording/mixing process in general. I think you can assign plugins from the arrangement page unless I'm understanding you wrong. The track you have highlighted comes up on the left side of the screen in the arrangement page. That channel is the track you have highlighted on the arrangement page. You can assign plugins to the audio tracks and even instrument tracks it's just that in Logic the instrument plugins are seperated from audio plugins. On an instrument track you have an insert pull down menu to insert audio plugins and above the output assignment there is a pull down menu for instrument plugins. I've never used Cubase but I like Logic for soft synths and it's more creative focus for creating a song. I usually end up going to Pro Tools where I'm most comfortable but lately I've been loving Ableton Live so much that Logic hardly gets used. Live can use AU's and VST's and is just as focused on creativity and is easy to use once you get over the learning curve. The learning curve for Logic is much greater I think. I usually bounce my tracks to audio before going to Pro Tools but I suppose you could even insert it into a track in Pro Tools in ReWire mode but I think you lose the use of AU's and VST's but I'm not sure. You should be able to drag and drop your MP3's onto an audio track in Logic. Even though it will convert it to either aiff or wav it lets you import it and use it in your session. Pro Tools will convert the MP3 too it's the way they usually work. I don't know if an MP3 shows up from the import audio menu but Logic is pretty drag and drop which is cool. Anyway I'm sure you will figure it out, there is a lot to learn for Logic, but once you figure it out it is a useful tool.

Valente

This post has been edited by banevt: Wed 27 Jun 2007, 01:25

[pwpi]

Valente,

Nicely put. Thanks for your input.

The weirdest thing just happened as was beginning this post. I was about to tell you that I could not assign any Logic based instrument or plugin at all from the channel to the left of the arrangement section as you suggested. I then opened Logic to double check what you were saying and sure enough I couldn't do it. Then, the weird thing happened. My ARP 2600 plugin crashed. Not only had I never been able to call it up before but it's a VST plugin. I was prompted by the crash via an Apple, on screen message. So I checked the sends again and sure enough all plugins are now available AU and VST (absynth, Arp 2600, Battery, and 21 GarageBand sounds. There are no Logic instruments available though.So weird!

I have no clue what happened, but I think i like it. :-)