Logic 10.5

[Michael Canavan]

Apparently NI have already accepted that it's a fix on their side. Not really that surprising. NI usually are a bit behind Apple with compatibility, I just remember how long it took them to go Intel because they refused Apples constant hints to use Xcode over Codewarrior.

I received this in the morning email:

Hey MASSIVE X people,

Just a quick note about the MASSIVE X 1.3 update, which is out now.
Firstly, crashing issues related to the new LOGIC PRO X 10.5 update are now fixed, so you’ll be good to go again.
As far as the fun stuff is concerned, you’re in for a real treat:
The new update includes 20 new presets, and 50 new noise tables (25 loops, and 25 one-shots). You can also import your own samples into the noise module – time to put your field recording collection to good use!
We’ve also added parameter readouts and, as usual, have swatted a few bugs.

Head to Native Access to update.

All the best,
Native

All good, of course I've discovered a bug unrelated to NI. Doing a test semi serious project in Logic I have a repeatable hang style crash moving a MPE track with Roli Equator on it to Logics Clips grid. To be fair I haven't checked for an upgrade from Roli for quite some time, but it is what it is.

To be extra fair, DP10.11 still has a broken "back to arrangement" function in that it just mutes all tracks if you fire them, instead of playing the MIDI and audio from the timeline, but at least it doesn't hang the project.

[nk_e]

[ramble]

The update is nicely done. Peter Kirn at CDM summed it up nicely (though I think the “inspiration” for certain parts is more a Bitwig than Live). https://cdm.link/2020/05/logic-pro-10-5 ... workflows/

Yes, a lot of this is familiar – it’s workflow stuff that is widely used by producers in Ableton Live, Maschine, and FL Studio (among others, in forms maybe a little less obviously like this). And yes, the EXS24 overhaul is long overdue – that aspect also will deserve more detailed attention from people making soundware content.

But sometimes it’s useful to be last to the party. The latest Logic instruments and effects and workflows all start to look very consistent and integrated. Apple has put them together in a way that looks clear and uniquely theirs.

But what has really been a boon has been the integration of Redmatica’s tech into Logic. It’s dead easy now to deep sample hardware (and vst) synths and create an .exs instrument. Sample Robot (a great piece of software) offers similar functionality, but if I wanted to layer and sample a couple of hardware synths, I had to create special mixer configurations in my MOTU virtual mixer. Now, I can just create some aux tracks / sub mixes in Logic and sample away. Really very convenient for sound design and instrument creation.

It would be even easier to pull off in DP if similar tech existed.

Actually, I think I could probably jury rig something with SampleRobot and DP using something like Blackhole or RogueAmoeba’s Loopback and an IAC MIDI connection....hmmmm.

[/ramble]

[bayswater]

Actually, I think I could probably jury rig something with SampleRobot and DP using something like Blackhole or RogueAmoeba’s Loopback and an IAC MIDI connection....hmmmm

I've been using EXS24 with DP by linking DP and Logic with Soundflower and IAC MIDI since V9, originally because I had the EXS24 version of Concert Strings. You need to build an Environment page to split the MIDI into channels or it plays every channel on every patch, but otherwise, it's pretty simple. I haven't tried out the templates I have for this in 10.5 yet, but I have no reason to think it won't work.

[Michael Canavan]

I've been using EXS24 with DP by linking DP and Logic with Soundflower and IAC MIDI since V9, originally because I had the EXS24 version of Concert Strings. You need to build an Environment page to split the MIDI into channels or it plays every channel on every patch, but otherwise, it's pretty simple. I haven't tried out the templates I have for this in 10.5 yet, but I have no reason to think it won't work.

That's my main gripe with Logic right there. It's extremely powerful, fast interface, I absolutely love the navigation in it, and I cannot for the life of me figure out why they haven't fixed the fact that virtual instruments in Logic are not addressed by port without some Environment trickery?

Logic out of the door can address MPE instruments, its "all" setting is actually all, but then that's it, you can't address any other AUi without painful environment stops. It's actually easier to use multiple controllers addressing multiple VSTi AUi in DP10.

It must be some deep dark recess of the code that they're just terrified to go near, kind of like how Live doesn't do SysEx and DP10 still has no way to limit note range in a MIDI track which frankly seems trivial? I've never gotten why that's not addressed?

[bayswater]

I've been using EXS24 with DP by linking DP and Logic with Soundflower and IAC MIDI since V9, originally because I had the EXS24 version of Concert Strings. You need to build an Environment page to split the MIDI into channels or it plays every channel on every patch, but otherwise, it's pretty simple. I haven't tried out the templates I have for this in 10.5 yet, but I have no reason to think it won't work.

That's my main gripe with Logic right there. It's extremely powerful, fast interface, I absolutely love the navigation in it, and I cannot for the life of me figure out why they haven't fixed the fact that virtual instruments in Logic are not addressed by port without some Environment trickery?

The environment page had always been a problem, but you don’t t need to use it much any more. It’s come a long way since you had to actually use it to tell Logic you wanted MIDI to be routed to the sequencer.

[nk_e]

I agree.

I wonder if it is because that, for 90% or more of its users and target market, it’s not really a problem AND going near it would be a huge PIA for backwards compatibility. Imagine: For 9 out of 10 it isn’t an issue, fix it anyway and the 10% you are trying to help lose all sorts of backwards compatibility with projects and then they pitch a fit. Hmmm. Worth it....or just work on things like live loops....

[Michael Canavan]

The environment page had always been a problem, but you don’t t need to use it much any more. It’s come a long way since you had to actually use it to tell Logic you wanted MIDI to be routed to the sequencer.

Sure, but AUi's are not capable of receiving a specific port, only a MIDI channel, as input. Unless you go into the Environment and mess with the Click and Ports Layer, separate out a specific port, then wire it directly to the AUi track. Of course this has to be done anytime you want this. As in my example, a Roli Seaboard on a specific track, record enabled, with another track in my case with the MPK88 and something like Alchemy. None of this is any issue at all in Bitwig, Re@per, or even DP once you set up 16 MIDI tracks etc. since they all differentiate by port. It definitely has to be something so hardwired into Logic that they're unable to fix it, or do not think it's worth messing with. It's been years, but I did some extensive Click and Ports rewiring to get everything on it's own port, and that messed with control surfaces and their ability to work... To a lot of people it's not a big deal, I've got an MPK88, Roli Seaboard Rise, Moog with keys, Beatstep Pro, MPC live etc. etc. and it's a matter of adjusting to working with only one MIDI input at a time, or just being careful etc.

You can of course attempt with varying degrees of success to get all of your MIDI controllers on different channels, and live with the fact that MPE instruments only get to play by themselves. Then you have to remember every controller by channel number because I imagine the Logic team doesn't want to concede defeat by admitting to a generalized 16 MIDI input limit.

Like I think we agree it's not the end of the world, but it's a strange limitation when all of the competition differentiates by port out of the box.