Logic X - bit disorientated

[jsd]

Thanks - yeah I did the same thing with channel strips - I have one for each ensemble I use frequently. So maybe I can create smart controls for Reaktor patches too?

What I don't get though is there still must be some way to make a default patch for an instrument - when I load Sculpture I can see smart controls even for third party and my own presets Apple can't have created a smart control patch for so clearly there is some default smart control for Sculpture that loads if a dedicated control hasn't been made for a particular patch. Would be great to be able to change that rather than have to save a new control for every patch.

edit - actually I'm saving a bunch of Padshop patches as aupresets now and there is a 'save as default' menu item now - maybe that does it?

At this point, there's not really any reason to make new channel strips. Patches have superseded them. They do everything and more. Channel strips are only still in the app for backwards compatibility.

The "define as default" menu item is for when you create a new software instrument channel but set the instrument popup to the "default patch" item.

I don't think there is a way to have default patches per instrument that load automatically. (The problem is that a patch can be many instruments, channels, etc.) Your best bet is to just create a folder in your User Patches folder called "Defaults" and make them, then when you create a new software instrument track, load your patch. It's an extra step.

[aMUSEd]

The new plugin organiser is very useful but there are a few problems with it - for some reason when I put some of my au effects into top level categories they now appear in the plugin instruments list as well as fx.

[aMUSEd]

Really got stuck into Logic X this afternoon - I am really getting to love this version. Particularly since finding that I can use the iOS app to send polyphonic aftertouch and it records it!

Plus I have used the awesome plugin manager to add all my favourite plugins to their own categories, and added aupreset versions of many of them to the library - feels like it's properly setup how I like it now.

[aMUSEd]

Thanks - yeah I did the same thing with channel strips - I have one for each ensemble I use frequently. So maybe I can create smart controls for Reaktor patches too?

What I don't get though is there still must be some way to make a default patch for an instrument - when I load Sculpture I can see smart controls even for third party and my own presets Apple can't have created a smart control patch for so clearly there is some default smart control for Sculpture that loads if a dedicated control hasn't been made for a particular patch. Would be great to be able to change that rather than have to save a new control for every patch.

edit - actually I'm saving a bunch of Padshop patches as aupresets now and there is a 'save as default' menu item now - maybe that does it?

At this point, there's not really any reason to make new channel strips. Patches have superseded them. They do everything and more. Channel strips are only still in the app for backwards compatibility.

tbh I'm still finding channel strips more useful than patches. If Apple want people to stop using them and replace them with patches they need to make it possible to browse patches as easily as you can channelstrips because I can browse channelstrips like they are plugins (just by clicking on the popup menu) whereas patches I have to find in the library, which means I have to have an extra bar open. The only advantage I see to patches is if I want to save a smart control (edit no actually it seems you can save smart controls with channelstrips too).

[aMUSEd]

The only advantage I see to patches is if I want to save a smart control (edit no actually it seems you can save smart controls with channelstrips too).

Is this something that was changed in an update? I took out a Groove 3 account to access their Logic videos and the one on Smart controls states that you should use chanelstrips to save controls for Logic native plugins but that it doesn't work for third party ones so you have to use patches. I have made several smart controls now for third party instruments and saved them as channelstrips and they recall fine.

What is interesting is channelstrips appear also to be backwards compatible - I can load them in Logic 9 (without the smart controls of course)

[aMUSEd]

I'm not getting how to use smart controls with effects and the Groove 3 video isn't explaining this. I tried making a smart control for the u-he Runciter filter but if I save it to a folder called effects it doesn't even show in the library - it only shows if I save it to the Patches/Instruments folder which is daft. Also if I click on it it deletes any instrument I already have in the track, which defeats the whole point. I thought patches were supposed to be an advance on channelstrips but they still have this annoying behaviour that channelstrips already had.

I'm also finding even with Logic effects the smart controls for them do not show if I have an instrument loaded first, even if I have the little blue triangle next to the effect slot, their own smart control only appears if I delete the instrument from its slot. That is also daft but I suspect I am missing something there. I wish the Groove 3 video was more helpful on this. It should be that the smart control appears for whatever plugin has focus surely? Or at least some way to switch between more than one control panel.