How to Multitrack Logic Pro Instruments in Ableton Live

Overview
Although Logic support ReWire, this is only when Logic is the ReWire host. Logic has some great virtual instruments included, and it is sometimes handy to have access to these virtual instruments in other software.

This blog post is a follow on to a previous one covering a similar topic, and will cover a more advanced setup on how to use Logic's virtual instruments in Ableton Live.

We can sum up this setup as follows:
• MIDI data is sent from Live to Logic via the IAC MIDI Bus
• Audio data is sent from Logic to Live via the SoundFlower virtual audio routing device
• Audio data is sent from Live to the user via the built-in audio output

In this following video and example screenshots, 16 MIDI tracks are sent from Live Logic, controlling 16 individual instruments. Each of these instruments is then sent via its own stereo feed back to Live resulting in a total of 16 stereo inputs being used in Live.

Step-By-Step

Make sure that you have SoundFlower, Ableton Live and Apple Logic Pro installed. Open Live and then Logic in that order. In Live, go to the Audio tab in the Preferences. Select SoundFlower 64 channel as the input device.

Click on Input Config, and make sure that the first 32 channels are active as both mono and stereo inputs.

In Logic, create a new, empty project. Go to the preferences and set the output device to SoundFlower 64ch. 

Create 16 audio instrument tracks. Set each track to record mode. 

Route the output of instrument 1 to Stereo Out L and R. Route the output of instrument 2 to outputs 3 and 4. Route the output of instrument 3 to outputs 5 and 6. Route the output of instrument 4 to outputs 7 and 8. Route the output of instrument 5 to outputs 9 and 10, and so on, until all 16 instruments have been routed to outputs 1 - 32.

 

In Logic, open the environment. Go to the Mixer Layer. Create three objects: 

• A Physical Input

• A Monitor

• A Transformer

Connect the output of IAC MIDI Bus 1 to the monitor. Connect the output of the monitor to the transformer

Double-click on the Transformer object to bring up its settings. Set the mode to Apply operation and filter non-matching events. Set the input Condition for the Channel to = and the argument to 1. Set the output change for the Channel to Fix and the argument to 1, as shown above.

Connect the output of the transformer to instrument 1.

Copy and past this transformer object 15 times, so that there are 16 transformer objects. Disconnect the output of each transformer object from instrument 1, and connect to each subsequent instrument, so that transformer object 2 goes to instrument 2, transformer 3 goes to instrument 3 and so on.

Change the input Condition for the Channel of each transformer object to match each instrument number so that transformer 2 which is going to instrument 2 should only output data from channel 2, transformer 3 which is going to instrument 3 should only output data from channel 3 and so on. 

 

In Live, create 16 MIDI tracks. Set the output of all tracks to IAC Bus 1. Set the channel for every subsequent track 1 higher than the previous one, so that track 1 goes to MIDI channel 1,  track 2 goes to MIDI channel 2, track 3 goes to MIDI channel 3 and so on. 

In Live, create 16 stereo audio tracks. The input of every subsequent track should be one stereo pair higher than the previous one, so that audio track 1 has its input set to stereo in 1 and 2, audio track 2 has its input set to stereo in 3 and 4, audio track 3 has its input set to stereo in 5 and 6 and so on. 

Sequenced data on MIDI track 1 will be sent to Logic instrument 1 and be returned to audio track 1,  data on MIDI track 2 will be sent to Logic instrument 2 and be returned to audio track 2, data on MIDI track 3 will be sent to Logic instrument 3 and be returned to audio track 3 and so on. 

How to Use Logic Pro Virtual Instruments in Ableton Live

Overview
Although Logic support ReWire, this is only when Logic is the ReWire host. Logic has some great virtual instruments included, and it is sometimes handy to have access to these virtual instruments in other software.

This blog post will cover a basic and straightforward setup on how to use Logic's virtual instruments in Ableton Live.

We can sum up this setup as follows:
• MIDI data is sent from Live to Logic via the IAC MIDI Bus
• Audio data is sent from Logic to Live via the SoundFlower virtual audio routing device
• Audio data is sent from Live to the user via the built-in audio output

Here is a brief example video. MIDI data is sequenced and played back from Live using Live's transport. The notes are sent to Logic, where a virtual instrument plays them. The audio comes back into Live.

Step-By-Step

First of all, let's set up the audio devices. Install SoundFlower. Go to Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup, and go to Window > Show Audio Window to bring up the screen shown above. Create a new aggregate audio device by clicking on the small plus sign in the bottom left of the window.

Add the following audio devices to this aggregate device: Built-in Output, Built-in Microphone, SoundFlower (2ch).  Rename the aggregate device to "Built-in + SoundFlower".

 

Now, go to Window > Show MIDI Window in Audio MIDI Setup. The IAC Driver MIDI Bus device should be online. If it isn't, double click on the IAC Driver icon.

Make sure that the "Device is online" button is ticked.

Open Live and Logic (in that order). Go to the preferences in Logic and click on the audio icon. Click on the devices tab. Choose SoundFlower (2ch) as the output device. Choose SoundFlower (2ch) as the input device.

Go to the preferences in Live. Click on the Audio tab. Choose Built-in + SoundFlower as the input device. Choose Built-in Output as the output device.

Go to the MIDI tab in the Live preferences. Make sure that Output: IAC Driver (IAC Bus 1) Track is set to On.

In Logic, create a new Instrument Track. Select a virtual instrument that you would like to use.

In Live, create a new MIDI track. Route the output to IAC Bus 1. Create a new audio track. Route the input from inputs 3 and 4 (this represents the SoundFlower portion of Built-in + SoundFlower device). Route the output to outputs 1 and 2. Set the audio track to input monitoring.

As you sequence notes in Live and play back those sequences, MIDI data is sent from Live to Logic.

Completely Free Sample Pack: Disklavier MX100II

176 cheeky samples of a Yamaha MX100II Disklavier (MIDI-controlled upright piano). These samples cover all notes from A-1 to B7 over two velocity layers. Royalty free, copyright free, license free, restriction free.

Download here: http://milkcrate.com.au/_other/downloads/sample_sets/Disklavier.zip
Download EXS24 MK II instrument settings here: http://milkcrate.com.au/_other/downloads/sample_sets/Disklavier.exs

The following two videos show the actual Yamaha Disklavier MX100II and the sampler instrument in Logic.

On Generating Round Robin Notes In Logic 9

Round Robin (i.e. incremental) MIDI pitch notes should be easier to generate in the Logic Environment than random MIDI pitch notes. However, just because it only required changing one object, I decided to adapt my RandomRange Max patch to a RoundRobin Max patch. This simple solution can be downloaded here or as an OS X standalone app here. 

This technique could be useful for triggering multi-sample drum hits of the same type for more variety in drum sequencing. 

The Max patch is very straightforward. There is a Trigger Pitch parameter, and if that trigger pitch is detected on the input MIDI device and channel, then the Max patch will increment a MIDI note that is between the trigger pitch and X number of semitones above the trigger pitch. X is equal to the Note Range parameter. After having reached MIDI pitch X, the pitch wraps back around to the trigger note pitch upon the next increment.

To use the Max patch, first set up an External MIDI Track in Logic. Create some MIDI data on that External MIDI Track using the pitch that should trigger the random notes. Route the output of the MIDI track to a virtual path and channel, as shown below. This will be the virtual path going from Logic to the Max patch.

 

Go to the Logic Environment, and go to the Clicks and Ports layer. Disconnect the Sum port from the Physical Input object. Consider the virtual path that you wish to use to go from the Max patch to Logic. Connect this path to the Monitor object.

Set up the Max patch using the Trigger Pitch, Pitch Range, Input device (i.e. from Logic to the Max Patch) and output device (i.e. from the Max patch to Logic).

On Generating Random Notes in Logic 9

Random MIDI pitch notes seem to be quite difficult to generate in the Logic Environment. I made a simple solution using a Max patch, which you can download here or as an OS X standalone app here. 

This technique could be useful for triggering multi-sample drum hits of the same type for more variety in drum sequencing.  

The Max patch is very straightforward. There is a Trigger Pitch parameter, and if that trigger pitch is detected on the input MIDI device and channel, then the Max patch will generate a random note that is between the trigger pitch and X number of semitones above the trigger pitch. X is equal to the Note Range parameter.

To use the Max patch, first set up an External MIDI Track in Logic. Create some MIDI data on that External MIDI Track using the pitch that should trigger the random notes. Route the output of the MIDI track to a virtual path and channel, as shown below. This will be the virtual path going from Logic to the Max patch.

Go to the Logic Environment, and go to the Clicks and Ports layer. Disconnect the Sum port from the Physical Input object. Consider the virtual path that you wish to use to go from the Max patch to Logic. Connect this path to the Monitor object.

Set up the Max patch using the Trigger Pitch, Pitch Range, Input device (i.e. from Logic to the Max Patch) and output device (i.e. from the Max patch to Logic).

On Generating an Impulse Signal for Digital Paths

An impulse signal for a digital path is a waveform that is completely at neutral besides the first sample, which is at maximum amplitude.

By feeding such an impulse signal into a completely digital chain (such as a reverb plugin), an impulse response file can be generated. This impulse response can be used by a convolution plugin to re-create that digital chain.

A simple Max patch can be used to generate the impulse signal. This results in a very small (4KB) wave file, which can be loaded into a digital system and fed into a digital effects chain, as demonstrated below. The output can then be rendered, resulting in an impulse response file.

Once the impulse response file has been rendered, the impulse response file can be loaded into a convolution plugin.

Impulse Response Pack: Schulz Building Basement Bathroom

Three impulse response files. For use with convolution reverbs. 

Download here: http://milkcrate.com.au/_other/downloads/convolution/Schulz%20Basement%20Bathroom.zip

Impulse Response Pack: Schulz Building Eastern Stairwell

Six impulse response files. For use with convolution reverbs.

Download here: http://milkcrate.com.au/_other/downloads/convolution/Schulz%20Building%20Eastern%20Stairwell.zip

Impulse Response Pack: Schulz Building Basement Foyer

Six impulse response files. For convolution reverbs.

Download here: http://milkcrate.com.au/_other/downloads/convolution/Schulz%20Basement%20Foyer.zip

Impulse Response Pack: Schulz Building Basement B14

Six impulse response files. For use with convolution reverbs.

Download here: http://milkcrate.com.au/_other/downloads/convolution/Schulz%20Basement%20B14.zip