General MIDI files in Logic

Question

Level 1

13 points

General MIDI files in Logic

I've tried opening MIDI files in Logic and though they will play, the sounds that Logic uses are often incorrect to the original proper GM samples that I used when I created these MIDI files. Is there an easy way to point the particular MIDI tracks to the standard GM sounds hidden in Logic (I know they're in there, I found them once but couldn't make it work, and now I can't get back to that point again!)

For example, I use the GM patch sound #116, which is a wood block, for a click track sound, and I can't get it to sound that patch regardless of what I try.

Thanks!

20" iMac 2.4Ghz, Mac OS X (10.5.1), Boss GT-3 w/ Presonus Firebox

Posted on Dec 17, 2007 2:00 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Dec 17, 2007 3:37 PM in response to m2m2m

The Instruments in Logic don't really have a GM bank, although you can find many sounds that work well, and as you noticed when you open a SMF in the GM format logic will try to find something similar. If you need GM sounds you can always use the Quicktime Synth in Logic which will load all GM program change commands correctly. Here is a link to a tutorial to describe how this is done

http://www.logic-cafe.com/Article_View.asp?ID=38&CategoryID=1

I think it is important to read pages 632 & 633 of the manual and especially the "note" on page 633 because it explains that you can hold down the option key when opening the SMF tracks to assign your tracks to an external midi device (the GM multi in your environment) that you attach the quicktime synth to.

Hope this helps
Don

Reply

Answer 2

m2m2m Author

Level 1

13 points

Dec 18, 2007 8:48 AM in response to m2m2m

Yep, that did it, thanks. Now the QuickTime synth is on par with average software MIDI synths, but the sounds are certainly nothing approaching the quality of the plug-ins in Logic, so among other things, I think I'll just sit down and try and find the equivalent of a Wood Block in the Logic samples (haha)... the number of options in Logic is truly mind-boggling, but I'll just have to take the time to experiment with my existing MIDI files and update them with the new palette of sounds, which should blow the old versions out of the water!

Reply

Answer 3

m2m2m Author

Level 1

13 points

Jan 19, 2008 12:01 PM in response to m2m2m

OK, I thought I was good to go earlier, but now I don't know how to get the general MIDI sounds that I'm generating through the QuickTime synth to mix in with the other software instruments through the same audio outputs.. this is a bit tricky to explain...

I only hear the QuickTime synth sounds through my iMac's internal speakers, and I want to mix them in with the other software instruments that I'm using in this project, the latter of which get routed to Outputs 1 & 2 on my Presonus Firebox (which is where I want all the tracks routed through).

The reason I have to do this is that I need to use the General MIDI Patch #118 (Synth Drum) with my current project, as I can't find a suitable software instrument in Logic's samples, so I'm routing it through the QuickTime synth sound.

Reply

Answer 4

m2m2m Author

Level 1

13 points

Jan 19, 2008 12:03 PM in response to m2m2m

see my latest post..

Reply

Answer 5

Jan 20, 2008 8:27 AM in response to m2m2m

You might want to try setting up a new software instrument track and "grouping" it with your midi track, thru the channel strip. For example, set both your midi track and the new instrument track to Group 1. I found that if I grouped the midi track with an instrument track, to which the selected instrument is assigned, I could then assign the sound to Output 1&2 and then hear it through the mix.

Reply

Answer 6

m2m2m Author

Level 1

13 points

Jan 20, 2008 11:01 AM in response to m2m2m

Thanks Mike. In the GM track that triggers the QT synth, I clicked in the empty slot (above the automation select box which is set to "OFF") and assigned the track to Group 1. Then I set up a new instrument track, reset its channel strip (because it was assigned to Grand Piano) and also assigned it to Group 1, and its output setting was already set to Outputs 1 & 2.

However, I still only hear the QT synth through my iMac's internal speakers, and not through Outputs 1 & 2 of the Presonus Firebox. Is there something I'm missing or are we talking about something different here?

Now I may have lost a few people in my initial wordy description of the problem:
I'd simply like to route the QT synth to the Outputs 1 & 2 of the Firebox, instead of them going to the internal speakers of the iMac.

Now as was typing this, I just went DUH! and opened the Audio/MIDI Setup and changed the Default Audio Output to the Firebox (instead of Built-in Output) and voila, QT synth now only plays through the Firebox. I left the System Output to "Built-in Output" as it makes no difference.

Is there a way to do this in Logic without having to change things in the Audio/MIDI Setup? It's no big deal, but now I have to change the default audio output back and forth if I want to watch QuickTime movies, listen to iTunes, etc. using the internal speakers.

On a related note, what's the difference between "System Output" and "Default Output" in Audio/MIDI Setup? Is the System Output where all the system sounds route to? (those little sound bytes that trigger when you receive system alerts, etc).

Excuse me for (another) long post..

Reply

Answer 7

Jan 21, 2008 1:06 PM in response to m2m2m

This may be an overly simple response, but when you want to listen from the internal speakers, you could turn your Firebox off. Logic will sense that the sound output device is no longer available, and will route your sound to the internal speakers. My solution is to route i-Tunes through the firewire device ie it plays in my headphone mix or monitor speakers (I'm using an Apogee Ensemble).

Reply