Logic Pro 8 / MIDI Keyboard: No Sound

Question

Level 1

10 points

Logic Pro 8 / MIDI Keyboard: No Sound

I recently purchased a Mac Pro 4-Core in addition to Logic Pro 8 and the Novation X-Station 49 MIDI Keyboard, but I'm not getting any sound from Logic Pro or the MIDI Keyboard. I do get sound from my computer and Haram Kardon (sp) speakers via computer notifications and web-related audio. Everything is plugged in to it's appropriate ports and outlets; all should be working fine. What am I doing wrong or missing?

Mac Pro 4-Core, Mac OS X (10.5.2), Novation X-Station MIDI Keyboard

Posted on Mar 13, 2008 7:51 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Bee Jay

Level 6

10,900 points

Mar 13, 2008 8:21 AM in response to louisegd

What is it you are trying to do? Play a Logic software instrument via your keyboard?

Select an audio instrument track, insert the instrument plugin you want, and play...

Reply

Answer 2

louisegd Author

Level 1

10 points

Mar 13, 2008 8:51 AM in response to Bee Jay

I understand that. When I click on a Logic Pro 8 loop to hear what it sounds like, there's no sound. Logic shows it's playing the loop, but there's no sound coming from anywhere. Even when I try and play the MIDI keyboard, when it's hooked up to the computer and Logic, there's no sound but Logic shows sound is being distributed. This is obviously a Logic and/or Novation MIDI keyboard situation as my speakers on the CPU and the Harman Kardon (sp) speakers work fine with any other situation. So, what am I missing or didn't do to get Logic Pro to work on its own as well as with a MIDI keyboard. What settings need to be selected...'cuz the instructions I followed didn't work.

Reply

Answer 3

Bee Jay

Level 6

10,900 points

Mar 13, 2008 8:54 AM in response to louisegd

Ok - what audio driver do you have selected in the Prefs -> Audio -> Drivers page?

It should be set to Core Audio, and whatever audio interface you are using (or Inbuilt Audio if you are using the computer's own audio hardware.)

Also, check you haven't got anything solo'd or muted.

Reply

Answer 4

louisegd Author

Level 1

10 points

Mar 13, 2008 4:33 PM in response to Bee Jay

I re-downloaded and installed the Novation x-station software "just in case", double checked the Core Audio feature and ensured x-station is selected in the Preferences/Audio...all are fine. Nothing is Muted or Solo on any of the tracks, but I'm still having the same problem. Suggestions, ideas?

Everything is plugged in correctly, x-station has power, harman kardon speakers are plugged into their correct location...what am I missing...still? sigh I want to play with my new toys! 🙂

Reply

Answer 5

Bee Jay

Level 6

10,900 points

Mar 13, 2008 6:25 PM in response to louisegd

Ok - so the X-Station is the audio interface, and you have your speakers plugged into the X-Station?

In your mac sound prefpane, choose the X-Station as the default system sound output, and play some audio (say with iTunes). Does that come out of the X-Station and therefore onto your speakers?

If not, then the X-Station is not routing the audio through to your speakers - if it has some control panel software to control it's inbuilt mixer, make sure the channels are routed properly and turned up.

If your system audio does come of of the X-Station, but Logic's playback doesn't, then post back...

Reply

Answer 6

louisegd Author

Level 1

10 points

Mar 13, 2008 7:06 PM in response to Bee Jay

Nope, my Harman Kardon speakers are plugged into the back of my CPU...should they be plugged into the x-station instead? Hhhhmmm....

Reply

Answer 7

Bee Jay

Level 6

10,900 points

Mar 13, 2008 7:33 PM in response to louisegd

If you have selected the X-Station as your *audio interface*, then Logic is sending the audio to it. If you don't have speakers connected to it, then of course you won't hear anything!

If your audio interface is actually your computer + speakers, then in Logic, you must select "Inbuilt Audio" as your audio interface. Now Logic will output via your computer's audio hardware to your speakers.

Reply

Answer 8

louisegd Author

Level 1

10 points

Mar 13, 2008 7:35 PM in response to louisegd

Okay, I plugged my headphones into the back of the x-station and they work, yay! But when I plug my Harman Kardon speakers into the x-station via an extension cable with a larger adapter on it, the speakers still emit no sound. How come? Why would the headphones work, but not the speakers (in the Output 1 and/or 2 slots).

Reply

Answer 9

May 8, 2008 1:25 PM in response to louisegd

Same problem, yes I'm a newbie too. Did you ever get it working?

Reply

Answer 10

May 8, 2008 2:24 PM in response to Thefunkrediblehulk

I'll answer my own question, turns out it was just a simple case of downloading updated drivers from the novation site.

To follow on from the above thread though, I'm told that with the X-station connected to the computer, the X-station becomes the audio interface, so where as previously you might have had your computer linked to an amp and your speakers to the amp, now you must connect the amp to the X-station.

On that note, I might be an idiot asking this but I can't remember what I read but were you using an amp?

Reply