Two Keyboards at Once

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Level 1

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Two Keyboards at Once

Hello everyone,

Here's a simple question from a simple music artist who was just recently introduced to Logic. I have one keyboard controller plugged through one of the USB slots on my macbook. I am looking into getting another keyboard so a friend and I can play and record simultaneous on two different tracks and on two separate keyboards.

I am pretty inexperienced as you can probably infer, but how would I go about setting this up in the Logic interface? I'm just confused as to how two keyboards can be playing at the same time on different tracks.

And one other thing... I obviously have another vacant USB slot. However, I also have an m-audio firewire 410 interface that unfortunately has no MIDI I/O. Can I get a keyboard through that somehow?

Macbook 2.16 GHz CD, 1 GB, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Apr 28, 2008 4:37 PM

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Answer 1

Foxboy71

Level 4

2,378 points

Apr 29, 2008 12:33 AM in response to Bishamon

Hello,

1st: Yes, you can connect very many keyboards to Logic at the same time. Just use different MIDI Channels. If one of your USB keyboards has a MIDI IN, you should be able to connect the second keyboard "thru" the first one. Just make shure you use two different MIDI Channels.

In Logic, in the Channelstrip Inspector to the left, click on the small triangle (it's the second one from the top, usually reads the Track Name). There you can select the MIDI Input Channel. It's by default set to "All". You have to select the correct channel here, and there you go.

Have Fun,

Fox

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Answer 2

Foxboy71

Level 4

2,378 points

Apr 29, 2008 12:35 AM in response to Bishamon

Hello,

1st: Yes, you can connect very many keyboards to Logic at the same time. Just use different MIDI Channels. If one of your USB keyboards has a MIDI IN, you should be able to connect the second keyboard "thru" the first one. Just make shure you use two different MIDI Channels.

In Logic, in the Channelstrip Inspector to the left, click on the small triangle (it's the second one from the top, usually reads the Track Name). There you can select the MIDI Input Channel. It's by default set to "All". You have to select the correct channel here, and there you go.

Have Fun,

Fox

Reply

Answer 3

Foxboy71

Level 4

2,378 points

Apr 29, 2008 12:35 AM in response to Bishamon

Hello,

1st: Yes, you can connect very many keyboards to Logic at the same time. Just use different MIDI Channels. If one of your USB keyboards has a MIDI IN, you should be able to connect the second keyboard "thru" the first one. Just make shure you use two different MIDI Channels.

In Logic, in the Channelstrip Inspector to the left, click on the small triangle (it's the second one from the top, usually reads the Track Name). There you can select the MIDI Input Channel. It's by default set to "All". You have to select the correct channel here, and there you go.

Have Fun,

Fox

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Answer 4

Bishamon Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 29, 2008 3:20 PM in response to Foxboy71

oh awesome, completely overlooked that. However, how do i go about assigning my midi devices to specific channels? For example, how do I make one MIDI keyboard for channel 1 and another strictly channel 2?

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Answer 5

Foxboy71

Level 4

2,378 points

Apr 29, 2008 9:40 PM in response to Bishamon

Well, that totally depends on the type of hardware you're using.
I have a Roland RD700SX Stage Piano. So in case you also have one, I can help you 😉 Most Keyboards also have a Split function which lets them send "Right Hand" to MIDI Channel x and "Left Hand" to Channel y.

Look in the manual of your keyboard how to set the MIDI-Out-channels. By default, it is set to 1. And by default, Logic tries to receive MIDI data from all Channels. So, try to set the MIDI Channel in Logic to 2 and see if and how you can persuade your MIDI Keyboard to send on channel 2, too.

Have fun and don't you get latency!

Fox

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