about to throw in the towel! I'm admitting defeat...

So you wanna record midi from a guitar right? Midi can't be recorded just like that from a guitar you need a specific type of instrument i.e this http://www.guitarzone.co.uk/view-product/Godin-xtSA-Red-Electro-Acoustic-Midi-Gu itar

i hope this help for an understanding logic is a fantastic tool once you get to know it trust me, also don't jump the gun with the whole midi guitar recording just get to know it, know some of the shortcuts

hope this helps

Hmzen

As hmzen said Logic is a wonderful tool. In general, recording in logic offers you two types of tracks:

1) software instrument

2) audio

I think to record MIDI guitar through the devices you have you are gonna want software instrument. The trick is going to be how to get the channeling right. MIDI offers different channels and you need to insure that your MIDI out from your device is transmitting MIDI events on the channel that Logic is attempting to record them from.

I don't use MIDI guitar these days and frankly since I got logic I'm mostly using a USB keyboard and audio. So for me it is pretty much automatic. The USB keyboard is set as the primary MIDI event generator and logic just picks it up.

I actually found that once I used logic for a while trying to go back to garageband was crazy hard. I mean trying to do things I did easily in logic was like trying for several minutes even to find the item in garageband. So my point is stick with it. Try things. Once you figure it out the next time will be that much easier.

Logic has so much depth, I don't even scratch the surface with my use.

I sympathize with you on Logic manuals. They are long on telling you what can be done, but sometimes a bit short on explaining exactly how to do it.

There are good training materials on Logic here http://www.groove3.com/str/ They aren't for "dummies" and neither is Logic.

The authors of these videos posts here http://www.logic-users-group.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=56

and has been quite helpful there in my case.

At some point you have read the manual cover to cover -- there is no way around it. As you say, Logic has its own way of doing things and the manual has its own organization and approach, and is really best as a reference for someone who already knows the basics. It takes me two cover to cover reads, one a couple of days after installation, and again after six weeks or so of using it.

I know you said you're using an guitar to midi convertor, I'm not really familiar with those. I know one cool way of converting audio to midi without the use of a convertor like that. I have Melodyne Editor. With it, you can load in a polyphonic file (guitar, keys, etc) and have Melodyne convert it to midi which can then be loaded into Logic. I haven't tried it yet because I've not had a reason to, but I think there's a video on their website about it. I know Melodyne's pretty expensive, but they have a 30 day free trial that's fully functional on their website if you want to give it a try. I have to admit, being able to dig into a polyphonic track and edit individual notes in a chord is pretty cool.

A guitar to midi converter works with Logic like any other external MIDI instrument like a keyboard or wind controller.

I think Antares is coming out with something that's going to work along the lines of playing straight to midi...AT6 I think it's called? I'm assuming that you have to modify your guitar somehow. Here's kinda what's out now: http://www.graphtech.com/products.html?CategoryID=2

I think the reason you have to play very carefully with good technique is because that converter has to pick up on pitches because it's not going to know exactly which string is being plucked, bends, harmonics, etc. I got Melodyne at Guitar Center this past weekend for $250. They've got an instore September sell going on. It's still showing up at $299 on their website. If I ever try to do any midi conversions I'll use 'Dyne. I'd like to try to do a conversion of a lead part to midi and then use that to trigger a synth lead to see how well it works...I may try that in a bit. I had a client that I finished up with a few weeks back and they have one particular part I think would have sounded cooler on a synth...

I know this is a long time after the original post but there is some hope for you guys….

Jam Origin make a plugin called Midi Guitar it is quite good actually for the price….

I've used it on and off with reasonable results….

take a look: www.jamorigin.com