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Max number of audio tracks in Logic Pro X

Hello!


I know there is a max limit of 256 audio tracks in Logic Pro x (10.2.4), but I am requiring more than that for my latest project. What is the best way to achieve this? Is there a way to condense tracks down to one single track within Logic without "soloing" and bouncing those tracks and placing the AIFF or WAV file in the project? I have found that doing it this way will degrade the audio file slightly.


Basically, is there some kind of trick, or know-how that I am missing?


(And I know "I should just use less tracks because it's excessive and if I can't make it sound good with 256 tracks I'm doing something wrong".)


Thanks in advance! Would really appreciate some answers to this. (:

Posted on Feb 25, 2018 9:03 PM

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6 replies

Feb 26, 2018 12:33 PM in response to AnotherLogicXuser

I don't know what you try to achieve but maybe look into the fact that Logic is not limited to 256 Audio Tracks, it is limited to 256 Audio Channel Strips. In Logic, there is a difference between a Track and a Channel Strip, even though they appear to be the same.

You can have multiple Audio Tracks assigned to the same Audio Channel Strip and, therefore, increasing your Audio Track count. But only one Audio Track at a time is played back through the Audio Channel Strip the share. Again, I don't know your Project, so I don't know if that helps in your situation.


Other than that, there is no magic "condensing" command, just bouncing or bounce-in-place.



Hope that helps


Edgar Rothermich - LogicProGEM.com

(Author of the "Graphically Enhanced Manuals")

http://DingDingMusic.com/Manuals/

'I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.'

Feb 26, 2018 12:35 PM in response to EdgarRothermich

Thank you very much Edgar for your reply.

I am wondering what the point of the Audio Channel Strip is if it's still just one track being played back?


For example, my Project has 40 vocal tracks in one place that are all EQ'ed the same. Then later in the song I want to add more vocal Audio Tracks, but I have reached my limit of 256 Audio Tracks now. So there is no way to take all those 40 vocal Audio Tracks and assign them to one (say "master track for all 40 of them") and then delete the original recorded tracks and suddenly have 39 available Audio Tracks to create?


Perhaps the only way to achieve this is bouncing those tracks, and then importing the AIFF or WAV into the Project. But when I do that the frequencies are very different compared to the original recorded tracks in the Project.


I hope this question makes sense, I seem to be having trouble explaining my problem. Thank you very much!

Feb 26, 2018 1:50 PM in response to AnotherLogicXuser

Based on what you are writing, I'm not sure if you are familiar with basic mixing concepts because all that what you are describing shouldn't be an issue at all.


When you have 40 Vocal Tracks (I assume that there is an Audio Region (audio signal) on all Tracks at the same time during that section of the Timeline of your Project), and then you want to record more vocals later, why don't you use the existing tracks? No need to create more track. If you record vicals fora song, you don't use separate Tracks for the Verse, Bridge, Chorus, etc. unless you want to accomplish something specific.


There is no such thing as "assign" 40 Tracks to 1 Track and then you have 39 left. Again, it has to do with the relationship between a Track and a Channel Strip. Whenever you have an audio signal playing back, it has to be processed by an Audio Channel Strip. You cannot merge them together, unless you actually merge or bounce them (look up the "Join command" that lets you merge the Audio Regions, without actually bouncing them to a new Track.)


If you have 40 Tracks and all 40 Channel Strips have the identical EQ setting, then you bettter use an Audio Bus or SUmming Stack, so you adjust the EQ only once instead of doing it 40 times.


If you bounce an audio signal and import it back into your Project, then that is exactly the same audio signal. If it sounds different, then there is something going on in your session (i.e., import onto an Audio Track that has Audio Plugins going on).

Feb 26, 2018 4:06 PM in response to EdgarRothermich

Hi Edgar! Thanks again.


I am familiar with mixing and recording, it just seems like you are not able to answer my question.

I can't use the existing tracks because they need to be different because yes, I am trying to accomplish something different (hence the need for this post).


"There is no such thing as "assign" 40 Tracks to 1 Track and then you have 39 left. Again, it has to do with the relationship between a Track and a Channel Strip. Whenever you have an audio signal playing back, it has to be processed by an Audio Channel Strip. You cannot merge them together, unless you actually merge or bounce them (look up the "Join command" that lets you merge the Audio Regions, without actually bouncing them to a new Track.)"

^Thank you, I assumed this but wanted to see if there is some knowledge I did not know. Always take an opportunity to learn!


"If you have 40 Tracks and all 40 Channel Strips have the identical EQ setting, then you bettter use an Audio Bus or Summing Stack, so you adjust the EQ only once instead of doing it 40 times."

^Yes, also a correct and good way to mix and EQ tracks. Although, if you listen with a close ear you will hear that there is a difference in doing this through a bus than having them EQ'd on each track. The bus' affect them differently. I agree that it shouldn't, but if you are curious about it try listening very closely. (Or maybe I'm making things up..)


If you bounce an audio signal and import it back into your Project, then that is exactly the same audio signal. If it sounds different, then there is something going on in your session (i.e., import onto an Audio Track that has Audio Plugins going on).

^It's not quite the same audio signal once it's bounced and then placed back into the project. I'm not sure why that is so! Perhaps try it yourself if you are interested and you can hear how the frequencies change.


Thank you for doing your best to answer my questions!

Feb 26, 2018 9:17 PM in response to AnotherLogicXuser

AnotherLogicXuser wrote:


^Yes, also a correct and good way to mix and EQ tracks. Although, if you listen with a close ear you will hear that there is a difference in doing this through a bus than having them EQ'd on each track. The bus' affect them differently. I agree that it shouldn't, but if you are curious about it try listening very closely. (Or maybe I'm making things up..)


Yes, I'm afraid you are making things up, or lets put it that way, something in your settings in your mixer or routing is wrong to come to the wrong conclusion, in both cases. Here is how you can test it:


Bussing

Create two Audio Tracks with the same Audio Region. Channel Strip 1 is routed to the Stereo Bus and Audio Channel Strip 2 is routed to a Bus. All Channel Strips are on UNity Gain. Add the Channel EQ Plugin on Channel Strip 1 and apply a frequency curve. Now copy that Plugin to the Aux Channel Strip, the one that receives the signal from Channel Strip 2. No add a Gain Plugin on CHannel Strip 1 and flip the polarity. What do you hear now when you hit play ... NOTHING. Exactly. Both signals are identical and are canceling each other out 100%. No different EQ when routing to Busses.


Bounce:

Another standard procedure to prove your point wrong about bouncing. Create an Audio Channel Strip with an Audio Region and Bounce that (cmd+B) to a new file. Create a second Audio Track and import that bounced audio file, putting it at the same starting position. Again place the Gain Plugin on either of the two Channel Strips and flip the polarity. What do you hear now when you hit play ... NOTHING. Exactly. Both signals are identical and are canceling each other out 100%. No different EQ when routing to Busses.

Max number of audio tracks in Logic Pro X

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