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v1.0.1 – 2020-March-08
In this little Apple Logic User Guide you will find the instructions to get our plug-in to work with Apple Logic with ease. This is universal tutorial for all of our plug-in, but we are using our Roland JP-80×0 Editor in this guide.
Checkout the Editor user manual prior to this guide, so you have the knowledge to setup the Editor properly.
Also, as we are not Apple Logic experts, we encourage you to read the Logic manual in order to fully understand your DAW.
We hope you have taken all the necessary precautions prior to using our product, like making a full backup of your synthesizer memory.
DISCLAIMER
Our company & plug-in has nothing to do with Apple company, so please don’t bug them if you encounter issues with the Editor – open a support ticket in your account page in such case. You can find support details at the end of this document.
Support is free to anyone who has bought the license from our store
Apple Logic
Preparations
Open your DAW and enter Project Settings. The goal here is to make sure data is recalled automatically once project is reopened. This is a new feature in Logic Pro, while we are writing this, so it might not be implemented in your version.
File -> Project Settings -> General …
Apple Logic Config – Open Project Settings
UNCHECK “Only load plug-ins needed for project playback” [1] so data gets recalled once project is loaded.
Apple Logic Config – Important Little Detail!
Close Project Settings window now. Next we will adjust the incoming MIDI data so that we pass MIDI data only from our master keyboard to our DAW.
Window -> Open MIDI Environment
Apple Logic Config – Open MIDI Environment
Select “Click & Ports” from Layer dropdown menu [1].
Apple Logic Config – Choose Different View
Change the tool by clicking the Pointer Tool [1] and select Eraser Tool [2]. Once Eraser Tool is selected, click on the wire that comes from Physical Input Sum and goes to Input Notes [3]. That will remove the connection so we can make a new one!
Apple Logic Config – Erase Connection
Select the Pointer Tool [1] again by clicking the Eraser Tool in the toolbar menu.
Apple Logic Config – Reset Tools
Drag a connection from the Physical Input port [1], where your master keyboard is connected to the Input Notes [2]. It can be very tricky to pick the right wire, but you’ll get it!
Apple Logic Config – Drag New Connection
Now the connection from your master keyboard is passed into Logic Arrangement and more importantly, to the recording enabled tracks. The good thing here is that we are not allowing data from our synthesizer to pass into the DAW, so the plug-in does not double process the data from the synth while moving knobs / sliders etc. Less traffic = better performance! You can now close Environment window.
Note #1: If you have more than one master keyboard in your setup, you can do the same procedure for each of the keyboard.
Note #2: If you use external controllers like Novation Nocturn or something similar, remember to add that connection in as well!
Insert the plug-in
When Logic first created the new project, I created one empty Instrument track.
Click on the Instrument slot on the track and select AU Instruments -> Mystery Islands Music -> JP-80×0 Editor(you might be reading this guide for some other plug-in, so select appropriate plug-in for your setup).
Apple Logic Config – Insert the Plug-in
Plug-in window will now appear.
Apple Logic Config – Plug-in window will appear
MIDI IN / MIDI OUT
Now we can select the Physical MIDI input port which receives MIDI data from your synthesizer.
Apple Logic Config – Assign MIDI Input
And then we choose the Physical MIDI Out port which sends data to the synthesizer MIDI input.
Apple Logic Config – Assign MIDI Output
Plug-in will now attempt to establish connection with the synthesizer, so it might take some time if your settings are not right or if you chose a wrong MIDI port by mistake. You should see plug-in saying PROCESSING… somewhere in the plug-in interface and also ABORT PROCESS button will appear.
Studio One Config – Editor Attempts to connect
If all of the settings are correct, you will see “Plug-in is ready to go!” [1] message in the plug-in display.
Studio One Config – Connection Established
If something is wrong with your settings, plug-in will say “No response from JP!” [1] and that indicates something is wrong with your synth settings, MIDI device or Studio One Preferences.
Studio One Config – Failed Connection
Once the connection is in, you should sync the data with your hardware. Usually this function can be ran from the patch librarian tab / page of the plug-in & “Sync Data From HW” button. Check the plug-in user manual to learn more.
We can now close the plug-in window and move on.
Note #1: Check troubleshooting from the Editor, DAW or synthesizer manual if you can not establish connection. You can also seek help from our support site if you can’t find out what is causing error in your setup.
Automating Plug-in Parameters
Click “Mix” and choose “Show Automation” from Logic’s menu.
Apple Logic Config – Display Automation
Now we can see the parameters by clicking Volume [1] -> 1 JP-80×0 Edi [2] -> Panel LOWER [3].
Apple Logic Config – Select Parameter for Automation
Pick a parameter you want to automate and start drawing in OR move the knobs in the plug-in while recording to make automation! Before you start to pursue with MIDI blocks, read the next chapter!
Note #1: You can add as many parameters as you wish. System Exclusive (SysEx) parameters and system buttons can not be automated.
Note #2: With some Editors, it is not yet possible to draw automation in DAW when moving the knob from the hardware. Move knob from the Editor user interface instead.
Assign MIDI tracks to Logic arrangement
Now, in order to send MIDI notes to the synthesizer, we need to have MIDI tracks in the DAW. Adding new MIDI tracks in Logic is simple. Click the + [1] -sign and select External MIDI [2]. Then set the MIDI Destination [3] pointing to JP-8080 [4] channel 1 [5], which I’ve created in our Setting MIDI Devices guide.
Apple Logic Config – Add New MIDI Tracks
Before you click Create, change the “Number of tracks” to match your setup. ie. Virus TI can do 16 MIDI tracks, Pulse can do 1. In this case, we can do 2. Check the Ascending box [1] and set the number of tracks [2].
Apple Logic Config – Specify how many tracks you need
Click create once you’ve defined your settings!
Now we have two new MIDI tracks in the arrangement window, each set to different MIDI channel so we can play both JP layers individually!
Apple Logic Config – New MIDI Tracks in the Arrangement
You should always put MIDI blocks in the MIDI tracks because our plug-in can not talk to DAW about delay compensation. This is because we do not generate any audio with our plug-in.
To summarise, JP-8080 1 sends to channel 1 on JP-8080 Output port, which in real life corresponds to JP-8080 lower layer. JP-8080 2 sends to channel 2 on same port, which in real life corresponds to JP-8080 upper layer.
Note #1: Assign MIDI Channels so that they match your synthesizer part / layer MIDI channels. I have set JP-8000 Lower to MIDI channel 1 and JP-8000 Upper to MIDI channel 2.
Note #2: MIDI out is pointing to JP-8000 MIDI Out, which I’ve created in our Setting MIDI Devices guide. macOS users can point the MIDI out directly to physical MIDI port of synth.
Note #3: If you have multitimbral setup / use with your synthesizer, which most can do, then add more MIDI tracks and point them to respected MIDI channels.
Note #4: You should always put MIDI blocks in the MIDI tracks because our plug-in can not talk to DAW about delay compensation. This is because we do not generate any audio with our plug-in.
Finishing it up!
Final step is to add Audio track, so we can hear the synthesizer in action. In this case we will add new Audio Track by clicking the + [1] -sign, select Audio [2] and the Audio Input [3] where the synthesizer Audio output is connected.
Apple Logic Config – Setting up Input Monitoring
Once the Audio track appears in arrange, toggle on track monitoring [1]. Now the setup is ready, and you should hear the synth while making some MIDI blocks and you have some sort of automation (if needed).
Apple Logic Config – Everything Configured and Working
Note #1: You might have routed your Audio Output from the synth itself to external mixing desk or speakers, so make sure you power those units on. Otherwise there won’t be any sound because our plug- in does not transmit any audio data to the DAW.
Thats it for the Apple Logic user guide. We hope you find this useful.