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  • Logic VSL multi instrument question

    Following instructions i created a multi instrument in Logic- and great, I now have a VSL ensemble instance running, with 16 seperate sounds. But in Logic it seems to send the same volume change info to every channel (all 16), and on my arrange window in logic all the instruments show the same meters. How can I make them all behave truly as separate instruments without creating 16 instances of VSL? On the demo video they do it, but I'm flumuxed. Thanks, R

  •  For reasons not immediately obvious to mere mortals such as ourselves Logic responds to CC#7 (MIDI Volume) on all channels of any multi-channel Virtual Instrument simultaneously.

    The solution is to use CC#11 (MIDI Expression). This allows volume changes on individual channels of a multi channel VI.

    This has an added advantage - - Logic's default setting for CC#7 is 90, so, when you use CC#11, the steps of volume change are smaller (.70125 -- 90/128 - - of the volume change steps of making volume changes with CC #7).This means that volume changes made with CC#11 can be less radical and more life-like. An additional possibility is to assign velocity crossfading to CC#11 and design a curve appropriate to your intentions so that, along with volume changes, you can get the timbral shifts that occur with real instruments.  

    I hope this is helpful.


  • Sounds great but how do you get volume to function on CC#7? Thanks!

    Matthew


  • Hi Matthew,

    I add a transformer object between the Multi Instrument object and the VE Channel Strip that maps CC7 to CC107. Then I tell VE to respond to CC107 for volume instead of CC7. There are other solutions but this is one that works best for me.

    Best wishes,

    Martin


  • Hi Martin,

    Thanks for your replies!  I'm not really sure how to go about inserting the CC transformer.  When I open the environment editor, the Multi Instrument object no longer appears with logic 9.  I made my multi instruments with the add tracks button in the Arrange window.  I remember having to create multi instrument objects in Logic 7 but am not sure how this would work under Logic 9.  Any suggestions would be helpful.

    Also, do you get VE to respond to CC 107 for volume control?

    Thanks so much in advance!

    Matthew 


  • In my case I create a layer in the environment called VE. Add the multi-instrument to this layer using the 'New' menu. I actually use 16 individual instruments (each assigned to a different MIDI channel) rather than 1 multi instrument.

    Create a transformer using the 'New' menu.

    Cable the output from the instrument (or multi-instrument) to the transformer. Configure the transformer as shown in the pic. Then I open a new environment window on the Mixer layer. I then cable the output of the transformer to the channel strip(s) I'm using for VE - in the image you can see I have 3 groups of 16 instruments so each group goes to a channel strip. In the image you can also see I use another transformer before I cable to the channel strip but obviously you don't need to worry about that.

    You can find the CC mapping for VE under Perform -> Map Control. Or you can right click on the Volume slider and send some CC107 data and it will automatically remap.

    Hope this all makes sense and happy composing!

    M


  • I've tried something slightly different I think. Following your suggestion, using CC 11 (expression) gives me individual level control on each track of a multi audio instruments. Changing the default CC 7 to CC 11 in the automation data event list for each track appears to give me volume automation for each track from within Logic. Result! (There has to be an initial level instruction AFTER bar 1.1.1.1.) But... is this a "true" volume control, or is the continuous CC 11 instruction acting simply to reduce the velocity of the individual note-on instructions, thus affecting the various sample velocity thresholds? graham robb

  • CC11 is a true volume control. It doesn't affect note velocity.


  • That is what I thought but it's good to have it confirmed. thanks graham robb