Speed Up Your Workflow with Logic Pro

Xs Library : AskAudio Magazine askaudiomag.com May 19, 2015

The Library in Logic Pro X does a whole lot more than display presets or patches.

Darren Burgos shares 7 tips that'll get you using Logic's Library like a pro.

Logics Library is quickly becoming more than just a way to open pre-made

channels/strips for audio and software instrument tracks. With the addition of

Track Stacks, Logics library now becomes a place to store pre-made setups like

drum instrument with multi-outs, stacked multi-instrument sounds, and instant

multi-channel inputs for recording instruments. Well look at all these uses, plus

setting a default software instrument, effect chains, and saving/recalling

instrument and effect preset setting.

Understanding the Library

Open the Library with the Y key. You can close it with the Y key too. The key to

understanding the Library is interestingly enough, a small blue right-pointing

arrow on the left side of Inspector. Press the I key to toggle the inspector (if its

not currently visible) to see the arrows position (its right above the pointer in

the image below). If youre on a smaller display, you might need to close the two

parameter drop-down menus at the top of the Inspector to see the whole vertical

channel. When this arrow is pointing to the very top of the channel strip, the

Library is displaying settings or patches for the entire strip. Everything on the

selected track/channel including the MIDI FX, the instrument or input channel,

and all the Logic and third-party AU effects, can be saved as a recallable setting.

Each track type like Audio, Instrument, Aux, and Bus, all save to their own

separate folders this way you only see channel strips that pertain to the type of

track youre currently selected on.

In addition to saving and recalling full strips, each of the individual instruments

and effects you add (including third-party ones) can use the library to save and

recall preset settings too. When the arrow is pointing to the instrument/MIDI

FX or Audio FX, settings appear for them in the Library, and can be saved with

the Librarys save button.

Organizing Library Patches

When you save a Library patch with its save button, it can be recalled as easily as

the built-in ones. You can either choose to save the patch/setting in its default

location, pick a different location, and even make folders with categories, genres,

types, etc. You use the Macs built-in Save/Open dialog box to do this as you

would with any Mac application. What if this folder starts getting messy though?

Go to the Finder and click on your Home folder, or use Shift-Command-

H(while in the Finder) to open your Home Folder, then navigate to Audio Music

Apps, then to Patches. Youll see the various types of patches here like

instrument and audio tracks. Open any folder and re-organize the patches any

way you like.

Set the Default Software Instrument or Audio Track

When adding a new software instrument or audio track, you can choose to either

open the library or not. If you open it without the Library, the channel will be

empty. When adding a new software instrument, if you check off the Open

Library button itll open the Library and add the default electric piano sound.

What if you dont want this? You can easily set the default by right-clicking the

patch name in the Library, and choosing Define as Default. If youd like to

return to the default electric piano, click the small action menu (it has a small

gear on it) on the bottom left corner of the Library. You can choose Clear User

Default.

Drum Instrument Multi-Out Setup Made Easy

When working with drum instruments like Ultrabeat, NI Battery and more, you

can save a ready-made multi-out setup, that in a single click (can not only create

the tracks) but recall them labeled, and with effects. First add the instrument to

the channel strip and make sure to choose the multi-out version. Now in the

mixer, press the + button on the instruments track to create as many

individual outs as you think youll need. In the example image, I made 7 more

outs for a total of 8. Configure the tracks inputs, then select all the tracks in the

Mixer by either Shift-clicking or Command-clicking them all. Right-

clicknow while the pointer is over the selected tracks and select Create Track.

This will add the tracks to the arrange window. You can now make a Track Stack

out of them (Shift-Command-D) as usual. Open the Library after creating the

Track Stack, and press the Save button. Try creating a folder here to organize

these type of patches, then save.

Save a Sound for Future Use

How many times have you crafted a great sound, but it just doesnt fit the song

well? This is an excellent time to save the sound for future use, or in another

project. First, making sure that the Library is pointing to the top of the

channel/strip, click on the save button at the bottom of the Library. A window

will appear allowing you to save everything on the currently selected channel.

This allows you to recall it just as you would any other built-in Library patch.

Save Huge Stacked Instruments

Some of us are well aware that Logic Pro Xs new Track Stacks are great for

making huge sounds with multiple instruments that can all be played together

on a single channel. If youre not, its easy to set up load up a few instrument

tracks with sounds you think fit well together. Select them all in the workspace,

and use (Shift-Command-D) to pack them into a summing stack. The top

track can now be played triggering all of the sounds together. Make sure youre

selected on the top summing track, then open the Library and press the save

button. You can later recall this stack of sounds at any time. Dont just stop with

your instrument selection add audio FX, and even MIDI FX before you save

the Library patch.

Instantly Create Mixer Tracks for Recording Drums

Record drums regularly with a multi-input audio interface? Using the Library to

create 8 (or more/less) channels in a single click with custom inputs is a big

timesaver. Before you save the patch you can even name, add EQ, compression,

and a limiter to each track. Maybe create a reverb bus that each channel can send

to... its all up to you. Shift-click or Command-click each track youll be

adding to the stack in the main Workspace, and from Logics Track menu

select Create Track Stack. Name the stack in the track list, then open the

Library if its not already open and make sure the arrow is pointing to the top of

the channel. Click the Save button at bottom of the Library, give it a

meaningful name and then click save. When youre ready to record either into a

new or existing project simply add a new audio track and from the User Patches

choose patch you saved.

Swap Out Only the Effects or Instrument

Ever want to keep the instrument youre using but swap out the effects? What

about keeping the effects, but swapping the instrument? Make sure the right

track is selected, then open the Library. From the action menu in the Library

(has a gear on it) select Enable Patch Merging. Uncheck everything you dont

want to swap out. You can now change to a different patch to try out different

instruments or effect chains!

Thanks for reading! Theres many more uses for Library patches, feel free to

mention the ones you use in the comments.