Working with sub-channels, The sub-channel parameter box – Apple Logic Pro 9 User Manual

Page 1087

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With modern synths, there’s a good chance the format will match one of the top items
in the menu: either controller #32 or controller #0. There are also presets to accommodate
several of the more common types of synths. If your synth doesn’t use one of the formats
listed, you can define your own bank select messages (see

Custom Bank Selects

).

Working with Sub-Channels

To select a sub-channel (to address a specific MIDI channel number within the
multi-instrument), click the appropriately numbered square (button) on the
multi-instrument object. The first time you click it, the sub-channel is activated, making
it available in the Track Assignment menu of the arrange track list (accessed by
Control-clicking a track). To avoid menu clutter, you should only activate as many
sub-channels as you actually need, or as many as the external MIDI device supports.

As with any other Environment object, you can remove sub-channels from the Track
Assignment menu by deselecting the Icon checkbox in the Object Parameter box. The
button for the sub-channel appears with a diagonal line through it when deactivated.

In the above image, sub-channel 1 is selected, sub-channels 1 to 8 are activated, and
sub-channels 9 to 16 have been removed from the Track Assignment menu.

The Sub-Channel Parameter Box

Each sub-channel has a complete set of instrument parameters, identical to those for
standard instruments. (See

The Standard Instrument Parameter Box

.) The only parameter

you cannot change is the MIDI channel. If you attempt to change the channel, you are
asked to select another sub-channel, or select the multi-instrument itself to change the
common driver destination.

You can, however, change the channel in the Arrange window’s Track Parameter box to
any sub-channel of the multi-instrument, and the track will be assigned to the selected
sub-channel. This allows you to redirect the (regions on the) track to another sub-channel,
making it easy to play multiple parts with a particular channel/sound.

Note: If you change the Output port parameter of any sub-channel, the entire
multi-instrument and all other sub-channels are affected.

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Chapter 37

Environment Objects Reference

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