newbie advice on Logic 7 on Macbook Pro with outboard gear

[monty00]

Apologies if this is the wrong place to start but I am returning to making music as a hobby after a lengthy break and need some advice, please. I want to take a step up in the quality of my recordings.

I have Logic 7 Pro on a 2006 MacBook Pro. I also have some outboard gear - two E-MU modules that I really love, a Midiverb 4 and a Focusrite Voicemaster. I'm recording using the modules, some spoken vocals and guitars - all played / performed by me. I'll be wanting to use the Mac for the audio recording and virtual instruments as well as the sampler but am not averse to using a hardware sampler having been brought up on the S950 and then the 3000xl.

Although I have the Edirol FA-66 I'm still thinking that I should be using a small mixer (Mackie 1604) to run the modules through to reduce strain on the Mac.

Am I right?? Maybe I should just get rid of all the outtboard stuff??

If the desk is an ok way forward, is there a preferred way to connect everything up?

thanks in advance

 

[Justsomeguy]

hey man, welcome to HR.

firstly, a couple of questions. What/how do you intend to use the outboard stuff? i.e are you using it just to record/track with, or are you planning to run stuff back out of Logic 7 into the outboard?

Secondly, i'm not up on my outboard synth stuff but i'm confused as to what you mean by "putting a strain on the mac".

The charm with the Edirol is that is has 4 ins and 4 outs so for recording it gives you plenty of scope. you could setup the focusrite so the signal went: Mic ----> focusrite -----> edirol input

if you wanted the midiverb to add reverb to stuff recorded in logic, you could plug output 3 and 4 from the edirol into the midiverb, set up a bus in logic with the output being 3 and 4, and then create aux sends on your tracks pointed at the bus and treat it like a normal reverb. to get it back in to logic, plug the output of the midiverb into the edirol, create a new track in logic and record the reverb back in as an audio track.

Do you need a mixer? well, i'd be tempted to say no as it would probably just add an extra layer of noise. in my head, you can easily plug the modules straight in to the Edirol like you would a mic. the inputs on the front of the edirol have a three way combo socket that will accept a mic signal, a line level signal (i.e drum machine, electric keyboard), and an instrument signal (with the High Z switch, so you can plug electric guitar, basses, electro acoustic guitars straight in)

 

[monty00]

Thanks for the response and welcome.


I'm running a small home studio where I'll be doing multi track recordings. Solo project so recording one track at a time. My outboard / sound modules have six outputs each so am likely to be running up to a total of six different sounds as stereo pairs. When I refer to putting a strain on the Mac I don't want to record the final outputs of these modules (and therefore create an additonal six stereo recordings with all the eq etc. that I'll want to be running) but would prefer to 'play them live' using midi and utilise up to 12 channels on the desk. Clearly much more than the Edirol was intended to handle.

I see where you are coming from and will run like this for now as it saves having to buy a desk. I guess if it becomes obvious that I'm wanting to get more out of the modules then I'll go down the desk route.

Am I correct in thinking that if I send the sound module outs to the Edirol I can then play with levels / eq / effects etc. within Logic? This is new to me so a quick line on where in the software this surfaces woud be really helpful.

thanks again.