Roland TD-11 and Logic: MIDI output separation

[terrajavier]

Hello Forum,

I have a Roland TD-11 (driver updated) connected to Logic (latest version) via its USB port. I record my playing to a MIDI track in Logic and when played back it triggers the TD-11's sounds, as I want. However, my playing is recorded to one MIDI track. Any effects applied affects all instruments (snare, kick, toms, etc). As you would expect, I'd like to be able to separate each pad's sound to its own track so I can EQ them separately.

Logic does have a function to separate MIDI events by MIDI channel and by note pitch. Note pitch does separate each note (pad's sound) to its own track, however, all tracks seems to be linked, meaning, any effects EQ applied to any one track, affect all tracks, so I am back at square one. My TD-11 is set to MIDI channel 1. When I use the separate MIDI events by note pitch, each track created is label Channel 1, maybe this explains it. Even though the TD-11 has 16 MIDI channels, all pads sounds travel through one channel (channel 1 in this case) and this can not be changed in the TD-11.

I want to record my playing once as MIDI and be able to use Logic's effects, EQ, etc on each instrument of the TD-11 separately. Any suggestions on how to achieve this?

Thank you,

Javier

 

[rob aylestone]

Can I confirm you are simply using the pad for the sounds? As I see it the snag is Logic doesn't have the sounds, so cannot do EQ and the effects - those processes are via audio channels not midi channels. You can separate all the individual drums in Logic and when you send the data back to the Roland they play, so any sound tweaking and reverb is reliant on the Roland's features. To do what you want, Logic needs audio - so you would need to create and audio track for, say, the snare, and record the Roland's audio output with just the snare playing in real time. Then do the same for all the drums. Once in Logic as separate tracks, all the Logic effects and processing work. At the moment, you are just playing the notes in the DAW and the sound is generated in the Roland as a response. Logic has no audio to process?

 

[terrajavier]

Can I confirm you are simply using the pad for the sounds? As I see it the snag is Logic doesn't have the sounds, so cannot do EQ and the effects - those processes are via audio channels not midi channels. You can separate all the individual drums in Logic and when you send the data back to the Roland they play, so any sound tweaking and reverb is reliant on the Roland's features. To do what you want, Logic needs audio - so you would need to create and audio track for, say, the snare, and record the Roland's audio output with just the snare playing in real time. Then do the same for all the drums. Once in Logic as separate tracks, all the Logic effects and processing work. At the moment, you are just playing the notes in the DAW and the sound is generated in the Roland as a response. Logic has no audio to process?

Hey thanks for replying. I was able to figure it out. It involves using an interface to route the TD-11's sounds back to Logic. So, I have the TD-11 and an interface plugged to my Mac via USB. Tell Logic you want the Output set to the TD-11 and the Input to your interface (use 1/4" cables from the TD-11's L/R Output to you Interface's inputs).

To answer your question, yes, I want the TD-11 sounds because I purchased and installed an acoustic sound package from drum-tec on my TD-11 and it sounds amazing. The TD-11's original sounds are not so good.

You are absolutely right on your reply. Logic needs those TD-11 sounds before I can manipulate them. What I figured out is that I record my playing in Logic as a MIDI track and all notes (pads' sounds are there, all in one shot), then I use Logic's separate MIDI events by note pitch to create separate tracks each with the notes from each pad. However, since it is all coming through the same channel, changing anything to one track, affects the others, so it is useless. Nevertheless, if you control-click on any track > select Track Header Component > select On/Off, it gives you this On/Off switch which lets you enable/disable each track separately.

Next, I create as many Audio tracks (in the same Logic session where your MIDI recording is) as you want to separate your recording (I created 5 audio tracks and labeled them Hi-Hat, Snare, Kick, Toms and Cymbals). This also means the recording volume of each track will be controlled by the TD-11 AND the interface.

Lastly, in Logic, turn off all MIDI tracks that were separated except the one you want to record as audio. Say for example, leave On the MIDI track that has the Kick notes, then hit the R (record enable) on the audio track labeled Kick and hit record in Logic. Now you'll have the sound of the TD-11's kick as an audio track. Repeat for all other tracks and then have fun EQing, using Logic's own parameters.