I’m Picking up a Roland TR-505 tomorrow, will i be able to use this in Logic Pro? It’s got MIDI I/O, and 1/4" L/R outs, which ill be using to connect to my soundcard but, I was wondering, how will i integrate this Logic?
I’m new to the hardware world, I have Maschine and MIDI keyboards, so im not completely alien, I just haven’t got as deep as using proper vintage gear, so im not in the knowledge of how it’d all be set up.
I will be connecting the 505 from the L&R 1/4" outputs to the 1/4" Line inputs of my soundcard, but don’t see how i will be able to record the 505 into Logic.. Will Logic recognise it from my soundcard?
I think I need some MIDI hardware don’t I? Connect the 505 via midi somewhere, and then ill be able to record into logic?
Firstly the simple one, you will just need to run the 1/4 from the 505 into the input on your soundcard and select that input as the record input on whatever channel in logic.
Just Play on the 505 and you should be able to Record it in Logic
Next you’ll want to sync the 505’s BPM to logic.
If your sound card has midi I/O then you’ll want the midi-out going to the midi-in on the 505. Set the 505 to slave mode and Set logic to synchronize to external slave devices.
Hit Record and in theory your 505 should record in perfect tempo with whatever BPM you are using in Logic.
If you don’t have midi ports, you might need a USB > Midi cable (a few bucks) or one of your midi keyboards might have a midi i/o interface that can be utilized.
Ah that’s great to hear… I didn’t think I would be able to use and record the 505 into logic with the equipment i already had.
As for syncing the 505 with my logic tempo, My soundcard does not have any MIDI I/O .. Maschine has MIDI IN and OUT, and my MIDI keyboard only has MIDI OUT, which is being connected to maschine, so that i can use the keybaord to play more than the maschine’s 16 pads.
Can i still just record individual drum hits/sounds from the 505 into logic? Then there will be no need to sync, as for now, that’s all i’ll be doing. I won’t be making patterns as such on the 505, ill just use it to record some hits into logic.
That’ll be fine, right? And if i want to record patterns form the 505 into logic, ill then get an audio AND midi interface so that i can sync the tempo w/ Logic
Yep you can record loops / hits etc .. no prob without any midi sync, it should stay pretty reasonably in sync for 16+ bar loops so long as your tempo in logic and 505 is the same.
You can use the midi i/o on your Maschine to slave the 505 in logic though - no extra gear needed, just a midi cable.
I’m also picking up a TB-3 tonight, so MIDI syncing is definitely the route I will be taking soon, so I can have everything hard synced for performance as well as studio.
Can you recommend any MIDI interfaces? Preferably midi & audio, so that I can just have one soundcard with it all in, and not an expensive one.
The Audio 10 in your sig has Midi I/O ? If you cant use that, then pretty much any soundcard with Midi I/O could be used NI/Focusrite/M-audio etc. Or just get a separate Midi Interface ($60 for something decent), use one of the other devices as your Master clock e.g. Machine I/O, TB-3 or even 505.
I’d say it might be worthwhile looking into USB Mixing Desk for recording and performace - computer on the USB input and the external gear on a couple of other channels.
There’s oodles of ways you could set things up but ultimately your own workflow will play the biggest part e.g. if you want to record channels simultaneously or individually.
That actually broke, eh. Started showing the “usb disabled” error, NI said it’s faulty and i can send it in and repair/replace it, haven;t got round to that yet…
The guy i bought the 505 from had an old midi interface he sold me for 20quid. Its the USB MIDIsport 2x2, little 2 in 2 out box, that should do the trick.
Ill get the 505 and TB3 hooked up and get used to it first then ill get them midi synced!
But yes, i was looking into getting a mixing desk… I’ve just never known EXACTLY what one is for…
Can I have it set up with Logic Pro, and control certain faders/parameters with it? Have my studio monitors plugged into it and adjust volume from there? Have instruments plugged into it and control the volume, etc?
If so, that is definitely something I have been looking for
A mixing desk can be used for multiple things, depending how much you want to spend and how much space you have and how complex you want your chain to get.
The yamaha I linked to has 10 channels, so
Channel 9/10 is your computer output
Channel 7/8 could be your TB-3
Channel 5/6 could be your 505
The other channels might be for your DJ Mixer / Mic etc …
So it can be used for basically for keeping things neat, basic EQ / FX and not needing to have the computer on to just play with your hardware gear. If you are laying down a track and need to record your 505, just turn up that channel on the mixer, mute the rest and hit record - piece of cake.
You could of course go down the route of getting a big complex desk and big soundcard - in which case you could have your TB-3, and other hardware individual mixer channels and separate your logic channels into groups outputting as individual soundcard channels which you can then mix on the hardware mixer to be recorded.
These individual channels could also then have their own outboard send/return per group on the mixer which might be utilized by outboard hardware effects units.
Starting off I’d just get something small to keep everything neat
Ha! I was quite surprised when he just said “yeah ive got one, 20quid”.
Two birds with one stone and all that!
Right, I see. That is something I’ll want eventually. I wouldn’t get a massive one just yet though, something small… I do need a bigger soundcard for now though, with more I/O’s, and MIDI’s I/O’s too.
I’m not sure how the midi interface is working though, like it plugs via USB to computer, and just has x2 midi i/o’s, how will logic recognise that in order to sync my 505 and TB-3?
You’ll prob need to go through the manuals regarding the sync / channel settings.
A small desk might actually eliminate the need for a bigger sound card so long as you don’t need to record multiple channels at once or require cueing.
I noticed it does have any MIDI I/O, but with my midi interface i have now that shouldn’t matter, but, it doesn’t seem to be USB, so I wouldn’t really be able to hook this up to my mac.. I’ll need a USB mixing desk, right?
I’ll start off with, I have that Behringers lil brother (502) and while its pretty handy for splitting sources and occasionally recording hardware its not ideal as it cant individually record channels while similtaniously playing back in Logic (or other hardware channels). Also the mic inputs are a bit Noisy for “real” work.
I would consider getting an Allen and Heath Zed 10 (or higher)
This one would be a much better fit for a few reasons.
Firstly The recording audio interface has assignment buttons on each channel for its input, meaning you wont record the master output and other devices. Where the Behringer records the master output directly - anything with the fader up gets recorded (including your computers output unless you are using headphones) Secondly You can Cue each channel in headphones for live use. Thirdly - its Allen and Heath
I would probably go with a configuration something like as follows.
In Logic prefs:
Set Mixing Desk as Output Soundcard
Set Mixing Desk as Input Soundcard
On Mixing Desk:
Master Out > Cables To Your Speakers or Amp
Channel 3/4 DJ mixer / Microphones or whatever other audio sources you want to plug in
Channel 5/6 > TB-3
Channel 7/8 > 505
Channel 9/10 > Your USB audio input from Logic.
FX send > To Effects hardware e.g. kaosspad
Channel 1/2 Stereo Effects Return Signal
There’s a ton of other ways you could go, but only you will be able to decide that
Yes I know the Zed is a little more expensive, but remember you wont need a new sound card either, the one built in is decent and the mixer itself gets really good reviews.
That looks really nice to be honest and it’s reasonably priced, I was expecting it to be a lot more.
So, that has enough I/O for for me to plug in my 505
& TB-3, and then of course I’ll be using this as my soundcard now, so will run my studio monitors out of it, and I’ll have some spare ins and outs left right? In case I pick up some more hardware soon, which I’m planning
Too, a new synth or something, I don’t want to have to get another soundcard after this!
Also, I see its USB, so no worries connecting to my mac. I have a midi interface now so that’ll work fine, independent volume controls for both the TB-3 and 505?
And for both speakers? At once or individually isn’t an issue. I’m really thinking of picking this up. Plus yes, A&H.
I had the Xone 92 DJ mixer and it was the greatest thing ever!
EDIT: One thing, is the Zed 10 actually a USB mixing desk? My soundcard is USB, plug it straight into my mac and my monitors out of it via rca. Can’t seem to find if this zed10 is actually USB driven.. There’s no USB in the back, but on the top, which is a little weird, looks messier with cables all coming out of the top, not a great issue though.
I’m just wondering how I will get my computer to recognise it as a soundcard device, unless it is USB, then that’s okay
Yep it is a 2x2 USB Soundcard, USB is on the top panel (i know its weird). Its plug and play, no drivers or setup needed, it’ll be automatically recognized by OSX.
And yes you can run multiple stereo outputs from it simultaneously and more using the mono AUX channels.
And yep you’ll have plenty of extra channels for other devices.
That’s great. Picking one up tomorrow for £100, used 3 times so fairly new.
For the 505 and TB-3, would I run them like this:
Dual 1/4" jack from TB-3 ----- into the Single 1/4" jack Line In, (the first one on left hand side)
Dual 1/4" jack from 505 ------ into the Single 1/4" Jack Line in, (the second one).
Or even run the 505 and 3 into the the two Stereo inputs, which is on the right of the zed10
And then obviously the top right XLR for my monitors..
Got it, all good! Works fine!! Thanks for the heads up about this, looks great.
One thing, ATM, I’m using the Main Mix Out (XLR) to my studio monitors, and I use the Main Mix Level knob to control volume, but for some reason, when i turn the Playback Level knob, that increases the volume also, not sure why that’s happening? Plus, there’s a bad humming noise when i turn the Main Mix knob all the way up, if i turn Playback all the way down, so theres no music coming through, and then turn Main Mix up, i can hear it loud!
do you think I should get a pair of RCA cables and run my monitors through the Monitor Out Output instead? It’s confusing when multiple knobs contribute to the volume output of just one source, my speakers.. I don’t know which ones to keep up or down.
W/ the RCA I think the only way to alter the volume is simply the Monitor Level knob.
.. Maschine has MIDI IN and OUT, and my MIDI keyboard only has MIDI OUT, which is being connected to maschine, so that i can use the keybaord to play more than the maschine’s 16 pads.
