Attach the Audio 1 object to the Monitor object. To accomplish this, go to the small triangle at the top right of the Audio 1 channel object. This arrow represents the output or outlet for the control signals of that channel. Make a connection between audio channel 1 and the monitor object, by click-holding the triangle at the top of channel 1, moving the mouse to the centre of the monitor object and releasing the mouse button. You should now see the outlet of the Audio 1 object cabled to the inlet of the monitor object. The click-hold method will be used throughout to connect objects in the Environment.Now it’s time to do a little investigation. Adjust the volume, pan, mute and solo of the track and you’ll see that the monitor object displays the messages Logic uses for these functions. It’s worth observing that all Logic’s mixing functions inside the Environment can be controlled by two message types: Continuous Controller messages for volume and pan; and Fader commands for controlling solo/mute and plug-in parameters. Continuous Controller messages start with a circular symbol, then have three columns of numbers. An example message you might see in the monitor box for the Audio 1 pan control would be ‘1 10 40’, where 1 denotes channel 1, 10 denotes CC 10 (pan), and 40 is the value of the control signal (in this case, pan position in the range 0-127).Fader messages follow a similar format, but start with an ‘F’. For example, a mute button could be turned on with the message ‘F 1 9 1’ . The ‘F’ means a Fader message; the first number column is the object position, in this case, one (higher numbers denote the insert plug-in slot number); the second column represents the parameter being controlled, in this case, the mute channel; and the last number is the control signal value, in this case, one, meaning ‘on’. Call up a plug-in on audio channel 1 and move some of the controls; you should see a specific Fader message for each in the monitor object.Now let’s get down to actually creating our own control objects! First, we’ll make a Fader object to control channel volume.Create a new Fader object (New > Fader > Vertical 1).Cable the outlet of the Fader object into the inlet of the Audio 1 channel object.
When mixing or editing on your main monitor, you can have your touchscreen showing a useful Environment containing just the basics of what you want to adjust. On a 15-inch touchscreen I’ve found that 32 channels of volume, pan, mute, and solo controls can be displayed at a size that works well. You could try other variations, such as a screen containing 128 tracks of solo and mute buttons.To begin building the basic mixer, it’s best to create a new template from scratch:Start a new song and add an audio track.Call up the Environment window (Command-8), and create a monitor object (New > Monitor). In the Environment window, the Audio 1 channel object is cabled to a Monitor object.In the Environment window, the Audio 1 channel object is cabled to a Monitor object.
The USB cable carries the X-Y coordinates of your touch signal to the computer and requires a stand-alone driver, in the same way that some specialist mice or tablets do, so when buying a touchscreen it’s important to ensure that the one you choose has the drivers and software for the operating system you use. This is important because the control interface needs to be set up as either a mirror of your first screen or a separate second screen, and then calibrated to the area you are working in. The calibration software usually takes the form of a simple program that generates a series of crosses on the screen, which you touch. From that, the program calculates the working area, to track your touch accurately. Be aware that, as with any device, there are good and bad examples. Watch out for screens that require firm pressure to register your touch, as these will quickly become fatiguing and make adjusting parameters via sliders hard work. Because touchscreens are commonly found at tills in shops, and in other environments where a traditional desk is not present, they are available with very flexible mounting arrangements and can be attached to a wide variety of stands. This mounting flexibility is a bonus for musicians: manoeuvre the screen behind your keyboard for patch editing or place next to your computer to help with mixing. The Touchscreen & LogicTo look at the potential of a touchscreen as a controller with all music applications is beyond the scope of this article, so I’ll be explaining how to use one solely with one of the most popular DAWs around: Logic Pro, whose Environment also lends itself very well to creating specialist interfaces.A touchscreen can work just like a normal monitor and mouse combination, so straight off the bat you can interact with all aspects of Logic’s interface. Changing levels and panning in the mix window are particularly easy. Editing plug-ins is also much more immediate than using a mouse.One of the things that has always set Logic Pro apart from other sequencers is the depth of what can be accomplished in the Environment window. Because the Environment provides a configurable virtual view of your MIDI studio and mixing objects, you can design your own Environments to suit a touchscreen interface. Some of the things you could build to take advantage of the touchscreen are a specialist touchscreen mixer, multiple X/Y Pads for synth control, and SysEx or continuous controller maps to give your hardware a touchscreen interface. Basic Mixing Screen The basic mixing screen offers 32 channels of volume and pan controls, plus solo and mute buttons.The basic mixing screen offers 32 channels of volume and pan controls, plus solo and mute buttons.
It will be little surprise to anyone that, thanks to Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch products, the profile of touchscreen interfaces has risen dramatically. However, what may be surprising to you is just how easy and affordable it is to buy a touchscreen and incorporate it into your music setup. Touchscreens regularly come up for sale second-hand, as they have been used in shops, medical establishments and other outlets for many years now. Ebay is probably the best place to find one; a quick search at the time of writing revealed that a used 15-inch touchscreen can be bought for around $150. That size of screen is considerably bigger than the 12-inch touchscreen on the Jazz Mutant Lemur controller (reviewed in SOS March 2007, ), which weighs in at around the $2000 mark, although it is worth pointing out that the Lemur’s capabilities are a lot more advanced. How Do Touchscreens Work?A touchscreen is a display that has the ability to detect the location of a point of contact within the display area. The point of contact can be either from a finger or from some kind of stylus, depending on what type of touch the screen will recognise. The two most common types of touchscreen interfaces are capacitive and resistive, the main difference between the two types being that capacitive touchscreens are usually visually clearer than their resistive counterparts. (The iPhone has a capacitive touchscreen, while Palm’s Treo and Motorola’s ROKR E6 use resistive screens. One benefit of a resistive screen is that it can be used with a stylus as well as your finger, but on the down side, resistive screens are more easily damaged by sharp objects. Capacitive touchscreens can also be more sensitive than their resistive counterparts, as they do not necessarily need to be pushed; some can detect your finger within 2mm of the screen, and therefore often respond to a lighter touch.A touchscreen interfaces with your computer via two connections: a VGA or DVI connection for video, and a USB or serial port connection for the touch interface (Mac users need to make sure their screen has USB). It’s easiest to think of the touch interface in PC terms as being similar to connecting a second mouse. These are the connectors on my own touchscreen, the catchily named ELO ET1525L-8UWC-1, which I found on eBay for around $150. Left to right: power, stereo audio input for built-in speakers, USB, VGA.These are the connectors on my own touchscreen, the catchily named ELO ET1525L-8UWC-1, which I found on eBay for around $150. Left to right: power, stereo audio input for built-in speakers, USB, VGA.
You’ll be surprised at how cheap and easy it can be to enhance the usability of your Logic setup with a touchscreen.Geoff Smith
Creating Custom Touchscreen Interfaces In Logic Logic Notes & Techniques Technique : Logic Notes
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