Playing back on an external PA in Logic Express 8
Wednesday, February 27 2008 @ 06:03 PM CST

I am wondering if anyone can help me with playing back through an external PA in Logic Express 8. I have hooked up my PA to my iMac, I can hear what I'm playing through the PA and it records, but when I want to play back what I have recorded, it doesn't work. I can only hear what I have recorded through the computer?

Re:Playing back on an external PA in Logic Express 8
Wednesday, February 27 2008 @ 06:29 PM CST

Not sure if this will help- but in Garageband I find I have to go into the preferences (audio) and manually set the input and output sound source. Logic may be the same.

Good luck!

Re:Playing back on an external PA in Logic Express 8
Wednesday, February 27 2008 @ 06:51 PM CST

Thanks mate I'll give it a go.

Re:Playing back on an external PA in Logic Express 8
Wednesday, February 27 2008 @ 07:59 PM CST

You do have to change your preferences in Logic in the Audio tab to choose the device. If you are hooking your PA through the line-in of your iMac instead of using an audio interface through USB or Firewire, your PA won't show up as an device. Probably you will have to hook your audio line out (or headphone out) into the line in on your PA. If you are using a mic in your PA, make sure it's not live or it will feedback.

Re:Playing back on an external PA in Logic Express 8
Wednesday, February 27 2008 @ 09:29 PM CST

Cool, thanks Jim, I'll try that tonight. If that doesn't work I wonder if you can get a adapter to convert the small pins to USB or firewire, don't know if thats possible but will sus it out. Thanks again.

Re:Playing back on an external PA in Logic Express 8
Thursday, February 28 2008 @ 05:00 PM CST

Ok, you guys are great!. Thanks, I plugged into headphones and into one of the PA channels and it works!

But now I have another challenge that I can't seem to find an answer to in the manual.
Does anyone know if and how I can play two intstruments through two separate channels in the PA and set them up to record as two different tracks in Logic Express 8. At the moment the two different instruments record, but on the same track. Hope that makes sense.

Re:Playing back on an external PA in Logic Express 8
Thursday, February 28 2008 @ 10:12 PM CST

The problem is that you are sending one stereo signal to the computer from the PA. You need to send two discreet (probably mono) signals to your computer, which is a bit convoluted when using a PA. I think you might be able to do it by panning the two instruments to opposite sides on your PA, recording them on one stereo track and then "split" the tracks in Logic when you bounce them. See page 873 of the Logic Express 8 User manual. Then you can drag the resultant split mono tracks back into the Logic project to mix as you like. If you get a USB or Firewire interface you don't have to go thru this permutation as long as you get one with multi-channel inputs.

Re:Playing back on an external PA in Logic Express 8
Thursday, February 28 2008 @ 10:57 PM CST

Thanks Jimbo, you've come up the with goods again! I think I'll try a usb connection and go from there. I'll sus out the other way, but man, it sounds a bit technical for my knowledge on Logic just yet. Thanks again mate.