Help!!! Control individual tracks on a multitimbral soft instrument

Question

Hello!
Could anyone let me know how to work with tracks on a multitimbral soft instrument track so that one may, for instance, solo/ mute and use automation on one track without affecting all the others?
I am using a PC as slave with instruments assigned to this multitimbral instrument, having as many aux tracks in the mixer (in logic-the host) as I do have instruments on the slave.
Thanks so much!!

Answer 1

First, when you set up your first software instrument track, did you specify that it is multitimbral? If not, then make it so. (I typically only ask for one multitimbral track initially, and use Command-M to add the next track with the next consecutive midi channel, as I build my arrangement.)
Second, you'll need to assign OUTPUT PAIRS to each midi channel -- this is done in your multitimbral software instrument on that first multi track (as opposed to in Logic). For instance, MIDI channel 1 should be assigned output pair 1-2, midi channel 2 assigned to output pair 3-4, etc. -- all the way through midi channel 16 being assigned to output pair 31-32. (What software inst are you using? I've done this with both Kontakt Player 2 and SampleTank -- each one works TOTALLY differently!).
This takes some time to do, so I HIGHLY recommend saving your project as a TEMPLATE in Logic, so hopefully you'll only have to do this once.
The last little "secret" is that on the FIRST (primary) multitimbral track (in the Mixer (Cmd-2)), there is a little "+" sign toward the bottom that you don't see on other kinds of tracks. Clicking the "+" creates a new aux channel for mixing, muting, soloing, adding effects to that specific multitimbral track, and you can check that the assignment of output pairs is correct for this track's unique midi channel also, by clicking and holding on the instrument name on this aux channel. This means you will now have TWO tracks for each part: one for the midi info, and the "+"-assigned aux channel for mixing and effects. In the Arrange window, select "Display Off" in place of "Volume" for the mid tracks, and then you can select "Volume" or "Pan" or whatever for automation, on the appropriate Aux track.
The other thing that becomes ESSENTIAL using multitimbral instruments is track LABELLING. LOL This two-tracks-for-each-part thing can becomes a real hairball without clear labeling practices.
Once you get it all set up, using only one instance of a multitimbral instrument for up to 16 tracks saves a TON of ram and processing overhead, and it works like a charm in Logic.
Good luck!
DS9