How to create a new independent audio track?

Question

okay, probably a stupid question, but how can i create a new audio track that is not a "slave" to an already existing audio track. for example, all of my 8 audio tracks are in use, so when i try to open a new one, it is affected by the highlighted tracks specifications, making it very frustrating. please help and thanks.

Answer 1

Some things are just backward in Logic...we just have to get use too it.....
jord, I agree.. it's not that hard to understand the difference between an arrange track and an audio object. the fact that you can have many tracks in the arrangement that all use the same audio object or midi object is a great thing.
I think if people get their head around the fact that the arrange page _is not_ simply a representation of what is physically available in terms of tracks, then it all becomes clear.
I would recommend all new users to do the following:
click on your arrange window, and select the top track. start hitting delete until you have deleted every single track in the arrangement. you now have a blank page. but, importantly, the environment of available audio tracks/audio instruments/midi channels/whatever has not changed one single bit. you can now assign anything to your arrange page. 55 arrange tracks that are all using audio instrument 1 if you so desire. or, sequentially create new tracks that are all using subsequent channels/instruments by controlshiftreturn (by default).
people often get confused by doing the following: they create a new track in the arrangement - say they had audio instrument 1 and then created another _arrange track_ of audio instrument 1. then, they look in the parameter box for that second arrange track, and change it to audio instrument 2. then they get annoyed that for some reason, both tracks now change to audio instrument 2.. but this is totally normal, because you have changed the assigment of the same audio object, that just happened to be present in the arrangement in the form of 2 arrange tracks. the way to change what object is assigned to an arrange track is to click-hold on the track name (right there where the track is in the arrange list) and then you will see a pop up of all of the available objects, hierarchically presented to represent the environment layers in your song. or, instead of doing this, you can just create an arrange track that uses the next available audio track/instrument by using the key command described above (controlshiftreturn).
it's not at all illogical or backwards! when I am writing a midi part using an audio instrument, I (very) often want multiple arrange tracks of the same instrument so I can test out different ideas or variations.. muting all except the one I currently want to hear. and importantly, they aren't "copies" or "clones" of the same track, nor are they "linked" tracks that change assignment together, as many people seem to think. they are independant arrange tracks that just happen to have the same track or instrument assigned to them. once you get this, you start getting logic.
the way to build new audio objects or midi objects (which is what people mean when they say "new track") is and has always been in the environment. although, now there are shortcuts to do it by using the function 'create multiple tracks' which will produce the objects for you in the arrangement and add them to your arrangement in one operation. you also need to be aware of the setting in your audio prefs (or in hardware and drivers, can't remember which) where you define the maximum number of tracks that the audio engine will allow, this being another stalling point for many new users.
like I said, once you 'get' this architecture in your head, you start realising how powerful and flexible working on arrangements in logic will be. for me, it's a way better implementation than playlists in protools, for example.