Loading presets via Media Library Browser

Question

Hi - apologies if this has cropped upbefore, couldn't find any post directly relating to this issue.
I have saved channel strip presets of initialized soft instruments (logic'c own & 3rd Party). This allows me to select a channel strip with just the instrument in it, saving having to drill down via the usual instrument channel strip plugin slot.
I then have presets for all instruments(inc EXS 24 INSTRUMENTS) saved in the plugins presets folder.
In Logic 8, after inserting a software instrument via the channel strip preset in the Media library browser, the instrument would load and then the Library focus would shift to the plugin inserted in the mixer strip, thus bringing up access to that instruments sounds (i.e. presets).
However in Logic 9.02, after selecting the channel strip preset, the focus (i.e. the white box) jumps back to the main channel strip preset list again and not the instruments preset list?
I've tried saving the channel strip with the first instrument preset loaded, but this appears to make no difference.
Am i missing something obvious? Sorry for the long explanation, just wanted to be clear!
Any insights appreciated,
Thanks
Chris

Answer 1

Please read *at least* the Getting Started manuals that come with Logic.
You are really going to have a poor experience using Logic if you really have no conceptual grasp of the fundamentals. The Getting Started manual walks you through all the common things you need to know for general use.
To answer your question, you just double-click on the plugin you want to open in the channel strip it's inserted on, either in the inspector-channel strip, the channel strips display in the mixer, or the channel strips displayed in the environment.
The plugin gui also opens automatically when you insert a plugin to a channel.
What determines what category a preset shows up in
A "preset" could by one of many different ypes of things:
- A Logic plugin settings files
- A Logic EXS24 sampler instrument
- An audiounit preset
- A plugins proprietry preset or bank format
- A channel strip preset
- An impulse response
- A Steinberg VST-format preset or bank
It really depends on a per plugin basis how that developer has implemented the preset handling. Some plugins, you simply have very little other choice but to use their own inbuilt preset handling. Many plugins expose their presets as audio unit presets that come up in Logic's settings menu.
But if you are using lots of third-party plugins, in the main there is no way to guarantee a seamless, unified, consistent approach to presets - there simply isn't one.
(And I think it's a really bad thing - despite the convenience, disk space and wealth of resources we have available to us today, in many ways patch handling for instrument plugins is way worse than it was back in the nineties when all we had was hardware synths and universal editors.)
2. How do I gain access to the soft synth manufacturer's presets from within Logic and Mainstage as all I see are Logic's Instruments, Jam Packs and GB Presets.
The first place to look is the plugin settings menu at the top of the plugin. These settings files will also be available in the library browser.
If a plugin only uses it's own patch handling system, like something like Omnisphere or Stylus RMX, you simply have to use the plugin to pick presets, and not Logic.
3. How can I control the categories that the presets that I have created are stored in.
Once you understand the different types of data, where they are stored and what they are used for, you can in general organise things how you want in the finder, with some exceptions. I'd recommend leaving the presets alone (in the root library) and storing your own sounds, or copies of reorganised presets, in the user library, to keep them separate, which makes Logic updates less likely to lose your data.
Manuals. Like I say, at least read the Getting Started manual, and read the plugin manuals for an overview of the plugins and their data.