Logic Express is just silent - GarageBand is fine

[L int.]

allright guys,

after checking apples support forums, still no success...

purchased logic express, but can't get any sound out of it.
Garage band works fine, Logic is just silent, though i can see in the window with the record/pause/play...buttons that it does something. at least where it says 'No In'.

I have been playing around already with the core Audio settings: The driver choices i do have are:
- built-in output/line input
- built-in output/digital input
- built-in line output/line input
- built-in line output/digital input
- built-in digital output/line input
- built-in digital output/digital input

my external audio setup is: external speakers through the line-level output minijacks at the rear, and headphones through the front-panel minijack.

I also do have a Midi keyboard (M-audio axiom 61), which i am going to use, but first like to concentrate on solving those basic issues whithout.

does anyone see what might be the problem (apart from the fact that i am a total audio newbie).

Thanks,

Joey

 

[iMeowbot]

First, how are you adjusting these settings? Did you use the Setup Assistant to begin?

 

[L int.]

I did...just can't tell right now what settings i have chosen, as i am sitting at work right now (with my PC ).

One thing i can remeber - if i record, i can hear the ticking sound of the metronome - but through the headphones only, and all the time - no matter what driver settings or audio output i choose - playing the keyboard of an instrument track, or playback is a no go.

 

[iMeowbot]

All righty, we can try to work on this in little steps. When you get back home to your toys, try making a simple project in GarageBand. Just one track with a preset instrument that you can play through with your keyboard will do for now. Save that project, and try opening it in Logic Express. Do you get sound out with that?

Also, under Logic Express->Preferences…->Audio…, click on the Core Audio tab and make sure that Enabled is checked.

 

[L int.]

Thanks for your help - i now realize how stupid my question was - fixed it...

I had a USB telephone plugged into the port at the back panel - when I wanted to call my girl friend there was a lot of interference and distortion coming through the handset - so I plugged it to the USB port at the front panel, and everything was ok...I still don't know why there is a difference between the rear and the front USB port, but logic is working now.

another question: what do I have to do to hear the instruments I play in logic? - right now i just can hear tracks which i imported from garage band.

 

[iMeowbot]

All right, to add a new instrument: let's first assume that we are working with an imported GB project and all the imported tracks are working. All is working okay if you click on an existing instrument track and can play if with the keyboard.

Track->Create from the toolbar. Click and hold on the newly-created track, and follow the menu to Audio->Audio Instrument, and pick an unused number. The box on the top left should now say MIDI THRU, click the little arrow to the left of that to collapse the box and make room. It you have a short display, you may also want to collapse the next box down (probably labeled Inst 2 or something like that) for now.

Now, the track settings remain at the bottom left. The first button underneath the I/O legend is probably empty. Click and hold on that button, and from the menu let's pick Stereo->Logic->ES E Ensemble Synth as an example.

A settings window will now pop up, and at this point you should be able to noodle on the midi keyboard and hear the sounds (and modify them in that window if you like).

Does that all work for you?

 

[L int.]

awesome...

everything works just fine. Thank you for your detailed how-to.

I definitely need to play around a lot now, but do you know any sources for a logic tutorial? besides the ones on the apple support pages?

 

[iMeowbot]

I don't know of a good general tutorial off hand, but here are some places that may have pointers:

Logic Users Group, a mailing list/Yahoo group, was semi-official before Apple took over

Logic Pro Help, another Logic forum

Logic User, yet another! This one is also available in a German version.

I think that there was a little booklet in the box that explains Logic to GarageBand users. I haven't actually read it so can't say if it's any good

 

[L int.]

cool - i will download that macpro video tutorial - seems to be the best way for me to learn how to use the whole logic thing, and not just single features.

Thanks, dude...

 

[ecopod]

L int,

I just got hold of a copy of Logic Pro 7 & Logic Express 7 by Martin Sitter and it seems to cover all the basics and much more. Loads of detail and in a good logical order.


ISBN No 0-321-25614-x, amazon sell it

 

[sleepybeef]

The same boat

I seem to be in the same boat as previous posters, I followed recommendations all the way through where he fixed it by switching his USBs, which didn't work for me. I've got the mac mini with 1gb and I can hear everything on garageband through mbox2 but can't hear anything at all, audio or midi that I've imported from the same garageband file. I've run the assistant, checked enable coreaudio, selected mbox2 for the driver, and still nothing. Deperate and clinging to resolve,

the beef