Anyone familiar with Logic Pro X?

[LowMoFo]

Hi all,

I'm not sure if this is being posted in the correct category, but here goes...

I'm trying to record a bassline into Logic Pro X, and am somewhat stumped.

The chain goes like this: Bass - Driver pedal - Interface  - Laptop.

When I record (or even just play) the signal is dry. How & why does Logic Pro strip the signal of the effect?

This also happens if I use say a chorus pedal instead of the driver.

I know there are send/returns, plugins & all that, but I want to know how to record the driven signal, not the dry one.

I am an absolute simpleton when it comes to home recording, the last time I went anywhere near this was almost 30 years ago, so please could any answers/suggestions be simpleton-proof?

Thanks all!

[Dad3353]

What Drive pedal is it..?

[Woodinblack]

If I am getting you right, that the effect is before logic pro, then there is no way that logic can strip the effect from the signal, because it never had the signal without the effect, so something is not going in right. Unless you mean the effect is within pro?

Every time I record into logic I just record dry and put the effects in within logic. It gives you more flexibility, as long as you have the effect you need (but then I have helix native, so not short of one there).

[BigRedX]

If your effects are in hardware before the interface then they should be recorded unless your pedal has a pass-through output and you have that connected to your interface.

Otherwise as has been said previously if you are applying the effects in Logic it is always best to record the instruments dry and put the effects on at playback.

[LowMoFo]

Thanks for the replies, the driver I'm using is a Behringer BDI21. There is no pass-through output.

Yes the effect pedal is before anything gets to Logic Pro. I neglected to mention that after the pedal, and before the interface, I'm going through my amp to eq prior to logic pro as the inboard eq just confuses me.

The reason I'm using pedals rather than inboard processing is simply that I don't understand Logic Pro enough yet.

[jrixn1]

How are the pedals connected to the amp - going into the instrument input, or in an effects loop?
Then what output of the amp are you using to connect to the interface - the only thing I can think of is that it's a "pre-eq" or "pre-loop" output?

[songofthewind]

You may have already done this: you have to select the track the bass is on in the arrange window, then click on the “I” button to activate the track. All fx in the panel that are in blue are on. Any that are grey are off.

[LowMoFo]

The pedals are going into the active input of the amp, exiting through the headphone socket into the interface. And yes, I have input monitoring switched on.

This is most confusing. There is probably a v simple solution, but right now it is well beyond my simple brain...

Thanks guys.

[jrixn1]

Forget about the interface & laptop for a moment.  Plug headphones into the amp's headphone socket - can you hear the chorus & drive?

[LowMoFo]

16 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

Forget about the interface & laptop for a moment.  Plug headphones into the amp's headphone socket - can you hear the chorus & drive?

I can indeed.

[jrixn1]

Really odd!  Out of ideas... good luck!

[LowMoFo]

Heheh! Me too. Thanks loads though for trying.

[xgsjx]

This sounds impossibe!

So it's Bass > fx pedal > Amp > audio interface > Mac with LPX.

Whatever is going into the interface is what Logic is going to record (less any VST fx).  I'm looking forward to hearing what the outcome is.

[Kevsy71]

Curious indeed! If you take the amp out of the chain, and go bass - drive - interface, does Logix record the effected driven signal?

[BigRedX]

Remember that a significant portion of the bass sound is created by the speakers in your bass rig. If your not recording with a mic, but going direct from the amp it will sound different on Playback. Doesn't explain why the chorus isn't evident in the recorded signal but it may explain why the overall sound is different.

I used to have the opposite problem where I was very slightly overdriving my multi effects, but through the amp and speakers of my bass rig it wasn't noticeable. DI'ing directly from the multi effects into the recording desk it was very obvious on playback.

[songofthewind]

Which audio interface are you using, out of interest?
Also, on the channel strip, do you have the output set to Stereo Out? And the appropriate input set to Mono? (The wee circle next to the Input box).

I’m sitting at my desk trying to reproduce your issue in Logic Pro X. No joy so far.

[lowdown]

Are you using a mono, or stereo lead out of the stereo headphone socket into the audio interface? 

Try just going from the pedal DI straight into the interface, then into Logic. If that works, the problem is likely to be from the amp headphone socket into the interface (possibly lead related).

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by lowdown

[LowMoFo]

On 26/03/2020 at 16:14, Kevsy71 said:

Curious indeed! If you take the amp out of the chain, and go bass - drive - interface, does Logix record the effected driven signal?

 

On 26/03/2020 at 20:24, lowdown said:

Try just going from the pedal DI straight into the interface, then into Logic. If that works, the problem is likely to be from the amp headphone socket into the interface (possibly lead related).

 

Guys, you rock!

I followed your advice & went DI from the driver to the interface, and it works perfectly! Tried recording a passage with the driver on & off, shows up well in the recording.

Awesome people of BC, I owe thee all pints!