Logic into Protools. An idea for someone to steal.

[John Tooker]

An idea for someone to steal.

RAD the Rewire Audio Driver.

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What is it for...

Getting Logic's audio output into Protools using Rewire 2.0 and a small audio/midi virtual driver that is also a Rewire Synth/Slave program.

This idea might also help users of any Rewire Mixer/Master only application feed it into any other Rewire Mixer/Master application. Or even for connecting any non-Rewire enabled application into any Rewire Mixer/Master application.

I.E.
Sonar into Cubase
Digital Performer into Protools
Acid Into Cubase
GarageBand into Protools
Sound Forge into Cubase
ect..

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Why I need this...

In my normal working method I use Protools as my main audio multi-tracking device and use Reason as a synth/sequencer/drum machine for quickie parts and loops. I also use Live to time stretch loops or older parts. As soon as possible I commit the parts to audio in Protools and close the "rewired" application.

However...

When it comes to hardcore sequencing with synth madness and processing Logic 6 is my big gun. I need Logic to work as smoothly with Protools as Reason and Live do but it won't because Protools is a Rewire Mixer/Master and Logic is a Rewire Mixer/Master and one of them would need to be a Rewire Synth/Slave in order for Rewire to connect them.

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The fix...

Apple have not made Logic into a Rewire Synth (and this is a problem with other applications as well) but hopefully I might've come up with a method that doesn't require a Rewire 3.0.

If there was a virtual audio/midi driver that thought of itself as a Rewire Synth/Slave you could route any audio feeding this "Rewire Audio Driver" straight into any Rewire Mixer/Master program. It would require the Rewire Audio Driver to have at least a virtual pair of outputs and a midi input and output for transport control functions.


The signal flow would be like this:

1-Logic feeds the Rewire Audio Driver as if it were a physical output on the computer. It is selected like any other USB/Firewire/PCI audio device in OS X. In addition Logic uses the transport and location control from the Rewire Audio Driver as if it were physical midi connectors on the same virtual USB/Firewire/PCI audio device.

2-The Rewire Audio Driver connects to Protools in the same manner that Reason and Live do, as an insert-able Rewire Synth/Slave with Protools acting as the Rewire Mixer/Master application outputting and receiving midi/transport control from the virtual audio/midi interface.


The order of application startup would be:

1-Protools is started and has a session loaded.

2-The Rewire Audio Driver is inserted on an Aux or Audio Track in the Protools Mixer. When the plugin is instantiated the Rewire Audio Driver automatically launches (the same way that Reason is launched automatically) and starts feeding audio into Protools.

3-Logic is started and a session is loaded.

4-The audio output in Logic is set to the core audio driver named Rewire Audio Driver.

At this point if Protools is not in "Low Latency Monitoring" hitting play in Logic should make any output show up in Protools. I think you would have to set Logic into MMC mode to react to the transport functions. ****On a side note if this is the case then Logic could be used as a working environment while Protools makes an audio document of everything done (while Protools was recording) regardless of stopping and starting Logic. A useful function for songwriting or sound design such as throwing loops or guitar parts at other tracks in Protools looking for a "happy accident."****

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Other notes...

It should be possible to create a multi-port "Rewire Audio Driver" with multi-port midi capability but I'll settle for a functioning stereo audio bus and transport control and synchronization.

Another unrelated idea might be to use a Rewire Audio Driver to create a virtual Audio Input for a computer. This might make it easy to take the output of Reason or other Rewire Synth/Slave programs and send them into iChat for streaming over the internet or wireless LAN or feeding audio into a non-Rewired program.


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What will it take...

Someone (Propellerheads or Digidesign maybe?) to make a virtual audio/midi device that thinks it's a Rewire Synth/Slave. They would need to be a company so that they could become an authorized Rewire Developer. They would need some experience with making drivers for OS X (m-Audio/Digidesign Emagic/Apple I'm looking at you here) or Windows. In particular they would need to know how the drivers for USB/Firewire type devices can be added and removed without a restart since this is what the Rewire Audio Driver would need to do.

And finally they must gimme! Gimme! Gimme! I want! I want! I want!

-Thanks
Tooker of Marqui Adora
October 19, 2004

The website for this idea:
http://homepage.mac.com/johntooker/RAD/Personal6.html

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