This week’s tip contains two simple suggestions for easily and quickly working with different mixer views in Logic. This is a much discussed topic amongst Logic users. And several complex mixer view management techniques are “out there” floating around in cyberspace. Things involving hidden folder tracks with dummy objects, and complex customized layer set ups with different Mixer Track sub sets in the Environment Window abound. And they are all powerful and useful ideas.

 

But I like to keep things simple as much as possible. There’s less to trouble shoot when the need inevitably arises, there’s less advance setup work to do; and there’s less mental demand – concentration can be focused on the music making and mixing processes rather than on mental Logic gymnastics.

 

Making and mixing audio in Logic can be a very complex process involving several different classes of audio objects, instruments, busses, auxes, subgroups, plug-ins, virtual routings, inputs, outputs, outboard gear, automation modes, gain staging, sidechains, etc. It can be a hell of a lot to keep track of during a mix. And no matter how much screen real estate you have – it’s almost impossible to view everything you need at once.

 

Here are two ideas for easily accessing what you need – in a non-complex way. The first involves the Track Mixer. We all know about Global View and Arrange View and how they work. But an often overlooked feature of the Track Mixer is the ability to toggle the filter view buttons by key command. I have mine set with the Option Key, along with numbers 1 to 7,  corresponding to the seven filter buttons from top to bottom.

 

What’s great about accessing the different views this way is that, since they are Toggle key commands, it’s not necessary to hold down the Shift Key when adding or removing from the current view. The object classes are added or removed with each key press. So – seven (related) key commands (eight if you add in alternating between Global and Arrange views) can allow you to view any possible combination of Audio Objects, all in a single screen set.

 

A lot of Logic users split Audio Objects across several different Environment Layers instead of the default single long horizontal row they are created in – so that they can be easily viewed in isolation and custom groupings. This is a useful and flexible means of managing complex mixer setups. But here’s another simple idea:  You can leave all your objects in the default horizontal view, and still view subsets by storing the Environment Mixer Window’s horizontal positions at various places in different screen sets.

 

Let me elaborate. It is typical to have a Screen Set dedicated to an Environment Mixer view along with an Arrange Window – each taking up a portion of the screen. With all Audio Objects lined up horizontally, there can be a lot of scrolling involved to gt to where you need to be at any given moment. What I like to do is copy this Screen Set to three or four (or more) different locations. Then scroll the Mixer position so it is displaying a different portion in each Screen Set. Lock each Screen Set in their new positions, and make sure to turn off the Contents Catch Link Mode.

 

So you end up with a few different Screen Sets – all with the same window layout; but each one shows different parts of the Environment Mixer. One might show Audio Tracks, another Audio Instruments, another Busses, another Inputs and Outputs, etc. So – a quick touch of the numeric keypad can invoke a different portion, or subset, of a complex mixer setup. You can even store open Plug In Windows in these Screen Sets for frequently used Plug Ins that need to be tweaked regularly.

 

You can combine these two ideas and store several screen sets with the Track Mixer set to unique view modes with different combinations of Audio Objects displayed in each.