Route MIDI internally to software instrument tracks in Logic Pro for iPad

With the Internal MIDI In feature, you can route and record the MIDI output of MIDI effect or software instrument plug-ins from one software instrument track (sending track) to any other software instrument track (receiving track) in your project. This concept is similar to using aux sends, where you route audio signals internally from one track to another in addition to sending it to the main output. And similar to aux sends, where you can tap the signal at different points in the signal flow, such as pre-fader or post-fader, internal MIDI routing in Logic Pro lets you tap the MIDI signal at different points along the MIDI signal path of a software instrument track. These points are referred to as MIDI to Track, Instrument Input, and Instrument Output.

Once you select an Internal MIDI In source on the receiving track, the Record pop-up menu appears in the Track inspector. This menu lets you choose whether to receive only that Internal MIDI In signal or also the MIDI Input signal on that track.

MIDI to Track

The MIDI to Track submenu of the Internal MIDI In pop-up menu in the Track inspector lists the tracks in your project that use Record MIDI to Track Here on their MIDI Effect slots. You can record the output of the MIDI effect plug-in of the sending track (marked as Record MIDI to Track Here) to any software instrument track by choosing this option in the Internal MIDI In pop-up menu of the receiving track.

Tip: Play your MIDI keyboard while it’s routed to a track that has MIDI effects plug-ins loaded, and record that processed MIDI signal to any other software instrument track.

Instrument Input

The Instrument Input submenu of the Internal MIDI In pop-up menu in the Track inspector lists all the software instrument tracks that have a software instrument plug-in loaded. This signal represents the output of the last MIDI effect plug-in of the sending track, which is the same point along the MIDI signal path as the input of its instrument plug-in.

Tip: Play back the MIDI regions on a sending track that has MIDI effect plug-ins loaded, and record that processed MIDI signal to a receiving track.

Instrument Output

The Instrument Output submenu of the Internal MIDI In pop-up menu in the Track inspector lists all the software instrument tracks that have a software instrument plug-in loaded capable of sending out MIDI events. You can route the MIDI output of such a plug-in to any other software instrument track in your project by selecting it in the Instrument Output menu of the receiving track.

Tip: If an instrument plug-in can send multiple MIDI signals on dedicated MIDI channels, you can choose that sending track on multiple receiving tracks, set each track to a dedicated MIDI input channel, and record that MIDI multitrack signal in one pass.

Record the MIDI output of a MIDI effect plug-in to any software instrument track

On the software instrument track you want to use as the output (sending) device, choose Record MIDI to Track Here from its MIDI plug-in pop-up menu.
The track is now listed in the MIDI to Track submenu of the Internal MIDI In pop-up menu, an element of the Track inspector on all software instrument tracks.
Select the software instrument track where you want to receive that MIDI signal.
In the Track inspector, tap the Internal MIDI In pop-up menu, then choose the sending track from the MIDI to Track submenu.
The sending track is listed by its track number and track name.
In the Track inspector, tap the Record pop-up menu and choose whether to receive only the Internal MIDI In signal or both the Internal MIDI In signal and the MIDI Input signal.
Do one of the following:
- Tap the Input Monitoring button on the receiving track, then play the sending track to monitor the incoming signal.
- Tap the Record Enable button on the receiving track, then start recording the signal from the sending track.

Record existing MIDI regions with MIDI effect plug-ins to a different software instrument track

You can record MIDI regions that exist on software instrument tracks (including all processing of the MIDI effect plug-ins applied on that track) to any other software instrument track in your project.

Position the playhead before the first region of the track that functions as the output (sending) track.
Select the software instrument track that functions as the input (receiving) track where you want to record the regions.
In the Track inspector of the receiving track, tap the Internal MIDI In pop-up menu, then choose the sending track from the Instrument Input submenu.
The sending track is listed by its track number and track name and the name of the instrument plug-in on that track.
In the Track inspector, tap the Record pop-up menu and choose whether to receive only the Internal MIDI In signal or both the Internal MIDI In signal and the MIDI Input signal.
Do one of the following:
- Tap the Input Monitoring button on the receiving track, then play the sending track to monitor the incoming signal.
- Tap the Record Enable button on the receiving track, then start recording the signal from the sending track.

Record the MIDI output of an instrument plug-in to any software instrument track

On the software instrument track that functions as the output (sending) track, add a software instrument plug-in that is capable of sending MIDI events.
Select the software instrument track where you want to record the MIDI signal from the sending track.
In the Track inspector, tap the Internal MIDI In pop-up menu, then choose the sending track from the Instrument Output submenu.
The sending track is listed by its track number and track name and the name of the instrument plug-in on that track.
In the Track inspector, tap the Record pop-up menu and choose whether to receive only the Internal MIDI In signal or both the Internal MIDI In signal and the MIDI Input signal.
Do one of the following:
- Tap the Input Monitoring button on the receiving track, then play the sending track to monitor the incoming signal.
- Tap the Record Enable button on the receiving track, then start recording the signal from the sending track.

Record the MIDI output of a multitrack instrument plug-in to multiple software instrument tracks

On the software instrument track that functions as the output (sending) track, add a multitrack instrument plug-in.
The sending track is now listed in the Instrument Output submenu of the Internal MIDI In pop-up menu, an element of the Track inspector on all software instrument tracks. It is listed by its track number and track name, followed by the instrument plug-in name.
Create multiple software instrument tracks that function as the receiving tracks to record the individual MIDI outputs of the multitrack instrument plug-in.
From the Internal MIDI In pop-up menu in each receiving track’s Track inspector, choose the sending track.
From the MIDI In Channel pop-up menu in each receiving track’s Track inspector, choose the MIDI channel you want to route to that track.
In the Track inspector, tap the Record pop-up menu and choose whether to receive only the Internal MIDI In signal or both the Internal MIDI In signal and the MIDI Input signal.
Do one of the following:
- Tap the Input Monitoring button on each receiving track, then play the sending track to monitor the incoming signals.
- Tap the Record Enable button on each receiving track, then start recording the signals from the sending track.

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