Using TouchOSC on the iPad to Control Logic Pro
Everyone loves to tweak their DAW parameters with a controller. Some of the best controllers consist of automated, touch sensitive hardware and they don’t come cheap. Well if you are an iPad user or just in the market for a new control surface there might be a much cheaper alternative.
TouchOSC is not exactly brand new but it still remains news to a lot of musicians out there. This tutorial looks at how to hook it up to a Mac running Logic Pro 9 and what it can offer us once set up.
Step 1: Installation And Purchase
Installation of TouchOSC is pretty much as easy as any other iPad or iPhone app. Get yourself into the AppStore and enter it’s name into the search field. (Direct link.) Hit purchase, entire your password and you are more or less done.
No authentication, serials etc. needed, just a nice straight forward process. The AppStore may have its faults but it’s at times like this you just gotta love it!
Step 2: Finding A Host
With TouchOSC installed it’s time to start setting it up and the first step is connecting it to your host machine and software. TouchOSC actually works with a host of different apps, you should check the developer’s site for more info (hexler.net/software/touchosc) but in this case we are going to be concentrating on the iPad version with Logic Pro 9.1.4
Before you even open the app you’ll need to make sure your iPad is on the same network as the computer you intend to use it with. Doesn’t matter if it’s a desktop or laptop, as long as it resides on the same LAN you should be fine.
Now open the app, you’ll see the faders on the main page but for now just head straight for the settings area (via the small ‘i’ symbol). You’ll be presented with a few menu choices. One of these should say ‘Hosts found’, in this list you’ll see all suitable machines on your network.
Selecting your host.
Go ahead and choose the computer you want to use. Here you can see my Mac Pro was available on my network. This is the machine I chose and it was running Logic Pro at the time.
Step 3: Logic Pro Settings
With the right computer selected and a project open in Logic Pro, you should see a small dialogue window appear telling you that a new control surface has been detected. It’ll ask if you want to add, you can click add at this point and you will be magically transported the control surface preference window!
With the controller in place you are ready to go.
Step 4: The Main Mixer Page
Once out of the preference and settings pages the first thing you’ll come to is the main mixer page. It’s a pretty simple affair but extremely useable. You can select, mute and solo any track in your mix. You can see the names of track and of course adjust any of the levels.
The main mixer page in action
There is also a handy transport area that gives you access to the usual play, rewind, fast forward, record and pause controls. You can also see your song position in either minutes and seconds or via a more technical SMPTE display.
The great thing about this controller is that it moves through your mixer as you select new tracks. So if you select a new instrument or audio track in Logic TouchOSC will elect the same track and nearest seven tracks around it.
Step 5: The Other Screens
TouchOsc’s integration with Logic Pro goes much deeper than just the mixer controls and indeed further than most other controllers out there. I have used just about every controller out there including Mackie and Euphonix hardware and even they would have a hard time keeping up with this little app!
The channel strip screen
There are actually an impressive four other screens available here covering effects sends, software instruments, Logic’s EQ and my personal favourite a dedicated channel strip featuring detailed controls for individual channels.
The EQ screen gives you an amazing amount of control
The same setting in Logic’s EQ
For the £2.99 I paid for this application I think it’s literally a steal, if you have own an iPad, an iPhone a supported DAW you should just buy this, no questions.
You can also control instrument plug-ins
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By Mo Volans
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What a great app. I had an idea to put in those touch screen computer screens in my studio and just drag all my rack gear on one, guitar rig and drums and so forth on another, mixing console on one, and then on the main screen would be my song. So it’s like using the real gear but it’s all just touch screen. Wireless would be killer. Sit on the couch with my touch screens with far field monitors. Nerdy? Yes? Chick magnet? No. Awesome beyond words? Of course. This app gets us one step closer to my dreams. And in my world, my dreams are goal.
I bought this app last year and forgot it. It was only some days ago that I rediscovered it, and found out that it was totally prepared to automatically work and connect to Logic Pro. Before that, I had to deal with OSCulator, and that wasn’t easy as it is now… Good tutorial and good advise to all who has an iPad and uses Logic Pro.
Hi Mo,
First of all – love your tutorials, I’ve learned a lot from them over the last year or so.
Anyway, back on topic: I’ve had TouchOSC on both my pad and phone for a while now and though I javen’t started properly messing around with it in Logic I use it quite a lot with Reason. I make my own templates, though, which have been getting a little better each time.
So the question: Do you use the default LogicControl (I think it’s called?) template that comes with the app or were you just using it here for the purposes of being really clear in the tut and actually have templates you build yourself? If it’s the latter, could you take some screenshots (or, dare I ask, maybe even post a link to the templates themselves)? I’m sure I’m not the only one who looks at this app and imagines all the possibilities but doesn’t have a clear idea of how to neatly put it all together,
Once again – thanks for all the tuts!
Hey, Mo. I’ve loved this app on my iPhone and even my iPod Touch 1.Gen. It’s great when I record myself and can pick up the iPhone and go into the recording room and do everything I need in front of the mic. What I’d love to have, though, is that Time/SMPTE display on the iPod. I’ve tried to copy and paste it from the iPad layout. I’ve even got emails into Hexler without response. Anybody have any idea how to do this?? Thanks, Mo, for another killer article. Don
Thank you for this Mo! I thought TouchOSC was a lot harder to set up with Logic, and I’m trying this now with my iPhone. Even with this little phone and not an iPad, it’s a very handy little extra control surface. Definitely want an iPad now.
If I can get it on my iPod touch, then I’m going to take it! It sounds like an awesome program!
Hi Guys… Glad you all enjoyed this. This app has been a lot of use to me. Like I say if you’re an iPad owner it’s a must really.
I’m really loving the Spectrasonics Omisphere remote too. Any Omni users tried that yet?
Hey :) Great post- this app looks amazing!
My only problem is that I only have Logic Pro 8 and can’t afford to upgrade! Are there any good templates for using it with logic 8? Is setup a lot more difficult?
Thanks!
Amazing app, first, that I bought in the same day, when I come from store with new iPad =]]]
The onliest thing, that I dislike a little bit, it’s that I can’t control buses and master bus.
Believe it will me improved in next versions.