I recently got really frustrated with the fact that some of my favourite plug-ins are not Universal Binaries, and won't run in Logic 7. So I started to experiment. Here is what you need for making older PPC software instruments usable in Logic 7:

1: Your sequencer (all my comments relate to Logic Pro 7, but other sequencers might work as well).
2: Rax ($49.95) http://plasq.com/rax
3: MidiPipe (free) http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/mac/16154

Before you continue, quit all applications, except for your browser.

Download and install Rax. However, rather than starting it, open the "Get Info" window for Rax, and check the box "Opening using Rosetta".
Start Rax, and bring up your favourite AU instruments in the field at the bottom. To the right, you can set their midi channels. For now, set the first instrument to channel 5 (you can change this later if you want). Make sure the two buttons to the right are green and red in colour, respectively. Also, the large button in the top bar, to the right, needs to be green.
Open Rax Preferences. Set your preferred audio output. The sample rate is determined by your settings in "Audio MIDI Setup", and should match the one you are using in Logic.
Still in Rax preferences, click on "MIDI" and leave all boxes unchecked. However, enable "Block duplicate note messages".

Download and install MidiPipe. Start MidiPipe. Double-click on "Midi In" in the left box of the main window, then double-click on " · Midi In" in the right box. In the new window, set Midi Input to "MidiPipe Input 1". Leave "hijack" disabled.
Double-click on "Midi Out" in the left box of the main window, then double-click on " · Midi Out" in the right box. In the new window, set Midi Output to "Rax 1". Leave "Pass Through" enabled.

Now, you can start Logic.

In Logic's environment, you will find MidiPipe listed as a new midi port. Create a new instrument for your first Rax AU instrument, and set it to the port "MidiPipe Input 1". Set the instrument midi channel to "5". Done!

You should now be able to play and record all Rax midi actions from within Logic. You can create additional AU instruments in Rax and Logic, but remember to give them matching midi channels.

One note of caution: When I started to experiment with this, Logic somehow couldn't see my midi instruments in the Arrange window anymore. Consequently, I had to re-programme all those settings. I don't know for sure how that happened, my guess is that I had Logic running whilst installing MidiPipe. Therefore, I suggest quitting Logic before installing MidiPipe. Now, after using this set-up for a couple of days, it is perfectly stable and works beautifully.

The last remaining (small) challenge is getting audio from Rax back into Logic. Rax itself has a pretty sophisticated audio mixer, and it might be possible to send audio straight to Logic. I guess it depends on what kind of audio interface/software you use. You can always simply send audio from Rax through an external FX box, set this to bypass its FX block, and send the signal back to Logic. I tried that, and it works quite well.

BTW, Rax is a marvellous AU player and recorder in its own right. It can record at 24 bit, and should be great for live use as well.

I hope this little article will prove useful. Distribute far and wide. Regards.

I posted the above concept also here, and John Pitcairn of opuslocus.com wrote a tremendously helpful addendum.

All I can say is that Soundflower does indeed work in the way he describes, and routing audio back to Logic is no problem at all. (You won't need to install "Soundflowerbed" for this set-up). For the midi part of things, I think that MidiPipe is probably easier to set up than the IAC driver, but it is always good to know of alternatives.

The only minor niggle is that Rax only has one stereo output, so it won't be possible to provide every AU instrument with its dedicated input in Logic. However, there is nothing stopping you from reversing the input/output settings for Rax and Logic, in order to send multichannel audio from Logic to your non-Intel FX plug-ins in Rax, should you ever want to.

Ultimately, there might even be better solutions for playing non-Intel AUs, perhaps from another PPC sequencer. But for now, I am totally happy with having my old plugs back!

you DO know that Logic 7 runs on PPC, AS do all the PPC coded plug ins dont you??


all my Non Universal binary plugs still work , and have always worked, in logic 7.


on a PPC G5

although in fairness, you DO actually mention intel CPU's in the other place you posted this.

you might also use OSX Jack

http://www.jackosx.com/

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Gear List?? What Gear List?? Mine's an Automatic

Quote Stick It:

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you DO know that Logic 7 runs on PPC, AS do all the PPC coded plug ins dont you??[/url]

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Have a look at my profile, perhaps that will save you making comments like this one.

Apart from the fact that there is no "Opening using Rosetta" option on a PPC, and that this thread has "Intel" in its title.

Tui, thanks for that info - it could turn out too be very useful at some stage.

Very interesting, as I also use rax occasionally.
I take it the process is the same with a PPC but without the rosetta parts.

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Urban Nomadic
New Music Tech Blog