Logic Pro X - A very important folder

If you use Logic, you simply must get to know the contents and quirks of the most important folder on your Logic-enabled Mac. It's the key to installing 3rd party content, and organising the channel strips and patches you will make across your journey with Apple's top-drawer DAW 

It's found in this location:  

There's also a nifty shortcut. If you bring your Mac's Finder to the front and hit [Shift} +  [Command} + G  ( the keyboard shortcut for 'go to folder' ), you can enter this into the box that appears and go there directly:

You will instantly be taken there:

Lets Take a look at It's contents 

• This is where the .exs files are stored that include the sample mapping and synth parameters for the legacy EXS24 sampler and the 10.5 onwards  'Sampler' plugin ( including all Apple Silicon Macs ).
• The new sampler is capable of reading all original EXS24 patches in this folder, and stores it's own data in here too. 
• With all of the F9 Logic releases that contain sampler instruments, there are files to install in this location as shown in the PDF manuals we supply with every release. 
• Whats important to note here is that any internal folder structure is reflected in the EXS24's patch loader and the new sampler's setting list 
• So for example if we created a folder structure inside "Sampler Instruments" like this:

 

It will be fully reflected in the sampler plugins along side the installed logic (and Grargeband) content: 

 

 

You can even nest folders inside and see that perfectly reflected:

There are two gotchas here - You will not see empty folders listed and you will not see the changes you make to the folder structure until you rescan the instruments folder or restart Logic!

This hierarchy reflection will be a recurring theme inside the 'Audio Music Apps' folder and means you can actually structure parts of your sound library in any way you wish simply by restructuring in Finder. 

❖ ❖ TIP - Before you edit anything in your library make a backup up the entire Audio Music Apps folder ( by Right clicking on it ( or [Control] + Click ) on it an select' Compress Audio Music Apps'. You will create a zip file you can then drag to your desktop as backup. If you have a lot of samples in this folder, you may wish to just zip up individual internal folders you want to edit. 

Databases 

This Folder contains the Apple loop Database Logic uses to search for tags . If it ever get corrupted, you can trash this file and Logic will rebuild it for you. 

Plug In Settings 

This will be the home for all presets you create for Logic's internal Plugins.

So if you save from the top of the plugin window:

 

It will appear in the folder structure instantly:

This does of course mean you can share settings with other Logic users by dipping into this folder and simply email the small .Pst files 

Once again, you can create Hierarchy and have it reflected in the Plugin:

 

For many years it also stored settings for all 3rd party plugs created in Logic (and your system may still do so). Recent versions of Logic have moved this saving location to:

MAC HD > Users > [Your User Account ] > Library > Audio > Presets > [ Plug in Manufacture Name ] > [ Plug in Name ]  

This is to allow other programmes that utilise the AU Preset standard ( such as modern Ableton installations ) to use the same settings. 

Patches 

Patches come in a few flavours and will have a folder nest inside 

• Audio - Plugin chains ( including FX sends and Track stacks )
• Aux - Plugin chains on Auxiliary channels 
• Instrument - ( including instrument Track stacks )
• Output - plugin chains for output channels 

If any patch file ( .patch ) is not inside one of these 4 sub folders it will not be seen, so if things you are installing don't show up, do check here.

Patches really replace the older " Channel strip settings " and add additional functionality including the settings of the Smart controls. 

Since the Grid Trilogy We have used Logic's Patches for our instrument based releases as they provide the very best way to delivery the sounds. 

Once again, Folder Hierarchy is preserved - Here's the patches in Logic's library for the Grid trilogy: 

 

To SAVE your own patch . Click on an instrument Audio track, top level of a stack, Aux our Output, Make sure you have Logic's library open and at the lower right of the library browser, you will see the "save..' Button:

Channel Strip Settings

A similar system is in place for the ( older ) Logic 9 era Channel Strip settings which can be accessed from the actual mixer faders (for example here on an audio track) :

 

Sometimes it is quicker to access these files so it's often worth saving both a Patch and a Channel Strip Setting when you hit on something you really would like to use again. They will be stored in Sub folder once again:

 

Samples 

This folder is officially for any samples used by the EXS24 / Sampler or Drum machines. We have though, found it simpler to add the samples used for the EXS to the same area as the .EXS patches ( Sampler instruments ) so they never get too far apart. This also makes life easier if transferring data to a new computer. 

One very important note on Samples in Logic:

Here you can store your own sets of Key Commands - Vital if you ever move computers or wish to use another person or studio's system - you can slot your file in here and very quickly fire up your preferred personnel key commands. 

Project Templates 

When you create a template from Logic's main File menu, this is where the project file is held. Great to know if again, you need to copy your fav. templates to another machine. 

Custom Icons 

Here you can add Custom icons for use in the Logic track displays. This is an entire subject in itself , and we recommend you read this thread from Gearslutz on the subject as its will show you the very best ways to utilise this feature - and how to use Icons of your favourite plugins. 

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/apple-logic-pro/1139950-logic-icons-icns-file-format.html