How to use lpTouch and TouchOSC, and multiple iDevices with Logic Pro X

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Prior to version 10.2.1, Logic Pro X only supported a single OSC control surface at ay time. This meant that you could not use two or more iDevices, nor could you switch between lpTouch (or TouchOSC) and Logic Remote. Logic Pro X version 10.2.1 seems to have made this situation much better. For additional information see this.

One possible issue may still remain, one that requires more extensive testing. First some background.

Logic Pro X's control surface subsystem permits grouping multiple control surfaces to form a composite control surface. You might do this, for example, to expand the number of simultaneous mixer faders available. Control surfaces that are part of the same group share some common behaviors. Channel banking (switching to a different set of channels under control) affects all control surfaces in the group.

This is a real nice capability and it makes possible doing things like having multiple iPads running lpTouch (or Logic Remote) to form a control surface with more simultaneous mixer channels.

Preliminary testing indicates that this works much more reliably than with past versions of Logic Pro X. Apple, though, does not discuss this usage as a Logic Remote feature, even though it does mention multiple device support. Additionally, Logic Pro X 10.2.1 does not group Logic Remote instances together. So it is unclear if this is now officially supported.

Since the previous limitations were part of Logic Pro X, and not in the control surface itself, it is reasonable to expect that lpTouch would also work when multiple devices are grouped into one composite control surface. Our initial testing confirms this. However until we have more information we do not recommend this usage. Feel free to give it a try, and if you do run into issues please let us know.

So how should you set up multiple instances of lpTouch and/or TouchOSC? Here's the way it should look in Logic Pro X's Control Surface Setup display:

Two instances of lpTouch working independently


When you add an lpTouch or TouchOSC control surface it is by default grouped with other lpTouch/TouchOSC control surfaces. This is what you see in Control Surface Setup:

Two instances of lpTouch "grouped" (probably not what you want)


To make the control surfaces work independently, drag one of the control surfaces below the other so that it looks like the first picture.
This is also how you would set up lpTouch when using it on both an iPhone and iPad, with all of the iDevices in 1 vertical column.