Apple Logic Pro /LogicExpress Discussion

Here's the situation I had to by a new computer so I decided to go ahead and step up to logic express (I'm a hobbiest but I have had logic in the past.)

I have an IMAC running Logic Express 8. I'm using a M-audio midi sport 2x2 through a usb port. I have installed the driver and the midi sport is communicating with my keyboard. I have a Roland XP-10 as a controller.

Here is the problem some how I had gotten things operating I was even able to record some MIDI tracks into Logic. Well the next morning things weren't working. At first it seemed like some how my settings were getting "reset" every time the computer was cut off or went to sleep. But in reality what seems to be happening is that the settings are switching back in abut 5 seconds. 

If I rescan the MIDI in the MAC Audio Midi Setup (AMS). Then in Logic I  "reset all midi drivers" after that the keyboard will trigger the sounds in logic for about 5 seconds. If a note is depressed at the end of that time then it will hold that note until I rescan with the AMS. If it's not played then it just quits triggering the sounds. I can repeat the steps above and get this cycle to repeat.

Now I suspect that somewhere I'm missing a setting on the MAC but I can't for the life of me figure out where or what I'm missing. 

Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Has anyone had this problem?

Here's something that's bugging me and I know the answer must be simple... 
just can't work it out 

I am happily using Ultrabeat to build my drum sounds, but obviously I need 
several different patterns to complete the song. So I go into Ultrabeat and 
build my main pattern, drag it into Logic arrange area, and the region calls 
itself Ultrabeat. Can I save that pattern in Ultrabeat before editing it to 
give me another pattern? What seems to happen is that I change the pattern 
and then it also changes in the Arrange area. 

Thanks in advance for any help. 

By the way, thanks to the advice given previously I bought the new 24" iMac 
rather than a Mac Pro, as a compromise between the laptop I was using and a 
big piece of kit that I wouldn't feel particularly comfortable with as a 
technophobe. Too early to say how I am getting on with it, but the screen is 
fantastic. The only thing is, my eyes hurt after using it! 

Andy B

--- In Logic_Cafe@yahoogroups.com, "Andy Brook" <bbgrove@...> wrote:
>
> 
> ... the screen is 
> fantastic. The only thing is, my eyes hurt after using it! 
> 
> Andy B
>
Can't help you much on the Ultrabeat issue, Andy. 

Re: the screen brightness: try dimming it a few notches. I count 16 levels from black screen to brightest; I work comfortably at 10-12, and even down to 2-3 if I'm concerned about squeezing every drop out of a low battery (say, on a long flight). I rarely use the highest setting - generally only if I'm showing photos to friends.

Best,

Chuck B