PlugTools

Description

Switch instrument articulations from your iOS device — MetaGrid Pro talks to PlugTools (Speakerfood's standalone successor to the PlugSearch AU plugin) to drive Babylonwaves' Art Conductor articulation maps in any DAW.

Download PlugTools from speakerfood.com to enable the integration. PlugTools and Art Conductor sets are sold separately.

Setup

PlugTools (formerly Art Conductor / PlugSearch by Speakerfood) is a Logic Pro extension that surfaces articulation maps on MetaGrid Pro. Tap a button on your iPad → PlugTools changes the articulation on the selected Logic track; play a track that uses an articulation map → PlugTools tells MetaGrid Pro which articulation is currently active.

Important: PlugTools requires a MetaGrid Pro Premium upgrade plus the PlugTools extension for Logic Pro and Babylonwaves' Art Conductor articulation set. The extension and articulation set are sold separately by Speakerfood and Babylonwaves.

Components

• PlugTools — the Logic Pro extension that bridges MetaGrid Pro to the active articulation map. Successor to the older PlugSearch extension; internal MetaServer code still says "PlugSearch" in places, but PlugTools is the current product name.
• Art Conductor articulation maps — the articulation data files assigned to Logic tracks. Sold by Babylonwaves for specific orchestral libraries (Spitfire, Berlin Series, etc.).
• MetaGrid Pro — the iPad-side surface. The Logic Articulation Remote grid object hosts the live UI.

Verify the Integration in MetaServer

Open MetaServer → Integrations → PlugTools. The page confirms PlugTools is installed and running, and the row turns Running (green) once the PlugTools extension is loaded inside Logic Pro. MetaServer doesn't install or configure PlugTools — it's installed separately from speakerfood.com — but it does verify the extension is reachable on the integration's listener port.

If MetaServer shows PlugTools as "Not running", confirm Logic Pro is open and the PlugTools extension is loaded on at least one track.

How It Works

PlugTools speaks MetaServer's binary packet protocol on Mac MetaServer's listener port. MetaServer is a transparent pipe between PlugTools and MetaGrid Pro — it never decodes the payload, just relays it bi-directionally. From the iPad's perspective, articulation state and selection commands feel like any other live integration.

Add the Logic Articulation Remote to Your Grid

Step 1: Enter Edit Mode

Tap Edit in the toolbar.

Step 2: Open Layout

Tap Layout and create a slot sized for the articulation list.

Step 3: Insert the Object

Tap the empty slot, select Add, then pick Logic Articulation Remote.

Features

• Categorical organisation — articulations are categorised and colour-coded by musical function, so you can find and select articulations without scrolling or searching.
• Adaptive display — the object can fill the entire screen or sit alongside other grid objects like transport controls.
• Responsive button sizing — button sizes adjust dynamically based on the number of articulations in a set.
• Diagnostic surface — the object displays diagnostic information based on your configuration to help troubleshoot setup issues.

For setup help with the PlugTools extension or articulation maps, visit https://speakerfood.com/apps/help-center.