I thought I'd put this thread out there because I (like many others on these forums) swear by Logic. IMHO, other software just doesn't compare when it comes to workflow, GUI and overall usability. I thought it'd be a good idea to share some techniques or little known tricks etc.
I'll start with something small... and go from there.
When using MIDI... I love being able to colour code my tracks to separate the different sections (ie. chorus = blue, verse = black). I've always been surprised by the number of people who don't know how to do this... select all the tracks for the section you want to colour, then simply option+C.
Sonalksis FreeG is a lifesaver. Probably one of the most frustrating things about logic to me is that the region automation is tied to the fader. So, if I want to turn an entire track up or down, I have generally low res and cumbersome workarounds.
FreeG is better. I always place Free G as the last plug in the chain, so a quick glance will tell me if that track has it or not (usually 20+ instances per mix). You do have to click on the plug to open the fader, but once you do, you have high res at any fader position with the "fine" button if necessary.
Group bussing is also important in Logic. I can have 8 tracks each with their own automation, but if I buss them to a group fader, I can then adjust the group in perfect proportion regardless of the automation on the individual tracks.
Sonalksis FreeG is a lifesaver. Probably one of the most frustrating things about logic to me is that the region automation is tied to the fader. So, if I want to turn an entire track up or down, I have generally low res and cumbersome workarounds.
FreeG is better. I always place Free G as the last plug in the chain, so a quick glance will tell me if that track has it or not (usually 20+ instances per mix). You do have to click on the plug to open the fader, but once you do, you have high res at any fader position with the "fine" button if necessary.
Group bussing is also important in Logic. I can have 8 tracks each with their own automation, but if I buss them to a group fader, I can then adjust the group in perfect proportion regardless of the automation on the individual tracks.
try alt + click in automation mode. then just put the whole automation down.
If you have alot of tracks (32+) and you want to concentrate on only, perhaps, 16, maybe you've done all the mixing to the drum tracks already, you can do the following.
Activate the little "H" just left of the "Edit" dropdown button in the arrange window.
An extra button labeled "H" now appears on every track.
Activate the "H" on every track which you feel you are done with.
Deactive the little "H" next to the "Edit" dropdown button.
You can also use this for DI duplicate tracks of guitars/bass.
The "H" button will remain orange to indicate there are hidden tracks.
Use the space bar for play/stop.
Use enter to set the locator at the starting position.
Press R to record.
Press X for the mixer window.
Press A for automation.
Press B for all your audio files in the project.
Use < and > to set the locator one bar backward resp. forward.
Low Latency Mode quick access.
Right click on the transport.
Select Customize Transport bar.
Check the box saying Low Latency Mode. You may want to customize other stuff in this window to your liking.
When Logic is stalling alot, activate that button.
Quantizing, MIDI and the Hyper Editor.
Quantize MIDI regions with the Inspector, not with the MIDI editor.
Select an audio region containing drums.
Right click on it and select "Convert to new Sampler Track".
Quantize and experiment!
In the piano roll editor, there's a repeating area which is a little bit brigher than the other repeating area. It's repeating vertically. The brigher area corresponds to the keys C to E. The darker are corresponds to the keys F to B.
If you have a 4-bar drumloop which you know will repeat itself numerous times through the project, use aliases instead of copies. The aliases playback the original MIDI region.
Doubleclick an alias to make it a real copy for editing in some parts.
When programming drums with a virtual instrument, do the following.
Click on Hyper Editor.
In the Inspector, click on the small arrow pointing downwards where it says "MIDI Controls".
Click "GM Drum Kit".
Now you can program any drum sampler ultrabeat-style.
Grouping.
When recording a guitar cab and at the same the DI signal, group the two together if you're gonna record multiple takes and intend to comp it.
Multi-output instruments.
If you have a multi-output virtual instrument (like battery), press the small "+" in the mixer window to show the actual aux outputs.
(Pro?) Tools.
Learn the power of the marquee tool.
Select the scissor tool.
Alt+click on an audio region.
Use the fade tool if you've cut an audio region and hear a click/pop.
For quick auditioning in the arrange window, select all the regions you want to hear.
Press S to solo.
Press S again to unsolo.
To create a more natural automation move, create two automation points with the pencil tool. Logic should create a boring straight line.
Select the automation curve tool.
Click and hold the line between the two points.
Drag your mouse to the right (or left).
Mixer swiftness.
Color all your tracks appropriately; e.g. all drum tracks are dark red, all bass tracks are black, all guitar tracks are brown; your choice.
Go to the mixer.
Select a track.
Press Shift+C.
If you want to unmute everything, go to the mixer window.
Press Shift+M.
All the muted tracks are now selected; unmute one of them.
You can use the hand tool to rearrange your plugin inserts. e.g. you suddenly realize you need an EQ before the compressor. Insert an EQ and use the hand tool. Default is Cmd+click.
Use Alt+click to bypass plugins from the mixer window for quick A/B'ing.
Some other things.
To have a constant ducking compressor available, create an instance of EXS24.
Select the TR909 patch (or any other patch with a solid kick drum).
Create a MIDI region of one bar, and let the kickdrum play on every count.
In the Inspector, check the box saying "Loop".
Route the output of EXS24 to a bus.
Set the volume of the bus to minus infinity.
Now insert logic's compressor on any track you like, and choose as the sidechain input the bus where the EXS24 went.
Choose the VCA style compressor (this is just a preference, but for me it works, the premium style keeps the compressor too gentle).
Set the ratio to 10:1. Play with the threshold and release time.
To mix without going overboard all the time, select all of your tracks (Cmd+A) except for the physical outs and the master fader. Set the level to minus infinity. Then set the level to around -10dB. Set your metering behaviour to Sectional-dB-Linear. Happy mixing. If you want it louder, turn your speakers up.
Logic's compressor gives by default 4dB of post gain.
Make use of the key commands, i.e. make up your own shortcuts for things you use lots or need quick access to. I have the keyboard arrows moving the cursor in big and small steps, z and x zooming in and out. numbers on the right swapping what I'm looking at/screenjumping (1: go to left cursor, 2: go to right cursor, 3: arrange front page, 4 midi edit page out of key and list edit, and so on...) etc.
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Try Free-G. It's a MUCH better solution for multiple reasons. Doing it the other way, there's no frame of reference for tracks that are always moving. That way also is a worst-case scenario in terms of resolution. Free-G gives me a reference point, and fine fader control with 0.1 db increments at any level, or .01 db numeric control at any level. Other way also requires being in automation mode which is a mode I'd prefer to stay away from when possible as errant clicks can cause problems.
I like the tip mentioned above about putting a gain plug first, then automating the gain plug rather than fader. That puts everything where it SHOULD be... mixer fader still moves whole track up or down. I'll try flipping it around that way.
Of course, if Logic had region automation like cubase, and had Free-G's functionality built into it's own fader, we wouldn't need these workarounds...
Neat trick about the loop for comp too... I'll have to try that. I've been setting up a separate buss just for that each time I use it.
Does anyone have any tips or tricks to getting Logic to actually clear the buffers for third party plugs after stopping the playhead? This way we don't have to listen to the non-zero-crossing pops every time we restart the playhead shortly afterwards (unless you rewind the playhead all the way to the beginning).
Whenever I use Absynth with Space Designer, it sounds like the gun shot at the beginning of the Kentucky Derby whenever I hit play.
Does anyone have any tips or tricks to getting Logic to actually clear the buffers for third party plugs after stopping the playhead? This way we don't have to listen to the non-zero-crossing pops every time we restart the playhead shortly afterwards (unless you rewind the playhead all the way to the beginning).
Whenever I use Absynth with Space Designer, it sounds like the gun shot at the beginning of the Kentucky Derby whenever I hit play.
start your song at bar 5. Create an audio file and silence it and copy it to all audio tracks from bars 1 through 5. Logic needs an audio file to process and empty the buffer of the faulty audiounits, blank space doesn't work.
on instrument tracks just have a midi file with a single note press copied over from bars 1 through 5. Maybe have the actual note only to about bar 3. Do volume automation starting at -inf to the desired vol if you don;t want to hear the buffers cleared or the midi notes played from bars 1 to 5. This doesn't bother me because i just chop the audio file after it is rendered.
Of course the other workaround is when it's bounce time, close the song and reload it and everything will play fine.
Currently working on David Guetta feat. Ne-Yo & Akon Albert Neve Remix (EMI) · Vinnie Who (EMI) · Basim (Sony) · Ida Corr feat. Fatman Scoop (Sony) · Alphabeat (Universal) · Infernal (Warner)
Sonalksis FreeG is a lifesaver. Probably one of the most frustrating things about logic to me is that the region automation is tied to the fader. So, if I want to turn an entire track up or down, I have generally low res and cumbersome workarounds.
Why?
Simply Command+drag your mouse up or down on the yellow bar to the right of your track name in automation mode to offset any type of automation.
Simply Command+drag your mouse up or down on the yellow bar to the right of your track name in automation mode to offset any type of automation.
I already answered that above, but:
FreeG provides fader with 3x the throw of Logic's mixer, and 4x the throw of the yellow bar.
It also provides the ability to dial in down to .01db adjustments... which is 10x the resolution of logic's fader. With the yellow bar, forget about it. If it only moves by .2db, it's a good try, and trying to dial in tiny adjustments with it quickly reveals it's limitations.
FreeG also provides a visual frame of reference when dialing in tracks with lots of automation while playing... this is a bad joke with the yellow bar as it's always moving. If the automation is already dynamic like lots of movement on lead vocal, ducking certain breaths, etc... then it's almost comical trying to control that via the yellow bar which jumps up and down chaotically and isn't really even clear at all as to whether it's been moved. Trying to dial in fine adjustments to the overall level of a track via the yellow bar on a dynamically automated track while playing is quite nearly a GUI worst-case scenario.
FreeG also allows you to do all of this regardless of whether you are in automation mode. I find it's best to NOT be in automation mode unless you're actively drawing moves since the occasional off click will cause problems in other tracks. If you don't notice as it happens, you'll be in for a nasty surprise later... vs. that same errant click doing nothing of consequence if you weren't in automation mode.
I can think of several ways to address these issues. Of them, moving the yellow bar is certainly the worst... and for multiple reasons at that.
All the other benefits of FreeG... like .01db peak and rms metering, phase flip, pre/post switch... are just extra.
Not quite sure I understand what the problem is, but since I'm not experiencing any problems it must be a difference in workflow.
Maybe it works better in logic 10.0.0. haha.
It's not really a problem unless you need more precision... or don't want to always be in automation mode... or have constantly moving automaiton, and want to make adjustments while rolling.
I have all 3 issues on every song.
The most irritating moment is probably when you're almost done mixing, you've listened to the track in alternate environments, and taken some notes for the last few minor adjustments. Tiny dip in vocals in chorus, tiny bump for percussion, etc. If you then make the adjustments while the song is rolling, the issue about it moving constantly becomes very frustrating. You attempt to grab it and make a small adjustment. Well, first off, you didn't make a small adjustment because it's not really capable. Let's say you got lucky every time and it made the smallest adjustment IT can make. Ok. Did it or didn't it? The number and bar are always changing. Looking at them is no help. You're past the stage of making mix adjustments by ear in the mix environment... you're just making small concessions now for the alternate systems you've heard it on since. Is the adjustment made, or isn't it? Even if you pick out a spot in a region with a number attached to it, and try to use that for reference, etc... Going through that more than once, it won't be hard to see the benefit of FreeG.
The pre-post thing gives you a very quick way of checking some gainstaging isues too. Don't always need that, but it comes in handy now and then when things have been changed that affect level coming in.
You know, it's funny. When I first came on here, there were a few people saying FreeG was the single most USEFUL plug they had... that it was the thing they used every time no matter what. I didn't understand why at first. Now I'm just sort of matter of fact stating that it's useful, and everyone is saying "why".... haha... world keeps on turnin', circle of life, etc.
I may find another similar way soon though as I've been switching to 64 bit over the past few days, and the plug is 32, so one extra click to open it... unless it gets updated.
I'll have to try the make your own icon thing. I was just wondering about that last week. Seemed like it should be simple enough, but wasn't sure how. Thanks for that.
We run Logic 8 at my place. I have some guys coming over tonight to do some tracking. They have the project started in Logic 9. Can you foresee any logistical problems with either transferring to my system to record the tracks, and/or transferring them back into their 9 system?
Thanks
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Here's what I do. Free if you like, pay if you REALLY like:
Hey native - when you are in flex mode, how are you getting the grid increments at the top of each region? And im sure your regions look more transparent too?
We run Logic 8 at my place. I have some guys coming over tonight to do some tracking. They have the project started in Logic 9. Can you foresee any logistical problems with either transferring to my system to record the tracks, and/or transferring them back into their 9 system?
Thanks
It will load, minus any features used in newer versions.
When creating / inserting new Markers, I always put the symbols ## at the beginning of the new marker name in order to keep the numerical order at the beginning of each name. This also makes it easier (for me at least) when using key commands to navigate the playhead to markers.
I also use rainbow order colours in the marker track, it helps brighten up Logic's rather spartan appearance.
Say you have a dry snare sounding great, but you want it to sound like it's in a bigger room. Send your dry snare track to an aux with space designer on it and use one of the built-in room reverb impulse responses (or use a room impulse from your own collection) 100% wet . Now, put a Match EQ on your original snare track and capture the the eq curve as your "template". Then, move that same Match EQ plugin over to your aux strip (the one with the room reverb on it) and capture the sound under "current." Finally, hit "match."
Now you have the room sound for your snare matched (equalization wise) precisely to your original snare. Pretty neat, and fast. Hope this made sense!
__________________ "By the way, what have you done that’s so great? Do you…just criticize others work and belittle their motivations?” - Steve Jobs
Hey native - when you are in flex mode, how are you getting the grid increments at the top of each region? And im sure your regions look more transparent too?
Go to Preferences>Display>Arrange, and set Automation Transparency for Regions to it's max value. This defines the transparency of Flex'ed regions as well. By altering the background color in Arrange a bit (which you can do in the sam window), you'll get the look I have in that YouTube clip.
Tip: if you use the solo button, and want to hear the region you're clicking you wan't solo'ed from the start, hold the Option (Alt) button down.
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