The Logic Off Topic list

Hi!

Recently there were quite some mails from people that didn't seem to know
how to get started with Logic, especially from some people that apparently
used other sequencers before.

I thought I could post some of the experiences I made by myself when I
started using Logic (which actually wasn't THAT long ago).

I got my Logic/AW8 bundle more or less by accident (old Cubase user here),
don't want to bother you with any details... anyways, when I first installed
Logic I was like "Uhh, this is/looks complicated". I did close it and never
opened it again for almost half a year or so. How dumb!
The reason I found it complicated was that a lot of things were organized
more or less different then in VST and I tried to do it "the VST way, just
using Logic". Of course this is impossible.
Later on I decided to take a more intense look at it, took the manual with
me like everywhere (it even felt halfway into the bathtub once, guess how
nice it looks these days, fortunately I got a new 4.0 manual...) and tried
to get some things managed again, this time doing it the "plain Logic way".
That was the point where things started.

Ok, some points (just halfway chronologically organized the way I found it
to be easiest for myself):

- When you start using Logic, do yourself a favour and just use a pretty
basic MIDI setup. A GM/GS/XG compatible module or soundcard certainly would
do the best job for this, that way you could simply use the multi instrument
of the default song. If you don't have such a module, create some plain
instruments that you set to your MIDI out port directly. Don't use any
special objects for now. Without any GM/GS/XG module I would further
recommend to stick to a limited number of instruments, for my own tests a
drumset, a bass and a piano just fitted fine (remember, this is not exactly
about making music but more about learning things).
Further: The tutorial song that comes with Logic explains quite some things
combined with the introduction section of the manual. It's dealing with GM
sounds though.

- Before I forget: Setup a MIDI click.

- I would recommend NOT doing any audio in the beginning, especially if
you're not used to recording and organizing audio on computers. I for myself
made the mistake that I started using audio only, not even using any click
to record it. That makes it harder to understand Logic's general part
handling.

- Get used to the things the arrangement offers while at the same time
limiting yourself to one or two available functions. I would recommend
recording some basic MIDI sequences and then try to fool around with them
doing several of the "classical" arranging operations. These especially are
copying, cutting, dragging and maybe merging parts, which leads to the next
point...

- While you're at it, get used to Logic's incredible zoom and part handling
features. This for example might involve cutting parts on others then full
bar values (very nice for pickups) but coying them barwise without switching
any setting. Also fool around with the grid value and see what it does in
different zoom setting and/or with the ALT key as a modifier. For me
personally this opened up a whole new world of working with only parts.

- Again before I forget: Get used on how to set a cycle range. Small but
very important point.

- Again before I forget, Vol.2: Get used to the various tools. Use the ESC
key to change between them easily. On Logic/PC get used having two different
tools on both mouse keys. My favourite combination for "normal work" is the
plain pointer on the left, a scissor on the right key.

- Again before I forget, Vol.3: If you are on a PC, don't open the transport
window as long as it overlaps your arrangement. Better choose "Transport"
from the "view" menu and drag the left upper arrangement corner a bit in
order to see it completely. Why? Well, it's not a Sony, it's a bug (please
please please, Emagic... This needs to be fixed) on PCs. As soon as anything
overlaps the arrangement you will loose your scissor line.

- Get used to the most basic key commands. These, IMO are all transport
functions like play, stop, pause, record, click on/off, cycle on/off and
some further ones such as "set locators rounded by objects" (default key: B)
which makes working on different parts of the song way more easy. Don't
modify them yet, you might wanna do that later on, but personally I found a
lot of them to be organized well enough by default.

- Get used to muting and soloing sequences. Use the appropriate key commands
for that.

- Get used to both the track and the sequence parameter boxes.
The track parameter box should be pretty easy to understand, don't use too
much of the "special" parameters such as the limiting (velocity and range)
options, not needed for any basic operation I'd say.
The sequence parameter box however does offer a whole bunch of things how
you can tweak MIDI events without ever opening any editor. Fool around with
them a lot! There are amazing options by for example using the loop
parameter and changing the length of the looped sequence.
Then open the extended sequence parameter box (default key: P) and see what
it could do for your quantizations.

- Have a look into Logic's various recording options for MIDI sequences,
such as "auto create tracks on cycle record" and such. Try to find out which
option/s fit you way of working.

- Get used to the Matrix editor. Even if there was a post of Lj Garret who
said he never used it in all his years (man, you must be a "one-taker", I
wish I could say that about myself as well, now where's the matrix editor
for my guitars?), the Matrix editor usually is the one that many people use
the most for tweaking individual notes.
I'd recommend to open it on the same screenset as the arrangement and check
out the context catch function. Tile the windows that they don't overlap and
fool around with things using the arrangement to select parts which then
will immediately be displayed in your Matrix window.
Check out the different things that you can do in the Matrix editor and
realize how note handling relates to part handling in the arrangement (it's
almost 100% identical).

- Now I'd say it's time to get in touch with screensets. For a good start
just copy the Arrange/Matrix screenset to #2 or so. Setup an "overview"
arrangement on #1 while at the same time having a more detailed arrangement
on #2 with the Matrix still following. Or setup another screenset with just
a Matrix editor. Just try out various settings.

- Especially if you're into drum programming it's now time to have a look at
Hyperedit. Again a GM compatible drumset would do the best job for a start.
Switch Hyperedit to GM drum mode. Check out building velocity ramps for
individual instruments. Also check out how to copy things and such.

- Now do yourself a screenset using combinations of the above mentioned
windows. My personal favourite one (especially for MIDI drum editing): A
small arrangement to select parts, a medium sized context linked Hyperedit
and a relatively large sized context linked Matrix.

- Finally, after you found out which organisation/sizing/whatever fits your
everyday working needs the best, save those settings with your autoload
song.

With all the above mentioned things you should by now be able to
record/build up relatively complexed MIDI arrangements using one basic sound
module. Roughly estimated time for all that: One (long?) afternoon or so,
depends on how much you get into the details of each point.

Ok, I will continue a bit (hope this doesn't annoy anybody too much...).

- If you are using more then just one sound module have a more or less
"brief" look into the environment. Most likely you will end up building
yourself one layer for each module that is in use. Especially if you are
using multi instruments you might want to alter some patch names and/or use
a MIDI mixer. For speed reasons, don't forget to setup a dedicated
environment screenset.

- Get used a bit to coloring both objects AND sequences. As every recorded
sequence will automatically get colored like the object's color you might
want to setup colors that please your eyes while at the same time delivering
enough contrast to others. Personally I found the default yellow for the
drums on Ch.10 of a multi instrument to be way too bright so I changed it to
some more pleasant orange-ish looking color. This could make out a lot (at
least for me it does).
Using colors as an organisational tool could pretty much result in higher
working speeds.

- Don't forget to save all those changes in your autoload!

- Time for some MIDI mixing now. If you'd like to start the easy way I'd
recommend having a look at the adaptive track mixer. Again this one works
best with a GM/GS/XG module. Setup a mix in there. Nothing special though,
so you might wanna have a brief look into automation. Just press record
while being in the track mixer (again a dedicated screenset, maybe tiled
with a small arrangement would do good) and record some changes.
This leads to the next point.

- Most likely not all of your automation is just cool the way you did it at
first. Take a look into the different settings (merge, replace and update).

- A better way to tweak your recorded automation might be using hyperdraw.
Hyperdraw actually is one of Logic's features that really makes it
outstanding, at least if you are into automated things at all.
I recommend looking at it more intensively, it's really worth every minute.
This means having a look about how to switch it on/off and switch between
the different parameters (default key: F3) and then about how to tweak the
parameter curves. It's not allways that easy as the different handles
sometimes react a bit strange...
Also try to setup a specialized automating track, using the same object but
a dedicated sequence for automation only. You can then copy, drag, cut, mute
this sequence without affecting any note data.
Further try to automate parameters just using hyperdraw. Personally I almost
never record mixer changes but just use hyperdraw.
As said, if you are into any kind of automation, do yourself a favour and
explore this awsome feature a lot, bear in mind that everything you do with
this more or less also applies to automating audio tracks or virtual
instruments.
Tip: For automating MIDI volume fades I highly recommend using controller
#11 (expression) instead of the "plain" #7, as long as your module/s support
that. The advance of this: You will just do relative volume changes while
still being able to adjust the tracks overall volume.

- If you are into MIDI a lot you might now want to explore some of Logic's
special features. The very first thing that comes to my mind is using
transformers. This is something highly useful for many many tasks.
I'd recommend to checkout the "standalone" transformer first to explore the
full featureset of this mighty tool. I recommend trying to transpose
individual notes of a drum track or so, just to see how this thing works.
Actually after a while it becomes pretty much intuitive but you defenitely
gotta fool around with it. A note to former Cubase users: A transformer is
pretty much the same as Cubase's logical edit.
I would then try to check out the "realtime" transformers. Just setup a
simple instrument and cable it to some transformer which then is cabled to
an outport. See what it could do. I recommend fooling around with
velocities. Or simply have a look at the default transformers that come with
Emagic's default song (one octavizer and one velocity add thing on the click
and ports layer). While you're at it, have a look how they are cabled like
(they actually are BEFORE the sequencer input). This might also take you a
bit closer in understanding how the environment works.

After doing all this you should eventually be able to even do a more
complexed song with some automation happening, maybe using even more then
just one multi instrument and maybe even doing some more or less complexed
operations (depends on your needs) using various transformers. Roughly
estimated time for all that: Another afternoon, but hm, you might want to
spend quite a bit more time on using automation (also depends on your
synths/modules), especially utilizing hyperdraw, you might also want to
explore some environment things a bit more in depth.

Further MIDI things to do (I won't go into any details at all as this might
be up to personal needs):
- Using the environment's MIDI mixer instead of the track mixer (it might
integrate better with an audio mixer for example).
- Setting up certain things in your environment, such as specialized faders,
MIDI effect units (delay lines and arpeggiators).
- Setting up various instruments, if you would like to be using multiple
modules for one drumset a mapped instrument might be of much interest, also
a layered instrument could be nice every now and then, just look around what
is possible.
Note: If you're just using basic MIDI functions and don't even plan go into
the details any more, setup an appropriate amount of instruments for your
synths, save it with your autoload and forget about the environment for all
the times as it might just be too timeconsuming to explore all the
fascinating but maybe not necessary functions. I used to keep it that simple
until some months ago and never missed a thing. It's just happening right
now that I'm going a bit more into the environment (still not because I
really need it, just because it's such a fascinating thing).
- Have a look into the event list editor. This sometimes can be a pretty
easy to use tool for certain operations such as filtering out specialized
data types without having to use a transformer. Also nice for doing changes
to certain event types. Check out what the different modifiers do and how to
filter/select certain data types.

Ok, let's now have a look into the audio portion of Logic.

- Make sure your system is setted up properly. I know that this is kinda
obvious, but I've seen it very often that people haven't even opened the
Device Setup thing. They do complain about lack in performance though...

- PC only: If necessary, tweak your Windows a bit. Make sure you have at
least 128MB of RAM. Also make sure that active desktop is disabled. Perhaps
setup a fixed swapfile. Stuff like that. There are some websites which could
get you started (Dave Bellingham's for instance:
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~oscwilde/).

- To get started with using audio I'd recommend importing a perfectly cutted
loop (for now, later on you might wanna do the necessary cuttings in Logic
as well). Use the "adjust tempo using object lengths and locators" feature
(default key: T) to make Logic follow the loop's tempo.
Tip: use the pencil tool on an audio track to directly import that loop into
your arrangement.

- Fool around with the plain loop playing. Try out any part operations that
you allready know for MIDI parts. Watch out about what is possible and what
isn't. For me personally it was quite some "Ahh!" experience when I found
out that you can treat looped audio parts just like MIDI sequences
(especially shortening the loop while it's still looped, might result in
wicked rhythmical superimpositions).
Further actions: Cut the loop to even segments (on PC: Ctrl + scissor +
appropriate grid value). Shorten all of them (nice chopping effect). Apply
fades to all of them (for some kinda in time tremolo). Just get used to the
various things. A thing that might get more and more important at this
point: Logic's ability to zoom in audio sequences pretty much directly in
the arrangement.

- Now open the audio mixer. Personally I almost never use the track mixer
but prefer using Logic's dedicated audio mixer. It's easier to setup to my
personal needs. Don't forget to setup a dedicated screen set for that.
Open some plugins to see what they do (oh yeah. obvious tip...).
Check out the different routing options. You might want to use groups later
on. Check the bus routing option for that.

- With some insert FX activated, open the audio configuration window and
change their order. This is a very nice feature in Logic, I use it very
often to copy settings from one track to another or to change the order of
FX.

- Now record some tracks (uhh, obvious again...). At this point I STRONGLY
recommend doing the following: Save your song in a special directory before
you do any audio recordings. As soon as you've done that Logic will
automatically point you to that directory as soon as you record enable any
audio track. This a) reduces the directory scrolling time and b) ensures you
that ALL data for that particular song is in just one directory. Very
important for backing up stuff!
Tip: If that loop you imported came from a different then your song's
directory, you might want to choose th\ufffd "convert regions into individual
audio files" command. Of course this doubles the loop on your harddisk, but
at the same time it makes sure that you can do destructive modifications to
it while not affecting the original loop that you might have used in another
song. Again it also makes sense for proper backups. Also remove the original
loop from Logic's audio window. You don't need it any longer.
Tip2: Before you start recording, give that track an appropriate name
instead of just "Audio 1-X". Then enter the "set record path" menu and check
"use audio object name for filname". This makes organizing things way
easier.
Ok, now you're finally ready to record something ;-))

- Check out how Logic handles audio cycle recordings. Actually it's easy to
understand but needs to be explored though, not for complexity reasons but
for things that are possible.
Tip: I usually keep one empty audio track playing through the same audio
object. Then I check all my cycled recordings one by one, cut out the best
parts, copy them to that empty track, apply some crossfades if necessary,
then merge the parts. After that I delete the source files (as long as the
recordings were just done and you haven't reopened the song, this will even
delete the source files from your harddisk). Make sure that you haven't done
any volume modifications in your audio mixer for that particular track. If
you have, set them to 90/0dB for the merging operation as Logic will
calculate the volume settings which are made. You could even use a dedicated
track for merging only which you allways keep at 0dB. On stereo files make
sure that no panning is set.

- When you're done with your recordings, get informed about the various
options the audio window offers, especially for things such as file
optimization. If you have tons of HD space you might eventually not want to
optimize all files, so just keep an eye on the ones that might contain
usable information that is not used in the arrangement (yet).
Tip: I allways have my settings for optimization (Logic will ask you before
you apply it) at "0ms". this makes sure that the files are exactly as long
as you see them in your arrangement. Makes it easier to reuse them in other
songs or in other programs. You might also use the "trim" function in the
sample editor for that, but the audio window does it for all files in one
step.

- Now go for the mixing. You will perhaps (hopefully) know what you're
doing.

- As for MIDI you might wanna do some automation for audio as well.
I allready sended some (uh, longish as well) mail to the LUG, covering some
(IMO) important aspects of automation. I will just paste it in here (just
scroll to the quote's end if you're not interested, I just didn't want to
write all this again):

--------- Quote Start -----------

Before doing any automation we should perhaps have a look how audio
automation is achieved in Logic:
Automation is both recorded and played back on MIDI tracks. This has pros
and cons, one con being the fact that there's no latency correction yet, one
pro being the fact that automated data can a) easily be altered by various
editors, b) could even be drawn onto a track using hyperdraw.

The way this MIDI data to audio automation thing happens:
Any audio object sends out MIDI data when you move faders, buttons, knobs
etc. This data is sended on a given MIDI channel (by default audio objects
1-16 are cabled to MIDI Ch. 1-16), you can see and alter the channel in the
object parameter box.
As soon as it's recorded the data has to be sended to the audio object using
the appropriate MIDI channel again. This is done by using a channel splitter
object (which the socalled A-Playback actually is). You have to choose that
object in your arrangement in order to record automation that is done in
your mixer.
This channel splitter however has to be cabled to the audio objects that you
want to be automated. By default outs 1-16 of A-Playback are cabled to audio
objects 1-16.
So far so good, everything should work well if you would ONLY use the first
16 audio objects for any automation (assuming your A-Playback channel
splitter is cabled correctly).

Now let's assume you want to record any automation using more then these
first 16 audio objects.
Just select one of your busses for instance and have a look what the object
parameter box says: Most likely for bus1 you will see that it uses MIDI
channel 1 again. Aha! Now think about what would happen if you'd try to
record automation data via modifying parameters of that object in record
mode, again using the A-Playback object... of course they will be recorded
on MIDI channel 1. Nothing bad with that... but!!!... on playback all
recorded data will be sended out to Ch. 1 again on that splitter object and
now this will do some (more or less unexpected) changes to audio object 1!

Finally, there are basically two ways to avoid such problems:

1) If you think 16 automated audio objects (be it plain channel faders,
busses or master objects) are enough in any case, you could rewire the
A-Playback channel splitter object to the appropriate channel.
For example: The channel splitter outs 1-10 could be cabled to audio objects
1-10, 11-14 could be cabled to busses 1-4, 15-16 could be cabled to two
master objects.
Important note: You'd need to switch the MIDI channels of the objects in
order to accomplish this (e.g, in the above given example bus #1 should be
setted to MIDI Ch.11 and so forth).

2) If you need more then 16 automated objects or simply don't want to mess
with recabling, just create a new channel splitter and cable it to the
desired objects.
For example: Create a channel splitter, name it "Bus-Automation" or so and
cable it's outs to the bus objects. Again you need to watch out that the
MIDI channels match.
For recording you could now select the created "Bus-Automation" in your
arrangement (note: you'd need to check the icon box of the ch. splitter in
order to have it displayed in your arrangement's object list) and record any
bus movements on that object.
The disadvatage of this method is that you can't record both plain fader AND
bus automation in one go, so personally I prefer method No.1.

Allright, finally there's one other thing you need to look out for:
Logic is a bit limited on the maximum number of plugin parameters that can
be automated. It actually just does offer an option to automate the first 16
parameters of any plugin if you use more then one in insert slots that are
right beneath each other.
For example:
Let's assume you have a FatEQ on insert #1 of some audio object. Now let's
further assume there's another plugin on insert #1, say, a flanger.
The FatEQ offers 25 parameters (switch to "Controls" to see them all, count
through them from the top to see which parameter equals which CC number...
These are "routed" to controller numbers 64-88.
If you however insert the mentioned flanger in slot #2, all parameters
higher then 79 are "stolen".
Now let's go a bit further and say you'd record an automation of the FatEQs
parameter #17 (which equals freqency for the high mid band).
Due to Logic's limitation of the maximum number of controllable plugin
parameters this will now be "rerouted" to parameter #1 of the flanger (mix)
on playback, surely not what you wanted.
To avoid this you need to count through the parameters before doing any
automation first. If you find out that the number of the parameter you want
to automate exceeds 16, don't insert any further plugin in the slot which
directly follows, simply drag it one slot further (via the audio
configuration window).

------- Quote End ---------

- The same that applies for MIDI automation is true for audio as well: You
might wanna check out hyperdraw for adjusting things.
You further might try automating things just by using hyperdraw sequences
playing through the same audio object. That's what I personally prefer.

Allright, by now one should be able to do a more or less complete
arrengement and mix, using both MIDI and audio automation. Roughly estimated
time for the last mentioned points: Ages... It's just opening up
possibillities over possibilities.

Further audio things to do:
- Get used to use the sample editor. There are nice things that can be done
apart from cutting, normalizing and other ususal stuff.
My personal favourite is the factory's "audio to MIDI groove template"
thing.
Just select an empty MIDI track in your arrangement, open an audio groove in
the sample editor, open the "audio to MIDI..." thing and choose "use" (later
on you might wanna adjust some settings). The audio track's name will now
show up in your quantize pulldown, plus the template shows up as a muted
MIDI sequence on the selected track for further modification.
Use a drumloop for a template, then apply that template to a MIDI bass,
great feature.
- Get used to the "strip silence" function in the audio window. Not only
great to remove empty passages from all kinda track, also a killer for
achieving a ReCycle type of effect on drumloops and such.

Well, that's all that comes to my mind right now, time to make some music I
guess.
As said at the beginning, this is just a loose order of how I kinda learned
things and how I handle some stuff, hope it's of some use for anybody.
After all I just can say that I don't find Logic too hard to use at all,
also not for beginners.

Ciao,
Sascha