- Start making music with Logic Pro X. Author and Logic Pro insider Dot Bustelo walks through every facet of basic drum programming and beat making in Logic Pro, including choosing the right drum kit for the beat, recording, arranging, and quantizing.
- Thanks for asking, but this is not an easy question to answer. How much do you already know about producing music on a computer?. Do you have experience in any other DAW?. Have you tried looking.
How to split a video in half on iphone. You can use Smart Tempo when recording one or more audio, software instrument, or MIDI tracks. Smart Tempo includes three modes, Keep, Adapt, and Automatic:
- Use Keep mode to use the project's tempo setting for syncing all tempo-related material.
- Use Adapt mode to have Logic analyze and follow the tempo of a recorded performance or audio file.
- Use Automatic mode to let Logic Pro choose the mode, based on whether or not a tempo reference (such as the metronome, or another region) is in your project. When a tempo reference is present, the project tempo is maintained. When no musical tempo reference is present, the project tempo adapts to match the tempo of recorded or imported audio files.
Logic Pro Fundamentals: Get Logic Pro up and running, learn the basics, and discover valuable tips for productivity. Recording: Understand the fundamentals of digital audio and MIDI, learn recording techniques, and use Apple Loops to build your music. Logic Pro X's redesigned interface offers unprecedented ways for musicians to compose, play, and record new music. In this course, Logic Pro insider Dot Bustelo shows you how to harness its powerful features and Smart Controls to make music in brand-new ways.
To choose a Smart Tempo mode, click the Smart Tempo pop-up menu in the LCD.
Match the project tempo while recording
To match the project tempo to your performance while recording, use Adapt mode. Use Adapt mode temporarily, when recording the first tracks in your new project. If you record subsequent tracks with Adapt mode on, the tempo map will change based on the latest recording.
- Create a new project and add audio tracks.
- Choose Adapt from the LCD Tempo display. The Tempo track opens so that you can see how the project tempo changes when recording, adding, or moving audio regions.
- Before you start recording, you can set some automatic actions Logic Pro will perform just after you've recorded the tracks. For example, Logic Pro can automatically trim the beginning of the tracks up to the first downbeat. Choose File > Project Settings > Smart Tempo, then select 'Trim start of new regions' next to the 'Set new recordings to' pop-up menu.
- Start recording. While you're recording, the project tempo adapts to the recording. Red lines in the region show detected tempo changes, and a tempo map appears in the Tempo track.
- When you're finished recording, press the Space bar to stop the transport.
- In the dialog that appears, you can choose to open the File Tempo Editor. With Smart Tempo Editor, you can preview the recording and make adjustments to the downbeat, tempo, and other tempo parameters.
When you move or edit regions, changes in tempo follow regions to their new location. If you add a Drummer track, other rhythmic instruments, or Apple Loops to the track, they'll automatically follow the tempo of the original tracks. If you did a multitrack recording and you add tracks later, you can add the tracks to the set of tracks Smart Tempo uses to create the tempo map, and reanalyze the tempo.
If you import an audio file, the project tempo will change to adapt to imported audio files.
Create DJ mixes with Smart Tempo
You can use Smart Tempo features to easily create seamless DJ-style mixes, where all the songs in the mix conform to the same tempo. You can create a mix in which all songs in the mix play back to a pre-determined tempo, or play back at the tempo of the song you imported first.
Create a mix that plays back at a predetermined tempo:
- Create a new empty project.
- Set the Snap pop-up menu to Smart.
- Double-click the tempo in the LCD, then enter the tempo you want for the mix.
- Choose File > Project Settings > Smart Tempo, then do the following:
- Choose Keep Project Tempo from the 'Default for Project Tempo mode' pop-up menu.
- Choose 'On + Align Bars and Beats' from the 'Set imported audio files to' pop-up menu. This automatically turns Flex on for imported files, and uses Smart Tempo analysis to quantize the downbeats and beats to the grid at the current project tempo.
- Import the first audio file. Logic Pro analyzes the file, conforming the file to the project tempo you set.
- To make any adjustments in the Smart Tempo Editor, click Show.
- In the Tracks area, trim and move the song's beginning and end as desired.
- Import the next audio file. The newly-imported file plays back at the project tempo.
Create a mix at the tempo of the first song you imported:
- Create a new empty project.
- Set the Snap pop-up menu to Smart.
- Choose File > Project Settings > Smart Tempo, then do the following:
- Choose Adapt Project Tempo from the 'Default for Project Tempo mode' pop-up menu.
- Choose On from the 'Set imported audio files to' pop-up menu. This automatically turns Flex on for imported files.
- Import the first audio file. Logic Pro analyzes the file, and creates a tempo map.
- To make any adjustments in the Smart Tempo Editor, click Show in the dialog. For example, you might need to set a new downbeat at the beginning of the file.
- In the Tracks area, trim and move the song's beginning and end as desired.
- Set the Smart Tempo to Keep, then import the next song to the same track. The imported file plays back at the last tempo event of the first audio file.
Use Smart Tempo with multitrack recording
For multitrack audio recordings, Smart Tempo analyzes the multitrack audio files together to create the tempo map. To do this, Logic Pro creates a multitrack set, which you can edit at any time. In the background, Logic Pro creates a downmix, which Smart Tempo uses to analyze the multitrack audio files. Use the downmix when refining the tempo analysis in the Smart Tempo Editor.
You can work with Smart Tempo and multitrack recordings three ways:
- You can create a multitrack recording and have Smart Tempo match the tempo while recording.
- You can import multiple audio files into a project and have Smart Tempo analyze them at the same time on import.
- You can select audio regions in the Tracks area of a project and have Smart Tempo analyze them together.
When creating a multitrack recording, or if you're importing multiple files into the Tracks area, set these options first.
- Choose File > Project Settings > Smart Tempo.
- Choose Adapt Project Tempo from the 'Default for Project Tempo mode' pop-up menu.
- When importing audio files, choose On from the 'Set imported audio files to' pop-up menu. This automatically turns on Flex for imported files.
Select and analyze multiple audio regions in the Tracks area
If you didn't use Smart Tempo when creating a multitrack recording, you can analyze audio regions after you've recorded them.
- Select the audio regions that you want to analyze in the Tracks area.
- Control-click one of the selected regions, then choose Tempo > Create Smart Tempo Multitrack Set.
- In Contributes to Analysis column of the Smart Tempo Multitrack window, deselect the regions you to exclude from the Smart Tempo analysis.
- Click Analyze. You can fine-tune the tempo analysis of individual regions in the in the Smart Tempo Editor. You can also add and remove regions from the multitrack set and reanalyze them at any time.
Edit the multitrack set
After you initially analyze multiple regions, you can edit the multitrack set to add or remove regions from Smart Tempo analysis, then update the tempo analysis. In the Tracks area, control-click one of the regions used in the multitrack set, choose Tempo > Edit Smart Tempo Multitrack Set.
To reanalyze the set, select or deselect regions to include in the tempo analysis, then click Update. Casino play store.
To create a new multitrack set, click Break Up Set. Then, select the new regions you want to include in the Tracks area, Control-click one of the selected regions, then choose Tempo > Create Smart Tempo Multitrack Set.
Use Smart Tempo with software instrument and MIDI tracks
In a new project, create a software instrument or external MIDI track, set the Smart Tempo mode to Adapt, then record your performance. Logic Pro creates a tempo map, like it does for audio tracks. You can also use the Smart Tempo Editor with software instrument and MIDI tracks. Unlike with audio files, Logic Pro saves Smart Tempo edits directly to the MIDI regions.
Refine Smart Tempo analysis and correct tempo detection errors
After you record an audio region or import an audio file using Smart Tempo, you can refine the tempo analysis, and correct any tempo detection errors with the Smart Tempo Editor.
For example, you can set the downbeats of an audio file if Logic Pro didn't detect them properly when you recorded or imported the audio file. In the main display that shows the audio file waveform, place the pointer over a beat marker (indicated by red lines) you want to make the downbeat (orange lines). A set of circular handles appears along the length of the beat marker. Each handle shows a tag describing the function of that handle. Place the pointer over the beat marker and click the Set Downbeat handle. You can also move and scale beat markers using the handles in the main window.
The Smart Tempo Editor also includes other functions:
- To edit tempo data in the audio file, click the Edit pop-up menu. You can reanalyze the audio file, apply the tempo of a region to the project or apply the project tempo to a region, extend tempo changes, remove tempo edits made to the file, and more.
- To double or halve the tempo of the file, click x2 or /2 in the Tempo display. For example, you might've recorded an audio track in Adapt mode, and Logic Pro detected the tempo at double or half the tempo you want.
- To preview the file, click .
- To add a metronome to the preview, click .
- To loop playback of the file, click .
With MIDI files, The Smart Tempo analysis for a MIDI region does not include time signature or downbeat location analysis. Logic Pro automatically makes the first MIDI note event the downbeat.
Edit a multitrack set downmix
When editing a multitrack set in the Smart Tempo Editor, make sure to edit the downmix instead of one of the individual regions included in the multitrack set. In the Smart Tempo Editor, click the Filename pop-up menu and choose Downmix. Then, you can set the downbeat and perform other actions on the multitrack set.
Learn more
At the center of this whole crazy DAW universe is one important thing – recording.
For a moment let's forget about virtual instruments, Flex, or Smart Tempo.
The ability to record drums, tubas or birds onto your computer is both fun and amazing.
With a microphone, interface and your computer you can paint a world in sound. That recording you got of a bird chirping can be thrown through an effects chain like a pinecone through a lawnmower.
And afterwards you might have the perfect sound for that new dubstep track you're working on.
Or maybe you just want a stress-free session for the band you're recording next week!
The great news is that Logic is fantastic for recording. The design and workflow makes recording about as hard as checking off items on your to-do list.
And even when do you hit a snag, Logic makes it easy to recover.
This post is the first of 2 that digs into my personal recording workflow. Here's what's on the itinerary:
- Logic Recording 101: How to Make It All Work (Part 1)
- The Perfect Settings and Modes For a Stress-Free Recording Session (Part 2)
- Damage Control: What To Do When Logic 'Stops Working' (Part 2)
Let's dig in:
Logic Recording 101: How to Make It All Work
Recording in Logic is pretty straight-forward when you know where to look. Setting up your recording session really boils down to a couple steps:
- Selecting your Audio Interface as the input and output device
- Choosing the best Buffer Size
- Picking an input on your Audio Interface for your Logic Track
- Record-Enabling your Track in Logic, and
- Hitting Record!
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Audio Preferences
The Preferences menu is a place you're going to want to get cozy with. In fact, I visit it on a daily basis.
Because if you want to get audio from the real world into your computer and back out, this is the place to make it happen.
To start, head to the top left corner of the Logic menu bar:
What will appear is everything related to getting audio in and out of your Mac. And what's we're most concerned with is the Output and Input Devices.
These terms are very straight-forward. An Input Device is the piece of gear that will be recording audio into your Mac. And the Output Device is the device that will playback your audio when you hit play.
So when you click on the Output Device field, you should see a list of connected devices:
If you've connected your interface to your Mac, you should see it in the list. In the image above, you can see my Presonus Quantum interface listed as ‘Quantum.'
Now the cool thing is Logic allows you to choose different devices for both Input and Output.
So say you'd like to record with your interface, but listen back with your Macbook Speakers. You can! Simply choose your interface as the Input Device, and the Built-in Output as the Output Device.
But say you have headphones or monitors connected to your interface. In that case you'll want to choose your interface as both the Input and Output Device:
I/O Buffer Size
The next step is to set the Buffer Size.
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Think of the waiting room at the Doctor's office. You walk in, you say hello to the receptionist, and they tell you to take a seat. And depending on how many other people are waiting, you'll have to wait.
(Have you ever not had to wait to see a doctor?)
Your Mac has a waiting room of its own, and that's the Buffer.
Your Mac is performing hundreds of tasks all the time. To manage all these tasks, it needs a way to prioritize the most important ones and postpone the less important ones.
Logic's priorities can change over time. When you're recording, you want your Mac to see Logic as #1. But when you're mixing, it can take a little more of a backseat.
Setting the Buffer Size lets you choose how important Logic should be to your Mac.
There's 6 values to choose from. The smaller the number, the less time Logic has to hang in the waiting room. And the larger the number, the longer it hangs in the waiting room:
- 32 samples
- 64 samples
- 128 samples
- 256 samples
- 512 samples
- 1024 samples
So if the smaller numbers mean Logic's more of a priority, why not just choose 32 samples?
Well, sometimes waiting is a good thing.
32 samples means Logic barely has to wait. If you have lots of tracks, this can crush your Mac's processing. And the result will be a System Overload. Your Mac will choke under the pressure.
So you say fine, let's choose 1024 samples just to be safe.
But at 1024 samples, you'll run into Latency. Latency is an audible delay in playback or processing.
Ever record a singer who says that their singing sounds delayed in their headphones? That's latency.
And latency can make recording impossible since the timing is all messed up between the singer and Logic.
Setting the Buffer Size is a dance. You're aiming for the lowest Buffer Size possible without any hiccups.
System Overloads or pops and clicks in the audio are things to avoid.
Nine times out of ten I'll use 128 samples for recording, and 1024 for mixing.
Assigning Your Track's Input
Now that you've sorted out your:
- Input and Output Devices, and your
- Buffer Size
It's time to connect your Track's Input to your Interface.
Logic can't always guess which input you want to record with. So it's up to you to let Logic know.
It's important that you're familiar with your Audio Interface's channels. For example, my Quantum has 8 mic/instrument inputs.
So if I plug my mic into Input 1, I'll want to set my Logic Track to that same input.
To do this, select your chosen Track on the Arrange Page. To the left you should see your Track's Channel Strip in the Inspector:
If you don't see the Inspector, use Key Command I to reveal it. Or view the track in the Mixer using Key Command X.
Towards the top of the Channel Strip you'll see a field labeled as Input. Click on this field, and Logic will show you a list of all the available Inputs you have from your interface:
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Go ahead and choose the same input that you plugged your mic or instrument into. Now Logic is ready and waiting to record any audio from your chosen Input.
Arming Your Track
Even though you've told Logic which input you want to record with, Logic still needs to know when you want to record from that input.
By Arming or Record-Enabling your track, you're telling Logic 'I want to record this track.'
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It's simple, really. If you've got your Audio Device and Input set up correctly, your Track should have an 'R' icon in the header or Channel Strip:
‘R' stands for ‘Record-Enable.' And by clicking on that icon, Logic is now listening and waiting to record that track.
Make sure to play or sing a little to double-check all is well! If you've followed the steps in this post, you should see a green signal on the meter:
The goal is to get a nice, healthy level without hitting the red on the meter. A great level is between -12 and -3 dB on the meter.
If the meter lights up in red, your signal is too loud: Blizzard net download.
Logic can't exceed 0 dB. It's a fact we all have to live with. So any signal that hits the red will meet an unfortunate end.
That is, Logic will saw off the signal right at 0 dB.
The result? Distortion. Nasty digital distortion that will make your track sound like it's going through a digital bee's nest. This is typically not favorable.
Bottom line: Use the gain knob on your interface to turn that signal down below 0 dB on the Logic meters!
Record!
Ready to record some sweet riffs?
Hit Key Command R, and Logic will begin recording. Jam to your heart's content!
And once you're done, hit Spacebar to stop recording.
Conclusion: Part 1
In Part 1 of exploring Logic's record workflow, we dug into:
- Selecting your Audio Interface as the input and output device
- Choosing the best Buffer Size
- Picking an Input on your Audio Interface for your Logic Track
- Record-Enabling your Track in Logic
- Setting a healthy Level for your track, and
- Hitting Record!
In Part 2, we'll dig into more advanced tactics for a stress-free recording session 🙂
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