03.29.11
Word Press Tech Support
…..got me going on the iPad…thanks so much,Danilo.
06.22.09
Logic 8 Into ProTools
I use Logic 8 to compose and ProTools for recording “live” things….like vocals,guitars,toy piano,etc..most of the time.There have been countless forum “flame wars” on the subject so I’m just going to say that it seems to work the best for me. Here’s how a typical “songwriting with the artist” session with me goes (technically speaking).
We establish the key and tempo in Logic with a simple click and some piano/electric piano patch (or sometimes guitar). As the song structure comes together, I’ll lay down a basic keyboard part to outline the changes. When the lyric and melody are done, we’ll double check the key and tempo and then lay a rough guide vocal into Logic (no headphones..just the track played at low volume through the speakers).
TIP:In order to get Logic to behave like Pro Tools as an audio recorder, make sure that “Destructive Record” is on and “No Overlap” is the mode in the top right drop down box…relock your screenset to remember this setting for now {Shift-L}).
We don’t worry too much about getting a great performance here..it’s just a reference for the artist to take home and work with…I also give the artist an instrumental version of what we have so far.
After the artist leaves, I start to build the track around the vocal.All midi instruments in my template are set at -5 db so I have some headroom to play with. It’s important not to overload the stereo bus.
When the track is done, I solo and do an offline bounce each track (to a new folder on a Firewire Hard Drive) from Bar 1,Beat 1 to the end of the song, making note of the tempo (and key). Even though bouncing takes a little more time than “exporting”, the audio tracks will appear at the same audio level (and with the automation,midi controllers,plug ins and effects) that I was hearing (and liking) in the song in Logic. There are some who don’t like to commit plug ins and effects to audio but I feel that if they are working within the context of the song, bounce with them.
(Try to keep your file depth and format consistent for both Logic and PT ie.24 bit .WAV…PT will make you convert and copy from Interleaved to Split but this will also force the audio files to end up in the PT Session folder..that’s a good thing..trust me.)
The next step is to make a new session in Pro Tools (or open a session template of your own) and name and save it under the new song title. Put PT in “Grid” mode and set the tempo to match the song tempo from Logic. Under “File”,choose “Import Audio to Track”, locate the Logic 8 audio and choose to import it all. PT will ask you where you want the new files but it should default to the “Audio Files” folder that it has made for the song. The Audio Files REALLY NEED TO BE IN THIS FOLDER..again..trust me.
Once all the audio shows up as waveforms on the PT “Edit” page, switch to the “Mix” page, highlight the names of the Logic Audio that you brought in and make them a group (Apple-G). Pull the faders down to -12 so that you’ll have some headroom for the singer. (Although you’ll probably make level adjustments as your song takes on it’s shape with additional vocals and instruments in PT, you can always return to your original “Logic” mix by setting those instruments at the identical level). Flip back to the “Edit” page and use the hand tool to drag your whole Logic group to Bar 1,Beat 1 (in Grid Mode…important!!). At this point,you can disengage the group and get on to the business of recording in PT. It’s a good idea to check to see that your Logic Audio files are actually in the “Audio Files” folder within the PT Session…if so, go ahead and trash the ones that you made to bring into PT.Also…check “Disk Allocation” to make sure that your new audio files in PT are going to the “Audio Files” folder within the PT Session.
Remember that you can always go back to Logic ,make changes and bounce the tracks back in to PT again.Have fun!
07.09.08
Logic And Protools
As a composer and engineer, I spend my time shuttling between Logic 8 and ProTools. Although is is possible to do full midi and audio arrangements in both programs, I find that (still) Logic Is better fon the midi and arrangement side while ProTools is best for live instrumentation and vocals, as well as audio editing and mixing.
The Logic intruments that come with the program are quite good but I still count on some third party plug ins such as Albino, Stylus and the RMIV. I also use some freeware/shareware plugs such as the W1 Limiter,Blockfish, and Olga. Once the arrangement is ready, I bounce the tracks over to ProTools and do the audio overdubs. My Logic system is in sync with ProTools through midi clock so that I can add “live” midi overdubs while ProTools is running.
I’ve discovered quite a few shortcuts for this process…feel free to email me if you have any questions about how to do this painlessly (and quickly!).
