Hey Les, did you get it yet?

[jfb]

OK, another very useful Drummer feature:

Lay down a line on a MIDI track (say, a synth bass line) and you can tell Drummer to lock to it.

I'm not sure yet if it works with an audio track.

But you can take an audio track, and create a groove template with it. Amazing.

Very neat.

What reference material do you find the most useful for learning Logic? I'm reasonably familiar with GarageBand. Logic is still on my 2013 to do list.

 

[László]

Very neat.

What reference material do you find the most useful for learning Logic? I'm reasonably familiar with GarageBand. Logic is still on my 2013 to do list.

I know that there are lots of web-based videos and training series (like this one, http://www.macprovideo.com), and while these are nice discussions of individual features, I strongly feel that the best way to get a thorough understanding of a complex tool like Logic is to get a book, and read it in conjunction with the software, step by step.

In other words, as you're reading, if there's an instruction on how to do something - even something basic and simple - boot the software and do the thing in the book at least once so that you are actually working with it as you go. And the nice thing about a book is that it won't get low on batteries, dim the screen, or do other weird stuff as you're taking the time to do the step.

I started with Logic when they came out with Logic Studio 8. I got David Nahmani book on Logic 8, and while the basics were covered, I felt that it was not well-suited for my step-by-step method. So I got Orren Merton's book on Logic 8 (Logic Power?). Orren was a TGP member, and is active on the Logic Users Group. Orren's book was extremely well-suited for this task, and actually tied things together better, because there were examples of why you'd want to use a feature for a particular thing. In fact, I still used it as a "go-to" reference for Logic 9, which was really an extension of 8.

One nice thing about Orren's book is that he was able to also teach what the thinking behind doing something the Logic way was! I had come from a background in Digital Performer (and before that Performer) going back to early 1987, as well as Pro Tools (and before that Sound Designer, the precursor to Pro Tools), both of which used a console and multitrack tape machine as a model, and "thought" like a recording engineer. In other words, they are organized to help or be your personal recording engineer, and are created to work in a linear way.

Logic's "logic" is not the tape machine/console model, though of course it HAS a console and CAN act like a tape machine. But Logic "thinks" like a producer, composer or arranger. So it's all about creating "regions," sections of musical compositions that can be, say, intro, verse, chorus, bridge, etc., and manipulating those. If you're used to working in a linear way, it's hard to understand why Logic works the way it does, and it can be difficult to get your head around at first. But once you understand it, you can fly, and create pieces of music quickly. Cubase also works on a similar model.

So yes, the end result can be the same between a Logic style approach and a PT/DP approach, but how you think to get there is a bit different. That's why I needed to work my way through with a book, despite 20 years of working with DAWs before going over to Logic.

Incidentally, the main reason I switched to Logic was because I was tired of DP's interface after looking at it for 20 years. DP is a great program. I thought it'd be an easy switch. It wasn't!

 

[jfb]

Awesome thanks Les.

I recently bought the Logic 9 Pro Training Series books. I'm sure they will more than get me started.

 

[László]

They will, JB. The switch from 9 to 10 isn't hard, that's where the videos can do a nice job of simply bringing you up to speed.

One thing to understand while you're still on the basics of the L9 stuff is that you will want to detour a little bit and understand the new Stacks feature, because it helps with track creation. But that's all I can think of for the basic extras just to get up and running.

Welcome to Logic! Feel free to PM me if you get stuck, maybe I can help a little.

 

[jfb]

Noted. Will do. Thanks so much Les.

 

[László]

By the way, I did an experiment to see if drummer would follow an audio track, not just a midi track, so I recorded a bass groove, and the answer is: yes, it will.

Not only that, but I could direct standard midi tracks to follow the groove also.

This is the best piece of software I have ever used. Please don't tell any of my competitors about it.

As if they're not doing the same thing I did this weekend, learning it.

 

[veinbuster]

By the way, I did an experiment to see if drummer would follow an audio track, not just a midi track, so I recorded a bass groove, and the answer is: yes, it will.

Does this mean I can record a track with a shifting tempo and beat and the drums will follow?
That would be awesome.

 

[László]

Does this mean I can record a track with a shifting tempo and beat and the drums will follow?
That would be awesome.

I played my bassline to a click and didn't change tempo. So I don't know.

I do TV ads and only play for 29 seconds and 15 frames at a time (including fadeout), ya know.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Treat Yo'Self!!!

I bought Logic X tonight... BANGIN'!!!!

I feel like I came home and somebody rearranged my furniture, painted, and tiled my bathroom. All of my stuff is here... I just can't find it yet.
I'm so stoked on how amazingly easy it was to pull old complete projects on my external drive created in Logic 8,9, and 9 Express, and import them in X. I just sat there and didn't have to search for anything, I'm so impressed so far.

 

[László]

I feel like I came home and somebody rearranged my furniture, painted, and tiled my bathroom. All of my stuff is here... I just can't find it yet.
I'm so stoked on how amazingly easy it was to pull old complete projects on my external drive created in Logic 8,9, and 9 Express, and import them in X. I just sat there and didn't have to search for anything, I'm so impressed so far.

It's a wonderful piece of software.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

It's a wonderful piece of software.

Not even 24hrs later and I'll absolutely agree with you.