Logic Pro Tips n' Tricks thread

[terminal3]

I'm creating this thread purely for my own selfish benefit, but hopefully others can pick up some knowledge as well.

Anyway, I really WANT to like Logic. It seems like it can do a lot - it's still buggy for me - prone to core overloads, prone to screwing up swiped comp takes for no apparent reason, but as a music production tool I'm hoping it'll get there soon. I still try to use it on the odd project, but I end up giving up and going back to Pro Tools LE.

Anyway, what I'd like from anyone who's using Logic day in and day out are some tips, tricks, really anything that will impress me and speed up my workflow (I'm pretty slow with it as well, lots of things seem to work *opposite* to Pro Tools).

So if there are any shortcuts, secrets, setup tricks, key commands, anything - drop 'em in here. Hopefully we can build up a little archive of information that will come in handy.

My first specific question - is there a way to get Logic to start a new project in a sample rate other than 44.1khz? I work in 48khz almost exclusively, and my interface is clocked that way (Saffire Pro 26) - and it hates being reclocked by other software without causing all sorts of issues.

FWIW I'm on Logic Pro 8.0.2.

EDIT: yes, I've attempted to sign up for the workshop in September at DV... hopefully it'll help a bit!

[DjRo]

Hello mate,

The easiest way to change the sample rate is in the transport bar. If you cant see it control click on the transport and then click customize transport bar>under devices check the box for sample rate. This will then come up on your transport and you can select any sample rate.

Thats the way i do it and just keep it there so if i do need to change it its easy to access.

If you want logic to convert itself to them same sample rate when importing an audio file, you have to go to File > Project settings > Assets pane

Hope that helps a lil bit.

DjRo

[terminal3]

Originally Posted by DjRo

Hello mate,

The easiest way to change the sample rate is in the transport bar. If you cant see it control click on the transport and then click customize transport bar>under devices check the box for sample rate. This will then come up on your transport and you can select any sample rate.

Thats the way i do it and just keep it there so if i do need to change it its easy to access.

If you want logic to convert itself to them same sample rate when importing an audio file, you have to go to File > Project settings > Assets pane

Hope that helps a lil bit.

DjRo

Hmmm, the problem I'm actually having is that when Logic creates a new project, it defaults to 44.1 which forces my Saffire to change sample rates from 48 and that can cause all kinds of havoc, especially if I'm clocking it externally. There seems to be no way to set the sample rate ahead of time (as in, force the new project to default to 48khz) so that I don't get these problems (they often require Saffire reboots, which is a pain, and also, reclocking causes bad speaker noise).

[cut_N_paste]

Originally Posted by terminal3

There seems to be no way to set the sample rate ahead of time (as in, force the new project to default to 48khz) so that I don't get these problems (they often require Saffire reboots, which is a pain, and also, reclocking causes bad speaker noise).

Top left of your arrange window should be a 'Settings' icon. Click on this and scroll down to 'Audio' - set sample rate there to 48 khz and save your song as whatever you want ('my default' etc). When re-launching Logic 8 next, it will automatically load up the last song you used (along with its 'song settings'), and this should be set to, and remain at, 48khz - shouldn't have to change it again unless you load up a previous song that would have had the 44.1 setting...

[terminal3]

Originally Posted by cut_N_paste

Top left of your arrange window should be a 'Settings' icon. Click on this and scroll down to 'Audio' - set sample rate there to 48 khz and save your song as whatever you want ('my default' etc). When re-launching Logic 8 next, it will automatically load up the last song you used (along with its 'song settings'), and this should be set to, and remain at, 48khz - shouldn't have to change it again unless you load up a previous song that would have had the 44.1 setting...

Annoying workaround, but that should solve the problem. The drink of your choice for you! Thanks!

[DjRo]

I hate reclocking. I was working in a studio where the digi 002 and the twintrak pro never changed or will change to a different sample rate!!!! you had to quit everything and restart otherwise it would freeze! reli annoying and caused havoc so can understand where your coming from!


DjRo

[EdRyan]

With the mention above about sample rates, you can actually save that project as a template. So when you start logic, it will load those settings as a default...no need to set 'open last project'. Your project will appear in the start menu with the factory options..

anyhow, my favourite/most used shortcuts are

a - opens up the automation in arrange
e - toggles event list on/off
z - auto zoom
p - toggles piano editor on/off
m - mutes whichever track you have selected.
s - solo whichever track you have selected
c - toggles cycle on/off
i - toggles the inspector pane on/off
w - toggles audio editor on/off
? - jump to location
' - splits regions
CMD D - Duplicate track
CMD L - Opens midi cc learn mode...nice for quickly assigning for automation. just click the pot/fader you want before pressing cmd l !
CMD R - Repeat regions
CMD 1 - New arrange window
CMD 2 - New Mixer window
CMD ` - Cycle through all active windows
CMD ALT N - new track
CMR R - repeat region
\ - split region at playhead
ALt and mouse drag - copies a region

You can also customise the shortcuts. So you could set it up more like logic. Infact i'm sure I've seen that template over at logicprohelp.com

[terminal3]

Cheers Ed, good post! I'll probably have to set up my shortcuts like Pro Tools to get anywhere quickly, but at the same time, if I do that, then I'm not exactly learning Logic. Or am I?

[EdRyan]

You can do some clever 'unique' shortcut programming with Logic, meaning you can customise it to be anyway you want. I may actually re-configure it to work like protools, so that i can use it to practise the shortcuts that Digidesign love to ask you about in their online certification program. Forget any knowledge of music and audio engineering, all they really care about is that you can do everything with 1 or 2 buttons...

I've also found that if you have an apple remote... you can use that in logic as well to arm tracks and start recording. genius !

[terminal3]

Originally Posted by EdRyan

I've also found that if you have an apple remote... you can use that in logic as well to arm tracks and start recording. genius !

Now that's a cool trick. I should be doing a session with Logic tomorrow, we'll see if any of this stuff helps me out! A pint for you, sir.

[EdRyan]

I'll give it a bash later to check. I found that out by accident.

Have fun in Logic mate !

[cane creek]

Im new to logic so thanks for the shortcuts ED, shouldnt this thread be a stickie ?

[sureno]

"SFLogicninja" + youtube = sweaty palms
thats all i have to say on the subject

[Meander]

If you name a project "autoload" and save it, it will open everytime you open logic. (unless of course you click on another project). That way you can set it up as a starting point for all your projects.

[mrfracas]

On MIDI regions, when you drag the region in/out to compress or expand it's length, you can hold down a modifier to make the midi notes expand and contract equally; e.g from 1 bar length to 2 bars; or from 1 bar to 3/4 of a bar. On the PC, it's ctrl + drag from the bottom right corner of the region; the modifier is probably 'alt' or 'cmd' on Mac.

I find this especially useful went I want to modify an element like percussion, on bridges between 4/8/16 bar sections.