Newbie Logic Pro 7 help, please :)

[Kernow]

Glad you sorted out the problem. Knew it had to be something simple.

I've not really used stereo tracks in Logic yet, as all my recordings have been with mono tracks, but if you look on the channel strip in the arrange window (or the mixer), there is a button with a circle on it under the level indicator. If you click this, it converts the track to stereo.

There are two types of stereo file - interleaved and split. I'm not sure which stereo .wav files are. Logic defaults to interleaved, but you can force it to use split by Logic>Preferences>Audio>General>Force Split Files.

You may also need to tinker with the Universal Track Mode in Preferences>Audio>Driver. This affects the way consecutively numbered tracks play back.

 

[Zim Bargo]

Hi Euphoriasonic,

Pleased to hear you managed to solve the problem. I don't pretend to know anything about Logic as I am currently using SX3, but am interested in moving over to Logic (or running both SX3 and Logic anyway).

You mentioned the Logic Pro user manual being confusing, which I've read in a few other places. I bought the Apple Pro Training Series book by Martin Sitter at the weekend, which has been incredibly useful (and straightforward to understand), taking away many of my initial fears about the size of the task I faced by switching.

Might be of use to you, might not...

Zim

 

[euphoriasonic]

Might be of use to you, might not...

Zim

Thanks for your help, Kernow. Really appreciate it...

i'm actually looking around for a good Logic Pro book or instruction video/PDF set to help me out. The Logic Pro Manual isn't really hard to understand, however they explain Logic too directly, and don't give much meaning into what each part of the program really means, or how it works in Lamens terms. So, in a way - it is confusing. Just so much more to understand and comprehend, compared to something like Pro Tools.

 

[quigleybc]

There is a book by Martin Sitter..and it is a god send for Logic Users...an amazing how to book...for PRO"S too...and there is also the advanced version...

It is for sure that there will be a wealth of knowledge in that book for you..

Just a suggestion.


Google search "martin sitter Logic book" and you'll find it.

good luck...!!


*edit* Bargo beat me to it...doh!

 

[euphoriasonic]

Thanks guys, for all the help and book information. Need to pick that up as soon as i can. Have just a couple more questions, since i'm starting out - just want to see if anyone has any good first suggestions or quick hints for some time-saving while trying to mix:

1. Trying to edit production dialogue. Any quick help with strip silence (new to me) and any recommended plug-ins to navigate to, for fast adjustments (noise floor reducer, sibelance remover and just any usefull dynamic plug-in help)?!?

2. Love the custom key commands. Really used to Pro Tools editing. I'm used to the smart tool, is there anything similar in Logic? I'm fumbling over the new tool box...

Thanks!

 

[Kernow]

2. Love the custom key commands. Really used to Pro Tools editing. I'm used to the smart tool, is there anything similar in Logic? I'm fumbling over the new tool box...

I know what you mean. Having just started using Pro Tools, the smart tool is bit of a revelation. I have always found the Logic toolbox to be a little annoying.

The best I can offer is using Escape to toggle the toolbox at the cursor, although this is still a bit clumsy. It may be easier, as you say, to set custom key commands for the tools that you use the most and.

 

[euphoriasonic]

Any help on dialogue recordings, that are recorded over the peak limit? Using a Limiter in Pro Tools, with the threshold all the way up, and the gain pulled down pretty far... helps a bit, but can't find anything to really help lower the noise floor... it's loud. and the over-peak parts are rough sounding. Used some Joe Meek compression, too. But besides that and some Joe Meek EQ, I can't get it sounding too great... any suggestions? Thanks...

 

[zimv20]

Any help on dialogue recordings, that are recorded over the peak limit? [...] can't find anything to really help lower the noise floor...

you're kinda S.O.L., though if you've got access to DINR and a sample of just the hiss, you may help bring down the noise some. is it analog or digital peaks that been exceeded? is the problem on tape, or is the tape fine and the problem happened during conversion? (assuming analog tape was the source)

who recorded it and can you get them to record it again?

 

[euphoriasonic]

who recorded it and can you get them to record it again?

They are original digital recordings. Can't be re-recorded. Need to clean it up as best as possible...

Want to use strip silence, because it helps alot. But it breaks up my one audio region into millions. I don't want the region broken up at all, just the noise floor level removed

 

[zimv20]

They are original digital recordings. Can't be re-recorded. Need to clean it up as best as possible...

i'm curious as to how this all happened. if the noise floor is high, then that says to me that whoever recorded it had the levels way too low. but if there's digital clipping, then that says to me that whoever recorded it had the levels way too high. how did it happen?

regardless, this is the kind of project where i'd investigate re-recording, if the talent's available. is this a film/video project, or just audio? i can see how the re-recording of the former would be problematic, but looping happens all the time in bigger pictures. did the engineer capture room tone?

strip silence isn't going to help because radical changes of background noise is disruptive. your only hope in post is to use a noise-reducing plug, like DINR. but i've found it to be no silver bullet; if the s/n ratio is too low, you can't pull out the noise w/o seriously changing the signal.

 

[euphoriasonic]

strip silence isn't going to help because radical changes of background noise is disruptive. your only hope in post is to use a noise-reducing plug, like DINR. but i've found it to be no silver bullet; if the s/n ratio is too low, you can't pull out the noise w/o seriously changing the signal.

yea, i was hoping logic has something like DINR. Strip silence actually works quite well, but it's more of a pain in the ass to re-align all my audio regions again, and kinda takes away the flow of the vocal dialogue. it's my job to fix the audio, it can't be re-recorded.

My main problem right now, is how can I add more stereo, or even mono audio tracks to the arrange window in logic? it is limiting me to 8 audio tracks right now, as that is how many inputs on my interface i have. This only allows 4 stereo tracks at one time. How can i just add more audio tracks? i'd like to import more audio, to mix with...?!?

Thanks

 

[zimv20]

Strip silence actually works quite well

isn't there a change in the noise floor between when someone is speaking and no one is? or are you laying in room tone to fill the gap? in film, silence is rarely silent.

 

[euphoriasonic]

Strip silence cuts out audio that is under a certain desired frequency, or even a certain noise level. basically, a glorified gate. it only lets out the audio that is above the specified level. the regions where the audio is not let-out, is deleted. blank space. no noise at all. great, except that during an entire speech, strip silence makes it sound like someone just cut up the audio dialogue with some scissors.... strip silence works best on drums or other instrument in a mix. not great for vocals.

does anyone know how to add extra audio tracks into Logic Pro? you know, like SHIF+APPLE+N in Pro Tools? Thanks...

 

[zimv20]

during an entire speech, strip silence makes it sound like someone just cut up the audio dialogue with some scissors....

yeah, that's what i'm talking about. lay in some room tone during those gaps to bring it back. did the recordist capture room tone?

 

[Kernow]

My main problem right now, is how can I add more stereo, or even mono audio tracks to the arrange window in logic? it is limiting me to 8 audio tracks right now, as that is how many inputs on my interface i have. This only allows 4 stereo tracks at one time. How can i just add more audio tracks? i'd like to import more audio, to mix with...?!?

To add more audio tracks, create a new audio object in the environment window, then double click on an empty track slot in the arrange window and assign the new track that is created to the audio object (by click and holding on the name of the track and navigating to the new audio object). There is probably a shortcut to do this, but this way will work.

There is also a preference in Preferences>Audio>Driver which sets the maximum number of audio tracks you can have in a session. If you are limited to 8, have a look at this & see if it is set too low.

 

[euphoriasonic]

To add more audio tracks, create a new audio object in the environment window, then double click on an empty track slot in the arrange window and assign the new track that is created to the audio object (by click and holding on the name of the track and navigating to the new audio object). There is probably a shortcut to do this, but this way will work.

There is also a preference in Preferences>Audio>Driver which sets the maximum number of audio tracks you can have in a session. If you are limited to 8, have a look at this & see if it is set too low.

Thanks! That was part of my problem... My Max was set at only 8 - moved it up a bit. i'm gonna see if this works now