How to use
Logic
What does Logic do?
Logic express is a software which allows you to create
your own music. You can save your work and bounce to
another programme like Soundcloud, Youtube which are
very popularly used today for your music to be heard.
You can record many instruments through a MIDI device
such as a Keyboard. After recording your instrument
through MIDI, you can then edit it with the tools on
Logic.
How to make a new song
When you open up Logic, there will be a list of templates
to use for your song which your going to create, you can
either use an empty project, which currently has no
audio files so you can start from scratch or you can
choose a different template where you already have an
input for drums, keyboard, guitar etc.
Once youve chosen
your template, you get to
choose the amount of
tracks you want to use.
Make sure to click on
Software Instrument to
enable all instruments
but if you want to use a
Mic to record voices etc,
click on audio. You can
do this at any time
during your project.
You can pick different
instrument sounds and
and pre-recorded loops
to use in your song by
going to the right hand
corner and clicking on
Media which then
takes you to the library.
The Transport bar: This is where you can record,
play/pause, stop, fast forward your song.
The Tool bar:
-Bounce allows you to convert your song into a MP3 file
which then you can upload to programmes such as
Youtube, Soundcloud or Tumblr.
-Colours is used for colour coding each track.
-You can use Notes to add notes to each track on your
song.
-Media is used for a library full of loops and different
instrument sounds.
This is the workstation, on the left is the layout of all the
tracks you have chosen to use and the green bar on the
left is what you have recorded on that track(if the bar is
blue, it is an audio track which is used for microphones.).
You can further manipulate the piece you have recorded
on your track by double clicking on the bar, which brings
up the Piano Roll Editor, you can then edit it how you
like e.g. add in extra notes, removes notes and Quantisise
the notes into different time signatures which can help
correct what youve recorded in time with your beat.
The + above your tracks allows you to add more tracks
into your song whenever you want.
Tempo and Audio Regions
The length of imported audio regions and the project
tempo are directly linked. If you change the tempo at a
particular project position, the length of regions at and
after this position changes. You wont hear a difference in
the playback speed of the imported audio, but all MIDI
or software instrument sections will be out of sync with
all audio regions.
In the left area is the
Inspector, you can also use
this area by clicking I on
the keyboard.
The Inspector is a context
sensitive area which
means mean if you create
and then select a different
track in the arrange area,
the Inspector will then
update and show you all
the properties on the
selected track.
In Logic a track is the layer above the channel strip.
A Software Instrument Channel Strip contains an
instrument in the I/O section. Here you can see there is
an EVP88 instrument loaded as the input on the
channel strip. This track is like a visual representation of
the channel strip in the arrange area.
The left strip is the Inspector which just shows the
currently selected track. Where as the channel strip on
the right is usually the main Stereo Output channel strip.
Working with a Video/Movie
Once youve got your video clip, go to File and then
click on Open movie. Then when you play either the
track or movie they should play together then from then
onwards you can edit the song so it can sync with the
movie.
Importing Compressed Audio Files
Logic Express allows you to directly play back the
following compressed audio file formats:
-Compression Format; MPEG-4 AAC
-Sample rates: 8 kHz, 11.025 kHz, 12 kHz, 16 kHz,
22.05 kHz, 24 kHz, 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz, 64 kHz, 88.2 kHz
or 96 kHz.
-MP3 audio
-Stereo files encoded at 48 or higher kbps, mono files
encoded at 32 or more kbps.
-iTunes/Logic encoded files.
Mixing
Rather than having both instruments playing on the same
mix, you can separate them by dividing them left to right
in the stereo mix which is called Panning.
Conclusion
Logic software is only compatible with Apple software
and products such as the Macintosh. Its a great way to
professionally record your music and its relatively easy
to learn.
