Addictive Drums In Logic and Pre or Post fader metering?

[Adenil]

Hello all, please excuse me for being naive. I did a quick search and couldn't find a question exactly like my predicament.

I'm relatively new to sequencing in general, and also just started using Addictive Drums. While just messing around I would simply just use the drum loops or sequence a MIDI file and then export to audio to save up some space on my humble 2GHz macbook. However, I think it's time to start using the multi-output feature so I can tweak a bit more!

1.) So I have my drums all sequenced nicely and fiddled with velocities until satisfaction and then I go into AD and click the down arrow on each track I want sent out. I go into Logic's mixer, create 10 Aux Tracks (8 mono - each drum; 2 stereo - Overhead and Room). All is well. However, I've become stumped right here. How would I create each Aux track into it's own audio file? I'm a bit confused here as the Aux track doesn't show up in the main arrange window as the Software Instrument track does, so I'm hesitant to simply choose "Export Track/Region as Audio."

2.) Also, and maybe I'm still ignorant to this, but I've noticed that all anytime I program drums in software instrument with Addictive Drums, for example, the levels go through the roof. I literally have to bring it down to like -40 before it even goes below 0.0. When I created the Aux Tracks for each drum now, it's even worse. Every single channel goes to clip at like +5.0 during playback. I have Pre-Fader Metering on if that makes any difference.

3.) Finally, and this one is extremely stupid ( ), but is there a way to make the Mixer/Piano Roll/Score (any of those tabs) it's own window, like in Reason? I just setup a basic dual monitor setup and would really like to sequence MIDI on a completely dedicated monitor versus using my mouse to adjust every five seconds!


Thank you so much in advance!

[David]

Since your questions don't really seem related.... Please repost your questions, only one per thread, with a proper title for each thread: Read Me before posting - Forum Guidelines (#4)

[yamahadrums]

1. To see the Aux in the Arrange window go to Mixer, right click on the Aux and select Create...whatever it was, can't remember now. To create separate audio files for each Aux you have to send them to an Audio track and enable it for record.
2. Why use Pre fade metering? Use post fade so to be able to control the levels. And if you sent all the components to an Aux tracks you can easily control their levels from the corresponding Aux channel.
3. Click on Window and open individually whatever you want-Mixer, Environment, Piano Roll etc.

[Adenil]

1. To see the Aux in the Arrange window go to Mixer, right click on the Aux and select Create...whatever it was, can't remember now. To create separate audio files for each Aux you have to send them to an Audio track and enable it for record.
2. Why use Pre fade metering? Use post fade so to be able to control the levels. And if you sent all the components to an Aux tracks you can easily control their levels from the corresponding Aux channel.
3. Click on Window and open individually whatever you want-Mixer, Environment, Piano Roll etc.

Thank you so much for the quick reply. Honestly, I only used Pre-Fader metering because one of the Logic tutorials on Apple's website said to make sure to enable it before recording audio (that was when I was actually recording some bass guitar in a previous project). I guess I don't need it for VST then!

[David]

Honestly, I only used Pre-Fader metering because one of the Logic tutorials on Apple's website said to make sure to enable it before recording audio

That's odd, because Pre-Fader metering doesn't make any difference when recording audio (when recording, your meter is always pre-fader, independently of that setting).

OK this thread is now answered, but please, next time post one topic per thread, thanks!

[Adenil]

Honestly, I only used Pre-Fader metering because one of the Logic tutorials on Apple's website said to make sure to enable it before recording audio

That's odd, because Pre-Fader metering doesn't make any difference when recording audio (when recording, your meter is always pre-fader, independently of that setting).

OK this thread is now answered, but please, next time post one topic per thread, thanks!

Sorry man, read the FAQ-I definitely understand for next time! Maybe you could re-title this thread to apply to the Pre/Post meter topic instead? That would be a bit more accurate, since I took off Pre-Fader metering and it now shows the meters a bit more clearly I suppose. For example, I soloed the Aux Kick track and put it down to about -12. The meters show it peaking at an average of around -14, but I'm still hearing some clips/pops.

[yamahadrums]

I am not familiar eith Addictive drums, but are there any levels settings inside the program? Do you have any plugins on the Output 1-2 or on the other channels?

[Adenil]

Yup, there's meters for each channel that I made into an Aux Track within Addictive Drums. They're showing okay levels, though. No plugins on anything else in the project so far. Just a raw track of bass guitar (that I tracked against the original drum MIDI file)-frozen, protected, and muted.

Could it be something as simple as CPU overload?

Sidenote: I right clicked each Aux track -> Create Arrange Track as you suggested. Works great! It doesn't show any thing visually, but I can now see each track in the main window. I suppose I can just Export Track as Audio now. Does it matter what levels the Aux tracks are set at before changing to audio? I mean, does Logic like take down the track twice during that process or something? Or should I just ignore those clips and pops and deal with the audio tracks at mixdown?

[yamahadrums]

I am not talking about the Aux levels. They are part of Logic. Anyway, I found info on the net. There is mixer inside Addictive drums program itself. Pull down the faders inside Addictive drums mixer. Obviously the signal you send to the Aux channels is premodulated. Try this to see if it helps.

[Adenil]

I am not talking about the Aux levels. They are part of Logic. Anyway, I found info on the net. There is mixer inside Addictive drums program itself. Pull down the faders inside Addictive drums mixer. Obviously the signal you send to the Aux channels is premodulated. Try this to see if it helps.

My mistake. I meant to say that actually, that there's an Addictive Drums mixer. I'll see what I can do, but the clips seemed to have stopped when I un-soloed the kick and let all the drum channels play?

[yamahadrums]

I don't think the clipping has stopped. It's just masked by the other sounds.

[Adenil]

I don't think the clipping has stopped. It's just masked by the other sounds.

Good call. I'll definitely do some tweaking on each individual channel then with AD's mixer.

One more question. I have each Aux track in the arrange window, now how do I send them to their own respective audio tracks?

[yamahadrums]

Send the Aux to a Bus, then create new Audio track and from the I/O menu on the channel strip select the Bus you sent the signal through. Enable Record and that's it. With this method you choose what amount of the signal you send. Now you can set it to Pre fade so the signal will not be nepednent on the Aux fader.
The second method is to select Output Bus 1 e.g. instead of 1-2, then again on the Audio track select the corresponding Bus from the I/O menu.

[Adenil]

Send the Aux to a Bus, then create new Audio track and from the I/O menu on the channel strip select the Bus you sent the signal through. Enable Record and that's it. With this method you choose what amount of the signal you send. Now you can set it to Pre fade so the signal will not be nepednent on the Aux fader.
The second method is to select Output Bus 1 e.g. instead of 1-2, then again on the Audio track select the corresponding Bus from the I/O menu.

Man, these tracks are really adding up! Thank you for being so patient with me. I took a screenshot of what I have going on now in each monitor. I sent each Aux track to a respective bus and then made audio tracks with the corresponding bus in the I/O. I sent each signal at 0.0, for now anyway. Still not sure if I'm on the right track. I mean, I want each drum as it's own track for mixdown but I also want to cut down on all of this processing and free up my CPU a bit. What do you think would be the next step I should take?

Monitor 1:
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7514/picture1fno.png

Monitor 2:
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/7563 ... e12upg.png

[yamahadrums]

The next step is to Record enable each Audio track and hit Record. This is the more efficient CPU saving method. The other is to demix the MIDI region by Pitch and then export as audio each track, but this method will load Addictive drums on every channel and will load the CPU too much.

[Adenil]

The next step is to Record enable each Audio track and hit Record. This is the more efficient CPU saving method. The other is to demix the MIDI region by Pitch and then export as audio each track, but this method will load Addictive drums on every channel and will load the CPU too much.

Oh wow. I don't know why I never thought of it that way. It'll just record itself and create the track I was looking for. Awesome! I'm shutting down for the night, but I can't thank you enough! After the each track is all done and recorded, would I be able to get rid of all those other non-audio tracks and still be alright?

[yamahadrums]

After you record all the tracks as audio save all you made as template, so you don't need to do it again next time you decide to record with addictive drums. Save-Save as Template. Glad I helped! Good luck!