shipjumper

Considering purchasing a control surface to make all the fader rides I like to do when mixing. I pretty much always use Logic with the auto latency compensation on, as a few of my plug ins (example PSP Vintage Warmer) have quite a bit of latency. I do notice that in more complex mixes I can see that what shows on the screen can be quite a bit ahead (timeline) of the sound that comes out. And I am wondering this: 1)when doing fader rides with a control surface, does logic offset the automation you perform, to align it with what you are hearing? 2) is there a delay when you move faders on a control surface based on the latency settings and amount of offset due to the auto latency compensation? Or..should I just buy one and try it? Figured someone out there has experience with this. Thanks

Question for all who've tried this technique, are all the values produced exact? For example if you subract 3db(using the multipliers someone graciously listed in this thread) from all faders. Will all the resulting values be 'exactly' 3db lower? Or will they snap to Logics Wonderful 128 preset fader levels (happens when you edit automation from Arrange, or move faders using the GUI). EX: go to your mixer window, grab a fader and set it to -3.5db. You wont be able to using the fader. Or if you try to edit volume automation in Arrange, you wont be able to do it either. This technique, if it does use the full number resolution, could be a great part of my work arounds for the 'Trim Automation' function thats missing in Logic. Example you have a whole drum kit, and want to change the level. Problem with grouping is if you have different efx send levels on the kit, when you group the direct outputs, changing in the group level won't change sends on individual tracks of the drum kit of course.

Quicktime does it too. I've done it several times before with it.

I've been using a 2.4Ghz intel laptop for a year and a half now. I'm absolutely amazed with this thing. All I do is music for a living, mixing, production, etc. All on this laptop, all with Logic. The only time I freeze tracks is when using a lot of really heavy Virtual Instruments (BFD & Ivory at same time for example, even though it does work without freezing). The key I think, is keeping your hard drives as efficient as possible. I have separate 10k SATA (in external firewire case) for instruments, separate large 7200RPM SATA (also in firewire case) for audio. Never use the system drive for recording, streaming instruments. System runs like a champ. Can't say enough about it. I'd try to put as much RAM as you can in that machine, not sure what the Macbook will take. I'm on a MBP with 4GB RAM installed.

What kind of computer are you using?

Here's what I've determined. When I Export All Tracks, what seems to be happening to the track names is this: Any Audio channels that only have ONE Arrange track associated with them are named with only the name of the arrange track (not the hyphenated Channel Name-Track Name) Any Audio channels with multiple Arrange Tracks assigned to it (whether muted or not, ex: you have a couple of different edits of a vocal, and you're only using one),.....in this case the exported track is named according to "Channel Name-Audio Track". This drives me crazy. I always have to spend time redoing the names of my exported files.

I have been successfully using the export all tracks function with now problems. I frequently have to output entire arrangements for delivery to other studios for mixing. The cool thing is that pre fader/pre pan automation is included in the export, so you can do things like string swells, volume rides to even out vocal takes, etc. (using the gain plugin or the Sonalksis free FreeG plugin). For my VI's I'll usually just put effects on the actual channel strip, since usually they're part of the actual sound. This is one of my favorite features in Logic. One thing though, I'd swear I could export Rewire tracks also in Logic 7, but can't seem to do it in Logic 8. Would love to hear someone chime in on that.

I'd like to know if anyone knows of any big records that were 'mixed' in Logic exclusively. I'm talking mainstream stuff. Just wondering.

Interesting about the bugs. I use Waveburner regularly, and haven't had any problems with it when I use my third-party plugs. I'd be interested in what bugs people are experiencing with it.

Check out the Airwindows bass amp simulator plug. I use it a lot...and its free! http://www.airwindows.com/f/CabSVT.dmg

Try turning your Airport off.

You can also convert them to 24bit using Quicktime. Just open the file and select 'Export' from the file menu. Select Export Sound to AIFF, click the 'options' button and select 24bit. I've done this before to save a song for a client after a bad crash and corrupted session file.

The little box you were mentioning is the end of song indicator. Just drag it to the right. You can save a template with the end of song somewhere really late in the song so you don't have to worry about it, but yeah, just drag it to the right.

Someone at Apple needs to fix all of this..... Somehow I'm thinking it will not be anytime soon though.

That's the frustrating part. Not sure about other's here, but lots of my work involves clients I may never even see in person when I'm working with them. Emails, MP3's, phone calls...mixing at a distance. I really miss working on a large analog-summing-control-surface...oops I mean, console. But I've found more work doing mixes on my own system and sending them off via the net. The speed and flexibility of working ITB is great for that. I love the idea of the larger DAW control surfaces, but after a certain price point, then you have to ask the question....should I just get a console? On the other hand, a console, even at the same price as one of these control surfaces ($7500, sugg retail) would still involve more investment (more analog outputs, processors, electricity, etc....) Also, its a completely different type of workflow. If one of these surfaces could make my 'private studio' experience feel a bit more musical and fun (yes fun...its music right?) for me, maybe it would be worth it? Who knows? I guess just miss having lots of knobs.