DAW Composing Best Practise

Hi all,

 

I'm learning to compose music within the Logic, with my musical experience being a guitarist first.

I enjoy using Logic but I can become frustrated with my slow workflow.

 

I primarily use virtual instruments and the occasional direct guitar and am moving towards media composing.

 

Does anybody have any resources to better learn to compose efficiently within Logic?

I'm thinking things that help with master the piano roll, including velocity programming for realistic sounding instruments

Setting up templates and screen sets

Programming automation

Must know key commands

Integrating the piano roll and the score editor

Anything else that's essential to the in the box composer?

 

Thanks

...Does anybody have any resources to better learn to compose efficiently within Logic?

Composition could be approached in so many ways, Logic offers many ways to achieve the some goal, which are better suited depending of the job at hand, but that could also sometimes not yield one's expectation.

Workflow efficiency could sometimes hinder creativity, as it implies automatisms, which in composition process represent a trap.

 

I'm thinking things that help with master the piano roll, including velocity programming for realistic sounding instruments

To master the Piano roll editor, there is nothing like practice with learning by reading the available documentation.

I think that realistic velocity programming has a lot to do with the type of instrument to emulate.

MIDI velocity is a (note event) data chunk, usually devoted to note loudness, but often not only to that...

Logic deals with velocity in many different ways (other than from within the Piano Roll editor) which is definitely worth exploring.

 

Setting up templates and screen sets

Templates are mostly useful if you intend to compose iteratively with the same instruments and plugins layout.

Making use of the patches could also be useful (and also more flexible) in such cases.

Screen sets are a good way to pre-organize your workspace for a specific purpose. I very seldom use that... I guess it is very useful when working on a small screen display.

 

Programming automation

Being aware of the differences between RBA vs TBA is essential... Many other things are important to be aware of. Again, reading/testing is recommended...

 

Must know key commands

Besides the cut/copy/paste, "undo", the various "go to...", "zoom", etc... are important.

Being aware of the available ones among the dozens is usually a good idea.

Key commands are mostly useful when you repeat the same command over and over. Then it's worth memorizing the useful ones which of course depend of your current workflow, which will undoutedly evolve over time and adapt to the different jobs at hand...

 

Integrating the piano roll and the score editor

Besides working with detached/linked editors windows, there isn't actually a way to move/zoom them in tandem. The catch playhead position kc is something used day in day out.

 

Anything else that's essential to the in the box composer?

Since your questions seems related to rather basic Logic's aspect, David's book is highly recommended. And the author is hosting this board.

Thanks, could you tell me what RBA and TBA stand for?

So I'm trying to build my resources and I had a look at the link you posted.

 

and for example

 

I was reading about velocity - https://help.apple.com/logicpro/mac/10.4/index.html?lang=en#/lgcpa8fee137 - and it doesn't go into much depth on how to manipulate velocities -

 

What do you do if you want a Sinusoidal Shape?

Which tool is best when editing velocity using the automation panel in the lower half of the piano roll? Can I draw freely?

There is a crescendo midi transform command, but how does it work? What are all the other options for? I don't want to blindly click operate..

 

These are some resources that I have come accross that have been very helpful (they are not necessarily aimed at composing in the box, but should give you a good idea.)

 

 

Thanks, could you tell me what RBA and TBA stand for?

RBA: region-based automation

TBA: track-based automation.

Among other ways, to modulate velocity values, have you tried using the MIDI Fx?