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Logic's slip tool, a hidden tool!


David Nahmani

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The "slip tool" is popular amongst Video editor, including Final Cut Pro users: it allows you to preserve the position of a Region in the Arrange window, while 'slipping' the content of that Audio Region to the right or left, usually to match an event in the video.

 

In Logic, to access the slip tool, you have to first lock your Region's SMPTE position (Region > Lock SMPTE Position). Then drag the lower left corner of your Region as if you wanted to reposition the left border of the Region: you are actually slipping the content of the Region!

 

In the example below, I show how to use that slip tool to reposition the attack of an explosion sound right on a scene-cut, without having to modify the Region's borders:

1905128210_LogicPro005.jpg.7b6f2376bc8d49b48c6c2d3c0798af5e.jpg

604570751_LogicPro006.jpg.1cf331ccb185020ce12abcb641d80d88.jpg

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The "slip tool" is popular amongst Video editor, including Final Cut Pro users: it allows you to preserve the position of a Region in the Arrange window, while 'slipping' the content of that Audio Region to the right or left, usually to match an event in the video.

 

In Logic, to access the slip tool, you have to first lock your Region's SMPTE position (Region > Lock SMPTE Position). Then drag the lower left corner of your Region as if you wanted to reposition the left border of the Region: you are actually slipping the content of the Region!

 

In the example below, I show how to use that slip tool to reposition the attack of an explosion sound right on a scene-cut, without having to modify the Region's borders:

 

Wow, I didn't know that one. Isn't this essentially the same thing that I do when I adjust the anchor point in the Audio Window? I guess however this Arrange page tweak is more accurate as the Audio Window is only accurate to 256 samples.

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The "slip tool" is popular amongst Video editor, including Final Cut Pro users: it allows you to preserve the position of a Region in the Arrange window, while 'slipping' the content of that Audio Region to the right or left, usually to match an event in the video.

 

In Logic, to access the slip tool, you have to first lock your Region's SMPTE position (Region > Lock SMPTE Position). Then drag the lower left corner of your Region as if you wanted to reposition the left border of the Region: you are actually slipping the content of the Region!

 

In the example below, I show how to use that slip tool to reposition the attack of an explosion sound right on a scene-cut, without having to modify the Region's borders:

 

Wow, I didn't know that one. Isn't this essentially the same thing that I do when I adjust the anchor point in the Audio Window? I guess however this Arrange page tweak is more accurate as the Audio Window is only accurate to 256 samples.

 

no, moving the anchor in the sample editor moved the region start and end points in the arrange window. Again, not a slip edit.

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  • 3 weeks later...
You aren't slipping the contents of the region, you are shortening or lengthening the region. A real slip edit would not alter the region start and end points.

 

The only way to slip I know of is in the audio window.

 

Can you explain how you do this? I would find slip editing of audio very useful for me but I haven't figured out how to do it yet. I have tried with no success with any method.

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Although I would like a proper slip-tool, I experience this behaviour in Logic more as a flaw then as a blessing.

 

When I open an OMF (or XML) for video post in Logic, I'd like to be able to lock all the audio files, and start adding my own from there. However, when I want to shorten a region in the front, (for examplr hiss before a quote) I'd really like the timing of the quote to stay the same instead of moving forward in time... That's why I locked it! :?

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You aren't slipping the contents of the region, you are shortening or lengthening the region. A real slip edit would not alter the region start and end points.

 

The only way to slip I know of is in the audio window.

 

Can you explain how you do this? I would find slip editing of audio very useful for me but I haven't figured out how to do it yet. I have tried with no success with any method.

 

 

In the Audio window, move your cursor to the lower portion of the region so it becomes two triangles facing left/right. Grab the region with this tool and move it left/right.

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  • 1 month later...
no, moving the anchor in the sample editor moved the region start and end points in the arrange window. Again, not a slip edit.

 

Assuming that the anchor & start points in an audio file are aligned (so that moving the start point also moves the anchor point) using David's "slip tool" trick in the arrange window is exactly the same as:

 

• moving the start point in the audio window editor

• moving the start point in the sample editor

 

In either of these three cases (slip tool, sample edit, audio window), the left edge of the region will remain where you see it in the arrange window.

 

But if the anchor point alone is moved to the right in either the audio window (using the finger) or the sample edit window (by holding down option and moving the anchor), the left edge of the region will now move to the left in the arrange window, even if the region is SMPTE-locked.

 

So in either case, the anchor point is the point that remains SMPTE-locked. The difference is in whether the left edge of the region gets moved in relation to the anchor or not.

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  • 2 weeks later...

You can also do this slip method without lockign the event to SMPTE position. I've been using this method for SFX editing since Logic 5 PC. Fast and easy!

 

Have a Linked floating sample editor (or just go into it). If the "Edit > Update Arrange Position" is unchecked, the audio will slip on the arrange if the start of the region is modified... you dont have to worry about anchors. Remember that this is a global preference that is remembed until you check on that setting again (!!)

 

http://www.neilaudio.com/edit1.jpg

 

This is the audio and sample before the region start is modified:

http://www.neilaudio.com/edit2.jpg

 

This is the audio and sample after the region start is modified. Note that the start of the audio clip is still at measure 2 in the arrange, and it's the audio within the event that has 'slipped' so the transient is at measure 2.

http://www.neilaudio.com/edit3.jpg

 

 

Cheers!

 

Neil

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  • 2 months later...

 

Ditto! Those three new tools are really nice. PT can do the same thing, more or less, also. However, I believe Logic Pro is the only app to begin recording BEFORE the punch point, thus allowing one to *slide* that glorious piece of "ooops" one might have done when cutting in early with that once in a lifetime riff...no?

 

(I know- evilness..but....I would love to be able to pick and choose the features I want from DP, PT, LP and Cubase and combine them for my own happy little delusional DAW...lol...)

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  • 1 month later...

Wow- was trying to figure this one out today, after psending an hour scouring the manual last night (feature request: well indexed manual pls!). So the only way to slide material within a region without editing the actual region boundaries is in the Audio window, and not possible with a modifier in the Arrange window?

 

And yep- DP 5(.11) is AWESOME with those new tools. PT and Cubase 4 have the "slide material inside the region" thing, but Cubase allows it free-form like DP does, while PT is *limited* to a "notched" slide (based on Grid).

 

PT has that feature with Quickpunch, but what happens when you are not in quickpunch? Lol.... Yeah, sucks. Cubase 4 has adjustabe "pre-record" for audio and MIDI (ala Logic- which is not user adjustable tho, correct?), which is very cool. Plus (and I do need to recheck to be sure I have this right!!!), say you are cycle recording audio or MIDI, and as you enter a cycle after leaving one, and the first bit(s) gets cut off (the notes/material was played early, and thus is at the end of the previous cycle), you can slide ANY cycle/take all the way back to the start of when you started the cycle record, PLUS the user assigned amount before recording started (IF you had pre-roll enabled/started playing before the cycle area being recorded to)! Very, very cool for tweaking a cycled take that was otherwise perfect but for that teeny bit f earliness. Does Logic have this? If not, add it to the feature request list...I find it to be invaluable as a time saver.

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Nikkik...look at the demo for the new SoundTrack Pro 2 :)

 

If incorporated, wonder how it would do with multi-track type situations, such as drums. And then what about MIDI? PT has the best MIDI region management IMO. You have a Region List, and can set it to just show MIDI, and then sort deeper if you want. Additionally, you can right-click on a MIDI region, on a track or in the Region list, and find "matching" MIDI regions, according to prefs you set. Combine that with the SOundtrack Pro 2 take management features, butincluding MIDI, and then allow "priority playback of same Object assigned" MIDI regions if th euser chooses, and I would be in absolute MIDI heaven with Logic.

 

Unfortunately for anyone else who might want this, I am prohibited from "pure heaven" due to several slight violations of certain tenets....but honestly- it wasnt my fault!!! ;) :oops: :lol:

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  • 2 months later...
Can someone tell me if I misunderstand what "slipping" is. If I do, what I found to do something like this is going to the audio window and selecting the finger tool and clicking on the middle of the region in the audio window that I want to "slip" and just sliding the regions placement in the audio file to the left or right. Does this help, or do I misunderstand what you want to do?
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  • 2 months later...
Can someone tell me if I misunderstand what "slipping" is. If I do, what I found to do something like this is going to the audio window and selecting the finger tool and clicking on the middle of the region in the audio window that I want to "slip" and just sliding the regions placement in the audio file to the left or right. Does this help, or do I misunderstand what you want to do?

Yes, that's exactly it. That's what brianm hinted to in the second post of this thread.

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Here's how I've always 'slipped' in Logic:

 

First I double click the region, so the Sample Editor opens beneath it, then (inside the Sample Editor):

 

  • •Press Command, and use the mouse to move the selection left or right (in the sample editor)
    •Press the key command for Selection->Region.

 

Compensate Region Position is OFF when I do this, if not, I get 'slide' instead of 'slip'.

 

A way to do this IN REAL TIME without opening the sample editor and needing that extra key command would of course more user friendly. Are you saying that this is possible in Shuffle Mode?

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