Best way to automate...

[timothylucas]

I've posted separately for the problems with latch mode behavior, but how do others prefer to automate their mix? Do you just use your mouse and do it manually? I'm just at a loss as to how the programmers think one is supposed to automate with the settings they currently have, where no matter what mode you are in, including the dreaded write mode, if you've done any automation while the project plays, it reverts back to the original parameter level when you hit stop. It's like everything is some form of "touch" mode. That's the only mode we are truly offered. It's just so stupid. Maybe there's a way to automate that I'm missing, but this ABSOLUTELY sucks. I'm seriously open to some good suggestions, in fact, I'm begging someone to show me a better way!

[Eric Cardenas]

I really don't have a solution for you.

I'm perfectly ok with the latest functionality, but I understand that it doesn't suit your workflow.

 

What I do is I set my balance first and then make a small pass using Latch mode. This will write the fader balance over the whole track.

If I then need to do adjustments I start automating there.

 

A thing you can play with that should work on all faders and automation lanes is to use the Go to end command. The will write a last node on the same value before the project ends.

[timothylucas]

thanks for the reply Eric. That does work similar to the now missing 'write to end' which, by the way, it was actually YOU who turned me on to that command when the latch mode originally started acting this way! It's not an acceptable fix for me, though. I must not be explaining correctly exactly why this is such a big deal to me. Think about this:

I have 24 tracks of live recorded audio, everything from individual drums to violin to electric guitars...the whole shebang...It's at least a 45 minute set...there might be 3 to 4 vocalists, switching from singing lead to bgv interchangeably...there are so many subtle and very dynamic changes I have to automate to mix to the end of the set...there are so many simultaneous changes on different tracks that have to take place within a single measure...yes, I can do it with the current behavior but it's a literal nightmare! It takes FOREVER with this behavior and what's so frustrating is there was no reason to remove the 'write to end' command...I know you aren't the programmer but I just need to be clear on why this particular thing is SO devastating to me...a formerly very enthusiastic and happy Logic user! You have been incredibly helpful to me more than once and I deeply appreciate you!

[Eric Cardenas]

I understand your pain Timothy.

 

I don't work with 45 minute projects of live recordings with a limited set of tracks here so I don't run into these kind of issues.

The only thing you can do is to contact apple and be very specific about your situation on why you need an extra mode.

 

In the meantime try thinking about ways to change your workflow.

Is it possible to split the project into separate songs for example?

This way you can set up rough mix of your instruments and then a primary balance of the vocal microphones on a master project.

Split that into song projects and work individually from them.

 

PS. Thanks for your kind words.

[stardustmedia]

I do automation mostly with the mouse and within regions, not on tracks. This way I can easily copy, loop and arrange automation. But I see that won't help your situation.

 

Why don't you split those 45 minutes into the individual songs, instead of trying to automate e.g. the lead singer into a background singer? That sounds very very complicated to me.

 

I'd say put up a session with the 45min, set up your channel strips and some raw settings, so you have a coherent sound thru the whole recording. Then split that session into new sessions, each containing only one song. Then automate those one by one.

 

This doesn't change anything in your workflow, but it might ease it a little, because you'd have less completely different automation values thru that one huge 45min-take.

[timothylucas]

Thanks for the reply guys...I do see what you are suggesting about breaking it up into individual songs, but for me, that just exacerbates my main frustration of this behavior making the mixing process far more complicated and time consuming than before. If I must now mix with the mouse, I feel like a fool for investing significant cash in the mackie MCU pro so that I could mix with tactile faders. If I have to break the set into three or four songs (and it's a worship set, so there is also spontaneous segments that aren't predictable), it's quadrupling my time...not being argumentative, just explaining why that doesn't work for me in this particular scenario. I also, of course, do single song studio projects, and this behavior is less disruptive but still not as efficient as before. And i definitely sent apple a bug report detailing each of these issues related to latch mode. I woke up this morning, and I've decided to attempt to revert to the previous version of Logic...this stresses me out, but I'm gonna try. I do appreciate you guys taking the time to try and help. That says a lot about you!

[Jfever]

Just curious...

 

Are you in control whatsoever with "how" the recording is being done in the first place? If not, you should try to be (maybe speak up?).

 

Why on earth would anyone want to mix vocals that go from lead to BG in the same take? Why not have the vocalist record another take for a specific approach? I definitely feel your pain but it seems more like you are being given a turd to polish...

[Plowman]

Worship set. Live music. Even if he isn't mixing live, I believe he's posting a live recording. And most worship recording is done once, twice, even three times a week if there's a service Sunday nights too. As he indicates, the average set runs well over a half hour.

 

But even if I'm wrong intuiting the task he faces, dear me, do I loathe this Latch behavior. I'm all over this thread, Timothy. To invest in a control surface like MCU, hit stop, and watch the fader return to a previous, unimportant, unwelcome value -- it's like a three year old playing with your mixer board.

 

Logic programmers, for the love of Jobs, just please give us a checkbox preference to return to Latch mode the way it was since the dawn of Logic automation.

 

That, or change the name of Latch mode to TOUCH MODE LITE.

[timothylucas]

Haha! Plowman, it soothes the soul simply to be understood even if the problem remains! Thank you for sharing the precise nature of this egregious failing on the part of Logic programmers.

 

Jfever - it's as Plowman says, it's a live recording that goes pre-fader to a JoeCo 24 track recorder. It's a thing of beauty really...I get a nice folder with 24 wav files that I drop into a template and mix away...it's a continuous flow of music and it's posted to our podcast as a whole, as well as syncing to our video in FCP. A lot of my work is done using channel strip presets for the various vocalists and instruments, but there is a lot of improv going on as well.

 

Plowman's request is the most elegant solution imaginable and I can't think it would be the least bit difficult to realize. Or at least give me back "write automation to end"!

 

As a caveat...I went into my Time Machine and reverted to the previous version of Logic when that command was still available. I also turned off automatic updates! For now...problem solved.