how did you learn logic?

[macaco]

Hi

 

I've just purchased Logic Studio 8 and waiting eagerly for the postman!

 

I was just wondering how most of you got into Logic, I hate reading manuals you see!

With Ableton Live I got into that pretty quickly as I found it easy to use and just kept the manual on my desk as a reference point if I got stuck with anything.

 

From what I understand Logic is gonna be a much steeper learning curve, but I'm hoping I'll be able to get into it by teaching myself and experimenting, pretty much the same way I always do.

 

What are your opinions on this?

[Janne]

Hi

 

I can recommend the book from David all the readers give it comliments

And on the web there is SFLogicNinja who posts his video tutorials on youtube

Check it out

 

hope this helps

 

regards

[Mehdi]

True that L8 manual with its total 2000 pages (w/the effects and instruments book) can be pretty intimidating.

On my personal experience, I first learned it with a friend who used it (back on my pc days).

This is the best way to learn a tool imho.

 

Well, that + some online resources + the manual should get you going on quickly.

About online resources, you can check macprovideo.com who are quite known for their Logic learning videos. Search for SFLogicninja on youtube.com for free short tutorials.

If you're on the US I think there are regular training courses on Logic, but I can't give you more details as I'm in Europe.

 

David from here made a book as well (but I guess for you it'll be like a manual) but I haven't got it myself, thoug it had a very good feedback here (not really surprising)

 

Also, forums are a good place to learn, by asking questions on how to achieve certain things etc ...

[Rounik]

The book by David Logic Pro and Logic Express 8 is simply fantastic and runs you through Logic 8 in easy to follow lessons. I think his explanations are top notch.

 

I'd also recommend http://www.macprovideo.com tutorials videos for Logic. The core Logic 101 would be perfect and is also a fantastic way of learning.

 

Either or both of these will get you up and running in Logic much much quicker than if you try to plough through the manuals!

 

Video or book....it's just down to your learning style

 

Probably the quickest way to get into Logic and learn it is to attend a Logic class. David runs courses in the US and others, like myself, run them in the UK. (eek, shameless plug

 

Cheers

Rounik

[David Nahmani]

I learned Logic.... with the manual. At the time (Logic 4), the manual was much shorter, didn't include everything, some of it was poorly translated, in fact some words were still in German...! But that was the only option.

 

I only wish there was a Logic book back then!

 

BTW for those interested, the book I wrote is nothing like a manual. A manual is intended to be a reference to search for a certain function when you need more info about it. My book is intended to be a "take you by the hand" kinda guide that gives you professional project files and step by step instructions on how to work with them.

[dkgross]

...and it has pretty color pictures.

 

[Rounik]

... and a lesson review (with answers ) at the end of each Lesson

 

[eggman]

I learned Logic by seeing what it could do (feature set), and then looking into each bit individually, experimenting and then completing what I had learnt with the manual (which is still one of my favourite reads today, along with Crichton's Jurassic Park).

[Ploki]

heh, like every other program!

click, click, *wtf was that?*, help, click,click, help, click, help

 

and if help doesnt answer it, post a question here.

 

its that simple, no magic trick, you just need to spend time with it

[ski]

I started on Logic 3 and learned by reading the manual + hands-on. Actually, I didn't just read it -- I lived with it. Same with Logic 4, and then Logic 7 and 8. The manuals might be big but I don't see how that makes them intimidating. Just crack the cover and read the table of contents. Then choose which aspect of Logic you want to learn more about. It's not like you have to learn the whole book in one go.

 

It's just like a mixing board. You look at this thing with 1000 knobs and think, "holy s#!+, how do I learn that?!!" Well, when you take a closer look at it, all of the channel strips are the same. Now you only have to learn 10 knobs.

 

Anyway, unlike the stone-ages where resources like videos and books like David's weren't available, you can take advantage of these to accelerate your learning process. They take a different approach than the manual -- they offer tutorials, which is not necessarily what manuals offer by definition (although the Logic plug-in manual has some great tutorials on various plugs.)

 

You can even attend seminars these days to help with the learning curve. So I'd say you're in a better position now than us old-timers, but don't discount the value of the manual. There's lots of useful and valuable information in there.

[Holger Lagerfeldt]

I started out on Cubase back in the mid 90s and switching to Logic Audio in 1998 was a piece of cake as they are (were) very similar.

 

I picked up a few tricks from other producers, and then proceeded to experiment with all aspects of the program myself.

 

Oh, yeah and reading each version's manual from start to finish at least twice while taking actual and mental notes, which I suppose makes me a walking encyclopedia.

[montydj]

Self taught!

 

Writing,Producing,Engineering,Mixing,Mastering,DJing & Scratching!....

 

And still learning all the time!

[Waterboy]

When in doubt - start pressing buttons!

 

 

 

 

 

Trial an error! And a little help from my Russian pal, MacProVideo, and this forum.

 

Actually - I'm still learning (although I think I have the meat and potatoes of it).

[anti-banausic]

In some sense, I think you will be in for a rude awakening if you think you can get into this program without reading the manual. Plus, you run the risk of being one of those people that often get the reply "RTFM" when asking a question.

 

I used LIVE primarily for three years prior to picking up Logic. LIVE is awesome for just the reasons that you have mentioned. I barely ever cracked the manual with it. It was almost designed to be easy to use right out of the box.

 

When I got Logic, I decided that it was going to be important to read the manual. I think it was because they went to the effort to make a 1000+ page user's manual, and I wanted to be up and running quite quickly. I sat down with the manual in front of my computer for many hours the first two weeks and felt rather accomplished. I would start tracks with the express interest of just fooling around, experimenting to learn what could be done, how, and most efficiently.

 

I can't even start to think about what it would have been like without the manual (which is pretty clear and concise IMHO). I also think (while Logic is a deep program, and has been made more user-friendly with 8) that a lot of people who say it is SO difficult may not have sat down with the manual. Except maybe when it comes to the Environment. Still mystifying.

 

And definitely us sflogicninja's Youtube tutorials. Genius.

 

Best,

AB

[lockdown]

Hi

 

I've just purchased Logic Studio 8 and waiting eagerly for the postman!

 

I was just wondering how most of you got into Logic, I hate reading manuals you see!

 

check out the tutorials at macprovideo dot com

 

also keep in mind that i took a 5 year break from music production when i was using logic on MacOS 9 (geez that's really showing my age), so while i wasn't a total newbie, the videos helped me pick up logic8 much quicker than reading the manual alone.

 

with that said, read the manual as well!

[dvgtr]

Still learning but I started with Martin Sitter's Logic Pro/Express 7 book. Once I could get sound in and out of the box, I started referencing the manual, this site, and the discussions at Apple.com to fill in the blanks.

 

I HIGHLY recommend macprovideo.com (featuring lots of vids from, again, Martin Sitter) and I've purchase the Logic 8 books by the Davids and plan to jump in this week.

 

...and, someday, I'll plow through the actual manuals

 

I did/do find that tackling a recording project that is just slightly over my head with regards to ability/knowledge is also a great way to learn. Those lessons stay with you the longest, I think.

 

Best of luck!

[ChicoSatis]

Honestly I Like reading the manual. I'm looking at it right now. I made notes in it and have markers to get to the parts I use the most. But it really is a good read and a fast one too. Also all the before mentioned techniques such as macprovideo, the David's books, SFLogicninja, this forum and OF COURSE hands on experimentation. It's a fun process really. I think we are all still doing it to an extent.

 

Have a good one.

[Subtonic]

I learned on Logic Audio 6. The secret?

 

Manual + Toilet.

 

 

Seriously. I'm amazed at how valuable a few chunks of time here and there can be when applied the right way.

[mattrixx]

I cut my Logic teeth on one of these..

 

http://img.skitch.com/20080328-kj3p1sk5iaei6j7pgmdps6k9g2.jpg

 

It was 640 x480 (greyscale version) had 4meg of RAM and a 160meg hard drive! Huge! Huh!

 

at the time, Logic v1.6 was the order of the day.... I think I have the original black rounded box with the yellow latch in the shed somewhere.

 

Fun times... I remember getting myself a 14.4 modem and subscribing to the Logic Users group... There were about 280-300 members when I joined and the developers were there daily, answering our questions and helping us to fault find and develop workarounds... I learnt a lot from people like Gerhard Lengling (the inventor), Markus Fritze and Michael Hayden (the guy essentially responsible for the PC version and SoundDiver).

[Waterboy]

I'm tellin' ya dude ... when in doubt: push as many buttons as you can!!!!

 

Works every time!

 

[fernmeister]

There's a lot to be said for

 

Open Random Window

Click

Swear

Hit command Z

Repeat with slight variations

 

My path has included both Logic Pro 7 Apple Training books, David's Logic Pro 8 book (excellent, practial and un-manual-like), BerkleeMusic's Desktop Music Production course and the MacProVideo intro course

[toysun]

...

Fun times... I remember getting myself a 14.4 modem and subscribing to the Logic Users group... There were about 280-300 members when I joined and the developers were there daily, answering our questions and helping us to fault find and develop workarounds... I learnt a lot from people like Gerhard Lengling (the inventor), Markus Fritze and Michael Hayden (the guy essentially responsible for the PC version and SoundDiver).

 

Oh yeah! Good times on the user's group. I actually had Logic 1.0 (with the plastic box, which my Dad still uses to carry tools in the trunk of his car). Talk about learning curve! The user manual was horrible, the program came completely unconfigured (this was pre-audio, Midi only) and everyone had to learn the environment... if you wanted to get any sound out your studio!

 

The fact that you could correspond with Michael and pretty much anyone on the splash screen was incredible. Wow... memory lane. I remember hacking the Jazz Font with Fontagrapher so I could use it in Logic. This was around 2.5 or so.

 

Anyway, all of the above ideas are good to learn the program. You'll need all of them: books, the manual, the forums, hanging out with other users (very helpful), and of course, experimentation. Just don't expect it to be as easy to learn as Live - but needless to say, it's way more powerful (flame bait!)

 

John

[1pauper1]

the " getting started " booklet that comes with logic.

the user manual opened in pdf, ready and waiting.

david's book is simple to follow, but powerfull.

sflogicninja videos for endless tips and tricks.

macprovideo although very helpful, some might be

offended by the blatant overtones which are humorous

but unnecessary in a training course. a must have though-

these guys are pure genius.

 

the most important thing is to memorize your keyboard shortcuts

this will add decades to your life.

[ame1]

I learned Logic with out a manual. The reason I never read it was because mine is in japanese, and my japanese is not good enough. But I didn't really have a hard time with it. I think the hardest part was coming to terms with the environment in Logic 7. Prior to switching to logic I was using Cubase SX 2. I used it since cubase vst 3.something. Before that is was cakewalk version 6 to 9. I think by having a solid foundation in the way those old sequencers work enabled me to get along fine in logic. I just had to figure out what the logic equivalent of what I wanted to do was.

[Ket]

Hi, I ** REALLY REALLY REALLY ** (from 1st hand experience of having very little recording software knowledge) recommend buying the MacProVideo Training tutorials... i think the 101 logic 8 will sort you out no end...really.

 

I've always been into "cutting your own teeth"

But since you've spent this much already getting logic 8, it's worth the small extra investment to get these tutorials...

 

I genuinely think it teaches you in a few hours what you would take maybe a year to accumulate with hard graft (and that's taking it that you're not gonna give up on it)

 

Go to www.macprovideo.com have a look at the sample tutorials...

 

Ket

 

www.myspace.com/MyPetShadow

[leahbasskitten]

i started with cakewalk, which wasn't a cakewalk in my opinion. then a good number of years later i played around with fruity loops, then someone showed me adobe audition (cool edit). adobe audition was a great stepping stone. the work flow is simliar.

 

THEN i discovered macs! garageband was really good to learn the basics. its kinda hard to mess it up. i HIGHLY recommend playing around with garageband then taking the projects into logic after. i actually kept going back and forth for awhile. ie start in garageband then to logic to see what actually happened when i did stuff in garageband at first.

 

oh yeah, get the multitrack versions of yearzero song by NIN.

http://yearzero.nin.com/ (at the bottom)

its much easier to mess with a project with substance.

[Rolo Tomasi]

I actually started with Cakewalk as well and after a couple of years switched to Mac and Logic 7.0 (at the time). Prior to actually buying a Mac and Logic I bought and watched every single MacProVideo tutorial I could over and over and over. When I finally actually started using Logic I then read the manual pretty much cover to cover. It's pretty much a rite of passage in a way. To this day I still sometimes bring the Logic 8 manual to bed with me to read any ol' random page and I nearly always discover something new (plus it puts me to sleep very fast).

 

That and David's book of course.

[toysun]

oh yeah, get the multitrack versions of yearzero song by NIN.

http://yearzero.nin.com/ (at the bottom)

its much easier to mess with a project with substance.

 

Excellent idea!

 

really good one!

[comeandgoband]

if you live near an apple store, they have a service called "one to one"... most $99 for a year membership. you can come in once a week for an hour. most stores have certified logic instructors.

[leahbasskitten]

oh yeah, get the multitrack versions of yearzero song by NIN.

http://yearzero.nin.com/ (at the bottom)

its much easier to mess with a project with substance.

 

Excellent idea!

 

really good one!

 

thank you!

 

does anyone know of another source for some multitrack projects to play around with? i love me some NIN, don't get me wrong. but there is only so much you can do with those tracks unless you are REALLY creative!