Versioning mixes and sessions

[javamad]

Hi all,

 

I am currently re-working some songs that I created when I first got Logic 8 over a year ago. The issue I have is that Command-S just overwrites everything.

 

I work as a java programmer and we use source-code versioning software to be able to re-create the state of affairs in any version, day etc.

 

Short of hooking up my Logic project folders to Subversion or similar, is there any trick to do this in Logic?

 

I'm imagining that in a profesional studio the ability to roll back changes to 2 days ago would be something artists would like. It would also make comparisons easier .. comparing the mix-down doesn't help if you cant easily go back to how they were mixed.

 

Thanks in advance

[shivermetimbers]

Hi all,

 

I am currently re-working some songs that I created when I first got Logic 8 over a year ago. The issue I have is that Command-S just overwrites everything.

 

I work as a java programmer and we use source-code versioning software to be able to re-create the state of affairs in any version, day etc.

 

Short of hooking up my Logic project folders to Subversion or similar, is there any trick to do this in Logic?

 

I'm imagining that in a profesional studio the ability to roll back changes to 2 days ago would be something artists would like. It would also make comparisons easier .. comparing the mix-down doesn't help if you cant easily go back to how they were mixed.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Did you try Save As?

[javamad]

Did you try Save As?

 

he, he. Nice one... but I was looking for something more sophisticated than saving stuff as "songX-2009-08-23-10pm.logic"

 

Not a bad idea for now though it may become unworkable when you work on something every day over a couple of months tweaking and adding tiny differences.

 

Still open to more ideas ...

[fader8]

I posted a query about something like this a year ago maybe. While I didn't get much help then, it's something that keeps popping up in the back of my brain. Here's what I was thinking . . .

 

Logic writes a copy of the project file to the "Project File Backups" folder every time you hit Save. The files get appended with .00.logic through .09.logic. After saving 10 times the files start to be overwritten. So you always have a backup of your last 10 saves. Fine, but . . .

 

What if we had an Applescript that triggered every time something got saved into that folder? It could take the latest file in the folder, append the name with the date-time, and save it to a drive/folder of your choice. Maybe even archive it too.

 

Anyway, any good Applescripters out there?

[Nublu]

I am not aware of anything that offers what you are looking for. I use "Save As".

 

May I ask, are you thinking in terms of collaborative projects? Some one puts up a project repository, people log in and compose/perform/copy and paste files/ mix/master. With similarities to an open-source software project. The versions managed and organized.

 

That would be cool.

[javamad]

Nublu, no I was thinking of collaborating with myself

 

I'm just used to having things easy at work.... I can even go to the source code and see who did what several moths ago .. great for blaming others

 

In this case though I'd like to just be able to do Time-machine-like steps through time at will .... I'll have to see if I can set up a repository-versioning project running on my Mac and see how that works.

 

Will post back here if I get it running.

[shivermetimbers]

Doing 20 tweaks and saving 20 versions will cause a headache.

 

Alias regions may be an option along with the grouping function. Folders may also work in conjunction with the alias. Everything can stay in the same project and recalled and/or combined.

[fuzzfilth]

Making up my mind about what it actually is that I want and then committing to this did help me tremendously.

 

Coming from the old days of tape, where you had to decide whether you like that take or not, and scrap it if you don't, wasn't the worst of all things as far as not only having all options, but actually going down one alley is concerned.

 

Making successful decisions and sticking to them from early on in the process is what makes a good producer and it will speed up your workflow a lot. You're gonna be finished with the project while all others are still trying to figure how to organize every little tweak the did so they can spend days backpedalling and exhausting all remaining options.

 

Think of where you want your ship to go instead of worrying about where you already have been.

 

Having said that, I would appreciate a sort of Automation Playlist where you could switch between versions for the artist, the producer, the record company or the drummer. I know you could fake it with copies of the Audio Channels, but using Save As.. is infinitely more workable for the time being.

 

Christian

[javamad]

Making successful decisions and sticking to them from early on in the process is what makes a good producer and it will speed up your workflow a lot. You're gonna be finished with the project while all others are still trying to figure how to organize every little tweak the did so they can spend days backpedalling and exhausting all remaining options.

 

Wise words. How come you know me so well That is exactly what I get up to most times. Other times a song just rolls out in 4 hours .... 8)

 

I'll try to take this advice on board .. but the temptation to tweak will be strong because I'm trying to create a solo album. However I do realize (sometimes ) that any good song will sound right with a simple arrangement and a straight forward mix.

 

Thanks for the input.

[JayGee]

Man...what happened to the good old "pen and paper" days???

 

Here one solution -

 

Keep a simple TextEdit rtf file with notes regarding your changes (jot them down as you go along with your mixes) in the folder with your project. Something like this:

 

v1 (Sep 11, 2009) - Raised lead vox by 1.2dB in chorus. Changed drum arrangement in bridge.

 

v2 (Sep 12, 2009) - TUNED the damn drums! Reworked bridge (bounced mp3 snippet).

 

 

And so on. BTW - little mp3 snippet bounces can be invaluable if you do multiple versions of songs and need quick references. Also, when you get to the end of the project, you can delete all of the versions that you no longer need and keep the ones that were key to the project. (Like the background vocals BEFORE they were bounced to stems, individual percussion hits, etc.)

 

Just an idea...

JG

[chrisbrownsound]

Logic writes a copy of the project file to the "Project File Backups" folder every time you hit Save. The files get appended with .00.logic through .09.logic. After saving 10 times the files start to be overwritten. So you always have a backup of your last 10 saves.

With Logic 9 we have the option to save 100 backups (as we had prior to Logic 8!).

This covers "the ability to roll back changes to 2 days ago".

 

Used in conjunction with Save As for "milestone" saves, you are pretty much covered.

 

Note that each time you Save As, a new Backup Folder is created, leaving your previous one intact.