MIDI Editing - Logic vs other DAWs

[SimonK]

Hello all.

 

I bought Logic 7.2 a couple of months ago and I'm very happy with the purchase with the exception being MIDI editing. Unfortunately I find MIDI editing on Logic to be very counterintuitive.

 

It has been suggested to me that I should look into purchasing MOTU Performer. Before I spend the money on a second DAW I would like to get some advice from some of the more experienced users who can compare MIDI editing on different DAWs.

 

Basically I'm looking for:

 

1. Ease of use. I'm not a big fan of editing event lists (like Dr.T's in the 80's)!

 

2. I really like composition tools like randomization, humanize, and the apprigo. Logic has some of these features but they are in my opinion hard to use. I'm looking for something easy to use like Cubase SX's MIDI filters (Arpache, etc).

 

3. The ability to "lock" notes on the grid to preserve their timing and transpose with the mouse.

 

4. I read somewhere that MOTU has a feature that allows the user to choose a scale and then limits note entry to match that scale.

 

5. When song writing, I like to improvise with my MIDI controller over a particular section of an arrangement. I've heard that MOTU has an easy way to record multiple MIDI "takes" without having to stop, erase, and re-record.

 

6. Rewire support.

 

I'm running Mac OSX Tiger on a G4 1 Ghz PowerBook. Thanks for your help!

[Kouly]

Hello all.

 

I bought Logic 7.2 a couple of months ago and I'm very happy with the purchase with the exception being MIDI editing. Unfortunately I find MIDI editing on Logic to be very counterintuitive.

 

Hey Simon, You have only had Logic " a couple of months" by your own

admission. Logic is such Big Gun particularly with Midi. There is no way

you are going to learn everything in it in a couple of years much less a

couple of months. I have heard from many people that for midi Logic

is the best program there is. It has a STEEP learning curve which is why

you find it difficult now.

 

It has been suggested to me that I should look into purchasing MOTU Performer. Before I spend the money on a second DAW I would like to get some advice from some of the more experienced users who can compare MIDI editing on different DAWs.

 

Basically I'm looking for:

 

1. Ease of use. I'm not a big fan of editing event lists (like Dr.T's in the 80's)!

 

In two years I have never used the event list to edit midi.

 

2. I really like composition tools like randomization, humanize, and the apprigo. Logic has some of these features but they are in my opinion hard to use. I'm looking for something easy to use like Cubase SX's MIDI filters (Arpache, etc).

 

Logic has more abilities than any of these programs. It is not hard to use them

either. Tonight I played a rather fast keyboard solo, not very well by the way. In less than 2 minutes I had removed overlaping notes, quantized everything to 16th notes and reset all velocites to a range of 75 to 127. It does not get any easier than that.

 

3. The ability to "lock" notes on the grid to preserve their timing and transpose with the mouse.

 

Click the lock checkbox and select,click and drag in the matrix editor. (did you even look at any of the manuals?)

 

4. I read somewhere that MOTU has a feature that allows the user to choose a scale and then limits note entry to match that scale..

 

The Environment has the ablilty to do this and much more. Once you set it up

you never have to do it again. It is there for every song.

 

5. When song writing, I like to improvise with my MIDI controller over a particular section of an arrangement. I've heard that MOTU has an easy way to record multiple MIDI "takes" without having to stop, erase, and re-record.

 

Midi Preferences- Check Create new track and mute in cycle record.

Then just put Logic into cylce mode (push the cycle button) Set the length

of the cycle in the bar ruler. Then when you record at each pass Logic creates

a new track and mutes the previous tracks AUTOMATICALLY. You could record

50 takes without stopping if you want. It does not get any easier.

 

6. Rewire support.

 

Logic has that too. But Logic has to be set up for your way of working. You have to do the setup work.

 

 

There is a saying that goes around that says Cubase, DP, Sonar, Peak they are all like buying a suit from a nice store.

It needs to be adjusted a little to get a decent fit. Logic is like buying the material and the patterns. You have to do some work at the beginning but you will get a one of a kind custom fitted suit.

 

Hey if you want to spend more of your money, who am I to argue.

 

 

 

If you have any serious issues with Logic. (inexperience is not an issue with Logic that is a user issue.) You can always ask the helpful people on the Logic

Pro Users Forum on Apples website. They are more than glad to help you if you cant figure something out.