Logic Pro: Preparing to Mix Explained
Logic maven Chris Vandeviver delivers comprehensive Logic Pro video tutorials! Watch and learn everything you need to know to prepare your project for mixing, so you have the best Logic project environment and workflow, making it much easier to mix your music and get the best results. These videos are for those who are new to Logic Pro, but are familiar with its layout and have some prior experience using it.
Videos
• Introduction (00:36) - A quick hello & welcome from Groove 3 educator, Chris Vandeviver, who will be guiding you through this course.
• Recording Levels (06:46) - In this video, we'll examine a common question for Logic users. Is there a specific level that's best for recording? And if so, what is that level? In this video we'll demystify what the "best" recording level actually is.
• Double-Tracking (10:29) - Double-tracking, or recording the same performance more than once, is a great way to add both width and power to your tracks. But is achieving that double-tracked sound as easy as copying and pasting an existing track in your Project? In this video we'll examine the art of double-tracking.
• Color-Coding Your Tracks (07:05) - Organization is key to any successful endeavor. And an organized Logic Project paves the way for a successful mix. In this video we'll examine Logic Pro's Color palette and its nuances for color-coding your tracks and regions. Plus: a simple Preference you can enable so that Logic automatically color-codes your tracks in every Project.
• Naming (06:27) - Learn how to quickly assign names to both your tracks and regions in Logic Pro. Select groups of tracks and assign names in batches, or descending orders with a single click.
• Icons (03:46) - Now let's assign icons to all your tracks in your sessions so you know exactly what each track is in your session. Plus: how to create and load your own custom track icons.
• Markers (08:22) - Logic Pro provides 2 different types of markers for easy arranging and navigation. Arrangement Markers allow you to move entire sections of your songs with a simple click and drag. While the classic Markers are great for easy session navigation. Let's explore both in this video.
• Removing Silence & Dead Space (10:34) - Now that your Projects are organized, we need to eliminate any dead space or background noise from your tracks. Background noise can take away a professional sounding mix. And regions of mostly empty space obscures where performances actually exist. Let's use the Marquee Tool and Remove Silence Function to clean up your tracks.
• Fades (10:57) - It's crucial to the tracks in your sessions to use fades anywhere an edit has been made. Fade ins, outs, and crossfades ensure tight, seamless edits. Without fades, you run the risk of pops, clicks and bad edits all over your projects. So in this video we'll examine the Fade Tool, Inspector parameters, and Snap Edits to Zero Crossings setting.
• Mono vs Stereo Tracks (09:47) - Mono and stereo tracks are 2 very different things in Logic Pro X. Panning being chief among their differences. In this video we'll explore how to identify between mono and stereo tracks, how to switch a mono track to stereo (and vice versa), and how to ensure you're truly panning your stereo tracks.
• Track Stacks (07:30) - Track Stacks are wonderful tools that will organize, group, and route your tracks into collapsible and expandable folders. And Track Stacks allow you to process an entire group of tracks as if they were a single instrument. Get comfortable with Tracks Stacks in this video.
• Mix Levels Pt. 1 (09:43) - Similar to our recording levels question back in the 2nd video, is there a perfect level to set your tracks for mixing? First, let's examine the most important piece of the mix level question, and how to adjust the levels in your Projects to avoid the worst pitfall of mixing.
• Mix Levels Pt. 2 (09:57) - Now that we've covered the most crucial element of mixing levels, let's dig into the nuances of mixing levels. We'll examine several different plugins from Logic Pro and from 3rd party manufacturers to find out the answer.
• Sends, Busses, & Auxiliary Channels (07:35) - Sends, Busses and Auxiliary Channels are valuable tools in audio. But what do they even do? They allow you to route multiple tracks to the same destination, which in turn saves your Mac's CPU and lets you process multiple tracks together. In this video we'll demystify what Sends, Busses and Auxiliary Channels are, and how to use them.
• Bouncing Your Projects (10:27) - You've recorded with thoughtful levels, organized your session, cleaned up your audio, optimized your mix levels, and now you're ready to Bounce your completed mix. In our final video, we'll walk through the different circumstances for bouncing your Logic Projects, and the best settings for each situation.