At the center of this whole crazy DAW universe is one important thing – recording.
Picking an input on your Audio Interface for your Logic Track. Make sure that input is the same where you have connected your instrument. Load your Neural DSP plug-in in the Audio FX slots on your left. Record-Enabling your Track in Logic, and Hitting Record. Install Logic Pro for Windows PC. As we have mentioned, you cannot install the app directly on your PC. For that you need to take the route of a virtual machine. A virtualization software will enable you to run Mac OS X, virtually on your Windows PC. Here is what you need to do: For the first step download a macOS HighSierra file. I have been using Logic Pro X for several months without any problems but now the Record Enable Button has disappeared. There is a space where it should be. If I choose 'Hide Record Enable' the space disappears, but choosing 'Show Record Enable' results in only a blank space where R used to be.
For a moment let's forget about virtual instruments, Flex, or Smart Tempo.
Voiceover There are a few features in Logicthat are kind of hidden features, but that will definitelywant to enable, especially producing electronic musicwhere we're working with a lot of midi data.One of these features is called capture recording.I'm going to show you how to enable that now.Basically what you want to do isgo into our control bar here, and we're going.
The ability to record drums, tubas or birds onto your computer is both fun and amazing.
With a microphone, interface and your computer you can paint a world in sound. That recording you got of a bird chirping can be thrown through an effects chain like a pinecone through a lawnmower.
And afterwards you might have the perfect sound for that new dubstep track you're working on.
Or maybe you just want a stress-free session for the band you're recording next week!
The great news is that Logic is fantastic for recording. The design and workflow makes recording about as hard as checking off items on your to-do list.
And even when do you hit a snag, Logic makes it easy to recover.
This post is the first of 2 that digs into my personal recording workflow. Here's what's on the itinerary:
- Logic Recording 101: How to Make It All Work (Part 1)
- The Perfect Settings and Modes For a Stress-Free Recording Session (Part 2)
- Damage Control: What To Do When Logic 'Stops Working' (Part 2)
Let's dig in:
Logic Recording 101: How to Make It All Work
Recording in Logic is pretty straight-forward when you know where to look. Setting up your recording session really boils down to a couple steps:
- Selecting your Audio Interface as the input and output device
- Choosing the best Buffer Size
- Picking an input on your Audio Interface for your Logic Track
- Record-Enabling your Track in Logic, and
- Hitting Record!
And once you've got the flow down, it's really no thang at all.
Audio Preferences
The Preferences menu is a place you're going to want to get cozy with. In fact, I visit it on a daily basis.
Because if you want to get audio from the real world into your computer and back out, this is the place to make it happen.
To start, head to the top left corner of the Logic menu bar:
What will appear is everything related to getting audio in and out of your Mac. And what's we're most concerned with is the Output and Input Devices.
These terms are very straight-forward. An Input Device is the piece of gear that will be recording audio into your Mac. And the Output Device is the device that will playback your audio when you hit play.
So when you click on the Output Device field, you should see a list of connected devices:
If you've connected your interface to your Mac, you should see it in the list. In the image above, you can see my Presonus Quantum interface listed as ‘Quantum.'
Now the cool thing is Logic allows you to choose different devices for both Input and Output.
So say you'd like to record with your interface, but listen back with your Macbook Speakers. You can! Simply choose your interface as the Input Device, and the Built-in Output as the Output Device.
But say you have headphones or monitors connected to your interface. In that case you'll want to choose your interface as both the Input and Output Device:
I/O Buffer Size
The next step is to set the Buffer Size.
Think of the waiting room at the Doctor's office. You walk in, you say hello to the receptionist, and they tell you to take a seat. And depending on how many other people are waiting, you'll have to wait.
(Have you ever not had to wait to see a doctor?)
Your Mac has a waiting room of its own, and that's the Buffer.
Your Mac is performing hundreds of tasks all the time. To manage all these tasks, it needs a way to prioritize the most important ones and postpone the less important ones.
Logic's priorities can change over time. When you're recording, you want your Mac to see Logic as #1. But when you're mixing, it can take a little more of a backseat.
Setting the Buffer Size lets you choose how important Logic should be to your Mac.
There's 6 values to choose from. The smaller the number, the less time Logic has to hang in the waiting room. And the larger the number, the longer it hangs in the waiting room:
- 32 samples
- 64 samples
- 128 samples
- 256 samples
- 512 samples
- 1024 samples
So if the smaller numbers mean Logic's more of a priority, why not just choose 32 samples?
Well, sometimes waiting is a good thing.
32 samples means Logic barely has to wait. If you have lots of tracks, this can crush your Mac's processing. And the result will be a System Overload. Your Mac will choke under the pressure.
So you say fine, let's choose 1024 samples just to be safe.
But at 1024 samples, you'll run into Latency. Latency is an audible delay in playback or processing.
Ever record a singer who says that their singing sounds delayed in their headphones? That's latency.
And latency can make recording impossible since the timing is all messed up between the singer and Logic.
Setting the Buffer Size is a dance. You're aiming for the lowest Buffer Size possible without any hiccups.
System Overloads or pops and clicks in the audio are things to avoid.
Nine times out of ten I'll use 128 samples for recording, and 1024 for mixing.
Assigning Your Track's Input
Now that you've sorted out your:
- Input and Output Devices, and your
- Buffer Size
It's time to connect your Track's Input to your Interface.
Logic can't always guess which input you want to record with. So it's up to you to let Logic know.
It's important that you're familiar with your Audio Interface's channels. For example, my Quantum has 8 mic/instrument inputs.
So if I plug my mic into Input 1, I'll want to set my Logic Track to that same input.
To do this, select your chosen Track on the Arrange Page. To the left you should see your Track's Channel Strip in the Inspector:
If you don't see the Inspector, use Key Command I to reveal it. Or view the track in the Mixer using Key Command X.
Towards the top of the Channel Strip you'll see a field labeled as Input. Click on this field, and Logic will show you a list of all the available Inputs you have from your interface:
Go ahead and choose the same input that you plugged your mic or instrument into. Now Logic is ready and waiting to record any audio from your chosen Input.
Arming Your Track
Even though you've told Logic which input you want to record with, Logic still needs to know when you want to record from that input.
By Arming or Record-Enabling your track, you're telling Logic 'I want to record this track.'
It's simple, really. If you've got your Audio Device and Input set up correctly, your Track should have an 'R' icon in the header or Channel Strip:
‘R' stands for ‘Record-Enable.' And by clicking on that icon, Logic is now listening and waiting to record that track.
Make sure to play or sing a little to double-check all is well! If you've followed the steps in this post, you should see a green signal on the meter:
The goal is to get a nice, healthy level without hitting the red on the meter. A great level is between -12 and -3 dB on the meter.
Record Enable Logic Pro Xp
If the meter lights up in red, your signal is too loud:
Logic can't exceed 0 dB. It's a fact we all have to live with. So any signal that hits the red will meet an unfortunate end.
That is, Logic will saw off the signal right at 0 dB.
The result? Distortion. Nasty digital distortion that will make your track sound like it's going through a digital bee's nest. This is typically not favorable.
Bottom line: Use the gain knob on your interface to turn that signal down below 0 dB on the Logic meters!
Record!
Ready to record some sweet riffs?
Hit Key Command R, and Logic will begin recording. Jam to your heart's content!
Your tv is now a computer. And once you're done, hit Spacebar to stop recording.
Conclusion: Part 1
In Part 1 of exploring Logic's record workflow, we dug into:
- Selecting your Audio Interface as the input and output device
- Choosing the best Buffer Size
- Picking an Input on your Audio Interface for your Logic Track
- Record-Enabling your Track in Logic
- Setting a healthy Level for your track, and
- Hitting Record!
In Part 2, we'll dig into more advanced tactics for a stress-free recording session 🙂
Some things should just work, amirite?
Let's say you're about to record some vocals. You've got the headphones on. The mic's powered up, and you're ready to roll.
You hit record, and the track starts to play. The first chord of the verse starts up, you take a breath and…
Nothing. Not a single word you sing comes through the headphones.
What the heck? You play back the track. Clearly you recorded something. You can hear it!
But why can't you hear it while you're singing?
So you take a trip down the Google Hole. 2 hours later, you have the dang mic coming through the headphones.
But now there's a new problem.
Instead of hearing your singing while you're singing, it's delayed in your headphones. Or even worse, you're hearing double.
w.t.f.
At this point you're convinced that either:
- Your interface is busted, or
- Logic is a crap DAW.
Either way, your urge to kill is rising:
Recording Without the Hassle
First of all – you're right. Things should just work the way you expect them to. Especially when it comes to recording.
Elder scrolls mythology. The good news is that everything you need is literally a click away.
Logic has several Modes for a stress-free recording session. And they're sooo close by, it's easy to miss them:
Those buttons aren't there just to look good. They're huge to your recording life. Get to know these babies, cause they can save you a lot of headaches.
Software Monitoring: The Ghost in the Machine
Hearing you mic or instrument in Logic can feel surprisingly complicated.
But it's really not a big deal. The hard part is knowing what the heck it is you're looking for.
This obvious but 'tough' thing you're trying to do is called Software Monitoring. You're trying to monitor your instrument through the software.
Or to put another way:
You're trying to listen to your instrument through Logic.
Once you know what you're after, it's easy to get things working.
All the Logic Modes hang out in the upper right hand corner of the Arrange Window. And Software Monitoring looks like a speaker:
If you don't see the Software Monitoring button, you'll need to dig it up.
Do this by Control-Clicking or Right-Clicking in the top part of the Arrange page, and select Customize Control Bar and Display…:
A window will now open, and all the way to the right is the Modes and Functions:
When you select Software Monitoring, the button will appear in the Control Bar.
With Software Monitoring enabled, any track that you Record-enable will be audible through your headphones and monitors.
To Record-enable your tracks, Click on the red R button in the Track Header.
Input Monitoring
Now with Software Monitoring you should be all set to hear your tracks through Logic.
But let's say you want to hear your microphone or instrument, but don't necessarily want to record. In that case you can enable Input Monitoring for your selected tracks.
Record Enable Logic Pro X10
It's a subtle difference, but one worth noting when it comes to monitoring your tracks through Logic:
- Enable Software Monitoring to turn on the whole system so you can hear your microphone or instrument through Logic and your plugins
- Record-Enable any tracks you want to hear and intend to record to
- Enable Input Monitoring for any tracks you just want to hear, but not record with
You can find Input Monitoring in the Track Header as an orange button with the letter 'I':
If you can't find it, you'll need to Configure the Track Header. To do that, use Key Command Option-T to open the Track Header menu:
At the bottom of the Buttons list is Input Monitoring. Click the box next to it and you should now have a shiny new orange button in the Track Header!
Pretty easy, right?
- Flip Software Monitoring on for the whole project, and
- Turn Input Monitoring on for the tracks you want to hear.
Managing Latency
Ah, but if only it were that easy.
Cause depending on your recording interface and Mac, there's a tango you'll have to dance.
Monitoring through Logic introduces a phenomenon called Latency. Latency is an audible delay of your mic signal.
For example: You try singing into the mic, and your voice comes through the headphones milliseconds after.
It's pretty hard to get into the groove if your vocals sound off the whole time!
So how do you deal with latency?
Well. It depends.
The best approach always starts with adjusting Logic's Buffer Size.
I've gone over the Buffer many times on the site, so I won't belabor the point. But if you're not familiar with the Buffer, I suggest reading this post.
Head up to the main menu bar at the top and dig into:
Logic Pro X > Preferences > Audio
Within the Audio Preferences menu is a field labeled the I/O Buffer Size. And within that menu are 6 values measured in samples:
- 32 samples
- 64 samples
- 128 samples
- 256 samples
- 512 samples
- 1024 samples
The rule here is the smaller the number, the less Latency you'll have to deal with. But the smaller the number, the more you risk the chance of crippling your Mac with System Overloads.
So you'll have to perform a balancing act:
- How small a buffer is small enough to eliminate the latency problem? And,
- How small is too small for your Mac to handle?
For my system, I record at 128 samples without any noticeable latency.
Which is awesome, cause then you can record with plugins 🙂
Recording With Plugins & Low Latency Mode
What's so cool about Software Monitoring is you can take advantage of the awesome plugins and routing in Logic.
If you need some reverb or delay to feel comfortable performing – throw it on your track! Let that reverb wash your self-doubt away.
Having a hard time hearing yourself in the mix? Throw on the Compressor to level out and bring out your performance.
Get as Plugin or Bus crazy as you like!
So you go to town. You're throwing in plugins left and right. Once you've nailed the sound you're after, you get ready and hit the record button –
But plot twist! There's that Latency again!
It turns out Plugins and Busses can add latency too. And since you've gone buck wild on your recording session, it can be a real pain to track down what's screwing things up.
To save you precious minutes of your life, Logic has a Low Latency Mode:
With the single click of a button, Low Latency Mode turns off all Latency-inducing plugins and routing:
Any Plugins that causing latency in your session are muted. Logic greys out the plugin buttons and changes the labels to orange to let you know they're muted because of the latency they introduce.
In the case of busses Logic doesn't mute busses. But instead optimizes their timing so you don't experience latency on your Reverb and Delay Channels.
Thanks to Low Latency Mode all is well, and you can enjoy latency-free recording within Logic.
Once you're done tracking, just turn off Low Latency Mode. And now all your Plugins and routing are back in action.
Enter: Your Recording Interface
The other factor in the latency equation is your recording interface.
If you've followed everything above and you don't hear any noticeable delay – sweet! Your job is done and life is beautiful.
But if you've followed everything above and you're still having problems, then you've got a bit more to go.
Direct Monitoring
For some of us no matter what we do with the Buffer, Low Latency Mode, or anything else – Latency is just a fact.
Oftentimes the culprit is a Project that has become far too big to manage effectively. By 'too big' I mean either:
- tons of tracks
- tons of software instruments
- tons of plugins and routing
(And usually it's all of the above.) 3d house layout maker.
Another reason could be the combination of your interface and Mac. A slower connection like USB 1.0 or an older Mac just isn't as fast as a new Mac or Thunderbolt connectivity.
Whatever the case, interface manufacturers needed a way to get around the latency problem.
It turns out Plugins and Busses can add latency too. And since you've gone buck wild on your recording session, it can be a real pain to track down what's screwing things up.
To save you precious minutes of your life, Logic has a Low Latency Mode:
With the single click of a button, Low Latency Mode turns off all Latency-inducing plugins and routing:
Any Plugins that causing latency in your session are muted. Logic greys out the plugin buttons and changes the labels to orange to let you know they're muted because of the latency they introduce.
In the case of busses Logic doesn't mute busses. But instead optimizes their timing so you don't experience latency on your Reverb and Delay Channels.
Thanks to Low Latency Mode all is well, and you can enjoy latency-free recording within Logic.
Once you're done tracking, just turn off Low Latency Mode. And now all your Plugins and routing are back in action.
Enter: Your Recording Interface
The other factor in the latency equation is your recording interface.
If you've followed everything above and you don't hear any noticeable delay – sweet! Your job is done and life is beautiful.
But if you've followed everything above and you're still having problems, then you've got a bit more to go.
Direct Monitoring
For some of us no matter what we do with the Buffer, Low Latency Mode, or anything else – Latency is just a fact.
Oftentimes the culprit is a Project that has become far too big to manage effectively. By 'too big' I mean either:
- tons of tracks
- tons of software instruments
- tons of plugins and routing
(And usually it's all of the above.) 3d house layout maker.
Another reason could be the combination of your interface and Mac. A slower connection like USB 1.0 or an older Mac just isn't as fast as a new Mac or Thunderbolt connectivity.
Whatever the case, interface manufacturers needed a way to get around the latency problem.
The solution was to provide you with a separate Mix Software for Direct Monitoring.
Direct Monitoring is the opposite of Logic's Software Monitoring. Instead of listening to your track through Logic, you hear it directly from your interface.
For example, here's MOTU's CueMix Software:
With CueMix you can dial in the direct signal from your interface and skip Logic entirely.
Direct Monitoring has its advantages. Namely – you don't have to deal with Latency! The bummer is that you don't get to take advantage of recording with Logic's plugins.
So if your vocalist wants to sing with reverb or compression, you're out of luck.
But it's always better to have something instead of nothing. So if you haven't downloaded your interface's mix software – do it!
Just make sure to turn off Software Monitoring if you do use Direct Monitoring. Or you'll hear both the Direct Monitoring signal and the Software Monitoring signal at the same time.
The result will sound like your vocals are going through a phaser pedal.
Trippy, but not helpful.
Conclusion
Monitoring may seem complicated, but it doesn't have to be. Between Software and Input Monitoring, it's really quite easy.
Things get a little more complicated when you have to think about Latency. but thankfully Logic gives you several ways to manage Latency:
- I/O Buffer Size
- Low Latency mode
Based on your Mac and interface, you may need to find a different way to manage your monitoring latency.
That's why you should always download your interface's mix software!
