Alright! You’ve optimized your Mac for music production thanks to the posts from the last couple of weeks. You’re using an external hard drive for both your Projects and Sound Libraries.
Now it’s time to optimize Logic’s Playback, Cycle Range, and more. This way you’re not wasting any precious creative time.
Often overlooked, many functions that live in the Control Bar offer tons of room for customizing. In fact, if you right-click (or just click and hold) on the following buttons:
- Stop
- Play
- Record
- Capture Record
- Cycle
- Replace
- Sync
- Solo
- Count-In
- Metronome
A drop-down menu will appear for you to further customize the response of each.
So if like me, you’ve ever wished Logic’s Playhead would return to its original position when you stop Playback, it actually can 🙂
You just have to let Logic know what you prefer.
Today we’re going to focus on the 3 most-used Playback functions:
- Cycle
- Play
- Record
And how to dramatically improve your workflow with each. Plus, we’ll customize the Metronome and Count-in as well for a much easier recording experience.
Hello Chris,
Thanks for all the massively useful information you share so graciously.
I looked at your post about changing the default behaviour of the Play button (Space bar).
I tried it for a bit but found it actually MORE limiting.
Logic, by default, allows you to play from your previous spot just by holding Option while pressing the Space Bar. Voila! What you want, with an easy keypress.
My problem with changing the default behaviour as you suggest is that I have not found a way to have the reverse option (i.e. Start from where the playhead is currently.) on the occasions you want that (which I find in about equal measure).
Because of that, I am going back to, what I consider to be, the more flexible option of remembering a very simple and easy to access key combination.
Nothing’s perfect. But you hit the spot time after time for me.
So, thank you, again.
Back when I started recording you had to wait for the tape machine to rewind and return to zero, or some other time marker. So to be able to click on any point in the arrange window and start playback is amazing. Being that I like to use a few tools in the toolbar, I keep it open. I sometimes select a region, hit Set Locaters, and theres your cycle loop. Zoom in and extend the region with 8 bars of intro and 4 bars or less out and now you’ve got a loop setup for vocal tracking, loop recording, etc. Click the letter C to toggle Cycle on and off.
I also like to jump back or fast forward ahead of the playback head while listening, so I’ll tap the keys next to the letter M on the keyboard. Each tap advances one bar. This will not work with Caps Lock on or the Typing Keyboard open (Command K).
I guess its an old digital habit of mine but I never begin recording at zero, so I rarely if ever use the LPX count in feature unless theres a specific need for it. I always set my own count in of 4 or 8 beats before any recording begins and toggle the metronome on or off in Simple Mode when I need it. I use Drummer a lot and this helps to keep Drummer aligned to the grid properly. I might also use Drummer within this count-in region in a way where I can create a fill or lead in to the song which adds another production element. Sometimes I’ll covert those parts to midi and use just a few drum hits to kick off the song.
Whenever Im recording and punching in, I do something similar to what I did back in the day using my index finger on those 24tk tape machine’s remote transport control unit—rollback to a good pre-roll position, press the green play button for play and hit the red record button to punch in and play to punch out. Only now its the space bar for play and the letter R on the keyboard to punch in. I like it much better than hovering over the record button and clicking a mouse. It doesn’t feel natural to me.
Whenever Im tracking I always have vocalists or instrumentalists sing or play along to the part we’re overdubbing so that it seems more natural when I do punch in and out. So using my hybrid technique on a wireless keyboard, I can roll back and forth () to anywhere in the song, hit the space bar, and when Im ready to punch in, hit the letter R on the keyboard, just the way I used to hit the red record button on the remote transport machine. I say hit instead of press because this was often a quick precise process with tape recordings and you needed to press/hit those buttons quickly and firmly. If you didnt punch in or out properly you would record over something and ruin the take.
Regardless of what Im recording and tracking, I always disable any plugins on the Master Bus and that usually eliminates any latency.
HI CHRIS!
Another really useful video. I’ve been trying to figure out some of these functions and I had no idea it was so simple. Thanks Again.
Gregg
Chris
I need a class to help me get iTunes ready projects
Glad to purchase classes , I have used logic for many years now and have done several albums that I have on CD baby , however I have projects I would like to have on I tunes
Thank you
Jackie