Electronic Music, Unit 2

Assignment 1, first Logic assignment:

Assignment 2, definitions of terms

Pt.1 - General tools

Pointer Tool - The Pointer is the default tool when you open Logic Pro. You can use the Pointer tool to:

Select events, regions, or other items by clicking them. You can select multiple items by holding down Shift and dragging around the items.
Move items (by grabbing and dragging).
Copy items (by Option-dragging).
Change the length of items (by grabbing the bottom-right or bottom-left corner and dragging).
Loop regions (by grabbing the upper-right corner and dragging).

The pointer also takes the shape of this tool when outside the working area, when making a menu selection, or entering a value.

Pencil Tool - The Pencil tool is used to add new regions or events. You can also select, drag, loop, and alter the length of regions or events using the Pencil tool.

Eraser Tool - The Eraser tool is used to delete selected regions or events. When you click a region or event with the Eraser tool, all of the currently selected regions or events are deleted (similar to pressing the Delete key). The Eraser tool can also delete an unselected region or event by clicking it.

Text Tool - The Text tool is used to name regions and other items, or add text to a musical score.

Scissors Tool - The Scissors tool is used to split regions and events, allowing individual sections to be copied, moved, or deleted.

Glue Tool - The Scissors tool is used to split regions and events, allowing individual sections to be copied, moved, or deleted.

Solo Tool - Click-holding a region with the Solo tool lets you listen to the selected region or event apart from the rest of the project. Moving the mouse horizontally also scrubs any events the pointer touches.

Mute Tool - Clicking an event or region with the Mute tool prevents it from playing. You can unmute the region or event by clicking it a second time with the Mute tool. If multiple regions or events are selected, the mute state of the clicked region or event applies to all selected regions or events.

Zoom Tool - The Zoom tool allows you to zoom (up to the full window size) by dragging to select a specific region. You can revert to the normal zoom level by clicking the window background with this tool. You can also access the Zoom function—even when other tools are active—by pressing and holding Control-Option. When the pointer is over an empty part of the Tracks area, Piano Roll Editor, Score Editor, or Step Editor, you can access the Zoom function by pressing and holding Option.

Fade Tool - The Fade tool has the power to create, edit, or delete fades, or use to change the shape of fade curves. You can also use the fade parameters in the region inspector.

Automation Select Tool - The Automation Select Tool can select automation data and create nodes at region corners.

Automation Curve Tool - Building on to what the Automation Select Tool can do, the Automation Curve Tool can bend the line between two automation points.

Marquee Tool - The Marquee tool allows you to select and edit region parts by dragging across them.

Flex Tool - The Flex tool provides you with quick access to fundamental Flex editing functionality, without having to turn on Flex view in the Tracks area.

Pt.2 - inside "Global Tracks"

Arrangement -

You can add arrangement markers to a project to create different sections, such as an intro, verse, and chorus, and then move the sections in the Tracks area to quickly rearrange the project. Arrangement markers can be particularly useful when you have added some material (recordings, loops, or media files) to the project and want to try out different arrangements.

By default, arrangement markers are eight bars long. The first arrangement marker begins at the start of the project. Each additional arrangement marker you add starts at the end of the previous one, with no space between. Arrangement markers are most useful if you add them to every section of the project, so that you can rearrange the entire project.

You add and edit arrangement markers in the arrangement track, which appears at the top of the Tracks area. When you add an arrangement marker, it is eight bars long. You can resize it to cover the section of the project you want it to include, and rename it to reflect its place in the project.

Marker - You can use markers to tag different parts of a project, and quickly select the parts for playback, arranging, and editing. Markers can help you organize your project, and also act as storage areas for locator positions.

Signature -

Time and key signatures are global events that affect all tracks in a project. When you create a new project, you can set the time and key signature in the Project Chooser. You can view time and key signatures in the Signature track, the Signature List, and the Score Editor, and add and edit signature changes in a variety of ways.

The initial time signature and key signature are project properties. For information on setting the initial time and key signature, see Project properties overview.

When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, the Signature track and Signature List are available so that you can create time and key signature changes.

Time signatures

Time signatures determine the number of beats in each bar (as shown in the ruler), and so define the editing grid in the Tracks area and the time-based editors (including the Audio Track Editor, Piano Roll Editor, and Step Editor). Time signature changes do not affect the playback of audio or MIDI regions.

In addition to the ruler, time signatures affect the score display. All functions that rely on the chosen time signature and bar positions (such as MIDI metronome click or Transform window functions) are affected if bar positions are used to restrict a function to a certain part of the project.

Key signatures

When you create a project, the key signature defaults to C major, unless you choose a different key signature. The initial key signature affects the playback of Apple Loops in the project. Key signature changes affect the display of MIDI notes in the Score Editor, but do not have an effect on MIDI playback.

You can add any number of key signature changes to a project. When you add a key signature change, it changes the key from the insertion point forward, until the next key signature change is reached.

You can store up to nine signature sets, which are reflected in the Signature track, Signature List, and Signature window.

Tempo - In the Tempo track, tempo changes are represented by tempo points. You create tempo changes by adding tempo points and editing their values. You can expand the Tempo track to give yourself more room to work, and adjust the range of values for the Tempo track.

The Tempo track also determines the relationship between incoming timecode and the current playhead position, for projects using timecode.

Pt.3 - The four windows to the upper right

List Editors Button - The Event List shows all the events in your project, such as MIDI note events or region start events, in a vertical list format. You can use it to make precise edits, and for other tasks better suited to numeric rather than graphic edits. You can display all events or limit them by category.

Note Button - You can create, view, and edit notes for a project in the Project Notes pane. Each project can contain one set of project notes.

Loops Button - The Loop Browser makes it easy to find Apple Loops and add them to your project. You can browse for loops or search using various criteria, preview matching loops, and add them to your project by dragging them into the Tracks area.

Browsers Button - The Media Browser and All Files Browser are your first port of call for browsing and previewing media files. Use the Media Browser to find and import songs from your iTunes library and movies from your Movies folder. You can use the All Files Browser to access all supported media files on the local hard disk, home directory, or current project folder.

Pt.4 - The tools inside the track window

Inspector - You can view and edit parameters for regions, tracks, and other items in the various inspectors. The parameters displayed depend on the type of item selected, and which working area has key focus.

Setting - Use to load, browse, or save channel strip settings for the selected track. These settings represent the entire routing configuration of a single channel strip, including plug-ins and their settings.

Gain Reduction Meter - Displays the gain reduction of the first Compressor or Silver Compressor plug-in in the channel strip. If neither is inserted, the meter should display the gain reduction of an inserted Limiter or Adaptive Limiter plug-in.

EQ - The Channel EQ is an audio effect, like any other. In most mixing situations, it’s used as the first effect on a channel strip, allowing you to shape the sound of individual channel strip signals, or for tone-shaping on an overall project mix, before applying other effects. The graphic controls make it easy to view and change the audio signal in real time.

Input - Choose the channel strip’s input source—the input source that your microphone or instrument is connected to.

Audio Effects - Inserts an audio effect into the channel strip. Use effects to alter signals in real time.

Send - Routes the signal to an aux channel strip. The Send Level knob that appears defines the amount of signal to route. Use sends to process effects for multiple signals at the same time.

Output - Choose the channel strip’s output destination—where the channel strip signal is sent to.

Group - Controls a channel strip’s group assignment. Use the Group Settings window to define which parameters are controlled for the entire group at once.

Automation - Sets how channel strip and plug-in changes are handled during recording and playback.

Pan/Balance - Sets the channel strip signal’s position. On mono channel strips, it controls the signal’s left/right position. On stereo channel strips, it controls the balance between the left and right signals.

Volume display - Shows the playback volume.

Peak level display - Updates during playback to show the highest peak level reached. A red display indicates signal clipping.

Input Monitoring - Allows you to hear incoming audio on audio tracks that aren’t armed for recording. Use to set audio levels or to practice parts before recording.

Record Enable - Arms the track or channel strip for recording.

Mute - Removes the signal from the overall composition so that it can’t be heard.

Solo - Isolates the signal from the overall composition so that it can be heard alone.

Bounce - Bounces the output of any output channel strip to an audio file.

Pt.5 - Automation

Explore Automation in depth. What happens inside each track when automation has been turned on?

When "Automation" is turned on, a line appears for whatever you're trying to automate. You can click to create dots on the line and then drag those dots into position. The line always connects the dots from left to right. The way this works if, for example, you were trying to automate volume, if a position on a line is higher than the center of the track, the volume will be louder at that position, and if the line is lower, the volume will be lower.

*** All information comes from Logic's "Quick Help" function ***

Assignment 3, complete Logic project

Screenshot: http://i.imgur.com/GBXVOA5.png

Assignment 4 quiz,

first try: 88%

second try: 100%

(sorry for no screenshots, but for some reason both the files were saved as .pdfs on the computer instead of an image file format like .png)

Assignment 5 questions,

1. Are you ahead or behind the due date for this assignment? We started this week on a Tuesday because of Labor Day, and it took me two class periods to watch the resource videos and do Assignment 1. I knew I only had two days left to do the other four assignments and so I scheduled Flex block time for Thursday. I did the entirety of Assignment 2 in the flex block and Assignments 3 and 4 in the class period that day. Then, I found out the Unit is actually due on Monday. but I am about to finish it today (Friday). So, I am actually ahead of schedule!

2. Did you do any work at home? I wanted to do Assignment 1 over the weekend to make it easier for myself, but copies of the program cost $40 for a Windows computer!!! This unfortunately made it so that I could only use the program in class so it was impossible for me to work from home.

3. Was the material easier or harder than you expected? There were some really tight directions that had to be followed in Assignment 1 and it took longer than expected, but difficulty level was no surprise. Assignment 2 was a bit dull but I learned a lot about the software while figuring out the answers, which then made Assignment 3 fun and easy. Still, the material in the Assignment 4 test was surprisingly hard, but I did it!

4. Did you take notes as you learned new material? Well, I wrote a lot for Assignment 2 and that was enough. There was one resource video that suggested I take notes on the Transport bar and covertly, everything else, but I didn't. I remembered enough from the videos and learned enough from writing Assignment 2 that I could pass the quiz with a decent score.

5. When you got confused, how did you manage to solve your questions? There were a few times where I didn't know what to do early on, in Assignment 1. For example, I didn't know how to use this "fade tool" to fade a section of the Piano track. To solve all my questions, I searched them on Youtube. For Assignment 2 onwards, I did not need to search everything.