Essential Logic Automation Tips/Tricks...Part1

Hey guys...I've recently been corresponding with a lot of well known producers and customers regarding a product I developed to called GridLok (www.keyfax.com) to get rhythmic 'automation lfos' within Logic.

Well, they've all had(even the pros!) various questions about GridLok and automation within Logic...so I figured I'd compile a cohesive list covering the various tricks/tips available within Logic as well as how to build GridLok seemlessly into your Autoload. Most of the tips/tricks are general and can be enjoyed by all Logic users (whether you own GridLok or not) so I figured it'd be useful to post.

Here goes...starts with an index too if you got a particular question and don't feel like reading the whole thing.


GridLok/Logic Quick Guide,Tips and Tricks:

INDEX OF TOPICS COVERED
1) The Real Benefit of Using GridLok (How to convert Object Control Data to Track Automation)
2) In order to take advantage of 'Sample Accuracy' (How to get your Automation sounding tight!)
3) To Copy/Paste and Move Data (How to get your Automation from one track to another)
4) To copy one parameter to another (How to change your volume data to cutoff for example)
5) The easiest ways to Trim Data (How can I bring the level of the whole Automation pattern down a notch, or change its 'width')
6) Building GridLok into your Autoload for seemless integration with Logic (How can I optimize GridLok to be a super easy, quick and creative tool)

1) The Real Benefit...

The real benefit to GridLok comes in V5 and up where you can convert object data (hyperdraw) to track based automation which is sample-accurate by using the OPTIONS-TRACK AUTOMATION-MOVE CURRENT OBJECT DATA TO TRACK AUTOMATION at which point what was Hyperdraw becomes Track Automation, free for you to copy/paste to any parameter automatable within Logic.
If nothings happening, make sure VIEW-TRACK AUTOMATION is enabled in the arrange and that the object and track you're trying to convert is highlighted.

But wait,

2) In order to take advantage...

In order to take advantage of the 'sample-accuracy' which becomes crucial with a lot of the GridLok patterns that have a lot of fast changes, you'll want to be sure that in your AUDIO preferences in Logic that Sample Accurate Automation is selected for VOLUME,PAN,SENDS and PLUG IN PARAMETERS so that things stay super tight!

Now that we're set up for everything to sound tight, lets look at all the various ways of copy/pasting one form of automation data to another.

3) To copy/paste and move data...

Now, to copy/paste and move data in between various tracks in your Logic song, you can go about it in a number of ways.

A) Create an empty Object (select the pencil tool and mouse click. then using finger tool drag) over the duration of the data you wish to copy and drag to your destination of choice in the arrange, at which point you should be prompted to copy/move the data. If you don't get this message its because under TRACK AUTOMATION SETTINGS you must select either ASK or ALWAYS: MOVE AUTOMATION WITH OBJECTS.

Open Automation Folder, only available as user-defined key command and copy/move automation data freely. This means you must go to PREFERENCES-KEY COMMANDS, search using the FIND box for AUTOMATION FOLDER and assign a key command of your choice.

C) Create an empty object, and MOVE CURRENT Track automation data to Object from OPTIONS-Track automation pulldown. Now, packed into an object you can just move that object where you like, or save it for later...copying it into your Autoload for use in other songs.

4) To copy one parameter to another...

If you'd like to copy one parameter to another (volume-cutoff, etc) there are a number of ways to do it. Here is the easiest two ways:

a) On your track, just below the track name, (if track automation view is enabled), you will see your current automation parameter...lets say VOLUME in yellow. While holding down the option key, select and hold VOLUME until the pop-up menu with alternate parameters shows up. Still, while holding option, select the parameter you'd like to convert to and you should be prompted to either 'convert or copy/convert' to your new parameter. Its really easy this way.

Automation Event List Editor: Available only as a user-defined Key Command. Open this window up, highlight the parameter you wish to change and hold down where the current parameter number is displayed (ie cutoff) to see the list of available parameters to change to. Then change.

5) The easiest ways to trim automation data are either in the arrange or event windows.

In the arrange, while inside the object's 'walls', holding the shift key and clicking with the pointer will allow you to select all the points you'd like to trim. Then simply pull up/down and it should work. The behavior is a bit funny though and takes a little experimenting to get used to. If you click from a low node and pull up, once you hit the ceiling you actually start to 'narrow the 'width' of your pattern, at which point you can pull back down from the highest node to get things back to where they were. Give it a try and it'll make sense.

Or, in the event window simply select the automation data and change the value accordingly. Here is where things get interesting if you open up the Transform pulldown and start messing about with the various transform maps (ie Crescendo, Rel. Crescendo, Double Speed, Half Speed). This is how all the 'grooves' created in GridLok were made. They sound great when used as sample-accurate automation, but a bit loose as MIDI data. If you're using hardware synths, you should mess about a bit sending a GridLok template to a synth that recieves CC data and just change NUM 7 Volume in the event list to your desired CC#. While you can use GridLok as a series of Volume Tremelo's/Gate's, things get really interesting when customizing patterns for automating specific parameters. This way, you can turn a simple synth into a dynamic synth with possibilities similar to that of Absynth, with its advanced envelope/lfo functions.

6) Building GridLok into your Autoload (default startup song) and optimzing it for quick access.

A) LAP Version 4 and 5:
(see below for V6)

If you don't feel like rebuilding your personal AUTOLOAD around the included GridLok file you can easily build GridLok into your current AUTOLOAD. Here is how.

1) Open your Autoload and create 15 NO OUTPUT tracks as the first 15 tracks in your arrange.
2) Option-Double Click on NO OUTPUT and rename GRIDLOK (for ease of use) and/or rename the individual tracks according to the corresponding note value (i.e. 1/4, 1/8th...) using shift double-clicking on NO OUTPUT.
3) Open GridLok and highlight all the patterns. Drag across or copy/paste (command-v/command-c) the patterns to the first 15 GridLok tracks. If you get 'not enough memory' error messages you may have to select half and paste half by half.
4) Highlight all the files and goto FUNCTIONS-PACK FOLDER. Rename the closed folder object GridLok by selecting the Text Tool and clicking on the closed folder object and typing.
5) Now, choose any available un-needed Screenset (use numeric keypad to scroll through Screensets) and goto WINDOWS-SCREENSETS-UNLOCK. Close any existing windows.
6) Goto WINDOWS-OPEN ARRANGE.
7) Deselect the purple link button in the left hand corner of the arrange window.
8) If you're looking at an arrange window that contains the open GridLok folder (that is, you can see all 260 GridLok Objects ) the folder is incidently open and needs to be closed by double-clicking a blank space on the arrange.
9) Now that you're looking at an empty arrange window, except for the closed GridLok folder object, repeat the above process in step 6 and create a second arrange (yes, Logic allows you to open multiple unique versions of the same window!!!).
10) Again, make sure that the link button is deselected in the upper-left hand corner on the newest arrange as well.
11) Now, go to WINDOWS-TILE WINDOWS HORIZONTALLY to neatly view both arranges. The top (depending on your personal preference of course) will be your actual song's arrangement window, while the bottom will serve as your template GridLok tool palette.
12) So, on the bottom arrange window, you'll want to double click on the GridLok folder object if its not already open, so that you see all 260 objects in the bottom arrange. Adjust the zoom to fit nicely all the objects.
13) Now, go to WINOWS-SCREENSET-LOCK and GridLok is officially built into your AUTOLOAD for instant access and use! When you're working on a tune and want a dotted 64th note sawtooth shape automation pattern all you need to do is select the assigned GridLok windowset, select the desired object and option drag to the desired destination. Once the object is in place follow the directions in 1) The Real Benefit... at the beginning of this tutorial to convert to track automation.

Version 6:

If you don't feel like rebuilding your personal AUTOLOAD around the included GridLok file you can easily build GridLok into your current AUTOLOAD. Here is how.

1) Open your Autoload and create 15 NO OUTPUT tracks as the first 15 tracks in your arrange.
2) Option-Double Click on NO OUTPUT and rename GRIDLOK (for ease of use) and/or rename the individual tracks according to the corresponding note value (i.e. 1/4, 1/8th...) using shift double-clicking on NO OUTPUT.
3) Open GridLok and highlight all the patterns. Drag across or copy/paste (command-v/command-c) the patterns to the first 15 GridLok tracks. If you get 'not enough memory' error messages you may have to select half and paste half by half.
4) Use Logic's HIDE function to HIDE the GridLok tracks.
5) Now, choose any available un-needed Screenset (use numeric keypad to scroll through Screensets) and goto WINDOWS-SCREENSETS-UNLOCK. Close any existing windows.
6) Goto WINDOWS-OPEN ARRANGE.
7) Deselect the purple link button in the left hand corner of the arrange window.
8) If you're looking at an arrange window that contains all the GridLok objects, the hide function is not on and must be turned on by clicking the H in the upper left hand corner being sure that it is yellow. The GridLok objects should disappear.
9) Now that you're looking at an empty arrange window, repeat the above process in step 6 and create a second arrange (yes, Logic allows you to open multiple unique versions of the same window!!!).
10) Again, make sure that the link button is deselected in the upper-left hand corner on the newest arrange as well.
11) Now, go to WINDOWS-TILE WINDOWS HORIZONTALLY to neatly view both arranges. The top (depending on your personal preference of course) will be your actual song's arrangement window, while the bottom will serve as your template GridLok tool palette.
12) So, on the bottom arrange window, you'll want make sure the HIDE button is deselected, so that you see all 260 objects in the bottom arrange. Adjust the zoom to fit nicely all the objects.
13) Now, go to WINOWS-SCREENSET-LOCK and GridLok is officially built into your AUTOLOAD for instant access and use! When you're working on a tune and want a dotted 64th note sawtooth shape automation pattern all you need to do is select the assigned GridLok windowset, select the desired object and option drag to the desired destination. Once the object is in place follow the directions in 1) The Real Benefit... at the beginning of this tutorial to convert to track automation.

Whoa, that was a mouthful! Did you make it?

Any questions, just ask...

Majool
www.majool.net
majoolmusic@aol.com

To buy GridLok visit: www.keyfax.com
GridLok is available for the MAC OR PC
And watch the DEMO VIDEO which is an EXTREMELY USEFUL TIME-SAVER