Basic help with Tracker and Logic

[kennyh]

I am newly up and running with SD3. I have been using SD2 for a few years for simple midi song construction using stereo outs only. My humble rig is an Imac 10.13.6, 003 rack, logic pro x 10.4.3. I am total beginner with Tracker and not a super skilled engineer.

My first Tracker replacement attempt was using a previously recorded drum take. I had kick, snare and 2x overhead WAV files to work with. I was able to go from an “ok for a live gig” sound to “wow that is record worthy!” The grid set up correctly right away also. Very encouraging! I had trouble figuring out what to do with my blended drums once I got happy with them. I had Superior running within Logic. The orig drum take was not to a click. I tried exporting the tracker midi file but it came out at the wrong tempo. I tried toggling the “follow host” button but ended up abandoning that route after a few fails. I then just recorded my Tracker blended drum audio to a stero track in logic.

My second attempt was with a stereo drum mix of a different song with a busy floor tom pattern and I did not have much success separating the snare drum out. The tune has a syncopated rhythm and I also could not get the grid lined up. Understandable.

Here’s what I am ultimately trying to accomplish: I want to record gtr, bass and drums live with no click in Logic and then blend the superior samples in on the drums afterward. I have 8 inputs to work with using the 003 rack. I’m thinking of going with 5x mics on the kit. Kick, snare, 2x toms and an overhead. That would leave me 2 tracks for guitar (mic and d.i. ) and a d.i. for bass. I may send the tracks out to be mixed in the end.

Some noob questions:

1. Does it seem likely that I would be able to get accurate hi-hat and cymbal tracking using just one overhead? My drummer uses only hats, a single crash and a ride cymbal. I understand that I would need to create 3 seperate tracks from the overhead in tracker.

2. How do I get the midi grid to line up correctly between Logic and Tracker from a click free recording?

3. If I want to send my songs off to be mixed afterward, how do I selectively export only the in-use drum channels from S3 mixer?

4. When I am editing in the Tracker window, how do I get the play head to stop going back to the start of the take every time I hit stop?

Thanks in advance for any time saving tips!

Topic

[Colin Ward]

Hey Kennyh

1. Make 2 copies of your overhead track in Logic so you have 3 in total.  Then edit the tracks by deleting everything but the crash cymbal hits in one track, everything but the ride cymbal hits in the second track, and delete the cymbal hits from the remaining track leaving the hi-hat hits.  Yes, you can do all this in Tracker but I am used to working this way.  Consolidate each of the tracks in Logic and export them to a separate folder.  Add them to tracker from here.
2.  Create a Tempo Map in Logic using the Overhead mic track.  This will capture your live performance. Add the Tempo map to Tracker and then add your audio files.  You should be able to find out how in You Tube
3. I bounce them down from SD3 individually into Logic.  Once again SD3 offers different ways to do this but I am also new to SD3 and hope to learn how to get full use of SD3, eventually.
4. I haven’t figured that one out yet.

I routinely do this for my band.  The drum tracks are completely replaced by SD3 and the Tempo Map captures the ‘live’ feel of the song.  Plus once you drag the MIDI from Tracker into the song track in SD3 you can go in and easily edit the drums.  My drummer gets really ticked off when I do this. When you have a tempo map in Logic you can now easily add Virtual Instruments to your song and have everything in time, like shakers, arpeggio synths etc.

Hope this helps

Colin

1

Thanked by: kennyh

[kennyh]

Colin,

Thank you for your detailed reply!

Still, there has got to be an easier way to accomplish this task. That is too many time-sucking, fussy hoops.

After getting frustrated with Tracker I ended up just using the double track feature within Logic to blend SD samples in with my original drums. Not as polished a sound but it saved me from chucking my Mac out the window!

I couldn’t get my logic tempo map to control tracker. User error I’m sure.

Kenny

 

 

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