Beat Mapping like a novice – Forum Post & Discussion Thread : macProVideo.com

JROD

Posts: 24

Joined: May 29th, 2008, 11:35

Beat Mapping like a novice

Feb 4th, 2010, 04:56

I'm just learning about beat mapping (Steve H's master class) and I'm having trouble making the leap. The composition I'm hoping to beat map consists of some guitar tracks and an audio (blue) drum track. I tried to set up a beat map and thought I'd use the wave form as my guide but when I tried to set the beat, i.e. move it I couldn't. In my tutorial he is working with a solo midi track and I'm working with all audio tracks. Do I have to convert my drum loop into an apple loop to make it subject to the beat mapping function or is there some other thing I haven't figured out. I hope this is clear. (I'm not familiar with a lot of the nomenclature) Thanks, JRod

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Rounik Admin

Posts: 8713

Joined: Dec 16th, 2006, 08:13

Re: Beat Mapping like a novice

Feb 5th, 2010, 03:09

Hi JRod, I've never tried to beat map a project full of different audio tracks. When beat mapping you're generally trying to map Logic's grid to one track... so I'd suggest bouncing your project to a single audio file and beat mapping to that one audio file/region. I'm not completely clear what you're trying to achieve with beat mapping... Can you describe what the issue is with your composition and what you would like it be be like... perhaps using flex (Logic 9) would be a better solution for example? :) Rounik

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JROD

Posts: 24

Joined: May 29th, 2008, 11:35

Re: Beat Mapping like a novice

Feb 5th, 2010, 04:00

Hi Rounik, My method of working is to find a drum track in my sample library and then compose a song using that as my beat. After I finished this song I realized that I'd gotten ahead of the beat so I wanted to go back and see if I could use beat mapping to adjust the tempo a bit and have that beat fall where it should. The drum track is an audio track (blue). The tutorial shows him adjusting the grid to the midi notes. My option, as this was an audio, was to use the wave form to guide me. So I set up the beat mapping option and tried to pull the grid markers to where I wanted them but they don't seem to move. Again, I think I'm either misunderstanding the concept or have left a step out of the process. Thanks, JRod

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Rounik Admin

Posts: 8713

Joined: Dec 16th, 2006, 08:13

Re: Beat Mapping like a novice

Feb 5th, 2010, 04:13

Hi Jrod, Do you mean that you created your project not to the metronome or your playing was slightly out? In Steve H's tutorial he describes beat mapping as 'Grid mapping' which I think is an excellent example of what it does. Beat mapping changes Logic's grid to match your performance (MIDI or audio). It will NOT affect the original audio/MIDI performance data (won't speed it up, slow it down, quantize it).... but it will change Logic's grid and therefore metronome/click to fall in line with the beat mapped section. It sounds like you may want to use quantizing and/or flex editing to place your performances on Logic's grid, rather than the other way round? Hope I haven't misunderstood your question... :) Rounik

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JROD

Posts: 24

Joined: May 29th, 2008, 11:35

Re: Beat Mapping like a novice

Feb 5th, 2010, 05:11

We're making progress. I'd send you the composition or tell you where to find it but I'm not trying to promote myself.... The problem with my finished product is that later in the song you can hear that the drum sample (which is looped throughout the composition) lags a bit. Maybe I couldn't hear it when I was recording or maybe its just because I've been known to pick up the tempo on occassion... I thought I could grid map the tempo to fix that but maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree." Maybe what I should be doing is trying to quantize that drum track and see if I can manually move the downbeat forward that little bit so it drops in where I picked the note on the performance...

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Rounik Admin

Posts: 8713

Joined: Dec 16th, 2006, 08:13

Re: Beat Mapping like a novice

Feb 5th, 2010, 11:26

Hi Jrod, You can upload the project here if you don't mind others being able to download it too... But I can't promise I'll have time to delve deeply into it for a few days... Are you running Logic 9? Because if so, it sounds like a job for... "Flex Time!" You can also split the drum track by transients and then quantize the regions if you want to map the performance to Logic's grid... :) Rounik

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