Balancing The Levels On Drum Parts. Options

[sus4]

I just got Logic 8 and it looks very cool.
I imported a SMF and Demixed By Pitch the drum parts because I want to adust the levels on all the parts.
Now all the parts are one channel 10 as you know. So, do I put all the parts on separate midi channels? That doesn't seen right because if I have many drum parts I would run out of midi channels.
So, how do I do this?
If anyone knows PLEASE, PLEASE, explain it to me as if you were speaking to a child. I'm serious. You really have to explain each step clearly. I've been looking thru the manual and I cannot see anything related to this.
Yes, it tells you you can do it, but doesn't really tell you how.
I'm very frustrated and I know many of you have been there too.
Thanks

sus4

[Mac Daddy]

Dear sus4... I think you are one of the Pioneers shifting into "Hyper Logic 8"... Please, please, please "Tell Us, when you find out".

"Grasshopper, breathe. Soon you will not only be able to grab the peeble from Logics hands, soon you will be skipping stones across ponds, lakes and oceans, but first you must breathe, not choke"... it will take some fiddling around for a few days, maybe longer. I'm not sure but I would "Think" ProVideo has some Downloadable Videos... Maybe for Logic 8... It can't be too much different than Logic 7?

I hope by time the Replying begins you have the problem solved. It can't be different, than Logic 7, it would be.... not Logical.

Breathe. Click. Have Fun... Does Logic 8 still have Undo History? I'm joking, it'll be cool, if you're really in a "Rush" take a "30-40 minute lesson. Might cost 20-25 dollars, jobs, euros?

[dixiechicken]

DC here!

You'll have to separate out the various parts and put them on different midi tracks - (NOT different midi-channels)
Since the the various instruments are mapped out on the keyboard on different keys - you dont need to
to use several midi channels for this.

You will have several miditracks on midichannel 10, but Track1 will have the bassdrum (BD) key C3 or C4.
Track two midichannel 10 will have the SD snare-drum mapped to key E3 or E4 etc etc.
( my example is taken from my own E-MU Proteus-2000 - other sound modules may have different mappings)
This may entail quite a bit of manual work.

The actual mapping will depend on - partly on if C3 or C4 is the middle C-key on your midi keyboard.
(common standard or Yamaha standard)
and partly on wich kind of drum/percussion set you're actually using.
(this last mapping is up to the various makers of the drumparts - I don't think there is a common standard for this)

Cheers: Dixiechicken!

[emgcarra]

Hi sus4:

As far as I know, best way to do that is making those midi files, brand new audio files...
How ?, Well if you have an interface, you could make the sound of the midi device go to your computer, one channel at a time (by muting others in the process) then you will have a bounch of audio tracks that could be
mix in any way you like.... Good Luck

emgcarra

[sus4]

DC here!

You'll have to separate out the various parts and put them on different midi tracks - (NOT different midi-channels)
Since the the various instruments are mapped out on the keyboard on different keys - you dont need to
to use several midi channels for this.

You will have several miditracks on midichannel 10, but Track1 will have the bassdrum (BD) key C3 or C4.
Track two midichannel 10 will have the SD snare-drum mapped to key E3 or E4 etc etc.
( my example is taken from my own E-MU Proteus-2000 - other sound modules may have different mappings)
This may entail quite a bit of manual work.

The actual mapping will depend on - partly on if C3 or C4 is the middle C-key on your midi keyboard.
(common standard or Yamaha standard)
and partly on wich kind of drum/percussion set you're actually using.
(this last mapping is up to the various makers of the drumparts - I don't think there is a common standard for this)

Cheers: Dixiechicken!

DC

I have all the drum parts on separate tracks (all on channel 10) but, how do I make one track louder than the other without making the other ones louder?

Thanks, sus4

Hi sus4:

As far as I know, best way to do that is making those midi files, brand new audio files...
How ?, Well if you have an interface, you could make the sound of the midi device go to your computer, one channel at a time (by muting others in the process) then you will have a bounch of audio tracks that could be
mix in any way you like.... Good Luck

emgcarra

emgcarra

I don't quite follow you. I'm using the "sounds" in Logic not an external module. I didn't record anything, I imported a SMF that I had in my computer and just separated the drum parts using "Demix By Pitch".

Thanks sus4

[ghess]

The sliders on a mixer are sending MIDI CC#7 messages which are channel messages. That's why when you move one track's slider, you change the volume of all tracks assigned to that channel. To mix these as MIDI, you'll need to edit the velocities of the individual notes.

The other solution is to convert the MIDI tracks to audio tracks. I don't use Logic, so I can't tell you how to do this, but in most DAWs it's possible to do it internally without going through AD/DA conversion. I assume Logic has that capability too.

George

This post has been edited by ghess: Sat 15 Dec 2007, 08:13

[Jim Hoyland]

As ghess points out, its not possible to send volume information to a single midi note on a midi channel, so using volume sliders or global volume settings won't work in this instance.

You really have two options when it comes to working with midi.

The first (and easiest) is to alter the velocity of the individual triggers. I'm still using Logic 7, but I assume that 8 still has a settings panel that opens when you select a midi track in your arrangement. This contains a velocity switch that works by adding or subtracting to the current velocity of notes with a part or track. In most instances this should be fine for rhythm parts, although sometimes changing the velocity alters more than the volume - for example, most electric piano instruments have less attack at lower velocity settings, sounding both quieter and "softer".

The other method is to directly edit the synth you're using to generate your drum sounds. Outboard and soft synths have a wealth of editable settings, and in relation to drum parts there should be the option to change the volume of individual notes. Without knowing the synth you're using I can't go into any more detail, but a thorough read of the manual should point you in the right direction.

[sus4]

I think I understand what you are all saying. I'm going to your suggestions and see which is the easiest, probably raising the velocities. I'll let you know the results.
Thanks for all your replies.

sus4

[emgcarra]

OK sus4, that´s a whole different story. As ghess and Jim Hoyland suggested, you´ll need to go to Hyper Edit and do a f...ing & boring job of manipulate volumen on each track, which is insane unless you ´d have a lot of time to do that job. You´ll find too, maybe sooner than later, that the response of each instrument will be also affected as they pointed out.
I asume tht you don´t have "Addictive Drums", which main feature is just that...letting you re-mix drums sounds...I don´t work there but it is a good piece of sftwr....
Sorry. I couldn´t be more helpful....... (We all are learning too)

This post has been edited by emgcarra: Sat 15 Dec 2007, 17:54

[makaala]

In Logic 7 and other sequencers, I have cut and pasted a complete string of individual notes (the snare) for example, and pasted it into another midi track and assigned another instance of the drum module (Ultrabeat). Then, you can add effects, compression etc, do your automated volume and or change velocities (louder in the chorus for example). If your computer has enough horsepower, this should work. In logic, you can make audio tracks of midi then "freeze" them to conserve your cpu. That would be a work around. Good luck!