I am brand new to this stuff, and someone asked me why in the world I would want a software editor (Logic) with the motif?  Doesn’t the motif have it all?  What can the software do that the motif can’t.

And here’s a stupid question… If I save a SMF file from the motif on a thumb drive, plug the thumb drive into my computer (different location), pull up Logic 9...would it be better to edit a midi file or audio file?  If I want the two tracks I recorded to align correctly, i.e., right on beat, but I recorded it a bit off, what is the best way to handle that? 

I noticed that Logic 9 has Flex Time:

“Flex Time.
Flex Time is a collection of tools that allows you to quickly manipulate the timing and tempo of your recording for the tightest performance possible. Use the new Flex Tool to easily move the individual beats on a waveform — forget all that tedious splicing and editing. Flex Time combines beat slicing and elastic audio techniques into a single workflow. And you no longer have to master different techniques to correct drum, vocal, guitar, or any other kind of tracks. Best of all, your edits are always rendered in real time, even when you’re using the highest-quality setting.

Audio Quantize lets you fix the timing of an entire performance in one step, aligning notes and beats to a musical grid. Want to match your bass line to the feel of your drums? You can transfer the rhythmic feel of one track to another by creating a Groove template from the source track and applying it as a grid.”

Is this what I need. 

I own the motifxs8, HATE CUBASE, and was hoping logic pro might be the answer....easier?

P.S. I don’t plan on connecting my laptop to my computer, just want to do some basic editing via usb thumb drive…

Comments??
Thank you

jordygolfing,
I’m not sure Logic is what you are looking for either. Logic- and Cubase for that matter, are not software editors, they are both very powerful DAW’s- (Digital Analog Workstations).The list of things that a DAW can do that the XS can’t are too numerous to mention and include: Notation, Plug-Ins, Audio Loops, Advanced multi-tracking and multi-takes, advanced Mix Automation, better visual representation of MIDI notes and Audio Files. However, the XS is extremely powerful in itself and I dare say most users barely scratch the surface of what it can do…

I don’t quite know what problem you have with Cubase but, from what youve stated you want to accomplish, I don’t know if that would be enough justification for me to buy another DAW…

If I save a SMF file from the motif on a thumb drive, plug the thumb drive into my computer (different location), pull up Logic 9...would it be better to edit a midi file or audio file?

You would need to tell us that. That is, state exactly what you are trying to accomplish.

If I want the two tracks I recorded to align correctly, i.e., right on beat, but I recorded it a bit off, what is the best way to handle that?

I don’t plan on connecting my laptop to my computer

This would be to forfeit much of the power of any DAW… Are you unable to quantize via the XS?

Okay, what i was thinking is editing either midi or audio..  I noticed that Logic says that it can edit the drum and bass track’s so that the play smoothly.

This is all I’m interested in right now:

I have recorded a piano track and a strings track and I can’t seem to get my strings track to come in right on the the correct beat of the piano track.  I’ve tried the attack but it sounds choppy, I’ve tried not using the sustain pedal and playing legato.  I cannot use the metronome, so I DIDN’T begin the piano track on the any first beat so there’s a rest infront, so to quanitize...????? Don’t now.  I want to be able to drag my “note” in the strings track so that it aligns with the correct notes of the piano track.  Basically, I’m adding strings just to the meloday.  I have it as a mp4, if you have an email.  I also want to fade and fix it the string track to sound better than it does.

jordygolfing - 29 October 2009 12:51 PM

This is all I’m interested in right now:

I have recorded a piano track and a strings track and I can’t seem to get my strings track to come in right on the the correct beat of the piano track.  I’ve tried the attack but it sounds choppy, I’ve tried not using the sustain pedal and playing legato.  I cannot use the metronome, so I DIDN’T begin the piano track on the any first beat so there’s a rest infront, so to quanitize...????? Don’t now.  I want to be able to drag my “note” in the strings track so that it aligns with the correct notes of the piano track.  Basically, I’m adding strings just to the meloday.  I have it as a mp4, if you have an email.  I also want to fade and fix it the string track to sound better than it does.

All of these things you mention above are more MIDI functions, (not really something you’d do with audio unless you really had to) and can be done on the XS alone.

You basically list two requirements:

1) To move existing notes within the recording
2) ‘Fade and fix’ the string track

Moving notes within the recording can be done on the XS sequencer. Just select the track containing the note you want to move, navigate to a location (using the FF or RW buttons) just before the note you want to move and from the main Song screen, press [Edit]. This drops you into Event Edit mode which lists all of the notes and other MIDI data in the track. There are more details on page 192 of the manual.

To make the strings ‘smoother’ you could consider modifying the velocity range so that all the velocities are closer together. This can be done using a job in song mode:

Press [Job]
Press [F2] - Note
Select the Modify Velocity job

It is detailed on page 197 of the manual. I would suggest experimenting with an offset of about 20 and a rate of about 80% and see if this produces a desired effect.

Of course editing MIDI in a DAW is more comprehensive in Logic and you can drag and drop etc. to your heart’s content, but unless you already own Logic then the cost of buying it is hardly justified just to do a bit of MIDI editing (plus any DAW is a whole new learning curve in its own right.)

Doing the things you mention in the audio realm is unwise. The results will always be better if you can do it with MIDI thus producing ‘perfect’ audio when that MIDI data is converted to audio by the sequencer.

Df.

Dreamflight...thank you so much.  You should be the one writing these books and tutorials.

Since I’ve been experimenting in Logic and Cubase, I find myself less frustrated and WAY MORE intrigued.  I have a digital recording lesson on Logic this weekend cause I want to see what this is all about.  I guess I imagine myself sitting at my laptop “creating” as well as playing at my keyboard. 

IN your opinion DF, is Cubase or Logic more user friendly.  I ask this because I find the Mac SOOOOOOO much easier to navigate through and they use a ton of icons, which I find is easier for my brain to process. 

This is gonna sound weird, but I was born left handed and taught to be right handed and have had numerous tests in regards to left brain/right brain and unfortunately, up until this point, I find music challenging cause I can’t seem to stay in the right brain, However, since my exposure to digital recording, etc., last February, I am so intrigued and I guess it’s because this type of approach uses both my left and right brain...create the detail of the music…

Just a thought.

Jordy

jordygolfing - 30 October 2009 11:20 AM

IN your opinion DF, is Cubase or Logic more user friendly.  I ask this because I find the Mac SOOOOOOO much easier to navigate through and they use a ton of icons, which I find is easier for my brain to process. 

I use Logic Pro 9 running on a Mac Pro, and this setup suits me perfectly. I dislike Windows generally although I find it an excellent gaming platform on those rare occasions I actually play games. As for music, it’s Mac and Logic all the way.

I’d like to provide some context for my opinion.

I have university degrees in Computer Science and Software Engineering, both of which I completed in 1992. I have used just about every version of Windows both professionally and at home since the days of Windows for Workgroups. I have obtained Microsoft certification for every version of Windows from Windows 95 up to Windows Server 2003, and I currently have Vista and Windows 7 Ultimate installations at home, though luckily I’m now past the point in my career where I have to get any more Microsoft certifications so I’m not going to bother on that front ;-)

I dislike Windows. Always have. Before OS X came along I used to use BSD Unix as my general computing environment (I’ve always considered Linux to be a bit of a mess though it has lots of potential if they can clean up that oh-so-messy kernel).

I have been using Macs seriously for about 2 years although of course I have been aware of them for much longer. When I was in my teens the kid next door had an Apple LISA. I get more work done on a Mac than any other computer. Time is money and all that, and now I use a Mac for absolutely everything I can (which is most things). Even running Windows in a virtual machine on a Mac is preferable to running Windows on real hardware.

I find Logic is approachable, stable and well featured. I don’t think I’ve ever opened the manual. I installed it on the first day I got my Mac Pro and within 24 hours had already done a full test project and imported about 20 existing projects in from my hardware recorder without any problems.

I originally used Cubase way back in the days of 16bit micros on the Atari ST, before it could do audio. It was a great application back then. On the PC in subsequent years I tried several versions of Cubase (including AI4) and I really found it did not suit my way of thinking or working. It frustrated me and I ended up nailing the CD to a noticeboard as a reminder to stay away in future.

Logic was a breath of fresh air. It’s got it’s little foibles and issues of course, but it’s a joy to work with in my opinion.

jordygolfing - 30 October 2009 11:20 AM

This is gonna sound weird, but I was born left handed and taught to be right handed and have had numerous tests in regards to left brain/right brain and unfortunately, up until this point, I find music challenging cause I can’t seem to stay in the right brain, However, since my exposure to digital recording, etc., last February, I am so intrigued and I guess it’s because this type of approach uses both my left and right brain...create the detail of the music…

That doesn’t sound weird at all. I’m a real mixture of left and right handed. I’m right handed for handwriting and playing pool, I do archery and play any game involving swinging a club/bat (golf, baseball, cricket etc) left handed. My job requires an engineering approach for analysis but a creative approach for solutions. Similarly, when in my studio I like the engineering part as much as the composing part and usually spend an equal amount of time on both for any given project.

If you find you like working in Logic, then go for it. I know I do (although I do almost all my MIDI work on the XS). Whatever works best for you is the right thing for you.

For some that’s Cubase. But not for me.

Df.

One thing I would add though is this. You really do want to connect your XS to your computer in order to get the best out of Logic. Otherwise you are stuck with transferring MIDI files back and forth via USB or network drive.

Cubase AI does offer support for native XS data (songs) I think.

Personally I would recommend considering mLAN for connecting the XS to your Mac, as using mLAN you can transfer both audio and MIDI easily over one firewire cable.

Anyway, see how you get on at your Logic session this weekend, and take things from there. It’s definitely wise to explore options before spending the money!

Df.

DF.. I did it.  It was a no-brainer when it came to the Mac/Logic vs. Cubase/Windows approach. 

Apple has a One To One training in Logic or any other software I choose for an extra $100 per year and I bought it.  I will get the hands on training I’ve been dying for.  FINALLY.  I have dabled on the Mac and my first impression was “MY GOD, finally someone got it right”.  It was as if Apple has answers to your questions easily apparent and the navigation fit right with my own mind processing.

I pulled the trigger, am getting my MAC Book Pro on Tuesday, purchased Logic Express 9 and my training begins on Thursday.

I am pysched.  For as little different that I know in the two products, pc vs mac, I can’t believe how much different they are and I LOVE the Mac!!!  I little learning curve, but it will be well worth it I"m sure.

My session convinced me that Logic is my answer and MAC is truly a whole different experience, one which I somehow can relate to.  IT’s as if it reads my mind and it’s naviation completely runs parallel with my cerebral process....lol

Thanks for ALL your input.  You are soooo helpeful.  I hope you’re paid for this…