Welcome to the World of Audio
Sounds are all around us. They make our world interesting, informative, and engaging. It’s only natural to want to capture these auditory experiences—the sounds we like, the sounds we want to share, and the sounds we create. That is truly what audio production in Logic Pro X is all about: creating, capturing, and sharing sound.
Logic Pro X provides a robust platform for learning the fundamentals of audio production and improving the results of all your audio endeavors. This book has been written for readers who are new to Logic Pro X; however, the features discussed in these pages provide plenty of depth for experienced users as well. The included exercises can be completed with a basic Logic Pro X installation. No additional hardware or software is required.
With this book, you’re taking the first step toward discovering the unique capabilities of Logic Pro X software and unlocking your own audio creativity. Whether you’ve selected this book to use for self-study or have picked it up as the required text for instructor-led classroom training, you will find that it covers the principles of audio production from the ground up. It also gives you everything you need to know to fully understand the role of Logic Pro X in today’s landscape of digital audio workstations (DAWs).
Getting Started in Audio Production
This book teaches the basics of recording, editing, mixing, and processing audio and MIDI using Logic software. It also provides plenty of power tips to take you beyond the basics and unleash the true power of using Logic Pro X as a creative tool. Additionally, the principles you learn in this book will apply equally to other commercial products used to create, record, edit, and process digital audio. This means you’ll have a solid foundation, if you should supplement your work in Logic with another digital audio workstation in the future, or even find yourself working in a full-fledged commercial studio down the line.
Who Should Read This Book
Although this book is written to support beginners working with Logic Pro X software, the concepts apply equally to professional work on very large projects. As such, this book serves as a resource for users at any level. Learners who have been using Logic Pro X for years are bound to discover nuances in the software that they may have been unaware of or have not had the opportunity to explore.
This book is designed to help new and inexperienced users get started with little or no background knowledge. However, the scope is not limited to novice users who are experimenting with DAWs for the first time.
About This Book
This book is designed for use in a formal course of study. The text and the associated instructor-led course were developed by NextPoint Training, Inc. (NPT) as part of our Digital Media Production program and certification offerings. While this coursebook can be completed through self-study, we recommend the hands-on experience available through an instructor-led class with an NPT Certification Partner.
For more information on the classes offered through the NextPoint Training Digital Media Production program, please visit https://nxpt.us/DigitalMedia. For information on how your school can become an NPT Certification Partner, please visit https://nxpt.us/CertPartner.
Requirements and Prerequisites
This course does not require any specific background knowledge of computer systems, recording technology, or digital audio workstations. However, before starting to work with Logic Pro X, it definitely helps to have at least a passing familiarity with computer concepts and recording gear. If you consider yourself a novice in these areas, pay special attention to the first four chapters of this book.
To try out the concepts and complete the exercises in this book, you will need to use a compatible computer and install Logic Pro X software along with its associated audio resources. Details on computer requirements are provided in Chapter 1, and installation details for Logic Pro X are provided in Chapter 2.
If you will be using other connected audio or MIDI hardware, you may need to install device drivers for those components. Consult the documentation that came with your hardware or search the manufacturer’s website for details.
Media Files
This book includes exercises at the end of each chapter that make use of various media files. The media files can be accessed by visiting www.halleonard.com/mylibrary and entering your access code, as printed on the opening page of this book. Instructions for downloading the media files are provided in Exercise 1.
The media files for the exercises in this book have been provided courtesy of The Pinder Brothers, Eric Kuehnl, and Fotograf.
Course Organization and Sequence
This course has been designed to teach you how to get the most out of your work with Logic Pro X software. The material is organized into 10 chapters, as follows:
- ■Chapter 1. Computer Concepts—What you need from a computer
- ■Chapter 2. DAW Concepts—What you need from your DAW
- ■Chapter 3. Audio Recording Concepts—What you need to record audio
- ■Chapter 4. MIDI Recording Concepts—What you need to record MIDI
- ■Chapter 5. Logic Pro X Concepts, Part 1—What you need to know to get started with Logic Pro X software
- ■Chapter 6. Logic Pro X Concepts, Part 2—What you need to know to work with Logic Pro X software
- ■Chapter 7. Mixing Concepts—What you need to know to mix a project
- ■Chapter 8. Signal Processing—What you can do to optimize your audio
- ■Chapter 9. Finishing a Project—What you need to do to create a stereo mixdown
- ■Chapter 10. Beyond the Basics—What to explore to become a power user
Users who have experience with computers and other DAWs may wish to skim the first four chapters, focusing mostly on the details that are specific to Logic Pro X software.
Conventions and Symbols Used in This Book
Following are some of the conventions and symbols we’ve used in this book. We try to use familiar conventions and symbols whose meanings are self-evident.
Keyboard Shortcuts and Modifiers
Menu choices and keyboard commands are typically capitalized and written in bold text. Hierarchy is shown using the greater than symbol (>), keystroke combinations use the plus sign (+), and mouse-click operations use hyphenated strings, where needed. Brackets ([ ]) indicate key presses on the numeric keypad.
| Convention | Action |
|---|---|
| File > Save Session | Choose Save Session from the File menu. |
| Ctrl+N | Hold down the Ctrl key and press the N key. |
| Command-click (Mac) | Hold down the Command key and click the mouse button. |
| Right-click | Click with the right mouse button. |
| Press [1] | Press 1 on the numeric keypad. |
Icons
The following icons are used in this book to call attention to tips, shortcuts, listening suggestions, warnings, and reference sources.
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Tips provide helpful hints and suggestions, background information, or details on related operations or concepts. |
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Shortcuts provide useful keyboard, mouse, or modifier-based shortcuts that can help you work more efficiently. |
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Power Tips provide shortcuts and tips for power users that can dramatically speed up your work but that go beyond the scope of the current discussion. |
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Listening Suggestions refer you to audio examples that illustrate a concept or technique discussed in the text. |
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Warnings caution you against conditions that may affect audio playback, impact system performance, alter data files, or interrupt hardware connections. |
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Cross-References alert you to another section, book, or resource that provides additional information on the current topic. |
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Online References provide links to online resources and downloads related to the current topic. |