Logic Pro 9 Creating a Project

[Pam S]

Hey, Y'all, I'm new to Logic (v.9); used Sonar a few years ago. I am a "traditional" musician - I write music on the staff. I have looked through the Users Manual and some other sources and cannot figure out how to work this the way I need to. (FYI - I'm using Firebox, so I do have midi capability, but I'm not much of a keyboard player; I'm a drummer by trade - retired musician.)

I want to add in an instrument (EXS24), then write what I want in the staff pane. How the heck do I do it? I have put instruments into EXS24 (I figured that much out), but that's as far as I can get. When I click the staff view on the bottom, it's blank, no staff, and it won't let me create anything. I need to be able to set key signatures and time signatures too.

Maybe I'm just dense, but if somebody can give me some basic instruction here, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

 

[Eli]

Create an empty region in the Arrange Window with the Pencil tool. Then drag out the right corner to the length that you want. This empty region effectively functions like a blank piece of manuscript paper. Now when you open the Score Window you will see a staff with all the empty bars corresponding to the bars in the Arrange Window.

 

[Pete Thomas]

This is a common question! You are not dense and welcome to the LUG.

I know that it doesn't seem too intuitive after using varous other programs.

There are quite a few of us here who use the score extensively and are happy to help you with this, but I think it really is imperative to sit down with the manual and read the score chapter while trying things out.

Once you've done that, please then fire away with the questions, honestly we will be very happy to help.

Key issues to get your head around:

Staff Styles
These defines the staff (how many, how many lines, clef, transposition etc.) There are plenty of ready made ones, but you can edit them and create your own by duplicating one of the supplied ones and renaming it.

As a drummer, also check the mapped drum styles and how to customise them. This is how you map MDI notes to look right on a drum part (e.g. you can make all several kick drums such as A#0, B0 and C1 all appear on the bottom space of your drum clef, and all snares C#1, D1, D#1 appear on the 3rd space or whatever you want). You can define whether to have rests or slashes where appropriate.

Score Sets
These define which of your MIDI instruments end up on the score, in what order etc.

Good luck and get back to us with those questions once you've scratched your head a few times over the manual.