Logic Pro 9 How to combine Varispeed song & non VS files :-(

[Roger Jackson]

I've been sent some songs for mixing. The backtrack song has been varisped, and a rough mix used as reference for the vocals, recorded elsewhere.

Now when I put the vocals files into the backtrack song, they (of course) don't fit, as they get VS'd as well.

My current solution: make all the audio tracks into Apple Loops, and then just change the tempo. Anyone got better? (=quicker)

Mixing a varisped track is not an option as not only is it sluggish, but the routing (to sub groups) seems to get ****ed.

Roger Jackson
Film Music
OXFORD UK

 

[bobdemaa]

That's an interesting dilemma.

I can think of a couple of things i would try to work around that.

1. Load the tracks into a sampler, get the start correct and then print the output to a new audio track.

2 Use ableton live and stream the audio from live into logic.

Let me know how you ultimately solved the issue for yourself.

 

[Eli]

If it were me I think I'd just bounce out each of the backing tracks (at least the audio tracks) at the varisped tempo as new audio files, and then just import everything into a fresh project and be done with it - and not have to worry about it for the rest of the production.

My experience is that if you try and take shortcuts at the early stages of a project, they will invariably come back to haunt to you over and over again throughout the project. Call it Eli's law :eeek:

 

[bobdemaa]

Too true Eli, too true.

 

[Roger Jackson]

Wise words Eli, (as usual!) and that's why I'm looking for a good way to do this, despite my client urging me to save time by mixing a backtrack in VS and overlaying vocals.

Although my initial wheeze of making the audio tracks into Apple Loops works just fine, bouncing out is probably simpler. I wonder if Apple Loops use the same VS technology to do their thing?
Further thoughts for those who are interested - There are a couple things I had to watch out for: You have to bounce *out* of the project - sadly, no Bounce-in-place or Export will do. Second if you want mono files, then you have to change your output fader to mono *and then use the "Bnce" button on that fader* otherwise you will get one-sided stereo files. Then you can replace the old files into the same song (now with a new tempo) with the VS'd ones, to work alongside any Apple Loops or MIDI tracks that will adapt themselves to the new tempo.

Roger Jackson
Film Music
OXFORD UK