Logic Pro 9 how would you do this?

[nozzles]

I'm trying to take advantage of some of the time-stretching/altering features in Logic 9. I have a studio stereo recording that was not done with click track. The tempo is a bit fast in addition to changes through the song - I would like to set it to a steady tempo etc. I was thinking of recording drum hits on a separate track to assess the changes and visually see how the tempo should be fixed. Is there a better way to go about this or am I missing out on a more efficient way?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Eli]

Beat mapping is one way to go, but it is not the way for you from what you describe. In fact it's the opposite. It would allow you to create a tempo map to follow the performance. But if you want to alter the tempo of the recording differently in different places, Flex Editing is porbably the best tool for you.

Calculate the tempo you want the track to be at. Place your file in and line up the first transient so it is starting right on the bar. Then, depending on the material, you'll probably be best served by cutting the file up into smaller regions. Say, maybe every eight bars or so. Then analyze it with one of the flex algorithms, adjust your transients in the sample editor window; and correct problematic areas by creating flex markers in the Arrange Window as needed.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Fwiw, this is one of the biggest shortcomings of Logic 9s Flextime.
I mean, what's asked for could be done easily and only using the already existing algorithms, just that there's no proper - hmmmm, let's say "user input interface" for it.
Ever since L8, beatmapping is pretty much what the doctor ordered (minus some niggles, as usual) when it comes to aligning Logics tempo track to "unclicked" recordings. It's absolutely easy to gasp and works quite well. Fine.
Then, with L9, we have Flextime - also working quite great.
Just that the two have no connection at all. Really, a missing link of the highest order - especially considering that all the technical "tools" are already there, under the hood.

As is, the way Eli described is pretty much the only thing one could do. Absolutely tedious - especially considering that all the tools are onboard already, even working quite fine.

There should be a (perhaps automated, at least alternatively) method to "link" transient markers to "time/bar events". That way one would beatmap a song, then bring all tracks into flex-mode, then probably do some manual adjustments (to link certain transient markers to an absolute bar-position) and then change the tempo to some fixed value (or any other tempo mapping). As said, everything's there already, there's just no link between the functions.

- Sascha

 

[Eli]

Ever since L8, beatmapping is pretty much what the doctor ordered (minus some niggles, as usual) when it comes to aligning Logics tempo track to "unclicked" recordings. It's absolutely easy to gasp and works quite well. Fine.
Then, with L9, we have Flextime - also working quite great.
Just that the two have no connection at all. Really, a missing link of the highest order - especially considering that all the technical "tools" are already there, under the hood.

When you think about it, Beat mapping and Flex Editing do the exact opposite of each other The way I see it, they are kind of mutually exclusive. One conforms the tempo to fit the audio. The other conforms the audio to fit the tempo. They really don't have anything to do with each other.

There should be a (perhaps automated, at least alternatively) method to "link" transient markers to "time/bar events".

This is what quantizing audio in flex mode is now, isn't it? The transient markers get linked to the time line by means of applying quantization.

 

[nozzles]

Thanks Eli, I had not anticipated segmenting the audio into bars - but as tedious as it will be, I suspect that it will be my best chance to have it done well. I'll give it a try ...

 

[Sascha Franck]

When you think about it, Beat mapping and Flex Editing do the exact opposite of each other The way I see it, they are kind of mutually exclusive. One conforms the tempo to fit the audio. The other conforms the audio to fit the tempo. They really don't have anything to do with each other.

I sort of agree, but I also disagree.
Sort of linking the two with each other could make a lot of sense.
Let's say you'd like to do a remix of a tune that has been recorded with no steady tempo/click. What you'd most likely do in the first place would be beatmapping. That way your audio events fall in place with Logics bar events. Pretty much a crucial (or at least extremely handy) thing. Working fine. Now, as a remixer you often might not like the original tempo (and/or the tempo changes). What to do about it? In Logic, you'd most likely just cut your regions by bars (or any other sub-division). After that, you might set your new tempo, which still leaves the regions at the old tempo, so you gotta stretch them (either using plain old stretching or flex time, the latter perhaps being the better algorithm but also bearing some uncomfortable aspects, such as it being rather weird to stretch an entire region already containing flex markers).

This is what quantizing audio in flex mode is now, isn't it? The transient markers get linked to the time line by means of applying quantization.

Not sure whether I'm missing something (obvious?) here, but, when you quantize audio, based on the transients, the files in question still won't automatically align to an entirely new tempo that you may set - or will they? If that was the case, things would indeed be rather easy. But I doubt it.

- Sascha