Logic Pro (X) Marker Track

[Jay Denson]

I have a tune with a bunch of tracks and a marker track. I have moved all the regions forward by a bar. Is there a way of making the marker track follow without having to move every marker?

TIA Jay

 

[Peter Ostry]

Instead of moving regions and markers separately:
Select all and "Insert Time" moves everything.

Or use the marker list. If you select all you can set (scroll) the numbers in the first column simultaneously.

 

[Jay Denson]

Thanks Peter

Where do I find Insert Time? It's not in the menu for the toolbar.

Also I find if I Select All (command A) Track Stacks are not included. However if I hit shift + I all regions are included. Any idea why?

Jay

 

[Eli]

Hey Jay,

See the screenshot below for the Insert Time commands. I'm not sure about the select all thing not including track stacks. Is this when the stacks are open? or Closed? Maybe one way works and the other doesn't??

Anyway, FTR, when the marker track is showing, select all will include the markers. So if it's a simple global shift of position you are after, select all with the marker track showing, and dragging to the right should do the trick.

 

[Jay Denson]

Hi Eli

Hope you are well. The track stack issue seems to have gone away. However I discovered that cmd A includes everything while shift I selects all regions but not the marker track. I'll check out the screenshot. Thanks for that.

BTW I am working on a soundtrack to a short clip. Interestingly this was given to me a young fellow who is at Uni doing Music Production - it was one of his assignments. Is there a way to nudge the playhead to get accurate edit points? I find it all a bit hit and miss. Should I post this question as a new topic?

 

[Eli]

Hi Jay,

Absolutely there is a way to move the play head by various increments! Check out your key commands. Some of the ones in the screenshot below are my own, not factory defaults. I wish there was a key command to move the play head by nudge value. But still, bars, frames, transients, and division values are still pretty useful.

Off the record, I just finished a Logic Pro X Tips and Tricks series for groove3 that contains several videos that deal with working with video in Logic. And I do talk about moving the playhead by frames, as well as calculating tempos so that hit points fall on specific beats (thanks Doug for your guidance with this!). It should be out soon.

 

[Jay Denson]

Playhead

Hi Eli

Thanks for all of that. I'm going to take a couple of hours break and quite possibly be asking more advice later this evening.

Regards

Jay

 

[Peter Ostry]

I'm not sure about the select all thing not including track stacks. Is this when the stacks are open? or Closed? Maybe one way works and the other doesn't?

The problem is not reproducible here. Cut/Insert Time does not seem to know about track stacks. It works on all regions.


Note:

I just discovered that the behavior of "Cut/Insert Time" is greatly different from previous Logic versions. In Logic X, you don't have to select anything. "Cut/Insert Time" works on all existing regions, selected, unselected or hidden. This is better for beginners, but if you are used to move or cut just a couple of regions this way, you got to change your technique.

Now it's clear why the function went from the Region menu to the Edit menu

 

[Jay Denson]

Hi Eli

I made new key assignments for nudging playhead back or forward one frame - I used shift - arrow keys. I had to replace 3 higher priority functions on each. But they weren't higher priority in my workflow. Nice too is that you can hold the arrow keys down and the playhead/movie scrolls. Perfect solution. Thanks as always for your help.

Is there a way to log current playhead position in an EDL?

Regards

Jay

 

[Eli]

Is there a way to log current playhead position in an EDL?

I'm not sure what you mean exactly. What format is the Edit Decision List in? Do you mean, can you copy and paste the smpte position from Logic into whatever app the EDL is in?

 

[Jay Denson]

Select All and Track Stacks

You remember I said 'I find if I Select All (command A) Track Stacks are not included. However if I hit shift + I all regions are included'.

I get it now. Select All - any track stack which includes one or more protected tracks disallows that track stack from inclusion in the select all. Although, of course, if the track stack itself is protected that does not preclude its being included in the select all.

However if you shift + I you select all regardless of the conditions above.

Perhaps a not widely known fact.

Below are my system specs as requested. I will now include them every time I post.

Regards, Jay

Logic Pro X - 10.0.6 - Mac Pro - 2 x 2.8 Quad Core Intel Zeon - 8 GB 800 MHz DDR OSX 10.9.1

 

[Jay Denson]

Hi Eli.

I mean does Logic have an EDL? Somewhere you can log playhead points - edit them post as required and name them and locate to them? Cos, if not, maybe it could use one?

Jay

 

[Eli]

No, there's nothing in Logic dedicated to that. But you could use markers. You could create them, name them as you want, and locate to them in the Marker List by Option Clicking on them.

 

[Jay Denson]

Hi Eli

I meant is there a way to capture a playhead position into a list where you can rename the edit decision and even locate to it? Perhaps even compute the time between any two edit points?

Jay

 

[Eli]

Hi Eli

I meant is there a way to capture a playhead position into a list where you can rename the edit decision and even locate to it?

Like I suggested, the Marker List. Use the create marker without rounding command and you can create a marker at the exact smpte location you need and name it what you want. Option click in the list to locate the playhead there. Not an EDL, but seems to fulfill the requirements you state?

Perhaps even compute the time between any two edit points?

Maybe in the Tempo Operations window? I'm not sure if it can specifically do this though without creating any events.

 

[Jay Denson]

Hi Eli

I guess the marker list is the only way to go. Sometimes there isn't room to write enough if the markers are close (without zooming continually).

Also I find the marker (and arrangement) track a bit of a pain as they don't drop a vertical line when you want to edit the start or end times (or move the whole marker) like the cycle track does. It would make life easier when trying to align these to a playhead or region start or end position. On top of which if I alter the length of a marker from the right-hand end it moves the following marker which I don't want.

I don't understand about rounded or non-rounded markers or even how to select which type I get. I would appreciate your explaining that to me. I use alt + apostrophe to make markers or use the + sign on the marker track header.

I got to grips with the tempo map on this project as there were 6 themes at different tempi. It works brilliantly. I try to figure stuff out before posting questions - sometimes I get stuck though.

Jay

 

[Jay Denson]

Hi Eli

I found the Marker List - switched to Show Position and Length as Time. That's cool - I prefer SMPTE to bars and beats. The length computation is neat too. With your help I'm getting somewhere. Now I need a non-copyright piece of footage for my next inspiration.

Regards, Jay

 

[Eli]

Hi Eli

I guess the marker list is the only way to go. Sometimes there isn't room to write enough if the markers are close (without zooming continually).

You can open a separate Marker List and resize it as wide as you want. You can resize the docked version as well. See the attached screenshot.

Also I find the marker (and arrangement) track a bit of a pain as they don't drop a vertical line when you want to edit the start or end times (or move the whole marker) like the cycle track does.

I hope you aren't using the Arrangement track for this! Use the regular markers for working with video. And lock them to smpte position. Or use the Scene Markers. The only difference between scene markers and smpte locked markers is that scene markers are tied to your video and will be deleted if you remove your video. Regular markers are tied to the project and remain.

It would make life easier when trying to align these to a playhead or region start or end position.

Use the pickup clock key command to snap the selected marker to the playhead position. Make sure they are unlocked, or this function won't work on them. See the screenshot.

On top of which if I alter the length of a marker from the right-hand end it moves the following marker which I don't want.

Sounds like you're using the Arrangement track. Don't, this isn't what it is designed for.

I don't understand about rounded or non-rounded markers or even how to select which type I get. I would appreciate your explaining that to me.

Rounded means they are rounded off to the nearest bar position. You don't want this when working with video. Non rounded means they are created at precisely the tick or frame the playhead is at when you create them.

I use alt + apostrophe to make markers or use the + sign on the marker track header.

Nope, don't use Alt and apostrophe. That's for rounded markers. Add Control to it for non rounded markers. See the attached screenshot.

 

[Eli]

Hi Eli

I found the Marker List - switched to Show Position and Length as Time. That's cool - I prefer SMPTE to bars and beats. The length computation is neat too. With your help I'm getting somewhere. Now I need a non-copyright piece of footage for my next inspiration.

Regards, Jay

Hey Jay,

Not trying to sell you, but the new videos I mentioned the other day are out. And the last several videos cover a lot of these topics when working with video. SMPTE locked Markers, tempo operations, etc.

http://www.groove3.com/str/Logic-Pro-X-Tips-And-Tricks.html