Digidesign Pro Control Manual

[Florian Peitz]

Im using the command 8 to control pro-tools on another computer and I noticed that when I put it in "stand alone" mode it will control some basic functions in logic, but it only effects the track I am currently selecting. It would be great to get it to work more like the mackie universal.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no control surface module for the Command 8 included with Logic. However, you can configure the assignments yourself if you want to. It is a little too complicated to explain completely here, but is detailed in the Logic Pro 7 reference manual from pg. 655 onwards.

anyway, i've become fixated on doing this out in 6. I've figured out how to use transformers to contol volume and pan and sends, but i'm running into problems with a few other controls - instrument sends. they randomly don't map to the same cc#'s as other sends.

Plug-In parameters, just like Send levels, use "fader" Meta CC instead of MIDI CC. You can use a fader in Logic to easily transform MIDI CC into Fader Meta CC. Set its input as a MIDI CC, its output as Fader.

There is no such thing, since it all depends what plug-in is inserted where. The first plug-in will use fader control #1, 2, 3... just switch the plug-in's interface to "Control" so you can see the parameters in order.

as for a list, maybe it would be hard to make one for all of the plug ins (even though it could be done for the emagic plugs), but it wouldn't be too difficult for a list to be made of the cc values for the audio objects, would it? like 3 = solo, 7 = vol, 9 = mute, 10 = pan etc . . . i know i can hook a monitor up and figure them out, but it seems that the Logic documentation is sorely lacking when it comes to this sort of thing . . . or anything for that matter!

Final listening/discussion session for all final composition projects. This is the equivalent of a final exam session, and participation is mandatory. (This session is in place of the scheduled final exam time, originally scheduled on Friday, March 20, 10:30am-12:30pm, which has been cancelled.)

Turn in your completed composition project as a stereo audio file (.wav or .aif) or--if it's music for video--as a self-contained movie file (e.g., .mov) with stereo soundtrack. The composition can include any combination of recorded acoustic sources and electronic/digital sources, and should be made primarily using the Pro Tools and/or Reason software. It should be at least three minutes in duration. Turn in any accessory working files that will help show your working methods (source audio files, Pro Tools session folder, Reason song file, etc.), and a thorough written description of what you were trying to accomplish musically and technically (.doc, .pdf, .rtf, .txt, etc). The materials should all be turned in on CD-R (or DVD-R) clearly labeled with your name.

No new assignment. Continue composing your final project, due Thursday March 12. If you have questions or need advice about your work in progress, some class time will be dedicated to advising on composition projects.

Study all previous reading assignments and your notes from all previous lectures and performances in preparation for in-class review. Come to class with questions regarding topics you do not fully understand.

If you did not turn in a proposal/plan for your final project on the original due date of Tuesday February 24, make sure that your plan is posted on the class MessageBoard for approval by this date at the latest.

Using Reason's MIDI sequencer and any combination of Reason devices, compose an interesting rhythm made up of multiple sounds. The sounds you use may include any desired combination of synthesized sounds and sampled sounds, and any desired combination of pitched and unpitched sounds. The main goal of the assignment is to employ the time grid provided by the sequencer to help you organize events in a way that creates an engaging "groove" or sense of rhythmic pattern.

If you don't have a clear concept in mind for a groove you want to try to create, it will be helpful to listen to music that has a rhythmic groove you like, and analyze how the component sounds are combined to create that effect, as demonstrated in class, to get some initial ideas. The examples analyzed in class focused on patterns that repeated (with variations) every 4 or 8 beats, with each beat divided into 4 parts. That model (or a "swung" version of that model) is useful for recreating a great many of the grooves used in popular music. However, you are not required to use that format. (For example, your groove could be in some other meter such as 3/4 or 7/8, or could use some other beat division such as triplets, or could employ patterns that repeat with some other periodicity, or could use changing meters). Deciding on a meter, a tempo, and a predominant underlying pulse (main beat division) is a good first step in any case. You don't have to just adopt the default settings, unless those are the settings you actually want.

Begin by constructing different "layers" of pattern -- individual events located at desired moments in time, or rhythmic patterns of pitch, or patterns of percussive sounds -- and experiment with combining different layers. Note that these sounds are not necessarily drum sounds; any sound can be an articulator of a point in time. To keep the pattern interesting over a longer period of time, try adding or removing layers, or varying the layers slightly. Try to develop your pattern in a way that remains interesting for 20-30 seconds (or more). Although the main focus of this exercise is rhythm, paying attention to contour, timbre, accent (some things louder than others), panning, etc. can all add to the rhythmic interest.

Hand in your assignment as a finished stereo sound file (AIFF or WAVE) and the Reason file (.rns) that you used to create that sound. Ideally, your Reason file should be saved such that it will make the exact sound you want when it is opened and played. Hand in your assignment on a CD-R labeled with your name and the assignment name (Assignment 4).

Prepare a plan for your computer music composition. The composition itself is to be completed by Thursday March 12, and should be at least three minutes in duration. The composition can include any combination of recorded acoustic sources and electronic/digital sources. Planning the composition consists primarily of making decisions -- true statements -- that describe the piece you want to make. Decisions you should make include duration (how much time, how many measures at a given tempo, etc.), formal structure (how will the overall duration be divided into contrasting sections or developing trends), sound sources you will use, intended function of the music (for video, dance, etc.), mood, and any extra-musical concepts that will be expressed. Your plan will likely be in textual form, but could easily include charts, diagrams, or notated musical ideas, as well. Post your plan on the class MessageBoard by 6:00 AM on Tuesday. Prepare to discuss your plans in class.

Listen to Musicology by Prince and Drive by Bobby McFerrin. (You will need to have RealPlayer installed on your computer.) Pay particular attention to the way that each piece creates a characteristic rhythmic "groove" or "feel" by the interplay of different recurring individual rhythmic components. In both pieces, the complex composite rhythm is created by layering multiple simple rhythmic patterns. In Musicology, focus on the first 16 measures, and pay particular attention to the first 4 measures, analyzing what instruments are present and what rhythmic pattern each plays. In Drive do likewise for the first verse.

Make a complex evolving sound lasting approximately (i.e., at least) 30 seconds. You should produce this sound using only Reason software. Within Reason, restrict yourself to using only the Subtractor module for sound synthesis. Since the Subtractor is a monophonic synthesizer, you may want do one or more of the following to make your final sound stereophonically and timbrally interesting: a) use more than one Subtractor, b) route the Subtractor(s) to a mixer and use mixer panning for spatialization, c) apply stereo effects processor(s) (e.g., delay, reverb, etc.) to the Subtractor's output. For example, you might create a rack that contains a mixer, one or more effects processors connected to the auxiliary sends/returns of that mixer, and one or more Subtractor modules connected to the inputs of the mixer.

The objective of this assignment is to explore and understand the components of the Subtractor synthesizer by designing a Subtractor patch that has interesting possibilities and using control automation to change its parameters in real time. The goal is to make a single, fairly unified sound (though it may be arbitrarily complex internally) that is interesting because of the way it changes over time, not to make a composition of rhythmic notes in a traditional musical sense. Obviously you will need to have at least one note of long duration stored in the MIDI sequencer part of your file, presumably at the beginning and lasting about 30 seconds. If you need multiple notes to play an interesting chord or to activate multiple Subtractors, or even need to have some new notes occur in the middle of the sound to add to its interest, that's fine, but try to refrain from relying on "melody" (a succession of different notes) for interest.

You are strongly advised to read the chapter of the Reason Operation Manual (Macintosh HD/Applications/Reason/Documentation/English/Operation manual.pdf) that explains the Subtractor synthesizer module in detail. It's very thorough and well-written. For that matter, both the Operation Manual and the Getting Started manual are remarkably clear and helpful, so don't hesitate to consult the online documentation regarding any questions you have as you work.

If you make more than one such sound that you think is interesting, by all means feel free to hand in multiple versions of your assignment (properly named to make clear what each file is). Hand in your assignment as a finished stereo sound file (AIFF or WAVE) and the Reason file (.rns) that you used to create that sound. Ideally, your Reason file should be saved such that it will make the exact sound you want when it is opened and played. (Before you hand it in, save it, close it, then reopen it and play it to be sure that the saved version works as you want it to.) Hand in your assignment on a CD-R labeled with your name and the assignment name (Assignment 3).

3a8082e126