Logic Pro: How to Record, Edit & Mix Drums
Curious about recording your own drums in Logic Pro but aren't sure where to start? This is it! In this recording drums video course, Logic Pro wiz Stephen O'Connell will walk you through the process start to finish - from planning your session and selecting your mics all the way through editing, gating, processing, and more! Recording drums well is no small task, but this drum recording video course breaks down the topic into easy-to-understand concepts and techniques that are guaranteed to get great results. By the end of this Logic course, you'll be ready to start tracking your own drums on your very next production!
Videos
• Introduction (03:52) - In this course, we'll discover the secrets to recording, editing, and mixing drums in an easy-to-understand, accessible course for Logic Pro users. Just because it?s accessible, though, doesn?t mean it isn?t packed with loads of amazing pro tips for your productions. In this video, check out what you have in store for the course.
• Drum Recording Methods (10:42) - To start the series off, we're looking at the recording concepts that will help you make the best decision for your level and your project. Learn about different microphone techniques, getting the best sound, and what you should need on the recording day.
• Setting Up Your Session for the Recording (12:35) - Now that a plan has started to form, it's time to prepare the session. In this video, we'll see what microphones and techniques we'll be using for the recording session, set up tracks for all of the mics, and discuss how group controls can really help provide a seamless recording session.
• Editing, Comping, & Quantizing the Drum Takes (11:40) - With the recording completed, now it's time to select the best take and tidy it up for your track. Create comp tracks of the best moments and learn how to quantize the audio to be closer to the beat, all with workflow tips on how to work within Logic Pro?s strengths.
• Correcting Phase Issues in the Mix (09:59) - While phasing issues can be daunting, we're here to discuss some quick ways that we can correct phasing issues in your mix with limited fuss. Learn two different methods for bringing your session in phase, all with Logic Pro?s in-built features, and see what bad phasing issues really do to your track.
• Using Track Stacks & VCAs for Management (05:47) - It?s one thing to mix single-mic instruments together, but when you're managing multiple mics on the one instrument, it can be a logistical challenge. Here are some tips on how to keep your session organized, how to use track stacks and VCAs to manage your signal flow and functionality, and how to stay efficient and organized.
• Gating Your Drums & Removing Silence (09:09) - With so many mics on the drum kit at once, mic bleed is inevitable. In this video, we explore how to remove those unwanted sounds to clean up our drum kit sound. Gating your drums and removing the ?silence? between the captured sources will help tidy up the session and take away some of the boxy, roomy sounds.
• EQ, Compression, & Saturation on Drums (10:45) - In this video, we introduce you to a three-step process that's fantastic for any mix; it's the 3 Cs of mixing: Correction, Compression, and Color. Using an EQ, you're going to correct the mix by removing unwanted frequencies that mask other, more important sounds. With a compressor, you're going to tame the dynamics of the mix to bring about more thickness and consistency. Finally, with EQ or saturation, you're going to color your tracks with boosts and light distortion to bring out more character in your mix.
• Drum Triggering with Samples & Audio (06:10) - In the past, drum triggering was a ?secret sauce? for mixing. However, it's now more common than ever, with many productions using this technique to make the drums punchier and more dynamic. In this video, let?s explore Logic Pro?s built-in tool to make this happen.
• Parallel Compression & Processing with Reverb (10:25) - You may have heard of New York Compression or Motown Compression before and wondered how it all works. Well, in this video, we'll explore what parallel processing has to offer us when mixing drums - not just in terms of compression, but to add reverb to the kit or specific hits to bring about a sense of space.
• Creating a Library of Drum Samples & Grooves (03:24) - Have you ever used a sample in your productions before? It would be nice to have your own library of sounds, right? Here's how you can turn any drum recording session into a loopable sound bite to use in your future productions.
• Manipulating the Audio for More Creativity (09:55) - Looking at the kit at the moment, it's a nice, authentic sound of a real-life performance on an acoustic kit. But, what if we wanted to add more interest to it? In this video, we see how to make creative chops and edits with the sounds you already have that help bring a new characteristic to your groove.
• Creative Effects & Throws (11:47) - Manipulating the audio isn?t the only way to add spice to your track. Using effects combined with automation can create interesting evolutions in the sounds and creative one-shot sounds that you never did live in the studio.
• Conclusion (01:08) - Stephen summarizes and reflects on all you've learned in this course - not just with drum recording and mixing, but with any form of recording and mixing.