The take folders work best for me for vocals and lead work. It really depends on what works best for you. The downside to his is that it doesn’t work for midi. And yes, I know it can get it to do takes, but I can’t get the edit function to work. So, I do it the old reliable way for my bass tracks.

After I have a few reliable tracks, I go through and pick the best takes. At this point, I try and balance the song…so I can hear the parts. I then move my drum loops to my picked track. I then go through it to ensure the parts are all there. If not, I start the editing process to create the arrangement.

One of the great tools in Logic 8 is the marker section under Global tracks on the top left side of the screen. By clicking on the triangle, you see a deeper menu. There you can create markers to denote the sections of your song. I use the pencil tool and select the sections. I then go back and label the sections and colorize them.

This allows one to toggle back and forth between sections and also gives me a visual reference. There are multiple ways to get this to happen. Use what works best for you.

At this point, I often take my drum loop and begin the process of taking the original frame, copying it, then reinserting between the sections. With a little practice, you can get them to line-up correctly. That is, line up the copy below the drum loop and begin lining up the ends of the beats. Once they match up…enlarge it to the max to ensure they line-up, then play it. If the sounds match, your in pretty good shape. If not, keep at it.

You’re asking why I go through this painful process. It allows me the ability to move sections of the song around if I want to, later.

For me, this is one of the best part of the process. I really enjoy editing the music and getting it to sit right in the mix. Once I have a good track, I then try to optimize the sound by trying different pre-set EQs on the two tracks, trying to make sure I have the most I can get out of the sounds. I often do multiple save as at this point to make it easier for myself to go back.

After I get it where I want it, it’s time to add the cymbals, drum rolls, and the base parts.

Again, I am presuming those that read this have a basic knowledge of Logic 8. The reason you’re hear is to learn how someone else comes up with a song using Logic 8. At least, that’s my presumption. This for me, is about the process…not a total how to, but the steps to get there with a few tips that have worked for me along the way.

The percussion loops are the bed that drives the song. I have both BFD drums and the Logic 8 drum loops to draw from. Both packages provide robust sounds. BFD’s advantage is it is a real drum kit triggered by a midi device.

Drum Loops

Once I have laid the control track, I use the M-Audio 49 to create drums. I do this by essentially playing through the whole song, experimenting along the way. If you’re a pro, you’ll know which keys to use, if not, experiment. I only do the bass and snare for the control track. I add the cymbals and other percussive sounds later.

You can also use the Logic 8 or BFD pre done drum loops. They are quite good, but I’ve never been one for that.

Don’t forget to arm the track by clicking on the R. My favorite kit in Logic 8 is the Indie Kit. I like the sound it provides. Please note, with the preset EQ for the toms that I add later, I get some really nice percussion for drum rolls. Hit record, or a shortcut I like is to simply click on the * on the keyboard.

Once I come upon something I like, I create a drum loop. The trick is to give it enough space before and after (this take some practice) so it works like clockwork…which is precisely what it is for the song, a clock to help you keep the beat for the next part of the process — laying guitar tracks in a multitrack recording environment in your Home Recording Studio using Logic 8.

Most of the real work is primarily done in the Arrange Window of Logic 8. If you’re new to the program, you’ll find that everything is tied together. In the old days…one had to set-up each channel strip. Now a days, each new track is a keystroke away. And if you’re using a template that already has tracks in it, you can duplicate these by clicking on the buttons just above the yellow arrow in the graphic. The one on the right gives you a complete clone, including the settings for that channel that are contained in the mixer channel strip.

Setting-up a new track In Logic 8

The button to the left allows you to select what kind of track it is going to be…an audio tract or a midi tract and what flavors you would like it in. Be sure to record enable it and then click okay.

Each channel that has a microphone connected to it has to be enabled.

To do that simply select the R on the channel. You can arm the track in the mixer as well. You’ll find in both places the ability to Solo, (S) or Mute (M) each track, which comes in really handy when one is trying to work on a specific portion of a two track take.

The reason I purchased the Neuman 49 was I learned from reviews that it is a great guitar instrument microphone and does well with vocals. As cash is always an issue, I wanted a versatile microphone that could do many things. I would like to someday purchase an AKG 414, but have not been able to feel comfortable doing that just yet. Before I purchased the Neumann, I was using a pencil mic and the Baby Blue for recording my acoustic guitar (Taylor 814). The upgrade in sound quality (tonal) has been significant.

I place the Neumann 49 to the right and just below the hole of the main body of my Taylor 814. Not too close or over the hole as one might get booming…

I place the Baby Blue over the 12th fret off my guitar. Not too close (about 4-6 inches). The toughest part about this is I find myself moving a bit while recording, but for the most part this seems to work.

Logic 8 — start a new project

Before recording, you will need to set-up Logic 8. Once the program is open, go to new. You will have multiple options before you, including the opportunity to set-up all your channels yourself. I prefer to use the Rock option and then add or delete the channels as needed, which saves me some time. It’s worth exploring your options here to see what works best for you.

Logic 8 Settings for acoustic guitar

My settings in Logic 8: To go to your channel Strips, click on the Mixer at the bottom left of the screen. Pick your channel and then add your presets. I like to use the presets of Mic on Fret and Stereo Double dry in mono mode for each channel. You’ll have to play with this to see what works best for you. Please Note: I could record using the Stereo setting at the bottom of the channel strip. I like to use mono and place the audio of each mic on separate channels. This gives me more control of the sound and allows me to blend the two together. It also lets me edit the EQ on each channel separately which I find helpful.

I use DR stands with arms and the standard shock mounts to minimize vibrations.

One issue I have encountered is my microphones pick-up my breathing on occasion if I’m not careful. I have not been able to get my noise gate’s to cut this sound out. I also sometimes get unwanted percussive sounds from my hand tapping the guitar lightly as I play. I have ended up, fixing this manually by cutting out the bad and inserting the good. Just goes to show you that I’m songwriter not an engineer. The good news is that it solves the problem, but it does take some work.

I’m sure there are folks out there that know how to fix the issue. Love to hear from them.

For the most part, except for the issues mentioned above, I get clean crisp tonal quality from this microphone set-up. What’s really nice is that one mic picks up one set of frequencies and the other another set. When I combine them, the sound is really rich and full. My friends that have visited my small recording studio are surprised at the quality of sound I’m getting in the home audio recording environment. I’m just grateful that’s it’s possible to record at home at all. Not too many years ago, it was way out of reach for most of us.

What goes in…comes out. The point is that if the sound quality of your instrument isn’t up to snuff, no matter how good your microphones are, you’ll end up with a poorer quality recording. So…use the best quality instruments you can afford to help your home guitar recording software to record music. Don’t go breaking the bank, but if you’re serious about this, you should consider the alternatives out there.

I use a Taylor 814 CE guitar for my acoustic work and a Tom Anderson semi hollow body guitar for my electric instrumental work. I also use Elixir guitar strings because I like the longevity and tonal quality of the sounds I get from my instruments.

Of course, this isn’t the only factor that affects the sound quality of one’s recording. My blog will speak to the other elements that affect the bottom line. Which is, the best quality recording you can get in a Home Recording Studio/ Digital Recording Studio. Next up…how my microphones are placed for recording.

Sound reverberates  (bounces around)  the room you’re in. When you’re trying to record your music, it is best to get rid of this unwanted sound as it is detrimental to accurate recording, monitoring, and mixing.

What I have done is added Aurulex foam to certain parts of my home studio. To get best results it is a good idea to speak to professionals about your recording environment. For my room, I have placed foam bass traps in the upper corners, foam right behind and above my Mackie speakers, and quilts…yes quilts…at the back of the room. They are an inexpensive alternative to foam and work pretty well.

One thing of note: I have placed my computer outside the room. The reason is I do not want to pick-up the fans while recording. And yes, I know, the new Apple Macs are super quiet…but I can still hear it. One can also use a noise gate to cut this sound out, but I always like to get the best I can get to start with to minimize the headaches later. It makes sense to me to get the most out of my investment into my audio recording software.

You can can use the capabilities of your Mac and do a direct-in, using the standard sound card that comes with your machine, but if one wants to maximize one’s recordings — get the best sound one can get/afford — then you should consider purchasing a card or Firewire device. They come in many flavors…levels of quality…and yes…you can hear the difference. I use a RME Fireface 800 which is fantastic for converting my signals into digital data for my home recording software.

The reason one needs such a device is to get the audio into the software digitally for use in your DAW (digital Audio Workstation).

I am a one man band, of sorts, and use Logic 8, Mackie HR MK 2 624s for mixing, a baby blue and Neuman 49 microphone for recording, and a M-Audio Keystation 49e for creating the drum  and base parts, and a reasonably fast Mac with 5 gigs of Memory.

The room dynamics (I’ll write about this later) and microphones all matter. Even the mixing speakers can affect the bottom line when mixing as you’re trying to hear what it really sounds like when you’re playing back audio that you’ve captured in your home sound recording studio (you want to hear if there’s a problem so you can fix the issue). Unfortunately, some speakers are better at this than others…and there’s a lot of different opinions out there on this issue. The bottom line is do your homework and find what works for you. I use the Mackies and also a lower quality speaker to hear the mix in two ways. I find that helps me get closer to what I hope will be the best recording I can make. By leveraging what one has, it can go a long way to that sweet spot. The reality is I’m not an engineer though…and do not claim to be, but for a songwriter, the goal is get as close as one can without breaking the bank. That’s why we have a Home Recording Studio in the first place…is it not?

The point to take to heart is to use what you can afford. The better the quality of the signal going in…the better the recording will ultimately be. Next up — The Process of using music recording software, Logic 8 — What seems to be working for me (several blogs dealing with the little details that can mess-up your Home Audio Recording life or make what might have been mediocre — stellar. At least as steller as you can get with the kind of gear I’m writing about.

My quest to become a music producer or recording studio was helped along by the “Apple Pro Training Series“. I recommend the various versions as they are well documented and have great tutorials on how to use Apple’s recording software.

The goal for me is to create professional sounding music. Hopefully you’ll find some home recording tips that will help you avoid the mistakes I stepped into when I first started. Unfortunately, I’m not a sound engineer. The good news is there are many presets that help guys like me to move forward. There’s a lot to learn.

What I plan to do is share how I use Logic 8 for digital audio recording of music. It may not be the right way…though I’m not sure there is one right way…over time between my posts and others, we may all get better at using the tool. I am going to focus mainly on the process…sharing what has worked for me. I’m going to presume you know a bit about Logic 8, as there are places to be trained. Again, the focus really will be on the process to get to the end, that is, a song recorded at home that sounds great. Each post will be a step in the process. Today, I’m simply starting the blog. Stay tuned.