nightwatch wrote:Eli - I have a general question for you.....
What advice, if any, would you give to a long time DP user who wants to be able to use Logic too? (besides the linear vs non-linear chunk topic).
Hi nightwatch,
It's tough moving between DAWs. I struggle with it regularly during the course of various video series. There's no one easy answer. But here is what I have found: When you become proficient in a DAW, any DAW, you inevitably integrate workflows and concepts that are non program specific, and applicable to the general process of making music in any DAW. But also, each DAW has it's own unique features, and some slightly (or not so slightly) different ways of doing things. You need to learn to recognize these and not fight against them trying to fit a square peg (your thinking from a previous DAW) into a round hole (the new DAW). You need to knwo when to "surrender" and just let go your old way of thinking regarding how a specific feature or function "should" work. Some things translate very smoothly, others don't. The trick is recognizing this when it is happening.
Now, I know this all sounds kind of vague and nu-agy. But really, it's about a combination of learning how to do the basic bread and butter things you already know you need to be able to do, plus "giving in" to the new apps ways of doing them, plus embrace the other new features.
I'll try and give some examples: As an experienced DAW user, you know you are going to need to navigate through the timeline by bars and beats, and sometimes finer divisions, you'll need to punch in from time to time, you'll need to copy certain sections of music from here to there, etc. These common functions exist in all DAWs and are usually not too dissimilar. You already understand these concepts, you just need to find out how to do them in the new DAW.
Here's another: you know you'll need to create some sort of aux tracks for sub grouping or as send destinations when you are mixing. You know you will need to set up some sends and feed them to the desired aux, etc. So, you already understand the workflow, you just need to study up on how it is implemented in the new DAW. And EMBRACE THE DIFFERENCES! Don't fight them. By leaving yourself fully open to learning how to execute these tasks in the new DAW you will find the differences may open up possibilities you hadn't considered previously. You already have the blueprint, but the tools themselves sometimes affect the design of the house your building, or stimulate you in different ways.
In terms of Chunks. There is simply nothing like it in Logic. So don't fight it. You just have to accept that you will not work that way in Logic. Period. If this is too great a sacrifice, don't switch!
One last bit to this apparent rant! Don't get overwhelmed by the seeming complexity of the unknown. You don't need to learn and use it all your first day. When I'm learning a new DAW, if I can just figure out how to open and close a couple of windows the first day or two, I'm happy

But seriously, you don't need to know every nuance of beat mapping or global tracks or the signature and key change window, or Sculpture programing (Logic things) just to be able to get started jumping in and making music. Take it slow, in small digestible bits.
Hope this helps!
