Waveform Wednesday: Extracting A Groove From An Audio Clip in Logic

In Logic, the Audio to MIDI Groove Template allows you to extract a midi groove out from an audio clip. It will analyze an audio file and create a groove out of it.



- Create an audio track along with empty Software Instrument track (so that as soon as your midi groove is extracted, it will automatically bring the midi groove to your empty midi track.)



-Add an audio region to the Arrange area. Double-click the region to open the Sample Editor. Choose Factory > “Audio to MIDI Groove Template”

 

-Preset pop-up menu contains different presets. You can use these presets as starting points for your own processing. Note that Velocity Threshold and Granulation are the two most important factors for the ending result. Velocity Threshold sets the threshold level.  All signals that fall below this value are ignored. Granulation (ms) looks at the transient (peak signals) to obtain information for velocity points. (For example, the lower the value is, the more it will cut up the sound into components. The higher the value is, the less choppy your new groove template will be.

In the bottom part of the sample editor are :

• Audio: Displays the quantization points identified in the audio file.
• Quantize: Shows the quantization points selected in the Basis Quantize pop-up menu.
Result: Shows the quantization positions in the new groove template, which are produced by the combination of the two values above.

Tips :
• To get the most use out of it, it is recommended to use an audio file that has a fairly steady beat to it.
• Audio to MIDI Groove will assign the groove to only one midi note (C3 as a default). If you’re planning to build up a drum groove, you will need to manually assign midi notes to different drum pieces.
• A good way to use Audio to MIDI Groove is when you want get a rich and thick sound by doubling an audio file. Since your new midi template will play the same rhythm of your original source, you can load a new midi instrument and play both audio and midi at the same time.

- by LC Tech Blog contributor Jong Hyuk Lee