Logic 9 Beat Matching (NOT regarding loops)

[jamesryanbell]

I have two audio files of full length songs that I want to work with. Neither is a loop.

I want to import the first track, beat-detect it (which comes out to 145), and set the project tempo to match that track.

When I import the second track, I want Logic to make that track match the tempo of the first track (or project...both are the same). Every time I try to detect tempo it says "no tempo could be found". If I use the marquee tool to select a small region of the file in order to beat detect that region, it says that there's no audio selected...so that doesn't work. I don't know why it will detect the tempo fine on one, but not on the other.

I've tried everything I know how to do.

The ultimate goal is to use a part of track 1 as an intro at 145bpm, which then goes directly into another track that is sped up to 145bpm, but with the pitch exactly the same as the original track. (Both tracks are natively in the key of F)

Make sense? I'm using Logic 9.

 

[Marty62]

Hi james,

I understand what you want to do, however I am not sure that you can do this
"Setting the project tempo" from more than one source within one project, as that
sets up a bit of a conflict, it's a "project specific" global tempo command.
It would mess up the tempo of the first "scan" and it seems to be not letting you do that.
( does that make any sense? )

I'm NOT 100% sure about this, though having just read this section:

https://help.apple.com/logicpro/mac/9.1.6/en/logicpro/usermanual/index.html#chapter=18&section=2

.... it seems to read as if it's a "one time" function. ( that's how I have only ever used it )

So you have audio track 1 @145bpm and global project tempo is now 145bpm

What is the difference between that and audio track 2 ? ( the new one )

Can you calculate that difference and use "Factory time & Pitch machine" to say
adjust audio 2 from e.g. 142bpm to a 145bpm file and match your project tempo?

I hope that helps, there are other ways of doing this BUT for a full length audio
file it's a little tricky.

EDIT - load audio for the second piece into a new Logic empty song and detect
the exact tempo there - will help with the "Time & Pitch" machine above !

Marty.

 

[jamesryanbell]

Hi james,

I understand what you want to do, however I am not sure that you can do this
"Setting the project tempo" from more than one source within one project, as that
sets up a bit of a conflict, it's a "project specific" global tempo command.
It would mess up the tempo of the first "scan" and it seems to be not letting you do that.
( does that make any sense? )

I'm NOT 100% sure about this, though having just read this section:

https://help.apple.com/logicpro/mac/9.1.6/en/logicpro/usermanual/index.html#chapter=18&section=2

.... it seems to read as if it's a "one time" function. ( that's how I have only ever used it )

So you have audio track 1 @145bpm and global project tempo is now 145bpm

What is the difference between that and audio track 2 ? ( the new one )

Can you calculate that difference and use "Factory time & Pitch machine" to say
adjust audio 2 from e.g. 142bpm to a 145bpm file and match your project tempo?

I hope that helps, there are other ways of doing this BUT for a full length audio
file it's a little tricky.

EDIT - load audio for the second piece into a new Logic empty song and detect
the exact tempo there - will help with the "Time & Pitch" machine above !

Marty.

Never thought of doing a separate project and then exporting it. I will try that now, and let you know what happens. Thanks for taking the time to answer. I hope you're right!


----------
UPDATE:
I still can't get tempo detect to work on the one track, even in a new session. I've even tried selecting a region of the track with the Marquee tool, and it just says "no regions selected". I don't understand what's going wrong.

 

[Marty62]

OK, in a new empty Logic song ... that's just weird !!

What is the "file type" ?

Could it be something a little odd and Logic just can't make any sense of it ?
( like a non standard mp3 or something )

That has me kind of stumped !

M.

Just to get you out of trouble and find the tempo, drop the track in and using the
click track / tempo settings get as close as possible.
Then cycle 8 bars and adjust the tempo until until you get a loop that cycles around without
any "glitches" .... you will have to cut a section of track on an obvious downbeat and move it to a 1.1.1.1
position..... can be bar 20.1.1.1 or whatever.
Once it's looping nice, just open up left and right sides of the file ... bingo !

 

[jamesryanbell]

OK, in a new empty Logic song ... that's just weird !!

What is the "file type" ?

Could it be something a little odd and Logic just can't make any sense of it ?
( like a non standard mp3 or something )

That has me kind of stumped !

M.

Just to get you out of trouble and find the tempo, drop the track in and using the
click track / tempo settings get as close as possible.
Then cycle 8 bars and adjust the tempo until until you get a loop that cycles around without
any "glitches" .... you will have to cut a section of track on an obvious downbeat and move it to a 1.1.1.1
position..... can be bar 20.1.1.1 or whatever.
Once it's looping nice, just open up left and right sides of the file ... bingo !

Thank you for the ongoing help. Much appreciated. I'll try that today and see what happens.

 

[Marty62]

No worries, glad to help a little.

Unless the track is some old school "funk" thing it WILL lock to a whole beat tempo.

Once you have it almost right, let it run 32 / 64 bars and see if it "drifts" away
from a click track, then adjust a little more.
Live recorded with out a strict tempo will be a PITA to sort but that can be done
too, "Strip silence" and quantizing the audio or using "Flex time" and do the
same.
The same can sometimes be said for older tracks recorded near the end of a 24 track tape, they speed up a little and cause tempo errors across 4 minutes or more!!

Good luck
M.

 

[jamesryanbell]

I never could get it to work, but I appreciate the help.