10.6

988Logic Pro User Guide
Create and edit soundtracks
Logic Pro soundtracks overview
Creating a new video soundtrack is similar to working with any Logic Pro project. You can
import or record audio and instrument parts, arrange them, process them with effects,
and mix your music, dialogue, and sound effects (known as Foley) in stereo or a surround
format.
You can also import an existing movie soundtrack, edit or enhance it in Logic Pro, and then
export your audio back to the movie file. See Use movie audio tracks in Logic Pro.
The key difference when working with video or film is the need for synchronicity between
what is seen and what is heard. Logic Pro supports several synchronization protocols
that let you work with video at all standard frame rates. See Logic Pro Synchronization
overview.
You can use video files stored on a locally attached or networked hard drive, or work with
synchronized external video or film editing and playback hardware.
Working with disk-based video is preferable because you can see the video in Logic Pro
and don’t have to wait for hardware to “catch up” when moving from one scene to another.
The imported video and Logic Pro are “frame-locked” when you move through your project
or video with either the Logic Pro or QuickTime transport and navigation controls. See Add
a movie to your Logic Pro project.
QuickTime video is embedded with an internal SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and
Television Engineers) timecode. SMPTE timecode is an absolute timecode that covers a
24-hour period. It displays hours, minutes, seconds, frames, and subframes. Logic Pro
recognizes SMPTE timecode and converts it to MTC (MIDI Time Code). MTC is the MIDI
equivalent of SMPTE timecode. Different video frame rates are automatically interpreted by
Logic Pro. See MTC interpretation in Logic Pro.
Work with absolute time code in Logic Pro
The production process for video, film, or TV commercials is different from music
production. Synchronization is always used, unlike in music production, where it is not
always required. You need to work in absolute time: hours, minutes, seconds, and frames,
rather than in bars and beats. Edits to the video, including changes to scene length,
additional cuts, the use of slow or fast motion, and dialogue changes (or “redos”) are
among the many situations that you will encounter when creating or editing a soundtrack.
The Event List in Logic Pro is ideal for precise placement of timing-critical events such as
footsteps or dialogue in a video soundtrack. It also allows you to change event lengths,
which is useful if frames are removed during the video editing phase of production. In
linear editing windows, the ruler can display absolute (SMPTE) time or bars and beats (or
both).
When working with synchronized video, you will want music, sound effects, and dialogue to
play at a specific time, rather than at a particular bar position.
If the tempo of your soundtrack needs to be altered at a later stage, the absolute time
location of events that have already been positioned will change. The Lock SMPTE Position
function prevents this from happening. You can SMPTE-lock individual events in the Event
List or entire regions. All events inside locked regions are SMPTE-locked.