Working with Beat Mapping

In the previous chapter, we discussed how to deal with tempo in film music and create different types of tempo maps, using a spotting list and SMPTE-locked scene markers.

In this chapter, we will review how to use beat mapping in Logic Pro as another tool to help find an appropriate tempo, and we will also create a tempo map. We will also evaluate and look at markers’ position numbers and their bar and beat locations, along with the overall tempo.

Additionally, we will explore different beat mapping methods to find a suitable tempo for a film, edit a Beat Mapping track, and discuss the overall benefit of using the Logic Pro beat mapping function.

In this chapter, we will explore beat mapping from a technical point of view in depth, which involves connecting the downbeat of a bar to a beat mapping line. Since this task takes a significant amount of time to master, we will go through multiple exercises that will help you to master the task of...

Technical requirements

To follow along with this chapter, you will need a general knowledge of using Logic-DAW, as well as a Mac computer with Logic Pro and QuickTime software installed. You will also need to be able to access the movie files provided with this book: https://packt.link/hxCer.

Understanding beat mapping

In general, beat mapping is the process of connecting the downbeat of a bar or any beat in a bar to a visible beat mapping line of a marker, a MIDI note, or an audio transient. During the process of beat mapping, Logic Pro makes the marker land on the downbeat of a bar and adjust the tempo.

Beat mapping is another method used to create a tempo map, and it is relatively faster than using the Tempo Operations window. There might be a project where one method is more appropriate than the other one. It’s up to every user to master both methods and decide which one to choose for the project.

In Chapter 7, we covered how to use Tap Tempo by tapping on a keyboard; in the next section, we will review another option to create a Tap Tempo using a MIDI keyboard with an instrument track.

Creating a Tap Tempo using an instrument track

In this section, we will watch the movie and tap a MIDI keyboard, with a loaded percussion sound emulating a metronome.

Open the Mercedes-Benz Cabrio C 300_BITC.mov movie file that was saved in Chapter 7, with the SMPTE-locked scene markers. Make sure that the movie and Logic Pro are in sync, and then name and save the project (for example, I will choose Beat mapping_01).

In general, you can use a piano, a percussion instrument, or even a plain external MIDI track that has no instrument loaded at all. In this example, we will use a percussion instrument and tap it to create a rhythmic Tap Tempo.

To create an instrument in Logic Pro, use the Option + CMD + N shortcut. From the dialog box, click on the Software Instrument tab. Then, click on the Details downward arrow to display the Instrument and Audio Output options, if they are not already displayed.

Figure 8.1: Logic Pro dialog box

In the Instrument...

Beat mapping single MIDI notes

Another way of directly creating a tempo map from a MIDI region is using the beats from an entire region in the Beat Mapping track. This process involves manually adjusting the bar and beat and moving the recorded notes one note at a time to the nearest beat of a bar. Logic Pro will then adjust the tempo.

To do this, in the global tracks, enable the Beat Mapping track, like so:

Figure 8.13: Global tracks drop-down menu

The Beat Mapping track should be visible in the global tracks window.

Figure 8.14: Global tracks

Next, resize the Beat Mapping track, as shown in Figure 8.15, and click on the green MIDI region. After clicking on the green MIDI region, you should be able to see a mirror reflection of the MIDI region inside of the Beat Mapping track.

Figure 8.15: MIDI region highlighted in the Beat Mapping track

Zoom in horizontally using CMD + the right or left...

Beat mapping an entire MIDI region

In this section, we will let Logic Pro automatically create a new tempo map by analyzing an entire MIDI region, and all the notes in it, in the Beat Mapping track.

So, in the Tempo track, from the drop-down menu, create a new default Tempo of 120 bpm.

Figure 8.23: Beat mapping of the MIDI region

Then, click on the MIDI region so that it appears in the Beat Mapping track:

Figure 8.24: Highlighted MIDI region in the Beat Mapping track

From the Beat Mapping track header pop-up menu, select Beats from Region.

Figure 8.25: Beat Mapping track drop-down menu

The Set Beats by Guide Region(s) window will open, like so:

Figure 8.26: Set Beats by Guide Region(s) window

Click on the Note Value drop-down window and select 1/4 Note.

Figure 8.27: Note Value drop-down menu

Once you click OK, Logic Pro will automatically...

Editing tempo points

Any tempo changes made inside the Tempo track are visible as dots and called tempo points (also referred to as knots). Tempo points can be edited or adjusted evenly or gradually between the selected tempo points.

The individual tempo point can be moved up or down by clicking and dragging it to the preferred bpm. If you need to adjust multiple tempo points at the same time, you can hover your mouse over the selection and Logic Pro will select all the points.

If the tempo points are white, that means they are selected; if they are shown in blue, it means they are not selected. The highlighted tempo points in the Tempo track can then be moved up or down to the preferred bpm:

Figure 8.29: Edited tempo points in the Tempo track

There is an additional feature in Logic Pro that allows you to create a constant tempo across multiple tempo points. Once all of the tempo points are highlighted, you can click on the Tempo track drop-down...

Editing a Beat Mapping track

When working in a Beat Mapping track, lines can be added accidentally sometimes by just clicking in the Beat Mapping track. You may not even realize that it happened, and lines can accumulate quickly. In this section, we will go over how they get inserted and how you can delete them.

You can insert a single beat mapping line by double-clicking anywhere in the Beat Mapping track. In Figure 8.31, the blue and white lines show a new beat mapping line:

Figure 8.31: Individual beat mapping

To delete a single beat mapping line, double-click on the blue line with the pointer or eraser tool.

To delete all the beat mapping lines at once, click on the beat mapping track header, and Logic Pro will select all the beat mapping lines on that track:

Figure 8.32: Beat Mapping track with highlighted Beat Mapping markers

Then, to delete all of them, hit the Delete key on the computer keyboard:

...

Using Beat Mapping scene markers

In Chapter 7, we discussed how to find the most suitable tempo using the Tempo Operations window. In this section, we will use Beat Mapping scene markers to create a tempo map, also referred to as “laying out the cue,” which can be a faster way to help find an appropriate tempo.

We will use the Mercedes commercial to practice this task. However, the skill you will learn in this section can be used in any type of scoring project. You can take this skill and apply it to your own existing projects. The importance of this exercise is to become familiar with and have experience in beat mapping scene markers. Out of all the different tools available in Logic Pro, this is the most used task and, in general, the one most commonly preferred by film composers.

To do this, open the Mercedes-Benz Cabrio C 300_BITC.mov movie file that you saved in Chapter 6, with the SMPTE-locked scene markers. Make sure that the movie and Logic Pro are in sync...

Beat mapping the hit points

Since the hit points in scoring to picture represent the important cuts in a movie, in this section we will create a tempo map that works only with the hit points from the spotting list, using a steady bpm. This is an additional way of creating a tempo map.

The first step is to view all the hit points, taken from the spotting notes list:

Figure 8.55: Spotting notes list excerpt

Next, hold down Option + click on the second hit point marker, Cut to Over the bridge shot, at TC 01:00:39:20 in the floating marker window. The playhead then moves to that location.

Figure 8.56: Arrange window with the hit point marker

Zoom in horizontally and move your playhead away so that you can see the marker position. It looks like the marker is very close to the bar 21, beat 1 position:

Figure 8.57: New line in the Beat Mapping track

Click on bar 21, beat 1 in the Beat Mapping track...

Summary

In this chapter, we discussed the general concept of beat mapping, how to create a Tap Tempo using an instrument track, and how to beat map single MIDI notes, an entire MIDI region, scene markers, and hit points. We also discussed how to edit tempo points and a Beat Mapping track.

Today, film composers still heavily rely on Logic Pro’s beat mapping functions. It’s a valuable tool that can assist a composer in finding a suitable tempo. It’s a quick way of getting any type of marker to fall on the downbeat of a bar. Additionally, it can assist a composer with finding a tempo for the project, without having any prior tempo selections. It’s important to keep in mind though that it can also have irregular or drastic tempo changes as a result.

Dealing with the beat mapping process for the first time might take a little while to get used to, so practicing these steps is a great exercise. As you practice them, you can then start implementing them as...