How to Prevent Distortion While Recording With Logic
- 1). Turn on "Software Monitoring" in Logic. Click on the "Preferences" button in the toolbar and choose "Audio" from the pop-up menu. The audio preferences screen will appear with the "Core Audio" tab open. Click the box next to "Software Monitoring" to engage it. With this enabled, you can monitor incoming audio from the selected record-armed track. You will hear it exactly as it will be recorded by Logic.
- 2). Use headphones. This is extremely important when monitoring. If the microphone you are using to record picks up any of the output signal from Logic, a feedback loop that can damage your equipment or hearing will result.
- 3). Record-arm the track in Logic onto which you will record by clicking the "R" button on the track's channel strip. Click on the channel strip's input slot -- the first gray box below the "I/O" label -- and choose your audio interface from the pop-up menu. Turn the volume slider on the track's channel strip all the way down.
- 4). Connect the microphone to the audio interface and turn the "Volume" or "Gain" knob on the interface all the way down. It is always best to start from the lowest volume and move upward in increments while performing the next steps.
- 5). Perform a thorough microphone check. Turn the microphone and interface on. Most interfaces will have some kind of level meter that indicates the loudness of the incoming signal. Tap the microphone gently while slowly turning the interface's volume up. You will see the level meter begin to jump with each tap. When the meter begins to hit the approximate halfway point, say "check" into the microphone repeatedly while continuing to increase the volume. This will produce larger jumps in the meter.
- 6). Continue saying "check" and turning the volume on the interface up until the meter begins to go into the red. This is called "clipping" and indicates that the processor is overwhelmed, which will lead to distortion when recorded. Turn the volume back down slowly until the clipping stops. Have the musician you will record sing or play a few bars into the microphone. If any further clipping occurs, turn the volume down in increments again.
- 7). Check the input levels within Logic. Now that the microphone and interface are properly set up, the only place where distortion might occur is within the recording software itself. Put on the headphones. Perform a microphone check in the same way as was done with the interface. Say "check" into the microphone while slowly raising the channel strip's volume slider. Watch the level meter to the left of the slider. Continue raising the slider until the meter is peaking just below the top.
- 8). Record a test take. Have the musician sing or play the entire song while watching the level meters on the interface and channel strip within Logic. If you notice any clipping, reduce the volume slightly and try again. This can be a time-consuming, but necessary, process. Distortion during the recording process is almost impossible to remove or correct after the fact.
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