[HearInc]

So, yeah, there's only about a zillion approaches to this... but here's mine.

When I'm the producer/programmer I start in Logic and do all my MIDI stuff and often ruf vocals or guitars or whatever. When i've got it all programmed I print it, and move it all to PT. Then usually cut the real vocals, guits, and whatnot. Then I mix.

If I'm engineering or mixing, I'm usually starting in PT with some existing material. Often I'm asked to "help" the tracks, i.e. add parts to make it sound more finished. Out comes Stylus, Virus and whatever in PT to do a little MIDI programming. If it's going to be really extensive, or I need sounds that I can't access in PT (I don't have a soft sampler for PT... I use EXS in Logic) I print a stereo pass of where I am and move that to Logic, do my thing, print the files and go back to the mix in PT. I realize this is a little clunky, but I'm a one man shop, and rarely have clients looking over my shoulder. If that were the case, I'd probably have two Macs running in tandem. A decked out G5 Logic native rig patched to my current HD3 rig on this G4 via some ADAT lines or something, and locked together.

For what it sounds like you're doing... I'd say stay where you're familiar until you hit the wall of not being able to get what's in your head out. Look at some software samplers that work in PT (Kontakt, Mach 5?), and definately look at Spectrasonic's stuff... Stylus RMX rips for what you're looking for (REX file import, and a giant library of stuff to get you going), and Trilogy is amazing for bass. Virus Indigo is great for synths. If you want real sounding drums... check into FXpansion's BFD. Works great in PT, and included many built in grooves ready to roll.

And, at the same time, I know a few guys that often program drums in PT by loading a kick sample, a snare sample, and a hat, and just editing them into the bar pattern they want and then copy that out for the tune. Seems clunky to me, and a little limiting, but hey, if it works...

Rock on.
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