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Providing a good-quality sound edit for your movies is as important as well-cut visuals. The two go hand in hand, but too often sound is overlooked in an edit. Dialogue, SFX and music can be edited and mixed in Final Cut Pro using the audio tools provided, but if you want to take your audio mix to the next level, it’s definitely worth exporting your edit’s audio to Apple’s Logic Pro X audio-editing software. Your edit sequence in Final Cut Pro can be exported as an XML file. This file type enables you to transfer the data within a Final Cut sequence into other software such as Logic and to replicate that sequence. The file only contains data; not actual audio or video media.
1 Exporting audio
In Final Cut Pro you can export audio only by clicking File>Share>Export file. Click Settings, and next to Format select Audio Only. Pick a file format, then click Next and select a destination.
2 XML exports
In Final Cut Pro go to File>Export XML. By default the XML file is titled as the current date. Click Save and the XML file will instantly be saved to your computer.
3 Create a Logic project
Open Logic Pro X. Go to File>New. Click Audio and select how many tracks you have in your Final Cut project. Click Create to create a new project timeline in Logic.
4 Import your XLM file
Time to get the file in place. In Logic, go to File> Import>Final Cut XML. Locate the XML file that you exported from Final Cut Pro, select it and then click Import.
5 Sample rates
Logic may automatically change the sample rate of its project to match the XML file that you’re importing. This will ensure your audio does not go out of sync when placed back into Final Cut.
6 Frame rate
You’ll be asked if you want to adjust the frame rate. Select the one that matches your Final Cut project to avoid audio sync problems when you return the audio to Final Cut.
7 Edit your audio
Once the XML file has been fully imported into Logic, you will see the audio placement within the Logic project is exactly the same as that of your Final Cut Pro project.
8 Import new footage
In Logic go to File>Movie>Open Movie. Locate the video file you exported from Final Cut Pro alongside your XML file. The video will then appear in your Logic timeline.
9 Export from Logic
Click File>Export>Project to Final Cut Pro XML. You don’t have to worry about including video in the export. Select the Compound clip to group all tracks together. Click Save to export.
