Logic Pro User Guide
- Welcome
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- What is Logic Pro?
- Workflow overview
- Logic Pro project basics
- Advanced tools and additional options
- Undo and redo edits
- Manage Logic Pro content
- How to get help
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- Projects overview
- Create projects
- Open projects
- Save projects
- Delete projects
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- Play a project
- Set the playhead position
- Control playback with the transport buttons
- Use transport shortcut menus
- Use transport keyboard shortcuts
- Customize the control bar
- Change the LCD display mode
- Monitor and reset MIDI events
- Use the cycle area
- Use the Chase Events function
- Control Logic Pro using Apple Remote
- Control Logic Pro projects using Logic Remote
- Preview projects in the Finder
- Close projects
- View project information
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- Overview
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- Before recording software instruments
- Play software instruments
- Record software instruments
- Record additional software instrument takes
- Overdub software instrument recordings
- Spot erase software instrument recordings
- Use Note Repeat
- Record to multiple software instrument tracks
- Replace software instrument recordings
- Record multiple MIDI devices to multiple tracks
- Record software instruments and audio simultaneously
- Use step input recording techniques
- Use the metronome
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- Overview
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- Regions overview
- Select regions
- Select parts of regions
- Cut, copy, and paste regions
- Move regions
- Add or remove gaps
- Delay region playback
- Loop regions
- Repeat regions
- Resize regions
- Mute and solo regions
- Time stretch regions
- Split regions
- Demix MIDI regions
- Join regions
- Create regions in the Tracks area
- Normalize audio regions in the Tracks area
- Create aliases of MIDI regions
- Clone audio regions
- Convert repeated MIDI regions to loops
- Change the color of regions
- Convert audio regions to Sampler zones
- Rename regions
- Delete regions
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- Overview
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- Add notes
- Select notes
- Snap items to the grid
- Move notes
- Copy notes
- Change the pitch of notes
- Resize notes
- Edit note velocity
- Quantize the timing of notes
- Quantize the pitch of notes
- Change note articulations
- Lock the position of events
- Mute notes
- Change note color
- View note labels
- Delete notes
- Time stretch notes
- View multiple MIDI regions
- Split chords
- Automation/MIDI area in the Piano Roll Editor
- Open other editors
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- Flex Time and Pitch overview
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- Flex Pitch algorithm and parameters
- Edit the pitch of audio in the Audio Track Editor or a zoomed in track
- Edit the pitch of audio in the Tracks area when the track is not zoomed in
- Correct the timing of audio regions with Flex Pitch
- Quantize the pitch of audio regions
- Create MIDI from audio recordings
- Change the gain of notes in audio regions
- Use Varispeed to alter the speed and pitch of audio
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- Mixing overview
- Set channel strip input formats
- Set channel strip pan or balance positions
- Mute and solo channel strips
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- Plug-ins overview
- Add, remove, move, and copy plug-ins
- Insert a plug-in on a track using drag and drop
- Activate plug-ins on inactive channels
- Use the Channel EQ
- Work in the plug-in window
- Work with plug-in settings
- Work with plug-in latencies
- Work with Audio Units plug-ins
- Support for ARA 2 compatible plug-ins
- Use the Plug-in Manager
- Work with channel strip settings
- Surround panning
- Use the I/O Labels window
- Undo and redo Mixer and plug-in adjustments
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- Smart Controls overview
- Show Smart Controls for master effects
- Choose a Smart Control layout
- Automatic MIDI controller assignment
- Map screen controls automatically
- Map screen controls
- Edit mapping parameters
- Use parameter mapping graphs
- Open the plug-in window for a screen control
- Rename a screen control
- Use articulation IDs to change articulations
- Assign hardware controls to screen controls
- Compare Smart Control edits with saved settings in Logic Pro
- Use the Arpeggiator
- Automate screen control movements
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- Live Loops overview
- Start and stop cells
- Work with Live Loops cells
- Change loop settings for cells
- How the Live Loops grid and Tracks area interact
- Edit cells
- Edit scenes
- Work in the Cell Editor
- Bounce cells
- Record a Live Loops performance
- Change Live Loops grid settings
- Control Live Loops in Logic Pro with other devices
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- Overview
- Add notes
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- Part box overview
- View score symbols
- Select score symbols
- Add notes and rests
- Add notes and symbols to multiple regions
- Add key and time signature changes
- Change the clef sign
- Add dynamic marks, slurs, and crescendi
- Change note heads
- Add symbols to notes
- Add trills, ornaments, and tremolo symbols
- Add sustain pedal markings
- Add chord symbols
- Add chord grids and tablature symbols
- Add bar lines, repeats, and coda signs
- Add page and line break symbols
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- Select notes
- Move and copy notes
- Change note pitch, duration, and velocity
- Change note articulations
- Quantize the timing of notes
- Restrict note input to the current key
- Control how ties are displayed
- Add and edit tuplets
- Override display quantization using tuplets
- Add grace notes and independent notes
- Delete notes
- Use automation in the Score Editor
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- Staff styles overview
- Assign staff styles to tracks
- Staff Style window
- Create and duplicate staff styles
- Edit staff styles
- Edit staff, voice, and assign parameters
- Add and delete staffs or voices in the Logic Pro Staff Style window
- Copy staffs or voices in the Logic Pro Staff Style window
- Copy staff styles between projects
- Delete staff styles
- Assign notes to voices and staffs
- Display polyphonic parts on separate staffs
- Change the staff assignment of score symbols
- Beam notes across staffs
- Use mapped staff styles for drum notation
- Predefined staff styles
- Share a score
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- Environment overview
- Common object parameters
- Customize the Environment
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- Fader objects overview
- Use fader objects
- Play back fader movements
- Work with object groups
- Fader styles
- Fader functions: MIDI events
- Fader functions: range, value as
- Fader functions: filter
- Vector fader
- Special faders overview
- Cable switchers
- Meta event faders
- SysEx faders
- Work with SysEx messages
- Special functions
- Ornament objects
- MMC record buttons
- Keyboard objects
- Monitor objects
- Channel splitter object
- Physical input objects
- Physical input objects
- MIDI click objects
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- Key commands overview
- Browse, import, and save key commands
- Assign key commands
- Copy and print key commands
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- Global Commands key commands
- Global Control Surfaces Commands
- Various windows
- Windows Showing Audio files
- Main Window Tracks and Various Editors
- Live Loops Grid
- Various Editors
- Views showing Time Ruler
- Main Window Tracks
- Mixer
- MIDI Environment
- Piano Roll
- Score Editor
- Event Editor
- Step Editor
- Step Sequencer
- Project Audio
- Audio File Editor
- Smart Tempo Editor
- Sampler
- Step Input Keyboard
- Tool key commands in Logic Pro
- Touch Bar shortcuts
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- Working with your control surface
- Connect control surfaces
- Add a control surface to Logic Pro
- Automatic assignment for USB MIDI controllers
- Grouping control surfaces
- Control Surfaces preferences overview
- Modal dialog display
- Tips for using your control surface
- Control surfaces supported by Logic Pro
- Software and firmware
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- Learn about Effects
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- Learn about Amps and Pedals
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- Bass Amp Designer overview
- Bass amplifier models
- Bass cabinet models
- Build a custom combo
- Amplifier signal flow
- Pre-amp signal flow
- Use the D.I. box
- Amplifier controls
- Bass Amp Designer effects overview
- Bass Amp Designer EQ
- Bass Amp Designer compressor
- Bass Amp Designer Graphic EQ
- Bass Amp Designer Parametric EQ
- Bass Amp Designer microphone controls
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- Use MIDI plug-ins
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- Arpeggiator overview
- Arpeggiator control parameters
- Note order parameters overview
- Note order variations
- Note order inversions
- Arpeggiator pattern parameters overview
- Use Live mode
- Use Grid mode
- Arpeggiator options parameters
- Arpeggiator keyboard parameters
- Use keyboard parameters
- Assign controller parameters
- Modifier MIDI plug-in controls
- Note Repeater MIDI plug-in controls
- Randomizer MIDI plug-in controls
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- Use the Scripter MIDI plug-in
- Use the Script Editor
- Scripter API overview
- MIDI processing functions overview
- HandleMIDI function
- ProcessMIDI function
- GetParameter function
- SetParameter function
- ParameterChanged function
- Reset function
- JavaScript objects overview
- Use the JavaScript Event object
- Use the JavaScript TimingInfo object
- Use the Trace object
- Use the MIDI event beatPos property
- Use the JavaScript MIDI object
- Create Scripter controls
- Transposer MIDI plug-in controls
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- Learn about included Instruments
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- Alchemy overview
- Name bar
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- Alchemy source overview
- Source master controls
- Import browser
- Source subpage controls
- Source filter controls
- Source filter use tips
- Source elements overview
- Additive element controls
- Additive element effects
- Spectral element controls
- Spectral element effects
- Pitch correction controls
- Formant filter controls
- Granular element controls
- Sampler element controls
- VA element controls
- Source modulations
- Morph controls
- Master voice section
- Alchemy extended parameters
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- Logic Pro Quick Sampler overview
- Add content to Logic Pro Quick Sampler
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler waveform display
- Use Flex in Logic Pro Quick Sampler
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler Pitch controls
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler Filter controls
- Quick Sampler filter types
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler Amp controls
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler extended parameters
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- Sculpture overview
- Sculpture interface
- Global parameters
- Amplitude envelope parameters
- Use the Waveshaper
- Filter parameters
- Output parameters
- Use surround range and diversity
- Assign MIDI controllers
- Extended parameters
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- Ultrabeat overview
- Ultrabeat interface
- Synthesizer section overview
- Filter section controls
- Distortion circuit controls
- Glossary
Use the Sampler Zone pane
You can see the current waveform of the selected zone and can directly edit a number of sample playback parameters in the Zone pane waveform display. You can zoom in or out with pinch gestures, or scroll the waveform display using two-finger swipes or by dragging the scroll bar. You can use single-finger swipes if you are using a Magic Mouse.
Important: Use of gestures, such as swiping or pinching require these features to be enabled in the Mouse or Trackpad panes of your System Preferences.
As you move the pointer across the waveform display, it changes in appearance and function. For example, the pointer will change to indicate that you can move a slice marker or fade marker. In addition, parameters and values related to the current pointer tool function are shown below the waveform display (and in Zone view).
Click or drag markers and handles in the waveform display to change values. Drag vertically in parameter value fields to change them. For example, vertically drag the value shown for Loop Start to change it. Alternatively, you can double-click in a field and enter a value, then press the Return key.
You can also Control-click the waveform display to open a shortcut menu that allows you to open the sample in the Logic Pro Audio File Editor (or an external editor), if you prefer. See Edit in the Logic Pro Audio File Editor.
You can specify the audio editor in Sampler preferences.
Tip: The Zone pane is best used with the Mapping pane also visible. See Mapping and Zone pane overview.
Zone pane parameters
Double-click a parameter value field to enter a new value. Press Return to complete the operation.
Waveform display: Shows the selected zone waveform, marker handles, and shaded marker areas. You can drag the marker handles to adjust zone playback.
Edit menu: Choose an editing command or function. See the task in this section to learn more about the commands and functions in this pop-up menu.
View menu: Choose an option that affects the appearance of the display. See the task in this section to learn more about the commands and functions in this pop-up menu.
Preview button: Play the selected zone.
Snap pop-up menu: Choose a value. Edits to crossfade, sample, fade, or loop markers in the waveform display automatically snap to the nearest possible value.
Zoom vertical button: Switch between the maximum vertical zoom view for the currently displayed waveform section and the default zoom view.
Zoom horizontal button: Switch between the last manually set zoom level, if applicable, and an optimized zoom level that shows the area between the sample start and end markers. When no manual zoom level is set, the entire audio file is shown.
Tip: You can use your trackpad to zoom in or out on the waveform display with pinch gestures, or scroll using two-finger swipes or by dragging the scroll bar. You can use a Magic Mouse to perform the following gestures: one finger horizontal swipe to scroll, or use a one finger vertical swipe to zoom.
Zone pop-up menu: Displays the zone name. Click to choose other zones.
File pop-up menu: Displays the audio filename. Click to choose file handling commands.
Load Audio File: Opens a dialog where you can select an audio file.
Show in Finder: Shows the full path of the loaded audio file in the Finder.
Open in Audio File Editor: Opens the selected sample in the Logic Pro Audio File Editor, or the sample editor chosen in the External Sample Editor preference.
Note: This command is available only when Destructive audio editing is enabled in the Logic Pro preferences.
Playback buttons: Use these options to determine zone playback behavior.
One Shot button: Turn on to make the zone ignore the length of incoming MIDI note events, resulting in the sample always being played from start to end whenever a note-on event is received. This is useful for drum samples, where you often don’t want the MIDI note length to affect sample playback. Also see the Fade field parameters.
Loop and crossfade parameters are dimmed when the One Shot button is active.
Reverse button: Turn on to play the sample from the sample end marker to the sample start marker.
Flex On/Off button: Turn Flex mode on or off. If Flex mode is turned on, an audio sample is played at its original speed for all note pitches. See the task in this section to learn more about Flex use.
Follow Tempo button: When Flex mode is active, turn on to follow the project tempo.
(Flex) Speed pop-up menu: When Flex mode is active, choose a playback speed division or multiplication value.
Tip: Flex Speed is also available as a modulation target.
Sample Start/End handles and fields: Set the sample start and end points. Drag to reposition. Option-click, then drag either handle to move both markers.
Sample Length field: Displays the length between the sample start and end marker positions. Drag vertically to move the end and fade-out marker.
Fade In/Fade Out handles and fields: Set the fade-in or fade-out time for the zone. Drag to reposition. Option-click, then drag either handle to move both markers. The fade markers cannot be positioned before or after the sample start and end markers.
Loop Start/Loop End handles and fields: Set the loop start and end points. Drag to reposition. Drag the shaded loop area to move both markers and the crossfade marker. Alternatively, you can Option-click, then drag either handle to move both markers and the crossfade marker.
Loop Length field: Displays the length between the loop start and end marker positions. Drag vertically to move the loop end and crossfade marker.
Loop Mode pop-up menu: Choose a looping mode. Set to No Loop to disable looping.
No Loop: Turn off looped playback. This hides loop markers and crossfades from the waveform display.
Forward: Playback cycles from the loop start point to the loop end point while you hold a key.
Reverse: Playback cycles from the loop end point to the loop start point while you hold a key.
Alternate: Playback continuously cycles from the loop start point to the loop end point, then switches from the loop end point to the loop start point, while you hold a key.
Play to End on Release: Turn on to continue playback to the end marker position after you have released the key—provided that the amp release time is long enough for the audio portion after the loop to be audible. This feature is useful for allowing the natural decay of a sampled acoustic instrument to be heard during the envelope release phase, for example.
Crossfade handle and field: Drag to set the crossfade time between the end and start of a looped sample. The crossfade marker handle is indicated with an X in the waveform display. Option-click, then drag the handle to move both crossfades.
In a crossfaded loop, there is no step between the loop end and loop start points. The higher the value, the longer the crossfade and the smoother the transition between the loop end and start points. This is especially convenient with samples that are hard to loop and that would normally produce clicks at the transition point—the join in the loop.
Use Sampler Zone pane start, end, loop, fade, anchor, and crossfade markers
You can use Sampler Zone pane markers to alter audio playback in Logic Pro. To define the possible positions for markers, use the Snap menu.
Do any of the following:
Drag the blue start or end marker to set the sample start and end point. Playback occurs between these markers.
Press and hold Option, then drag either the start or end marker to move both the sample start and end point.
Drag the gray fade in or fade out marker to change the length of the fade at the beginning and end of the audio file segment between the start and end markers.
Press and hold Option, then drag either the fade in or fade out marker to move both fade markers.
Drag the yellow loop start or end marker to set loop boundaries. Playback cycles between these markers when you hold a note.
Drag the yellow shaded area between the loop start and end markers to move the entire loop. Alternatively, press and hold Option, then drag either the loop start or end marker to move the entire loop
Drag the gray crossfade marker (indicated with X) to set the length of the crossfade at the beginning and end of loop boundaries, smoothing out audible glitches as the loop cycles across the loop end and start points.
Drag the light blue anchor marker to set the absolute start point of the audio file.
Note: The anchor marker is visible only when Show Anchor is selected in the Zone pane View menu.
Quickly zoom a portion of the Zone pane waveform display
In Logic Pro Sampler, the zoom buttons and pinch gestures can be used to zoom the waveform display shown in the Zone pane, but you can also do the following to quickly zoom a portion of the waveform:
Press and hold Control and Option, then drag in the waveform display.
The selected area is zoomed to fill the entire waveform display.
Tip: Double-click the Zone button in the Navigation bar to quickly switch between a maximized view of the Zone pane and the current view.
Use the Sampler Zone pane shortcut menu
In Logic Pro, you can use the shortcut menu to choose a number of sample-handling commands. Control-click in the waveform display to access available options from the shortcut menu.
Important: The shortcut menu is context-sensitive. The commands shown in the Zone pane shortcut menu change when you click on different portions of the waveform display. For example, you will see different Auto-Loop commands when you Control-click directly on the yellow shaded loop area in the waveform display.
Auto-Loop: Analyzes the audio content and automatically sets a loop. You can use the command multiple times to try different automatic loops.
Auto-Loop within loop area: Analyzes the audio content and automatically sets a loop within the area defined by the loop start and end markers. You can use the command multiple times to try shorter automatic loops.
Open in Audio File Editor: Opens the selected sample in the Logic Pro Audio File Editor, or the sample editor chosen in the External Sample Editor preference. See Logic Pro Audio File Editor.
Note: This command is available only when Destructive audio editing is enabled in the Logic Pro preferences.
Re-Analyze Transients and Tempo: Analyzes the audio content and corrects transient or tempo changes caused by incorrect tempo data written in the file header, unexpected results from Flex use, or other tempo and transient manipulations, for example.
Crop Loop: Crops (cuts) the portion(s) of the sample outside the loop start and end markers.
Note: The “Crop” commands don’t modify or cut existing files. New files are created and are used in place of the original files.
Crop Sample: Crops (cuts) the portion(s) of the sample outside the start and end markers.
Write Sample Loop to Audio File: Saves the loop data to the file header of the audio file.
Optimize Sample Gain: Analyzes the audio content and sets automatic gain values.
Linear or Equal Power Crossfade: Sets the crossfade gain value behavior.
Display Seconds/Sample/Beats Units: Shows time, sample, or bar/beat values in the waveform display.
Display Stereo Channels/Mono Sum: Shows a stereo or summed mono waveform view in the waveform display.
Use the Sampler Zone pane Edit menu
In Logic Pro, you can use the Zone pane Edit menu to choose a number of sample-handling commands. Choose any of the following:
Auto-Loop: Analyzes the audio content and automatically sets a loop. You can use the command multiple times to try different automatic loops.
Auto-Loop within loop area: Analyzes the audio content and automatically sets a loop within the area defined by the loop start and end markers. You can use the command multiple times to try shorter automatic loops.
Crop Loop: Crops (cuts) the portion(s) of the sample outside the loop start and end markers.
Crop Sample: Crops (cuts) the portion(s) of the sample outside the start and end markers.
Derive Tempo from Loop Length: Calculates a tempo for the audio file based on the Loop Length. If using the Follow Tempo button does not yield the desired results, you can choose this option to calculate a revised tempo at which the loop is aligned to the beat.
Linear or Equal Power Crossfade: Sets the crossfade gain value behavior.
New: Create a new, empty zone. You can add audio to this zone from the File menu or a drag and drop operation.
Open in Audio File Editor: Opens the selected zone in the Logic Pro Audio File Editor.
Optimize Loop Start: Use to automatically adjust the loop start point to create a smooth loop cycle.
Optimize Loop Crossfade/End: Use to automatically set crossfade values at the point in the loop cycle where the loop end and loop start markers cross over. Loop length is not affected.
Optimize Sample Gain: Analyzes the audio content and sets automatic gain values.
Re-Analyze Transients and Tempo: Re-analyzes the current audio for transient and tempo changes, following edits you have made.
Retune: Analyzes the audio content and sets the root key and tuning value automatically.
Write Sample Loop to Audio File: Saves the loop data to the file header of the audio file. To save the new audio file with a different name, click the Name field and choose the Rename Current Audio command.
Use the Sampler Zone pane View menu
In Logic Pro, you can use the Zone pane View menu to choose a command that changes the appearance of the Zone pane. Choose any of the following:
Display Seconds/Sample/Beats Units: Shows time, sample, or bar/beat values in the waveform display.
Display Stereo Channels/Mono Sum: Shows a stereo or summed mono waveform view in the waveform display.
Show Anchor: Displays the absolute start point of the audio file in the waveform display.