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 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
Logic Pro Alchemy source subpage controls
Source components are shown only in advanced view. Click the Advanced button to switch to advanced view, then click the A/B/C/D button to select the source you want to edit.
Each of the four sources has an identical set of controls for more in-depth editing. Several source subpage controls are duplicates of those found in the source master controls. See Logic Pro Alchemy source master controls.
For information on source filter controls, see Logic Pro Alchemy source filters.
The waveform display and element controls section update to show relevant data and parameters when different synthesis engines are active. The additive element is active for source A in the image.
Source subpage controls
On/off button: Turn the source on or off.
Source select pop-up menu and field: Displays the name of the current source audio data. Click to open a pop-up menu with source content handling commands. See Logic Pro Alchemy source master controls.
Solo button: Isolate the source by turning off all other sources. Click again to restore the on/off status of other sources.
Note: If you save a preset with one source in solo mode, the resulting preset retains the on state of the source, but solo mode is disabled. All other sources are off.
Stereo button: Turn stereo mode on or off. If stereo mode is off and a stereo file is loaded or imported, only the left channel is played. When stereo mode is on, loaded or imported sounds are played in stereo. This makes it possible to pan individual oscillators in the additive element or individual grains in the granular element, for example.
Edit button: Open the source edit window. See Logic Pro Alchemy source edit window overview.
Volume knob: Set the source output level (-inf dB to 0 dB).
Wait knob: Set a delay between the keystrike and triggering of the source.
Coarse Tune knob: Tune the source pitch in semitone increments.
Fine Tune knob: Tune the source pitch in increments of one cent (one hundredth of a semitone).
Position knob: Determine the playback start position in the audio data. A value of 0% indicates the absolute start point of the audio data. A value of 100% indicates the absolute end point. See Logic Pro Alchemy source modulations.
When the Loop Mode pop-up menu and field (see entry below) is set to Start/End or Start/Length, the Position (and Speed) knob is replaced with the following two controls:
Loop Start knob: Determine the playback start position in the audio data. A value of 0% indicates the absolute start point of the audio data. A value of 100% indicates the absolute end point.
Loop End/Length knob: Loop End sets the playback end point. Loop Length determines the playback length, expressed as a percentage of the overall length of the sample.
Speed knob: Set the audio data playback rate in additive, spectral, or granular mode. Speed has no effect when the element is set to sampler mode. A setting of 100% represents the original playback rate. Higher settings (up to 500%) represent faster playback, while lower settings (down to 0%) represent slower playback.
Playback begins at the point set with the Position knob and travels through the audio data on a path determined by the Loop mode. Speed determines the rate of this travel. Playback remains at the normal pitch regardless of the rate of travel. Set Speed to 0% to halt playback at the point set with the Position knob.
Keyscale pop-up menu and field: Choose from three key scaling options that affect source pitch response to incoming MIDI data.
Key+PBend: The pitch of the source responds to MIDI note and pitchbend data.
Key: The pitch of the source responds to MIDI note data but does not respond to pitchbend data.
Off: The pitch of the source does not respond to either MIDI note or pitchbend data.
Note: Global pitchbend behavior is determined with the PitchBend Up and Down controls in the master voice section. See Logic Pro Alchemy master voice section.
Loop Mode pop-up menu and field: Choose from five loop mode options that affect playback of the source audio data.
None: Ignores the loop start and end points, and plays the entire sound once without looping.
Continuous: Plays from the beginning, enters the loop region, and loops continuously in a forward direction while a note is held and during the envelope release phase.
Sustain: Plays from the beginning, enters the loop region, loops continuously while a note is held, and exits the loop region to play the normal sound release phase.
Forward/Back: Like Continuous, but plays the loop region alternately forward and backward.
Start/End: In this mode, playback starts from the defined start point, playing at 100% speed to the defined loop end position, then skips to the start point and repeats. These positions are set with the Loop Start and Loop End knobs (see entries above).
Note off messages have no impact on loop repetitions. If the loop end point is placed before the loop start point, playback is reversed (backwards to the loop end point) when the loop start point is reached.
Start/Length: In this mode, playback starts from the defined start point, playing at 100% speed to the defined loop end position, then skips to the start point and repeats. The length of the loop, controlled with the Loop Length knob, is set as a percentage of the overall length of the sound, such that loop end point is equal to the loop start point plus loop length.
If the settings of Loop Start and Loop Length controls (see entries above) cause playback to go beyond the end of the underlying sample, silence is automatically inserted at the end of the sound.
All: Ignores the loop start and end points, and loops the entire sound continuously.
Note: The loop start and the loop end points, and sample start and end points, can be edited in the Main edit window. See Logic Pro Alchemy source edit window overview and Logic Pro Alchemy zone waveform editor. The VA noise component is not affected by the Loop mode setting.
Waveform overview display: Shows the waveform for the source when the granular or sampler element button is active. The display also shows real-time additive or spectral data, or a representation of the waveform, if the Position or Speed controls are selected. When Position is adjusted, a position indicator is shown, allowing you to fine-tune the start position.
Synthesis element buttons: Choose the synthesis type, and view and change related parameters in the area below. A variable combination of the Additive, Spectral, Pitch, Formant, Granular, Sampler, and VA buttons is available for use, depending on the audio data specified in the source select field and the import method used, if applicable. See Logic Pro Alchemy source elements overview and Logic Pro Alchemy Import browser.