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
Add content to Logic Pro Quick Sampler
Quick Sampler provides two direct methods to add an audio file, Apple Loop, or region. Once you’ve added the file, you can choose different modes to change playback behavior, you can directly edit waveform markers, and you can alter the tonal color and performance characteristics with the synthesis and modulation parameters. You also have the option to record audio directly into Quick Sampler.
You can quickly replace the sound for Quick Sampler on a software instrument track by dragging an audio file, audio or software instrument region, or Apple Loop to the track header. When you drag content to one of the Quick Sampler zones to replace the existing sound, you can choose whether Quick Sampler uses the original tuning, loudness, looping, and length of the material, or analyzes the material and optimizes its tuning, searches for loop points, and crops silence.
Add an audio file with the Sample name field
In Logic Pro, click the “Sample name” field at the top center, and choose Load Audio File to open Finder.
In the Finder, browse to the file you want to import, then select one of the following checkboxes.
Original: Adds the audio file to the waveform display, which uses the tuning, loudness, looping, and length characteristics of the source file.
Optimized: Analyzes the source file, optimizing its tuning, loudness, and length, then adds the audio file. If the contents are rhythmic and/or cyclical (looped), Quick Sampler automatically adds loop and crossfade markers to the waveform display. Silence at the beginning or end of the source audio is cropped (cut), shortening the imported content.
Note: These checkboxes are visible only when the Options button at the bottom left of the Finder window is turned on.
Click Open.
Drag and drop content into Quick Sampler
In Logic Pro, drag a region or an audio file from the Audio File window, Apple Loops window, or Finder into the Quick Sampler waveform display.
Drop the file into either the Original or Optimized portion of the waveform display.
Original: Adds the audio file to the waveform display, which uses the tuning, loudness, looping, and length characteristics of the source file.
Optimized: Analyzes the source file, optimizing its tuning, loudness, and length, then adds the audio file. If the contents are rhythmic and/or cyclical (looped), Quick Sampler automatically adds loop and crossfade markers to the waveform display. Silence at the beginning or end of the source audio is cropped (cut), shortening the imported content.
Note: A resampling process is triggered when you drop a region into Quick Sampler. The region is bounced offline and added to the waveform display.
Replace the sound for Quick Sampler on a software instrument track using drag and drop
In Logic Pro, drag an audio file, region, or Apple Loop to a software instrument track with a Quick Sampler instrument inserted.
When the “Replace existing sound” dialog appears, drag the item to one of the available Quick Sampler zones to choose how the plug-in processes the content.
Quick Sampler (Original) uses the original tuning, loudness, looping, and length of the content.
Quick Sampler (Optimized) analyzes the content and optimizes its tuning and loudness, searches for loop points, and crops silence.
Note: A resampling process is triggered when you drop a region into Quick Sampler. The region is bounced offline and added to the waveform display.
Save a Quick Sampler instrument
In Logic Pro, you can access all basic Quick Sampler file operations using the commands in the plug-in header Setting pop-up menu.
Save: Saves the currently loaded instrument. When you create a new instrument and save it for the first time, you are asked to provide a name. If you have edited an existing instrument and use this command, the existing filename is used and the original instrument is overwritten.
Save As: Saves the currently loaded instrument content, but you are prompted to provide a different filename. Use this command when you want to save a copy or multiple versions of an edited Quick Sampler instrument, rather than overwriting the original version. This, and the Save A Copy As, command may be useful when you want to save a Quick Sampler Setting that is unique to a specific project. Storing this in a location outside of user folders may also be practical for sharing a copy of your Quick Sampler Setting with a colleague or friend.
Save A Copy As: Saves a copy of the currently loaded Quick Sampler content. You are prompted to provide a different filename. Use this command when you want to save a copy or multiple versions of an edited instrument, rather than overwriting the original version.
Save As Default: Saves the currently loaded Quick Sampler parameter settings as the Default instrument. This instrument serves as a template for future Quick Sampler instruments and is used when you create a new instrument. It is also used when you choose Initialize Setting from the Setting pop-up menu.
Save a Quick Sampler patch in the Library
You can save patches, comprised of a Quick Sampler instrument and associated plug-in settings, in the Library.
In Logic Pro, click the Save button at the bottom of the Library pane. If the Library is not visible, click the Library button on the Logic Pro menu bar or use the default keyboard shortcut: Y.
In the Finder window:
Browse to the file location you want to use. The default folder location is User Patches. If required, create a new folder.
Type the patch name, then press the Save button.