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Welcome
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 11.1
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 11
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 10.8
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 10.7.8
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 10.7.5
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.7.3
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.7
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.6
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.5
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.4
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.3
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.2
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.0
- Get started overview
- Workflow overview
- Logic Pro main window
- Projects
- Playback and navigation
- Tempo, key, and time signature
- Patches
- Arranging regions
- - Piano Roll Editor
  - Audio Track Editor
- Session Players
- Smart Controls
- Live Loops
- Mixing
- Apple Loops
- Smart Tempo
- Sharing
- What is Logic Pro for Mac?
- Logic Pro project basics
- Use menu commands and key commands
- Use the complete set of Logic Pro features
- Undo and redo edits
- Manage Logic Pro content
- How to get help
- Hardware connection overview
- Projects overview
- Create projects
- Open projects
- Save projects
- Delete projects
- Use Logic Remote to control Logic Pro projects
- Preview projects in the Finder
- Close projects
- View project information
- Tracks overview
- Control timing with the groove track
- Use selection-based processing
- Edit track parameters
- Overview
- Use the metronome
- Using loops and other media in Logic Pro
- Bookmark folders in the All Files Browser
- Import compressed audio files
- Arranging overview
- Extract vocal and instrumental stems with Stem Splitter
- - Remove silent passages
  - Uses for Remove Silence
- Create groove templates
- Overview
- Select audio regions
- Cut, copy, and paste audio regions
- Move audio regions
- Trim audio regions
- Split and join audio regions
- Snap edits to zero crossings
- Delete audio regions
- Use Flex Time and Pitch in the Logic Pro for Mac Audio Track Editor
- Use automation in the Audio Track Editor
- Overview
- View multiple MIDI regions
- Split chords
- Automation/MIDI area in the Piano Roll Editor
- Open other editors
- Session Players overview
- The Session Player Editor
- Choose a Session Player type and style
- Chords and Session Players
- Choose Session Player presets
- Regenerate a Session Player performance
- Follow rhythm of chords and other tracks
- Work with Drummer multi-channel kits
- Convert Session Player regions into MIDI or pattern regions
- Flex Time and Pitch overview
- Use Varispeed to alter the speed and pitch of audio
- Logic Pro for Mac advanced editors overview
- Mixing overview
- - Channel strip types
  - Channel strip controls
- Set channel strip input format
- Set channel strip pan or balance positions
- Mute and solo channel strips
- Reorder channel strips in the Mixer
- Work with channel strip settings
- Surround panning
- Use the I/O Labels window
- Undo and redo Mixer and plug-in adjustments
- Automation overview
- Track automation vs. region automation
- Show automation curves
- Choose automation modes
- - Select, copy, and move automation
  - Delete automation
- Snap automation to grid positions
- Edit automation in the Automation Event List
- Write automation with external controllers
- 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
- Use the Arpeggiator
- Automate screen control movements
- Live Loops overview
- Start and stop cells
- Work with Live Loops cells
- - Record to cells
  - Record and edit takes in 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 with other devices
- Step Sequencer overview
- Use Step Sequencer with Drum Machine Designer
- Record Step Sequencer patterns live
- Step record Step Sequencer patterns
- Load and save patterns
- Modify pattern playback
- Edit steps
- Edit rows
- Step Sequencer inspector
- Customize Step Sequencer
- Global changes overview
- Control transposition with the Pitch Source parameter
- Control project volume
- Overview
- Add notes
- Use automation in the Score Editor
- Share a score
- Sharing overview
- Share songs to the Music app
- Share songs to Voice Memos
- Share songs using AirDrop
- Share songs using MailDrop
- Share a project to GarageBand for iOS
- Share a project to Logic Pro for iPad
- Overview of surround and spatial audio
- - Overview of spatial audio with Dolby Atmos
  - - Bed tracks and object tracks
    - Rendering a Dolby Atmos mix in Logic Pro for Mac
- - Surround Panner overview
  - Surround Panner parameters
- - 3D Object Panner overview
  - 3D Object Panner parameters
- - Bounce surround audio files
  - Export ADM BWF files
- Video and synchronization overview
Touch Bar shortcuts
- Environment overview
- Common object parameters
- - Environment Layers overview
  - Create, name, delete, and switch layers
- Customize the Environment
- - Effects overview
  - Add, remove, move, and copy plug-ins
- - Instruments introduction
  - Add, remove, move, and copy plug-ins
  - Use multi-output instruments
- - Alchemy overview
  - Alchemy interface overview
  - Alchemy Name bar
  - Alchemy file locations
  - - Preset browser overview
    - Browser results list
  - - Main filter controls
    - Filter types
  - Alchemy master voice section
  - Alchemy Extended parameters
- - Drum Kit Designer overview
  - Edit pane
  - Use Drum Kit Designer
  - Extended parameters
  - Drum Kit Designer mappings
- - Drum Machine Designer overview
  - Drum Machine Designer interface
  - Kit controls
  - - Pad controls bar
    - Use pad controls
  - Kit Tone and Effect Smart Controls
  - Kit Piece Tone and Effect Smart Controls
- - Drum Synth overview
  - Drum Synth Kicks
  - Drum Synth Snares and Claps
  - Drum Synth Percussion
  - Drum Synth Hats and Cymbals
- - ES1 overview
  - Global parameters
  - - Filter parameters
    - Overdrive the filter
  - Amplifier parameters
  - MIDI controller assignments
- - ES2 overview
  - ES2 interface overview
  - - Use the dynamic stage
    - Enhance sounds with the Sine Level control
  - ES2 integrated effects processor controls
  - Use ES2 in Surround mode
  - Extended parameters
  - - Use randomization parameters
    - Restrict randomization
- - EFM1 overview
  - Modulation parameters
  - Global parameters
  - Output parameters
  - Create random sounds
  - Extended parameters
  - Assign MIDI controllers
- - ES E overview
  - Oscillator parameters
  - LFO parameters
  - Filter parameters
  - Envelope parameters
  - Output parameters
  - Extended parameters
- - ES M overview
  - Oscillator parameters
  - Filter and filter envelope controls
  - Level envelope and output controls
  - Extended parameters
- - ES P overview
  - Oscillator parameters
  - LFO parameters
  - Filter parameters
  - Envelope and level controls
  - Integrated effects processor
  - Extended parameters
- - - EVOC 20 PS overview
    - Vocoder basics
  - EVOC 20 PS interface
  - Analysis controls
  - (U/V) detection parameters
  - Formant filter controls
  - Modulation parameters
  - Output parameters
  - Vocoder history
  - EVOC 20 block diagram
- - Quick Sampler overview
  - Add audio to Quick Sampler
  - Quick Sampler waveform display
  - Use Flex in Quick Sampler
  - - Mod Matrix pane
    - LFO controls
  - Quick Sampler Pitch controls
  - Quick Sampler Filter controls
  - Quick Sampler filter types
  - Quick Sampler Amp controls
  - Quick Sampler extended parameters
- - Retro Synth overview
  - Analog oscillator controls
  - Sync oscillator controls
  - - Table oscillator parameters
    - Use the Wavetable menu
  - FM oscillator controls
  - Filter controls
  - Filter types
  - Amp and effect controls
  - Global and controller settings
  - Extended parameters
- - Sample Alchemy overview
  - Interface overview
  - Add source material
  - Edit mode
  - Play modes
  - Source overview
  - Synthesis modes
  - Granular controls
  - Additive effects
  - Additive effect controls
  - Spectral effect
  - Spectral effect controls
  - Filter module
  - Lowpass, bandpass, and highpass filters
  - Comb PM filter
  - Downsampler filter
  - FM filter
  - Envelope generators
  - Mod Matrix
  - Modulation routing
  - Motion mode
  - Trim mode
  - More menu
- - Sampler overview
  - Load and save instruments in Sampler
  - Sampler articulation handling
  - Sampler memory management
  - Sampler extended parameters
- - Sculpture overview
  - Sculpture interface
  - - Pickup parameters
    - Spread controls
  - Global parameters
  - Amplitude envelope parameters
  - Use the Waveshaper
  - Filter parameters
  - Output parameters
  - Use surround range and diversity
  - Define MIDI controllers
  - Extended parameters
- - Studio Bass overview
  - Main view parameters
  - Details view parameters
  - Keyswitch mapping
  - String and position MIDI Out channel assignments
- - Studio Horns overview
  - Extended parameters
  - Keyswitch mapping
  - Section MIDI channel assignments
- Studio Piano
- - Studio Strings overview
  - Extended parameters
  - Keyswitch mapping
  - Section MIDI channel assignments
- - Ultrabeat overview
  - Ultrabeat interface
  - Synthesizer section overview
  - Filter section controls
  - Distortion circuit controls
- - Utility instruments
  - External Instrument
  - Klopfgeist
- - Vintage B3 overview
- - Vintage Clav overview
  - Vintage Clav interface
  - Extended parameters
  - - D6 Clavinet history
    - D6 mechanical details
- - Vintage Electric Piano overview
  - Vintage Electric Piano interface
  - - Model controls
    - Pitch controls
  - Extended parameters
  - - Rhodes models
    - Hohner and Wurlitzer models
  - MIDI controller assignments
- - Vintage Mellotron overview
  - Vintage Mellotron controls
- - Legacy instruments overview
  - - Bass
    - Church Organ
    - Drum Kits
    - Electric Clav(inet)
    - Electric Piano
    - Guitar
    - Horns
    - Piano
    - Sound Effects
    - Strings
    - Tuned Percussion
    - Voice
    - Woodwind
    - Tonewheel Organ
- - Synthesizer basics overview
  - Synthesizer fundamentals
Glossary
Copyright

Logic Pro for Mac project basics

You start working in Logic Pro for Mac by creating a new project, or opening an existing one. A project is the document that contains all your recordings, the location of media files you add, and all the changes you make. You can have multiple projects open at the same time, and transfer media and other data between them.

Each project has a set of properties, including tempo, key, and time signature, which you define when you create the project, and change later while you’re working. Projects can also contain assets including audio files, a movie file, instruments, and other files. You can save assets with the project or reference them in another location.

When Enable Complete Features is selected in Logic Pro > Settings > Advanced, you can save a project as either a single file (package), or as a project folder containing the project file and subfolders for project assets.

For more information about working with projects, see Overview of projects. For information about creating Logic Pro projects, see Create Logic Pro projects.

The basic elements of a Logic Pro for Mac project include the following:

Tracks

The horizontal rows in the Tracks area are called tracks. Tracks help you organize and control the sound of the recordings, loops, and other material in a project. You record your performances on tracks, and arrange the representing the recordings, loops, and other material in a project on tracks. There are several types of tracks you can use in a Logic Pro project:

Audio tracks: Can contain audio recordings, audio Apple Loops, and imported audio files.
Software instrument tracks: Can contain software instrument regions and Apple Loops, pattern regions and Apple Loops, Session Player regions and Apple Loops, and imported MIDI files.
External MIDI tracks: Can contain MIDI recordings that send MIDI data to external MIDI devices, such as synthesizers and sound modules, or to a virtual MIDI output.
Track stacks: Track stacks let you organize and control multiple tracks, and create audio subgroups.
Folder tracks: Can contain folders, which are containers for other tracks. Folder tracks are not assigned to a channel strip in the Mixer.

There are additional track types that do not contain regions, including auxiliary (aux) and output tracks, used for routing the output of other tracks; global tracks, used to control aspects of the overall project; and the master track, which you can use to control the overall volume level of the project.

For more information about working with tracks, see Overview of tracks. For information about working in the Tracks area, see Tracks area overview. For information about working with global tracks, see Global tracks overview.

Regions

Regions are the building blocks of a project. Each time you make a recording, drag an Apple Loop to the Tracks area, or add a media file to your project, a region representing the recording or file appears in the Tracks area. Different types of regions correspond to different track types and types of material.

Figure. Different region types in the Tracks area.

Audio regions refer to (point to) an underlying audio file (a recording made in Logic Pro, an audio Apple Loop, or an imported audio file). An audio region can represent the entire audio file or only a portion of one. When you edit the region in the Tracks area or the Audio Track Editor, the original audio file is not changed.
MIDI regions contain MIDI data for notes and other MIDI events, such as controller and program change information. They are stored as part of the project, but can also be saved as individual files.
Pattern regions contain patterns created using Step Sequencer or from pattern Apple Loops.
Session Player regions generated on software instrument tracks using the Session Player Editor or from Session Player Apple Loops

In the Tracks area, you can move, copy, and work with both audio and MIDI regions in a variety of ways to build your arrangement. You can also edit audio regions in the Audio Track Editor, and edit MIDI regions in the Piano Roll Editor (and the Score Editor).

When Enable Complete Features is selected in Logic Pro > Settings > Advanced, you can edit the source audio files for audio regions in the Audio File Editor.

For more information about arranging regions in the Tracks area, see Overview of arranging. For information about editing audio regions in the Audio Track Editor, see The Audio Track Editor. For information about editing MIDI regions in the Piano Roll Editor, see Piano Roll Editor overview.

For more information about working with regions, see Regions overview.

Patches

You can control the sound of the tracks in your project using patches. A patch can contain one or more channel strips, each with its own settings and plug-ins, as well as a set of Smart Controls. Patches can also contain auxiliary channel strips for more complex routing. You can choose a patch for a track in the Library when you create the track, and choose a different patch later while you’re working. Custom patches can be saved in the Library.

For more information about working with patches, see Patches overview.

Channel strips

Each track in a project is represented and controlled by a channel strip corresponding to the track type. Channel strips contain controls to adjust the volume level and pan position of the track, mute and solo the track, insert plug-ins, route the output signal, and control the track in other ways.

You can view and edit the channel strips for a project in the Mixer. The inspector displays channel strips for the selected track, and also for the primary destination (output) for the selected track’s channel strip.

In addition to track channel strips, projects contain output channel strips and a master channel strip (which controls the overall volume of the project). They can also contain auxiliary channel strips, which are used to route the output from multiple tracks to a single destination.

For more information about working with channel strips in the Mixer, see Overview of mixing.

Plug-ins

Logic Pro for Mac includes a collection of professional-quality plug-ins you can use to shape the sound of your recordings and other material. There are several types of plug-ins used in Logic Pro channel strips: MIDI plug-ins, effects plug-ins, and instrument plug-ins.

MIDI plug-ins are inserted in software instrument channel strips and process or generate MIDI data—played from a MIDI region or a MIDI keyboard—in real time.
Effects plug-ins can be used in audio, instrument, auxiliary, and output channel strips. In general, they modify the sound (the input signal) of the channel strip.
Instrument plug-ins can be used on software instrument channel strips. They respond to MIDI note messages and so can be played using a USB music keyboard or another MIDI controller.

For more information about working with instrument and effects plug-ins, see Overview of plug-ins. For complete information about individual plug-ins, see the Logic Pro Instruments and Logic Pro Effects guides.

Download the guides:

Logic Pro User Guide: PDF

Logic Pro Instruments: PDF

Logic Pro Effects: PDF

Control Surfaces Support Guide: PDF

Helpful?

Logic Pro User Guide for Mac