Channel strip types in Logic Pro for Mac

You use channel strips to process audio or MIDI information that is routed from tracks. The Mixer shows all channel strips in your project, including track channel strips, auxiliary and output channel strips, Voltage Controlled Amplifier (VCA) channel strips, and the master channel strip. When you create a new project from a template, the Mixer includes channel strips for the audio, instrument, and MIDI tracks in the template, as well as the master channel strip and one or more output channel strips, depending on your audio interface. As you add tracks to a project, Logic Pro for Mac adds channel strips to the Mixer for each new track.

You can also add Auxiliary and VCA tracks from the Mixer > Options menu, as described in the use aux channel strips and use VCA groups sections.

When Enable Complete Features is selected in Logic Pro > Settings > Advanced, you can filter channel strips by type, displaying only those you need for the task at hand.

Figure. Channel strip types in the Mixer.

Audio channel strips: Used to control the playback and recording of audio signals on audio tracks. All data on the audio track is routed to the audio channel strip assigned in the track list.
Instrument channel strips: Used to control software instruments. You insert a software instrument using the channel strip Instrument slot. The instrument channel strip can then produce sound from any MIDI regions on the associated track, or from notes you play on a MIDI keyboard.
Aux (Auxiliary) channel strips: Used for a variety of signal-routing purposes. Aux channel strips are used to set up send returns, where a channel strip signal is routed to an aux channel strip for effects processing. They are also used for grouping and for distributing a signal to multiple destinations via sends.
Output channel strips: Represent the physical audio outputs of your audio interface. They are used to adjust the overall level and stereo balance or pan position of all audio, instrument, or aux channel strips routed to them. The number of available output channel strips is determined by the audio interface you are using.
VCA channel strips: Represent a VCA group, used to control the volume, or automate a submix, of tracks that are assigned to the VCA fader.
Master channel strip: Used as a global volume control for all output channel strips. The master channel strip changes the gain of all output channel strips without affecting the level relationships between them. This is helpful as a proportional output volume control, and is particularly useful in Logic Pro surround format, where you can use it to create fades in the complete surround mix.
MIDI channel strips: Used to control external MIDI tracks. MIDI data on these tracks is routed to a MIDI output port and channel, for control of MIDI sound modules and keyboards.

Note: Bus and input channel strips are included for compatibility with earlier versions of Logic Pro. Signal routing and other bus channel strip functions are now handled by aux channel strips. Audio hardware inputs are now handled by audio channel strips.

Delete channel strips

In Logic Pro, select one or more channel strips and press the Delete key.
If the channel strips you wish to delete are assigned to tracks or receiving signal from active busses, a dialog appears informing you that you can choose to delete all the selected channel strips, or to deselect those that are assigned and only delete the remaining channel strips.

Note: When you delete channel strips assigned to tracks, an alert appears, asking whether you want to delete tracks with content, delete only tracks without content, or keep the unassigned tracks.

Filter channel strips by type

In Logic Pro, click a filter button in the Mixer to show or hide the channel strip type.
Option-click a filter button to show that channel strip type; all other channel strip types are hidden.

Scroll to specific channel strip types

When you have more channel strips than can be viewed in the Mixer at once, scroll the mixer in Logic Pro by doing one of the following:

Select Autoscroll to Selection in the Mixer > View menu.
When you select a channel strip, the mixer scrolls to include the selected channel strip.
Choose a channel strip type in the Scroll To submenu in the Mixer > View menu.
The Mixer scrolls to the first channel strip of the type selected.

Select a single channel strip

To select a single channel strip in Logic Pro, do one of the following:

Click on a portion of a channel strip not containing a channel strip control.
With the Mixer in focus, use the right and left arrow keys to select a channel strip.

When a channel strip is selected, any tracks associated with the selected channel strip are selected in the Tracks area.

Select multiple channel strips

To select multiple channel strips in Logic Pro, do one of the following:

Click on a portion of a channel strip not containing a channel strip control and drag the pointer over additional channel strips to add to your selection.
With a channel strip selected, press the Shift key and use the right and left arrow keys to add additional channel strips to your selection.

When you select multiple channel strips, any tracks associated with those channel strips are selected in the Tracks area.

Download the guides:

Logic Pro User Guide: PDF

Logic Pro Instruments: PDF

Logic Pro Effects: PDF

Control Surfaces Support Guide: PDF

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Logic Pro User Guide for Mac