MIDI Meaning project settings in Logic Pro for Mac
When Enable Complete Features is selected in Advanced settings, MIDI Meaning project settings are available.
These settings determine if, and to what extent, the insertion of the listed symbols affects the MIDI playback of notes (that these symbols are attached to).
Symbols: Symbols change the MIDI output of all notes they are attached to. The following two parameters can be determined for each symbol:
Velocity: This value is added to, or subtracted from, the original velocity value of the corresponding note.
Length: The original note length is shortened by the percentage chosen here. This only affects the playback of the note, not the score display. The note length change can be seen in the Event inspector or in the Event List.
The MIDI Meaning functions are most useful when you’re inserting notes with the mouse. This makes it possible to work as if writing music on paper.
First, you write/insert the notes. They all have the same velocity, and identical rhythmic note values have exactly the same length.
Accents and phrasing marks are then attached to some of the notes, which change the velocity and (playback) length of these notes.
This technique makes playback sound much more realistic and alive.
The default settings in the MIDI Meaning pane (in new projects) are 0 for velocity, and 100% (no change) for length. If you don’t change these values, the symbols remain purely graphical, and don’t affect MIDI playback. If you record your regions in real time (using a keyboard), it’s better to use these default settings, as the notes probably already sound the way you want them to.
Important: If you do use MIDI Meaning, you need to adjust the settings before you begin to insert accents and so on. This is because the settings have no influence on accents and phrasing marks that have already been inserted.
Once set, the velocity and length of notes change as soon as you attach one of these symbols to a note. When you delete the symbol, note velocity and length are reset to their initial values.