Edit chords in Logic Pro for iPad

You can edit chords on both the Chord track and Session Player regions. You can edit the root note and chord type, add or remove chord extensions, and add a bass note other than the root note. You can also choose a scale to associate with the chord to control what non-chord tones the Session Player plays—for example, in fills.

You can view and edit the settings for a selected chord in the Edit Chord dialog or the Chord inspector.

You can also edit chords by playing the chords with a connected MIDI controller, or you can edit them directly as text, using the same chord symbols that appear in Logic Pro.

Edit a chord

In Logic Pro, do one of the following:
- To edit a chord on the Chord track, tap the chord to select it.
- To edit a chord on a Session Player region, select the region in the Tracks area, tap the Editors button to open the Session Player Editor, tap the Chord Mode button to view region chords, then tap the chord on the region to select it.
- Alternatively, with the chord selected, you can tap the Inspector button to open the Chord inspector.
Tap the chord again, then choose Edit Chord.
The Edit Chord dialog appears.
In the Edit Chord dialog, do any of the following:
- Change the root note of the chord: Choose a note from the Root Note pop-up menu.
  Each chord consists of at least three notes: the root (first), third, and fifth. The root note is the one on which the chord is based, and by which it is identified. In a C major chord, the root is C; in an F# minor chord, the root is F#.
- Change the chord type: Tap one of the Chord Type buttons.
  Most commonly used chords are either major or minor, which is determined by the third of the chord. Additional types include augmented, diminished, and suspended (sus4 and sus2) chords. Suspended chords do not contain a third.
- Add chord extensions: Tap one or more of the Chord Extension buttons. To remove a chord extension, tap a highlighted Chord Extension button.
  Extensions are added notes at higher intervals than the fifth. They include 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths. Some extensions, such as b5 and #9, are chromatic to the key. Extensions modify the color or character of a chord, and they can also add tension.
- Add a bass note (other than the root): Choose a note from the Bass Note pop-up menu.
  Typically, the bass plays the root or fifth of the chord (except during fills), but sometimes you want the bass to play a different note, either to create a stepwise progression or to add dissonance (especially when the bass note is a non-chord tone).
- Change the scale associated with the chord: Choose a scale from the Scale pop-up menu.
  Each chord has a scale that determines which non-chord tones the Session Player can play over the chord—for example, in fills. When you add a chord, the scale associated with the chord depends on the chord type and the key signature, but you can choose a different scale.
- Hear an example of the chord with your changes: Tap the Preview button .
- You can also enter chord symbols as text in the Edit Chord dialog.

Edit a chord using a MIDI controller

Make sure the MIDI controller is connected to your iPad and working.
In Logic Pro, select the chord, either on the Chord track or on a region in the Session Player Editor.
Note: On the Chord track, be sure to select a single chord, not a chord group.
Tap the chord, then do one of the following:
- Choose Edit Chord from the shortcut menu.
- Tap the Inspector button to open the Chord inspector.
Tap the Use MIDI Input button.
Play a chord on your MIDI controller. You can also play a chord on an open Play Surface in Logic Pro for iPad.
The selected chord changes to the chord you played.

Enter chord symbols as text

In addition to editing chords using the menus and buttons in the Edit Chord dialog or Chord inspector, you can edit them directly as text. If you are familiar with the chord symbols used in Logic Pro, this can be a quick way to edit chords while you work on a project.

Some common symbols include:

Chord name with no other symbol = major
m = minor
aug = augmented
dim = diminished
sus = suspended (2 or 4)
5 = only the root and fifth, no third
b = flat (lowered note)
# = sharp (raised note)
/ = bass note other than the chord root

In Logic Pro, double-tap a chord, then tap Edit Chord.
In the Chord field, enter the chord as text, using the same kinds of chord symbols that appear in Logic Pro.

Download this guide: PDF

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Logic Pro User Guide for iPad

Edit chords in Logic Pro for iPad

Edit a chord

Edit a chord using a MIDI controller

Enter chord symbols as text