Overview of Flex Time and Pitch in Logic Pro

Flex Time—similar to what is often referred to as elastic audio in other applications—simplifies the process of editing the timing of notes, beats, and other events in audio regions. You can compress or expand the time between specified events in an audio region without the need for trimming, moving, nudging, or crossfading.

You can edit the timing of notes and beats in audio regions using flex markers. When you choose a Flex Time algorithm, the contents of the audio track are analyzed for transients, or significant peaks, and any detected transients are marked in the audio regions. You can add a flex marker at a specific part of the waveform you want to edit. After adding flex markers to an audio region, you use them to time stretch—compress or expand—the audio material. The initial boundaries within which this is done are determined by the transient markers.

Flex Pitch allows you to quantize and edit the pitch of audio material. You edit the pitch of audio material by choosing the Flex Pitch algorithm. The contents of the audio track are analyzed for pitch using a pitch detection process, and the results are plotted on a pitch curve.

You can edit the timing of audio in the Tracks area and the pitch in the Audio Track Editor. You can also extract MIDI from audio using Flex Pitch in Logic Pro.

Note: Flex Time is also integrated with the Smart Tempo feature of Logic Pro. To learn more about Smart Tempo and how it interacts with Flex Time, see Logic Pro Smart Tempo overview.

Turn on flex in the Tracks area

In Logic Pro, do one of the following to show the flex parameters:
- Choose Edit > Show Flex Pitch/Time from the Tracks area menu bar (or press Command-F).
- Click the Show/Hide Flex button in the Tracks area menu bar.
A Track Flex button and Flex Mode pop-up menu appear in the track header of each audio track.
Click the Track Flex button in the track header of the audio track you want to edit.
In the Tracks area, the regions on your track now display transient markers inside the waveform as shown in the figure above. In the Region inspector the Flex & Follow pop-up menu is now available for use. In the Track inspector the Flex Mode pop-up menu is now available for use.
Choose Flex Pitch or one of the Flex Time algorithms from the Flex Mode pop-up menu.

Turn on flex in the Audio Track Editor

In Logic Pro, open the Audio Track Editor by doing one of the following:
- Select an audio track in the Tracks area, then choose View > Show Editors.
- Select an audio track in the Tracks area, then click the Editors button in the control bar.
- Double-click an audio region.
Click the Show/Hide Flex button in the Audio Track Editor menu bar (or press Command-F).
Note: Click the Audio Track Editor’s workspace before using the key command, to make sure that the Audio Track Editor has key focus.
A dialog window asks if you want to turn on flex for the selected track, if it’s not already on. A Flex Mode pop-up menu appears to the right of the Show/Hide Flex button in the Audio Track Editor menu bar.
Choose Flex Pitch or one of the Flex Time algorithms from the Flex Mode pop-up menu.

Assign the same flex algorithm to all audio tracks

In the Logic Pro Tracks area or Audio Track Editor, hold down Shift while choosing a flex algorithm from the Flex Mode pop-up menu.

Choose how Flex Time and Follow Tempo adjust individual regions

You can change how Flex Time and Follow Tempo adjust each region on a flex-activated track using the Flex & Follow pop-up menu.

Figure. The Flex & Follow menu in the Region inspector.

In the Logic Pro Tracks area, select an audio region.
In the Flex & Follow pop-up menu in the Region inspector, choose one of the following options:
Off: Flex is not activated on the region. The region does not follow changes to the project tempo.
On: Flex is activated on the region and the region follows any manual Flex edits. It also follows changes to the project tempo.
On + Align Bars: Flex is activated on the region and the region follows project tempo changes. Additionally, Smart Tempo beat markers are used to conform the region to the project tempo at every downbeat (bar).
On + Align Bars and Beats: The region is Flex activated and the region follows project tempo changes. Additionally, Smart Tempo beat markers are used to conform the region to the project tempo at every beat.

Download the guides:

Logic Pro User Guide: Apple Books | PDF

Logic Pro Instruments: Apple Books | PDF

Logic Pro Effects: Apple Books | PDF

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