Choose the Project Tempo mode in Logic Pro

The Project Tempo mode determines whether the project tempo is maintained, or adapts to the tempo of recordings and imported audio or MIDI regions. Each mode is useful for different situations, as described in the following sections:

Keep Project Tempo mode

In Keep Project Tempo mode, Logic Pro maintains the project tempo. When you make a recording or move regions to a different time position, the project tempo does not change. You can use Logic Pro functions, including the metronome and Cycle mode, the same as with earlier versions of Logic Pro. Audio recordings and imported audio files conform to the project tempo as long as their Flex & Follow parameter is set to On, On + Align Bars, or On + Align Bars and Beats.

Adapt Project Tempo mode

In Adapt Project Tempo mode, Logic Pro adapts the project tempo to a recording or an imported audio or MIDI file. When you choose Adapt mode in the Tempo display, the Tempo track opens so you can see how the project tempo changes after recording, importing files, or moving regions in the Tracks area. When you make a recording in an empty project with the metronome off, the project tempo adapts to the recording. During recording, red lines in the newly recorded region show detected tempo changes. If the metronome is on, it is used as the tempo reference and the project tempo does not change. The project tempo does not adapt to subsequent recordings in that part of the project, because the previous recording provides the tempo reference. If a recording extends beyond that part of the project, the project tempo adapts to the portion of the region extending beyond the borders of the first recording.

The project tempo does change to adapt to imported audio or MIDI files. When you move recorded or imported regions to a different time position, the project tempo at their original position “follows” them to the new position.

Adapt mode is mutually exclusive with Cycle mode. If the Cycle mode is on when you choose Adapt in the Tempo display, it is turned off, and the recording starts at the beginning of the Cycle region.

Important: In general, Adapt Project Tempo mode should be used only temporarily when making a free recording, when adding a file you want the project tempo to conform to, or when you specifically want the Tempo track to follow region edits you are making. Because it results in changes to the project tempo, it should be used with some caution.

Automatic mode

In Automatic (Auto) mode, Logic Pro determines whether to use Keep or Adapt behavior based on whether a musical tempo reference is present in the part of the project to which you record or add audio or MIDI. When a musical tempo reference exists, Logic Pro maintains the project tempo (Keep mode behavior). When no musical tempo reference exists, Logic Pro adapts the project tempo to the tempo of audio recordings or imported audio files (Adapt mode behavior).

When you make an initial recording in an empty project with Auto mode active, the metronome state determines which behavior is used. If the metronome is on, the project tempo is preserved as in previous versions of Logic Pro (Keep mode behavior). If the metronome is off, the project tempo changes to match the recording (Adapt mode behavior). In Adapt mode behavior, the project tempo does not change for any subsequent recordings you add in the same range as the first recording, or if you add or move files in that range, because a musical tempo reference now exists in that part of the project.

When Auto mode uses Keep behavior, there is no conflict with Cycle mode. When Auto mode uses Adapt behavior and the Cycle mode is on, it is turned off, and the recording starts from the beginning of the Cycle region.

Choose the Project Tempo mode

In the Logic Pro LCD, click the middle of the Tempo display, then do one of the following:

Figure. Tempo display menu showing three Smart Tempo modes.

To maintain the project tempo: Choose Keep Project Tempo from the pop-up menu.
To adapt the project tempo to the tempo of a recording or imported audio file: Choose Adapt Project Tempo from the pop-up menu.
To have Logic Pro choose the project tempo behavior: Choose Automatic Mode from the pop-up menu.

You can set the default Project Tempo mode for a project in the Smart Tempo project settings.

Apply the tempo of a region to the project

In some cases you may want to have the project tempo follow the tempo of a region, regardless of the Project Tempo mode.

In Logic Pro, Control-click the region in the Tracks area, then choose Tempo > Apply Region Tempo to Project Tempo from the shortcut menu. In the Apply Region Tempo to Project Tempo dialog, you can also select the following options:
- To align the region downbeat with the closest project downbeat: Select the “Align downbeat to nearest project downbeat” checkbox.
- To move all other regions so that they keep the same relative position: Select the “Maintain relative position of all other regions” checkbox.
Click Apply.

The Apply Region Tempo to Project Tempo command is also available in the Tempo menu, and in the Edit menu of the Smart Tempo Editor.

Move the detected downbeat to align with the beat

When a region is moved so that the region start no longer aligns with a beat on the ruler, you can move the first detected downbeat in the region to the nearest beat. In Logic Pro, do one of the following:

Choose Edit > Move > To Beat from the menu bar.
Control-click the region, then choose Move > Move to Beat from the shortcut menu.

Edit the sole region in a part of the project

If a region is the sole region in a part of a project, trimming, moving, or deleting the region affects the project tempo if the Project Tempo mode is set to Adapt (or Auto with Adapt behavior).

Trimming the region also trims the corresponding project tempo events.
Moving the region also moves the corresponding project tempo events.
Deleting the region also deletes the corresponding project tempo events.

Download the guides:

Logic Pro User Guide: Apple Books | PDF

Logic Pro Instruments: Apple Books | PDF

Logic Pro Effects: Apple Books | PDF

Helpful?