Logic Pro User Guide
- Welcome
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- What is Logic Pro?
- Logic Pro project basics
- Use menu commands and key commands in Logic Pro
- Use the complete set of Logic Pro features
- Undo and redo edits
- Manage Logic Pro content
- How to get help
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- Projects overview
- Create projects
- Open projects
- Save projects
- Delete projects
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- Play a project
- Set the playhead position
- Control playback with the transport buttons
- Use transport shortcut menus
- Use transport key commands
- Customize the control bar
- Change the LCD display mode in Logic Pro
- Monitor and reset MIDI events
- Use the cycle area
- Use the Chase Events function
- Use Apple Remote to control Logic Pro
- Use Logic Remote to control Logic Pro projects
- Preview projects in the Finder
- Close projects
- View project information
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- Overview
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- Before recording software instruments
- Play software instruments
- Record software instruments
- Record additional software instrument takes
- Overdub software instrument recordings
- Spot erase software instrument recordings
- Use Note Repeat
- Record to multiple software instrument tracks
- Replace software instrument recordings
- Record multiple MIDI devices to multiple tracks
- Record software instruments and audio simultaneously
- Use step input recording techniques
- Use the metronome
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- Arranging overview
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- Regions overview
- Select regions
- Select parts of regions
- Cut, copy, and paste regions
- Move regions
- Add or remove gaps
- Delay region playback
- Loop regions
- Repeat regions
- Resize regions
- Mute and solo regions
- Time stretch regions
- Reverse audio regions
- Split regions
- Demix MIDI regions
- Join regions
- Create regions in the Tracks area
- Change the gain of audio regions in the Tracks area in Logic Pro
- Normalize audio regions in the Tracks area
- Create aliases of MIDI regions
- Convert repeated MIDI regions to loops
- Change the color of regions
- Convert audio regions to samples for a sampler instrument
- Rename regions
- Delete regions
- Create groove templates
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- Overview
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- Add notes
- Select notes
- Snap items to the grid
- Move notes
- Copy notes
- Change the pitch of notes
- Resize notes
- Edit note velocity
- Quantize the timing of notes
- Quantize the pitch of notes
- Change note articulations
- Lock the position of events
- Mute notes
- Change note color
- View note labels
- Delete notes
- Time stretch notes
- View multiple MIDI regions
- Split chords
- Automation/MIDI area in the Piano Roll Editor
- Open other editors
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- Logic Pro advanced editors overview
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- Audio File Editor overview
- Play audio files in the Audio File Editor
- Navigate audio files in the Audio File Editor
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- Audio File Editor edit commands
- Edit audio files with transient markers
- Use the Audio File Editor Pencil tool
- Trim or silence audio files
- Remove DC offset
- Set audio file levels
- Normalize audio files
- Fade audio files
- Reverse audio and invert phase
- Audio File Editor Loop commands
- Undo Audio File Editor edits
- Backup audio files
- Use an external sample editor
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- Mixing overview
- Set channel strip input formats
- Set channel strip pan or balance positions
- Mute and solo channel strips
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- Plug-ins overview
- Add, remove, move, and copy plug-ins
- Insert a plug-in on a track using drag and drop
- Activate plug-ins on inactive channels
- Use the Channel EQ
- Work in the plug-in window
- Work with plug-in settings
- Work with plug-in latencies
- Work with Audio Units plug-ins in Logic Pro
- Support for ARA 2 compatible plug-ins
- Use MPE with software instruments
- Use the Plug-in Manager
- Work with channel strip settings
- Surround panning
- Use the I/O Labels window
- Undo and redo Mixer and plug-in adjustments
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- Smart Controls overview
- Show Smart Controls for master effects
- Choose a Smart Control layout
- Automatic MIDI controller assignment
- Map screen controls automatically
- Map screen controls
- Edit mapping parameters
- Use parameter mapping graphs
- Open the plug-in window for a screen control
- Rename a screen control
- Use articulation IDs to change articulations
- Assign hardware controls to screen controls
- Compare Smart Control edits with saved settings
- Use the Arpeggiator
- Automate screen control movements
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- Live Loops overview
- Start and stop cells
- Work with Live Loops cells
- Change loop settings for cells
- How the Live Loops grid and Tracks area interact
- Edit cells
- Edit scenes
- Work in the Cell Editor
- Bounce cells
- Record a Live Loops performance
- Change Live Loops grid settings
- Control Live Loops with other devices
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- Global changes overview
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- Tempo overview
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- Smart Tempo overview
- Use free tempo recording in Logic Pro
- Choose the Project Tempo mode
- Choose the Flex & Follow setting
- Use Smart Tempo with multitrack audio
- Work in the Smart Tempo Editor
- Improve the tempo analysis using hints in Logic Pro
- Correct tempo analysis results using beat markers in Logic Pro
- Protect Smart Tempo edits by locking a range
- Match audio recordings to the project tempo
- Match the tempo to an audio region
- Use audio file tempo information
- Record tempo changes
- Use the Tempo Interpreter
- Use the tempo fader
- Control project volume
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- Overview
- Add notes
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- Part box overview
- View score symbols
- Select score symbols
- Add notes and rests
- Add notes and symbols to multiple regions
- Add key and time signature changes
- Change the clef sign
- Add dynamic marks, slurs, and crescendi
- Change note heads
- Add symbols to notes
- Add trills, ornaments, and tremolo symbols
- Add sustain pedal markings
- Add chord symbols
- Add chord grids and tablature symbols
- Add bar lines, repeats, and coda signs
- Add page and line break symbols
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- Select notes
- Move and copy notes
- Change note pitch, duration, and velocity
- Change note articulations
- Quantize the timing of notes
- Restrict note input to the current key
- Control how ties are displayed
- Add and edit tuplets
- Override display quantization using tuplets
- Add grace notes and independent notes
- Delete notes
- Use automation in the Score Editor
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- Staff styles overview
- Assign staff styles to tracks
- Staff Style window
- Create and duplicate staff styles
- Edit staff styles
- Edit staff, voice, and assign parameters
- Add and delete staffs or voices in the Staff Style window in Logic Pro
- Copy staffs or voices in the Staff Style window in Logic Pro
- Copy staff styles between projects
- Delete staff styles
- Assign notes to voices and staffs
- Display polyphonic parts on separate staffs
- Change the staff assignment of score symbols
- Beam notes across staffs
- Use mapped staff styles for drum notation
- Predefined staff styles
- Share a score
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- Key commands overview
- Browse, import, and save key commands
- Assign key commands
- Copy and print key commands
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- Global Commands
- Global Control Surfaces Commands
- Various Windows
- Windows Showing Audio Files
- Main Window Tracks and Various Editors
- Various Editors
- Views Showing Time Ruler
- Views Showing Automation
- Main Window Tracks
- Live Loops Grid
- Mixer
- MIDI Environment
- Piano Roll
- Score Editor
- Event Editor
- Step Editor
- Step Sequencer
- Project Audio
- Audio File Editor
- Smart Tempo Editor
- Library
- Sampler
- Drum Machine Designer
- Step Input Keyboard
- Smart Controls
- Tool Menu
- Control Surface Install Window
- Touch Bar shortcuts
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- Working with your control surface
- Connect control surfaces
- Add a control surface to Logic Pro
- Automatic assignment for USB MIDI controllers
- Grouping control surfaces
- Control Surfaces settings overview
- Modal dialog display
- Tips for using your control surface
- Supported control surfaces
- Software and firmware for Logic Pro
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- Environment overview
- Common object parameters
- Customize the Environment
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- Fader objects overview
- Use fader objects
- Play back fader movements
- Work with object groups
- Fader styles
- Fader functions: MIDI events
- Fader functions: range, value as
- Fader functions: filter
- Vector fader
- Special faders overview
- Cable switchers
- Meta event faders
- SysEx faders
- Work with SysEx messages
- Special functions
- Ornament objects
- MMC record buttons
- Keyboard objects
- Monitor objects
- Channel splitter object
- Physical input objects
- Physical input objects
- MIDI click objects
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- Use MIDI plug-ins
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- Arpeggiator overview
- Arpeggiator control parameters
- Note order parameters overview
- Note order variations
- Note order inversions
- Arpeggiator pattern parameters overview
- Use Live mode
- Use Grid mode
- Arpeggiator options parameters
- Arpeggiator keyboard parameters
- Use keyboard parameters
- Assign controllers
- Modifier controls
- Note Repeater controls
- Randomizer controls
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- Use the Scripter
- Use the Script Editor
- Scripter API overview
- MIDI processing functions overview
- HandleMIDI function
- ProcessMIDI function
- GetParameter function
- SetParameter function
- ParameterChanged function
- Reset function
- JavaScript objects overview
- Use the JavaScript Event object
- Use the JavaScript TimingInfo object
- Use the Trace object
- Use the MIDI event beatPos property
- Use the JavaScript MIDI object
- Create Scripter controls
- Transposer MIDI plug-in controls
- Record MIDI to Track
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- Alchemy overview
- Alchemy interface overview
- Alchemy Name bar
- Alchemy file locations
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- Alchemy source overview
- Source master controls
- Import browser
- Source subpage controls
- Source filter controls
- Source filter use tips
- Source elements overview
- Additive element controls
- Additive element effects
- Spectral element controls
- Spectral element effects
- Pitch correction controls
- Formant filter controls
- Granular element controls
- Sampler element controls
- VA element controls
- Source modulations
- Morph controls
- Alchemy master voice section
- Alchemy Extended parameters
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- Sculpture overview
- Sculpture interface
- Global parameters
- Amplitude envelope parameters
- Use the Waveshaper
- Filter parameters
- Output parameters
- Use surround range and diversity
- Define MIDI controllers
- Extended parameters
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- Ultrabeat overview
- Ultrabeat interface
- Synthesizer section overview
- Filter section controls
- Distortion circuit controls
- Glossary
- Copyright
Correct tempo analysis results using beat markers in Logic Pro
When the Smart Tempo Editor is in Beat Marker mode, detected beats are shown as editable beat markers in the main display. Beat markers for downbeats are more promininent than those for other beats. Instead of adding hints to improve the tempo detection as in Hint mode, in Beat Marker mode you can fine-tune the tempo analysis results by editing beat markers directly. In most cases, it is recommended that you first use Hint mode and see whether adding hints gives satisfactory results, then use Beat Marker mode in cases where more precise edits are needed.
Each beat marker has several handles, each with a different function. When you hold the pointer over a handle, it displays a tag showing the handle’s function. You can make a selection before clicking a handle; if there is no selection, Logic Pro makes a default selection of the beats affected by the edit. Depending on the selection, not all editing functions may be available.
Because beat marker edits modify the tempo analysis results, and are not affected by the analysis, they are ignored the next time a tempo analysis is performed. Before switching from Beat Marker mode to Hint mode, you may want to lock the range containing beat marker edits so that it will not be affected by a new tempo analysis.
Note: When you tap the D or T keys on your computer keyboard while in Beat Marker mode, the Smart Tempo Editor switches to Hint mode, and the tapped keys add downbeat hints and beat hints.
Turn on Beat Marker mode
In the Logic Pro Smart Tempo Editor, click the Hint Mode button in the control bar to turn it off.
When you press the D key on your computer keyboard while in Beat Marker mode, the Smart Tempo Editor switches to Hint mode so that you can add hints using the D and T keys.
Edit beat markers
When you hold the pointer over a beat marker, a set of circular handles appears along the length of the beat marker. Holding the pointer vertically over each handle shows a tag describing the function of that handle. Press and hold the Command key while dragging a beat marker to have it snap to significant analysis points.
To set a beat as the downbeat: Place the pointer over the beat marker and click the Set Downbeat handle.
Setting a beat as the downbeat also moves the region, unless the project tempo is set to Keep and Flex & Follow is set to Off. This handle is not available for beat markers already on a downbeat.
To move an individual beat: Click and hold the Move Marker handle and drag the beat marker to a new position.
To scale beat markers in a selection: Make a selection, click and hold the Scale Selection handle for a beat marker in the selection, then drag to scale the selected beat markers.
If you drag a Scale Selection handle when there is no selection, Logic Pro automatically selects the bar in which the beat marker is located. If the beat marker is a downbeat, the preceding and following bars are selected.
To scale preceding beat markers and move following beat markers: Make a selection, click and hold the Scale Left, Move Right handle for a beat marker, then drag the beat marker. The selected area is scaled, and beats to the right of the selected area are moved. If you click and hold the handle on a downbeat, the preceding bar and the following part of the file are selected. This is useful for correcting tempo detection where the music temporarily slows down or speeds up.
To scale all beat markers in the file or region (or in a selection): Click and hold the Scale All handle for a beat marker, then drag the beat marker.
To move all beat markers in the file or region (or in a selection) by the same amount: Click and hold the Move All handle for a beat marker, then drag the beat marker left or right.
Apply tempo actions to the file or region in Beat Marker mode
In Beat Marker mode, you can choose the following tempo actions from the Edit menu in the Smart Tempo Editor menu bar:
Set Average Tempo for Selection: Sets a single average tempo for the selected area of the file or region.
Set Average Tempo within Each Bar: Sets an average tempo within each bar of the selected area of the file or region.
Extend First Tempo in Selection to Beginning: Sets the part of the region preceding the selection to use the first (leftmost) tempo in the selection.
Extend Last Tempo in Selection to End: Sets the part of the region following the selection to use the last (rightmost) tempo in the selection.
Change the time signature
In Logic Pro, do one of the following:
To change the time signature of the audio file or selection: Click the Signature display, then choose a new time signature from the pop-up menu.
To add a time signature change at a downbeat: Place the pointer next to a downbeat in the main display, then choose a new time signature from the Signature pop-up menu that appears next to the downbeat.
Changing the time signature replaces any time signature stored in the audio file.
Double or halve the file or region tempo
In Logic Pro, you can change the tempo of the file or current selection:
To double the tempo: Click the X2 button in the Tempo display.
To halve the tempo: Click the /2 button in the Tempo display.
Download the guides:
Logic Pro User Guide: Apple Books | PDF
Logic Pro Instruments: Apple Books | PDF
Logic Pro Effects: Apple Books | PDF