Use Lane Sets in the Step Editor in Logic Pro

You can store a combination of lanes as a Lane Set. When a Lane Set is saved, the vertical zoom setting of the Step Editor is stored. You can save as many Lane Sets as required in each project.

The Lane Set functions let you limit the Step Editor display to only the required MIDI event types. For example, imagine you have recorded a synthesizer lead MIDI region. You could create a Lane Set that contains individual lanes for each note pitch in the region. Drag each note event step vertically to adjust its level. Within the same Lane Set, you could create two more lanes to control the lead synthesizer’s filter cutoff and resonance parameters, allowing you to create or precisely edit filter changes.

Figure. Step Editor showing note event lanes controlling single note pitches.

The Step Editor provides two default Lane Sets: MIDI Controls and GM Drum Kit.

MIDI Controls: Provides lanes for Volume, Pan, Modulation, and several other commonly used controller types.
GM Drum Kit: Provides lanes that match the note names of the General MIDI (GM) drum map. This option lets you draw note events (steps) for drum parts, and is similar to the use of pattern-based drum machines, where each beat is manually entered on a grid. You can use this Lane Set for any instrument type.

If you leave the Lane Set pop-up menu set to Automatic, lanes are automatically added for each kind of event in the MIDI region.

Switch between Lane Sets

You can switch the Step Editor display to show particular event types by loading an existing Lane Set.

In Logic Pro, choose a Lane Set from the Lane Set pop-up menu in the inspector.

Create a Lane Set

In Logic Pro, do one of the following:

Choose Lanes > New Lane Set from the Step Editor menu bar (or use the Lane Set pop-up menu, or corresponding key command).
The new Lane Set contains a default lane for the Volume controller (#7). Any changes you make, such as adding or changing lanes or lane parameters, or adjusting the vertical zoom setting, are automatically stored in the current Lane Set.
Choose Lanes > New Lane Set for Current Events (or use the Lane Set pop-up menu, or corresponding key command) to create a new Lane Set, consisting of the currently selected event types.

Create a Lane Set for a GM drum kit

General MIDI has an established keyboard assignment pattern (a MIDI note map) for drum and percussion sounds. This mapping standard is often followed in non-GM, GS, or XG compliant sound modules, samplers, and synthesizers. In some cases, however, you need to make a few changes.

As the Step Editor is ideally suited for creating and editing drum kits, you may want to create a Lane Set that is specifically tailored for your drum sets, including the correct drum names and hi-hat modes.

In Logic Pro, choose Lanes > New Lane Set for GM Drums from the Step Editor menu bar (or use the Lane Set pop-up menu, or corresponding key command).
You can change the names, positioning, and hi-hat modes of each drum or percussion lane in the Lane Set. See Use the Lane inspector in Logic Pro, for information on renaming each drum sound in your kit, if it doesn’t match the GM mapping standard.

Define a hi-hat group

In hi-hat mode, lanes can be grouped together. Only one event from grouped lanes can be played at any ruler position. This function is typically used to prevent different hi-hat notes (open, closed, pedal) from being inserted at the same time position. This mirrors the real-world behavior of hi-hats, which can’t be simultaneously opened and closed.

In Logic Pro, click the dot shown to the left of a lane name (Open HH, for example).
Click the dot shown to the left of other (vertically adjacent) lane names (Ped HH, for example).
A dotted line links the two lanes in the left edge of the column.
Click the dots of each lane to turn off hi-hat mode.
All lanes in a hi-hat group must be vertically adjacent to each other. To group several events in nonadjacent lanes, move the lanes by dragging the names up or down the Step Editor window.
If you add an event to any lane in a hi-hat group, all existing events at this time position are deleted.
You can create as many hi-hat groups as needed in a Lane Set, but each group must be separated by at least one lane that does not belong to a hi-hat group.

Rename a Lane Set

In Logic Pro, choose Rename Lane Set from the Lane Set pop-up menu. Enter a new name, then press Return.

Clear the current Lane Set

Clearing a Lane Set resets a Lane Set to its default, containing a single lane for the Volume controller.

In Logic Pro, do one of the following:

Choose Lanes > Clear Lane Set from the Step Editor menu bar (or use the corresponding key command).
Choose Clear Lane Set from the Lane Set pop-up menu in the inspector.

Delete the current Lane Set

In Logic Pro, do one of the following:

Choose Lanes > Delete Lane Set from the Step Editor menu bar (or use the corresponding key command).
Choose Delete Lane Set from the Lane Set pop-up menu in the inspector.

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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