Edit a drummer’s performance in Logic Pro for Mac

There are a number of settings in the Drummer Editor that affect the drummer’s playing style. These settings are located to the right of the presets area.

Figure. The right side of the Drummer Editor.

You can edit the complexity and loudness of the performance, mute and unmute drum kit and percussion pieces, and choose whether a pattern is played on the toms, cymbals, hi-hat, or percussion instruments. You use the percussion icons to turn on different instruments, and you can choose between different variations for the drum and percussion pieces. You can also play half time or double time for kick and snare.

Adjust the complexity and loudness of the performance

In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, drag the puck to a different position in the XY pad.

The farther right you place the puck, the more complex the sound becomes; the higher you place the puck, the louder the sound plays.

Choose a pattern variation for acoustic drum or percussion instruments

In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, select an instrument, then drag the slider to the right of the instrument to choose an increment. You can also click a specific increment.
In some cases, you can select more than one instrument in a category.

Choose a pattern variation for electronic drum or percussion instruments

In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, select an instrument, then drag the slider to the right of the instrument to choose an increment. You can also click a specific increment.
In some cases, you can select more than one instrument in a category.

Mute or unmute a drum or percussion instrument

Figure. Muted and unmuted kit pieces in the Drummer Editor.

To include the piece in the performance: In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, click the piece so that it’s selected, or unmuted.
To remove a piece from the performance: In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, click the piece so that it’s dimmed, or muted.

Use a half time or double time variation for acoustic kick and snare drums

In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, choose 1/2 or 2x at the right end of the Kick & Snare slider.

Adjust the snare brush technique of drummers using a brush kit

When using a drummer who uses snare brushes, the Brush Sweep or Brush Tap checkbox appears under the Kick & Snare slider. Selecting Brush Sweep enables a swirling, sweeping brush technique reminiscent of percussion fills. Selecting Brush Taps enables a gentle tapping snare brush technique.

In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, select the Brush Sweep or Brush Taps checkbox below the left end of the Kick & Snare slider.
Note: The checkbox name reflects the brush technique used by the chosen drummer. For example, when Austin is chosen, it becomes the Brush Taps checkbox, because he performs brush taps. However, when Tyrell is chosen, it becomes the Brush Sweep checkbox, because he plays brush sweeps.
The drummer performs using the selected snare brush technique.

Edit fills and swing settings

Reduce or increase the number and length of fills: In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, drag the Fills knob downward or upward.
You can click the lock to prevent any changes to the fills setting when switching presets or drummers.
Adjust the shuffle feel of the currently playing pattern: In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, drag the Swing knob vertically.
You can click the lock to prevent any changes to the swing setting when switching presets or drummers.
Determine whether the swing is based on eighth notes or sixteenth notes: In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, click the 8th or 16th button.

Edit other acoustic drum performance settings

In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, click the Details button, then do any of the following:
- Drag the Feel knob to the right to have the drummer play ahead of the beat or to the left to play behind the beat, or sloppy.
- Drag the Ghost Notes knob to adjust the level of ghost notes—syncopated snare and kick hits—in the beat.
  Note: The presence of ghost notes depends on the chosen drummer and the complexity setting.
- Drag the Hi-Hat knob to adjust the degree to which the Hi-Hat is opened and closed during the drum performance.
  Note: This is only relevant if the hi-hat is selected in the drum kit representation.

Edit other electronic drum performance settings

In the Logic Pro Drummer Editor, click the Details button, then do any of the following:
- Drag the Humanize knob to generate drum patterns that are not perfectly quantized, making the performance more realistic, or human. You can click the lock to prevent any changes to the humanize setting when switching presets or drummers.
- Drag the Phrase Variation knob to determine the amount of rhythmic change that occurs over the course of several bars within a region. You can click the lock to prevent any changes to the phrase variation setting when switching presets or drummers.
- Select the Auto half-time checkbox to have Drummer regions generated in half time, if the project tempo is a multiple of the preferred tempo.
- Drag the Complexity Range sliders to offset the complexity of individual kit pieces against the XY pad.
- Click the drum or percussion instruments to mute the complexity offset setting of individual kit pieces.

Any changes or selections you make in the Drummer Editor affect only the selected region, not the entire track. Drummer regions are regenerated when adjusting the XY pad. When you adjust the Swing and Fills knobs, the region timing is changed. When you adjust a kit piece variation slider, the pattern for that kit piece is regenerated.

You can also refresh the selected region, without editing any region settings, to play back a subtly different version.

Note: The Drummer Editor is disabled when recording a Live Loops performance. See Record a Live Loops performance.

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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