Ableton Link in Logic Pro for Mac

Ableton Link is a protocol that synchronizes the beat, phase, and tempo of Link-activated applications on the same computer or over a shared network. Starting a Link session keeps Logic Pro for Mac and other applications conveniently synchronized to form a group jam. Link-enabled devices on the network are automatically detected and synchronized to a shared timeline. Any participant in the session can change the global tempo, start and stop their part, or leave the session while others keep playing.

The rules are as follows:

When a new participant joins a Link session, its local tempo is automatically set to the Link session’s current tempo.
When a participant clicks the Play button, Logic Pro waits until the Phase progress bar is filled and then starts keeping all participants in relative sync.
When the tempo of any participant changes, the Link session’s tempo is updated, and each participant’s local tempo is automatically adjusted.
Tempo changes made by any participant in a Link session will override Tempo track automation and Smart Tempo settings in a Logic Pro project.

Ableton Link in Logic Pro also supports start/stop synchronization, meaning you can synchronize the start and stop commands across all connected applications that have start/stop synchronization enabled. See General Synchronization project settings in Logic Pro.

Applications and devices that support Ableton Link can join a Link session when they’re connected to the same network. To turn on Link, you must first ensure that the computer running Logic Pro is connected to the same local network as the other applications that you want to take part in the Link session. This can be a local network or an ad hoc (computer-to-computer) connection.

To join an Ableton Link session, Control-click the control bar Sync button, then choose the Ableton Link setting in the shortcut menu. If you can’t see the Sync button and shortcut menu, see View the control bar Sync button.

After you turn on Ableton Link, it automatically aligns the tempo, beat, and phase with other applications in the session. To reflect this, the LCD in Logic Pro displays a circular progress bar indicating the current phase within one single bar (measure). The number in the center of the progress bar shows how many other participants are connected to the Link session.

Figure. LCD showing the Ableton Link synchronization and number of participants in the session.

If there is a tempo difference between Logic Pro and any application in the Link session, the LCD and playhead in Logic Pro turn blue to indicate that the Tempo track is deactivated. In this instance, all devices follow the last tempo set by a participant in the Link session. However, you can reactivate the Tempo track using the Reactivate Tempo Track button in the Tempo Track pop-up menu. Reactivating the Tempo track applies tempo changes to all participants in the Link session. See Logic Pro Tempo track overview.

When Ableton Link is turned on in General Synchronization project settings in Logic Pro, the Tempo track is deactivated. You can reactivate the Tempo track to add tempo changes.

After you reactivate the Tempo track, any tempo points you add are sent to other Link users in the session when played by the sequencer. The Tempo track is automatically deactivated again if a tempo change is received by another Link user in the session.

To reactivate the Tempo track, click the Tempo menu, then click Reactivate Tempo Track.
The Tempo track is reactivated, allowing you to make tempo changes to the project.
To deactivate the Tempo track, click the Tempo menu, then click Deactivate Tempo Track.

Download the guides:

Logic Pro User Guide: PDF

Logic Pro Instruments: PDF

Logic Pro Effects: PDF

Control Surfaces Support Guide: PDF

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Ableton Link in Logic Pro for Mac

Join an Ableton Link session

Leave an Ableton Link session

Use the Tempo track with Ableton Link