Logic Pro User Guide
- Welcome
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- What is Logic Pro?
- Workflow overview
- Logic Pro project basics
- Advanced tools and additional options
- 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 keyboard shortcuts
- Customize the control bar
- Change the LCD display mode
- Monitor and reset MIDI events
- Use the cycle area
- Use the Chase Events function
- Control Logic Pro using Apple Remote
- Control Logic Pro projects using Logic Remote
- 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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- 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
- Split regions
- Demix MIDI regions
- Join regions
- Create regions in the Tracks area
- Normalize audio regions in the Tracks area
- Create aliases of MIDI regions
- Clone audio regions
- Convert repeated MIDI regions to loops
- Change the color of regions
- Convert audio regions to Sampler zones
- Rename regions
- Delete regions
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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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- Flex Time and Pitch overview
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- Flex Pitch algorithm and parameters
- Edit the pitch of audio in the Audio Track Editor or a zoomed in track
- Edit the pitch of audio in the Tracks area when the track is not zoomed in
- Correct the timing of audio regions with Flex Pitch
- Quantize the pitch of audio regions
- Create MIDI from audio recordings
- Change the gain of notes in audio regions
- Use Varispeed to alter the speed and pitch of audio
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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
- Support for ARA 2 compatible plug-ins
- 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 in Logic Pro
- 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 in Logic Pro with other devices
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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 Logic Pro Staff Style window
- Copy staffs or voices in the Logic Pro Staff Style window
- 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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- 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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- Key commands overview
- Browse, import, and save key commands
- Assign key commands
- Copy and print key commands
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- Global Commands key commands
- Global Control Surfaces Commands
- Various windows
- Windows Showing Audio files
- Main Window Tracks and Various Editors
- Live Loops Grid
- Various Editors
- Views showing Time Ruler
- Main Window Tracks
- Mixer
- MIDI Environment
- Piano Roll
- Score Editor
- Event Editor
- Step Editor
- Step Sequencer
- Project Audio
- Audio File Editor
- Smart Tempo Editor
- Sampler
- Step Input Keyboard
- Tool key commands in Logic Pro
- 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 preferences overview
- Modal dialog display
- Tips for using your control surface
- Control surfaces supported by Logic Pro
- Software and firmware
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- Learn about Effects
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- Learn about Amps and Pedals
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- Bass Amp Designer overview
- Bass amplifier models
- Bass cabinet models
- Build a custom combo
- Amplifier signal flow
- Pre-amp signal flow
- Use the D.I. box
- Amplifier controls
- Bass Amp Designer effects overview
- Bass Amp Designer EQ
- Bass Amp Designer compressor
- Bass Amp Designer Graphic EQ
- Bass Amp Designer Parametric EQ
- Bass Amp Designer microphone controls
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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 controller parameters
- Modifier MIDI plug-in controls
- Note Repeater MIDI plug-in controls
- Randomizer MIDI plug-in controls
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- Use the Scripter MIDI plug-in
- 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
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- Learn about included Instruments
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- Alchemy overview
- Name bar
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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
- Master voice section
- Alchemy extended parameters
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- Logic Pro Quick Sampler overview
- Add content to Logic Pro Quick Sampler
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler waveform display
- Use Flex in Logic Pro Quick Sampler
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler Pitch controls
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler Filter controls
- Quick Sampler filter types
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler Amp controls
- Logic Pro Quick Sampler 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
- Assign MIDI controllers
- Extended parameters
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- Ultrabeat overview
- Ultrabeat interface
- Synthesizer section overview
- Filter section controls
- Distortion circuit controls
- Glossary
Logic Pro Alchemy browser results list
Shown in browse view, the browser results list displays all presets matching the current search criteria. A number of columns are shown from left to right.
Browser results list parameters
Category column: Shows preset categories.
Subcategory column: Shows subcategories of preset categories.
Attributes columns: Show the articulation, Genre, Newer Than, Older Than, Sound Designer, Sound Library, Timbre, or User Tags attributes. Click column headers to choose an attribute from a pop-up menu.
Attributes are used to refine the preset results list and to apply attributes to presets when in Edit mode.
Tip: Combine Attributes columns such as Newer Than and Sound Designer to show presets that you created within a date range, without also showing factory presets installed in the same date range.
Rating column: Shows user ratings. Click the column header to sort the results list. A second click reverses the current sort order.
The highest rated presets appear first in the list. User-rated presets always take precedence over unrated presets. Three dim stars indicate that a preset has not yet been rated.
Preset column: Shows preset names. Click the column header to sort the results list. A second click reverses the current sort order.
The number of presets returned by the current search criteria is displayed to the right of the Preset column header.
Comments field: Shows preset comments.
User Tags field: Shows existing user tags.
User Tags button: Open a pop-up menu with commands for creating and deleting user tags. A list of existing user tags is shown below the menu commands.
Edit button: Open an enlarged view of the Preset browser window that provides text entry fields for user tags and comments.
Close button: Closes the enlarged view of the Preset browser window.
Search field: Use to type a search term for presets.
Set criteria to refine the preset results list
In Logic Pro, click an entry such as Guitars in the Category column to limit the preset results list to include only presets belonging to the Guitars category.
Click an entry such as Acoustic in the Subcategory column to further limit the preset results list to include only presets belonging to the Acoustic subcategory of the parent category (Guitars, in this example).
Click the header of one or more attribute columns to open a pop-up menu where you can choose the attributes you want to use.
Click a category in each attribute column.
You can choose multiple entries in any column by doing one or more of the following:
Click an entry, then hold down Shift while clicking another entry in the same column. All items between the clicked entries are selected and used as search criteria for the preset results list.
Hold down Command, then click any entries you want to use as search criteria.
Click the All entry at the top of a column to reset the selection criteria.
Use the search field
The search field is used for manual searching of presets by name, attributes, user comments, artist name, or tags. The most recent search term is saved and recalled with the project.
In Logic Pro, type your search term, then click the magnifying glass icon or press Enter.
The Preset browser results list updates to reflect your search criteria, and the first preset is loaded.
You can refine a text search with the minus symbol. For example, to search for all presets matching analog but not bass, use the search term analog -bass.
This may also be used to remove all bass presets from the results list by entering only -bass in the search field. Presets in the Bass category and presets with bass or basses in the preset name, user tags, or comments field are removed from the preset results list.
To clear the current search term, click the search field and make sure all text is selected, then press the Delete key.
Use preset edit mode
Preset edit mode displays all attribute columns in an enlarged Preset browser window. Edits made to multiple selected presets apply attributes, user tags, or comments to all presets in the group. All changes made in edit mode are immediately applied and saved in the preset database. The Sound Designer is determined by the settings in Preferences > My Info > Artist Name. If this is not set, “Unknown Artist” is shown.
Note: It is not possible to change the Sound Library for a preset; this column is displayed for reference only.
In Logic Pro, click the Edit button to switch to preset edit mode.
Click a preset name. You can also use the Previous and Next buttons in the Name bar to select a preset. To select multiple presets, do one of the following:
Click an entry, then hold down Shift while clicking another entry in the same column. All items between the clicked entries are selected and are available for edits.
Hold down Command, then click any entries you want to add for editing.
Type in the User Tags or Comments fields, as required.
Terms entered in these fields can be searched using the text search function.
Change the Category, Subcategory, or Attributes for the preset.
Changing the preset category updates only the preset category database. The preset itself is not moved to a new category folder on disk.
Click the Edit button to exit preset edit mode.
Create, remove, and delete user tags
In Logic Pro, select the preset that requires user tag changes.
Click the User Tags button, then choose New Tag from the pop-up menu.
The Enter New Tag field is shown.
Type in the Enter New Tag field, then click OK. Click Cancel if you do not want to switch to a new tag or want to close the Enter New Tag field.
The user tag is added to the New Tag pop-up menu, and the Enter New Tag field closes. The new tag is shown below the menu commands in the pop-up menu.
Click the User Tags button, then choose the newly created tag name from the pop-up menu.
The new tag is assigned to the preset. This is indicated by a tick beside the tag name.
To remove an assigned tag, click the User Tags button, then choose the tag name from the pop-up menu. Assigned tags are indicated by a tick beside the tag name.
The tag is removed from the preset, but the tag is not deleted. No tick is shown beside the tag name. This tag can be reassigned to another preset.
To delete a user tag, click the User Tags button, then choose the tag from the Delete Tag submenu.
The tag is immediately removed.
Rate a preset
In Logic Pro, click a preset name to select it.
Click a star in the Ratings column to set the rating between 1 and 5. Unrated presets display 3 stars.
Note: You can limit the preset results list to match any star rating by entering the number of stars in the text search field. A search for **** displays only 4-star rated presets.