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
Auto Sampler controls in Logic Pro
The following lists the Auto Sampler controls, with brief descriptions of their functions.
Range Start field and slider: Drag vertically to set the lowest note of the key range. You can also drag the left Sample Note Range handle in the keyboard display.
Range End field and slider: Drag vertically to set the highest note of the key range. You can also drag the right Sample Note Range handle in the keyboard display.
Sample Every field and slider: Drag vertically to set the interval between sampled notes in semitones.
Round Robin pop-up menu: Choose the number of times each sample is captured to provide sound variations for more realistic sample playback (if the source provides sound variations). Choose No to capture each sample only a single time (no round robin).
Sustain field and slider: Drag vertically to set the duration that the note is sampled (before its release phase begins) in seconds. Percussion and other short-duration sounds are shortened after sampling if the end contains complete silence.
For notes (pitched sounds), a Sustain value of 10 seconds or more is recommended.
Velocity Layers pop-up menu: Choose the number of velocity layers to sample. The default is 1. To sample multiple velocity layers, the source instrument must respond to MIDI Velocity as well as MIDI Note messages.
Velocity Response pop-up menu: When multiple velocity layers are sampled, choose a velocity response curve:
Linear: Divides the Velocity span region equally. This is the default, and is recommended for most situations.
Exp1-Exp3: Gradually render the Velocity curve more exponentially. After the Velocity high and low parameters are set, more zones are sampled next to the High Velocity setting. This results in more zones with smaller Velocity spans, and lower Velocity zones that span more Velocity values.
Log1-Log3: Gradually render the Velocity curve more logarithmically. After the Velocity high and low parameters are set, more zones are sampled next to the Low Velocity setting. This results in more zones with smaller Velocity spans, and higher Velocity zones that span more Velocity values.
Velocity Editor: View and edit velocity layers. Hold the pointer over the Velocity Layers and Velocity Response pop-up menus to show the Velocity editor in the lower part of the window. Each velocity layer appears as a horizontal line, with its velocity value displayed. You can drag lines vertically to adjust their velocity value. When you manually adjust velocity layers in the Velocity editor, the Velocity Response value changes to Custom.
Auto Loop pop-up menu: Choose if loop points are automatically determined by Auto Sampler, and if so, which method or algorithm to use.
None: No auto-looping is performed.
Search: The audio content is analyzed and the optimal loop in each sample is set, without adding a loop crossfade. This is useful if the sampled sound contains clearly looping sections.
Search with XFade: The audio content is analyzed and the optimal loop in each sample is set, with a loop crossfade also added to smooth the loop. This is useful if the sampled sound contains clearly looping sections.
Search with Rev XFade: The audio content is analyzed and the optimal loop in each sample is set. A copy of the loop is automatically created, reversed and mixed with the analyzed loop, and then a loop crossfade is added.
Penrose Machine: Instead of searching for the best loop in each sample, a snapshot of the sample is taken, and the Penrose Machine algorithm is used to create a DSP-synthesized loop from the snapshot, which is inserted and crossfaded with the rest of the sample.
The Penrose Machine is an algorithm in which the sonic properties of the current loop are analyzed, and an artificial loop is created with the same sonic properties. This algorithm is completely automatic and has no parameters, making it simple as well as very powerful.
Bidirectional: The loop area is cut, doubled in length (by being crossfaded into a reversed copy of itself - hence the name “bidirectional”), and the resulting loop is smoothly crossfaded back into the original sample.
Auto Loop Start field and slider: Drag vertically to set the Auto Sampler search start point for an automatic loop. The value indicates a percentage of the total sample length/time. For example, in a 10-second sample with an Auto Loop Start value of 40%, Auto Sampler begins looking for an auto loop start point after 4 seconds.
Auto Loop End field and slider: Drag vertically to set the auto loop end point. The value indicates a percentage of the total sample length/time.
One Shot checkbox: Turn on to save samples as non-repeating, “one shot” samples that play to the end of the sample and stop, rather than loop.
When you trigger a one shot sample, it plays to the end of the file, regardless of whether other samples are triggered. One shot samples are typically used for percussion sounds and sound effects.
Download the guides:
Logic Pro User Guide: Apple Books | PDF
Logic Pro Instruments: Apple Books | PDF
Logic Pro Effects: Apple Books | PDF