Logic Pro X 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
- Change the color of regions
- Convert audio regions to Sampler sample 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 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
- 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 Logic Pro 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 Sampler overview
Sampler is a software sampler. It plays back audio files, called samples, that you load into it. These samples are combined into tuned, organized collections called sampler instruments. A sampler instrument is the file type that is loaded into Sampler with the plug-in Settings pop-up menu. When you choose a sampler instrument from the Settings pop-up menu, the associated audio files are automatically located on the hard disk (or disks) and are loaded into your computer’s RAM. You play and record the loaded sampler instrument in the same way as any software instrument.
Because sampler instruments are based on audio recordings, they are ideally suited to emulating real instruments such as guitars, pianos, and drums. Sampler provides an extensive library of sampler instruments that includes these and many other sounds. See Sampler instruments overview.
You can also use Sampler to edit and create sampler instruments. You can assign samples to specific key and velocity ranges in existing or new sampler instruments and can process them with filters and modulators. Because Sampler is a flexible synthesizer in its own right you can create expressive sounds by using any sample as a basic synthesizer waveform. If you’re new to the concepts and use of synthesizers and samplers, see Synthesizer basics overview.
You can use Sampler as a mono, stereo, or surround instrument, and can route loaded samples to multiple audio outputs. This lets you independently process individual drum sounds in a drum kit, for example. If you want to play and edit a single sample instrument, Quick Sampler is recommended.
The Sampler interface is contained in a single scrolling window, with shortcut buttons shown in the Navigation bar at the top. You can show or hide sections (panes) of the interface and can use the Navigation bar buttons to resize and quickly navigate between panes.
Synth pane: This pane contains synthesis options that you use to set global pitch, filter, pan and volume settings for your sounds. See Logic Pro Sampler Synth pane and Logic Pro Sampler Synth Details.
Mod Matrix pane: This pane contains modulation routing options that you can configure to affect the playback of your sounds. See Use the Logic Pro Sampler Mod Matrix.
Modulators pane: This pane contains LFO and envelope modulators that you use to control the pitch, amplitude, and filter settings of your sounds. These modulators can be routed to parameters in the Mod Matrix. See Sampler modulation overview.
Mapping pane: You use this pane to create and edit sampler instruments, and to set and control group and zone parameters. See Logic Pro Sampler Mapping and Zone pane overview.
Zone pane: You use this pane to edit individual samples (zones) within sampler instruments. See Sampler Zone pane.
Use the Sampler Navigation bar shortcut buttons
In Logic Pro, you can use the Navigation bar shortcut buttons to hide or show panes within the Sampler interface, to quickly navigate between visible panes, and to resize panes within the visible area. The navigation bar also contains an Action pop-up menu that provides a number of commands related to synthesizer parameter and mapping data handling. See Navigation bar Action pop-up menu.
Navigation bar parameters
Navigation buttons: Use to view, and scroll to panes. Double-click to switch pane zoom levels. Click the LED to hide panes. Drag samples here to add them. You can do the following:
Click a navigation button to scroll the main UI to the corresponding pane.
Click the yellow LED inside a navigation button to hide the corresponding pane.
Click the navigation button of a hidden pane to show the pane and automatically scroll to it.
Double-click a navigation button to expand the corresponding pane vertically. The pane expands to the maximum useful pane height, in proportion to the height of other open panes and the overall height of the plug-in window.
Double-click the navigation button of a vertically expanded pane to reduce the pane to its default height or to a height that you have set.
Tip: You can resize panes vertically by moving the pointer over the boundary between panes until it becomes a handle, then dragging the handle.
Option-click a navigation button to expand the corresponding pane vertically and hide all other panes.
Action pop-up menu: Choose commands related to synthesizer parameter and mapping data handling.
Note: You can directly drag one or more samples onto the Navigation bar to create new groups and zones. See Create zones in Logic Pro Sampler.
Scroll, zoom, and resize in Sampler
In Logic Pro, the overall Sampler window and panes within it can be resized. You can scroll panes vertically, and horizontally in some cases, and can zoom the Mapping and Zone panes. Combine these features and those of the Navigation bar to quickly move in, and adjust, the Sampler interface.
Important: Use of gestures, such as swiping or pinching require these features to be enabled in the Mouse or Trackpad panes of your System Preferences.
Do any of the following to scroll:
Drag vertically on the scrollbar at the right edge of the Sampler window to move between panes.
Each pane provides one or more transparent scrollbars that you can drag to move vertically or horizontally within the pane.
Note: Scrollbars are shown only when the pane or Sampler window content exceeds the display area size.
Use a two-finger vertical swipe to scroll with the trackpad, or a single-finger vertical swipe with a Magic Mouse to vertically scroll a pane (except the Zone pane) or to scroll the Sampler window.
In the Mapping or Zone panes, use a two-finger horizontal swipe with the trackpad, or a single-finger horizontal swipe with a Magic Mouse to horizontally scroll.
Do any of the following to zoom:
In the Mapping or Zone panes, use a pinch gesture to zoom.
In the Mapping pane, use the zoom slider.
In the Zone pane, use a two-finger vertical swipe to zoom with the trackpad, or a single-finger vertical swipe with a Magic Mouse to zoom the waveform.
In the Zone pane, use the zoom buttons.
Tip: You can double-click any pane button in the Navigation bar to quickly toggle between a maximized view and the current view of that pane.
Do any of the following to resize:
Drag vertically on the top or bottom edge of the Sampler window to change the window height.
Drag horizontally on the left or right edge of the Sampler window to change the window width.
Drag diagonally on any corner of the Sampler window to change both the window height and width.
A resize handle is shown when you move the pointer over any edge or corner of the Sampler window.
Double-click the name at the top of any pane to change its height.
Drag vertically on the top or bottom edge of a pane to change the pane height.
A resize handle is shown when you move the pointer over the boundary between panes. The adjacent pane is also resized.
Tip: You can double-click any pane button in the Navigation bar to quickly toggle between a maximized view and the current view of that pane.
Load an instrument from the Settings pop-up menu
In the Logic Pro Sampler plug-in header, click the Settings pop-up menu.
Browse to the instrument family, Factory, or other folder, then choose the sampler instrument you want to play or edit.
Load an instrument from the Library
In Logic Pro, open the Library. Default key command: Y
Browse to the folder, then choose the sampler instrument you want to play or edit. For example, browse to Orchestral > Strings > Pop Strings.
Load the next or previous instrument in your sampler instrument library
In Logic Pro, do one of the following:
In the plug-in header, click the next or previous icons.
Use the Next Instrument or Previous Instrument key command.
If Sampler is the key focus window, you can also use the following key commands:
Next Plug-In Setting or Instrument
Next Channel Strip or Plug-In Setting or Instrument
Previous Plug-In Setting or Instrument
Previous Channel Strip or Plug-In Setting or Instrument
Tip: You can also browse through your sampler instruments by using your MIDI keyboard. You can assign a MIDI event, such as a MIDI note, control change, or program change to select the previous or next sampler instrument in the Sampler Preferences.
See Sampler preferences.
Open Quick Sampler settings with Sampler
In Logic Pro X, do one of the following:
Choose the Quick Sampler setting name from the Sampler Setting menu. Use the Load menu item to browse to the default location: ~/Music/Audio Music Apps/Plug-In Settings/Quick Sampler.
The Quick Sampler sound is loaded as a group containing one or more zones and you can edit, process, and handle the content as you would with any group or zone.
Choose Sampler from the Instrument pop-up menu on an instrument channel strip that contains a Quick Sampler instance.
Quick Sampler is replaced with Sampler on the channel strip and the sound is automatically loaded as a group containing one or more zones.
Important: You can not open a Sampler setting with Quick Sampler.
Save a sampler instrument
In Logic Pro, you can access all basic sampler instrument file operations using the commands in the plug-in header Setting menu.
Save: Saves the currently loaded sampler instrument. When you create a new instrument and save it for the first time, you are asked to provide a name. If you have edited an existing sampler instrument and use this command, the existing filename is used and the original instrument is overwritten. You can also use the Save Instrument key command.
Save As: Saves the currently loaded sampler instrument, but you are prompted to provide a different filename. Use this command when you want to save a copy or multiple versions of an edited sampler instrument, rather than overwriting the original version. This, and the Save A Copy As, command may be useful when you want to save a Sampler Setting (including audio data) that is unique to a specific project. Storing this in a location outside of the factory library or user folders may also be practical for sharing a copy of your Sampler Setting (with or without audio data) with a colleague or friend.
In the Finder window, you can:
Browse to any folder location or create a new folder.
Click the Save with audio data checkbox to duplicate the samples and place them in a folder named after the Sampler Setting file.
If the save location is the User Library (the default), the ‘.exs’ files are placed in a folder called Sampler Instruments. The audio files are placed in a subfolder named after the Setting. This subfolder is placed in a Samples folder. The original audio files are not touched or moved.
Save A Copy As: Saves a copy of the currently loaded sampler instrument. You are prompted to provide a different filename. Use this command when you want to save a copy or multiple versions of an edited sampler instrument, rather than overwriting the original version.
In the Finder window, you can:
Browse to any folder location or create a new folder.
Click the Save A Copy with audio data checkbox to duplicate the samples and place them in a folder named after the Sampler Setting file.
If the save location is the User Library (the default), the ‘.exs’ files are placed in a folder called Sampler Instruments. The audio files are placed in a subfolder named after the Setting. This subfolder is placed in a Samples folder.The original audio files are not touched or moved.
Save As Default: Saves the currently loaded sampler instrument as the Default instrument. This instrument serves as a template for future sampler instruments and is used when you create a new instrument. It is also used when you choose the Initialize Synth Parameters command from the Navigation bar Action pop-up menu.
Save a Sampler patch in the Library
You can save patches, comprised of a sampler instrument and associated plug-in settings, in the Library.
In Logic Pro, click the Save button at the bottom of the Library pane. If the Library is not visible, click the Library button on the Logic Pro menu bar or use the default keyboard shortcut: Y.
In the Finder window:
Browse to the file location you want to use. The default folder location is User Patches. If required, create a new folder.
Type the patch name, then press the Save button.