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
Start and stop Live Loops cells in Logic Pro
You can start and stop cells individually, or start and stop all the cells in a scene (a column in the grid) simultaneously. Only one cell can play on a track at any time. You can select one or more cells in different scenes and queue them to play together. While a cell is playing, a circular indicator in the middle of the cell shows the current playback position.
The point in time when a cell starts or stops is determined by the Quantize Start value. Quantize Start ensures that cells start at musically meaningful positions (beats or bars), so they are in sync with other cells and the project playhead position. You can change the Quantize Start value for the grid, for scenes, or for individual cells. Triggered cells flash to indicate that they are queued to start at the next Quantize Start point.
If you trigger a cell too late to start at the desired Quantize Start point, it starts playing at the next Quantize Start point. The cell will still be in sync with the project tempo, but it might lead to undesirable musical results, especially when cells are following a short Quantize Start value. Smart Pickup ensures that cells start immediately at the correct position, even when triggered slightly late. However, this can result in the beginnings of the cells being skipped in order to ensure that the cells are at the correct position when they start playing. In order to avoid this and ensure that cells start playing from the Start position set in the Cell inspector, turn Smart Pickup off and trigger cells with enough time before the upcoming Quantize Start point.
Cells in the Live Loops grid play at the project tempo. Apple Loops and untagged loops added to cells automatically play at the project tempo, as do any audio files containing tempo information. When you add an audio file without tempo information to a cell, Logic Pro analyzes the tempo of the audio file and adjusts the file to the project tempo. You can manually edit Smart Tempo and transients in the Cell Editor.
By default, when a cell is playing on a track containing regions, the regions on that track are silent. You can change this behavior using the buttons in the Divider column. See How the Live Loops grid and Tracks area interact.
Play cells
In Logic Pro, do either of the following:
Start a cell: Click the Play button in the center of a cell.
Start all the cells in a scene: Click the trigger
below a scene.Start all selected cells: Use the Play Live Loops key command (Return).
When cells are playing, the Play buttons in the cells become Stop buttons.
Stop cell playback
In Logic Pro, do any of the following:
Stop playback of a cell:
Click the Stop button of the playing cell.
Click the Stop button of an empty cell on the same track as the one playing.
Stop playback of all cells at the next Quantize Start point:
Click the Grid Stop button
at the bottom of the Divider column.
Click the Scene trigger
below an empty scene.
Stop playback of all cells immediately:
Use the Play or Stop key command (Space bar).
Use the Stop key command (0 on the numeric keypad).
Stop playback of all selected cells: Use the Play Live Loops key command (Return).
Queue cells and scenes
You can queue cells and scenes to start playing when project playback starts or when you want cells in different scenes to start at the same time. Playing cells are automatically queued when you stop a project. You can then move the playhead and restart the queued cells at a different project position.
In Logic Pro, do one of the following:
Queue cells: Select one or more cells, Control-click one of the selected cells, then choose Queue Cell Playback from the shortcut menu.
Queue a scene: Control-click the trigger of the scene you want to queue and choose Queue Scene from the shortcut menu.
Queue selected cells or scene: Use the Queue Cell/Scene Playback key command (Option-Return).
The queued cells start flashing.
To start queued cells playing, do one of the following: Start project playback, click the Restart button 
in any of the queued cells or use the Play Live Loops key command (Return) to play queued cells at the next Quantize Start.
You can dequeue all queued cells by using the Queue Cell/Scene Playback key command again.
Set the Quantize Start value
You can set the Quantize Start value for the entire Live Loops grid, for a scene, or for individual cells, and change it while cells are playing. When you trigger a scene, all cells in the scene use the Quantize Start value for that scene. When you start or stop individual cells, each cell uses its own Quantize Start value.
To set the Quantize Start value for the Live Loops grid: Choose a value from the Quantize Start pop-up menu near the upper-right corner of the grid.
To set the Quantize Start value for a Scene: Control-click the Scene trigger
, choose Quantize Start, then choose a value from the submenu.
To set the Quantize Start value for Cells: Select one or more cells and do one of the following:
Click the disclosure triangle in the Cell inspector next to Play Mode, then choose a value from the Quantize Start pop-up menu.
Control-click a cell, choose Playback > Quantize Start, then choose a Quantize Start value from the submenu.
In addition to bar and beat values, you can also choose the following Quantize Start options:
Cell End: If another cell in the same row is playing, the triggered cell starts when the playing cell reaches the end of the loop.
Off: Cells start and stop when you click them, regardless of the Quantize Start value. Note that this can lead to cells playing out of sync.
Global: The cell or scene follows the Quantize Start value of the grid. This is the default setting for cells and scenes, and probably the best choice for most situations.
Turn on Smart Pickup
Click the Quantize Start pop-up menu in the upper-right corner of the grid, then choose Smart Pickup.
Set the play mode
The play mode in Logic Pro determines how a cell starts and stops when you click the Play/Stop button. Both actions are subject to the Quantize Start value. You can choose three play modes:
Start/Stop: Cells start and stop playing when you click them.
Momentary: Cells start playing when you click and hold the pointer on them, and stop playing when you release the pointer.
Retrigger: If a cell is playing and you click it again, it starts playing from the beginning. Cells set to Retrigger can be stopped only by starting another cell in the same row, by stopping the row using the Divider column, or by stopping the entire grid.
Do either of the following:
Select one or more cells, then choose a play mode from the Play Mode pop-up menu in the Cell inspector.
Control-click a cell, choose Playback > Play Mode, then choose a play mode from the submenu.
You can also change the play mode for scenes.
Change the start behavior of a cell
The Play From setting determines the start behavior of a cell. By default, cells start playing from the Start position. However, depending on the content and timing of your music, you can choose other start behavior settings to create interesting transitions between cells.
In Logic Pro, select one or more cells and choose one of the following settings from the Play From pop-up menu in the Cell inspector:
Start: The cell starts at the position determined by the set Start position.
Stop Position: The cell starts playing from the point where it last stopped, similar to Play/Pause.
Playing Cell Position: If another cell in the same row is playing, the cell starts playing from the position where the first cell stops. Otherwise, the cell starts from the Start position.
Playhead Position: The cell starts from the position where it would be, as if it had been playing from the beginning of the project. Otherwise, the cell starts from the Start position.