Logic Pro X User Guide | PDF | Garage Band | Synthesizer.
Trademarks Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark.
All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.
This book is a comprehensive introduction to professional music produc- tion with Logic Pro X. It uses real-world music and hands-on exercises to teach you how to record, edit, arrange, mix, produce, and polish audio and MIDI files in a professional workflow. Each lesson in this book is designed to support the concepts learned in the preceding lesson, and first-time readers should go through the book from start to finish. However each lesson is self-contained, so when you need to review a topic, you can quickly jump to any lesson.
The book is designed to guide you through the music production process as it teaches Logic. The lessons are organized into four sections. Lesson 1 starts you out with an overview of the entire process. Lessons 2 and 3 dive deeper into typical situations you may encounter when recording from microphones or other audio sources.
Lessons 4—6: Working with Virtual Instruments Lesson 4 describes how to produce a virtual drummer performance using the new Drummer and Drum Kit Designer features.
You will choose the right drummer for the project, swap a drum kit with the kit of another drummer, edit the patterns, change which kit elements the drummer plays, shape an interpretation, and precisely control where fills are placed. Lessons 5 and 6 immerse you in using software instruments. Varispeed will allow you to work with your project at differ- ent tempos.
Make sure that you know how to use the mouse and standard menus and commands; and also how to open, save, and close files.
If you need to review these techniques, see the printed or online documentation included with your system. If you have not yet installed Logic, you may purchase it from the App Store.
When your purchase is completed, Logic Pro X will automatically be installed on your hard drive. All the instructions and descriptions in this book assume that you installed Logic Pro X on a Mac without any legacy Logic media, and that you downloaded all the additional media except for the Legacy and Compatibility content. An alert then offers to download additional media content. Depending on the speed of your Internet connection, the download process may take several hours.
After you save the files to your hard disk, each les- son will instruct you in their use. When you have the code: 1 Go to www. Logic Pro X Files contains two subfolders, Lessons and Media, that contain the work- ing files for this course. Make sure you keep these two folders together in the Logic Pro X Files folder on your hard disk. If you do so, your Mac should be able to main- tain the original links between the lessons and media files. At the beginning of Lesson 1, you will be instructed how to show advanced tools and select all additional options.
If you have changed some of your Logic Pro X preferences, you may not realize the same results as described in the exercises. Keep in mind, however, that when you initialize preferences, you lose your custom set- tings, and later you may want to reset your favorite preferences manually. A confirmation message appears. Your preferences are initialized to their default states. Using the U. Key Command Preset This book assumes that you are using the default initialized key command preset for a U.
So, you may find that some of the key commands in your Logic installation do not function as they are described in this book. A Save As dialog opens. Your custom shortcuts can now be recalled as any other key command preset. Your new preset appears at the bottom of the Presets sub-menu. An Open dialog appears. Logic will now respond to the key commands as described in this book.
Screen Resolution Depending on your display resolution, some of the project files may appear different on your screen than they do in the book.
When using a low display resolution, you may also have to zoom or scroll more often than instructed in the book when performing some of the exercise steps. In some cases, you may have to temporarily resize or close an area of the Arrange window to complete an action in another area. Developed by experts in the field and certified by Apple, the series is used by Apple Authorized Training Cen- ters worldwide and offers complete training in all Apple Pro products.
The lessons are designed to let you learn at your own pace. For a complete list of Apple Pro Training Series books, see the ad at the back of this book or visit www. Upon completing the course material in this book, you can become a certified Apple Pro by taking the certification exam at an Apple Authorized Training Center. Successful cer- tification as an Apple Pro gives you official recognition of your knowledge of Apple pro- fessional applications while allowing you to market yourself to employers and clients as a skilled, pro-level user of Apple products.
For those who prefer to learn in an instructor-led setting, Apple offers training courses at Apple Authorized Training Centers worldwide. These courses, which use the Apple Pro Training Series books as their curriculum, are taught by Apple Certified Trainers and bal- ance concepts and lectures with hands-on labs and exercises.
The goal of the pro- gram is to offer Apple customers, from beginners to the most seasoned professionals, the highest-quality training experience. For more information, please see the ad at the back of this book, or to find an Authorized Training Center near you, go to training. Resources Apple Pro Training Series: Logic Pro X is not intended as a comprehensive reference man- ual, nor does it replace the documentation that comes with the application.
Other documents available in the Help menu can also be valuable resources. They provide the foundation for the tempo and the groove of the piece. For recording sessions in which the instruments are not tracked at the same time, drums are usually recorded or pro- grammed first, so that the other musicians can record while listening to their rhythmic reference.
In Logic Pro X, you can speed up the process by taking advantage of the new Drummer feature along with its companion software instrument, Drum Kit Designer. In this lesson, you will produce a virtual drum track to start producing a new imaginary indie-rock song. His performance is placed in Drummer regions on a Drummer track. You edit the performance data in the regions using the Drummer Editor. The virtual drummer also has his own drum kit loaded in a software instrument plug-in called Drum Kit Designer.
A new project opens along with the New Tracks dialog. A Drummer track is created along with two eight-bar Drummer regions. At the bot- tom of the main window, the Drummer Editor opens, allowing you to choose a drum- mer and his drum kit, and to edit the performance in the Drummer region s that are selected in the workspace. The track is named SoCal, which is the name of the drum kit used by the default virtual drummer, Kyle.
In the first region, the drummer starts with a crash cymbal, and plays a straightfor- ward rock pattern. At the end of the first four measures, he plays the simplest of fills a single tom hit , followed by a crash cymbal that accentuates the first downbeat of bar 5.
At the end of the first Drummer region, a drum fill leads into the next section. In the second region, the drummer switches from the hi-hat to the ride cymbal, and plays a more complex pattern: The kick is busier, and the snare adds ghost notes very quiet hits between beats.
As in the first region, the drummer plays a fill at the end of the first four measures, followed by a crash. He plays another fill at the end of the region. If necessary, con- tinue zooming vertically by dragging the vertical zoom slider or pressing Command- Down Arrow until you can see two lanes in the Drummer region. Crash cymbal Stronger hi-hat Softer hi-hat Snare Kick The Drummer region displays drum hits as triangles on lanes, roughly emulating the look of drum hits on an audio waveform.
Kicks and snares are shown on the bottom lane; cymbals, toms, and hand percussions are on the top lane. Now you can read the Drummer regions. In the next exercise, you will listen to multiple drummers and several performance presets.
Later, you will zoom in again to see the Drummer regions update as you adjust their settings in the Drummer Editor. Choosing a Drummer and a Style Each drummer has his own playing style and drum kit, and those combine to create a unique drum sound. In the Drummer Editor, drummers are categorized by music genres. Genre pop-up menu Drummer Character card Drum kit 1 In the character card, click the drummer.
All the drummers from the Rock category are displayed. A dialog explains how to retain region settings when changing the drummer.
The Drummer Editor shows you the settings for the selected Drummer region. A yel- low ruler allows you to position the playhead anywhere within the region, and you can click the Play button to the left of the ruler to preview the Drummer region. As in the Tracks area, you can also double-click the ruler to start and stop playback.
Play button Playhead The selected region plays in Cycle mode, and the cycle area automatically matches the region position and length. The selected region is soloed—indicated by a thin yellow frame—and the other region is dimmed. Soloing the region helps you focus on the drums when you have other tracks in the project. You are looking for a drum- mer with a simple, straightforward style that more appropriately serves the song.
In the Tracks area, Cycle mode is automatically turned off, the dimmed cycle area returns to its original position and length, and the selected region is no longer soloed. Drummers from the Alternative category are shown. When you click a preset, the region settings update and you can hear another perfor- mance from the same drummer. You can Option-click a new drummer to select that drummer while keeping the cur- rent drum kit.
You are now ready to customize the performance. They may ask the drummer to play behind or ahead of the beat to change the feel of the groove, or to switch from the hi-hat to the ride cymbal during the chorus, or to play a drum fill in a specific location. In Logic Pro X, editing a drummer performance is almost like giving instructions to a real drummer. In this exercise, you will play a drum region in Cycle mode as you adjust the drummer settings. Next to the presets, an XY pad with a yellow puck lets you adjust both the loudness and complexity of the drum pattern.
To undo your most recent Drummer Editor adjustment, press Command-Z. After positioning the puck, you must wait for the region to update update time var- ies depending on your computer. If you drag the puck constantly, the region will not update.
As you position the puck farther to the right, the drum pattern becomes more com- plex; and as you move the puck toward the top of the pad, the drummer plays louder.
As he plays louder, he opens the hi-hat and start playing rim shots hitting the skin and the rim simultaneously for accent. You can still hear a lot of syncopation on the kick drums. The drummer now simply alternates kick and snare on every beat. Listen to the hi-hat: It is currently playing eighth notes. The drummer is playing a fill in the middle of the region before bar 5 and another at the end before bar 9.
You should still see a fill at the end of the region. Each time you adjust a setting in the Drummer Editor, the selected region is refreshed and the drummer plays a new subtle variation. Dragging the Fills knob by a tiny amount is a quick way to refresh a region. You now have a very straightforward beat. Because the drummer plays less now, he can make the hi-hat ring a bit more.
On the drum kit, the hi-hat is now dimmed, while the cymbals are highlighted in yellow. The drummer no longer plays the hi-hat, but instead plays a ride or crash cymbal in that region. You can hear the second region in Cycle mode. The drummer is playing the ride cym- bal on every eighth note. For a more powerful chorus, you instead want him to play crash cymbals on every beat. You now hear crash cymbals on every beat. Even for a chorus, the beat is a little too busy. You now have a simple, straightforward beat for the verse, and then the drummer switches to the crash cymbal for the busier chorus pattern.
You have carefully crafted two eight-measure drum grooves: one for the verse and one for the chorus. They are the two most important building blocks of the song that you will now start arranging. Arranging the Drum Track In this exercise, you will lay out the whole song structure and continue editing drum regions for each section, still using the two Drummer regions you edited for the verses and choruses.
Using Markers in the Arrangement Track Using the Arrangement track, you will now create arrangement markers for all the sections of your song. The global tracks open, with the Arrangement track at the top. Also Control-click the Signature and Tempo tracks, and hide them. The Arrangement track is now closer to the regions in the workspace, making it easier to see their relationships.
An eight-measure arrangement marker named Intro is created at the beginning of the song. By default, arrangement markers are eight bars long and are placed one after the other, starting from the beginning of the song. An eight-bar marker named Chorus is created.
You will now create a marker for a new intro section and insert it before the Verse and Chorus markers. A four-measure intro will be long enough, so you can resize the Intro marker before moving it. In the workspace, the Drummer regions move along with their respective arrangement markers. As with regions in the workspace, you can Option-drag a marker to copy it. Option-drag the Verse marker to bar 21, right after the chorus. The Verse marker and the Drummer region are copied together. The Chorus and the Drummer region are copied together.
The song is taking shape. You will now finish arranging the song structure with a bridge, a chorus, and an outro section. As you place the last three markers, continue zooming out horizontally as necessary. A Verse marker is created after the last chorus. The song structure is now complete, and you can add Drummer regions to fill out the empty sections. New patterns were automatically created for each new Drummer region. Editing the Intro Drum Performance In this exercise, you will make the drummer play the snare instead of the toms.
The Drummer Editor shows its settings. Throughout this exercise you can click the Play button in the Drummer Editor to start and stop playback, or you can navigate the workspace by pressing the Spacebar Play or Stop and the Return key Go to Beginning.
The toms are dimmed to indicate that they are muted. In the Intro region, the toms disappear from the top lane. In the Intro region, snare hits appear next to the kick hits on the bottom lane. To play the kick in only the first half of the intro, followed by the kick and snare in the second half, you will cut the Intro region in two. The region is divided into two two-measure regions. When a region is divided, the drummer automatically adapts his performance, and plays a fill at the end of each new region.
Notice how the crash disappears from the first beat of the following region. Even though it is in another region, the crash is actually a part of the fill. The snare plays every beat. Now the drummer plays rim clicks at the beginning of the first Intro region, and hits the snare a few times at the end. The drums play a straightforward beat with a fill at the end. Now you will open the hi-hat to add energy to the end of the intro. The drummer plays the snare on the first eight beats, and then a basic rock pattern with a very open hi-hat adds energy.
At bar 5, a crash punctuates the fill at the end of the intro. The straightforward groove continues in the Verse section with the hi-hat a little less open to leave space to later add a singer.
Editing the Bridge Drum Performance In a song, the bridge serves to break the sequence of alternating verses and choruses. The available parameters change depending on the area in which you are working, and what type of item is selected.
You can view and edit channel strip controls, customize routing options, and add and edit plug-ins in the Mixer. You can show or hide different areas as part of the main window. Some can also be opened as separate, movable windows.
You can also open multiple instances of the main window, and configure each one differently. The main elements of the Tracks area include:. The ruler lets you align items in the Tracks area and mark project sections, and has additional uses for various playback and recording tasks. The workspace is the primary area for recording and arranging audio and MIDI regions. You can use the playhead to help align regions and other items, and for editing tasks, such as splitting regions.
For information about working in the Tracks area, see Logic Pro Tracks area overview. Categories appear on the left, and patches for the selected category are displayed on the right. You can search for patches, create, save, and delete patches, and choose routing options.
When a Drummer track is selected, you can choose drum genres and drummers in the Library, which apply to all regions in the Drummer track.
You can choose preset settings for the selected drummer from the left side of the Drummer Editor. Open the Library Do one of the following:. For information about using the Library, see Logic Pro patches overview. Logic Pro Inspector interface You can view and edit parameters for regions, tracks, and other items in the various inspectors.
The parameters displayed depend on the type of item selected, and which working area has key focus. If you change region parameters while the project is playing, you hear the changes immediately. All regions on the track are affected by the track parameters. The right channel strip shows the output for the left channel strip by default, but can also show an aux used by the left channel strip if one exists. You can adjust the level, pan, sends, and inserts, change effects, and control audio routing for these channel strips without opening the Mixer.
Inspectors for other working areas, such as the Event inspector, Display Parameters inspector, and Score inspector are described in their respective chapters. Open the inspector Do one of the following:. Logic Pro Mixer interface The Mixer shows the channel strips for every track in your project, including auxiliary and output channel strips, and the master channel strip.
This makes it easy to see and adjust relative levels and pan balance positions. You can also add effects, mute and solo tracks, use busses and sends to control the signal flow, and use groups to control multiple channel strips. Open the Mixer Do one of the following:. For more information about the Mixer, see Overview of mixing in Logic Pro. For information about using channel strip controls, see Channel strip controls in Logic Pro.
Logic Pro Smart Controls interface Smart Controls let you quickly view and adjust the most important parameters of the selected track, without opening the Mixer or individual plug-in windows. Each Smart Control features a set of screen controls. Adjusting a single screen control can modify one or more channel strip or plug-in parameters for the track. Each Smart Control has a set of screen controls optimized for the type of track or instrument.
Screen controls are labeled to make their functions easier to understand. Open the Smart Controls pane Do one of the following:. Using the Audio Track Editor grid, you can precisely align edits with specific points in time. When Flex Pitch is turned on, you can quantize the timing and pitch of audio regions, and adjust their pitch and gain in the Audio Track Editor inspector. All edits in the Audio Track Editor are non-destructive, so you can always return to your original recordings.
Open the Audio Track Editor Do one of the following:. The position of each note on the grid shows the time position where it starts playing, its duration length , and pitch. Note velocity is indicated by color.
You can edit individual notes by moving them, resizing them, dragging them vertically to change their pitch, and in a variety of other ways. Open the Piano Roll Editor Do one of the following:. The Drummer Editor shows settings for the selected Drummer region, including presets, an XY pad for adjusting the complexity and loudness of the region performance, and controls for editing performance parameters, including kit piece pattern variations and fill settings.
You can view and select a genre to view drummers for that genre, and then select a drummer, in the Library when a Drummer track is selected. A preset consists of all region settings, visible to the right of the presets area. You can use the default settings, or you can edit them and save your own presets.
You also have the option to play half time or double time for kick and snare. Adjust the shuffle feel of the region performance using the Swing knob. Click the Details button to reveal additional performance controls. Open the Drummer Editor Do one of the following:. The Drummer Editor opens below the Tracks area. Lyrics, titles, and other text can also be included in the score.
You can control the display of individual staffs, extract parts from the score, modify the overall score layout, and print or export complete scores, partial scores, and parts. Select musical symbols to add to the score, and customize the order of symbols in the Part box. For more information about using the Score Editor, see Logic Pro music notation overview. You can easily add or edit note velocities or other controller data making some editing tasks, such as data scaling, much faster , or quickly create and edit MIDI drum parts.
When you select a row in the name column, its event definition is shown in the Lane inspector. Controller values, note velocity, and other values are indicated by the height of each beam taller beams indicate higher values. It displays the audio waveform of regions on an audio track. In the Audio File Editor, you can destructively edit audio files and regions , and use audio processing tools to quantize audio, change sample rates, and extract MIDI grooves from audio files. Open the Audio File Editor Do one of the following:.
Logic Pro project notes interface You can create, view, and edit notes for a project in the Project Notes pane. Each project can contain one set of project notes. You can also double-click the Project Text area.
Open the Project Notes pane Do one of the following:. Logic Pro track notes interface You can create, view, and edit notes for each track in the Track Notes pane. You can also double-click the Track Text area. Open the Track Notes pane Do one of the following:.
For more information about track notes, see Add track notes in Logic Pro. You can use it to make precise edits, and for other tasks better suited to numeric rather than graphic edits.
You can display all events or limit them by category. This view lets you see all regions in the current project. For more information, see Logic Pro Event List editor overview. You can create, select, and edit markers in the Marker List, and click a marker name to move the playhead to that marker position. Use this area to enter or edit text for the selected marker. Open the Marker List Do one of the following:.
Logic Pro Tempo List interface The Tempo List displays all the tempo events in the project, and lets you create and edit tempo events. Logic Pro Signature List interface The Signature List shows all the time and key signature changes in your project, as well as any score symbols in the project score. You can create, copy, move, and delete time and key signature events in the Signature List.
You can browse for loops or search using various criteria, preview matching loops, and add them to your project by dragging them into the Tracks area. Matching loops appear in the results list below. Click a loop to preview it, and drag a loop from the results list into the Tracks area to add it to your project. Logic Pro Project Audio Browser interface The Project Audio Browser shows the audio files used in the project, and displays an overview of the regions derived from each audio file.
You can add, edit, delete, and rename audio files and regions in the Project Audio Browser. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of an audio file to reveal regions associated with the file. Also indicates file length using horizontal bars. Colored sections indicate the location and size of regions within the audio file.
The Info column can also display waveform overviews. Click again to stop playback. Use in combination with the Play button. Open the Project Audio Browser Do one of the following:. You can also import GarageBand projects into the current project. Click the plus button to display additional search filters that allow you to narrow your search further.
Results are displayed in the File list below. Open the All Files Browser Do one of the following:. A project is the document that contains all your recordings, the location of media files you add, and all the changes you make. You can have multiple projects open at the same time, and transfer media and other data between them.
Projects can also contain assets including audio files, a movie file, instruments, and other files. You can save assets with the project or reference them in another location. When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, you can save a project as either a single file package , or as a project folder containing the project file and subfolders for project assets.
The basic elements of a Logic Pro project include the following:. Tracks The horizontal rows in the Tracks area are called tracks. Tracks help you organize and control the sound of the recordings, loops, and other material in a project. You record your performances on tracks, and arrange the regions representing the recordings, loops, and other material in a project on tracks.
There are several types of tracks you can use in a Logic Pro project:. Folder tracks are not assigned to a channel strip in the Mixer. There are additional track types that do not contain regions, including auxiliary aux and output tracks, used for routing the output of other tracks; global tracks, used to control aspects of the overall project; and the master track, which you can use to control the overall volume level of the project.
For information about working with global tracks, see Logic Pro global tracks overview. Regions Regions are the building blocks of a project. Each time you make a recording, drag an Apple Loop to the Tracks area, or add a media file to your project, a region representing the recording or file appears in the Tracks area. Different types of regions correspond to different track types and types of material. An audio region can represent the entire audio file or only a portion of one.
When you edit the region in the Tracks area or the Audio Track Editor, the original audio file is not changed. They are stored as part of the project, but can also be saved as individual files. In the Tracks area, you can move, copy, and work with both audio and MIDI regions in a variety of ways to build your arrangement.
When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, you can edit the source audio files for audio regions in the Audio File Editor. For more information about working with regions, see Logic Pro regions overview.
Patches You can control the sound of the tracks in your project using patches. A patch can contain one or more channel strips, each with its own settings and plug-ins, as well as a set of Smart Controls.
Patches can also contain auxiliary channel strips for more complex routing. Custom patches can be saved in the Library. For more information about working with patches, see Logic Pro patches overview. Channel strips Each track in a project is represented and controlled by a channel strip corresponding to the track type.
Channel strips contain controls to adjust the volume level and pan position of the track, mute and solo the track, insert plug-ins, route the output signal, and control the track in other ways.
You can view and edit the channel strips for a project in the Mixer. In addition to track channel strips, projects contain output channel strips and a master channel strip which controls the overall volume of the project. They can also contain auxiliary channel strips, which are used to route the output from multiple tracks to a single destination.
For more information about working with channel strips in the Mixer, see Overview of mixing in Logic Pro. Plug-ins Logic Pro includes a collection of professional-quality plug-ins you can use to shape the sound of your recordings and other material.
There are several types of plug-ins used in Logic Pro channel strips: MIDI plug-ins, effects plug-ins, and instrument plug-ins. In general, they modify the sound the input signal of the channel strip. For more information about working with instrument and effects plug-ins, see Overview of plug-ins in Logic Pro.
The contents of each window update to show your latest changes. Only one window can have key focus at a given time, this is called the active window. When several normal windows overlap, the active window is the window in the foreground. The title of the window with key focus is black the titles of other open windows are gray. Inside a window, the area with key focus for example, the Tracks area is bordered by a blue frame.
In the Logic Pro main window, different areas can be given key focus by clicking the background or title bar of the window, or by using a tool in the window. Key commands only affect the window or area with key focus.
Some areas, including the Preferences and Project Settings windows, open as floating windows in the foreground, above even the key focus window.
When one floating window covers another, click the one you want to move to the foreground. If the window is open but in the background, it comes to the foreground. Tip: The key commands for opening different working areas as separate windows are shown beside the window name in the Window menu. When clicking in the working area, be careful not to accidentally insert an event or region if the Pencil tool is active in the window.
This command assigns key focus to the next open window, if it is fully obscured by other windows. You can also cycle through working areas using Tab cycles forward and Shift-Tab cycles backward. Note: If you close all open windows of a project, Logic Pro asks if you want to save your changes.
Move and resize Logic Pro windows You can move and resize open windows individually, even across multiple monitors. You can also change the size of all window elements that feature a resize bar. The size relationship of the Tracks area and editors in the Logic Pro main window can also be adjusted, by clicking between them and dragging vertically. The pointer changes to a Resize pointer. The vertical height of the Mixer is independent of the height you set for the editors. In Logic Pro, move the pointer over the resize bar.
When the pointer turns into the Resize pointer, drag the window element. Zoom Logic Pro windows You can also zoom in to see regions or events in closer detail, or zoom out to see more of the project. Most Logic Pro windows have zoom sliders. When you zoom in or out, the top-left and selected event or region remains in the visible area of the screen. If no selected region or event is visible, zooming is centered around the playhead.
You can store three different zoom settings for each window using the Save as Zoom 1—3 key commands. Use the Recall Zoom 1—3 key commands to recall your zoomed settings. These commands only apply to the active window or window area. Dragging left increases the number of visible tracks, while dragging right increases the track height. Dragging left shows more of the Tracks area, while dragging right zooms in for a more detailed view.
Dragging down zooms in, while dragging up zooms out. Pinch open to zoom in, or pinch closed to zoom out. Zoom a section of the Tracks area using the Zoom tool 1. When the pointer is over an empty part of the Tracks area, you can simply press and hold the Option key. The selected area fills the window. You can repeat the process to zoom in further. Save and recall zoom settings 1. In Logic Pro, adjust the zoom setting you want to store.
To recall a saved zoom setting, use the corresponding Recall Zoom key command 1—3. This action returns the zoom level to the original setting, or backtracks through previous zoom steps if the tool was used multiple times.
Adjust the size of an individual plug-in window In Logic Pro, do one of the following:. Move through display levels in Logic Pro The windows in a Logic Pro project have several display levels, with the Tracks area at the highest level, and the editors normally at the lowest level. You can work on different types of tasks, such as arranging the overall project, editing the contents of a folder, or refining individual regions, at different levels.
In many cases, you can switch between these different levels directly, without needing to open or access another window.
Move one display level higher In Logic Pro, do one of the following:. In the Piano Roll and Step Editors, a step up the display hierarchy shows the events of all regions in the Tracks area.
In the Event List, clicking the Display Level button moves you up one level in the display hierarchy. The display remains much the same but shows a list of regions, rather than a list of individual events, along with region positions, names, track numbers, and lengths. The MIDI region that you were just editing is selected within the list of region names. In the Score Editor, clicking the Display Level button takes you to the higher display level. Double-clicking a staff at an empty point , reverts to a lower display level.
Control Logic Pro windows using Catch modes You can control how windows update to reflect changes to the playhead position using Catch modes. When you work in Catch mode, the visible section of a window follows the playhead during playback or recording. If the Catch button is inactive, the display does not update, even when the playhead moves past the right edge of the visible portion of the window.
You also have the option of using Catch mode together with the Scroll in Play setting. If the Catch function of the window is also activated, the playhead remains in the middle of the window, while the background scrolls smoothly from right to left. Content Catch mode is only available when Additional Options for Advanced editing is selected in the Advanced preferences pane. Turn on Content Catch mode 1. In Logic Pro, click the Catch button to turn on Catch mode. Link windows in a Logic Pro project When Additional Advanced Editing Options is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, you can independently link or unlink windows including the Tracks area, Piano Roll Editor, Score Editor, and Event List to control the relationship between what they display.
For example, you could set up two Event Lists, one showing arrange regions, and the other showing their contents, then click a region in the first Event List to update the contents of the second one. The Link mode options—Off, Same Level, and Content—allow you to control how information is displayed when working with related editor windows.
In this case, the display level is always one level lower than that of the top window. You can also use Content Link mode in one Tracks area to display the folder contents of another Tracks area. Same Level is not available. Create and recall screensets in Logic Pro You position windows in a layout that suits the way you work.
This layout of various windows, including their display size, zoom levels, position, and other settings, is called a screenset. Once defined, you can save, and freely switch between different screensets, much as you might between different computer displays.
Screensets are numbered from 1 to 99 using only the 1 to 9 computer keys—the 0 key is assigned to the Stop command by default. It happens automatically, as soon as you switch to another screenset. Thus, without any effort, your current working view is always stored as the current screenset.
You can also switch a screenset automatically during playback using meta events. Create a screenset 1. In Logic Pro, press any numerical key except 0; for example, 7. For two-digit screensets, press and hold Control while entering the first digit. Arrange your windows, including changes to zoom settings, the relationship of the Tracks area and editor, open or closed inspector and Browsers or List Editors areas, and so on.
Note: When you choose a screenset number that has not been saved, a maximized main window opens. For two-digit screensets, press and hold Shift while entering the first digit. Note: Screensets 1 to 9 can be recalled by freely defined key commands, not only the number keys on your computer keyboard. This allows you to use the number keys for other purposes, such as opening or closing windows.
The 1 to 9 key commands are called Recall Screenset 1—9 in the Key Commands window. Switch a screenset during playback 1. Set the playhead to the point where you want the screenset to change. The inserted meta event has a default value of 50 Project Select. You can stop screenset switching by muting the MIDI region that contains the meta 49 event. For information about meta events, see Meta events in Logic Pro. A bullet appears in front of the screenset number to indicate that it is locked.
Repeat the key or menu command to unlock the screenset. Copy screensets 1. In the Duplicate Screenset dialog, enter the target screenset number the screenset number that you want to copy to , and give it a name. Rename the current screenset 1. The default is the visible window names. The name is automatically updated whenever a window or view is opened or closed.
Import all screensets from another project 1. In Logic Pro, do one of the following:. Navigate to and select the project file that you want to import screensets from, then click the Import button. Note: If accessing this feature via the All Files Browser, you also need to click the Import Settings button, which appears after clicking the Import button. In the Import Settings dialog, select the Screensets option. Revert to saved screensets in Logic Pro You can easily revert to saved screensets.
Some tools are common to all working areas, while others are available only in some working areas. When you choose a tool from the Tools menu, the pointer changes to show the chosen tool. In general, you use a tool by clicking a region, note, or other item in that working area. If multiple regions are selected when you use a tool, the edits apply to all the selected regions for example, the Scissors tool cuts all selected regions at the same time position. Where tools are available, there are two Tools menus: a Left-click and a Command-click Tools menu.
You can assign separate tools to the Left-click and Command-click Tool menus. You can also assign the right mouse button if your mouse supports one. For information about assigning tools, see Assign tools in Logic Pro.
The pointer adopts the shape of the active tool, so you can quickly identify which tool is being used. The Command-click Tool menu is located on the right by default, but is located in the middle when a third Right-click tool is assigned. See Editing preferences in Logic Pro. If you have a suitable mouse, you can also assign the right mouse button to any of the following:.
You can set two different behaviors for the Pointer tool when using it in the Tracks area. Set the behavior of the right mouse button 1.
Click Editing, then choose a setting from the Right Mouse Button pop-up menu. Choose the appropriate menu item to assign the tool, which is available when the right mouse button is pressed while editing.
Click a tool to choose it. When the Tool menu is open, you can also use the key shown next to a tool to select it. Note: When you choose a tool from the Tool menu by right-clicking, the tool is assigned to the left mouse button. Right-double-clicking in the working area of the active window resets the assigned tool to the Pointer tool.
Set the behavior of the Pointer tool in the Tracks area 1. Click Editing, then select the behavior you want for the Pointer tool. The Loop pointer and behavior can still be accessed in these click zones by holding down Option.
Pointer tool The Pointer is the default tool when you open Logic Pro. You can use the Pointer tool to:. You can select multiple items by holding down Shift and dragging around the items. The pointer also takes the shape of this tool when outside the working area, when making a menu selection, or entering a value. Pencil tool Use the Pencil tool to add new regions or events. You can also select, drag, loop, and alter the length of regions or events using the Pencil tool.
In the Score Editor, you can use the Pencil tool to add dynamic markings, accents, and other symbols to notes. Eraser tool Use the Eraser tool to delete selected regions or events. When you click a region or event with the Eraser tool, all of the currently selected regions or events are deleted similar to pressing the Delete key. The Eraser tool can also delete an unselected region or event by clicking it.
Text tool Use the Text tool to rename regions and other items, or add text to a score in the Score Editor. Scissors tool Use the Scissors tool to split regions and events, allowing individual sections to be copied, moved, or deleted. Glue tool Use the Glue tool to join selected regions or events into a single region or event.
Solo tool Click and hold a region with the Solo tool to listen to the selected region or event apart from the rest of the project.
Moving the mouse horizontally also scrubs any events the pointer touches. You can unmute the region or event by clicking it a second time with the Mute tool. If multiple regions or events are selected, the mute state of the clicked region or event applies to all selected regions or events. Zoom tool Use the Zoom tool to zoom in by dragging over regions or other material, or over an empty part of the Tracks area. To revert to the normal zoom level, click the window background with the Zoom tool, or click while holding Control-Option.
You can also access the Zoom function by pressing and holding Control-Option, regardless of which tool is active. Fade tool Use the Fade tool to create and edit fades, or to change the shape of fade curves. Automation Select tool Use the Automation Select tool to select automation data and create automation points at region borders. Automation Curve tool Use to Automation Curve tool to bend or reshape the curve between two automation points, creating a nonlinear transition between the points.
Marquee tool Use the crosshair-shaped Marquee tool to select and edit parts of regions. In the Tracks area, you can select part of a region or regions with the Marquee tool and apply selection- based processing with audio effects.
Flex tool Use the Flex tool for quick access to fundamental Flex editing functionality, without having to turn on Flex view in the Tracks area. Tools for specific working areas Tools specific to a particular editor or other working area are covered in the respective chapters for that working area. Logic Pro advanced tools and options Logic Pro X provides the power and flexibility of previous versions of Logic Pro, while allowing you to turn groups of features on or off to streamline your workflow.
For experienced users who have upgraded from Logic Pro 8 or 9 or Logic Express 8 or 9 , all advanced tools and additional options are turned on by default. When you open an existing project in Logic Pro X, any additional options used by the project are turned on automatically. Users new to Logic Pro can start working with basic features and a streamlined interface. In particular, users familiar with GarageBand will find a direct match for nearly all GarageBand features.
All windows, views, menus, and key commands required for standard music production tasks are accessible in the app. You turn on advanced tools by selecting Show Advanced Tools in the Advanced preferences pane. Turning on advanced tools without turning on any of the specific additional options lets you do the following:. Additional Options When Show Advanced Tools is selected, additional options providing further expert capabilities become available, and can be selected individually depending on the type of tasks you want to perform.
When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, the following additional options are also available:. For users upgrading to Logic Pro X, any additional options used by an existing project are turned on by default when you open the project. Turn on Additional Options 1. Select any of the specific additional options you want to use.
Some features are only available when Show Advanced Tools is turned on, or when the corresponding Additional Options checkbox is selected. If a project makes use of features for example, Track Stacks that can only be created or edited when the Show Advanced Tools checkbox is selected, items using the feature will still play when Show Advanced Tools is turned off.
Features that need Additional Options to be selected have this icon. Undo and redo edits in Logic Pro You can undo one or more edit operations, and redo undone edits. Logic Pro includes an Undo History window with a time-ordered list of all edits that can be undone. You can also change the number of steps that can be undo in Logic Pro preferences. You can undo virtually any edit, including moves, deletions, renaming, and parameter changes; and the creation of new events, regions, channel strips, and more.
The Undo History window displays a list of all actions that can be undone. The most recent editing operation, which will be the first to be undone, is selected. No undos or redos are possible for the deleted steps, once the Undo History has been deleted. Change the number of undo steps 1. Change the number in the Number of Undo Steps value slider.
Manage Logic Pro content Logic Pro features an extensive Sound Library of Apple Loops, patches, drum kits, and other content that you can use in your projects. When you install Logic Pro, essential sounds and instruments are included as part of the installation. Additional content is available to download after the installation is complete. You can view available content and select content to download in the Sound Library Manager.
Some items in the Sound Library Manager have a disclosure triangle, which you can click to show and select individual content types to download. You can also download updated sounds and reinstall the complete Sound Library using the Sound Library Manager. Updated sounds are indicated in the Sound Library Manager and can be downloaded. Some additional content can also be downloaded directly in the Library and the Loop Browser.
When you select an item that requires additional content, a dialog appears, asking if you want to download the content. In the Library and the Loop Browser, items with content not yet installed include a Download button that allows you to download the content directly. Content types The Sound Library includes the following types of content:. Content locations Logic Pro installs Sound Library content in several different locations on your computer:.
Patches Patches are stored inside Logic Pro. They may be added, updated, or removed when a new version is installed. When you relocate the Sound Library, Sound Library content except for Apple Loops, Impulse Responses, patches, software instrument presets, and those plug-in settings stored in the app bundle is moved to the new location.
User-created content is not affected. Relocating the Sound Library to an external drive can free up a large amount of disk space on your system drive. If you change your mind or decide you no longer want to keep the content in another location, you can relocate the Sound Library back to its original location. When you install additional content after relocation, it is installed in the new location. When you relocate the Sound Library, it is also relocated for these apps if they are installed on your computer.
This can be useful to make sure you have the latest version of all available content, and also in case the drive containing the Sound Library is no longer available. If the Sound Library is available in its current location when you reinstall it, it is reinstalled in the same location. If the Sound Library is not available for example, if it is installed on an external drive that is lost or not connected to your computer , it is reinstalled in the default location on your system drive.
You can view the capacity of the Instrument Library and Apple Loops library and delete each of these items. If you delete Logic Pro content that is required for a patch or software instrument, Logic Pro prompts you to re-download that content the next time you try to use the patch or instrument.
Download additional content 1. While additional content is downloading, a progress bar appears in the lower part of the LCD. You can view more detailed information about the progress of the download by clicking the progress bar. Download additional content in the Library or the Loop Browser Items in the Library and the Loop Browser that require additional content are indicated by a Download button. Relocate the Sound Library 1.
The Relocate Sound Library window opens, showing available drives and the free space available on each. Unsuitable drives are dimmed, with the reason for their unsuitability shown in the Comments column. Select the new Sound Library location, then click Relocate. If other music creation apps such as GarageBand or MainStage are open, you are asked to close them before relocation can proceed.
When relocation is complete, the Relocate Sound Library window closes. You can also view information directly in the app using the Quick Help feature.
Quick Help You can view a brief description of windows, controls, and other elements of the Logic Pro interface without leaving the app or interrupting your workflow. You can view Quick Help either next to the pointer or in a movable floating window. You can also click and hold the title bar of the Quick Help pane in the inspector, then drag the Quick Help pane out of the inspector.
Each tutorial project provides simple, step-by-step instructions for one of the features in the latest version of Logic Pro. You can open a tutorial project and follow the steps at your own pace, making hands-on changes to the project as you learn more about working in Logic Pro. Logic Pro Instruments Provides comprehensive instructions for using the powerful collection of instruments included with Logic Pro.
Logic Pro Effects Provides comprehensive instructions for using the powerful collection of effects included with Logic Pro. Logic Pro Control Surfaces Support Provides comprehensive instructions for configuring and using specific hardware control surfaces with Logic Pro. When you open Smart Help in Logic Remote, you can view detailed Help information about the Logic Pro interface, commands, and menus, including step-by-step instructions for using Logic Pro on your Mac while you are working, simply by placing the pointer over different parts of the interface.
Logic Pro hardware connection overview You can use Logic Pro with a wide variety of audio and MIDI devices, including microphones, keyboards and other musical instruments, mixers, and other audio equipment. To connect audio devices to your computer, you can use an audio interface. Some audio and MIDI interfaces require that you install a device driver before opening Logic Pro, so the app can find and use the device at startup.
You can connect microphones, electric musical instruments, and other musical equipment to your computer, or to an audio interface or other audio device. Logic Pro supports input from digital audio interfaces up to a maximum sample rate of kHz, and a maximum bit depth of 24 bits. Also make sure the audio interface uses a format supported by your computer. If possible, you should avoid using different audio devices for input and output.
Connect a microphone to your computer Do one of the following:. After you connect a microphone, you choose the input source for the track you want to record to; you can also turn on monitoring to hear sound from your microphone as you play.
You can also Set the input format in the Mixer or the inspector so that it matches the format of the microphone. You can record the sound from your guitar to an audio track, and use the amps and pedalboard effects to shape your guitar sound. There are several ways to connect an electric instrument to your computer. Connect an electric instrument to your computer Do one of the following:.
After you connect an electric instrument, you choose the input source for the track you want to record to; you can also turn on monitoring to hear your instrument as you play. You can also Set the input format in the Mixer or the inspector so that it matches the format of the instrument. To increase the input signal, you can connect the guitar to a preamplifier, and connect the preamplifier to your computer.
You can also connect a mixer, speakers or monitors, headphones, and other equipment to hear the audio output from Logic Pro. Logic Pro supports plug-and-play for audio interfaces, making it possible to connect and turn on a new audio interface while Logic Pro is open. An alert appears when you connect a new device, and prompts you to select and confirm the audio interface and driver you want to use.
All digital audio interfaces can be susceptible to latency—a noticeable delay between the time the audio signal is produced, and when you hear it. You should always attach your audio interface directly to the computer, rather than through a hub, or daisy-chaining it through another device. Doing so can cause an unacceptable amount of latency, particularly with slower USB 1.
Connect an audio interface to your computer Do one of the following:. PCIe provides extremely high bandwidth and fast data transfer rates, allowing you to record and play back large numbers of files at the highest possible sample rates and bit depths.
After connecting an audio interface to your computer, be sure to set the audio interface as your audio input. You can then set the individual inputs on the audio interface as the input source for the audio tracks you want to record to.
For details on choosing the audio input, see Devices preferences in Logic Pro. Connect speakers to a computer running Logic Pro You can connect speakers or monitors to your computer to hear your projects with better audio quality. A variety of speakers is available that you can connect to your computer or audio interface.
The way you connect them depends on your system and the type of speakers you use. Surround projects require a surround speaker system. For information about using speakers in a Surround project, see Set up surround speakers for use in Logic Pro. After connecting speakers or monitors to your computer, be sure to set them as your audio output.
For details, see Devices preferences in Logic Pro. For other audio devices, you may need to install, select, activate, and configure the driver for the device. For devices that do require an audio driver, you configure the driver in Audio Devices preferences. For details about setting up your Core Audio device preferences, see Devices preferences in Logic Pro. Configure Apogee and Euphonix devices to use with Logic Pro You can configure Apogee or Euphonix audio hardware in the utilities provided by these manufacturers.
The configuration utilities for connected devices can be opened directly from Logic Pro. Consult the documentation provided with the device for specific configuration instructions. For more information on use, see AMS Help. Some MIDI interfaces are automatically recognized by your Mac, but others may require you to install driver software.
Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the keyboard, which may include installing the correct driver on your computer. Connect the MIDI interface to your computer. Each MIDI channel can be assigned a tone or sound, such as piano, strings, bass, and so on.
For example:. All devices can receive on all 16 MIDI channels. Each device plays the incoming data with the sound assigned to channel 1. As this example illustrates, MIDI can be separated onto different channels, but cannot be separated between devices, unless you use a multi-output MIDI interface.
Not only does this allow you to play up to 64 different sounds simultaneously through your tone generators, it also allows full MIDI control for each channel of each device. This becomes increasingly important when arranging and orchestrating such a large number of instrument parts. For example, if you buy a new keyboard to be used without a sequencer, and connect it to an amplifier, you would expect the device to make a sound when you press its keys—in other words, the keyboard is directly connected to the sound generator.
In situations where you want to control or record another sound module or software instrument with your keyboard, you would hear both the keyboard sound due to the direct keyboard—to—tone generator connection and the sound of the software or MIDI instrument.
This is why the keyboard must be separated from its own internal sound generator. This function is known as Local Off, and is set directly on your keyboard. Logic Pro will still be able to communicate with your keyboard tone generator just like any other connected, keyboardless sound module or software instrument.
Logic Pro projects overview A project is a Logic Pro document that contains all of your recordings, the location of media files you add, and all the changes you make. You start working in Logic Pro by creating a project, or opening an existing project.
Logic Pro X projects are organized in a new way compared to earlier Logic Pro versions. Project assets such as audio and video files, sampler instruments and samples for the Sampler or Ultrabeat, and Space Designer reverb impulse response files can be saved directly in the project, or in a separate project folder. As in earlier Logic Pro versions, assets can be referenced from a location outside the project, letting you access media files without copying or moving them into the project.
You can manage project assets in a variety of ways. Each project has project properties including tempo, key and time signature, and more. You can preview projects in the Finder using Quick Look, clean up and rename projects, and share data and settings between projects.
You can also create and save project alternatives, each with a unique name and different settings, and access saved backups of a project. In the Project Chooser, you can choose a template to use as the starting point for a new project.
Each project has project properties including the project tempo, time and key signature, and more. For full details about project properties, see Logic Pro project properties overview. When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, you can choose to have Logic Pro create a project folder that contains the project file, along with subfolders for assets and other files used in the project including audio files, impulse responses, sample instruments, samples, and Ultrabeat samples.
When you create a project folder for a new project, the project file is saved in the project folder, and the file types selected in the Save dialog are saved to the corresponding subfolder in the project folder. To edit project settings for the project, click the Details triangle in the lower-left part of the Project Chooser and do any of the following:. When you create a project, the project is automatically saved. The first time you close the project, close Logic Pro, or create a project alternative, the Save dialog appears, so you can set the project name and location.
When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, you can also choose whether to save the project as a single file package or folder, and select which assets are saved in the project. For more information about saving projects, see Save Logic Pro projects. For more information about project assets, see Manage Logic Pro project assets. For more information, see Project Handling preferences in Logic Pro.
You can also open several projects simultaneously, allowing you to copy or move data between them, or to compare different versions of a project. Opening projects created in earlier Logic Pro versions You can open projects created in Logic Pro 5 or later.
When you open a project created in an earlier version of Logic Pro, the project is converted to a Logic Pro X project. In the Save dialog, you can select whether to save the converted project as a project package or a project folder. Open a Logic Pro project 1. If another project is open, a dialog appears, asking whether you want to close the open project. Open a recent project In Logic Pro, do one of the following:. You can clear all items in the Open Recent submenu by choosing Clear Menu.
Open multiple projects 1. In Logic Pro, open one project, then open one or more additional projects. The active project is marked with a checkmark. When you open a project, Logic Pro analyzes the project to determine which channels are needed for project playback. Save Logic Pro projects When you save a project in Logic Pro, your recordings and all the changes you make are saved with the project. Logic Pro shows a dialog when you reopen the project, asking if you want to use the autosaved version.
If you choose not to, Logic Pro opens the last manually saved version of the project. When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, you can save a project as either a package or a project folder containing the project file and subfolders for assets used in the project including audio files, impulse responses, sample instruments, samples, and Ultrabeat samples. By default, the converted project is saved inside the existing project folder, if one exists.
By default, the existing project folder and subfolders are used, if present, and any additional subfolders needed for project assets are created. With either a project package or folder, you can choose to copy audio files and other assets in the project or reference them in another location.
Saving assets in the project ensures that they are still available when you move or copy the project to another location. For more information, see Manage Logic Pro project assets. Templates make it easier to create projects with frequently used instruments or Mixer configurations, or video or surround projects, for example.
Screensets can be customized for each template or copied between templates using the various Import Settings commands. For more information, see Import data and settings from other Logic Pro projects. The first time you save a new project, the Save dialog appears. In the Save dialog, you can type a name choose the location to save the project. Save the project with a different name or location 1.
For more information about managing project assets, see Manage Logic Pro project assets. Save a copy of the project, including project assets 1. When you choose Save a Copy as, copies of all your recordings are saved in the project copy. You can use the Save a Copy As option for archiving and moving data.
In the Project Chooser, click My Templates to view and access templates you have created. You can organize your templates in folders with the Create Folder button in the Save As Template dialog. When all your user templates are placed in subfolders, the subfolder names are shown below the factory collections. Tip: You can add descriptive text to your templates by adding a comment to the project file in the Finder. The Templates dialog displays the icon assigned to a template file, making it easy to change if you wish.
For more information on how to add a comment to a file, or change the icon of a file, see Mac Help. Important: After a project is saved as a Logic Pro X project, it can no longer be opened in earlier versions of Logic Pro. Delete Logic Pro projects If you no longer want to keep a project, you can delete it from your computer. Important: If audio files and other assets are stored in a project, they are deleted with the project.
Delete a project 1. Locate the project in the Finder. By default, projects are saved in the Logic subfolder in the Music folder on your computer. After you empty the Trash, the project cannot be recovered.
When you play a project, playback starts from the current position of the playhead. If Cycle mode is turned on, playback starts from the beginning of the cycle area. While the project is playing, the Go to Beginning button in the control bar becomes a Stop button. For more information about project playback, see Control playback in Logic Pro with the transport buttons.
Set the playhead position in Logic Pro The playhead is the vertical line showing the current playback position in the Tracks area and other time-based windows such as the Audio Track Editor, Piano Roll Editor, and Score Editor.
With devices equipped with a Touch Bar, you can use the Touch Bar to set the playhead position. Beats displays the playhead position in bars, beats, beat divisions, and ticks, while Time displays the playhead position in hours, minutes, seconds, and fractions of a second. You can edit the individual divisions of the Position display by dragging, or edit the position as a whole by double-clicking and typing. Set the playhead position using the Touch Bar 1. Control playback in Logic Pro with the transport buttons You can use the transport buttons in the control bar to control playback, or to set the playhead position.
You can click the buttons to activate or deactivate functions, or use the corresponding key commands to speed up your workflow. You can customize the control bar to show additional buttons for other functions. For more information, see Customize the Logic Pro control bar. Control playback with the default transport buttons In Logic Pro, click any of the following:. Click and hold to fast rewind, or drag to scrub playback. Command-clicking moves the playhead to the previous marker.
Click and hold to fast forward, or drag to scrub playback. Command-clicking moves the playhead to the next marker. Click a second time to move the playhead to the start of the project, or to the left locator position when in Cycle mode.
Right-click for more stop options.
