Logic Pro User Guide
- Welcome
-
- What is Logic Pro?
- Logic Pro project basics
- Use menu commands and key commands in Logic Pro
- Use the complete set of Logic Pro features
- Undo and redo edits
- Manage Logic Pro content
- How to get help
-
- Projects overview
- Create projects
- Open projects
- Save projects
- Delete projects
-
- Play a project
- Set the playhead position
- Control playback with the transport buttons
- Use transport shortcut menus
- Use transport key commands
- Customize the control bar
- Change the LCD display mode in Logic Pro
- Monitor and reset MIDI events
- Use the cycle area
- Use the Chase Events function
- Use Apple Remote to control Logic Pro
- Use Logic Remote to control Logic Pro projects
- Preview projects in the Finder
- Close projects
- View project information
-
- Overview
-
- 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
-
- Arranging overview
-
- Regions overview
- Select regions
- Select parts of regions
- Cut, copy, and paste regions
- Move regions
- Add or remove gaps
- Delay region playback
- Loop regions
- Repeat regions
- Resize regions
- Mute and solo regions
- Time stretch regions
- Reverse audio regions
- Split regions
- Demix MIDI regions
- Join regions
- Create regions in the Tracks area
- Change the gain of audio regions in the Tracks area in Logic Pro
- Normalize audio regions in the Tracks area
- Create aliases of MIDI regions
- Convert repeated MIDI regions to loops
- Change the color of regions
- Convert audio regions to samples for a sampler instrument
- Rename regions
- Delete regions
- Create groove templates
-
- Overview
-
- 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
-
- Logic Pro advanced editors overview
-
- Audio File Editor overview
- Play audio files in the Audio File Editor
- Navigate audio files in the Audio File Editor
-
- Audio File Editor edit commands
- Edit audio files with transient markers
- Use the Audio File Editor Pencil tool
- Trim or silence audio files
- Remove DC offset
- Set audio file levels
- Normalize audio files
- Fade audio files
- Reverse audio and invert phase
- Audio File Editor Loop commands
- Undo Audio File Editor edits
- Backup audio files
- Use an external sample editor
-
- Mixing overview
- Set channel strip input formats
- Set channel strip pan or balance positions
- Mute and solo channel strips
-
- Plug-ins overview
- Add, remove, move, and copy plug-ins
- Insert a plug-in on a track using drag and drop
- Activate plug-ins on inactive channels
- Use the Channel EQ
- Work in the plug-in window
- Work with plug-in settings
- Work with plug-in latencies
- Work with Audio Units plug-ins in Logic Pro
- Support for ARA 2 compatible plug-ins
- Use MPE with software instruments
- Use the Plug-in Manager
- Work with channel strip settings
- Surround panning
- Use the I/O Labels window
- Undo and redo Mixer and plug-in adjustments
-
- Smart Controls overview
- Show Smart Controls for master effects
- Choose a Smart Control layout
- Automatic MIDI controller assignment
- Map screen controls automatically
- Map screen controls
- Edit mapping parameters
- Use parameter mapping graphs
- Open the plug-in window for a screen control
- Rename a screen control
- Use articulation IDs to change articulations
- Assign hardware controls to screen controls
- Compare Smart Control edits with saved settings
- Use the Arpeggiator
- Automate screen control movements
-
- Live Loops overview
- Start and stop cells
- Work with Live Loops cells
- Change loop settings for cells
- How the Live Loops grid and Tracks area interact
- Edit cells
- Edit scenes
- Work in the Cell Editor
- Bounce cells
- Record a Live Loops performance
- Change Live Loops grid settings
- Control Live Loops with other devices
-
- Global changes overview
-
- Tempo overview
-
- Smart Tempo overview
- Use free tempo recording in Logic Pro
- Choose the Project Tempo mode
- Choose the Flex & Follow setting
- Use Smart Tempo with multitrack audio
- Work in the Smart Tempo Editor
- Improve the tempo analysis using hints in Logic Pro
- Correct tempo analysis results using beat markers in Logic Pro
- Protect Smart Tempo edits by locking a range
- Match audio recordings to the project tempo
- Match the tempo to an audio region
- Use audio file tempo information
- Record tempo changes
- Use the Tempo Interpreter
- Use the tempo fader
- Control project volume
-
- Overview
- Add notes
-
- Part box overview
- View score symbols
- Select score symbols
- Add notes and rests
- Add notes and symbols to multiple regions
- Add key and time signature changes
- Change the clef sign
- Add dynamic marks, slurs, and crescendi
- Change note heads
- Add symbols to notes
- Add trills, ornaments, and tremolo symbols
- Add sustain pedal markings
- Add chord symbols
- Add chord grids and tablature symbols
- Add bar lines, repeats, and coda signs
- Add page and line break symbols
-
- 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
-
- Staff styles overview
- Assign staff styles to tracks
- Staff Style window
- Create and duplicate staff styles
- Edit staff styles
- Edit staff, voice, and assign parameters
- Add and delete staffs or voices in the Staff Style window in Logic Pro
- Copy staffs or voices in the Staff Style window in Logic Pro
- Copy staff styles between projects
- Delete staff styles
- Assign notes to voices and staffs
- Display polyphonic parts on separate staffs
- Change the staff assignment of score symbols
- Beam notes across staffs
- Use mapped staff styles for drum notation
- Predefined staff styles
- Share a score
-
-
- Key commands overview
- Browse, import, and save key commands
- Assign key commands
- Copy and print key commands
-
- Global Commands
- Global Control Surfaces Commands
- Various Windows
- Windows Showing Audio Files
- Main Window Tracks and Various Editors
- Various Editors
- Views Showing Time Ruler
- Views Showing Automation
- Main Window Tracks
- Live Loops Grid
- Mixer
- MIDI Environment
- Piano Roll
- Score Editor
- Event Editor
- Step Editor
- Step Sequencer
- Project Audio
- Audio File Editor
- Smart Tempo Editor
- Library
- Sampler
- Drum Machine Designer
- Step Input Keyboard
- Smart Controls
- Tool Menu
- Control Surface Install Window
- Touch Bar shortcuts
-
-
- Working with your control surface
- Connect control surfaces
- Add a control surface to Logic Pro
- Automatic assignment for USB MIDI controllers
- Grouping control surfaces
- Control Surfaces settings overview
- Modal dialog display
- Tips for using your control surface
- Supported control surfaces
- Software and firmware for Logic Pro
-
-
- Environment overview
- Common object parameters
- Customize the Environment
-
-
- 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
-
-
- Use MIDI plug-ins
-
- Arpeggiator overview
- Arpeggiator control parameters
- Note order parameters overview
- Note order variations
- Note order inversions
- Arpeggiator pattern parameters overview
- Use Live mode
- Use Grid mode
- Arpeggiator options parameters
- Arpeggiator keyboard parameters
- Use keyboard parameters
- Assign controllers
- Modifier controls
- Note Repeater controls
- Randomizer controls
-
- Use the Scripter
- Use the Script Editor
- Scripter API overview
- MIDI processing functions overview
- HandleMIDI function
- ProcessMIDI function
- GetParameter function
- SetParameter function
- ParameterChanged function
- Reset function
- JavaScript objects overview
- Use the JavaScript Event object
- Use the JavaScript TimingInfo object
- Use the Trace object
- Use the MIDI event beatPos property
- Use the JavaScript MIDI object
- Create Scripter controls
- Transposer MIDI plug-in controls
- Record MIDI to Track
-
-
- Alchemy overview
- Alchemy interface overview
- Alchemy Name bar
- Alchemy file locations
-
- Alchemy source overview
- Source master controls
- Import browser
- Source subpage controls
- Source filter controls
- Source filter use tips
- Source elements overview
- Additive element controls
- Additive element effects
- Spectral element controls
- Spectral element effects
- Pitch correction controls
- Formant filter controls
- Granular element controls
- Sampler element controls
- VA element controls
- Source modulations
- Morph controls
- Alchemy master voice section
- Alchemy Extended parameters
-
- Sculpture overview
- Sculpture interface
- Global parameters
- Amplitude envelope parameters
- Use the Waveshaper
- Filter parameters
- Output parameters
- Use surround range and diversity
- Define MIDI controllers
- Extended parameters
-
-
- Ultrabeat overview
- Ultrabeat interface
- Synthesizer section overview
- Filter section controls
- Distortion circuit controls
- Glossary
- Copyright
Use the complete set of Logic Pro features
Logic Pro provides the power and flexibility of a complete professional music production system, while also allowing you to work in a simplified mode that streamlines tools and menus across the app to provide you with a core set of features for music production.
-
Complete mode: For experienced users who have upgraded from earlier versions of Logic Pro or worked with other DAW apps, the full set of Logic Pro features and options is active. Complete mode is active by default if older versions of Logic Pro have previously been installed on your Mac.
-
Simplified mode: Users new to Logic Pro can start working with basic features and a simplified interface. In particular, if you are familiar with GarageBand, you will find a direct match for most GarageBand features along with some additions. When you open an existing Logic Pro project, any tools or options used by the project are turned on automatically.
Turn on Complete mode
Choose Logic Pro > Settings > Advanced.
Select the Enable Complete Features checkbox.
Note: When the Enable Complete Features checkbox is unselected, Logic Pro is working in Simplified mode. The Simplified button appears in the upper-right edge of the control bar, showing you the working state. You can click the Simplified button to open Logic Pro > Settings > Advanced directly, so that you can turn on Complete mode.
In the Logic Pro User Guide, features that require Complete mode have this icon: 
.
If a Logic Pro project makes use of a feature (for example, track stacks) that can only be created or edited in Complete mode, items using the feature will still play back when operating in Simplified mode.
When you turn on Complete mode, you gain access to the following controls and options:
User interface
Access the Event, Marker, Tempo, and Signature Lists.
Access the Project Audio Browser and All Files Browser.
Access the Step Editor (formerly Hyper Editor) to graphically edit MIDI events.
Customize the control bar and toolbar with additional buttons and controls.
Access the Marker, Signature, and Beat Mapping global tracks.
Customize key commands in the Key Commands window.
Access additional Logic Pro settings and project settings.
Access additional track header controls in the Tracks area, including On/Off buttons, Hide buttons, track numbers, and color bars.
Customize your workflow using screensets.
Open editors and other working areas as separate windows.
Access the Event and Region inspector floating windows.
Projects
Open and work on multiple projects.
Manage different versions of projects called alternatives.
Revert to automatically saved versions of a project called backups.
Save assets either inside the project or in a project folder with subfolders for different asset types.
Recording
Use additional recording functionality, including: Quick Punch-In, Autopunch, advanced recording commands, and automatic coloring of takes when recording.
Use step input recording to manually enter MIDI events rather than recording them in real time.
Generate separate note events for bars, beats, divisions, and groupings with the metronome.
Arranging
Hide tracks in the Tracks area.
Snap items in the Tracks area to the grid using Snap pop-up menu settings.
Control the results of moving, resizing, or deleting regions in the Tracks area and other working areas using drag modes.
Maximize visibility of tracks using individual track zoom and waveform zoom.
Organize track content using folders.
Configure track header components.
Show track headers on a single line.
Color regions in the Tracks area using the Color palette.
Use the secondary ruler and marquee ruler in the Tracks area and other working areas.
Access additional track parameters, including Channel, Freeze Mode, Q-Reference, Delay, Flex Mode, and Staff Style in the Track inspector.
Access additional region parameters, including Delay, Dynamics, Gate Time, Clip Length, Q-Vel, Q-Length, Q-Flam, Q-Range, Q-Strength in the Region inspector.
Create your own Sampler, Drum Machine Designer, or Alchemy instruments by converting audio into samples on a new software instrument track.
Audio
Use the Audio File Editor for destructive editing of audio files and advanced configuration options.
Use the Project Audio Browser to view audio files and regions that have been added to or recorded in your project.
Create crossfades on adjacent and overlapping audio regions.
Editing
Export to file formats such as AAF and XML.
Access advanced features in the Piano Roll Editor.
Perform extensive MIDI edits in the MIDI Transform window.
Create and edit MIDI note and controller data using the Step Editor.
Use drum replacement and doubling.
Use Varispeed to speed up or slow down an entire project.
Change the tuning system used for included software instruments.
Use the the second and third Tool menus.
Use advanced tools, including the Solo, Automation Select, and Automation Curve tools.
Create and edit custom key commands.
Access Undo History.
Mixing
Filter channel strips by type in the Mixer.
Access the Sends on Faders pop-up menu.
Use track stacks to organize and control tracks, manage projects with high track counts, and create and manage audio subgroups.
Define channel strip groups in the Mixer and automate groups to control changes over time.
Turn on plug-in latency compensation to synchronize audio processed by plug-ins, and turn on Low Latency Monitoring to route audio around latency-causing plug-ins.
Access the Compare, Copy/Paste, Undo/Redo, Link, and Side Chain controls in plug-in windows.
Organize and manage built-in and Audio Units plug-ins using the Plug-in Manager.
Loops and media files
Create Apple Loops from your own audio and software instrument recordings.
Smart Controls
Change the layout for a Smart Control, map screen controls and edit mappings, rename screen controls, and assign external controllers to screen controls in the Smart Control inspector.
Score Editor
View and edit multiple tracks.
Access additional score view options.
Add notes and symbols from the Part box.
Add lyrics and other text.
Customize staff styles and score sets.
Edit the score layout.
Surround
Use surround capabilities (in the Mixer) with a surround speaker setup.
MIDI Environment
Use the Environment for MIDI signal flow control and real-time processing of MIDI data.
Control surfaces
Connect and configure control surfaces.
Create and edit control surface assignments.
Download the guides:
Logic Pro User Guide: Apple Books | PDF
Logic Pro Instruments: Apple Books | PDF
Logic Pro Effects: Apple Books | PDF