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
Retro Synth filter controls in Logic Pro
Retro Synth features a flexible filter that can operate as a lowpass, highpass, bandpass, band reject, or peak filter. The filter can subtly, or dramatically, affect the basic tone sent from the oscillators.
Filter use is straightforward. Choose one of the available filter types and adjust the filter cutoff and resonance controls to sculpt the sound. You can also control the filter cutoff and resonance controls while playing—either manually or by using keyboard position, an envelope, or the LFO to modulate these filter controls automatically. Real-time changes to filter cutoff and resonance can make your performance much more dynamic and interesting. You can do this with MIDI keyboard controllers and with modulation section controls. See modulation and global and controller settings.
Filter parameters
-
On/off button: Turn the filter section on or off. The filter is enabled by default (indicated by the highlighted button at the top left of the filter section). Disable the filter when adjusting other sound controls because this makes it easier to hear changes.
Filter Type pop-up menu: Choose a filter type from the menu. This changes the sonic character and behavior of other filter parameters. There are eight lowpass filters with different slopes, four highpass, four bandpass, a band reject, and a peak filter available. Use the descriptive names—Creamy, Edgy, Gritty, Lush, Lush (Fat), and Sharp—to make a choice that’s right for your sound. See Retro Synth filter types.
LP (lowpass): Allows frequencies that fall below the cutoff frequency to pass. You can choose one of four slopes from the eight models that change the tonal characteristics of the filter, making it sound brighter, mellow, thinner, or fuller—particularly in the bass end of the sound.
HP (highpass): Allows frequencies above the cutoff frequency to pass. There are three slopes to choose from: 6, 12, and 24 dB/octave.
BP (bandpass): The frequency band directly surrounding the cutoff frequency is allowed to pass. All other frequencies are cut. The Resonance control sets the width of the frequency band. Bandpass is a two-pole filter with a slope of either 6 or 12 dB/octave on each side of the center frequency.
BR (band reject): The frequency band directly surrounding the cutoff frequency is rejected, but frequencies outside the band can pass. The Resonance control sets the width of the rejected frequency band. Band reject has a slope of 6 dB/octave.
Peak: A peak filter allows the level in a frequency band to be increased. The center of the frequency band is set with the Cutoff control. The width of the band is set with the Resonance control.
Cutoff control: Drag horizontally to set the brilliance of the signal.
In a lowpass filter: The higher the cutoff frequency is set, the higher the frequencies of signals that are allowed to pass.
In a highpass filter: Cutoff sets the point where low frequencies are suppressed.
In a bandpass, band reject, or peak filter: Cutoff sets the center frequency of the band that is allowed to pass, is suppressed, or is emphasized.
Resonance control: Drag vertically to boost or cut signal portions above, below, or surrounding the cutoff frequency.
Key (Follow) slider: Determine the effect that keyboard pitch (the note number) has on filter cutoff frequency modulation.
At the top position, the filter follows keyboard pitch, resulting in a constant relationship between cutoff frequency and pitch. This mirrors the properties of many acoustic instruments where higher notes sound both brighter in tone and higher in pitch. At the bottom position, the cutoff frequency does not change, regardless of which key (pitch) you strike. This makes the lower notes sound relatively brighter than the higher ones.
Filter FM/Drive knob: Depending on the chosen filter type, set the intensity of filter cutoff modulation with the Osc1 sine wave generator or increase filter input gain. When the Filter FM label is shown, positions to the left set the strength of static sine wave modulations. Positions to the right set the strength of envelope-controlled sine wave modulations. The centered (off) position disables filter frequency modulation by the Oscillator 1 sine wave generator. When the Drive label is shown, you can alter the signal level at the filter input. This is typically used to overdrive the signal, which distorts the waveform and changes the filter response, leading to more aggressive tones.
Note: The Oscillator 1 sine wave generator always generates a sine signal at the frequency of Oscillator 1.
LFO knob: Set the strength of filter cutoff frequency modulation with the LFO. Positions further away from the centered (off) position make modulation more or less intense. See Retro Synth LFO and Vibrato.
Filter Env(elope) knob: Set the strength of filter cutoff frequency modulation with the Filter Envelope. Positions further away from the centered (off) position make modulation more or less intense. See Retro Synth envelopes.
Download the guides:
Logic Pro User Guide: Apple Books | PDF
Logic Pro Instruments: Apple Books | PDF
Logic Pro Effects: Apple Books | PDF