Logic Pro User Guide for Mac
- Welcome
-
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 11
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 10.8
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 10.7.8
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 10.7.5
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.7.3
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.7
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.6
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.5
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.4
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.3
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.2
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.0
-
- What is Logic Pro for Mac?
- Logic Pro project basics
- Use menu commands and key commands
- 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 for Mac
- 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
-
- Tracks overview
-
- Create tracks
- Create tracks using drag and drop
- Create tracks using existing channel strips
- Assign tracks to different channel strips
- Choose the default region type for software instrument tracks
- Select tracks
- Duplicate tracks
- Rename tracks
- Change track icons
- Change track colors
- Reorder tracks
- Zoom tracks
- Replace or double drum sounds
- Control timing with the groove track
- Use selection-based processing
- Edit track parameters
-
- 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
- Replace software instrument recordings
- Record to multiple software instrument tracks
- Record multiple MIDI devices to multiple tracks
- Record software instruments and audio simultaneously
- Use step input recording techniques
- Record MIDI messages from another music app
- Route MIDI internally to software instrument tracks
- 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
- 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
-
- Chords overview
- Add and delete chords
- Select chords
- Cut, copy, and paste chords
- Move and resize chords
- Loop chords on the Chord track
- Transpose chords
- Edit chords
- Work with chord groups
- Use chord progressions
- Change the chord rhythm
- Choose which chords a Session Player region follows
- Analyze the key signature of a range of chords
- Extract vocal and instrumental stems with Stem Splitter
- 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 for Mac 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 in Logic Pro for Mac
- 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
- Control transposition with the Pitch Source parameter
-
- Tempo overview
-
- Smart Tempo overview
- Use free tempo recording
- 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
- Correct tempo analysis results using beat markers
- 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 for Mac
- Copy staffs or voices in the Staff Style window in Logic Pro for Mac
- 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
-
- Logic Pro projects
- Various windows
- Controller Assignments window
- Control bar
- Tracks area
- Global tracks
- Automation
- Live Loops grid
- Mixer
- MIDI Environment
- Piano Roll Editor
- Score Editor
- Event List
- Step Editor
- Step Sequencer
- Flex Time
- Audio File Editor
- Smart Tempo Editor
- Surround Panner
- Channel EQ
- Channel EQ
- Sampler
- Touch Bar shortcuts
-
-
- Working with your control surface
- Connect control surfaces
- Add a control surface to Logic Pro for Mac
- 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 for Mac
-
-
- 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 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 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
- Wide unison mode
- Source modulations
- Morph controls
- Alchemy master voice section
- Alchemy Extended parameters
-
- ES2 overview
- ES2 interface overview
- ES2 integrated effects processor controls
- Use ES2 in Surround mode
- Extended parameters
-
-
- Sample Alchemy overview
- Interface overview
- Add source material
- Edit mode
- Play modes
- Source overview
- Synthesis modes
- Granular controls
- Additive effects
- Additive effect controls
- Spectral effect
- Spectral effect controls
- Filter module
- Lowpass, bandpass, and highpass filters
- Comb PM filter
- Downsampler filter
- FM filter
- Envelope generators
- Mod Matrix
- Modulation routing
- Motion mode
- Trim mode
- More menu
-
- 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
-
- Studio Piano
-
- Ultrabeat overview
- Ultrabeat interface
- Synthesizer section overview
- Filter section controls
- Distortion circuit controls
- Glossary
- Copyright
![](https://help.apple.com/assets/654E7F8CD472768668095520/654E7F9560B6B45E960FE823/en_US/958a919fd7f4db100ada4ae333e24177.png)
Snap items to the grid in Logic Pro for Mac
The Tracks area includes a grid that helps you align regions, automation points, and other items with the time divisions in the ruler. When you perform any of the following actions, the items move according to the current Snap value:
Moving and resizing regions
Moving the playhead
Adjusting the cycle region
Dragging loops to the Tracks area
Moving automation points in automation curves
When Enable Complete Features is selected in Logic Pro > Settings > Advanced, the Snap pop-up menu is available in the Tracks area and in time-based editors, such as the Piano Roll Editor and Audio Track Editor. Using the Snap pop-up menu, you can set the Snap value and perform other functions.
By default, the Snap function is relative. When you move or edit an item, it retains the same relative distance from its original grid position. For example, if a region is placed at position 1.2.1.16, and you move the region two beats forward (with the Snap value set to Bar), the region snaps to position 2.2.1.16, not 2.1.1.1 (or 2.2.1.1). You can move items so that they align with the nearest grid value by choosing Snap to Absolute Value from the Snap pop-up menu.
You can show the grid in the Tracks area, to help you visualize the positions of items in the Tracks area relative to the Snap value.
Set the Snap value for the Tracks area
In Logic Pro, choose a value from the Snap pop-up menu in the Tracks area menu bar:
Smart: Edit operations snap to the nearest bar, beat, sub-beat, and so on, depending on the current ruler division value and the zoom level.
Bar: Edit operations snap to the nearest bar.
Beat: Edit operations snap to the nearest beat in a bar.
Division: Edit operations snap to the nearest division value. (This is the time signature shown in the LCD and the ruler.)
Ticks: Edit operations snap to the nearest clock tick (1/3840 of a beat).
Frames: Edit operations snap to the nearest SMPTE frame.
Quarter Frames: Edit operations snap to the nearest SMPTE quarter frame.
Samples: Edit operations snap to the nearest sample.
Off: To turn off Snap To Grid, do one of the following:
Click the On/Off button on the left side of the Snap pop-up menu.
Choose the “Snap to Grid” menu item when it is checked.
Note: You can make sample-accurate edits only at a high zoom level. Use the Zoom slider to zoom in, and take advantage of the Save and Recall Zoom Setting key commands to speed up your workflow.
Show the grid in the Tracks area
In Logic Pro, choose View > Grid Lines from the Tracks area menu bar.
Snap to an absolute position
In Logic Pro, choose Snap > Snap Regions to Absolute Value from the Tracks area menu bar.
A checkmark appears to the left of this option when it’s active. This feature works in conjunction with the chosen snap grid division. For example, if the Snap value is set to Bar, and Snap Regions to Absolute Value is active, moving a region (from position 1.2.1.16) two bars forward results in the region being snapped to position 2.2.1.1 rather than its relative position (2.2.1.16).
To return the Snap function to relative values, choose Snap > Snap Regions to Relative Value from the Tracks area menu bar.
Snap flexed audio regions to the first downbeat
When “Snap Flexed Audio Regions to First Downbeat” is selected in the Snap pop-up menu, the first downbeat marker of a flexed audio region snaps to the Snap grid position. In case beats and downbeats are not correctly detected, you can correct the position in the Smart Tempo Editor.
In Logic Pro, make sure that Snap Regions to Absolute Value is selected in the Snap pop-up menu.
In the Snap pop-up menu, choose Snap Flexed Audio Regions to First Downbeat.
Override the Tracks area grid
In Logic Pro, do one of the following:
Select the region (or other item), then press and hold Control while dragging the item in the Tracks area:
The division value you choose in the control bar (1/16, for example) determines the editing grid scale at lower zoom levels (wider view).
At higher zoom levels, (close-up view), the editing grid scales by a certain factor relative to the division value.
Select the region (or other item), then press and hold Control and Shift while dragging the item in the Tracks area:
The editing grid switches to ticks if editing at lower zoom levels (wider view).
At higher zoom levels (close-up view), the editing grid switches to samples.
When the Tracks area is zoomed out so that the current Snap value would result in extremely large movements or edits, the Snap pop-up menu is temporarily dimmed, and Smart snap is used instead.
When the Tracks area is zoomed in very far, and a smaller Snap value (such as Division or Frames) is chosen, normal mouse movements move items by larger grid units. To use the chosen Snap value, either zoom out or press and hold Control while moving items.
Using Control-Shift breaks the 1:1 relationship between the pointer and region (or Edit tool) movements. This means that you may need to move the pointer a long way (horizontally) to make the region (or Edit tool) move one pixel. Watch the help tag for an exact numerical indication.