Learning Logic | freebernmusic

Making Music with Logic

It is best to have your instructor walk you through an overview of the Logic software if you are completely new to using Digital Audio Workstations.

Our goal is to get you making music as quickly as possible. In this assignment, you will create a one-minute hip hop instrumental song while learning how best to navigate the software in front of you. You will use pre-made loops, learn how to navigate and zoom inside the workspaces, copy, paste, loops and trim regions. Once complete you will mix down your song and export the file to be played on any device.

To start, look to the dock on your computer and select the icon for Logic Pro.

This assignment should take no more than 2 class periods.

Open logic and share the window space on your computer with this website. You will need to grab the bottom corner of the logic window and drag it up to make it smaller.

When you open logic you will be asked to create a project. Select Empty Project to get started.

A pop-up window will appear.

ADVANCED TOOLS

You will need to make sure all of your tools will be available for you. By default, some tools are hidden.

Go to Logic Pro X > Preferences > Advanced Tools.

Select AUDIO then click on Create.

You will now have an Audio Track

SAVE

Once complete, save your project! Choose File > Save

You can also use a shortcut. Command - S

Give your project a name.

Note: there is an auto save function in the background. Saving automatically occurs are regular intervals.

Main Window

This is the main window

NAVIGATION

When working inside the Logic Software, you will need to be able to navigate through your projects quickly. Mouse clicks around the software work fine, but for some tasks, it is much quicker and more efficient to use Key Commands.

Key commands rely on what is called Key Focus. Key Focus is very simple. By mouse clicking in a specific area of the logic interface, you will see a blue box surround that tool.

For example: Click on the Loop browser to open that window.

You will notice that the loop window has a blue box around it. It has the key focus and can accept Key Commands..

This is the transport bar

To change key focus to another window, use your mouse and click, or press Tab and cycle to the window you want to control.

Drag a Loop into the main arrange window.

Press the Space Bar. This will trigger the Transport Bar to play your file. The space bar is a key command.

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Loop Window

Press the spacebar again and the file stops.

MOVING THE PLAYHEAD

To jump forward: Click the period button on your computer

To jump backward: Click the comma button on your computer

You can also mouse click in on the ruler to position the playhead exactly where you want.

If you double click on the ruler, playback will occur from that specific location.

The line that moves is the playhead

CYCLE MODE

There are times where you will want to work on a specific section of your song and need to repeat it over and over while adjusting different aspects of the file. To do this, use Cycle Mode.

Click and drag just above the ruler and get a yellow bar to appear. This will be your cycled section. You can adjust the length of the cycle by dragging the ends of the yellow bar. You will notice that the cycle button will illuminate.