This guide assumes you are using the Logic Keyboard Ninja Key Commands. You can find instructions on how to install them on thekey commands installation page. Also, find a full list of the keyboard ninja commands in the Key Commands List.
Working with a Marquee Selection
Using a Marquee selection is a way to work with different parts of regions without having to first split them into their own region. Once you have a Marquee selection, you can copy, cut, paste or delete it.
First you will need to select a region. You can select a region inn one of two ways. If you are in the track header, every time you navigate to a new track all the regions on that track are automatically selected. If there are multiple regions on the track you can navigate between them with the left or right arrow. Keep in mind the first time you press the arrow keys it will unselect all regions on the track. Therefore you will have to press the right arrow twice to select the first region, or the left arrow twice to select the last region on the track. Then with each press of the right arrow you will select the next region on the track. Likewise, you can press the left arrow to select the previous region. As VoiceOver doesn’t speak the region as you navigate to them you can use Control+Home or Control+End to move the playhead to the start or end of that region. VoiceOver will speak the start or end position respectively when it moves to it. Alternatively Shift+SpaceBar will play from the start of the selected region.
Once you have a region selected, you can convert it to a Marquee selection with Shift Command . Once you have a Marquee selection when you hit space it will only play the selected area. You can change the start or end point of the Marquee selection with Command LeftBracket “[” or Command RightBracket “]” respectively. You can use Comma or Period to move through the project by measure/bar, Control Command Comma or Period to move by whatever you have the division value set to, and Control Option Command Comma or Period to move by sixteenth notes. Once you navigate to where you want to set the start and end point, you can press Command LeftBracket “[” or Command RightBracket “]”. You can also press Space to play the project and then press Control Command Space to pause on the spot where you want to set the Marquee start or end point.
Please note, its important that you press Shift Command \ first to create the marquee selection before you change the start and end points with Command LeftBracket “[” or Command RightBracket “]”, as those key commands will trim the regions start and end point respectively if its not a Marquee selection first.
Working From the Track Contents Area
By interacting with the track content area then interacting with the track background area for the track you want to edit, you can use VO+left and right arrows to navigate through all the regions on that track. Press VO+Shift+H to hear a regions start and end points and VO+Space to select a region. Once you have this region selected you can press control+Home to move the play head to the start of that region.
Once again, now that there is a region selected, you can convert it to a Marquee selection with Shift Command . Once you have a Marquee selection when you hit space it will only play the selected area. You can change the start or end point of the Marquee selection with Command LeftBracket “[” or Command RightBracket “]” respectively. You can use Comma or Period to move through the project by measure/bar, Control Command Comma or Period to move by whatever you have the division value set to, and Control Option Command Comma or Period to move by sixteenth notes. Once you navigate to where you want to set the start and end point, you can press Command LeftBracket “[” or Command RightBracket “]”. You can also press Space to play the project and then press Control Command Space to pause on the spot where you want to set the Marquee start or end point.
Again, please note, its important that you press Shift Command \ first to create the marquee selection before you change the start and end points with Command LeftBracket “[” or Command RightBracket “]”, as those key commands will trim the regions start and end point respectively if its not a Marquee selection first.
Fine Tuning Marquee Selection
Once you have a Marquee selection you can fine tune the start and end point with the following key commands:
+ To extend the end of the Marquee’s selection forward by transient: RightArrow
+ To move the end of your Marquee selection back by transient: LeftArrow.
+ To extend the start of your selection back by transient: Shift LeftArrow
+ To move the start of your selection forward by transient: Shift RightArrow.
Once you have a Marquee selection dialed in, You can solo the selected region on playback with Control S or mute it with Control M. Also,you can press command x to cut or command c to copy or delete to delete it. If you want to delete it and have whats to the right of it move in to fill the gap, then use the delete and move key command, Shift Delete.
Useful Key Commands
- Play or Stop ⌃⌘Space
- Play or Stop and Go to Last Locate Position Space
- Rewind (moves back by measure) Comma
- Forward (move Forward by measure) Period
- Rewind by Division Value * ⌃⌘Comma
- Forward by Division Value * ⌃⌘Period
- Rewind one 1/16 Note *⌃⌥⌘Comma
- Forward one 1/16 Note *⌃⌥⌘Period
- Select Previous Region/Event or Move Marquee End (or Marquee Point) to Previous Transient ←
- Select Next Region/Event or Move Marquee End (or Marquee Point) to Next Transient →
- Toggle Previous Region/Event or Move Marquee Start (or Extend Marquee Selection) to Previous Transient ⇧←
- Toggle Next Region/Event or Move Marquee Start (or Extend Marquee Selection) to Next Transient ⇧→
- Set Marquee to Selection * ⇧⌘
- Set Region/Event/Marquee Start to Playhead Position ⌘LeftBracket ( [ )
- Set Region/Event/Marquee End to Playhead Position ⌘RightBracket ( ] )
- Go to Selection Start ⌃Home
- Go to Selection End ⌃End
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Workflow Tip
- The above commands are mostly contextual. Right and Left arrow will select the next and previous regions respectively. If you have a marquee selection however, Right and left arrows will adjust the end point of said marquee selection forward or backwards by a transient. This is a great way to fine tune where a marquee selection ends.
Similarly, Shift Right and Shift Left arrows Will extend the selected region to include the next or previous region respectively. If you have a marquee selection however Shift Right and Shift Left arrows will adjust the start point of the selection forward or backward by transient. This is a great way to fine tune the start point of any marquee selection.
The ⌘LeftBracket ( [ ) and ⌘RightBracket ( ] ) KeyCommands will set the start point or end point of a selected region to where ever the playhead is. This is a quick way to trim a region. However if you have a marquee selection ⌘LeftBracket ( [ ) and ⌘RightBracket ( ] ) will set where the marquee selection start and end points are. So you can use ⌘LeftBracket ( [ ) and ⌘RightBracket ( ] ) to set where a marquee selection starts and end after converting a selection to a marquee selection with ⇧⌘\. Once you have the start and end points set, you can fine tune the start point if needed with Shift Left and Right arrows, and the end point with Left and Right arrows.
For other ways to make selections, see the “Making Selections” section on the “Getting Started With Logic” Page. Useful pointers can also be found on the [Frequently Encountered Scenario page.
