If you have ever used Logic MIDI effects to spice up one of your performances or recordings, you know how easy they can make playing complex parts at times, and this time out we look at a new feature in Apple’s Logic Pro 10.7.5 that allows us to do more with them. Not sure what MIDI effects are? We’ll cover that as well.
If you haven’t updated to the new version of Logic yet, then be sure to back up the current version first.
As always, your support is welcomed with a one time or on going donation. If you haven’t yet, join the mailing list and get the free “Getting Started With Logic” course. It’s also where you’ll be the first to know about updates to the LogicKeyboardNinja key commands (like its recent updates) to take advantage of some of the Logic 10.7.5 new features. All that plus exclusives for the subscribers with more on the way.
Also if you have any questions about any of the new features etc., let me know, and it could get answered on a future FAQs & Logic.
This tutorial starts off by taking another look at the Search Patch feature, as we’ll use it to find the piano sound we are gonna use to demonstrate the new feature covered in todays tutorial. We’ll also cover what to do in the case where VoiceOver and Keyboard focus get separated from each other while using it. Check the tutorial or the Search Patch blog post to see how to handle this.
Once we find the piano sound we want to use and have some MIDI on the track to play with, we’ll get into MIDI effects and the benefit of recording their output to the track.
MIDI effects in Logic gives you the ability to transpose, trigger complex chords while only playing a single note or Arpeggiate chords in a number of patterns. A lot of these features are found on nicer or higher end MIDI controllers, but the effects being included in Logic itself means you don’t have to spend extra on a keyboard with those features. This is especially useful since the Logic plug ins are accessible, and that’s not always the case when the feature is built into a keyboard.
The tutorial will demonstrate that although I have the chord trigger and then the Arpeggiator on the track as MIDI effects, if I record the MIDI output to the Track from the Chord Trigger plug in, even though I only played a single note, you will see it appears I was playing the chord you heard when you look at the MIDI in the Piano Roll or Event List. Also even though the Arpeggiator is on the track as well, you only see the chord trigger reflected in the Piano Roll because I chose to record MIDI output after the Chord Trigger. This means you can record the MIDI Output anywhere in the chain if you have multiple MIDI effects in a chain on the track.
Next I’ll then use the Transposer, the Chord Trigger, and the Arpeggiator and record the output from the Arpeggiator which is at the end of the chain. Because I am recording the output from the Arpeggiator, the MIDI in the Piano Roll or Event List will reflect all 3 plug ins. So even though I was playing an A, the MIDI shows a G since the Transposer was set to a whole step down for example.
This new feature makes it easy now to take advantage of the MIDI effects, but then still edit the performance in the Piano Roll or Event List as if you actually played it that way.
Up next, we’ll take a look at what’s new in the Inspector, and moving forward and back through your project by transients as the playhead position now speaks with VoiceOver when you do.
Want to go deep on this, or any other feature new or old in Logic Pro? Then consider booking some one on one training.
