Edit Step Sequencer pattern, row, and step settings in Logic Pro for Mac

You can edit a variety of settings for patterns, rows, and individual steps in the Step Sequencer inspector. When you open the Step Sequencer inspector, you see buttons along the top for Pattern, Row, and Step inspectors. Clicking a button displays settings for that level.

Some controls in the Step Sequencer inspector are also available in other parts of Step Sequencer (for example, some pattern settings are available in the Step Sequencer menu bar, and many row settings are available in the row headers). By viewing and editing them in the inspector, you can more easily compare values, and copy and paste values between settings.

Open the Step Sequencer inspector

In Logic Pro, click the Inspector button to show the Step Sequencer inspector (or choose View > Show Local Inspector).

Edit pattern settings

In Logic Pro, click the Pattern button in the Step Sequencer inspector to show the Pattern inspector.
Do any of the following:
- To change the pattern length: Choose the number of steps in the pattern from the Pattern Length pop-up menu.
- To change the step rate: Choose the note value for steps in the pattern from the Step Rate pop-up menu.
- To change the playback mode: Click one of the Playback Mode buttons. The choices are, from left to right:
  - Forward: Steps play from left to right.
  - Backward: Steps play from right to left.
  - Ping-Pong: Playback alternates between left to right and right to left.
  - Random: Steps play in an undetermined order.
- To change the Swing percentage: Set the Swing percentage using the Swing value slider, then click one of the Swing Note Value buttons to apply the swing value to either 8th or 16th notes.
- To change the key: Choose a musical key for the pattern from the Pattern Key pop-up menu.
  By default, when you choose a key from the Pattern Key pop-up menu, steps are transposed to the new key. You can also choose No Transpose from the menu. When No Transpose is active, steps do not transpose when you choose a new key.
- To change the scale: Choose a musical scale for the pattern from the Scale Quantize pop-up menu.
- To quantize unquantized notes to the scale: Click the Quantize (Q) button next to the Scale Quantize pop-up menu.
  After you choose the scale from the Scale Quantize pop-up menu, notes are quantized and the Quantize (Q) button is inactive. The Quantize button becomes active when you change the row assignment or Note value for a step to a note outside the chosen scale. Click the Quantize button to reapply scale quantization to those nonconforming notes.
- To set all rows in the pattern to use Legato mode: Select the Legato checkbox.
  When selected, a 100% gate value is increased by one tick so that it overlaps slightly with the following step. When triggering notes on a synthesizer or other software instrument, this ensures that the steps trigger the legato behavior of the instrument.
- To set the MIDI channel for all rows in the pattern: Set the MIDI channel from the MIDI Channel value slider. Changes overwrite any existing settings, and are used when new rows are created.
- To set the automation mode for the pattern: Choose a mode from the Automation Mode pop-up menu. Changes overwrite any existing settings, and are used when new rows are created. The choices are:
  - Latch: Once set, the automation parameter value remains constant until a step with a different value is triggered.
  - Slide: Interpolates between the last automation parameter value and the next one to produce a smooth, gradual change.

Note: When Scale Quantize is set to Off, changing the pattern key transposes notes but does not conform them to a Scale, unless No Transpose is selected in the Pattern Key pop-up menu. (See above in “To change the key.”) When Scale Quantize is set to any other setting, changing the key both transposes notes and conforms them to the chosen scale.

Edit row settings

In Logic Pro, click a row header to select the row.
In the Step Sequencer inspector, click the Row button to show the Row inspector.
Do any of the following:
- To change the row assignment:
  - For note rows: Choose a note value or drum sound from the Note submenu of the Row Assignment pop-up menu.
    When a pattern using a Drum Machine Designer patch is selected, the Row Assignment pop-up menu shows the kit piece names rather than MIDI note names.
  - For automation rows: Choose a parameter from the Automation submenu of the Row Assignment pop-up menu.
- To add a custom name for the row: Select the Row Name field and enter the name for the row. The row name is displayed on the row header, replacing the row assignment label.
- To change the step rate for the row: Choose a note value for steps in the row from the Step Rate pop-up menu.
- To change the playback mode for the row: Click one of the Playback Mode buttons. The choices are, from left to right:
  - Forward: Steps play from left to right.
  - Backward: Steps play from right to left.
  - Ping-Pong: Playback alternates between left to right and right to left.
  - Random: Steps play in an undetermined order.
- To change the loop start: Set the value in steps using the Loop Start value slider.
- To change the loop end: Set the value in steps using the Loop End value slider.
- To change the MIDI channel for the row: Set the channel number from the MIDI Channel value slider.
- To set the automation mode for the row: Choose a mode from the Automation Mode pop-up menu. The choices are:
  - Latch: Once set, the automation parameter value remains constant until a step with a different value is triggered.
  - Slide: Interpolates between the last set automation parameter value and the next, to produce a smooth, gradual change.

Edit step settings

In Logic Pro, Shift-click a step to select it.
In the Step Sequencer inspector, click the Step button to show the Step inspector.
Do any of the following:
- To turn the step on or off: Select the Step On/Off checkbox.
- To change the note or sound for the step: Set the note or drum sound using the Note value slider.
- To change the velocity level for the step: Set the velocity value from 1 to 127 using the Velocity value slider.
- To change the gate amount for the step: Set the gate value from 1 to 127 using the Gate value slider.
- To change the note repeat value for the step: Set the value from 1 to 16 using the Note Repeat value slider.
- To change the Chance value for the step: Set the percentage using the Chance value slider.
- To change the offset value for the step: Set the percentage using the Start Offset value slider.
- To set the MIDI channel for the step: Set the channel using the MIDI Channel value slider.
- To change the articulation for the step: Set a value from 0 to 255 using the Articulation value slider.
- To set the cycle pass a step plays on: Set the value using the Recurrence Iteration value slider.
- To set the number of cycles: Set the value using the Recurrence Cycles value slider.
  Recurrence Iteration and Recurrence Cycles work together. For example, when setting Recurrence Iteration to 2 and Recurrence Cycles to 3, the step only plays on the second pass of three cycles of the pattern.
- To change the step rate for the step: Choose a note value for the step from the Step Rate pop-up menu.
- To skip the step during playback: Select the Skip checkbox.
- To tie the step during playback: Select the Tie checkbox.

Download the guides:

Logic Pro User Guide: PDF

Logic Pro Instruments: PDF

Logic Pro Effects: PDF

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Logic Pro User Guide for Mac

Edit Step Sequencer pattern, row, and step settings in Logic Pro for Mac

Open the Step Sequencer inspector

Edit pattern settings

Edit row settings

Edit step settings