Customize the Step Sequencer interface in Logic Pro for Mac

You can customize several aspects of Step Sequencer to suit the pattern you are working on and the task you want to accomplish. You can zoom in and out to work in greater detail or view a larger part of the step grid, show or hide step values, color rows and steps, and reorder rows and subrows. You can also save the current pattern configuration as the default template for the channel strip, and revert to the original default template for the channel strip.

Zoom the step grid

In Logic Pro, do one of the following:
- To zoom vertically: Drag the Vertical Zoom slider left or right.
- To zoom horizontally: Click one of the Step Width buttons.
  The Step Width buttons switch between minimum and maximum step widths. The actual widths vary depending on the overall width of the Step Sequencer pane and the pattern length. When the entire pattern is not visible in the step grid, page overviews appear above the step grid. You can click the page overviews to move to different parts of the pattern.
- Automatically zoom vertically: Click the Vertical Auto Zoom button to fill the available vertical space.

Show or hide step values

In Logic Pro, choose one of the following from View > Display Edit Mode Values in the Step Sequencer menu bar:

To display step values only when editing a step: Choose Only When Editing Values.
To display step values for the selected row: Choose Always for Selected Row.
To display step values for all rows: Choose Always for All Rows.

Sort rows by type, name, and note assignment

You can sort the rows in a Step Sequencer pattern (region or cell) in several ways, including by row type, note assignment, row name, or a combination of several of these. For patterns using Drum Machine Designer patches, you can also sort by the order in which the subtracks appear in the Tracks area. When sorting, you can choose to display rows in either ascending or descending order.

In addition to reorganizing rows in the pattern, the sort options determine where rows created using Learn (Add), Live Pattern Recording, or Step Record are added to the pattern. The selected sort order is maintained until you manually move a row from the sort order.

In Logic Pro, choose View > Sort Rows in the Step Sequencer menu bar, then choose one of the following from the submenu:
- By Type: Sorts rows by type without changing the current order within each type. Types are ordered as follows: notes, Melodic, MIDI CC, pitchbend, channel pressure, channel strip parameters, Smart Controls, plug-in parameters.
- By Type and Note: Sorts all rows by type and then sorts note rows by their note assignment. If you use this option with a pattern region or cell using a Drum Machine Designer patch, Step Sequencer references the Input note for the drum pad when sorting the row.
- By Type and Name: Sorts all rows by type and then by row name. The row name is the name displayed on the row header. By default, this is the row assignment unless you have created a custom row name.
- By Type and DMD Subtrack: Sorts all rows by type and then sorts rows for Drum Machine Designer subtracks by the order in which the subtracks appear in the Tracks area.
- Ascending or Descending: These mutually exclusive choices determine the sort direction regardless of which of the above options is selected.

Change row colors

In Logic Pro, click a row header to select the row.
Choose View > Show Row Colors from the Step Sequencer menu bar.
Select a color from the Color palette.
When you are finished, choose View > Hide Row Colors to close the Color palette.

Reorder rows

In Logic Pro, click and hold a row header, then drag the row up or down.

Turn on MIDI Out for note rows and steps

When the MIDI Out button in the Step Sequencer menu bar is turned on, the note or drum sound for a fixed note row sounds when you select the row, and the note or drum sound of a step sounds when you edit the step using either the Note or Octave edit mode.

Click the MIDI Out button in the Step Sequencer menu bar to turn it on.
Click the MIDI Out button again to turn it off.

Save a pattern as the default template

You can save the current row assignments and view state of Step Sequencer as the default template for new patterns created on the same track, or another track using the same channel strip. This also determines the default view of the editor when the track is selected and there is no region on the track.

In Logic Pro, with the pattern open in Step Sequencer, choose Functions > Store as Default Pattern Template from the Step Sequencer menu bar.

Revert to the original default template

You can clear the pattern configuration data so that new patterns, and the default view, appear as they did before the “Save as Row Default” option was used.

In Logic Pro, with the pattern open in Step Sequencer, choose Functions > Revert to Default Pattern Template from the Step Sequencer menu bar.

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