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Welcome
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 10.8
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 10.7.8
- What’s new in Logic Pro for Mac 10.7.5
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.7.3
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.7
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.6
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.5
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.4
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.3
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.2
- What’s new in Logic Pro 10.0
- Get started overview
- Workflow overview
- Logic Pro main window
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- Playback and navigation
- Tempo, key, and time signature
- Patches
- Arranging regions
- - Piano Roll Editor
  - Audio Track Editor
- Drummer
- Smart Controls
- Live Loops
- Mixing
- Apple Loops
- Smart Tempo
- Sharing
- What is Logic Pro for Mac?
- Logic Pro project basics
- Use menu commands and key commands
- Use the complete set of Logic Pro features
- Undo and redo edits
- Manage Logic Pro content
- How to get help
- Hardware connection overview
- Projects overview
- Create projects
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- Save projects
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- Use Logic Remote to control Logic Pro projects
- Preview projects in the Finder
- Close projects
- View project information
- Tracks overview
- Control timing with the groove track
- Use selection-based processing
- Edit track parameters
- Overview
- Use the metronome
- Using loops and other media in Logic Pro
- Bookmark folders in the All Files Browser
- Import compressed audio files
- Arranging overview
- - Remove silent passages
  - Uses for Remove Silence
- Create groove templates
- Overview
- Select audio regions
- Cut, copy, and paste audio regions
- Move audio regions
- Trim audio regions
- Split and join audio regions
- Snap edits to zero crossings
- Delete audio regions
- Use Flex Time and Pitch in the Logic Pro for Mac Audio Track Editor
- Use automation in the Audio Track Editor
- Overview
- View multiple MIDI regions
- Split chords
- Automation/MIDI area in the Piano Roll Editor
- Open other editors
- Drummer Overview
- Work with Producer Kits
- Convert Drummer regions to MIDI or pattern regions
- Flex Time and Pitch overview
- Use Varispeed to alter the speed and pitch of audio
- Logic Pro for Mac advanced editors overview
- Mixing overview
- - Channel strip types
  - Channel strip controls
- Set channel strip input formats
- Set channel strip pan or balance positions
- Mute and solo channel strips
- Work with channel strip settings
- Surround panning
- Use the I/O Labels window
- Undo and redo Mixer and plug-in adjustments
- Automation overview
- Track automation vs. region automation
- Show automation curves
- Choose automation modes
- - Select, copy, and move automation
  - Delete automation
- Snap automation to grid positions
- Edit automation in the Automation Event List
- Write automation with external controllers
- Smart Controls overview
- Show Smart Controls for master effects
- Choose a Smart Control layout
- Automatic MIDI controller assignment
- Map screen controls automatically
- Map screen controls
- Edit mapping parameters
- Use parameter mapping graphs
- Open the plug-in window for a screen control
- Rename a screen control
- Use articulation IDs to change articulations
- Assign hardware controls to screen controls
- Compare Smart Control edits with saved settings
- Use the Arpeggiator
- Automate screen control movements
- Live Loops overview
- Start and stop cells
- Work with Live Loops cells
- - Record to cells
  - Record and edit takes in cells
- Change loop settings for cells
- How the Live Loops grid and Tracks area interact
- Edit cells
- Edit scenes
- Work in the Cell Editor
- Bounce cells
- Record a Live Loops performance
- Change Live Loops grid settings
- Control Live Loops with other devices
- Step Sequencer overview
- Use Step Sequencer with Drum Machine Designer
- Record Step Sequencer patterns live
- Step record Step Sequencer patterns
- Load and save patterns
- Modify pattern playback
- Edit steps
- Edit rows
- Step Sequencer inspectors
- Customize Step Sequencer
- Global changes overview
- - Add arrangement markers
  - Edit arrangement markers
- - Transposition overview
  - Add and edit transposition points
- Control project volume
- Overview
- Add notes
- Use automation in the Score Editor
- Share a score
- Sharing overview
- Share songs to the Music app
- Share songs using AirDrop
- Share songs using MailDrop
- Share a project to GarageBand for iOS
- Share a project to Logic Pro for iPad
- Overview of surround and spatial audio
- - Overview of spatial audio with Dolby Atmos
  - - Bed tracks and object tracks
    - Rendering a Dolby Atmos mix in Logic Pro for Mac
- - Surround Panner overview
  - Surround Panner parameters
- - 3D Object Panner overview
  - 3D Object Panner parameters
- - Bounce surround audio files
  - Export ADM BWF files
- Video and synchronization overview
Touch Bar shortcuts
- Environment overview
- Common object parameters
- - Environment Layers overview
  - Create, name, delete, and switch layers
- Customize the Environment
- - Effects overview
  - Add, remove, move, and copy plug-ins
- - Instruments introduction
  - Add, remove, move, and copy plug-ins
  - Use multi-output instruments
- - Alchemy overview
  - Alchemy interface overview
  - Alchemy Name bar
  - Alchemy file locations
  - - Preset browser overview
    - Browser results list
  - - Main filter controls
    - Filter types
  - Alchemy master voice section
  - Alchemy Extended parameters
- - Drum Kit Designer overview
  - Edit pane
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- - Drum Machine Designer overview
  - Drum Machine Designer interface
  - Kit controls
  - - Pad controls bar
    - Use pad controls
  - Kit Tone and Effect Smart Controls
  - Kit Piece Tone and Effect Smart Controls
- - Drum Synth overview
  - Drum Synth Kicks
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  - Drum Synth Percussion
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- - ES1 overview
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    - Overdrive the filter
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- - ES2 overview
  - ES2 interface overview
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- - EFM1 overview
  - Modulation parameters
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- - ES E overview
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  - Extended parameters
- - ES M overview
  - Oscillator parameters
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  - Level envelope and output controls
  - Extended parameters
- - ES P overview
  - Oscillator parameters
  - LFO parameters
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  - Integrated effects processor
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- - - EVOC 20 PS overview
    - Vocoder basics
  - EVOC 20 PS interface
  - Analysis controls
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  - Add audio to Quick Sampler
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  - - Mod Matrix pane
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    - Use the Wavetable menu
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- - Sampler overview
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  - Sculpture interface
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    - Spread controls
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  - Use the Waveshaper
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- - Studio instruments overview
  - Section MIDI channel assignments
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  - Ultrabeat interface
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  - Filter section controls
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- - Utility instruments
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- - Vintage B3 overview
- - Vintage Clav overview
  - Vintage Clav interface
  - Extended parameters
  - - D6 Clavinet history
    - D6 mechanical details
- - Vintage Electric Piano overview
  - Vintage Electric Piano interface
  - - Model controls
    - Pitch controls
  - Extended parameters
  - - Rhodes models
    - Hohner and Wurlitzer models
  - MIDI controller assignments
- - Vintage Mellotron overview
  - Vintage Mellotron controls
- - Legacy instruments overview
  - - Bass
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    - Drum Kits
    - Electric Clav(inet)
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    - Guitar
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    - Voice
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    - Tonewheel Organ
- - Synthesizer basics overview
  - Synthesizer fundamentals
Glossary
Copyright

Work in the Logic Pro for Mac Smart Tempo Editor

In the Smart Tempo Editor, you can view and edit Smart Tempo analysis results, including beat markers and other tempo information. After you record an audio or MIDI region or import a file using Smart Tempo, you can refine the tempo analysis and correct any tempo detection errors to define the musical intent more accurately. When working in Adapt mode, tempo and time signature changes are transferred to the project tempo and time signature tracks.

When you open the Smart Tempo Editor, the audio file or MIDI region is displayed along with the tempo analysis results. The main display shows a close-up view of part of the file so that you can make precise edits, while the entire audio file or MIDI region is shown in the overview, with the part of the file shown in the main display outlined by a rectangle.

The Smart Tempo Editor offers two ways of working on the analyzed tempo: you can add and edit hints in Hint mode to improve the tempo analysis, or you can edit beat markers in Beat Marker mode to correct the analysis results.

Hint mode

By default, the Smart Tempo Editor opens in Hint mode. You can view the results of the tempo analysis and add downbeat hints, beat hints, and time signature hints, then apply the changes to improve the analysis results. Downbeat hints are used to determine the precise position of downbeats, and beat hints are used to determine the position of beats that aren’t downbeats. You can also add time signature hints to downbeat hints. Time signature hints can improve the analysis when the time signature is not detected correctly, and are especially important if the file contains time signature changes. You can move hints after they are added, and can delete them so they no longer affect the Smart Tempo analysis.

You can add hints by playing the file or a selection and tapping the D and T keys on your computer keyboard to indicate downbeat hints (D) and beat hints (T), or by adding and editing hints in the main display. Clicking in the upper third of the main display adds a downbeat hint, and clicking in the lower third adds a beat hint. When you tap in a selection, only the downbeat hints or beat hints in the selected area are changed.

Beat Marker mode

When the Smart Tempo Editor is in Beat Marker mode, you can view the tempo analysis results with the detected beats appearing as editable beat markers. Beat markers for downbeats are more prominent than for other beats. In Beat Marker mode, you can make simple edits to single beats, and make more complex edits to the tempo information for a selection, or the entire file or region. You can move, shift, or scale beat markers from the tempo results directly, without requiring a new analysis to take effect.

The tempo analysis, and any edits you make in the Smart Tempo Editor, are stored in the audio file, so you can still access them if you copy the file or use it in another project. For MIDI regions, the analysis and edits are stored with the project.

You can view any of the audio files in a Smart Tempo multitrack set, including the downmix, in the Smart Tempo Editor. Edits to the Smart Tempo analysis results of the downmix are applied to all audio files in the multitrack set.

Figure. Smart Tempo Editor with audio file and downbeat hints.

The Smart Tempo Editor includes the following controls and working areas:

Edit pop-up menu: Choose tempo actions including adapting the project tempo to a region, maintaining the relative position of all regions, reanalyzing the file or region, and removing tempo edits made to the file. When an audio file used in a Smart Tempo multitrack set is selected, you can also open the Smart Tempo Multitrack window.
View pop-up menu: Choose view options, including scroll in play and showing an overlay of the tempo curve. When an audio file used in a Smart Tempo multitrack set is selected, you can also choose to view the downmix waveform.
Hint Mode button: When selected, the Smart Tempo Editor is in Hint mode, so that you can quickly add and edit downbeat hints, beat hints, and time signature hints in the main display. When deselected, the Smart Tempo Editor is in Beat Marker mode, where you can edit beat markers in the main display.
Catch button: Turn on Catch mode, so that the visible part of the display follows the playhead during playback.
Filename display: Shows the name of the file or region displayed in the Smart Tempo Editor. When an audio file that is part of a Smart Tempo multitrack set is selected, the Filename display becomes a pop-up menu where you can select any file used in the set, including the downmix file.
Bar and Beat display: Shows the current playhead position in bars and beats.
Tempo display: Shows the detected file tempo; if multiple tempos are detected, shows as Variable. In Beat Marker mode, you can select the tempo and enter a new file tempo.
Double Tempo and Half Tempo buttons: Doubles or halves the tempo of the audio file or of the current selection. In Hint mode a tempo range will be used that contains downbeat hints and beat hints.
Signature display: Shows the detected time signature at the playhead position. You can click the display and choose a new time signature from the pop-up menu. In Hint mode, this adds a general time signature hint for the file. In Beat Marker mode, this sets the time signature for the complete file, removing any signature changes.
Tempo pop-up menu: Shows whether the file has a constant or variable tempo. By choosing the alternative option, you can trigger a new analysis of the audio file.
Metronome button: Turn the metronome on or off.
Volume slider: Adjust the relative volume between the metronome and the audio file.
Preview button: Start or stop playback of the audio file.
Cycle button: Turn Cycle mode on or off. If a selection exists, the Cycle region matches the selection. If no selection exists, Cycle mode extends the length of the audio file.
Horizontal Zoom slider: Drag left or right to show a smaller part of the file or region in more detail, or show a larger part of the file or region in less detail. Click left or right on the arrows to change the zoom level.
Overview: Shows the entire audio file or MIDI region. The visible area of the file appears highlighted in a colored rectangle.
Main display: Shows the visible area of the audio file or MIDI region, with downbeats and beats detected by the tempo analysis.

Note: Edits you make in the Smart Tempo Editor do not alter the audio data in the source audio file, but only the tempo information Logic Pro for Mac uses to conform (flex) the file to the project tempo.

Open the Smart Tempo Editor

In Logic Pro, do one of the following:

Control-click a region in the Tracks area, then choose Tempo > Show/Hide Smart Tempo Editor from the shortcut menu.
Select a region in the Tracks area, then choose Window > Open Smart Tempo Editor.
Use the Show/Hide Smart Tempo Editor key command.

Start or stop file or region playback

In Logic Pro, click the Preview button (with the speaker icon).

Scroll and zoom in the Smart Tempo Editor

In Logic Pro, do any of the following:

Press the Left Arrow to scroll left.
Press the Right Arrow to scroll right.
Press the Up Arrow to zoom out so that the entire audio file or MIDI region is visible.
Press the Down Arrow to zoom in incrementally until the pointer is centered in the main display.

Select sections of the file or region

To select the section from the start of the file or region to the pointer, press Shift-Left Arrow.
To select the section from the pointer to the end of the file or region, press Shift-Right Arrow.

Apply tempo actions to the file or region

You can choose the following tempo actions from the Edit menu in the Smart Tempo Editor menu bar:

Apply Region Tempo to Project Tempo: Applies the tempo of the selected region to the project tempo. In the Apply Region Tempo to Project Tempo dialog you can select additional options:
- Align downbeat to nearest project downbeat: Aligns the region downbeat to the nearest downbeat in the project, regardless of Project Tempo mode.
- Maintain relative positions of all other regions: When selected, maintains the temporal relationship between regions in the project when applying the region tempo to the project tempo. This can be particularly useful in Adapt mode.
Apply Project Tempo to Region and Downbeat: Keeps the project tempo, adapts the region tempo to the project tempo, and aligns the region downbeat with the project.
Maintain Time Position of All Regions: When selected, maintains the temporal relationship between regions in the project when making edits in the Smart Tempo Editor. This can be particularly useful in Adapt mode.
Snap to Transients: After choosing this command in Hint mode, any hints you add or move snap to transients. In Beat Marker mode, any beat markers you move snap to transients, as well as beat markers already selected when you choose the command.
Apply Changes: Perform a new tempo analysis of the file or region or of the current selection, incorporating hints and other changes made since the last analysis.
Analyze Tempo: Perform a new tempo analysis of the file or region or the current selection. Appears in place of the Apply Changes menu item after you have applied changes, and before any new edits to hints are made (and when you have only edited beat markers, or when viewing a MIDI region in the Smart Tempo Editor).
For MIDI regions, this command reanalyzes the region based on the original positions of MIDI note events when the file was first recorded or analyzed, or for projects created in earlier versions of Logic Pro for Mac, the first time you open the region in the Smart Tempo Editor.
Clear Hints: Removes all downbeat hints, beat hints, and time signature hints.
Remove Tempo Information: Discards all tempo information from the file, including the tempo analysis results. Use only when you’re sure you don’t want to preserve any tempo information in the file.
Revert to Original Recording Tempo: Delete the tempo analysis, preserving the tempo of the original recording.
Edit Smart Tempo Multitrack Set: Opens the Smart Tempo Multitrack Set window showing the current multitrack set.

Change the view of the Smart Tempo Editor

Scroll in Play: After the playhead reaches the center of the display, it stays centered, and the display scrolls while the file or region plays.
Show Tempo Curve Overlay: Shows the tempo analysis results as a segmented curve in the overview.
Show Transients: Shows transients as dashed vertical lines in the main display.

When you edit beats or other tempo information in the Smart Tempo Editor, the edits are saved when you save the project.

Download the guides:

Logic Pro User Guide: PDF

Logic Pro Instruments: PDF

Logic Pro Effects: PDF

Helpful?

Logic Pro User Guide for Mac