Chapter 6: Step Entering and Editing MIDI

Obviously, not everybody is a good keyboard player. Even if you are, there may be musical parts you want to create that would be better served being programmed rather than played in. This process is called step entering and you can do it in a number of ways and then edit it to your heart's content. While you can step enter in any MIDI editor, the Piano Roll editor is the most user friendly and popular choice.

Specifically, this chapter covers the following topics:

• Step entering in the Piano Roll editor
• Using the Step Input Keyboard
• Entering MIDI controller steps in the Piano Roll editor
• A brief look at the Step Editor

Step entering in the Piano Roll Editor

Logic comes with a dazzling array of software instruments. Yes, there are lots of great third-party software instruments as well, but I suggest you become conversant with the Logic content before you reach for your wallet.

I will use a Harp for this task:

1. Open a new project with an empty Software Instrument with Open Library checked, and then go to Orchestral | Harp and click on it to load it.
2. Press P to open the Piano Roll editor and, not surprisingly, it's blank because there is no MIDI region with content yet.
3. If you drag the mouse over the keyboard you see on the side, you will hear the notes.

Let's begin with a simple arpeggiated phrase. Notice that the Command Tool defaults to the Pencil Tool, which is what we want.

With the Command key held down, click on the grid to the right of C2, and a note is created. If you hold the mouse down on it, the help tag tells you that it is 0 0 1 0, a sixteenth note...

Using the Step Input Keyboard

The Step Input Keyboard is often overlooked, but it is a gem. If you go to the Window menu and scroll down, you will see that you can open it:

Figure 6.8 – The Step Input Keyboard

Notice that you can choose the note duration you wish to enter on the fly, including dotted notes and triplets, chords, and you can choose the dynamics as well. This is perfect for our next task, which is to create a glissando at 5 3 1 1, culminating in a whole note chord:

1. Use the Go To Position command key, which is the forward slash next to the right Shift key, and type in 5, then press the spacebar, then 3, and press Enter or return to move the Playhead to 5 3 1 1 (The Go To Position key command is my favorite.).
2. Select the 64th note at mezzo piano (mp).
3. Starting with C4, play a chromatic scale up to B4.
4. Select the Chord and Whole Note buttons, and forte (f).
5. Play C5, then E5, then G5, then B5, to create a major 7th chord...

Entering MIDI controller steps in the Piano Roll Editor

I think it would be cool for the glissando to crescendo. We can do this in the Piano Roll editor with velocities.

Creating a crescendo by MIDI velocity

Press the Automation button to the left of the MIDI in button or press A. By default, unless you have been editing another MIDI Continuous Controller (CC), it will show the velocities of the notes.

If you hold the mouse down in the bottom of the editor just before the first note in the glissando and drag up diagonally to the velocity of the chord, you will create a crescendo:

Figure 6.13 – Note velocities

To raise or lower them after the fact, select the notes in the Piano Roll, and use the Velocity slider.

Creating vibrato with modulation

The harp sound is not going to be affected much by vibrato, so let's use the Library to change it to a sound that will be. Open the Library by pressing Y, and navigate to Synthesizers | Classics...

A brief look at the Step Editor

One of the most common complaints I hear from Logic users is that we cannot see multiple automation lanes in the Piano Roll editor. Logic Pro has another editor that does allow it, but for reasons I cannot understand, people have not taken to it.

In earlier versions, before 10.6., you would have seen it where you now see the Step Sequencer tab, but it has been devalued and now you must find it by going to the Window menu:

Figure 6.15 – The Step Editor

If it intrigues you, then it is well explained in the manual.

Summary

You have now been introduced to step entering in the Piano Roll editor and editing you can do in the Piano Roll's local Inspector. You now are familiar with just how valuable the Step Input Keyboard is for these tasks, either alone or in conjunction with your MIDI keyboard. You can enter MIDI Continuous Controllers in the Piano Roll editor, and you know how they affect the sound. While it is not widely used or appreciated, you now know about the Step Editor and why you may want to consider using it.

In the next chapter, we will become familiar with Logic Pro's Drummer, its newly revamped Drum Machine Designer, Percussionist, as well as the new Drum Synth and Drummer loops, all designed to get you the realistic drums or drum machine style arrangements you want for your project.