Chapter 5: Recording MIDI

As previously explained in Chapter 1, Beginning with Logic Pro 10.6, MIDI is simply a set of instructions that can be utilized by a keyboard, tone module, drum machine, or Software Instrument that is capable of understanding the messages and responding to them.

We will be focusing on Software Instruments, and Logic Pro comes with a great array of them.

This chapter will cover the following main topics:

• Recording MIDI parts with Logic Pro's many Software Instruments
• Logic's MIDI editors
• Correcting timing with quantization
• Creating interesting layered sounds with Summing Stacks
• Making one track follow the feel of another

Logic Pro's Software Instruments

As you can see in the following screenshot, 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:

Figure 5.1 – Logic Pro's Software Instruments

Logic Pro's built-in help

Logic comes with built-in manuals that you can access under the Help menu. One that you will find very helpful specifically deals with Logic's Software Instruments.

Important Note

If you would like a downloadable version, you can go to the website and click on the ones that say web link: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/logic-pro.

GarageBand versus Logic Pro instruments

Follow these steps to get started with Logic Pro instruments:

1. Open a new Logic empty project and create an empty Software Instrument track.
2. Press O to open the Loop Browser...

Viewing a MIDI region in the Logic Pro MIDI editors

With the region selected, press P to open Piano Roll. The Piano Roll editor is by far the most utilized editor among Logic users. Here, you will see the MIDI notes' positions, pitches, lengths, and velocity, indicated by color. The bluer it is, the softer the velocity; the more reddish, the louder the velocity. All of this is, of course, editable, which we will do in the next chapter.

Now, press N to open the Score Editor, where you will see the notes as musical notation. It's a very deep editor because it allows you to make the MIDI sound one way while appearing as another, and you can print out parts and entire scores. It is so deep that I wrote an entire book on it. We won't be spending much time on it in this book for that reason.

Note

Notice that when I open the Score Editor, Piano Roll disappears, and vice versa. Under the Window menu are standalone windows for each that you can open so that you can see...

Recording MIDI with Merge

We already visited this window when we set our recording preferences for audio, but since we may want to make different choices when recording MIDI we should return to it now. Go to Preferences | Recording. For now, let's have Merge as the option for both non-Cycle and Cycle recording.

Merge means that we will add material to existing material when we record again.

Press Shift + Command + N to create a new empty project, and create a Software Instrument channel strip with the default patch, which is a Vintage Electric Piano (it's a Fender Rhodes, but Apple can't tell you that or they would have to pay Fender).

If you have a MIDI keyboard controller connected to your Mac, play it now, and you will hear the sound. As you play, in your control bar, which we customized earlier, you will see the notes or chords as you play them.

If you do not have a physical MIDI keyboard controller connected to your computer, press Command + K and the...

Other techniques for recording MIDI

While merging might well be the way you want to record MIDI most often, there are other ways to do it that in specific situations you may prefer:

• Recording MIDI with Replace
• Recording MIDI with Cycle and Merge
• Recording MIDI with Cycle and Create Tracks
• Recording MIDI with Cycle and Take Folders

We will also discuss recording MIDI CCs, such as modwheel and expression

Recording MIDI with Replace

Replace means that we will replace material with existing material when we record again.

If in the control bar, click on the X button, which turns orange, and now you are in Replace mode. But here are a number of ways it can behave, depending on what you choose in Recording Preferences:

• Region Erase: Erases MIDI regions from the Tracks area from the start of the recording until the end of the recording, even if nothing is played.
• Region Punch: Erases MIDI regions only where MIDI events have been recorded.
...

The Arpeggiator MIDI FX plugin

While an arpeggiator can be used with any Software Instrument, traditionally we think of them as being associated with hardware synthesizers, as almost all of them have one built-in. Well, Logic has a MIDI plugin for this purpose, and it is nifty!

1. Create a new empty Software Instrument and with Open Library checked, and go to Synthesizers | Classics | Dream Dancer.
2. This loads a patch in Logic Pro's most sophisticated synthesizer, the ES2, with some plugins, and it sounds really good.
3. On its channel strip fader in the Inspector, you will find MIDI FX. Hold the mouse down and go to Logic | Arpeggiator, and it opens:

Figure 5.8 – The Arpeggiator

Play single notes or chords, and listen to the default preset in Live mode.

While playing, drag the knob left to Slow or right to Fast and listen to how it changes the rate. You can also hold the mouse down on the rate filed to change it.

To the right...

Creating patches

You can easily create very interesting sounds with Software Instruments and even save them in the Library. Summing Stacks is the key.

Creating a layered patch with Summing Stacks

Summing Stacks give us the power to create complex patches with multiple Software Instruments and save them in the Library to be used with any project.

I want to create a classic grand piano with a Rhodes Electric Piano patch. It's easier than you might think:

1. Create two empty Software Instrument tracks with Open Library checked.
2. In the first one, load a piano of your choice.
3. In the second one, load an electric piano of your choice.
4. Arm the two and play and listen to the sound. Cool, I know that sound!
5. Shift-select the two Track Headers.
6. Under the Track menu, go to Create Track Stack, or press Shift + Command + D.

It will ask you whether you want to create a Folder Stack or Summing Stack. If you click the Details disclosure triangle, you will...

Groove Tracks

Groove Tracks is a way of making your regions groove together that works with either audio or MIDI regions. I am going to demonstrate it to you with MIDI because that is where I personally find it most useful.

I have played in a fretless bass part that has some Quantize settings that are pretty specific, and it feels great. Then I played a kick drum part and it is close in feel to the bass, but not quite. This is where Groove Tracks really shines.

If you Ctrl + click on Track Header Components, you can scroll down to add Groove Track to the Track Header:

Figure 5.10 – Adding Groove Track to the Track Header

Since the bass is to be the guide, in the bass' Track Header, I will move the mouse to the left and see that there is a yellow star that I can check.

After I do that, a blank checkbox appears on all other tracks. In this example, I only have the drum kit. When I check that checkbox, I am telling the drums to follow the...

Summary

You have now been introduced to Logic Pro's array of Software Instruments and have seen the various MIDI editors.

The importance of MIDI Recording Preferences and how they behave with non-Cycle and Cycle recording has been explained. You now can record MIDI in a number of different ways and correct its timing by quantizing. As you have learned, MIDI is not just notes but CCs as well, which you will want to record frequently.

The Arpeggiator adds that classic synthesizer touch, while you can individualize your sound by created layered and split patches in the Library with Summing Stacks.

Groove Tracks gives your music a tight feel that you will love.

In the next chapter, we will become familiar with step entering in the Piano Roll editor when you don't want to play live. This includes how to change notes pitch, length, velocity, scale, and quantization in the Piano Roll editor. We'll add MIDI CCs in the Piano Roll editor and take a brief look at the...