How to use Logic Pro X's Drum Machine Designer

Summary

In this tutorial, Mr. Calderon from Splice delves into the revamped Drum Machine Designer in Logic Pro 10.5. He guides viewers through creating custom drum kits by dragging and dropping samples from Splice, utilizing the intuitive interface and sequencer. The video also covers adding effects and third-party plugins, micro-editing tools for sound shaping, and saving custom kits for easy access. Calderon concludes by demonstrating how to incorporate these kits into music production, showcasing the tool's fun and powerful capabilities.

Takeaways

• 🎶 Mr. Calderon introduces the new features of Drum Machine Designer in Logic Pro 10.5, highlighting its revamped capabilities.
• 🔄 Dragging and dropping samples from Splice is a key workflow in creating custom drum kits within the Drum Machine Designer.
• 🛠️ The Quick Sampler engine is the primary engine for the Drum Machine Designer, allowing for extensive sound editing and tweaking.
• 📚 The script demonstrates how to add effects and stock or third-party plug-ins to the drum pads for enhanced sound design.
• 🎵 Mr. Calderon shows how to assemble a drum kit by dragging samples directly into the drum pads.
• 🔍 The browser within Logic Pro can be used to select and drag samples to the drum pads for kit creation.
• 🔑 Micro editing tools are available for detailed sound shaping, accessible through the track header and the drum machine designer interface.
• 🌐 The ability to add plug-ins directly to individual drum sounds for further sound development is a notable feature.
• 🎤 Live samples can be recorded directly into a pad, offering a dynamic approach to creating custom drum sounds.
• 💾 Saving custom drum kits is made easy through the library, allowing for quick access and use in future projects.
• 🔄 The sequencer in Drum Machine Designer is intuitive and allows for pattern creation and editing, demonstrated with a baseline example.

Q & A

Who is the presenter of the tutorial discussing the new drum machine designer?

The presenter of the tutorial is Mr. Calderon, representing Splice.

What software update is Mr. Calderon discussing in the tutorial?

Mr. Calderon is discussing the latest version of Logic 10.5 update.

What are the main features of the Drum Machine Designer in Logic 10.5 that Mr. Calderon covers?

The main features covered include dragging and dropping samples from Splice, creating custom drum kits, saving the kits, exploring the intuitive interface, and using the sequencer.

How can samples be added to the Drum Machine Designer in Logic 10.5?

Samples can be added by dragging and dropping them into the pads, using the browser to select samples from the desktop, or by dragging samples directly to the track header.

What is the 'Quick Sampler' and how is it used in the Drum Machine Designer?

The 'Quick Sampler' is the primary engine of the Drum Machine Designer, used for adding samples to the pads and for micro-editing tools to shape the sound.

Can effects and plug-ins be added to the Drum Machine Designer, and if so, how?

Yes, effects and both stock and third-party plug-ins can be added by clicking on the '+' button to create a new instrument and then selecting the desired effect or plug-in from the track header.

How can a live sample be recorded directly into a pad in the Drum Machine Designer?

A live sample can be recorded by selecting the '+' to create a new track, choosing 'Quick Sampler', going to the 'Recorder' option, selecting the input source, and then recording the sample by lowering the meter threshold.

What is the process for saving a customized drum kit in the Drum Machine Designer?

To save a customized drum kit, one needs to go to the library by pressing 'Y', double-click on the instrument slot for Drum Machine, go into the bank, and select 'Save' to name and save the kit.

How can a saved drum kit be accessed and used in a new track?

A saved drum kit can be accessed by going to the 'User Patch' under the library, selecting the saved instrument, and then creating a new software instrument track with the Drum Machine Designer.

What is the purpose of the sequencer in the Drum Machine Designer and how is it used?

The sequencer in the Drum Machine Designer is used for creating and editing drum patterns. It can be opened by control-clicking in the workspace and selecting 'Create Pattern Region', and patterns can be edited by tapping in the sequencer grid.

How does Mr. Calderon suggest incorporating custom drum kits into music production?

Mr. Calderon suggests using the custom drum kits by creating pattern regions in the sequencer and combining them with other elements like basslines to develop a full music production.

Outlines

00:00

🎶 Introduction to Drum Machine Designer in Logic Pro 10.5

In this introductory paragraph, Mr. Calderon, representing Splice, sets the stage for a discussion on the revamped Drum Machine Designer feature in Logic Pro 10.5. He outlines the agenda, which includes exploring the process of dragging and dropping samples from Splice to create custom drum kits, saving these kits, and understanding the interface and sequencer. He also promises to demonstrate how to incorporate these custom kits into music production, hinting at the versatility and power of the tool.

05:00

🔧 Building Custom Drum Kits with Drum Machine Designer

This paragraph delves into the technical aspects of constructing custom drum kits using Drum Machine Designer. Mr. Calderon explains how to assign the software instrument, use the Quick Sampler engine for dragging in samples, and add effects and plug-ins to these sample pads. He also discusses micro-editing tools for sound shaping and the ability to add third-party plug-ins for further sound development. The paragraph includes a step-by-step guide on initiating a kit, selecting samples, and using the track header for more in-depth editing and sound enhancement.

10:04

🎤 Live Sample Recording and Saving Custom Kits

In this segment, Mr. Calderon introduces the capability of recording live samples directly into a pad, which is particularly useful for beatboxers and those looking to incorporate live instrumentation. He demonstrates the recording process, including setting the input, adjusting the meter threshold, and editing the captured sample. Following this, he guides viewers on how to save their customized kits for easy access in Drum Machine Designer, detailing the steps to navigate the library, save the kit, and later retrieve it for use in new tracks.

🚀 Advanced Techniques and Final Thoughts on Drum Machine Designer

The final paragraph wraps up the tutorial with advanced techniques such as creating pattern regions and using the sequencer to develop drum patterns. Mr. Calderon shows how to create and manipulate drum patterns, adjust the number of steps in the sequencer, and integrate these patterns with a baseline. He also emphasizes the vast potential of Drum Machine Designer, acknowledging that the tutorial has only scratched the surface of its capabilities. The paragraph concludes with a call to stay tuned for more Logic Pro 10.5 features, a subscription reminder, and thanks to Splice and the audience.

Keywords

💡Drum Machine Designer

The Drum Machine Designer is a software instrument in Logic Pro X that allows users to create custom drum kits. In the video, Mr. Calderon explains how to drag and drop samples from Splice to build unique drum kits, showcasing the tool's interface and features.

💡Splice

Splice is a platform that offers a vast library of samples, loops, and plugins for music production. Mr. Calderon uses Splice to source drum samples, demonstrating how to integrate these into Drum Machine Designer to create custom drum kits.

💡Quick Sampler

Quick Sampler is the primary engine in Drum Machine Designer, enabling detailed sample manipulation. The video highlights how Quick Sampler allows users to shape and edit individual drum sounds within their custom kits.

💡Samples

Samples are audio snippets used to create music tracks. Mr. Calderon discusses how to import and use samples from Splice in Drum Machine Designer, emphasizing the ease of dragging and dropping these samples onto pads to build drum kits.

💡Pads

Pads in Drum Machine Designer act as placeholders for individual drum sounds or samples. Mr. Calderon demonstrates how to assign samples to these pads, which can then be triggered and manipulated during production.

💡Channel Strip

The Channel Strip corresponds to a track in Logic Pro X and includes settings for volume, pan, and effects. Mr. Calderon shows how to access and configure the Channel Strip for tracks created with Drum Machine Designer.

💡Effects

Effects are audio processes applied to sounds to alter their character. In the video, Mr. Calderon explains how to add stock and third-party plugins to samples in Drum Machine Designer, enhancing the sounds with effects like reverb.

💡Sequencer

The Sequencer in Drum Machine Designer allows users to create and arrange drum patterns. Mr. Calderon demonstrates how to use the sequencer to program drum patterns, showcasing its intuitive interface and functionality.

💡Live Sample Recording

Live Sample Recording enables users to record audio directly into a pad in Drum Machine Designer. Mr. Calderon illustrates this feature by recording beatbox sounds into the software, showing how live recordings can be integrated into custom drum kits.

💡User Patch

A User Patch is a saved configuration of sounds and settings in Logic Pro X. Mr. Calderon walks through the process of saving and loading custom drum kits as user patches in Drum Machine Designer, making them easily accessible for future projects.

Highlights

Introduction to the new drum machine designer in Logic Pro 10.5.

Discussion of workflow around the revamped drum machine designer.

How to drag and drop samples from Splice into the drum machine designer.

Creating custom drum kits and saving them in the new interface.

Exploration of the intuitive interface and sequencer of the drum machine designer.

Demonstration of incorporating custom drum kits into music production.

Using the quick sampler engine for adding samples and effects.

Adding stock and third-party plug-ins to the drum machine designer.

Building a drum kit by dragging samples into pads.

Using the browser to select and drag samples for the drum kit.

Pro tip for initiating a kit using the track header.

Micro editing tools available for sound shaping in quick sampling.

Accessing channel strip and audio effects for individual drum sounds.

Ability to add plug-ins directly to individual drum sounds.

Recording live samples directly into a pad for beatboxing or live instrumentation.

Saving custom drum kits for easy access in the library.

Using saved custom drum kits in new tracks and projects.

Creating pattern regions and using the sequencer for drum programming.

Incorporating the sequencer for creating drum patterns with different sounds.

Final thoughts and thanks to Splice for the tutorial.

Transcripts

what's up everyone my name is mr

calderon and on behalf of splice

i'll be discussing my workflow around

the new drum machine designer

it was recently revamped in the latest

version of logic 10.5 update

in drum machine designer we're going to

go over dragging and dropping samples

from splice creating your own custom

drum kits

and then learning how to save it also

we'll explore its intuitive interface

along with this cool sequencer last but

not least i'll demonstrate to you

how i incorporate my own custom drum

kits for my production

all right with all that being said let's

get to it software instrument that i'm

about to create

and to the left we have our channel

strip corresponding to the track

we're gonna go to the instrument slot

and assign drum machine designer

now the drum machine designer as you can

see here the window

looks exactly like his previous

iteration but under the hood

you have quick sampler which is his

primary engine

aside from dragging and dropping samples

into these pads

which serve as placeholders you can also

add effects

and stock plug-ins as well as

third-party plug-ins

if you wanted to trigger instruments

from within these pads which is really

cool

so let's get started let's show you how

to start building a drum kit

i'm going to go ahead and drag over our

splice app here

and i'm just going to go ahead and drag

in

a couple of samples just to show you how

easy it is to start assembling

your kit now that's one way to

[Music]

initiate a kit the other way i'm going

to tap on the letter f

and that's going to open our browser

here in the top

right corner and from the browser i have

a few samples on the desktop i'm going

to go ahead and actually choose

a couple of these here

all right that's good enough i'm going

to drag

to a pad and drop and there you have it

go ahead and tap on f to hide the

browser and

i'm going to close the strum machine

window

and i want to show you another way this

is sort of like the pro tip way

and i'm going to tap on f again and i'll

choose couple more

batch here out of the list

i'm gonna go over and drag it over to

the track header

and what happens is a window appears

indicating what type of track do i want

to create i'm going to choose drum

machine designer

this is another way of initiating

a kit in a drum machine

now that i have all these

kits here as i mentioned before you have

the quick sampler engine in drum machine

for example we have this kick that's

selected

and right underneath we have this sub

window where we have these

micro editing tools that are part of

quick sampling now if i wanted to dive a

little deeper

in shaping this kick i can go ahead

refer to my track

header where i have the drum machine

designer set up and as i uh mentioned

earlier

these pads represent subtracts

so every instrument that's on a pad is

an individual subtract

and we see that represented here on this

list by the track header

i'm going to select the kick and then

i'm going to double click

on the instrument slot and here is

the quick sampler window with far more

editing tools to shape

and tweak your sound the other aspect of

it which i mentioned before

is the ability to actually add a plug-in

so for example if i click on this plus i

create a new instrument

and i'm going to refer to the track

header here instrument 15

just like instrument 15 that we have

here in the channel strip

i'm going to go to the instrument slot

and add

drum synth so

i can go ahead and shape and develop

my kicks right from here or snares or

percussions hats and cymbals

that's pretty cool you can also do that

with a third-party plug-in as well

one more thing that i wanted to show you

that if we go to any instrument doesn't

matter which one it is let's

choose the snare i can refer to

the track here on the track header and

the reason why i'm going there is to be

able to access the channel strip

and i'm going to go to the audio effects

slot and i'll add

let's say space designer reverb here and

let's trigger that sound

there you go so that's our snare with

the reverb

all right as i mentioned before you also

have the capability of

recording a live sample directly into a

pad

if you're a beat boxer and you have

ideas to perform with live

instrumentation

you can record it and capture it with

your mic right into a pad so i'm going

to go ahead and actually select this

plus

and it's going to create a new track and

that's track

16 or instrument 16 i'm going to go

ahead and select it here

and go to the instrument slot and choose

quick sampler

in our window pane underneath here we're

going to go to recorder

and we're going to choose the input as

input 1 that's where my mic

is plugged into and we're going to lower

this

meter threshold here to trigger the

recording and i'm gonna go ahead and

start recording some things

so let's uh audition those sounds

i think i like the middle one so i'm

going to grab this anchor and trim

the starting point and i'm going to go

to the anchor on the bottom

right cut the end point

of the sample let's hear what that

sounds like i can also

pinch out with my fingers on the

trackpad

to zoom in and let's hear what that

sounds like

all right sounds good okay so now let's

talk about how to

save your kit that you've customized

and you want to get it all accessible

from drum machine designer so we're

going to go over

to the library if we

tap on the letter y the library opens up

and we're going to go ahead and double

click on the instrument slot

for drum machine once we do that

it's going to take us into the bank

for drum machine designer and on the

bottom right we're going to select save

and we're going to name it

house kit let me actually minimize this

and then we're going to save it all

right so now

let's go ahead and delete all the tracks

here

then we're going to choose a software

instrument

now we're going to go over and look for

the instrument that we saved in drum

machine designer i'm going to go ahead

and

select that again for the track

i'm gonna select the letter v to hide

this window because we don't need that

open right now

go over here to the user patch under

library

and there it is so let's go ahead and

open up a new track

command option or alt n

create a new software instrument let's

go to this

instrument slot choose drum machine

designer

go to my library on the left

choose the user patch splice synth wave

the custom patch that i created and i

have some regions here

[Music]

baseline

okay so i'm gonna grab the new

instrument

with the drum machine and i'm going to

control click in my workspace here

and create pattern region that opens up

my sequencer

once i have it open i can also tap on e

to hide it

e to display it again so here my drums

on the left on the upper right hand

corner you have your steps

and that can be changed i'm just going

to leave it 16 for now

for the sake of showing you guys how to

get started so with that baseline i kind

of hear four on the floor

let me go ahead and tap in my patterns

here

i'm going to solo it

[Music]

all right so notice how it ended i'm

going to highlight

my region command minus

tap on the letter u to create a cycle

let's play that back

[Music]

all right so let's hear that with the

base

[Music]

i'm gonna hold down option and drag

and i create another pattern here and

within the pattern

we're looking at it down here i'm going

to

use close hats let's see what that

sounds like

[Music]

i hope everyone enjoyed this topic as

you can see from the tutorial

we barely tap the surface to such a fun

and powerful tool

in drum machine design stay tuned to

splash channel

for videos related to logic pro 10.5

latest features

also make sure to subscribe i want to

take the opportunity to thank splice

for having me i'm mr calderon thank you

all for watching

until next time