The SUPER Beginner Guide to Logic pro X

Summary

This beginner-friendly video tutorial offers a comprehensive introduction to Logic Pro X, guiding viewers through the process of setting up a new project, understanding the interface, and selecting instruments. It covers software instruments, audio recording, and external MIDI, demonstrating how to create tracks, choose sounds, and utilize the musical typing keyboard for those without a physical one. The tutorial also explains recording techniques, looping, and layering tracks, ensuring that even newcomers can start making music with confidence.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Start with Logic Pro X by opening an empty project to begin music production.
• 🎼 Choose 'Software Instrument' for selecting built-in sounds within the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).
• 🔊 'Audio' is for recording external sounds like vocals through a microphone.
• 🥁 'Drummer' provides options for drumming patterns, while 'Guitar' or 'Bass' is for recording live instruments.
• 🎹 'External MIDI' is for connecting a keyboard or MIDI device to record with its sounds.
• 🔧 For beginners, 'Alchemy' within the software instruments is recommended for exploring a variety of sounds.
• 📄 'Number of Tracks' determines how many individual tracks you start with in your project.
• 🔍 The sound selection interface acts as a 'filing box' for accessing and choosing different instrument sounds.
• 🎹 Use the 'Musical Typing Keyboard' window for playing notes without a physical keyboard.
• 🔴 The red button initiates recording, providing a countdown before capturing the performance.
• 🔄 The loop function allows for continuous repetition of a section for layering or practice.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the video?

The purpose of the video is to provide a beginner's tutorial on how to start using Logic Pro X, covering basic navigation, instrument selection, and recording techniques.

What does the acronym 'Daw' stand for?

Daw stands for Digital Audio Workstation, which refers to software used for recording, editing, and producing audio files, such as Logic Pro, FL Studio, Ableton, and Pro Tools.

What is the first step when opening Logic Pro X for a new project?

The first step is to choose 'New Project' and then select 'Empty Project' to start with a blank slate.

What is the difference between 'Software Instrument' and 'Audio' in Logic Pro X?

'Software Instrument' is used to select an instrument with sounds within the DAW itself, while 'Audio' is for recording external sounds, like vocals or instruments, using a microphone.

How can a user record live with an external MIDI keyboard in Logic Pro X?

The user should select 'External MIDI' and then connect the MIDI keyboard to the computer to record live with the sounds that the keyboard brings.

What does the 'Alchemy' instrument offer in Logic Pro X?

Alchemy is a software instrument in Logic Pro X that provides a wide range of sounds for users to explore and experiment with.

How many tracks should a beginner start with in Logic Pro X?

A beginner should start with one track to avoid complications and gradually build up as they become more familiar with the software.

How can a user access the sound library in Logic Pro X?

A user can access the sound library by going to 'Logic Pro X' in the menu bar, then selecting 'Sound Library' and choosing 'Download All Available Sounds'.

What is the function of the red button in the recording process?

The red button is used to start recording. When pressed, it gives a countdown and then begins recording the user's input.

How can a user adjust the notes they have recorded in Logic Pro X?

A user can double-click on the recorded region to edit the MIDI notes, allowing them to drag, move, or delete individual notes as needed.

What is the purpose of the loop button in Logic Pro X?

The loop button is used to repeat a section of the recording, allowing users to create loops for continuous playback while they record additional layers.

How can a user record over an existing track in Logic Pro X?

To record over an existing track, the user should select the new track they want to record on, choose the desired instrument sound, and then press the record button while the original track is playing.

What does the 'M' button do in Logic Pro X?

The 'M' button mutes the selected track, allowing the user to record or listen to other tracks without hearing the muted one.

Outlines

00:00

🎼 Introduction to Logic Pro X for Beginners

This paragraph introduces the video as a beginner's guide to Logic Pro X, a digital audio workstation (DAW). The speaker acknowledges the complexity of the software and offers to simplify the process for new users. It explains the initial screen options, such as 'Empty Project' or 'Live Loops', and guides the user to create a new project. The paragraph also defines a DAW and distinguishes it from traditional analog mixing boards. It provides an overview of the different types of tracks, such as software instruments, audio, and external MIDI, and suggests starting with Alchemy for a variety of sounds. The speaker also explains how to create a new track and access the sound library.

05:05

🎹 Exploring Sound Selection and Recording Basics

The second paragraph delves into the process of selecting sounds within Logic Pro X and recording music. It describes how to use the 'Keys' option to play melodies and the 'Musical Typing Keyboard' feature for those without a physical keyboard. The paragraph explains the recording process, including starting, stopping, and looping a recording. It also covers how to view and edit the recorded MIDI notes, delete recordings, and mute tracks while recording others. Additionally, it touches on the use of the metronome for rhythm and how to layer recordings by creating additional tracks.

10:13

🔁 Advanced Recording Techniques and Customization

The final paragraph focuses on advanced recording techniques and sound customization within Logic Pro X. It discusses the use of muting to isolate tracks during recording, the command 'Z' for undoing actions, and the backspace key for quick deletion. The speaker also demonstrates how to record over existing tracks without hearing the previous recording, which is useful for layering sounds. The paragraph concludes by inviting feedback from viewers and encouraging them to like, comment, and subscribe for more content.

Keywords

💡Logic Pro X

Logic Pro X is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed by Apple Inc., used for music production and audio editing. In the video, it is the main software being discussed, with the aim of helping beginners understand how to navigate and use it for creating music.

💡DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)

A DAW is a software application used by audio engineers, songwriters, and musicians to record, edit, and produce audio files. In the script, the term is explained as a digital platform for music creation, with Logic Pro X being one example among others like FL Studio and Ableton.

💡Software Instrument

A software instrument in a DAW refers to a virtual instrument that generates sound through the computer rather than an external device. In the video, the creator guides beginners to select a software instrument within Logic Pro X to start making music.

💡Audio Recording

Audio recording is the process of capturing sound from external sources, such as a microphone or live instruments. The script mentions 'audio' as an option in Logic Pro X for recording sounds externally, like the creator's voice in the example.

💡MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)

MIDI is a protocol for communication between digital instruments. In the context of the video, 'external MIDI' refers to connecting a keyboard or other instrument to Logic Pro X to record music using the device's sounds.

💡Alchemy

Alchemy is a software synthesizer plugin within Logic Pro X that provides a wide range of sounds for music production. The video suggests beginners start with Alchemy due to its extensive sound library, allowing users to explore various sonic options.

💡Track

In the context of a DAW, a track is a single sequence of audio or MIDI data. The script explains how to create a new track in Logic Pro X, which is fundamental for layering different instruments and sounds in a music project.

💡Loop

A loop in music production is a repeated sequence of audio or music. The video demonstrates how to use the loop function in Logic Pro X to repeat a section of music, which is useful for creating repetitive patterns or beats.

💡Metronome

A metronome is a device that produces a regular tick sound to help musicians keep time. In the script, the metronome in Logic Pro X is recommended for use while recording to maintain a steady rhythm.

💡Mute

Muting a track in a DAW means to silence it without deleting the data, allowing for focus on other elements during recording or mixing. The video describes using the mute function in Logic Pro X to silence a track while recording another.

💡Musical Typing Keyboard

The musical typing keyboard is a feature within Logic Pro X that allows users to play and record MIDI data using their computer keyboard. The script shows how to use this feature for those without a physical MIDI keyboard.

Highlights

Introduction to Logic Pro X for beginners.

Explanation of the difference between empty project and live loops.

How to start a new project in Logic Pro X.

Understanding the concept of a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).

Difference between software instrument, audio, guitar/bass, and external MIDI.

Choosing a software instrument within Logic Pro X.

Recommendation to use Alchemy for beginners.

How to create a new track in Logic Pro X.

Instructions on downloading all available sounds from Logic Pro X.

How to select and play sounds using the software instrument.

Using the musical typing keyboard for those without a physical keyboard.

How to record audio in Logic Pro X.

Viewing and editing recorded audio.

How to delete or redo recorded audio.

Using the loop function in Logic Pro X.

Recording over previously recorded audio.

How to mute a track while recording on another.

Final thoughts and call to action for feedback.

Transcripts

so you want to start using logic pro X

but you have no idea what you're doing

don't worry I've been there I hope I can

help you as much as I can in this video

let's get straight into it now I did

have another video talking about beat

making if you're a beginner at be making

you want to start making beats and stuff

like that but some people were saying

that they need an even more of a

beginner tutorial so I was like hey you

know what I'm here to help so let me do

a real real beginner like how to start

even using it what are all the buttons

and things like that so as soon as you

open it up you're gonna see this screen

right here is going to say empty project

or live Loops you're gonna go to new

project and go to empty project choose

right here

this is the first scene that's gonna pop

up once you choose an empty project

so when it shows you software instrument

what this means is that you're going to

choose an instrument with ins within the

Daw itself and if you don't know what

the heck I'm talking about you're like

what is a dog

duh is basically a digital audio working

station which means it's logic FL Studio

Ableton

um Pro Tools anything that's digital and

anything that you can make music in and

that's digital and it's not analog like

those old school long mixing boards that

we used to have back in the days which

we still have them in Live Events but

I'm saying those long mixing boards that

some producers still have everything is

digital okay we do everything digitally

digitally with our computers so software

instrument that means you're going to

choose an instrument within here and I'm

going to show you that in a little bit

audio is if you want to record something

outside like if I'm recording right now

my voice this is audio I'm recording

recording with the mic this is

considered audio because you're

recording an audio sound that's not

internally inside the doll if you push

drummer it's just going to give you some

options to play some drums but you know

that's you can mess around with that if

you like guitar or Bass is if you got an

actual external guitar out here that you

can play externally and record live into

the doll and every time I say doll I'm

talking about logic pro external midi is

if you have a keyboard a piano keyboard

with sounds already and then you just

want to connect it straight into your

into logic pro and record with the

sounds that the keyboard brings already

now if you don't have anything at all

anything you don't even have a keyboard

a midi keyboard which is this right here

the midi keyboard means you have

something that has no sounds at all

you're just using it as a tool to create

music that with sounds that logic

already has so if you have nothing

nothing at all I'm gonna show you so

first click software instrument right

here

I honestly recommend for anybody that's

using logic for the first time go to

instrument here

click Alchemy just click Alchemy because

Alchemy is going to take you to a bunch

of sounds so just click on that so you

can just dabble around and leave this

one on audio one and two don't even

touch them and then number of Tracks

number of tracks means that you're just

gonna make one single track which means

you just want one track to open up and

I'll show you what I mean in a little

bit click create and we have our first

track that we created so this is a track

right here that you created you could

click this air off this track right here

is what you just created when you were

choosing all those options if you want

to create a second track meaning bring

out another software instrument you

click this plus sign here and see this

window pops up again now for right now

we're just gonna work on this one track

which is right here because we don't

need to complicate things this is all

you need right here this little button

right here is what pops out all the

sounds so it's like a little filing box

which makes sense because it's like you

know all the sounds you can use if you

want to download all the sounds that

logic comes with you go to Logic Pro X

up here you go to sound library and then

you go to download all available sounds

click on that and then you press

continue and then it'll just guide you

from there and you want to download all

the song all the sounds it might take

you like an hour or so or less depending

how fast your computer is and then you

have all the sounds but it already comes

with a good amount of sounds if you

don't want to like store so many sounds

in your in your MacBook I get it now the

easiest way to choose sounds the easiest

way is just to go buy off of this right

here if you want to remove it like I

said click this icon and click the back

so the easiest way is okay like let's

just say I just want to play something

with keys like something easy you click

on this keys right here

and then you start picking okay I want

gentle sign Bells you clicked on gentle

side bells and you could start playing

something

[Music]

but like I said before if you don't have

a keyboard you're like dude you're

playing you already know how to play

like I don't know what I'm doing you go

up here where it says window and then

you put Show musical typing keyboard

okay

and right here it shows you can

literally click on all these

foreign

[Music]

all right and if you want to play chords

obviously it's a little hard but you can

go with the a like s uh s f and H

you see just click on these if you want

to play a chord or something like that

um but yeah you just go to window and it

pops up the keyboard

um I already have my midi keyboard so

I'm just going to click this off now

that we got all that out the way you're

like okay I know how to pick my sound I

know how to open up I know how to open

up a track I know how to do all of that

stuff now how do I record something

where you want to record something is

this little red button right here

is the way you record something you

could literally press it

it'll give a countdown and you start

recording

all right I could just

[Music]

and then it recorded what I just played

because I'm pressing the red button

all right and you're like okay I want to

see what I recorded though I want to

know like what to do what how do I show

like what I do next you know what do I

do next after this you can easily click

on this double click this and it'll show

you the keys you were playing on the

keyboard right here and then from there

you can actually adjust like okay I can

drag this down click it hold it drag it

down wherever I want

drag this down or drag this up

drag this up drag it down whatever

you're filling right you're saying uh I

don't really like what I played I want

to start over then go just click on this

and press the backspace button done

you're done completely now you're like

okay but I want something to loop I

wanted to keep looping like while I'm

recording the easiest way to do this is

by clicking this these arrows right here

that's the loop button and you see that

yellow space bar came up

okay so that is going to be your Loop so

for whatever you play from one all the

way to five It's Gonna Keep looping so

for instance I'm just gonna give a brief

example okay and you always want to

click your metronome on when you're

making like a song because it keeps the

rhythm going here we go

foreign

there you go okay so I recorded

something really quick right now that's

going to loop as soon as I was done with

the last note I played I just let it go

I was like so now I just recorded and

you could take your metronome off now

click it off

just goes back to the same thing again

and you're like okay so that's cool now

I want to record something over what I

just played now you like I said before

now we come and use this plus sign right

here boom comes out to the very first

thing that we came we were doing when we

first when we when we first chose a um

we first Chosen One instrument so we go

to software instrument again create boom

a second track the easiest way to do

this is just double click one because

you already know what this is right

because we just learned earlier so now

you just double click here double click

double click and just make as many

tracks as you want you wouldn't want

that many just back backspace backspace

backspace

now you're like okay I want to record

over this

[Music]

you're like okay so how do I record over

it now you and you select it and if you

if you've selected this one that means

you want to go back to this track

now you're like I want to record over

that one but still with that one playing

okay cool then you click on the

instrument two which you made that

second track now you don't have a sound

selected yet remember that so right now

it's like some it's just the random

sound that out that Alchemy chose for

you that logic chose for you so what you

want to do again you want to go here you

want to choose something from here the

quick sampler

orchestral like I said you could choose

your instruments here now I don't have

all the sounds downloaded for Alchemy

because I have like my own sounds that I

use

um but you if you want to download all

your sounds you can use them

so let's just say I want to use like in

a vintage electric piano now like modern

Deluxe modern now it changed you see the

little picture it changed so now

now is that now what you want to do is

click the record button again and it's

going to count down and you record over

foreign

[Music]

just press the space bar stops recording

and then you're done and you're like I

want to redo it I don't like how that

sounds all you got to do is command Z

and it comes out just redoing or you

could just press the backspace and

you're good again

let's just say you don't want this first

sound to hear you want to record

something again but you want to keep

this one you don't want to delete it yet

but you just don't want to hear while

you're recording something else all you

got to do is press this little M right

here it's called the mute now when you

press a space bar and plays you don't

hear anything and you could play

the other one

but it's pretty much the same concept

you keep opening something up you you

just choose a drums on the sound and

then you start playing with the drums

let me know what else you guys want to

see and let me know if this video was

helpful for you guys but till next time

don't forget to like comment and

subscribe say blessed and stay positive

peace foreign

[Music]