Step Sequencer Deep Dive (Logic Pro)

1. Introduction: This course offers an in-depth look into Step Sequencer tool of the Logic Pro. You don't need to know how to play any musical instrument, nor to be proficient in music theory. This course is all about experimenting and creating your own patterns and sounds. If you are new to Logic Pro, Step Sequencer is a good place to start exploring this software. If you already have some experience. This course will help you to master your pattern and loop creating skills. So the knowledge you'll acquire during this course will either help you to start your journey in music production, or will make you feel more confident in the field. You will learn how to create your own patterns using different instruments of Logic Pro library, as well as how to use patterns from Pattern Browser of Logic Pro. We will study how to use and modify loops from Loops Browser, how to place accents using Velocity Parameter, and many, many more. I hope you'll enjoy the course. Let's get started. 2. Lesson One Study Plan: In this section, we'll learn how to open Step Sequencer. How to choose an instrument that we need. The structure of the Step Sequencer. Create button, and look at how to clean up your pattern, deleting and use rows. So without further ado, let's get started. 3. Opening Step Sequencer: So be open Logic and we create a new file. And if you have to choose the type of the track that Logic will add to our project. It could be audio track, it could be uterine Bass trig. But for the purpose of our Step Sequencer tutorial, we have to choose Software. Instrument. Logic has created an empty track. Let's right-click on it. Let's choose Create a pattern region. Editors window has opened with the Step Sequencer selected. We can enclose it and open again by pressing E on a keyboard. Another way to do is to Press Editors button right here. 4. Choosing an Instrument: So at the moment of a track doesn't have any instrument. There is no sounds. Good. Charlestown and drum sound. We have to edit manually. Do it right now. Let's go to instrument and let's just Drum Kit Designer. The window Drum Kit Designer will open. And if you can choose out of many presets, specific drum that we like. Let's choose Easy bake it and let's hear how it sounds. Of course, we can choose any other preserved and they presented to choose, we can adjust as we like. What for the purpose of this tutorial, let's just go, Who's the basic settings of this particular preset? Let's close Drum Kit Designer for now. And let's move on. 5. The structure of the Step Sequencer: Let's adjust the size of our pattern region. We can do this by pressing on the vertical and horizontal autism buttons. Now, our pattern region is increased the size of our workspace. The whole Step grid represents just 1 bar of our pattern region. And if I choose the first step right here, I can see that it's reflected in every bar of other pattern region. We choose the first step of the second base. We can see that it's reflected there as well. Let's shorten our pattern region to just 1 bar to make it over the same length as the Step greed of the Step Sequencer right here. The first node, the pattern region corresponds to the first step of the Step Greta of the Step Sequencer. Let's select more steps. So you can see that these steps of the Step Sequencer that we have selected are reflected as well in the pattern region of the main workspace 6. Creating first pattern: Let's again adjust the size of the pets and region, but this time by adjusting the Zoom sliders. Let's also increase the size of the Step Sequencer window. So each time when we choose a step in the Step grid, we can hear it back. It happens because the Midi Out button is activated. If we switch it off, each tile, select this tab. We will not hear it back. To hear our pattern played in a loop, we have to choose Preview pattern. Here. In this mode, we can choose new steps and here the results immediately. Let's experiment a little bit. Our pattern region is a four-bar long. Let's shorten it to just 1 bar. And let's press horizontal autism button so that our pattern region fills the workspace entirely. 7. Cleaning up the pattern: Let's make our grid looks simpler by deleting the rows that we did not use. To do this, we have to go to Edit, delete unused rows. Now what's left are the steps and the rows has actually used. Let's press vertical autism button. Now when we adjust the size of the Step Sequencer window, the height of the rows with adjust accordingly 8. Lesson Two Study Plan: In this section, create an empty study how to play with the parameter told Chance. We will study how to add any new note 9. Creating a new pattern region: In a new file, let's create a new software instrument track. Let's go to instrument and let's find Sampler. In Sampler presets. Let's go to bass, electric bass, and let's choose liverpool bass. We can close Sampler for now. Let's Press Editors button to open Step Sequencer. Our drug is empty now, but let's select the Step. We can see that the pattern region is automatically created. Let's now adjust the size of our pattern region 10. Making a cell longer: Let's now have a look at how we can increase the length of our Step. Do this, we have to choose from pop-up menu right here, the edit mode called Tie. Then we just have to choose an adjacent step. Let's go back to Step on, off edit mode. What we can do now is copy our Step by pressing Command C and then insert it in any other place of our Step grid by pressing Command V. Let's now hear back the result by pressing preview button 11. Changing the chords: Let's make editors window bit larger. Let's press Preview button and experiment a bit with steps. With Tie edit mode, we can change the duration of the steps are the go. Let's get back to Step on off edit mode. Now, let's scale down of a workspace. Unless Press Command R to make a copy of the pattern region. We can now change the key of the second pattern region from C to G. Let's hear how it sounds. Let's see how these two regions will sell the loop by adding them to one cycle area. Let's hit Play. So the G chord sounds a bit high. To bring it down, Let's go to functions transpose minus one octave. Let's hit play and check out the result. Now, this chord progression sounds a bit more natural 12. The 'Chance' parameter: Let's first in the cycle to the first 4 bar, Let's click on the pattern region to open it and Step Sequencer. Now let's choose edit mode called Chance. In this edit mode, we can change the probability of any particular Step being played. Let's make few adjustments and let's hit Play button. We can also make these changes on the go. So SV just of a Chance parameter of a pattern region changes accordingly 13. Adding a new note: Let's have a look at how we can add a row. We're presenting a note that is not provided by Step Sequencer. That's press Add Row, go to notes. And let's choose, for example, a sharp of the second octave. As you can see, a new row for this note has been edit. Let's add this note to our pattern, but let's also adjust the Chance parameter 14. Lesson Three Study Plan: In this section, we will study drum Machine Designer. Choose between different patches from the library. Learn how to save the pattern you've created, as well as how to change the tempo 15. Drum Machine Designer: So let's create software instrument track. And let's go to instrument. And this time let's choose drum Machine Designer. We see drum Machine Designer window, and on the left we see the library. If you click on empty Kit on the left and the library, if you can see the list of the presets, Let's go to preset called absolute zero. Drum Machine Designer window will show us the list of the instruments included in this particular preset. Let's close this window for now. We can also close the library to have a little bit more space. Let's press E to open the Step Sequencer, and let's adjust its size to see the list of all the instruments. We can now choose the first cell of the first row and go to Preview mode. So while we experiment with this pattern lesson, just the Chance parameter of some of the cells. So quite often it's about experimenting and finding the pattern and the beat. That sounds good to you. So let's spend some time doing it. So I think this will be the final version of my pattern. 16. Choosing the right patch: Let's create a cycle covering our pattern region. Let's open the library and let's hit play. Let's hear how the same pattern sounds with a page called analog circuits. Let's hear the batch gold, dark secrets. And finally, a patch gold. So as you can see, even with the same pattern, we change patches, we get completely different Loop 17. Saving your pattern: So we can actually save the patterns that you've created. To do it, we just have to open Pattern Browser. And it's pop-up menu choose Save pattern. So let's give it a descriptive name. For example, Step five, pattern. Let's have a look at where we can find it in the future. For now, let's close Pattern Browser. Now we can delete, have a pattern region and just Upload that we have just saved. We have the open Pattern Browser go to users patterns. And HIPAA will find ourself Firebase. And let's hit Play to make sure it sounds exactly the same as before. 18. Changing the tempo: Finally, let's change the tempo of the pattern by changing the tempo of the whole project. In a slower tempo, it sounds a bit more relaxed. 19. Lesson Four Study Plan: In this lesson, we'll explore That's Browser. This teddy, the parameter velocity. Learn how to delete rows is when Start Offset. Edit. This begin 20. Pattern Browser: Alright, let's create software track. Let's go to instrument. And this time let's choose drum Machine Designer. We see the window of drum Machine Designer select Empty Kit. And on the right in library, we can see the list of all the available Pashas. Let's choose the patch cold and Go-Go func. Let's press E to open the editors and let's choose Step Sequencer. Not as open pattern Browser. Gilda patterns, Drums. Good basis. And let's choose the head of balance. Let's hear this sound of it. 21. Velocity parameter: So if we listen to this pattern, we can hear that not all the nodes sound exactly the same. Some of the cells have accents on them. So let's find out why that happens. If you click on disclosure arrow. We can see the row corresponding to velocity. And we can see that the velocities of the cells different anywhere 60-100. Let's hear the difference and let's make the velocity of each cell equal to 100. To do it quickly, let's press Option on the keyboard, and let's click and drag from left to right. So now each cell really sounds the same and there are no accents. Let's undo the changes by clicking Command Z. Let's hear it again. Of course the sound is much more natural now 22. Deleting and adding rows: Let's delete the rows that we don't use. And let's add another row with the parameter gold. Start offset 23. 'Start Offset' edit mode: Let's add Start offset parameter of one of the steps to -2.2 per cent. To me the Step sound 24. 'Loop Start/End' edit mode: Let's adjust the size of our bachelor region. Let's make it a bit high-end, bit wider. Let's also create a cycle of full bars. And in the library, Let's choose a page called Onyx Club. Then in the Pattern Browser, let's go to Drums. And that's fine. The pattern called lightly swung. Let's click on the disclosure area of this row. And instead of Velocity, let's choose edit mode, gold loop start, and let's solo this row and let's make this loop twice as short. So the sound of the pattern did not change. This technique can be used to burn. You want the first half with the person and the second half to be exactly the same 25. Lesson Five Study Plan: This section, we'll explore Loop Browser. We'll get to know automation. Rows will study Retro Synth, instrument, Slide, automation mode, just automation parameters. The start of this new section 26. Loop Browser: Let's create a new software instrument track. And let's open loop Browser. Let's press Loop types button, and let's choose pattern loops. Let's choose the loop called into deep bass. Now we can just drag this loop track. Let's close library for now. Let's create a cycle just 2 bar. Let's open Step Sequencer may pressing E 27. Automation Rows: In Step Sequencer, if you can see two types of rows, green and blue. Green rows represent nodes, and blue rows represent automation parameters. Insured blue steps modify the sound of green steps that are right above them in the same column. If we click on disclosure error of each blue row, we will see that their steps have different values. If we adjust these values, the sound of green notes above will change 28. 'Retro Synth' instrument: Let's open the instrument Retro Synth, and let's observe its parameters changing. Why the play our better parameters called harmonic and filter envelope I changing in accordance with values in blue cells 29. 'Slide' automation mode: So we can see that blue cells of the row cold. If empire mornings have different values and the change from one value to the other happens quite abruptly. To rectify it, Let's go to local inspector. Let's activate row tab. Let's change automation mode from Latch to Slide. Let's open Retro Synth instrument, and let's observe the change of the harmonic slider. Let's change to Latch automation mode and compare back to slide mode. So Slide mode, the parameter changes more smoothly 30. Adjusting automation parameters: Let's now experimental with values of Bruce house. Let's observe how it affects the sound. I remember 31. Lesson Six Study Plan: In this section will study, committee will revisit Tie edit mode. Do some live pattern recording. That's an excellent progression. 32. 'Midi In' button: As usual, let's create a new software instrument track. And let's go to the instruments. And let's choose the instrument called Sampler. In Sampler, Let's go to Presets Japanese traditional goto. Let's close Sampler for now. Now let's open Step Sequencer. Let's go to edit and let's delete all the rows that are used. Now let's press Midi-In Button. And let's open the keyboard. And let's press the notes. Adg pushes the C major chord. As you can see, the rows for these nodes automatically created 33. 'Tie' edit mode: Now let's create some distance between the nodes. Deselect certain cells and I select them down the row. Let's go to Tie edit mode. And let's increase the length of this nodes by simply clicking and dragging. In this particular edit mode. Lesson select the last cell. And here the pattern again. Now we can use this basic pattern to build something a bit more complicated. 34. Live pattern recording: Let's activate better live recording mode. And let's add some notes. While the pattern is playing. I played some nodes during the pattern playback on my midi keyboard. And this note that I played was not in the pattern. It was added automatically and a row is created automatically for this node. And if a node that I played was already in the pattern, the position of the cell. What's changed? According to the time that I play this note? 35. Adding accents: So currently this pattern sounds a bit mechanical. Let's go to velocities edit mode. And let's change the velocities of the steps to make it sound a little bit more melodic. So this velocity edit mode allows us to put accents of some notes on some steps 36. Creating chord progression: So let's duplicate the pattern region. By pressing Command R. We create four different pattern regions. And let's rename it, renamed the first pattern region by going to region inspector will give the name C to the first one, the name G, the second one named after the third one, named F-minor to the last one. Now, let's change the key of the second pattern region. Let's choose G according to his name has changed the key of the third region to F as well according to its name. The key of regional before shouldn't be changed to F minor. Let's create a cycle comprising all the four regions and less now it sounds. Now let's make each region two times shorter. Adjust the cycle and let's listen again. 37. Lesson Seven Study Plan: In this section, we'll create Drums and Bass both use all the knowledge required during this course. 38. Creating drums part: So we create a new software instrument, track. Let's add instrument, namely Drum Kit Designer. And in presets, Let's choose Drum Kit present around Kit patch, cold, Portland Kit. Now let's close it. Let's open editors window, and let's go to Step Sequencer. Now let's choose this first cell, this first cake. We see that the pattern region is created. So let's choose cells in the first and third bids. Not as good, a closed hi-hat. And let's choose the first and third cell of each bit. Now let's add a snare. First cell of the second bid and the first cell of the fourth bit. Let's go to edit and let's delete all the rows that are unused. And let's rearrange the track so that the kick is and bottom and I had on the top. Now what do you have to do is to adjust velocities so that our pattern sounds a little bit more natural. Let's start with a kick. Let's solo it, and let's decrease the velocity of the first cell as deactivated Midi out mode. Let's decrease the velocity of the last kick. The accent is on the second cake and the third kick. So now let's listen to the high hat. Of course every high head sounds the same and we have to adjust the velocities. Let's start with decreasing the velocity of every cell. And let's increase the velocity of the first cell of the second beat. And also the velocity of the first cell of the fourth beat. Let's also adjust the snare velocities. Sounds a bit less mechanical now, a bit more natural 39. Creating bass part: Let's add a new track. You software instrument track. This time as an Instrument, let's choose Sampler. And in Sampler in the presents as give to bass, electric bass, and downstroke Bass. Let's close the Sampler. We can also change the icon of the track by right-clicking on its head and choosing the appropriate diagonal. Now unless adjust the size of the editors of the Step Sequencer is make a cycle. And let's choose the first cell, the second cell. And the third one. You can see that all the nodes, they are in the C, C Major K. Let's go to Tie edit mode to make the notes a little bit longer. So now let's select both patterns. And let's Press Command R to replicate them. Let's make the cycle longer. And let's select the second pattern so you can bass pattern, and let's change the K, C to G. Let's try it on both patterns to just two bits set of four. You can also make the second pattern different from the first time. By just selecting this cell 40. Summary: In this course, you'll learn how to read music. Step Sequencer of Logic Pro will learn how to grade patterns from scratch and by using patterns and loops from Logic Pro library. We created musical phrases by changing chords. Patterns, made him a pattern sound more natural by putting excellence in various places. Adjusted velocities and other parameters of the beats. And it, a lot of other interesting things. Now you will apply your knowledge while working on your musical project, details on which you can find in a PDF file attached to this course. Please don't forget to Upload mp3 of your project and a screenshot of your Step Sequencer window in the Project Gallery. Please also give you feedback on the projects of your classmates. Thank you.