Sequencers and the step editor sequencers can be used to arrange the rhythms of an instrument. In the past hardware sequencers had been used to program drums, bass, sims and other instruments. Nowadays, though it's very quick and easy to program these sequences in a digital audio workstation such as Logic pro to access logic pro sequencer called the step sequencer, create a pattern region instead of a midi region from either the arrangement window or the live loops window. So let's do this. Now let's create a new track by pressing the plus button in the top left and then let's choose a pattern track, creating a new pattern or midi track will open the instrument patches window in the browser. Let's choose this instrument patch here called a Go Go funk. Let's now drag this over to the track header and this will replace a deluxe classic instrument with a Go Go funk drum instrument. Let's solo this instrument and now let's add a blank loop. So we can type in our own pattern. We can do this...

by tapping and holding on a blank space in the arrangement and then select crate pattern region, then tap on the pattern region, tap, edit and select show an editor or simply open the editor window at the bottom of the window. So now we have the sequencer open. Let's have a look at some of the tools in the sequencer. The length on the right indicates the number of steps. This sequencer uses steps is a unit used in sequences that break the pattern into equal measurements. Usually its rhythmic value is 1/16 note. You can add musical elements such as notes, chords or drum hits, use the grid to align elements to the desired beats or bars. So let's type in some steps. Now, horizontally, we have the steps and vertically. For this instrument, we have the different instruments. So the kick, snare, clap and high hats, for example, different instruments may have notes vertically. But for this drum kit, we have drums, I've just added a simple kick and snare pattern and let's hear this back. Now, sequencers can be used for any instrument plug in in logic pro but traditionally used for drums. Let's now have a look at a few of these functions. For the step sequencer. Starting with the tie function, we can access the tie function by pressing this button up here. So when we tap on a step, now it will tie the steps together rather than adding or removing steps like we had previously, the tie function allows you to extend the duration of a note beyond a single step for instruments with no sustain like drums, this will have little impact other than making your interface simpler to look at for sustained instruments like bass. This allows you to sustain notes. Let's now add a bass track and sequence a pattern. So I can correctly demonstrate the type feature. So let's create a new track by pressing the plus button. Let's choose a pattern software instrument again. Then in the browser, let's remove the drums tag and add the bass tag. Let's now add this a to eight bass instrument to the new instruments, track header to replace the instrument. OK. Let's now create a new pattern region to do this tap and hold on the arrangement for this track and select, create pattern region. Let's now tap and hold on this region and go to edit, show an editor. Let's now drag up the editor. So we have a bit more space you'll notice now vertically, we don't have the different instruments. We have the different note pictures for the bass. Let's just keep this simple though. And I'll type in a note every four steps on a note C free. OK. Let's hear this back. Now. Let's go to the tie function and tie these notes by tapping and dragging. OK. Let's hear this back and you should be able to hear that these first notes are tied and held. Let's now have a look at the repeat tool. The repeat tool allows you to increase how many times a pattern is played when the note is triggered, this allows you to incorporate roles and interesting grooves into your sequence. So let's have a look at this on a drum pattern. So let's now close the bass pattern editor by pressing the pencil icon. And now let's solo the drum track. Let's now select the drum pattern region and open up the pattern editor by pressing the pencil icon. Let's now tap on the repeat tool up here and let's drag on the snare. So it plays back three times rather than one. OK. Let's hear this back now. OK? So now let's have a look at the loop tool. The loop tool lets you change the amount of steps that are being repeated for different tracks independently from one another. For this example, let's have the high hat repeat every eight steps and the kick and snare repeat every 16 steps. Let's change the looped on off up here. And now let's type in a high hat pattern. For this example, I'll just have the high hat play every step. But if you're following along, feel free to make your own pattern. This allows you to incorporate more complex rhythms into your sequence. For beginners, we recommend keeping the loop time the same for all tracks as polyrhythms are a complex aspect of music that can sound messy when not executed properly. Let's now have a look at the chance to the chance tool allows you to change the percentage chance that the sample will trigger after the sequencer has played the note, this adds an element of randomness to the sequence, which can be interesting for something like SIMS. For this example, though, let's change the chance for the high hat pattern. By the way, 100% means it will play every time and 0% means it will not play at all. So 25% means there's a 25% chance of the note playing and 44% means there's a 44% chance of the note playing. OK. Let's hear this back. So you can hear that by using the chance tool and lowering the chance we add some randomization to the part. Let's put the chance back to 100%. So the notes will play every time. Let's now have a look at the offset tool, the offset tool, adjust the timing slightly before or after the notice actually triggered by the sequencer. Let's select offset and apply it to the snare. This goes from 0%. So no offset up to 50%. This also goes down to minus 50%. So the note will play a little sooner. This lets you further manipulate your rhythms and is a useful tool for creating lazy grooves by making some of the notes slightly later than the grit. The snare part should play a little later and should give us a more laid back and lazy feeling for the drum part. Let's now hear this back and adjust the offset amount for the snare. OK. So that's some of the different note functions in the step sequencer available to us. Let's now have a look at how we can arrange our patterns in the arrangement window. You can duplicate the pattern to create repetitions. We will need to select the copy icon up here to duplicate the pattern or region. Each instance of the pattern region shares the same underlying pattern, making it easier to maintain consistency. You can change individual pattern regions for variation. You can also copy and paste pattern regions into live loop cells to trigger and arrange them from there. So we can do this by going over to the pattern view and then tap and hold on a cell and press paste from understanding the interface to working with media audio. You now have the tools to create dynamic grid based compositions. In our next lesson, we'll explore advanced editing and automation techniques.

Class Materials

Bonus Materials

Lesson_24_-_Gestures_in_Logic_Pro_for_iPad.pdf

Lesson_28_-_ChromaGlow_Project_Example.logicx.zip

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Tomas George

Tomas is a UK Music Producer, Composer, Audio Engineer and Video Maker. He's been producing and writing music now for over twenty years, but especially loves teaching it online. Since 2016, he has created online courses about music, audio, and video production that hundreds of thousands of students from around the world have taken. <div><div><br></div></div>

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Sequencers and the Step Editor

Sequencers and the Step Editor

Lesson Info

8. Sequencers and the Step Editor

Lessons

Downloading and Installing Logic Pro for iPad

Interface Overview

Creating a New Project

MIDI Basics

Play Surfaces

Recording and Editing Audio

Using the Live Loops Window