Add notes in the Piano Roll Editor in Logic Pro for Mac

In Logic Pro for Mac, you can add notes to a MIDI region in the Piano Roll Editor using either the Pencil tool or the Brush tool. You can also add notes with your music or computer keyboard. For more information, see Use step input recording in.

Tip: The info display in the Piano Roll Editor menu bar shows the note name and time position under the pointer. Watch the info display as you add notes with the pointer to ensure that you add them at the correct position.

Add a note

In the Logic Pro Piano Roll Editor, do one of the following:

Control-click the Piano Roll Editor background, then choose Create Note from the shortcut menu.
Select the Pencil tool, then click the start position for the note.
Press and hold the Control and Shift keys as you click to add a note at the exact click position, regardless of the current Snap setting.
Click the MIDI In button if it is not already active (red), and use your music or computer keyboard to enter notes using step input recording methods. See Use step input recording in.

The newly created note’s length, velocity, and channel match that of the previously created or edited note event. When you start a new project, the default values are a length of 240 ticks, a velocity of 80, and MIDI channel 1.

Note: When you create a note using the Pencil tool, you can edit the length of notes on the fly. Simply press and hold the mouse button and drag left or right.

Add a note of a specific length

In the Logic Pro Piano Roll Editor, select the Pencil tool, click the start position for the note, then drag right or left.

A help tag shows the length change in real time.

You can make finer adjustments by pressing and holding Option or Control while altering the note length (see Snap to grid in the Piano Roll Editor in Logic Pro).

Add notes based on defined time and pitch settings

In the Logic Pro Piano Roll Editor, do either of the following:

Select the Brush tool, then drag right or left.
The repetition rate of added notes is based on the current Time Quantize settings.
Select the Brush tool, drag right or left, then press and release Shift while dragging.
This restricts all notes to the same pitch.

Add notes based on a defined scale

In the Logic Pro Piano Roll Editor, you can restrict all notes to a defined scale as you add them.

In the Piano Roll Editor inspector, choose the scale and key from the Scale Quantize pop-up menu.
Select the Snap to Scale checkbox.
Use the Pencil tool or the Brush tool to add notes.

Define a brush pattern

In the Logic Pro Piano Roll Editor, select the notes of a short musical phrase you want to use as a pattern.
Select the Brush tool, then Control-click the selected notes with the Brush tool.
Choose Define Brush Pattern from the shortcut menu.

After you define a brush pattern, you can “paint” the pattern using the Brush tool. The repetition rate of the pattern is based on the current Time Quantize settings. To restrict the pattern to notes of a specified scale adjust the Scale Quantize settings.

Duplicate an existing note at another position or pitch

In the Logic Pro Piano Roll Editor, do one of the following:
- Control-click the original note, then choose Define as Default Note from the shortcut menu.
- Click the original note with the Pencil tool.
Note: Editing an existing note also defines it as the default note.
Click a position in the Piano Roll Editor background with the Pencil tool.

The new note’s length, velocity, and channel are the same as the default note.

Download the guides:

Logic Pro User Guide: PDF

Logic Pro Instruments: PDF

Logic Pro Effects: PDF

Control Surfaces Support Guide: PDF

Helpful?

Logic Pro User Guide for Mac