Logic Pro Introduction Course

This beginner’s guide to Logic Pro 8 will teach you all of the essential MIDI skills which can be used across any genre of music. Whether you are a complete novice or have worked on your own music production projects before, the regular one to one correspondence with an experienced pro producer will prove invaluable. Mac users only.

Course materials:

Weekly webchat with an experienced pro producer

Personalised project feedback via video

Over 20 Quicktime video tutorials

300 pages of notes                                           

Song files and audio samples

24/7 access to student / tutor discussion forums

Course Breakdown:

MIDI Sequencing

• What is MIDI?
• How to use software instruments in Logic Pro 8
• Basic structure: beats, bars, tempo & time signature
• How to record MIDI

Introduction to Drum Programming

• Differentiating the sounds (snare, kick, hats etc.)
• Programming drum machines
• Making your first beat
• Editing MIDI: velocity, note length and quantize

Drum programming - 2: Creating Groove and Live Feel

• What is ‘groove’ and 'live' feel?
• Using Logic’s EXS24 to record 'live' MIDI drums
• Quantization
• Adding a groove in Logic Pro 8

Apple Loops and Percussion

• The role of percussion
• Making the most of Apple loops
• How to create a basic rhythm arrangement
• Exploring different music styles and drums

Introduction to Music Theory: Chords

• Notes, octaves, tones and semi tones
• What is a scale? Constructing Scales
• How to use EB3 and EVP88 in Logic
• Chord construction and inversion

Making the Bassline

• Understanding the role of the bassline
• Key basslines tecniques to bear in mind
• Instruments and notes: analysing the bassline and groove in Logic
• Techniques for recording and editing a bassline

Introduction to Analog Synthesis

• How do synthesizers make sounds?
• A guide to classic synths and how to create original synth sounds
• Getting to grips with the oscillator: envelopes, filter and volume
• 'Phattening' up your sounds

Analog Synthesis - 2

• Modulation: giving expression to a sound
• What is LFO and how does it work?
• Glide with bass and synth sounds / Portamento
• How to modulate the filter using various parameters

Structure and Arrangement

• Introduction to instrumentation and arrangement
• How to create a basic structure for your tracks
• Add interest: Understanding breaks, cuts and fills
• How to structure a floor-filling club track

Further Production Techniques

• The Logic Pro environment
• Getting to grips with the Arpeggiator
• Assigning parameters to your MIDI controller
• The Piano Roll: How to use Hyperdraw

Basics of Mixing

• The mixer in Logic Pro 8: the basic concept of mixing
• Levels & panning
• Inserts: basic EQ
• Bus channels: basic reverb & delay

Final Project

• How to mixdown your audio for CD & Mp3
• Final project submission
• Final exam

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Tutor profile

JC Concato
JC's previous projects include production, engineering and remix work for the likes of Bjork, Portishead, The Cure, Erasure, Allister Whitehead, Galliano, Pressure Drop, Raggatwins and Renegade Soundwave.

Created on this course