How To Write Chords and Melodies Fast in Logic Pro X

About this video

• Video Title: How To Write Chords and Melodies Fast in Logic Pro X
• Channel: Jake Masca
• Speakers: Jake
• Duration: 00:08:36

Overview

This video demonstrates a workflow in Logic Pro X for quickly writing chords and melodies in key. Jake Masca introduces a method utilizing the brush tool with scale quantization and custom key commands to streamline the music creation process, especially for those less familiar with music theory.

Key takeaways

• Brush Tool with Scale Quantize: Using the brush tool (shortcut T then B) in conjunction with the scale quantize feature allows users to quickly draw MIDI notes that automatically snap to a chosen scale (major or minor), ensuring they stay in key.
• Time Quantize for Brush Tool: Within the brush tool settings, the time quantize can be set to "1" to make the tool fill a full bar with each click, useful for creating sustained chords.
• Custom Key Commands for Value Changes: Jake demonstrates setting up custom key commands (Option 1 and Option 2) to quickly change the length/value of MIDI notes drawn with the brush tool, allowing for faster creation of different note durations.
• Identifying Chord Names: In the piano roll, highlighting existing chords displays their names in the top-left corner, which can be helpful for referencing or transcribing.
• Creating Basslines from Chords: The video suggests that by identifying the chord names of existing parts, users can then create complementary basslines by selecting the root notes of those chords.