The new Drummer Tool in Logic Pro X is really useful for producers wanting to create a simple, or complex drum beat really quickly and without much hard work. In this article, we'll be covering the main features as well as showing you how to use this fantastic tool.
Before we begin, it's important to understand that there are unlimited possibilities with the Drummer tool. Whilst we will be covering one type of drum pattern in this article, there are many more for you to explore and use.
Step 1
Open up Logic Pro X and Create a New Project. In this tutorial, we'll be starting with an Empty Project.
Step 2
Then, select Drummer in the Track Creation pop-up which appears. Change your Output settings accordingly and click the Create button.
Step 3
You'll now be confronted with the Drummer window at the bottom of your screen. This is where you change the main settings and options for the Drummer tool. You could have a play around with the different options, and see which sounds best. You can drag the yellow circle around the dark pad to change the complexity and dynamics of the loop. You can also select which components are used and how many fills to have or how swingy you want the loop to be.
Step 4
The changes you make to the loop within the Drummer tool menu will be reflected in this track. There are two sections auto-generated when selecting to use the Drummer tool, so it's important to alter both sections to your needs. You can ofc course loop these sections and cut them down to your desired length.
Step 5
There are four categories of presets. These are Rock, Alternative, Songwriter and R&B. Select one of these to change the overall sound of the loop.
Step 6
Next, you're asked to choose a Drummer. It's not really that important as to which one you pick, however, each Drummer has a different set of presets available for use.
Step 7
Once you've selected your Drummer, you can select a preset, and then tweak it using the editor to the right.
Step 8
Double-clicking on the icon of the Drum Kit will display more settings. Here you can change the global settings for the whole track, including parameters such as Mix Levels, Compression Amount and Effects.
Step 9
If you click on the name of the Drum Kit underneath the Drummer's info, a Live Drum Kit will appear. This allows you to click onto a Drum part, swap it for a different model, and edit the sounds which that particular component makes. It's also quite fun to click around the different parts and attempt to make a simple beat, however, using just your mouse for this purpose is a little limiting and so you're best to use the settings and features which have been mentioned above.
Final Thoughts
That's it! You've successfully created your own Drum beat. Above all, the best way to use the Drummer tool in Logic Pro X is simply to mess around, have a jam, and create some awesome beats! I'm sure you'll agree that the Drummer tool is a really awesome piece of kit within the software.
