10.6

6Control Surfaces Support Guide
An overview of using control surfaces in
Logic Pro
Control surfaces are hardware devices that typically feature controls such as faders, rotary
knobs, buttons, and displays. Control surfaces allow you to select parameters for editing,
or select tracks, channel strips, or channel strip banks for playback and recording. Some
offer a Jog Wheel to move the playhead precisely, transport buttons to control project
playback, and other controls.
More sophisticated control surfaces can feature motorized faders, rotary encoders, LED
rings, and programmable displays. The additional feedback these provide makes them
easier to use without looking at your computer screen or relying on mouse interaction.
Logic Pro provides dedicated support profiles (plug-ins) for a number of hardware control
surfaces, enabling control of transport, mixing, recording, automation, and other tasks.
Many USB MIDI keyboard controllers can also act as control surfaces. In addition to
a musical keyboard, these devices can include drum pads (used for note entry or as
buttons to execute Logic Pro commands), faders, rotary controls, transport controls, and
assignable buttons that can be mapped to Logic Pro commands. Logic Pro provides Lua
scripting support, rather than a dedicated profile, for dozens of keyboard (and desktop)
controllers from various manufacturers. USB MIDI keyboards can be automatically mapped
to Smart Controls and other Logic Pro functions, or you can create and modify your own
assignments.
The Logic Pro User Guide contains a section that shows you how to set up your control
surface device to work with Logic Pro.
Note: A number of devices such as Nektar Panorama, Native Instruments Komplete
Kontrol, and other units, provide a manufacturer-supplied plug-in. Refer to the device
manufacturer’s documentation for setup information.
All Logic Pro Mixer controls, such as level and pan, can be adjusted onscreen with your
mouse and computer keyboard. This is not an ideal method for precise real-time control.
You can enhance your creative flow and can achieve greater flexibility and precision by
connecting a hardware control surface to your computer.
Control surfaces or MIDI keyboard controllers are ideal for creating dynamic live
performances using a portable Mac and an audio interface. In the studio, you can record
control surface automation for mixer and plug-in parameters (even when Logic Pro is not in
record mode). Track automation appears in the Tracks area and in the Piano Roll Editor.
Moving a fader on the control surface prompts the corresponding fader in the Logic Pro
Mixer to move, and rotary knobs (or other controls) can be used to control EQ or other
parameters, with the corresponding parameters updating instantly in Logic Pro.