10.6

34Logic Pro Instruments
Logic Pro Alchemy additive element controls
Source components are shown only in advanced view. Click the Advanced button to switch
to advanced view, then click the A/B/C/D button to select the source you want to edit.
The parameters in this section are shown when the Additive button is active in a source
subpage. The additive element controls also include a number of additive effects. See
Logic Pro Alchemy additive element effects.
Additive element parameters
• On/off button: Enable or disable the additive element in the source. This can be useful
when an audio file has been imported using Add+Spec mode and both the additive
and spectral engines are used to recreate different aspects of the sound. Use the on/
off button to disable either section if you need to listen to the additive or spectral
component in isolation.
• Sine/Complex buttons: Use Sine to resynthesize each partial with a sine wave. Use
Complex to choose a resynthesis waveform from the Shape pop-up menu.
Sine mode results in the most accurate resynthesis of the original sample and makes it
easy to work with the additive effects and formant controls. In Complex mode, choosing
any non-sine waveform can have a dramatic and often unusual effect on the overall
timbre of the sound.
Note: The additive effects and formant controls are named on the assumption that each
partial is a sine wave. If one of the complex waveforms is used, the Pulse/Saw knob and
formant shape selectors behave in a more complex manner. To simplify working with
these controls, it is recommended that the Sine option is chosen in most cases.
• Shape pop-up menu: Choose a waveform used to resynthesize each partial in your
sound.
• Volume knob: Set the output level of the additive element within the source. When
multiple elements are used in a source, use this control to set the relative level of the
additive component.
• Num Partials knob: Set the number of additive partials that are generated (up to 600).
The number of oscillators required depends on the sound. For example, a flute has a
limited number of harmonics and requires fewer partials than a cello or a violin. The
playable register can also affect the number of oscillators required: high notes will
accommodate only a small number of higher harmonics before reaching the limits of
audibility, while low bass notes may have hundreds of harmonics without reaching the
limit. Alchemy automatically sets a suitable Num Partials value when re-synthesizing
additive data from imported audio files. You can reduce this value in some cases, but
removing higher partials can cause unwanted changes to certain sounds.