How to use Selection Based Processing in Logic Pro 10.3

Welcome to masteringinlogic.com quick tips.  With the release of Logic Pro X’s new update 10.3 I thought I’d create a Quick Tips video showing you how to use the new Selection Based Processing feature.  It’s a great tool and will definitely help in adding creative flare to your work if you need it.

Check out the video and learn all about this amazing new addition that has helped to improve and reaffirm Logic as one of the major DAWs on the market… I love it!

Here’s the Transcript of the video 

The first thing I want do is very quickly is go through the Function itself and then give you a few ideas that might help creatively spark your imagination on using this very excellent feature!

To open the Selection-based window select an audio region, regions or a highlighted portion of an audio file with the Marquee tool.

Next either click the Functions button from drop down menu top right of the arrange page or double click on the region to bring up the wave editor and make sure Track is selected not File.  From either drop down menu click on Section-based Processing.. And the processing window will appear.

Understanding the Selection Based Processing Window

The window and processing area itself is really easy to understand.  Starting at the top you have the Channel Strip Setting Menu where you can choose to fill either the A or B plugin columns with different presets.

This is a great way to get used to the how Selection Based Processing works in Logic Pro and you can highlight either A or B and then choose a preset that automatically loads a set group of plugins that you can then use to process an audio file.

Of course if you want to create your own chains you can do that by simply highlighting either A or B, which ever column you want to work with and then start loading plugins into the slots.  You can load as many plugins as you want when you get to the bottom logic will keep adding a new slot

The A/B columns are a great way to … well A/B any chains you create and from whichever column is highlighted that’s the chain where processing will be applied.  The great thing is Logic remembers the chains you set up in a project so you can set two chains up and then apply processing to different tracks within a project.

Logic’s Tick Box Option

The Split the Marquee at their borders box is great if you are doing Selection-based Processing with the Marquee tool; if this box is ticked it will split the region after processing if it’s not ticked processing will be applied but the region won’t be split.

This is useful if you don’t want to split the audio region or if you do it means you can then copy and paste that processed region elsewhere.

Create new take, creates a Take folder much like when you loop record this allows you to choose between the processed and unprocessed.

Add Effect Tail is really useful, say you use delay as part of your processing chain if this box is not checked then the tail from the delays will not be part of the rendered file.  You may not want that tail even if you’re using delay but if you do with say reverbs, delays, stuff like that then you’re gonna wanna check this box so that the tail is rendered too giving you a whole new audio file, which will be longer in length to accommodate the new tail.

The Gain section is a superb addition to this window as it allows you to keep the same gain structure as the original file.

If for example you’re adding distortion with the Bit Crusher, which will add volume selecting Loudness Compensation will ensure the level post processing approximately preserves the RMS value reducing the peak so be careful if you don’t want to squash the part too much, perhaps No Overload protection would be a better choice because it simply ensures you don’t clip the signal within Logic.

So the last essential part of the window to look at is the Pre-Listen button found on the left hand side towards the bottom of the window.  It’s the little speaker icon.

Clicking this allows you to hear what the processed part will sound like; there are playback options below the icon but you’ll probably find leaving them in the default position is fine.

So that’s the window done what can we do with it?

Using the SBP…

So I’m going to show you a couple of ideas that might give you some food for thought in using this window in the future; you’ll come up with far more creative ideas than me I’m sure.

I’ve used Logic’s Apple Loops samples to create a funky slice of music that will hopefully be easy on the ear.

Ok so let’s get to work I want to add subtle movement to the hats nothing too in your face, something interesting with the cymbal fade, the funk guitar needs a bit more interest and I’m going to do something with the vocal too.  Not sure what yet but something?

Let’s get processing!