How to Program a Beat in the Logic Pro Piano Roll
Draw your own drum patterns with precision. Learn to navigate the Piano Roll, use the Pencil tool, and create rhythmic grooves.
This tutorial shows you how to manually draw drum hits into Logic's grid. You will learn to create a basic beat without needing to play it live on a controller.
Follow these steps
Create a MIDI Region
Right-click in the workspace and choose 'Create Empty MIDI Region.' Double-click that region to open the Piano Roll at the bottom.
Select the Pencil Tool
Select the Pencil Tool from the Tool menu (hit 'T' then 'P'). In a drum kit, the keys usually correspond to specific sounds like Kick (C1) and Snare (D1).
Draw Your Notes
Click on the grid to place notes. The horizontal lines represent pitch (the drum sound), and vertical lines represent time (the beat).
Adjust Note Velocity
Select the Velocity tool to change how hard each note is hit. Varying the velocity makes your beat feel more human and less like a machine.
Common mistakes
- Programming drums at a fixed velocity of 127, making them sound robotic.
- Placing notes slightly off the grid lines without meaning to, causing rhythm issues.