Using the Quick Sampler in Logic Pro X is the best and easiest way to create samples in the app. This is an in-depth but easy-to-use feature of Logic Pro X that allows you to tweak just about any recorded sound into a sample you can use any way you want.
I’m Donovan, and I’ve been writing and recording music for decades. I have years of experience using Logic Pro X and know most of its tools and features well. I’ve spent time with the Quick Sampler in Logic to help develop the information below.
This post will show you how to sample in Logic Pro X. I’ll walk you through some steps to utilize the Quick Sampler in your projects and provide other helpful information that will get you pointed in the right direction with all your samples.
Let’s get started.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- The Quick Sampler is an excellent tool for making samples in Logic Pro X. It allows you to chop and edit samples that you can play back with a MIDI controller or your keyboard.
- You can build a sample with the Quick Sampler on a new track within your Logic projects, similar to creating a new software instrument track.
- The Quick Sampler is full of tools to help you adjust a sample to fit within an existing project. You can change the length, tuning, and loudness of the sample.
How to Sample in Logic Pro X
I like to create a sample in Logic Pro X by importing an audio track that I want to turn into a sample and turning it into a loop. Then I use the Quick Sampler feature to tweak that loop as a sample any way I want to fit it within my project.
Follow these steps to create a sample in Logic Pro X.
1. Open a new Logic project on your Mac.
2. First, we need to create a Loop in Logic by importing an audio track into Logic. Locate the audio track you want to turn into a sample, then drag and drop it into a new track in your Logic project.
3. Now, turn that audio in a loop by trimming it. Click the Flex Time icon, which looks like a sideways hourglass. Click this icon on the top of the project window and in the specific track window of the audio track you want to turn into a sample.
4. Select Polyphonic from the Flex mode drop-down settings in the track window.
5. Listen to your audio and find the section of it that you want to turn into a loop and then a sample.
6. Move your cursor over the first section of the loop and click the trackpad or mouse to set the start marker. Then put another marker at the end of where you want the loop to stop.
7. Control Click within the two markers and select Slice at Flex Markers from the menu that appears.
8. This will trim the section into a loop, and you will have three regions on the audio track. Delete the other regions of the audio that you don’t want to turn into a sample.
9. Drag the trimmed region to the beginning of the project timeline by clicking and dragging it to the right.
10. Stretch the loop to be the number of measures you want. This will speed up or slow down the recorded audio when you have flex time enabled. 2 or 4 measures are standard lengths for samples, but you can do whatever you want.
11. Turn off Flex Mode by clicking the same icons you did to turn it on.
12. Now, you need to insert the loop you just created into the quick sampler. Hold down the Option key and click on the audio loop you created. Drag the audio down into the area below the track and then to the left in the track window.
You’ll see a menu appear that lets you create a new track. Select Quick Sampler (Original) from the available options.
13. The Quick Sampler window will now appear, and your loop will be loaded into it, turning it into a sample. This window allows you to make any adjustments to the sample you want.
14. You can play back the sample with a MIDI keyboard or the musical keyboard within Logic Pro X.
Quick Tip: You can also use the Recorder feature in the Quick Sampler to record audio directly into the sampler without importing and chopping it up, as mentioned in the steps above. This is a very simplified way of creating a sample.
How to Edit Samples in Logic Pro X
Once your sample is loaded in the Quick Sampler, you can edit it any way you wish. Here are a few tips and ideas to keep in mind as you play around with this feature. Editing a sample is similar to editing other types of audio.
At the top of the Quick Sampler window, you’ll see a few options. The Slice feature will allow you to chop up a sample, which is one of the basic sample editing skills you should know about. You can set the slices to match the tempo of the project.
You can also play around with all the knobs and adjustments within the Quick Sampler window to make edits to the sample. You can adjust the Pitch, put filters on the audio, and make several other adjustments right here.
Take some time playing around with the quick sampler feature to see all the possibilities. It’s a pretty extensive feature that can let you create cool samples. You can also edit them very effectively without much skill or effort.
How to Save Sample in Logic Pro X
Once you have created an awesome sample, you’ll want to be sure and save it so you can use it in the future with any of your projects.
To save a sample in Logic Pro X, press the Save button at the bottom of the Library window. The Save button should be in the bottom right of the pane. If you don’t see the Library window, you can hit the Y button as a shortcut to pull it up.
You’ll want to save your samples when you are done editing them so that you can use them for future Logic projects. Always be sure to save your entire project as well, even when you are working on them, so you don’t lose any progress.
How to Get Quick Sampler in Logic Pro X
The Quick Sampler should be available within Logic Pro X if you have the latest version of the app installed and have downloaded this feature. If you don’t see the Quick Sampler in the Library, you should update Logic.
You can update Logic Pro X by going to the App Store and checking for updates. Take a look here for more details.
If you see the Quick Sampler in the Library but nothing happens when you click on it, you don’t have it downloaded. Click on the arrow icon next to the sampler to download the feature onto your computer to use whenever you want.
Final Thoughts
The Quick Sampler feature in Logic Pro X is the best way to make samples in the app. You can import prerecorded audio into Logic and then edit and chop it with the Quick Sampler, or you can record samples directly into the feature.
Sampling is a fun recording skill, and many great hip-hop and electronic producers have built careers around creating amazing samples. If you are interested in those types of music, be sure to spend time exploring how to sample in Logic Pro X.
Have you ever made a sample in Logic Pro X? Did you use the Quick Sampler or do it another way? Let me know in the comments below.
