Ever played a keyboard and wished your notes could hang in the air a little longer? Like, forever-ever?
Well, guess what? With Logic Pro, you can make it happen! It's like giving your notes a superpower.
Sustain Pedal Magic
First, fire up Logic. Get your project ready to go.
Make sure you have a MIDI track armed and ready to record or edit.
Now for the fun part!
The Simple Solution: The Pedal is Your Friend
The easiest way is to use a real, honest-to-goodness sustain pedal. Plug it in!
Record your part with the pedal down whenever you want notes to sustain. It's like driving a car, but with sound!
This is probably the most natural and expressive way to add sustain. Feels good, right?
Drawing Sustain: Become a MIDI Picasso
Don't have a pedal? No problem! We're going digital, baby!
Open the Piano Roll Editor or the Step Editor. This is where the magic happens.
Look for the Controller Lane. It's usually down at the bottom.
If you don't see it, click the little disclosure triangle. Expand your horizons!
Find "Sustain Pedal (CC#64)" in the dropdown menu. This is our canvas.
Now, draw! Click and drag to create horizontal lines. Higher lines mean the sustain is ON.
Think of it like painting with sound. Let your creativity flow! It's surprisingly addictive.
Short sustain? Draw a short line. Epic, never-ending sustain? Draw a looooong line! You're in control.
Fine-Tuning Your Masterpiece
Zoom in to get super precise. Pixel-perfect sustain, here we come!
Experiment with different lengths and placements. Tiny tweaks can make a huge difference.
Try adding little sustain bursts at the end of notes. It can add a cool, almost echo-y effect.
Listen back carefully. Does it sound natural? Does it enhance the emotion of the music?
Remember, less is often more. A little sustain can go a long way.
Don't overdo it unless you're going for a super-dramatic effect.
Beyond the Basics: Get Creative!
Try automating the Sustain Pedal (CC#64) value over time.
Create swells of sustain, or sudden cut-offs for dramatic effect. The possibilities are endless!
Use different sustain lengths on different notes. Create a sense of rhythm and movement.
Combine real-time pedal playing with manual editing. It's a hybrid approach for the modern musician!
Don't be afraid to experiment! There are no rules in music, only possibilities.
So, go forth and add some sustain to your MIDI tracks. Let your notes sing!
You might just discover a whole new dimension of musical expression. Have fun!
