Apple Logic Pro X - Manual (Page 280)

Chapter 10 Create a song arrangement 280
Position items using the ruler
The ruler runs horizontally across the top of the Tracks area. For projects set to use the musical
grid, the ruler shows the time format in bars and beats; for projects that don’t use the musical
grid, the ruler shows the standard time format of minutes and seconds.
As the project plays, you can see the part currently playing by watching the playhead move
across the Tracks area. When you move the playhead, or move regions or other items in the
Tracks area, you can use the ruler to place them at the correct point in time. Alignment guides
appear when you move regions and other items to help you align them with other items in the
Tracks area.
When Smart Snap is chosen from the Snap pop-up menu, the units shown in the ruler reflect the
value set in the Tracks area grid. For details about snapping items to the grid, see
Snap items to
the grid .
To set a project to use the musical grid, go to Logic Pro > Project Settings > General. You can also
show a secondary ruler that displays the alternative time format by choosing Secondary Ruler
from the Tracks area View menu. For more details about setting the project to use the musical
grid, see
General settings .
Snap items to the grid
The Tracks area includes a grid that helps you align regions, automation points, and other items
with the time divisions in the ruler. When you perform any of the following actions, the items
move according to the current Snap value:
•
Moving and resizing regions
•
Moving the playhead
•
Adjusting the cycle region
•
Dragging loops to the Tracks area
•
Moving control points in automation curves
When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, the Snap pop-up
menu is available in the Tracks area and in time-based editors, including the Piano Roll Editor
and Audio Track Editor. Using the Snap pop-up menu, you can set the Snap value and perform
other functions.
By default, the Snap function is relative. When you move or edit an item, it retains the same
relative distance from its original grid position. For example, if a region is placed at position
1.2.1.16, and you move the region two beats forward (with the Snap value set to Bar), the region
snaps to position 2.2.1.16, not 2.1.1.1 (or 2.2.1.1). You can move items so that they align with the
nearest grid value by choosing Snap to Absolute Value from the Snap pop-up menu.
You can show the grid in the Tracks area, to help you visualize the positions of items in the Tracks
area relative to the Snap value.