Logic Tips: MIDI Draw Automation

In this tutorial, Jono Buchanan walks you through the MIDI Draw tool in Logic Pro, demonstrating how you can use it to draw automation and add expression to your parts. You'll learn how to use the function to modulate velocity and volume, which is particularly useful when using virtual instruments.
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:24 The track
1:11 The MIDI notes
2:07 MIDI Draw
3:40 Creating velocity ramps
5:29 Bringing a new part to life
8:21 Dynamic modulation
10:19 More expression
12:43 Recap

[@dawghead8576]

The great thing about Jono's tutorials is they're all meat and no fat. There's no time wasted telling you to subscribe or like before we've even watched. The fact is you watch a couple of minutes and you've already done both those things because you wanted to, not because someone told you to. Quality and class are easy to recognise. I'm a relatively experienced user of Logic and I still learn something every time I watch Jono. There aren't many KZbinrs I can say that about. I envy the students who are able to attend his lectures on a regular basis. What an education.

[@MusicTechOfficial]

We designed these with this in mind! Thank you for noticing. There's a lot of competition on KZbin, but we've designed this to be a playlist that feels like a complete course, or if you dive into a single video you can get the specific tutorial you need. :-) Thanks for the support!

[@Pretzels722]

return of the logic tutorial king

[@Alexlamb442]

Jono is my favourite Logic Pro teacher

[@martinewaltier]

This was so clear and direct - so grateful for your teaching. Excited to apply it to my recordings! Thank you :)

[@hgatetravelista]

Thank you very much, Jono, for a very clear and concise explanation on something which had baffled me for a while! You've explained it better than anyone else I've seen on youtube. 🙂

[@glenstephens1186]

Great vid. I think I could sit here all night just playing your tutorials. Thanks again.

[@patrickdineen4994]

Hello, thank you so much for your tutorials, they are so clear and informative.

[@mas3974]

Another great video! I learn so much with these.

[@joshadams218]

This was so good. I can’t thank you enough!!!

[@nickmack1976]

Great stuff - thanks! Up until now I've mainly relied on volume automation for expression (not helpful when it's come to mixing), so this will change how I work :)

[@lewisinkpress]

Thanks Jono -- something I finally already have been using!! - and correctly in fact... life's little moments -- keep 'em coming sir! cheers!

[@MusicTechOfficial]

Will do!

[@tingkey6783]

just changed my life thanks so much

[@mauromarionbizzotto]

Excellent tutorial!

[@irinalensky7403]

Thank you so much!! I personally find it so disruptive to use expression controllers while I record, I tend to use Spitfire audio samples a lot, and when I use my keyboard expression controllers the results are just disappointing, the dynamics are not smooth enough, the velocity levels jump up and down and sound rough. I find using the automation afterwards much more effective. But I am still quite new to this. Brilliant tutorial, thank you!!

[@bernadinekka2466]

Very helpful for me. Thank you so much 😊 😊

[@bassManDavis1953]

Hey Jono, how do you do it? It's like your a mind reader! I don't have any sliders and have been very frustrated with how on earth do I make my orchestration have realistic expression? BOOM! Head exploding! You have shown me and as always so well presented and made so easy to understand, thank you so much.

[@SpiramusPresents]

thank you so much!!!!

[@joeypereira1592]

Excellent technique. Instruction

[@MusicTechOfficial]

Thank you!

[@toddlask]

nice job!

[@jessicalocke5775]

Excellent presentation, thank you. Can you tell me what brand of studio desk workstation you have? It looks great. Thanks!

[@HaohanH7BranDy]

What a nice teacher! Wondering what kind of midi drum set you used in the clip?

[@djmmjd3]

Jono, what would be your approach to recording expression & MIDI data in realtime after you've recorded the notes? Meaning doing exactly what you did here on the first pass of recording the notes, but then doing a 2nd realtime pass to record any expression, modulation, pitch bend, sustain etc (as opposed to drawing it in). Does there need to be MIDI merge on or something else? BTW Great work again!

[@juliagianlucaprodmusic]

Excellent! Do you know how automate a midi controller knob to control expression?

[@fractalman8064]

Like your content. What's the device on your desk next to your keyboard?

[@odusmusic]

hey @musictech , very useful video. also, I see you have an Emagic AMT8 in the background... did you succeed making it run under new mac M1, if you have one?

[@tonynicosiamusic7237]

Hi Jono, I am Tony your new subscriber, thanks for all your videos, I learned and save a lot of time, I have a question, what is the name of your cello, it is very good. Thank you very much. And what is your favorite bank of strings and violins? Thanks for your help.

[@rl5128]

Hey, thanks for this! what is that device you got near your keyboard? with the knobs?

[@kurttomlinsoncompositions1067]

Can you bend the automation lines like in cubase?

[@lonewolf3749]

Hey man, great video. I just have a question. Is it possible to assign and control software instruments like native instruments or other soft synths with this keyboard or any midi keyboard in fact? Or is it more just for controlling, track pan, volume etc? I'd like to be able to write automation in logic Pro. Things like cutoff, attack, resonance Thanks!

[@PabloCaputto]

same

[@dazboot2966]

When MIDI draw was on the arrange page you could simply draw on the data across multiple regions with one long line. I cant seem to be able to do that now that it's been placed under the editor, the midi draw only seems to exist in Region - am I missing something

[@TubularJim183]

Jono, which MIDI slider-controller are you using here in this "Logic Tips: MIDI Draw Automation" tutorial?

[@wiseaxe]

Excellent, as always! I have been wondering what model of midi controller is that with the three sliders?

[@MarekJakubowicz]

Looks like monogram midi controller. Check it on YT or website.

[@wiseaxe]

@@MarekJakubowicz Thank you Marek!

[@vladimirvladstorf]

Hi there, I have some volume automation in my MIDI, that does not come up in the piano roll at all. It's not on the track automation either. It just goes straight to 6dB randomly for no reason. Any ideas?

[@DawnrzHicksky]

👌👌😎

[@jakeyboy2929]

When i draw expression data it does not change the expression within my vst. The only way i can get it to work is if i right click expression on my vst and then learn midi with a controller. The issue is it shows as modulation data after recording and not expression data. Any ideas? Im using LPX

[@sheekyking]

Please help, I'm trying to modulate just like you do but it is not working. I put in the points but I hear absolutely no difference.

[@donniecatalano]

I started feeling like my wife likes Jono more than she should 😊

[@droobie_]

my wife left me because of Jono

[@donniecatalano]

Apple Bottom Jeans Boots with the Ferb Damn, I was worried about that

[@MusicTechOfficial]

Hahaha!

[@neorahmusic9245]

now try that with pan good luck logic sucks at that