This is my complete list of all my favorite Logic Pro X Key Commands.
- How To Find The Key Of A Song Logic
- How To Find The Key Of A Song In Logic Pro
- How To Find The Key Of A Song In Logic Pro X
Once you watch my 30-minute tutorial, you'll see even how finding the key can be systematic. I even give a Litmus test of sorts to make sure you have the right key. ——-Finding the key of a song is the #1 skill you must have as an ear musician. Without the ability to find the key, nothing else can happen. The Auto-Key automatic key detection plug-in detects the song key of any audio file and effortlessly sends those parameters to all instances of Auto-Tune in a DAW with a single button click. It significantly improves music production workflow for producers, songwriters and audio engineers. A must-have plug-in.
My name is Mike, I am a composer and Logic Pro X user. Just. Like. You! =)
The reason I made this list of key commands was simply because I personally was frustrated with trying to remember them all.
All Key Commands marked in bold are my own custom key commands.
PS. Make sure you bookmark this page, you are going to go back to it a lot! How much is fortnite. =)
Library (Y)
Inspector (I)
Toolbar (Ctrl + Option + CMD + T)
Smart Controls (B)
Mixer (X)
Editors (E)
Piano Roll (P)
Score Editor (N)
List Editors (D)
Note Pads (Option + CMD + P)
Apple Loops Browser (O)
Media Browser (F)
Colors (Option + C)
Key Command Window (Option + K)
Step Input Keyboard (Option + CMD + K)
Track Headers (Option + T)
Show/Hide all Plugin Windows (V)
Recall Screensets from 1 to 9 (1-9)
Project Settings (Option + P)
Open/Close Instrument in Selected Track (CMD + F1)
Open/Close 1st Insert FX on Selected Track (Option + CMD + F1)
Open/Close 2nd Insert FX on Selected Track (Option + CMD + F2)
Open/Close 3rd Insert FX on Selected Track (Option + CMD + F3)
Open/Close 1st MIDI FX on Selected Track (Ctrl + Option + CMD + F1)
Open/Close 2nd MIDI FX on Selected Track (Ctrl + Option + CMD + F2)
Open/Close 3rd MIDI FX on Selected Track (Ctrl + Option + CMD + F3)
Save (CMD + S)
Undo (CMD + Z)
Redo (Shift + CMD + Z)
Copy (CMD + C)
Paste (CMD + V)
Delete (Backspace)
Select All (CMD + A)
Show Tool Menu (T)
Automation (A)
Forward 1 Bar (.)
Rewind 1 Bar (,)
Forward 8 Bars (Shift + .)
Reverse 8 Bars (Shift + ,)
Go to Home (Numpad: 0)
Go to Previous Marker (Option + ,)
Go to Next Marker (Option + .)
Go to Marker Number X (Numpad: 1-9)
Go to Selection Start (Ctrl + Home)
Go to Selection End (Ctrl + End)
Zoom to Selection or All Content (Z)
Zoom Tool (Ctrl + Option)
Zoom Focused Track (Ctrl + Z)
Zoom Height (CMD + Arrow Up/Down)
Zoom Sequencer (CMD + Arrow Left/Right)
Zoom Height with Trackpad (Option + Swipe Up/Down)
Zoom Sequencer with Trackpad (Option + Swipe Left/Right)
Zoom to Fit Locators (Ctrl + Shift + Z)
Go back to Previous Zoom Setting (Ctrl + Option + Left-Click)
Play (Spacebar)
Play from Selection (Shift + Spacebar)
Record (R)
Record/Record Toggle (Numpad: *)
Record/Record Repeat (Shift + Numpad: *)
Capture Recording (Shift + R)
Discard Recording + Go to Previous Position (CMD + .)
Stop (Numpad: 0)
Pause (Numpad: ,)
Cycle Mode (C)
Set Cycle Area to Rounded Selection (U)
Set Cycle Area to Exact Selection (CMD + U)
Metronome (K)
Count-In (Shift + K)
Tuner (=)
Track Input Monitor Toggle (Ctrl + I)
Solo Selected Tracks (S)
Mute Selected Tracks (M)
Toggle Solo'ed Tracks (Ctrl + Shift + CMD + S)
Solo Selected Regions + shift to add (Ctrl + S)
Mute Selected Regions + shift to add (Ctrl + M)
Toggle Solo'ed Regions (Ctrl + S)
Varispeed (Ctrl + Option + CMD + V)
Low Latency Mode (Ctrl + Shift + CMD + L)
Show/Hide Global Tracks (G)
Global Tracks View Settings (Option + G)
Show Marker Track Only (‘)
Add New Marker (Option + ‘)
Rename Marker (Shift + ‘)
Delete Marker (Option + Backspace)
Repeat Part (CMD + R)
Repeat Section between Locators (Ctrl + CMD + R)
Quantize (Q)
Snap to Grid (CMD + G)
Bounce Regions in Place (Ctrl + B)
Time Stretch Part (Option + Drag Lower Part Corner)
Toggle Hide View (H)
Hide all Empty Tracks (Numpad: 'clear')
Unhide all Tracks (Shift + Numpad:'clear')
Set Next Higher Division (Ctrl + Option + CMD + Home)
Set Next Lower Division (Ctrl + Option + CMD + End)
Set Quantize to Previous Value (Ctrl + Option + CMD + Page Up)
Set Quantize to Next Value (Ctrl + Option + CMD + Page Down)
New Track Window (Option + CMD + N)
New MIDI Track (Option + CMD + S)
New Audio Track (Option + CMD + A)
Rename Track (Shift + Enter)
Rename Region (Shift + N)
Name Regions by Track Name (Option + Shift + N)
Join Regions per Track (J)
Join Regions on separate Tracks (CMD + J)
Split Regions/Notes at Playhead (CMD + T)
Multi-Split Regions (Scissor + Option)
Solo Selected Tracks (S)
Mute Selected Tracks (M)
Solo Selected Regions (Ctrl + S)
Mute Selected Regions (Ctrl + M)
Toggle Solo'ed Regions (Ctrl + S)
Toggle Solo'ed Tracks (Ctrl + Shift + CMD + S)
Move Note Up +1/-1 (Option + Up/Down)
Move Note Up +12/-12 (Shift + Option + Up/Down)
Nudge Note Left/Right (Option + Left/Right)
Join Notes (CMD + J)
Multi-Split Notes (Scissor + Option)
Mute Selected Notes (Ctrl + M)
Select all Muted Notes (Shift + M)
Select Notes of same Sub Position (Shift + P)
Select Notes with Same Articulation (Shift + D)
Invert Selection (Shift + I)
Temporarily disable snapping (Click + Ctrl + Shift + Drag)
Remove Overlaps (F1)
Force Legato (F2)
MIDI In Toggle (F3)
How To Find The Key Of A Song Logic
Strip Silence (Ctrl + X)
Normalize Region Gain (Ctrl + Option + CMD + N)
Normalize Audio in Audio File Editor (Ctrl + N)
Reverse Audio in Audio File Editor (Ctrl + Shift + R)
Trim Audio in Audio File Editor (Ctrl + Shift + T)
Convert Region to Sampler Track (Ctrl + E)
Transient Editing Mode in Audio File Editor (Ctrl + T)
Convert Audio Regions to Independent Copies (Option + CMD + F)
Toggle Automation (A)
Autoflow Automation Lanes (CMD + Y)
Add Automation Points (Double-Click)
Delete Automation Points (Select + Backspace)
Select Automation Points (Option + Selection)
Move Single Automation Point (Click + Drag)
Move all Following Automation Points (Option-click Point + Drag)
Automation Curve (Ctrl + Shift + Drag)
Create Region Automation Points (Marquee + Click in Selection)
Lock X-Axis when Editing Point (Ctrl)
Delete Visible Automation on Selected Track (Ctrl + CMD + Backspace)
Delete ALL Automation on Selected Track (Ctrl + Shift + CMD + Backspace)
Toggle Read/Latch Automation (Ctrl + CMD + A)
Assign MIDI automation (Move parameter – CMD + L – Move Controller)
Snap Automation Points (Ctrl + Option + CMD + G)
Please note that key commands may differ depending on Logic Pro X version, your MAC keyboard version, your key command language preset etc.
For reference, this was my setup as of writing this list: Logic Pro X 10.4.2, US Key Command Preset, Full Sized MAC Keyboard with numpad (Swedish layout).
Watch all my Logic Pro X Tips & Tricks Videos here.
I wish you all the best in improving and mastering your workflow in Logic Pro X! =)
PS. Get these Free Bonuses Today
Finding the right key of a song is another tall order for anyone but it is especially important for lead guitarists.
When I first started trying to find the keys of songs I felt I was lost in some woods somewhere and didn't know which direction to turn. I would try chords and scale patterns but eventually finding the key and scale i should be playing would take me… a while to say the least.
What is a key?
Without going into to much detail, and ensuring we are both on the same page, a key in music is the group of pitches/notes which make the harmonic foundation of a piece of music.
Why is knowing the Right Key important?
Well, a sound is a pitch. All the pitches in music form scales and chords that all synchronize and sound good together.
We need to know our key so that we can know which notes to use, and which notes to avoid so that improvising and writing music becomes more productive.
You can understand what the notes are, which notes sound good and form the desired theme for the music being played.
First, Listen to the Song
The first thing you want to do when trying to find the key to a track is first just listen to it.
Once you have spent a few moments listening your brain will become in tune with the song and you will become familiar melody and almost predict which chords and how the melody will proceed.
Once you have zoned in on the song then we can begin to identify the pitch.
Second, Identify the Pitch
How to Easily find your key – find the note which works through the whole song.
Finding the key to any song is easy with the right approach.
The first thing you must do is identify the Pitch. You can do this by humming the pitch, or playing a notes on the guitar.
Once you find a pitch that sounds good throughout the whole song will pitch your key.
You will know it is the right pitch because usually 95% of the time that pitch will match either the first chord or last chord progressions within the song. If the first chord of the song, it will be the last chord. So just to be sure, find the first and last chords of a song, one of them should be what you are looking for.
Third, Match the Pitch to the Key
Once you have identified the pitch which you feel is correct then you want to pick up your instrument and find this pitch by playing through random notes (in ascending order) until the notes match.
How To Find The Key Of A Song In Logic Pro
You can do this by starting from the open E string on the guitar, or middle C from the piano.
Then continue to go down each note in a linear fashion until you find the pitch which matches.
Fourthly, finding the scale?
Once we find the key of a song, the next step is simply following the music formula of that key. Let's say the key we find is an A major, then we can use the A major scale to play. Or if we want to play it safe, switch to pentatonic A major, easier, and sometimes will add some characteristic flairs to your song. To make it even easier, we can move scale up 3 frets to have the F minor pentatonic scale, in this case, we will be playing the F minor pentatonic scale but perceiving it as the A major pentatonic.
What if songs change key ?
Once you have mastered the basics, you will find songs that do not follow this general rule and will often change the key in the middle of the song. The safest way to avoid any mistake at all is to play the notes in the chords, since they are from the same scale, the notes will most of the time fit. If all fails, we have the final resort: play through all the notes in the major scale over the melody to see if it works. Though, take solace that songs like these are rare.
Conclusion
Seasoned players can do it just fine, but for all those who are new to guitar, this is another seemingly insurmountable mountain. On stage, you cannot simply 'feel' the right note and hope it is the one, you must know it is.
How To Find The Key Of A Song In Logic Pro X
Luckily, there are always some guidelines for beginner guitarists. To find the key of a song, firstly, take the first chord of that song and most of the time, that is the key of song. But this is not the foolproof method, though, there are always exceptions in music.
