Time management and finding an efficient workflow are two vital skills any music producer should develop. Even when choosing a digital audio workstation (DAW), a major differentiator is which one offers a more seamless experience for the type of music you’re creating. Logic Pro’s user-friendliness is what makes it one of the most popular DAWs among a vast array of producers.

Among the tools and gear you need for a proper home studio, the importance of MIDI keyboards and controllers is undeniable. Short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, MIDI controllers often come with piano-like keys, pads, faders, knobs, and buttons that send information to your computer. You can trigger notes, change effects, control volume, and control virtually any adjustable parameter within your DAW.

Most MIDI controllers these days made by reputable companies like Arturia, Nektar, Novation, and Native Instruments are seamlessly integrated with DAWs like Logic Pro and Ableton. Nevertheless, customizing MIDI controller surfaces can help you streamline your workflow. Especially when mixing, having a DAW controller can help you control all of the essential parameters on your MIDI controller without having to switch between a mouse and a keyboard.

In this post, I will show you how to assign MIDI inputs to control different tasks in Logic Pro. Thankfully, the process is fairly easy. I will go through some mappings that I find useful as a songwriter and producer.

Getting Started: Mapping Knobs And Faders

First and foremost, make sure your MIDI device is set up properly. Most controllers these days are ready to use outside of the box. All you have to do is connect your controller to your computer via the USB port. If you have trouble connecting your device to your computer, click here to learn more about setting up and troubleshooting MIDI controllers in Logic Pro.

The first thing I’d like to assign a MIDI variable to is the volume fader for each track. It is possible to map things in a way that each knob/fader on your MIDI controller adjusts the fader on different volume tracks. However, what fits within my workflow is setting one fader to adjust the volume on whichever track is selected in Logic.

Here’s how you do it:

•  Press “X” on your keyboard to open the Mixer window in Logic.
•  Press “COMMAND + L” to open the “Controller Assignments” window.
•  Select “Expert View” from the top-left of the window.
•  Click “Learn Mode” from the bottom-right corner to start assigning tasks.

You have to be careful not to press or click anything unnecessary here. Once you’ve enabled Learn Mode, go ahead and click on the volume fader with your mouse/trackpad. You’ll see “Volume” appear under the “Parameter” column. Next to it says “No message received.” Once you move the fader/knob on your keyboard, that changes to “Learned.” To ensure this command controls the volume fader on any selected track, change “Channel Strip” to “Selected Track.”

Once everything is all set. Click “Learn Mode” again to disable it.

I can follow a similar process to assign a knob on my MIDI keyboard to control the pan knob. I turn on Learn Mode, click on a pan knob from the mixer window, move a knob on my MIDI device, make sure it’s set to “Selected Track,” and turn Learn Mode off.

Furthermore, you can assign any parameter from any plugin or VST. For instance, I have added a Channel EQ effect on my track. I can assign a knob to control the low-pass filter frequency to create an underwater-like effect while playing a software instrument.

Turn on Learn Mode in the Controller Assignments, click on the frequency control area for the low-pass filter, move a knob on your MIDI controller, and turn off Learn Mode; as easy as that!

Mapping Shortcuts To Pads

Some of the tasks in Logic don’t have tangible buttons to press when assigning in the Controller Assignment window. Something like moving up and down between tracks, or jumping eight bars back and forth. For those tasks, you should open the key commands editor window.

As an example, I will assign two pads on my MIDI device to select the next/previous tracks within Logic. Here’s how to do it:

•  Click “Logic Pro” from the top-left corner of your screen.
•  Hover your pointer on “Key Commands” and select “Edit Assignments.”

Now, from the top-right corner of the Key Command Assignments window, search for the “Select Next Track” command. Click it, select “Learn New Assignment,” and press one of your pads on your MIDI device.

Once you’ve done that, double-click on where it says “Learned” to open the Controller Assignment window again.

You’d want to make sure you set the Min/Max value for velocity-sensitive pads correctly. Set the minimum to somewhere around 20 to ensure accidental touches won’t trigger anything. Set the maximum to 127.

Final Thoughts On Mapping Your MIDI Controller In Logic

The examples in this article are by no means a fixed solution to mapping a MIDI device in Logic. At the end of the day, you want to assign tasks in a way that fits within your workflow for efficiency and better time management.

For a more thorough tutorial about music production, mixing, mastering, and songwriting, check out my Free 6 Pillars To Learn Logic Pro Faster guidebook.