Logic Pro X Flex Time and Pitch overview
Flex Time—similar to what is often referred to as elastic audio in other applications—simplifies the process of editing the timing of notes, beats, and other events in audio regions. You can compress or expand the time between specified events in an audio region without the need for trimming, moving, nudging, or crossfading.
You can edit the timing of notes and beats in audio regions using flex markers. When you choose a Flex Time algorithm, the contents of the audio track are analyzed for transients, or significant peaks, and any detected transients are marked in the audio regions. You can add a flex marker at a specific part of the waveform you want to edit. After adding flex markers to an audio region, you use them to time stretch—compress or expand—the audio material. The initial boundaries within which this is done are determined by the transient markers.
Flex Pitch allows you to quantize and edit the pitch of audio material. You edit the pitch of audio material by choosing the Flex Pitch algorithm. The contents of the audio track are analyzed for pitch using a pitch detection process, and the results are plotted on a pitch curve.
You can edit the timing of audio in the Tracks area and the pitch in the Audio Track Editor.
Flex Time is also available in the Audio Track Editor and Flex Pitch in the Tracks area, when Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane.
Turn on flex in the Tracks area
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Do one of the following to show the flex parameters:
Choose Edit > Show Flex Pitch/Time from the Tracks area menu bar (or press Command-F).
Click the Show/Hide Flex button
in the Tracks area menu bar.
A Track Flex button and Flex pop-up menu appear in the track header of each audio track.
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Click the Track Flex button
in the track header of the audio track you want to edit.
The Flex pop-up menu is now available for use.
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Choose Flex Pitch or one of the Flex Time algorithms from the Flex pop-up menu.
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Do one of the following to show the flex parameters:
Choose Edit > Show Flex Pitch/Time from the Tracks area menu bar (or press Command-F).
Click the Show/Hide Flex button
in the Tracks area menu bar.
A Track Flex button and Flex pop-up menu appear in the track header of each audio track.
Turn on flex in the Audio Track Editor
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Open the Audio Track Editor by doing one of the following:
Select an audio track in the Tracks area, then choose View > Show Editors.
Select an audio track in the Tracks area, then click the Editors button
in the control bar.
Double-click an audio region.
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Click the Show/Hide Flex button
in the Audio Track Editor menu bar (or press Command-F).
Note: Click the Audio Track Editor’s workspace before using the key command, to make sure that the Audio Track Editor has key focus.
You will be asked if you want to turn on flex for the selected track, if it’s not already on. A Flex pop-up menu appears to the right of the Show/Hide Flex button in the Audio Track Editor menu bar.
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Choose Flex Pitch or one of the Flex Time algorithms from the Flex pop-up menu.
Assign the same flex algorithm to all audio tracks
In the Tracks area or Audio Track Editor, hold down Shift while choosing a flex algorithm from the Flex pop-up menu.
Isolate individual regions from the flex editing process
Select an audio region or take region, then deselect the Flex checkbox in the Region inspector.
All flex editing properties on the region or take region are disabled, but not deleted, and the region plays at its original speed.
