Logic Pro 11 Keyboard Session Player (Complete Tutorial)

Today we're going to do a deep dive into Logic Pro 11's Keyboard Session Player. I'll show you how to go beyond the presets in order to create unique keyboard parts that work together with the rest of your song.

Getting Started with the Keyboard Session Player

To kick things off, I have a project open with a piano part already recorded, but for this demonstration, I’m going to mute that track. Instead, we'll use the Logic Session Player to see how it compares. I've already input my chords into the chord track, which the session player will follow. 

Loading and Setting Up

Let's load the keyboard player by clicking the plus button and selecting "Keyboard Player" under Session Player. You’ll see it creates a region, which you can resize by clicking and dragging from the bottom, and the notes will adjust automatically.

Exploring Keyboard Player Styles

One of the cool things about the Keyboard Session Player is the variety of styles available. By default, it’s set to "Freely," which allows for a more improvisational feel. Here are a few styles we’ll explore:

• Freely: Adds a melodic, free-flowing touch.
• Broken Chords: Breaks chords into a rocking pattern.
• Block Chords: Plays steady, straightforward chords.
• Arpeggiated: Runs through each chord note individually.
• Simple Pad: Switches to a Retro synth for atmospheric, held chords.

Customizing Your Sound

Switching back to the "Freely" style, let's dive into the customization options. There are various presets like "Sweet Memories" and "Gentle Ballad" that you can use as starting points. Adjusting complexity and intensity helps control how busy and loud the player is. You can also tweak the left and right hand ranges, voicings, and chord rhythms to better fit your song.

For example, you can choose to turn off the left or right hand, adjust the playing range, or select different voicings. These options allow for immense flexibility, whether you want simple bass notes or more complex, full chords.

Advanced Customization

You can further refine the performance with options like Grace Notes, Dynamics, and Humanize. If you want even more control, convert the session to a MIDI region. This way, you can manually edit each note in the piano roll.

Changing Instruments

By default, the Keyboard Session Player uses the Studio Grand piano. However, you can switch to any other piano or keyboard instrument you have, including third-party plugins. For instance, you can load up the Alicia Keys piano in Kontakt for a different sound.

Conclusion

I hope this deep dive gives you a better understanding of how to use the Keyboard Session Player in Logic Pro. It's an incredibly versatile tool that can help you craft the perfect keyboard parts for your tracks.

TIMECODES:
00:00 Intro
01:03 Loading a Keyboard Session Player
01:48 Player Styles Overview
05:35 Presets
06:35 Complexity & Sensitivity
08:15 Isolating Left & Right Hand
08:51 Range & Register
09:52 Chord Voicing & Style
12:14 Chord Patterns
13:07 Follow Rhythm of Track
13:50 Fill Amount & Complexity
14:40 Swing
14:52 Details
16:10 Manual Rhythm Pattern
17:26 Final Verse Pattern
17:57 Adding New Region Patterns
19:08 Chorus Pattern
19:38 FInal Verse & Chorus
20:36 Human vs AI
22:03 MIDI Editing
23:36 Changing the Piano Sound
25:00 Final Thoughts