How To Apply Audio Effects In Logic | Use Plugins Like A Pro

Audio effects are the spice rack of music production. Although your main ingredients are your melodies, rhythms, and lyrics, it is your use of effects that can uplift your tracks, add warmth, or create interesting dynamics that otherwise would be absent in your project. Knowing how to use audio effects is one of the most essential parts of editing audio in Logic Pro.

Over the years, Apple’s Logic Pro has built a reputation for offering a vast array of high-quality stock audio effect plugins. Although Logic’s interface is fairly user-friendly, that doesn’t mean you can master the art of audio processing over the night. It takes a solid foundation and consistency to learn how to carve your desired sounds using effects and plugins.

In this post, I will walk you through everything you need to know to start applying audio effects in Logic Pro. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced producer wishing to hone your skills, this guide should prove useful in your music production journey.

Getting Started: Using Logic’s Presets

Using presets can get you good results in no time. After all, presets are there for a reason, so don’t be afraid of using them! Logic’s library has an extensive list of high-quality presets that you can use for vocals, guitars, and other instruments.

I never used a lot of presets in my projects. However, one of the things I learned working with a professional producer in LA was that presets can give you a jumping off point at the very least. Here’s how you use them in Logic:

•  Click the button on the top-left corner of your screen or press “Y” on your keyboard to open Logic’s Library.
•  Choose one of the patches to load up a preset.

One of the most practical patch categories in Logic’s library is “Electric Guitar and Bass.” Logic’s amp and pedals are among the best free amp simulators for recording the electric guitar directly with your audio interface.

You can take these presets up a notch by adjusting the audio effects from the inspector menu. Check out my recent post on how to use and customize presets in Logic Pro to learn more.

Fundamental Audio Processing Plugins

Presets can be useful, but it’s best if you know how to work with different plugins to get your desired effects. In this way, even if you want to use presets, you can have a better understanding of what’s going on with each preset and make adjustments in the effects chain.

Generally, you’d want to open the Inspector menu to apply effect plugins, though it is possible to add them from the Editor menu as well.

To add effects from the Inspector menu:

•  Click the button from the top-left corner, or press “I” on your keyboard to open the Inspector menu.
•  From the left inspector channel strip, click “Audio FX” to open the plugins’ pop-up menu.

You’ll find a list of all the available plugins on your Mac. Thankfully, Logic’s plugin library is filled with powerful tools that both sound good and are relatively easy to use.

Two of the plugins producers use on almost all tracks are the equalizer and the compressor. Logic’s Channel EQ is a killer multi-band equalizer  that allows you to target different frequencies with surgical precision. You can find it by clicking Audio FX> EQ> Channel EQ.

Logic’s compressor is a versatile tool that allows you to make your tracks sound punchier and cut through the mix better. It works great with multiple instruments, including the guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. Click Audio FX> Dynamics> Compressor to add it to your track.

As mentioned earlier, Logic’s amps designer and pedalboard are excellent tools for shaping the sound of your electric guitar. To use them, click on Amps and Pedals from the Audio FX menu.

Logic offers many powerful and fundamental plugins that can be useful in almost any genre of music you wish to produce. Click here to learn more about Logic Pro’s best stock plugins.

More Advanced Audio Effects

Besides the plugins mentioned above, Logic also offers a lot of quirky and underrated plugins. Moreover, Logic offers different ways you can use these plugins in your projects.

One of the primary things that make your vocals sound professional is the use of reverb and delay plugins.

Reverb creates emulates the color and warmth you get from playing your sound in a room or hall. Logic’s Space Designer is a powerful reverb plugin that you can use in your projects. Add it to your projects by going to Audio FX> Reverb> Space Designer.

On the other hand, delay plugins create an echo-like effect that adds dynamics and presence to your tracks. Logic’s Tape Delay and Stereo Delay are both excellent effect plugins you should have under your radar when producing and mixing. You can find them both from Audio FX> Delay.

One pro-tip when working with reverbs and delays is to use them on buses instead of adding them on multiple tracks. In this way, your computer has to process them only once, which is a perfect method to manage CPU usage when working with Logic. In a YouTube video tutorial, I have explained everything you need to know about using sends and buses in Logic Pro.

Final Thoughts On Applying Audio Effects In Logic

The world of audio processing and applying effects has no end to it. The possibilities are truly endless. It is something you’d want to learn more of all the time as you hone your music production skills.

Once you’ve gained experience using Logic’s stock plugins, you can turn your audio editing skills up a notch by installing third-party plugins and VSTs

If you need more help with songwriting, production, mixing, and mastering, check out my Free 6 Pillars To Learn Logic Pro Faster guidebook.