Logic Pro is Apple's professional DAW, and it's a natural environment for MIDI pack workflows. The combination of Alchemy — one of the most capable soft synths available — with Logic's clean Piano Roll, powerful Region Inspector, and MIDI Transform tools makes editing and arranging MIDI pack content straightforward. If you're on a Mac, you're working in one of the best DAWs available for this kind of creative work.
This guide walks through the complete Logic Pro workflow for MIDI packs: creating a Software Instrument track, choosing an instrument, importing a .mid file, editing in the Piano Roll, using the Region Inspector for non-destructive changes, and taking advantage of Logic-specific features like MIDI Transform, Smart Controls, and Track Stacks.
If you're new to MIDI packs, start with What Is a MIDI Pack?. For GarageBand (also on Mac), see How to Use MIDI Packs in GarageBand.
What You Need Before You Start
- A MIDI pack downloaded to your Mac (the Beautiful Free MIDI Chord Progressions pack is a great starting point)
- Logic Pro (version 10.6 or later recommended; the workflow applies to all recent versions)
- An instrument — Logic's built-in Alchemy, Retro Synth, or EXS24/Quick Sampler, or a third-party AU/VST plugin
Your MIDI pack is a folder of .mid files sitting in your Downloads or Documents folder. No installation, no setup — just files ready to drag.
Step-by-Step: Using MIDI Packs in Logic Pro
Step 1 — Create a Software Instrument Track
In Logic Pro, MIDI data plays through Software Instrument tracks (green tracks with a keyboard icon). Go to Track > New Software Instrument Track, or use the keyboard shortcut Option+Cmd+S. A dialog appears asking which instrument to load — you can choose now or close it and add an instrument afterward.
Alternatively, in the Tracks area, click the + button at the top left of the track list, set the track type to "Software Instrument," and click Create. The new track appears in the Tracks area with a green color indicator.
Step 2 — Choose Your Instrument
Click the instrument slot in the track's channel strip (the leftmost panel, or open the Mixer with Cmd+2 to see the full channel strip). This opens Logic's Plugin Selection menu. For chord progressions and melodies, these are the strongest native options:
- Alchemy — Logic's flagship synth. Vast preset library, stunning pads, evolving textures, cinematic leads. Arguably the best instrument for chord pack work. Find it under Synthesizer > Alchemy in the Plugin menu.
- Retro Synth — Classic analog/FM/wavetable/sync synthesis. Great for vintage sounds, leads, and bass patches.
- EXS24 / Quick Sampler — Sample playback instruments. Load a piano sample library into EXS24 for realistic piano chord progressions; load individual drum samples into Quick Sampler for drum MIDI packs.
- Vintage Electric Piano — Rhodes and Wurlitzer emulations. Exceptional for R&B and lo-fi chord progressions.
Third-party AU plugins (the standard on Mac) work identically — they appear in the Plugin Selection under "Audio Units."
Step 3 — Import the .mid File
Open Finder and navigate to your MIDI pack folder. Drag the .mid file from Finder directly onto the Software Instrument track in Logic's Tracks area. Drop it at the position on the timeline where you want it to start — typically Bar 1 for a new project.
Logic creates a green MIDI region on the track. This region contains all the note data from the .mid file. Press the spacebar to play from the beginning and hear the notes through your chosen instrument.
Alternatively, use File > Import > MIDI File from the menu bar. Logic will ask how to handle the import — if the .mid file contains only one track (as most MIDI pack files do), it simply creates one region on your current Software Instrument track.
Step 4 — Open the Piano Roll
Double-click the green MIDI region to open it in Logic's Piano Roll (or press Cmd+4 with the region selected to open the Piano Roll at the bottom of the screen). The Piano Roll displays a horizontal grid where each note appears as a colored bar — its vertical position is pitch, its horizontal position is timing, and its length is duration.
A keyboard runs vertically along the left edge. You can click any key on this keyboard to preview that pitch. The velocity of each note appears as a bar in the lower section of the Piano Roll (click the triangle at the bottom to show/hide this panel).
Step 5 — Transpose and Edit Notes
To transpose all notes: press Cmd+A to select everything, then press Shift+Up/Down arrow to move by semitone, or Shift+Option+Up/Down arrow to move by octave. Watch the keyboard on the left to see where your notes land as you transpose.
For non-destructive transposition without touching the Piano Roll at all, use the Region Inspector: click on the region in the Tracks area to select it, then look at the Inspector panel on the left (press I to show/hide). The Transpose field shows a semitone value — type any number there to shift the region's pitch. Setting it to +2 raises by a whole step, -3 lowers by a minor third, and so on. This is the cleanest approach when you're still experimenting with key.
To edit velocity: in the Piano Roll, select notes and drag their velocity bars up or down in the velocity lane at the bottom. Select all and drag to scale everything simultaneously. For more control, use the Velocity tool (select it from the Piano Roll tool menu in the top-left of the Piano Roll window).
Step 6 — Use Smart Controls for Quick Tweaks
Smart Controls give you a simplified, instrument-relevant interface without having to navigate deep into the plugin's full parameter window. Open them by pressing B or going to View > Show Smart Controls. Logic displays a handful of the most musically relevant knobs for whatever instrument is on the current track — cutoff, reverb, attack, and similar parameters.
While your MIDI pattern loops, adjust the Smart Controls knobs to shape the sound quickly. This is the fastest way to go from a default Alchemy preset to something more tailored to your track — tweak the filter cutoff to brighten or darken the tone, pull back the reverb if the sound feels too washed out, or raise the attack for a softer pad-like entry.
Step 7 — Use MIDI Transform for Advanced Editing
The MIDI Transform window (in the Piano Roll under Functions > MIDI Transform) applies rule-based operations to your note data. The most useful presets for MIDI pack work:
- Humanize — Adds small random variations to velocity and timing, making machine-quantized MIDI feel more like a live performance. Apply this subtly (small variation values) to chord progressions for a less rigid feel.
- Velocity Limiter — Scales all note velocities into a set range. Useful when a MIDI pack's velocities are too dynamic or too flat for your mix.
- Crescendo / Decrescendo — Ramps velocity values across selected notes, creating a natural volume build or fade over a phrase. Excellent for breakdown builds.
Step 8 — Duplicate and Layer with Track Stacks
To layer multiple instruments playing the same MIDI data: duplicate the Software Instrument track by going to Track > Duplicate Track (or Option-dragging the track header). The duplicate carries the same MIDI regions. Change the instrument on the duplicate and adjust the volume balance.
Once you have two or three layered tracks, select all of them (Shift+click each track header), then go to Track > Create Track Stack and choose "Summing Stack." Logic groups them under a single parent track with one fader that controls the entire layer's volume. Clean, organized, and easy to balance against the rest of your arrangement.
Step 9 — Bounce Regions to Audio
When your MIDI arrangement is final, bounce MIDI tracks to audio to free up CPU and lock in your sounds. Select a region (or multiple regions), then go to File > Bounce > Regions in Place. Logic renders the MIDI to an audio file and places it on the track. The original MIDI region is kept (muted) underneath, so you can always go back if you need to re-edit.
Logic Pro-Specific Tips and Best Practices
Apple Loops Integration
Logic's Apple Loops browser (shortcut: O) contains thousands of MIDI loops alongside its audio loops. These can coexist with your MIDI pack content — drag an Apple Loop MIDI file and a MusicCreator MIDI file onto separate tracks to layer them. Apple Loops tagged as MIDI automatically follow your project's key and tempo, which makes them flexible when combined with transposed MIDI pack content.
Use the Region Inspector Before the Piano Roll
For simple changes — transposing, quantizing, adjusting velocity — always check the Region Inspector first. Most common edits can be done there non-destructively without ever opening the Piano Roll. Reserve the Piano Roll for detailed note-level editing: adding or removing individual notes, drawing new phrases, or working with timing at the note level.
Drummer Track Integration
If you prefer drum MIDI packs over Logic's Drummer Track, the workflow is simple: create a Software Instrument track, load the Drum Kit Designer or Ultrabeat instrument, and drag your drum MIDI file onto it. Logic's Drum Kit Designer uses standard GM mapping, so MusicCreator drum MIDI files (which also follow GM mapping) will trigger the correct kit pieces immediately.
Recommended MIDI Packs for Logic Pro
R&B MIDI Chord Pack — $47
$47
- 3,600+ R&B chord progressions across all 12 keys
- Extended chords (7ths, 9ths, 11ths) that shine through Alchemy and Vintage Electric Piano
- Perfect for Logic's EXS24 piano libraries
Beautiful Free MIDI Chord Progressions
Free
- Lush, emotive progressions — ideal for Alchemy pads
- Works instantly on any Logic Software Instrument track
- Great starting point before upgrading to full packs
Lo-Fi MIDI Chord Pack — $47
$47
- 3,600+ lo-fi progressions — minor jazz voicings, half-diminished chords, extensions
- Pairs beautifully with Logic's Vintage Electric Piano and Alchemy pads
- Includes all 12 keys, every tempo range
Explore All MIDI Packs
Other DAW Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I import a MIDI file into Logic Pro?
The simplest method is to drag the .mid file from Finder directly onto a Software Instrument track in the Tracks area — Logic creates a new MIDI region at that point on the timeline. Alternatively, go to File > Import > MIDI File, which opens a dialog letting you browse to the file. For most MIDI pack use cases, drag-and-drop from Finder is fastest and most intuitive.
What is the Region Inspector in Logic Pro and how does it help with MIDI packs?
The Region Inspector is a panel on the left side of the Tracks area (press 'I' to show/hide). It shows properties for the currently selected MIDI region including Transpose, Velocity, Quantize, Loop, and Delay. These are non-destructive per-region settings — changing the Transpose value shifts the region's pitch without altering the underlying notes. This is the fastest way to try a MIDI pack file in a different key: select the region, type a new transpose value, and hear the result immediately.
Can I use MIDI packs with Alchemy in Logic Pro?
Alchemy is one of the best instruments for MIDI chord packs and melodies in Logic. It's a spectral resynthesis and sample-based synth with thousands of presets spanning pads, leads, keys, plucks, and atmospheric textures. Load Alchemy on a Software Instrument track, then drag your chord progression or melody .mid file onto the track — Alchemy plays the notes through whatever preset you have loaded. Scroll through presets while your MIDI loop plays to audition sounds in real time.
How does MIDI Transform work in Logic Pro?
MIDI Transform is a tool inside Logic's Piano Roll (accessed via Functions > MIDI Transform) that applies rule-based operations to selected notes. You can use it to scale all velocities to a new range, humanize timing by adding slight random offsets, reverse note positions, create crescendos and decrescendos, and more. For MIDI pack users, the Humanize and Velocity operations are particularly useful for creating dynamic, human-sounding performances from quantized MIDI data.
What are Track Stacks and how can they be used with MIDI packs?
Track Stacks are Logic Pro's system for grouping multiple tracks under a single parent track. A Summing Stack groups tracks so their audio is summed through a shared bus — great for layering three different synths all playing the same chord progression MIDI file, then controlling the entire layer with one volume fader. A Folder Stack groups tracks visually without summing, useful for keeping chord, melody, and drum MIDI tracks organized under a single collapsible header. Create a Track Stack by selecting multiple tracks, then going to Track > Create Track Stack.
