Work in the plug-in window

You edit plug-in parameters in the plug-in window, which opens automatically when you insert a plug-in.

Note: You can turn off this behavior by deselecting the “Open plug-in window on insertion” checkbox in the Logic Pro > Preferences > Display > Mixer pane.

The header area at the top of a plug-in window is common to all plug-ins. You can use it to adjust the size of the window, link plug-in windows when more than one is open, switch the plug-in parameter view, and route side chain signals.

Some plug-ins have additional parameters that don’t appear in the main plug-in window. In this case, a disclosure triangle appears at the bottom-left corner of the plug-in window.

Open a plug-in window (when it’s closed)

Close a plug-in window

Adjust plug-in parameters

Do any of the following:

Undo a plug-in parameter change

Do one of the following:

Redo a plug-in parameter change

Do one of the following:

Hide or show the plug-in window header

Adjust the size of a plug-in window

Do one of the following:

Both of these scalings apply to individual plug-ins.

Switch the plug-in parameter view

Editor view shows the plug-in’s graphical interface, if it offers one. Controls view displays all plug-in functions as a set of horizontal sliders, with numerical fields to the left of each parameter. These fields are used for both the display and entry of data.

Link or unlink plug-in windows

When linked, a single plug-in window is used to either display all open plug-ins or all plug-ins in the same insert slot row across the Mixer.

  1. Control-Click the Link button to the right of the plug-in window header.

    Figure. Pointing to the Link button in the plug-in window header.
  2. Choose one of the following options from the Link shortcut menu:

    Off: Plug-in windows are not linked. Clicking in the center of any plug-in opens it in a new plug-in window.

    Single: A single plug-in window is used to display all open plug-ins. Each time you open a new plug-in, the window updates to reflect the newly chosen plug-in. In Single mode, the Link button turns purple.

    Multi: A single plug-in window is used to display all open plug-ins of the same insert slot row. (For example, all of the plug-ins from the first row of insert slots would share a single plug-in window, but plug-ins in other slots would open in their own window). In Multi mode, the Link button turns yellow.

The Link mode affects the entire project—it is not possible to have the Link mode set differently in different plug-in windows of the same project. The Link mode can either be set to Single for the entire project or for Multi mode for one or more rows of plug-ins. This means that if Multi mode is selected, clicking the Link button on additional plug-ins from any not currently linked rows engages Multi mode for that row of plug-ins, and if Single mode is selected in any open plug-in, Multi mode is turned off.

Choose a source for a side chain signal into a plug-in

For plug-ins with a Side Chain pop-up menu, you can use audio from an audio or software instrument track, hardware input, or bus to trigger the plug-in. For example, the dynamics of a drum groove can be used to rhythmically change the compression, and therefore dynamics, of a guitar, synthesizer, or bass part. The side chain signal is used to control the plug-in, but it is not processed by the plug-in.

The selected side chain signal now serves to control the plug-in. You can change side chain sources, or select None to disable the side chain, at any time.

Hide or show additional parameters (if available for the plug-in)