A ratio of around 4:1 usually works well, then adjust the threshold to get between 5 and 10 dB of gain reduction on the loudest peaks. If you haven't got a compressor pedal you can always just use a plug-in - I like to use the Logic X Opto or Vintage FET compressor models set to an attack time of 10 to 20 ms and a release time of maybe 50ms. Compress For SuccessĪ little compression before any amp modelling can help make the sound feel more springy. This helps cement the fake stereo double–tracking illusion that I'll cover later on. This might sound like a bit of a cheat, and it won't work quite so well if you like to use those slightly off-key blues bends, but it can also be used creatively by setting different correction speeds for the two sides of a Dual Mono instance, to introduce small changes in pitching when notes are being bent. This allows your bends and wobbles to pass through intact but any long sustained notes will land on an accurate pitch.

My approach is to set the track to stereo input, then instantiate a Direction Mixer plug-in (from the Imaging plug-in menu) and adjust its Spread fader to give zero stereo width - which puts your mono input equally into the two channels.Ī Dual Mono instance of the Pitch Correction plug-in will let you achieve a natural-sounding double-tracked effect.If you want a safety net to ensure your bent notes end up in exactly the right place, then put an instance of Logic's Pitch Correction after it set to Chromatic and with a slow correction speed - about half way up on the correction speed fader.

To make use of these Dual Mono plug-ins, we need a stereo channel - even though the guitar input (or pre-recorded dry track) is probably mono. This opens up some interesting creative possibilities, particularly when it comes to guitar processing. If you call up a Dual Mono plug-in you'll see L and R tabs that let you view and adjust the left and right channels independently. One of the more useful additions to Logic Pro X is the ability to call up certain plug-ins in Mono, Stereo or Dual Mono mode. And don't be tempted to push your record levels too high - peaking at around -10dBFS is more than loud enough. As well as ensuring you have the right input impedance, using analogue pedals helps round off any sharp peaks that might cause brief converter clipping, which in turn makes the attack of the notes sound more natural. Pre-conditioning the sound using a light overdrive is a good start if you're after a bluesy/classic rock sound - or use your favourite compressor pedal if you need a clean sound. While the focus on this Logic workshop is on getting the most out of Amp Designer, I like where possible to put some analogue pedals before the input to my audio interface rather than relying on Logic's pedalboard for everything. This allows you to send your DI'ed guitar to different left/right processing setups.As a rule, amp modelling works well enough for clean sounds and also for heavily distorted, edgy rock sounds - it's when you want something that falls in-between the two that you have to work a little harder. In order to achieve a stereo signal chain for a mono guitar input, you'll need to use a stereo channel with the Direction Mixer plug-in inserted first in the signal path.

That may not be entirely fair, as with a little perseverance, it is possible to coax some extremely usable sounds out of it.

I know a number of Logic users who have tried Logic's Guitar Amp Designer plug-in, skimmed through the presets, and then dismissed them as less authentic than some of the third-party options. Get the most out of Logic's Amp Designer plug-in.

Logic pro x plugins