Logic Pro X – Taming Flex Pitch

The Flex Pitch editor is a major addition to Logic Pro X, that has kept improving with each version of Logic.

Although there is still room for improvements (Logic 10.2.3), Flex Pitch allows you to precisely tune and shape your vocals, with an editor resembling the standard keyroll. This tuning method is far superior to the often imprecise and somewhat mis-used standard “Auto-Tune” functionality (although there are still creative uses for that).

Besides the obvious use – tuning of flawed vocals – Flex Pitch also has a lot of creative tricks up its sleeve.

The obvious use

Standard correction of an out of tune vocal is relatively simple:

Turn on Flex Pitch
All files on the audio track are analyzed and ready for pitch editing.
Upon zooming you can see the waveform with the tuning blocks superimposed in the audio region.
You may need to reduce the overall vibrato on all tuning bars, to get the correct results.
Select all tuning bars in the region and reduce the vibrato for them all in one go.
Control click on tuning bar and use “Adjust to correct pitch” to place the notes on the center of the assumed key.
Move the individual tuning bars up and down with the hand icon to change the melody in semitones.
Verify notes on the keyboard in the left side.
Split the tuning bars with the scissor tool to get more detailed adjustments.
Tuning bars can be made longer or shorter to adjust the rhythm of the vocal phrase.
Thats basically it.

After tuning you may want to “Bounce replace” the tuned file to a new file, to commit and save Flex Pitch processing overhead.