Step by step
6. Sequencer-powered processing with Logic Pro’s Step FX
1 Sequencing effects processes can be wildly inspiring. Apple have provided a humdinger of a multieffects processor with sequencing in mind. It’s called Step FX, and if you think it looks a bit like a certain Camel Audio plugin, you’re right! Let’s fire up Logic Pro X (you’ll need the latest version to access the new plugins) and create a Vintage Mellotron track.
2 We’ve recorded a short passage of sustained duotonic chords using the Vintage Mellotron’s default string patch and looped the region for continuous playback. We’ll now open up an instance of Step FX on the Vintage Mellotron’s Audio FX insert slot. It doesn’t actually do anything to our sound just yet, but we can see to that!
3 If we activate the Filter, our sound subsequently becomes muted as the filter’s Cutoff frequency is cranked down to around 630Hz by default. We’ll shove it down even further, to about 250 Hz. Now we can get the sequencer in on the action by activating the Filter Cutoff power button just above and to the left of the grid display.
4 Let’s use our mouse to edit the values of each step. By clicking and dragging vertically, we change the amount of modulation applied at each stage. By dragging horizontally, we change the gate length of the steps. The Rate knob above the grid provides a means by which to change the sync speed of our sequence. We’ve changed ours to 1/8th notes.
5 Now let’s go ahead and activate the Delay module for a bit of stereo echo. We’ll set the left delay time to dotted 1/8th notes and the right to straight 1/8ths. We’ll increase the Feedback up to around 17%. That’s pretty nice! Maybe too nice. Let’s get weird. Activate the Gate Mix power button just above the step display.
6 We can now use the up/down arrows to the right of where it says Gate Mix to select a different target. We’ll scroll down until we find Delay Mix. Let’s set the sequencer’s rate to 1/8ths for this slot, too. Now, we’ll use our mouse to draw a pattern in the grid that causes our delay to build and recede in sync. Very cool!