Logic Pro Walkthrough

We’ve designed the WAVS Standalone App to be fully compatible with all of the major DAWs, including Logic Pro X and Logic Pro 11. This walkthrough will focus specifically on Logic Pro and take you through the full setup process.

Getting Started

1. Downloading the app

   To get started, navigate to our standalone app page and choose your OS (Mac or Windows). The app is free to download but you will need an active trial or paid subscription to use it.

2. Installation

   Run the installer and WAVS will automatically add the Standalone app plus the VST bridge. The file locations will depend on your operating system, but Logic Pro is only available on MacOS so we’ll limit instructions to that path for this walkthrough.

   On MacOS, the standalone app will go directly into your standard Applications folder, while the VST bridge will go into your system’s AU component folder. You don’t need to take any further action unless you have a custom location for components. In that case, you can find the WAVS Bridge file at Library > Audio > Plug-ins > Components > WAVS Bridge.component

   Please keep in mind that this Library folder is hidden by default. To access it, you must open the Finder window, select “GO” from the top menu, hold down the Option key, and you will see a hidden LIBRARY option appear. Click on that and you will be taken to the USERS folder by default. Open the Library folder instead and then follow the path we’ve provided above.

   

    

3. Create a dedicated software instrument track in Logic Pro

   Open Logic Pro and if you’re starting a new project, select the MIDI software Instrument track option. Otherwise, if you’re in an existing project, you can click “TRACK” in the top navigation menu and select MIDI software instrument option from the list.

   

   

    

4. Load the WAVS VST Bridge on the software instrument track

   Select the software instrument track in your DAW and click on the green button to update the current virtual instrument to the WAVS VST Bridge. You’ll find it in AU Instruments > WAVS INC > WAVS Bridge > Stereo. See the screenshot below for assistance:

   

    

5. Connecting the VST Bridge to Standalone App

   The VST bridge will open automatically when you load it on the software instrument rack. Click on the purple “Open App” button to launch the WAVS Standalone app.

   

    

   Log into your account and the VST bridge should automatically connect. You can verify that it’s connected in the Standalone App by checking the “plug” icon in the bottom right corner. If it’s green, then that means it’s already connected to the WAVS VST bridge. Otherwise, if it’s gray, simply click the button to complete the connection.

   When this phase is complete, the VST bridge should also say “Connected” as shown here:

   

    

6. Make sure that your software instrument’s output is assigned. If the instrument shows “No Output”, you can click that button, select Output > Stereo Output, and you’re good to go.

   

    

7. If you press play on a sample and still don’t hear any audio, but the playhead is moving normally, the issue is likely in your Standalone App audio settings. Click the gear in the upper right hand corner. Then select “Audio settings” and then click on the output dropdown to select the correct device as shown here:

   

    

Using the Standalone App with Logic Pro

1. Browsing the WAVS collection

   Most of the Standalone app reflects the standard WAVS website browsing experience. All of the usual features are there, including the Explore view, Sample View, and so forth. Press play on any sample to hear it in the original format, prior to synchronization with Logic Pro.

   
    

2. Synchronize sample playback to Logic Pro BPM

   DAW Sync is one of our Standalone app’s special features. To hear WAVS samples played back in the same tempo as your project, you’ll need to follow a few simple steps.

   • First, press play on any WAVS sample in the Standalone app.

   • Next, hit the Tempo Sync button located in the standalone’s bottom toolbar. It will turn white to indicate that it’s activated. You’ll also notice that the toolbar’s BPM change to reflect the tempo of your DAW (unless they were already in the same BPM)

     
      

   • Now any WAVS sample you listen to will play back in sync with Logic’s tempo. Check to see the sample’s original BPM, listed inline with the rest of the sample. We recommend looking for samples that are within 20 BPM of your target, to reduce unwanted audio artifacts. You can use the Tempo filter to target that range.

     
      

3. Synchronize sample playback to any root note (key signature)

   • You can modify WAVS samples to match your project’s key signature as well. To do that, you’ll need to know what key your project is in. Select the target root note in the bottom right corner of the standalone app to automatically shift the root note of WAVS samples.

     
      

   • Updates to the root note will not impact the sample’s key signature, only the tonal center. So for example, you can shift from D minor to F# minor, but not D minor to F# major.

   • Use the Key filter to display major or minor key samples only. If your DAW project is in D minor, for example, you should filter by minor samples. This way, when you change the root note to D, the sample is guaranteed to be in the right key.

     
      

4. Looping a region in Logic Pro to audition samples

   • You may already be familiar with looping a region in Logic Pro. But if this is your first time doing it, just click and drag the “measure” region as shown in the screenshot below. When you do that, the color will change to yellow and when you press play, the playhead will automatically snap to beginning of the loop, returning each time the looped region is complete.

     
      

   • In the WAVS Standalone app, make sure Tempo Sync is still turned on. Press play on any sample to load it in WAVS. Then toggle over to your DAW and press play. Logic will start the looped region and the WAVS sample at the same point. If the loop ends before the sample, WAVS will automatically restart the sample from the top. Alternatively, if the sample ends before the loop, it will continue to loop automatically. Now here’s the best part. Press play on any sample in WAVS while the DAW playback continues, and you can continue hearing samples playback in sync with your loop, no matter where it is in the loop cycle. WAVS can pinpoint the mid-measure location of the loop and sync it to your DAW for a seamless “sample auditioning” workflow.

     
      

5. Dragging modified samples from WAVS to Logic Pro’s audio timeline

   You can use the purple “Drag” button located in the bottom right corner of the standalone app to pull in the original sample. However, if you modified it through tempo sync or key signature changes, you’ll need to click the button first and select “Modified Version” as shown below. This ensures that when you drag it to Logic’s timeline, it’s in the tempo or pitch shifted form.

   
    

6. Dragging MIDI and Audio from Logic Pro into WAVS’ AI audio search

   The WAVS Standalone app support AI audio search, which means you can search for music using existing music. In Logic Pro, you can actually click on any MIDI or audio clip and drag it directly into the “Add Audio File” region as shown below.

   If you drag in MIDI, it will check for samples that have the same timbre as the virtual instrument assigned to that MIDI track. No need to bounce it to audio first, because the Standalone app handles this on the back end.

   This can be a great way to sketch ideas and sound design, as a shorthand to finding the precise kind of track you’re looking for.