Apple Logic Express 7 - Manual (Page 125)

Chapter 3 Arrange Window 125
If the data in the original Region is altered, this immediately affects all aliases of the
Region.
In fact, this is the whole point of aliases. As an example, if a riff or phrase keeps
recurring throughout a song, it makes sense to use aliases, rather than have full copies
of the original eat up your storage space.
Furthermore, when using aliases, if you feel something is not quite right, you only need
to alter the original, and the correction will automatically take effect throughout the
whole song. If you just want to alter a detail at one point in the song, you can turn that
particular alias into an independent Region.
Creating an Alias
To create an alias, just hold down Shift when copying the Region as per usual (hold
down Option-Shift and drag).
There is also the Alias > Make command in the MIDI menu. The alias appears on the
selected track, beginning at the current song position.
If several Regions are selected, their relative time and track positions are retained. The
selected track is the destination track for the first Region along the time line.
When you use the Region > Repeat Regions (see “Copying Regions” on page 109)
function, you have the “as Alias” option.
Playback Parameters
Although an alias is a “slave” of the original, it has its own playback parameters. The
exception is the original’s quantization parameters, which have a special status and
always apply to aliases too.
Alias and Real Regions
Search Functions for an Original or Alias
Finding the Original of an Alias
If you have forgotten where the original is for a certain alias, select the alias, and
choose the MIDI > Alias > Select Original function, which will find and select the original
Region.
Finding the Alias of an Original
Conversely, you can select the original of a particular Region, and find any aliases
you’ve made from it. Select MIDI > Alias > Select All Aliases of Region. All existing aliases
will then be found and selected.
“Orphan” Aliases
If you erase a Region that one or more aliases were created from, Logic will display the
following warning message:
One or more Aliases are made from Regions to be cleared! Do you still want to clear these?