Is Logic 9 still missing professional features?

macmusic47 wrote:
I'm curious, does the new logic have:

1. Envelopes on individual events
2. 32bit export
3. better midi (more than 16 at a time)
4. MIDI plugins (Are there MIDI AU plugins yet? Cubase has MIDI VST plugins.)
5. the ability to run muli-channel plugins, such as the B4 organ or multi-channel samplers

These are some of the capabilities Cubase has, but Logic "pro" 8 did not. Does the new version of Logic have any of these?
I am not being negative. I simply don't have the time to do the research. If Logic finally has these capabilities now, I would consider switching back. Did they finally give us those things, or just more eye-candy and garage-band features we didn't ask for.

Thanks.

1.- I have no clue what that is. Do you mean an ADSR - type envelope? Or Cellophane?

2.- And what are you going to import into? I am unaware of any consumer product using 32 bit files.

3.- You can use more than 16 at a time, if you have the brains to use more MIDI ports. MIDI implementation has only ever allowed up to 16 channels per physical Port / Virtual instrument. It is a limitation or the MIDI spec, not Logic.

4.- If you mean the old style chorus / reverb / delay, etc, they are there, in the MIDI mixer. Just consult the manual for that. Most AU plugins accept and can read back MIDI automation easily, Logic now has a "MIDI learn" feature so you can turn a knob / slider, and assign it to whatever plug-in's control you need to tweak. Pretty basic, really.

5.- This has been around since version 6, in some form. Of course, the plug-in has to be multi channel for this to work properly. And you do have to set it up properly too.

Cheers

Hi Macmusic 47,
First, take a deep breath. 2nd, realize that one person's "professional feature" is another persons un-needed feature, so best to find a product that reflects your needs. As a professional scoring Films, TV and Commercials, I'm not aware of any "professional" situation calling for 32 bit files. I suppose if you are digitally mastering your CD you might want to import it into your Mastering workstation in a 32 bit format, but who makes CDs anymore? All non-scoring music production just ends up bit-crunched onto an iPod anyway and listened to in way that any nuance you'd get from a 32 bit file is lost.

BTW, if you really want them, you can freeze a file which ends up in a 32 bit format. (Just a bother to me, but if you want it, there you go.)

As for using three keyboards, Logic is mainly a studio application and the last thing I want ergonomically is to have three keyboards to deal with. but that's me... so your needs might be different than most professionals I know. I use many multi channel samplers, though actually, I find the EXS to be solid, flexible and a real Swiss Army knife. I can build my own presets with my or other audio files in minutes, or have 20 different EXS instances without dealing with Midi channels at all. Each on their own channel with whatever FX I want and with easy automation. I really only use others to tap into libraries I can't access with the EXS, Omnisphere etc...


I have been creating envelopes on individual audio or midi regions for over a decade using "hyperdraw" which I often prefer over automation (especially for volume envelopes) I'm not sure what midi plug ins are, having never used Cubase (though I understand it's a great product). Logic does however have an arpeggiator, chord hold and a number of other midi processing features. None of which I'm wild about, but make use of them on occasion. Just for the record, I vastly prefer Logic 7 to Logic 8 and I'll probably feel similar about 9 since they seem to be going down a road of less flexibility. We'll see. Looks like there are some nice additions on 9 that may make it worth suffering the new User Interface.


Some use Logic, some use DP, some prefer PT some write on staff paper and do not use a computer. When you hear the music, you can't tell which program they used, only if you like the music or not.

Best of luck with Cubase.

Dan Rad

In the 80's I owned and operated a "Pro" studio in LA. I had 3 20 inch racks full of synthesizers, plugs, Furman power strips, several large mixing consoles, Mics, Guitars, etc. I had $35K worth of gear.

I have replaced ALL the outboard gear that I had in my old studio with a laptop and a duet. Let me repeat that....replaced ALL that outboard gear with just a laptop and a duet ($2.5K).

I have now have more flexibility, more power, more control, better sound, etc. for a fraction of the cost.

So when you say "Logic 9 still missing professional features" it makes this "old pro" just scratch his head and wonder if we are using the same program.

I understand Cubase has some features that Logic doesn't but I did a thorough evaluation of Cubase vs Logic (running demos and such) before I chose Logic. Was the right decision for me then and it continues to be the right decision for me now.

If Cubase is your choice....best of luck with that.

macmusic47 wrote:
To clarify point number 1:

An envelope is a way to adjust volume over time. In Cubase, you can adjust the volume of each individual event (sample or loop) on the timeline. For each event, you can put a fade-in, fade-out, and adjust the volume.

That's what you can do in Logic 9 as well. To be able to set a Gain parameter for each region is new.

In Logic, you have to adjust the volume of the loops on the overall automation track. So, you have to go thru the entire track and draw volume curves. A very tedious procedure. After you drop a loop onto a timeline in Logic, there is no easy way to individually tweak the volume of that event.

There were different ways to do that in Logic 8 - here's one of them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keYhrr9l4Y8

It's a lot simpler in Logic 9.

macmusic47 wrote:
1. If you drop a sample or loop onto a timeline, that is an individual event. In cubase, you can draw a volume envelope on each of these events, to even them out. Logic does NOT allow you to draw volume envelope for each individual event. Only the overall track automation. Which is a royal pain to do.

You CAN do this in logic using hyperdraw for each event...

For each audio region in Arrange, you mean? Yes, since version two point something, if I remember right.... 🙂

There are also Fadein and Fadeout commands in the Sample Editor.

The Logic 9 manual is online...

Here's something for you:

http://documentation.apple.com/en/logicpro/usermanual/index.html#chapter=13%26se ction=65
http://documentation.apple.com/en/logicpro/usermanual/index.html#chapter=13%26se ction=66

Yes, you always could in other versions as well. In the "Inspector", when you have an audio region selected, you have fade in/out parameters that you can set the value of. You can also do this on multiple regions at the same time which makes it really handy. When it comes to those fades following the region if you make aliases or loops, the fades are retained. Alternatively you can use the fade tool. I'm doing this all on Logic 8. About to upgrade now that we have track import from other sessions!

Still hoping for long filenames and the ability to move multiple tracks at the same time.