Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

[TwilightOdyssey]

Thinking about making the switch to LPX. Anyone else using it?

I am not happy w Reaper (esp on the Mac) and am having issues running Cubase 6 w Mavericks.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

Nope, SONAR X3 here

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

Over here.

 

[AmirH]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

No, but I've been using logic pro 9 for years now and logic pro 8 before that. I wish I had the measly 200 for the upgrade because it looks amazing -- the drummer feature, for example, is just insanely cool. Same with track stacking and ability to sync with an ipad so you can adjust mix parameters remotely. I don't even have an ipad, but now I have a reason to want an ipad. Lol

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

No, but I've been using logic pro 9 for years now and logic pro 8 before that. I wish I had the measly 200 for the upgrade because it looks amazing -- the drummer feature, for example, is just insanely cool. Same with track stacking and ability to sync with an ipad so you can adjust mix parameters remotely. I don't even have an ipad, but now I have a reason to want an ipad. Lol

Ha!

I do have an iPad, but didn't know about that feature!

I just downloaded it and gave it a quick run through. To say that it's impressive is an understatement; coming from Cubase, I am finding it to be incredibly intuitive and all of the things I need -- like tempo/time signature changes -- are very easy to implement and locate. No multiple button presses to get to where I need.

It automatically found all of my Waves plugins, too, which is a bonus. I need to reinstall my Steve Slate drums as AU, but everything else showed up just fine.

The look and layout is really good; not sure if it can be changed, but the only niggling complaint I have thus far is that the pan is -64 to +63 instead of -100 to +100. But as there is a visual pan GUI as well, it's not indecipherable.

It's also much less of a resource hog than Cubase.

Am looking forward to cutting some tracks with LPX this weekend and seeing how it flows.

 

[AmirH]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

Hell yeah! I used to use Cubase as well but never went back. You get used the panning and learn to rely more on your ears anyway. And yes, MUCH less than a resource hog than Cubase and I've always felt the it just processed the audio better and made everything sound more "polished" somehow even when mix principles were the same. I'm really excited to move up to lpx in the not-so-distant future. I might even sell some gear to help make it happen sooner.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

If you want to know exactly how much CPU is in use, set the central toolbar display to Custom. It will then show stuff such as time elapsed, tempo, playback head position, MIDI note input details and, ta-da, CPU and HD load.

Calibrating the Pan value range to a total of 128 keeps it in line with MIDI CC parameter values.

Look upon the Drummer feature as just the beginning of what can be done. Dragging a Logic Drummer pattern into a standard Audio/MIDI recording track changes its appearance to a regular MIDI track and enables editing in the familiar "piano roll" format. When the edited sequence data is repositioned back into the Drummer track, it retains the standard MIDI track appearance. Any subtle timing variations that you program in will be scaled if you alter the project Tempo. Neat.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

I started customising the displays last night. So far, a very easy process!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

In a way, switching to Logic Pro X from another DAW is easier than upgrading to it from earlier editions of Logic. You arrive, expecting to have to learn everything from the ground up.

Users of Logic 8 or 9 have to battle against their retained memories of where things used to be and used to look like. (8 and 9 use skinny black typefaces on largely pastel colour areas.) It is frustrating to have to relearn things that you are accustomed to doing extremely quickly.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

I might even sell some gear to help make it happen sooner.

You may find that software synthesizers, hosted within Logic Pro X, supersede some of your existing hardware instruments.

I have a Creamware Minimax ASB hardware modelled Minimoog clone. The Spectrasonics Bob Moog Tribute Library for Omnisphere kicks at least as much gluteus maximus, using only zeros and ones plus I can evoke as many iterations of it as I consider fit.

The KORG Legacy Wavestation uses all the same programming features as the original instrument but has the advantage of today's D/A conversion chips rather than 1990.

 

[AmirH]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

Yeah -- I was actually thinking that the kaoss pad may be the thing to go, so same wavelength more or less. I already rely fairly heavily on soft synths. I am nervous about adjusting to the new layout though based on your above comments, so it may be best to wait until after the next extended recording session I've got planned in July just to avoid unnecessary frustration. Is it cross-compatible with logic 9 projects?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

If you are beginning a recording project in approximately six weeks' time, stick with the DAW that you already know. (At least for the live audio recording phase). You could always upgrade later and edit in the new environment.

Needless to say, not all features of Logic Pro 9 have been carried over to X. I cannot immediately think of anything that it would be impossible to work around. (Guitar amp models have changed. Some of the old interface controls and graphics went west.)

After a few months of Logic Pro X, I have now reached the state where reverting to 9 in my old laptop causes confusion and reduces what Apple likes to call "throughput".

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

I will be cutting my first songwriting demo w LPX this weekend; guide guitars/bass, guide synth, and Logic Drummer. Should be a good stress test to see how intuitive it is; the song is about 8 minutes long with several time/tempo changes. My plan is to use as many ITB elements as possible to keep it simple and have a master template I can build my final/live tracks upon.

I have been working on the demo in Reaper and it the final straw with my 6 month experiment with that DAW.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

Map out any time signature changes at the beginning of your project. Groove Control loops and auto-arpeggiating instruments will synchronise themselves. Files in the Apple Loops format will fit to 4/4 but may struggle with other signatures.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

Yep, setting the tempo map is the first step when using any DAW.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

Was a LITTLE tricky finding the advanced Audio settings to set up the 2i2 for 24/96 WAV recording, but this is to be expected w any new DAW. Not entirely sure how to insert time and tempo changes just yet, either. I do like how LPX remembers your preferences without having to save them as part of a template.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

Okay, I am an idiot. This DAW is all about work flow. I am overthinking the sub menu thing. EVERYTHING is a single click away!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

Not entirely sure how to insert time and tempo changes just yet, either.

Look at the Transport controls in the toolbar. Below these are three buttons for Automation, Flex and Playback Head capture. Below those three is a button that opens a hidden menu. Clicking on this button reveals the Tempo, Signature and other tracks.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

Users of Logic 8 or 9 have to battle against their retained memories of where things used to be and used to look like. (8 and 9 use skinny black typefaces on largely pastel colour areas.) It is frustrating to have to relearn things that you are accustomed to doing extremely quickly.

This always drives me nutz about commercial software.

Changes made version to version are completely out of your hand. The problem is not just that removing features and changing muscle memory relevant controls around might be made against your own preferences by accident. The owner of the software might want to go after a slightly different target audience and make changes to facilitate that. The old customers are having investments in the system so they are likely to just take a certain amount of punches without leaving, or the number of people leaving is insignificant compared to what you hope to gain from new audiences - usually more casual audiences.

I will give Apple credit for at least keepking it all on a professional level and generally keeping up quality. They didn't turn it into a crashfest or something.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone here using Logic Pro X?

removing features and changing muscle memory relevant controls around

I see two ways of dealing with this.
1) Re-learn the necessary actions to be able to work exactly the same way that you did before.
2) Go on a semi-random voyage of discovery. Prod "buttons". See what happens. If what you discover adds constructively to your project, keep it.

My approach has been a combination of the two. The former can be a drag but it has to be gone through. The latter appeals to my Eno/Oblique Strategies approach. Some projects have a clear and intent and direction from the very beginning. Others just kinda accrete over weeks.



The other issue with Logic Pro X is that, only being supported in recent OS revisions, some of my older plug-ins had to be either upgraded or re-purchased to remain compatible in the new environment. This is the point at which one deludes oneself about being to manage without a particular plug-in only to find that one cannot. In my case, the culprit was Waldorf D-Pole.