Logic Studio: The FM Review

Chris Barker, Wed 16 Sep 2009, 12:53 pm UTC

PedalBoard

Check out the magazine's DVD to see PedalBoard in action. GarageBand 09’s inclusion of stomp effects might have started rumours about whether Logic was set to provide similar effects control but I’m not sure anyone could have predicted 30 effects which could be chained together in series and parallel to bring a touch of live guitar effect performance to Logic.

Loopback

Loopback provides the chance to record a layered performance one loop at a time, with each playing back at the end of a predetermined length before the next is added. Anyone who remembers the old Lexicon JamMan will know exactly what I mean!

Apogee GiO interface

GiO integration gives Guitarists a bespoke interface for transport and PedalBoard control and, as it packs Apogee’s high quality pres in its capacity as an interface, stands a decent chance of becoming ‘the’ interface for guitar-based Logic heads.

Notation

For those still dealing in notes on a page, Logic’s Guitar Notation and Tab Chords library has expanded hugely, providing over 4,000 chord grids and score symbols for ornaments and bends. Development in this area might seem a tad surprising as I think it’s fair to say it’s a niche, but there are so many TV and film composers using Logic these days that I’m sure those previously resigned to a switch to Sibelius or its competitors will prick up their ears.

What’s New For Performers

Only two versions ago, the idea of using Logic on stage was a risky game. Now though, with MainStage, Logic’s stage presence is growing fast.

Mainstage

MainStage has moved onto version 2 and comes bundled with some new features which take it up a fair few notches. For starters, the two standout features are the Playback and Loopback tools, which are expanded upon below. Thereafter, ReWire support is now provided so that you can use MainStage in conjunction with programs such as Live and Reason. You can now record performances (or entire DJ sets) directly inside MainStage and it’s now much easier to assign and group controllers for real-time instrument and effect tweaking. Setting up your entire gig as different combinations of effects, instruments and backing tracks has never been easier, and you can simply tap to the next complex set up with a click of the mouse or a button push on your controller keyboard. Yes, you can play live with Logic!

Playback

This dedicated MainStage plug-in does what it says on the tin, letting you grab an audio file and play it back alongside whatever else you have going on in Logic. If you want to commit certain parts of a performance to a stereo mix and jam over the top you can. This will benefit everyone, from buskers to stadium-filling bands who want to add live playing to pre-preared backing tracks.

Loopback

Select a cycle length and punch in for instant capture and playback. A great live tool and a great ‘ideas’ pad.

What else is new?

Content, effects and instruments-wise, there isn’t a raft of new content in Logic 9. Amp Designer and PedalBoard aside, you won’t find any new effects, though SpaceDesigner has been updated with 450 new ‘warp’ effects, which are effectively a series of weird Impulse Response programs through which any sound can pass. These include musical tones and chords, as well as processed sound effects, so if you want to add some ‘left of centre’ quality to your sounds, this is for you.

All of Apple’s Jam Packs are now integrated too, which means that the vocal phrases for which Logic has been crying out are now yours. Some producers are sniffy about the Loop content but they can afford to be much less so now with Flex and Audio Quantise. As a result of this technology, every audio loop within Logic can be ‘bent’ to become whatever you need it to be in terms of feel and performance, so this library has just become a lot more relevant.

Conclusion

I’ve been a Logic user for as long as I can remember but, as a producer, I’m thrilled by the new tools and feature set in Logic Studio. The integration of Flex editing is powerful and intuitive but above all, fast, meaning that you can try ‘out there’ editing, often in real-time and decide whether or not it’s working before you even get to the first chorus. This update makes so many long-winded tasks super-fast and intuitive that you can just get on with making great music and as a tool-set for production, I don’t think any program betters Logic for that.

For the full review check out our October Issue, 218, on sale now and available at www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk