Apple’s Logic Pro X 10.4.5 lets you run more tracks than you’ll ever need and harnesses the power of the new Mac Pro

New Mac Pro running Apple Logic Pro X 10.4.5

First seen onstage at the WWDC, Apple’s free Logic Pro X 10.4.5 DAW update is now available. But, while Apple is keen to talk about the benefits this offers for owners of the new Mac Pro, it also contains performance improvements for users of all Macs.

If you’re looking for numbers, Logic Pro X 10.4.5 now supports up to 1,000 audio tracks and 1,000 software instrument tracks, which is four times as many as before. You can also use 1,000 auxiliary channel strips, 1,000 external MIDI tracks and 12 sends per channel strip.

Continuing the ‘big’ theme, the Mixer and Event List are said to be more responsive when working with large sessions, and projects that contain numerous Flex Time edits and tempo changes should run more efficientlElsewhere, the loop browser now lets you filter by loop type and enables you to drag and drop multiple loops into your project simultaneously, while the DeEsser plugin has been redesigned to give you more sibilance-reducing options.

The Logic Pro X 10.4.5 release notes indicate that there are various other performance improvements, too, while users of older Macs will be pleased to learn that the track freeze option now unloads its plugins to free up resources.

Of course, if you have a new Mac Pro, such performance-saving measures are unlikely to concern you. Apple says that the machine can run up to five times the number of real-time plugins as the previous Mac Pro and supports up to 56 processing threads. Given that Apple’s flagship computer starts at $5,999, though, these claims may be of little concern to you.

That said, the bottom line is that 10.4.5 is yet another Logic Pro X update that should give users a better experience at no extra cost. New users can purchase it for $199.99/£199.99 via the Apple website.

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it. 

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