Logic Pro for Mac 11 review: Out of the garage and onto the main stage

MacworldAt a glanceExpert's RatingProsPowerful and vast in scope with tons of sounds, virtual instruments, and effectsRidiculously affordable for a top-tier DAWSupports a wide variety of hardware and file formats, including surroundNew session players create a virtual backup bandConsComplexOccasionally clunky workflowOur VerdictThe sheer scope, power, and unique affordability of Logic Pro 11 make it a top-tier DAW that every musical Mac user should own. Version 11 brings new play-along bass and piano intelligence to join the existing session drummer. Is it now the real “Garage Band”?Price When Reviewed$199.99 (free as an upgrade)Best Prices Today: Logic Pro 11RetailerPrice$200View DealPrice comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwideProductPricePrice comparison from BackmarketIt would take a hefty tome indeed to cover all of the features offered by Apple’s powerful mainstay digital audio workstation, Logic Pro–the three user guides total nearly 2,600 pages! Instead, we’ll cover the basics and then let you in on what’s new with version 11. And there’s plenty.What is Logic Pro 11?Logic Pro 11 is a digital audio workstation (DAW), i.e. a program that allows you to record and manipulate audio files and MIDI information. Like other DAWs such as Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Cubase, Digital Performer, and Studio One, Logic Pro seeks to emulate a full-on recording studio with the equipment (recorders and FX), engineers, instruments–and unique to Logic Pro, the musicians. The kicker: Logic Pro is only $200! The cheapest competitor that’s listed above is fully twice the price, and several are considerably more than that. Why? Logic Pro functions as basically a loss leader to get you to buy Apple’s excellent but often dauntingly-priced hardware. As I tell my Windows friends who constantly harp on the price of Macs (believe me, I understand), there are some mitigating factors: (relatively) cheap powerful software, low power consumption, and of course gorgeous displays. Logic Pro 11: Basic features Logic Pro is very much old-school in emulating the classic mixing console, recorders, and outboard effects processors that inhabit a traditional recording studio. Indeed, its basic design and workflow will likely feel more comfortable to engineers than artists. Not that it doesn’t accommodate both.Logic Pro lets you edit audio, as well as MIDI in various guises–including musical notation.Logic Pro lets you edit audio, as well as MIDI in various guises–including musical notation.Logic Pro lets you edit audio, as well as MIDI in various guises–including musical notation.The array of editors includes a clip (or region in Logic-speak) arranger timeline, wave editor, MIDI piano roll editor, step sequencer, event list editors, and even pleasantly-capable musical notation. Logic Pro 11 takes the studio environment emulation further by providing software instruments and–again, uniquely–virtual musicians. These are proprietary to Logic, as are its vast set of high-quality instruments and effects. In fact, with Logic Pro there’s really no need for third-party plug-ins, which makes the $200 price tag seem even cheaper. Logic Pro does support other vendors’ efforts, the vast majority of which are available in Apple’s AU format–the only one supported by Logic at the moment. While Logic Pro provides a bang-up recording studio emulation it also features a launch grid, à la Ableton Live. It facilitates live performance by letting the user launch/play various pre-recorded regions, mixing and matching them to create mixes, etc. on the fly. These regions, or clips can be anything from a one-bar loop to an entire song (mixed down). Logic Pro also features a clip launcher for live performance à la Ableton Live.Logic Pro also features a clip launcher for live performance à la Ableton Live.Logic Pro also features a clip launcher for live performance à la Ableton Live.Logic Pro supports a wide variety of external controllers and hardware (Apple’s OS-level Core Audio takes care of most of this) and audio recording up to 7.1.4 channel, 32-bit float, 192kHz wave, AIFF, or CAF audio files. It’s also Dolby Atmos capable.Unlike Apple’s consumer-level DAW, GarageBand, Logic Pro is actually one of the least proprietary programs when it comes to import and export; supporting wave, MIDI, AAF, Final Cut Pro XML, MusicXML (score notation), and Dolby Atmos ADM. In other words, you can use Logic Pro X in conjunction with other DAWs without a whole lot of pain–at least no more pain than with other DAWs. The industry has yet to settle en masse on a comprehensive project-sharing format, though one has been developed by Presonus and Bitwig called, naturally enough, DAW Project. Logic Pro 11: What’s newNow that we have the basics out of the way–here’s what’s new.Probably the most salient additions to Logic Pro 11 are the new Session Piano and Session Bass players/instruments. Added to the existing Session Drummer, they form a pretty decent backing band. Three tracks showing the Bass, Piano, and Drummer Session player tracks. At the bottom are the controls for the bassist.Three tracks showing the Bass, Piano, and Drummer Session player tracks. At the bottom are the controls for the bassist.Three tracks showing the Bass, Piano, and Drummer Session player tracks. At the bottom are the controls for the bassist.What exactly is a Logic Pro Session Player? It’s a virtual (software) instrument that uses a database of rhythmic and harmonic patterns (beats/hits, chords, scales, etc.) to emulate what a real musician might play. In fact, the patterns were originally played by real musicians. Not exactly AI as Apple (and everyone else) claims. While all three session players follow the current tempo, and optionally try to match the rhythmic pattern of another track, the piano and bass also take harmonic cues from Logic Pro’s new editable global and regional chord tracks.A session player region with a chord track. Of course, the Session drummer doesn’t use this, but the piano and the bass players do.A session player region with a chord track. Of course, the Session drummer doesn’t use this, but the piano and the bass players do.A session player region with a chord track. Of course, the Session drummer doesn’t use this, but the piano and the bass players do.As a guitarist, I’m both slightly offended and grateful that Apple didn’t include a Session Guitarist (I’m sure they will eventually). Beyond that, I find the session player technology impressive. While I would never stick simply with what it plays, it is akin to getting input from other musicians, in a somewhat limited fashion of course (without any egos to worry about!).The rest of the improvements may not be as sexy, but some are extremely useful. Take Internal MIDI In for instance. It allows a track to input MIDI data from other MIDI tracks without delving into the extremely powerful but confusing and now well-hidden Logic Environment (still available via Command+0). Along the same lines, regions can now be automatically transposed using pitch sources (key sign, etc.) that you choose. Or not.Karaoke fans will love the ability to extract vocals, drums, bass, and “other” (a.k.a everything else), from a mixed audio file. The utility is called Stem Splitter, a stem being an instrument or track in DAW-speak. Stem Splitter works remarkably well, or not so great, depending on the material. I had great results with commercial material; with my own, not so much, though Stem Splitter did get the vocals and drums correct. This no doubt means I need to mix my stuff better. Logic Pro’s Stem Splitter can separate vocals and instruments out of a mix. Success varies according to the source material.Logic Pro’s Stem Splitter can separate vocals and instruments out of a mix. Success varies according to the source material.Logic Pro’s Stem Splitter can separate vocals and instruments out of a mix. Success varies according to the source material.Note that Logic Pro could already extract tempo changes from audio files, as well as MIDI from single-instrument audio via Flex Pitch. Indeed, you can take a stem created by Stem Splitter and extract the MIDI notes from it using said Flex Pitch. I wish I’d had something like this when I was first learning songs by ear. I should warn you that extracting specific instrumentation from audio, while vastly improved over the decades, is still not perfect. Many instruments operate in similar frequencies, making extracting them a very difficult task. Hence a lot of stuff is lumped together in the “Other” track. I still marvel that extraction works at all, let alone this well. Logic Pro X 11’s new ChromaGlow saturation (like tube amps) plug-in.Logic Pro X 11’s new ChromaGlow saturation (like tube amps) plug-in.Logic Pro X 11’s new ChromaGlow saturation (like tube amps) plug-in.A new saturation (tube “warmth”) plug-in, ChromaGlow has been added; Dolby Atmos features have been enhanced; and there are new producer sample/loop packs: The Kount, Corey Wong, and Hardwell. Other new features include more key commands for the marquee (area highlighting), real-time bouncing of external instruments, and input monitoring for software instruments. Apple has also switched the default recording format from AIFF to the ubiquitous WAV, which allows for longer recordings and easier import into other programs.Complex and occasionally oddSo far, I’ve heaped nothing but praise on Logic Pro 11. But the fact is, it’s been around since the 1980s, first as Creator and Notator on the Atari ST, then as Emagic Logic on Windows and macOS, then was purchased by Apple and became the macOS-exclusive Logic Pro.The point of the history lesson is that Logic has a lengthy heritage that includes some baggage, such as the aforementioned Environment patch bay. As a result, Logic Pro’s learning curve is steep and the workflow is not always as straightforward as it might be. Look up MusicTechHelpGuy on YouTube for some of the best tutorials. The Logic Pro X routing Environment.The Logic Pro X routing Environment.The Logic Pro X routing Environment.Fortunately, the Logic Pro UI is also highly configurable, so you can hide interface elements and features you don’t need, and then work your way up to them. You can also reassign the keyboard (computer) shortcuts to taste, making it easier to adapt to Logic or move back and forth between DAWs.Should you buy Logic Pro 11?Yes, though if you’re an existing user, you don’t have to–it’s a free upgrade. That’s another thing about Logic Pro: Apple has improved the program significantly over the years at a nominal cost to the user. To be fair, Apple can afford to do this, while other vendors can not. The fact remains.On the other hand, if you’re new to the DAW game, you won’t find anything else on the Mac that offers Logic Pro’s capabilities for anywhere close to the price. We barely scratched its functional surface in this review.Even if you own another DAW, you’ll likely find something useful in Logic Pro. And for $200, without recurring upgrade charges? Come on now–Apple even offers a free 90-day trial for Logic Pro. Personal Software, Professional Software