Logic Express 9 Upgrade Review

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(More customer reviews)Why should you upgrade to 9? Because Snow Leopard introduces the ability for intel powered Mac's to move up from 32 bit to 64 bit for some choice software. Logic being just about the choiciest.
Do you really want to move to 64 bit? It isn't necessary. If you like to work with Logic's EXS sampler, you can reconfigure in 32 bit if you'd like to take advantage of assigned virtual space on your hard drive. But if you got 9 (and you download the free apple upgrade), and if you got more than 4 gigs of ram, you can get that extra ram assigned directly to your sampler. Or if by chance you have any sampler laden 64 bit 3rd party software (Omnisphere, a lot of NI's stuff), same thing.
On the other hand most 3rd party plugs have not made the leap to 64 yet. They still will run on the upgraded system, but without any advantage. We're still early here in what now seems a significant (and in a few years' time will appear quaint) upgrade. If your relatively new to this and not heavily invested in 3rd party plug-ins, this probably is a great time to set yourself up for the future. Otherwise, there's no rush.

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Record, edit, and mix your music on a Mac using the new Logic Express 9. Open your GarageBand files and get right to work, or start from scratch with a new composition. Logic Express 9 is a guitar player's dream, with Amp Designer and Pedalboard, two new plug-ins that re-create the sound of legendary amps and stompbox effect pedals. You can build your own amp model and try any combination of stompboxes. An improved set of music creation tools makes it even easier to capture and develop your musical inspirations. Use the new Flex Time tools to easily manipulate audio timing and tempo. And make music right out of the box with over 100 instrument and effect plug-ins from Logic Studio.

Upgrade Version
Upgrade from retail versions of Logic Express 6, 7, or 8; or Logic Audio 5 or 6.

Logic Express 9. Record, edit, and mix music on your Mac.

Top Features
Perfect for capturing and developing your musical inspirations
Seamless compatibility with GarageBand files
Flex Time features that make editing audio timing and tempo easier than ever
More than 70 studio-quality effect plug-ins, including vintage and modern compressors, delays, reverbs, and more
New Amp Designer plug-in to help you re-create the sound of 25 legendary amps and 25 speaker cabinets
New Pedalboard plug-in with an assortment of 30 virtual stompbox pedals inspired by the classics
36 software instrument plug-ins, including the Ultrabeat drum synth and beatbox, ES2 synth, and EXS24 sampler

Related Products
Complete your music studio with a Mac Pro workstation and two 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Displays. Take a MacBook Pro with you and make your music anywhere.

AppleCare
Offering solutions for businesses of any size, AppleCare provides ongoing product coverage, including the AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac systems and Apple flat-panel displays. To augment your experience with Apple professional software, AppleCare Professional Video Support and AppleCare Professional Audio Support offer direct access to Apple's professional support staff. For more information, visit www.apple.com/support/products.

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Apple Logic Express 8 Review

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(More customer reviews)Here we are six months after this product was released, and there's only one review so far. I guess that's because Logic Express's big brother, Logic Studio, gets all the attention. Hey, I'd love to have Logic Studio too, especially with all those Jam Packs, as an amateur "tinkerer", I really can't justify paying five hundred bucks or so.
I decided to take the plunge on Logic Express 8 since it has much of the good stuff of Logic Studio, but it's about 300 bucks less. I'm glad I bought this. It's a lot of fun
I've had it just a couple of weeks so far, and I haven't even scratched the surface of its capabilities. Mostly I've spent my time playing with the EXS-24 sampler and the EVOC-20 vocoder. Vocoder you say? Yep. It's not even mentioned in the description above. I use a simple logitech headset mic and an M-Audio Oxygen midi controller and it works like a charm.
As to the EXS-24 sampler: a lot of people are interested in the sample library that comes with the Express version. As you are probably aware, the express version does not come with the 4 Jam Pack DVD-Roms. The library included with Express has some holes, but it is fairly easy to fill those holes with freely downloaded soundfonts from the web.
You don't get the nice box and documentation with the Express version, but the sequencer and audio recording capabilities are full-fidelity and full function. Honestly, most people are not going to miss the advanced features of Studio because there's enough to keep you busy learning for years.
The thing that made me decide to buy Logic Express 8 now rather than waiting until I had the money to buy Studio was the upgrade policy. You can upgrade to the Full Studio version for $299, which is the approximate difference in price between the packages.
UPDATE 7/2008
Now that I've been playing with Logic Express 8 for about six months, I want to add more depth to my previous comments. It still rates 5 stars for value; however I've run into areas that Apple can improve on the next refresh.
The EXS-24 sampler can lose track of samples if your library gets too large. There are work-arounds. You can split your instruments into separate Sampler Instrument folders, and you can use EXS Manager, a 3rd party software package, but it should be unnecessary.
The ES2 synthesizer sounds nice, but its user interface is obtuse, crowded and behind the times.
There is no paper manual. I'd pay an extra 20-30 bucks to get a genuine users manual with the software.
At least "right out of the box" Logic Express does not "play nice" with most midi controllers. If you want to use the buttons and sliders on your midi controller, you need to program them yourself. Personally, I haven't found the time. I can see why Apple came up with the Soundstage application that it bundles with the Studio version of Logic. Accessing your sounds across multiple built-in synths can take multiple steps in Logic Express. If you are a performing musician, you probably will eventually want Logic Studio.
Last but not least, Logic does a poor job at importing General Midi files. Basically, in this department, Logic is equal to, but no better than Garageband. Logic imports the GM file, converts it to a logic file, and assigns each track to a default instrument that often sounds nothing like the GM standard. The EXS sampler does not have a general midi soundfont. Quicktime, which comes with every mac, does have a good general midi soundfont, and you can play the Quicktime synthesizer from Logic, BUT you can't save presets, and the program does not automatically map the sounds, which makes it pretty useless.
Other than accurate General Midi importing, my wishlist would include built-in vocal-reduction (karaoke) support and pitch-to-midi input.

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Logic Express 8. Powerful music creation. Logic Express 8 delivers the power, precision, and professional toolset of Logic Pro 8--including a redesigned interface that allows musicians to write, record, edit, and mix with unparalleled speed and ease. Logic Express includes all the functionality of Logic Pro 8 except for four high-end professional features--surround, TDM/DAE support, distributed audio processing (DAP), and support for high-end control surfaces. Logic Express 8 comes with an expanded collection of professional instrument and effect plug-ins from Logic Studio, as well as channel strip settings and plug-in settings that allow you to begin making music immediately with professionally designed sounds. Logic Express is the ideal application for professional musicians and producers who want to get into the world of Logic for $199, as well as GarageBand users who are ready to take their music to the next level. A World of Options Logic Express puts a world of creative options at your fingertips, thanks to an open architecture that lets you use a wide range of audio interfaces and many different control surfaces. You can also explore hundreds of third-party Audio Units instruments and effects and incorporate sounds from third-party applications such as Ableton Live and Propellerhead Reason. Logic Express lets you work anywhere at any time, without proprietary hardware. When inspiration strikes, all you need is Logic Express and a Mac to capture your ideas and turn them into music-at home, on the road, or in the studio.

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Roland Cube Monitor / PA Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm frankly sick and tired of showing up for a gig and having my keyboard run through the P.A., thereby in essence causing me to forfeit all control of the instrument to the bandleader (or board op). Still, I've had to concede that the amps I've been using--a Roland KC150, then a KC350--had plenty of power and pop but no sonic attributes that would recommend them above the Bose P.A. set-up the band uses. Then, because I needed a small amp with an XLR connection for use as an emergency P.A., I picked up this relatively new item from Roland, which prominently describes itself as a "monitor" amp (i.e. meant only for the performer's ears).
Was I surprised when I got this thing home and put it through some rounds with a Kurzweil PC2 and SP2. It's little more than a compact brick, but it appears to have the power of my KC150 and, more importantly, in terms of "listenability" it sounds like its several heavens apart from the KC 150 or 350 (those ever-present Roland KC amps will make any piano, including Rolands, sound uninspiring if not boring during the course of a four-hour gig). This latest contender covers the entire piano range, effortlessly, smoothly, providing rich yet responsive bass where its needed and brilliant but not strident highs. Perhaps some would judge the sound a trifle "colored." If so, I'll take the coloration any day to the untempered sounds I've been getting from electric keyboards. The mid-range is tight and controlled, with the upper register "growing out" of it gradually but unmistakably. By contrast, the upper register on the heavy-duty KC amps strikes like a serpent, leaping out of the mix like home-brewed white lightning hitting the palate after it's just gotten accustomed to a vintage Bordeaux.
I even compared this little thing to my previous standard--the Roland Cube 60 that had preceded the KC150 (which has been around too long). This new one was smoother, bending to the bass notes like a gracious willow and springing to the top ones like fresh spring birch. In other words, even the Roland Cube sounded uneven and rough compared to this latest overachiever, which handled the tones of the scale like a single portamento, revealing no holes in any of the registers.
Playing any instrument or amplifier on the job can lead to a judgment radically different from the one made at home. If my instruments (I'm usually playing 2-3) have to be mixed through the P.A., fine. I won't have to listen to them. They'll be processed by this monitor, which will be facing and playing for me before it kicks out the stuff that the bandleader deems worthy of the public's ears.

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Built to handle a wide range of recording and mixing applications, the Roland Cube CM-30 monitor/PA can be used for live monitoring onstage as well. Delivering 30 watts of punch through a rugged, high-quality 6.5-inch coaxial two-way speaker, the Cube CM-30 can be easily and safely toted from location to location thanks to its built-in handle grip, protective metal grill cover, and cabinet corner protectors.

Key Features
Ultra-versatile monitor for studio, stage, and more
30-watt 6.5-inch coaxial 2-way speaker with stereo preamp
Three input channels, with one XLR input for mic/line and two additional Aux inputs
Stereo Link function for stereo connection between two units, which allows a total of eight stereo inputs and two mono mic/line inputs
Metal grill cover, corner protectors, and handle grip for carrying the unit safely

Specifications
Rated Power Output: 30 W
Speaker: 16 cm (6.5 inches) + Tweeter (Coaxial 2-Way)
Nominal Input Level (1kHz)
Channel 1(Mic/Line): -50 to -20 dub
Channel 2, 3 (Line): -20 dBu
AUX IN 1, 2: -10 dBu
Stereo Link Input: -10dBu

Nominal Output Level
Stereo Link Out L, R: -10 dBu

Controls
Channel 1 (Mic/Line) Volume Knob
Channel 2, 3 Volume Knobs
Stereo Phones Level Knob
Equalizer: Low Knob, High Knob
Volume Knob
Power Switch
Connectors
Channel 1 Input Jack (XLR type, 1/4" phone type)
Channel 2, 3 Input Jack L (mono)(1/4" phone type)
Channel 2, 3 Input Jack R (1/4" phone type)
Aux In 1 Jack (RCA phono type)
Aux In 2 Jack (Stereo miniature phone type)
Stereo Link Out Jacks L, R (1/4" phone type)
Stereo Link In Jack (1/4" phone type)
Stereo Phones Jack (Stereo 1/4" phone type)

Power Consumption: 32 W
Dimensions: 8-7/16 x 9-3/8 x 10-7/8 inches
Weight: 12 pounds, 6 ounces

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Alesis IO2 Express Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Got this unit with some reserve....I had an M-audio Fast Track, and I was not sure why the Alesis was so affordable and with 2 IN for the instruments or mic.
The quality of the case is very low; cheap plastic for the case and the knobs, same for the switches and mic connectors; the only metal parts are the 3.5 inch jack where you plug your guitars or your external equipment, and the headphone OUT
The unit itself looks cheap, but what it matters is what it does; and this pup does it right.
I've hooked it to my Mac pro via USB, and as soon as i plugged it, Snow leopard recognized it; I just had to switch my audio settings to redirect the audio in, audio out and system sounds to the io2 and everything is set up.
I am happy to hear no noise even if the volume is cranked up, while wearing headphones; this means that either the circuit board is well done, or the unit is well shielded from external interference (the fasttrack would give a disturbing hiss now and then; that would disappear if i would change position to the unit of few inches)
The mic in works great; plugged in a mic and it works just fine; setting the knobs is a cakewalk since they are pretty precise and does not make any noise while twisting them (again, means that the people that put this together did a good job shielding the unit; we will see how good is shielded from dust, since that is one of the main causes of noise while twisting the knobs)
the Line in/Guitar in works also great; plugged in my guitar and increased the gain and the sound was really good; tried it with garageband and guitar rig 4 and the latency was under 10ms; versus 18ms with the FastTrack; the Phantom +48v is also useful if you just plug the guitar without amplifier; in this way you can use a sound modeling software like guitar rig and play nice effects directly into your computer, saving the hassle to bring in interference and other noise that would come from the amplifier or pedal.
The recording was also awesome; you can tell that the quality is high when you listen at something recorded with the io2, using Bose headphones or a good audio equipment; the quality was same if not better of a 196kbps MP3, even at high volume and using software equalizer.
The chance to use 2 IN at the same time (2 guitars, guitar and mic, mic and line in and so on) opens up a lot of possibilities; tried with mic and guitar and it works fine; giving you control on each separate channel (the +48v gain works globally on both IN ) with separate knobs for the gain and 2 extra knobs to control the mix between the wet and dry sound (so you can listen the sound of the instrument before being processed by the computer, and after)and to control the main level.
In the end i give this unit a 5 star, since even if is cheaply made; feels pretty solid when you actually use it; and cost much less than any other comparable external usb unit for mac.

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Line 6 POD Studio KB37 Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm new to creating music on a computer, and my research, along with tons of positive reviews from others, led me to the POD Studio KB37 as a good all-purpose starting point. In terms of flexibility, this package is very hard to beat. The built-in inputs and mic preamps let you record just about anything, from guitar/bass and other electric instruments to vocals and acoustic instruments (using your own mic, of course). For these uses alone, the KB37 is a great way to get sound into your computer with minimum headaches. Simply connect the KB37 to your computer with a single USB cable. It's USB-powered, so you don't even have to plug it into a power outlet.
The hardware's MIDI keyboard and control surface open up a whole new dimension. They allow you to add keyboard parts and adjust some software parameters via real-world knobs and buttons; this is much faster than clicking and dragging onscreen "virtual" controls.
The included software package reveals the KB37's full potential, transforming an otherwise great product into an incredible bargain. Sure, the Reason Adapted (synth, sampler, sequencer, and effects) and Ableton Live (multitrack recording) software are the "lite" versions of these programs, but even so, they're very versatile and powerful. If you're fairly new to DAW software, trust me, even the lite version of Reason is pretty incredible -- you'll get a lot of use out of it. It includes tons of sampled real-world instruments, fully functional and tweakable soft synths, drum machine, sequencer, effects, and a lot more. It takes quite a while to explore its impressive capabilities. Once you do, you'll know whether you want to upgrade to the full version, which is available at a discounted price. But again, the lite verion will be plenty for many users.
Finally, you get Line 6's POD Farm software, which gives you an arsenal of stompbox and rack effects for guitar, bass, vocals, and just about anything else. On top of that, it includes amp, cab, and mic preamp modeling. You get everything that most guitar multi-effects units provide and then some. Because it runs on your computer, naming and saving patches is quicker and easier than stand-alone multi-effects units, and you can save as many custom patches as you like. And, unlike stand-alone units, POD Farm is expandable. Line 6 claims that the KB37 allows you to monitor your tone, complete with effects, without a latency problem (a lag between playing a note and hearing the output). This is not an empty promise. On my modest laptop, which runs Windows Vista on an Intel Core 2 Duo T5550 (1.83GHz) with 3GB of RAM, I experience zero latency problems.
All told, for the price of one guitar multi-effects unit, you get everything you need to start a home studio. If you're a full-time keyboard player, this package probably isn't aimed at you. As its name suggests, the KB37's keyboard has only 37 keys. So, there are probably better MIDI keyboard controllers out there for you. Plus, as a keyboard specialist, you'd most likely want a full version of whatever synth software you prefer. On the other hand, if you play guitar or bass and you want all the building blocks for tweaking your tone, adding vocals, effects, *and* getting your feet wet with powerful synths, sampling, and multitrack recording, here it is for a laughably low price.


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Logic Express 9 Retail Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am a hobbyist, not a pro, so keep that in mind as you read this; however, I have over the years used the old Logic when it was made by eMagic, Cubase, and landed on MOTU Digital Performer for a few years. I took a wrong turn and ended up playing with Reason and Live for a while, and then quit altogether. After a few years, I recently picked up Native Instruments Komplete 6, and never having found an ideal DAW, decided to dip my toe in the water with the new version of Logic Express. Having used many packages, I can tell you this is a robust package that strikes a nice balance between ease of use for a musician and powerful features for a producer. The Express version is not defanged, and can happily handle tons of tracks, Audio Units plug-ins (no VSTs), and without reading the manual I could record MIDI tracks, use software instruments, and record audio the same day I installed it. There are some really nice features and if you need the pro version you simply pay the difference for the upgrade, making this pretty exceptional value. I'm still fine with Express, but knowing the upgrade is easily available at no penalty is a nice policy. This is an intuitive and thoughtfully designed piece of software that has definitely reduced barriers for me at least in terms of getting the ideas that are in my head down and playing with them until they sound great.

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Record, edit, and mix your music on a Mac using the new Logic Express 9. Open your GarageBand files and get right to work, or start from scratch with a new composition. Logic Express 9 is a guitar player's dream, with Amp Designer and Pedalboard, two new plug-ins that re-create the sound of legendary amps and stompbox effect pedals. You can build your own amp model and try any combination of stompboxes. An improved set of music creation tools makes it even easier to capture and develop your musical inspirations. Use the new Flex Time tools to easily manipulate audio timing and tempo. And make music right out of the box with over 100 instrument and effect plug-ins from Logic Studio.

Logic Express 9. Record, edit, and mix music on your Mac.

Top Features
Perfect for capturing and developing your musical inspirations
Seamless compatibility with GarageBand files
Flex Time features that make editing audio timing and tempo easier than ever
More than 70 studio-quality effect plug-ins, including vintage and modern compressors, delays, reverbs, and more
New Amp Designer plug-in to help you re-create the sound of 25 legendary amps and 25 speaker cabinets
New Pedalboard plug-in with an assortment of 30 virtual stompbox pedals inspired by the classics
36 software instrument plug-ins, including the Ultrabeat drum synth and beatbox, ES2 synth, and EXS24 sampler

Related Products
Complete your music studio with a Mac Pro workstation and two 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Displays. Take a MacBook Pro with you and make your music anywhere.

AppleCare
Offering solutions for businesses of any size, AppleCare provides ongoing product coverage, including the AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac systems and Apple flat-panel displays. To augment your experience with Apple professional software, AppleCare Professional Video Support and AppleCare Professional Audio Support offer direct access to Apple's professional support staff. For more information, visit www.apple.com/support/products.

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Apple Logic Studio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)So you want a whole music studio for under $500? What are you, some kind of crazy Mac user?
Apple's generous price drop for this version of what many consider to be the ultimate music tool (and I'm one of those) has removed any excuse one may have for putting off this purchase any longer. Meaning they cut the price in half and added twice the features of the original: Not only do you get a leaner, meaner and much easier to use version of Logic Pro, but they've thrown in updated versions of Soundtrack Pro and Compressor (previously only available with Final Cut), a live performance module called MainStage, all five Garageband Jam Pack titles, WaveBurner 1.5 for CD mastering, new effects such as Delay Designer .... all you need supply is lots of time and about 45 gigs of hard drive space.
As a happy user of Logic since version 6, I found the upgrade (available for just under $200) easy to grow into, especially being used to Apple's other pro apps, and really appreciated the addition of Soundtrack Pro 2, whose predecessor I'd used more for track mastering. The newer interface for Logic is more self contained now, with sliding panels replacing all those open windows you used to have to deal with ... although that is still an option if you're a person who thrives on complexity. Now you can look at both the Arrange Window and Matrix Edit (now called "Piano Roll", how quaint) in the same window, just roll it in and out as needed. Same with Audio Mixer, Score View, Hyper Edit, etc. In keeping with this more streamlined method, some of the tools are more hidden away which, along with other changes, I'm quickly getting used to. Another rollaway panel gives you access to instrument settings (and other audio resources) by way of a Soundtrack-like browser -- don't like that piano sound and don't feel like scrolling through all of them? Just pick one off the list, and it's there!
Another nice feature you'll see right away is some handy standard templates: Now, instead of trying to figure out how many blank tracks, and what kind, you may need for a certain project, just click one of the template buttons and you're on your way. You can easily customize them if you're a seasoned user. The one that has this user the most excited is the orchestral template ..... a whole symphony orchestra, ordered the same as it would be in a classical score, with instruments already loaded and regions just waiting for note entry. Now that's power. You can transcribe classical works using Logic's score editor, which by the way will also print out scores should you ever hire live musicians for your compositions.
One thing that will make Logic veterans happy is, now you don't need the USB XS-Key to be plugged in to run the software. Upgraders only need it to install, then just unplug it and drop it in the box. New users won't even have to deal with it. They don't know what they've missed, and they're better off.
In summary, Logic is the solution for the Mac-based musician, as far as composing, arranging, recording, looping, producing, scoring, sound designing, whatever-ing in an audio capacity. No messy cables and reels of tape all over the place like in the old days, just launch and bring musical dreams to life. I can't emphasize enough what a good deal this is (without sounding like a salesman), and once you get over a slight learning curve you realize the possibilities are virtually boundless for what you'll come up with. Just be aware: this ain't no Garageband. Logic is for the serious musician or music producer for whom music matters above most other things. This is what obsessed people do with their time. If this sounds like you, well, you owe it to yourself to make the most logical investment.

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Logic Studio, Apple's comprehensive suite of professional music and audio tools, provides musicians with everything they need to create in the studio, on the stage, and for the screen. Logic Studio includes Logic Pro 8, Apple's legendary professional music production application featuring a new, intuitive interface; MainStage, an innovative new application for music performance; and Soundtrack Pro 2 for audio post-production and sound design. It also includes Studio Instruments and Studio Effects, with 40 acclaimed instruments and 80 professional effect plug-ins; an expanded Studio Sound Library; and new production utilities--all in a single box at an incredible price.

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