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DP or Logic Pro 8? Why Not Both?
Picking a DAW is one of the most personal decisions a computer-based musician can make. Read through the forum for any DAW and you’ll see that most musicians are absolutely set in their ways as a user of “the one and only DAW” and all other musicians should be whipped a thousand times with a wet noodle for even contemplating using another.
Despite some staunch positions, over the years I have seen many Logic users switch to DP for various reasons. Now with the release of the Logic Pro 8 (as part of the Logic Studio package) I’m seeing a strong fervor building over whether Logic Pro 8 is worth switching from our beloved DP. I bet many of you have spent wee hours of the night secretly perusing Apple’s Logic Studio web pages comparing every new feature to those of DP and those that we have longed for. Even within my own little network of DP users such mutinous talk has lead me to realize that this is an important DP Corner topic. But having given it quite bit of thought, rather than asking DP or Logic Pro 8, my question is…why not both?
We all use Apple computers, and perhaps most of us use iLife on a daily basis, so we probably accept the fact that Apple typically makes computing life pretty easy. But how could Logic Pro 8 possibly offer greener grass than DP? Well, in my blunt opinion, who cares if it’s better or not? Logic Pro 8 has enough bells and whistles to enamor even the most dedicated DP enthusiast, but using it doesn’t require replacing DP.
While the “bells” might include new features like the a single window design (consolidated windows?), expandable multi-take folders, library browser, quick swipe comping, highly improved mixing environment, and being accompanied by MainStage, SoundTrack 2, and WaveBurner 1.5, a DP-killer they do not make. However, the “whistles” described below are what I’m digging. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m DP through and through. My years of working with DP, loving its workflow and improvements, and my investment in upgrades have helped to ensure it will be my DAW of choice for a looooong time. But that doesn’t mean that I put my head in the sand about the advantages of other music creation tools.
To be honest, I’ve long waited for the next Logic mostly because I love seeing how other DAW upgrades eventually drive DP improvements. Though disappointed by no Apple announcement when I attended the 2007 Winter NAMM I still watched the Logic 7.2 demo at the Apple booth, as performed by a keyboardist and guitarist, and I was surprisingly blown away, especially by the quality of the stock Logic instruments and sounds. Needless to say, Logic Pro 8 takes it a step or two further, and here’s partially how:
- Studio Instruments
- Ultrabeat – drum machine
- EXS24 – sampler
- EVB3 – B3
- EVD6 – Hohner Clavinet
- EVP88 – Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and Hohner electric pianos
- Sculpture – synth (now includes surround panning)
- ES1 – classic analog-style synth
- ES2 – synth with multiple synthesis techniques
- EFM1 – FM synth
- Studio Effects
- New Delay Designer
- Space Designer – now in surround
- Surround Compressor
- Guitar Amp Pro
- Production Effects
- EQ
- Dynamics
- Voice processing
- Mastering tools
- Creative Effects
- Reverb
- Modulation
- Vintage processing
- Warped processing
- Delay
- True Surround Effects
- Chorus
- Flanger
- Microphaser
- Modulation Delay
- Phaser
- Tremolo
- 18,000 Apple Loops (12,000 from five Jam Pack collections)
- 5000 foley, sound effects, and music beds
- 1000 surround sound effects and surround music beds
- 1300 EXS sampled instruments for use with the EXS sampler or third-party Audio Units plug-ins
- Real Instrument Apple Loops which can integrate into your project as audio files and can be edited like any audio region.
- Software Instrument Apple Loops which allow the instrument, processing, or original MIDI performance to be freely edited.
- Apple Loops Utility to create Apple Loops from any audio file
- 2400 channel strip settings — professionally crafted plug-in chains combining instruments and audio effects
- Over 575 Space Designer impulse response files, including 10 new vintage spring reverbs and over 130 new surround spaces
- Create custom impulse response files for Space Designer with Impulse Response Utility, included in Logic Studio
- Save customized plug-in combinations as channel strip settings for use in Logic Pro and MainStage
- Share channel strip settings over a local network or the Internet using Bonjour or .Mac
- Compressor 3: Encode and preview stereo or surround mixes into most industry-standard formats.
So let’s forget about the fact that Logic Pro 8 is a full-blown digital audio and MIDI workstation, I’ve already got one that I like. As far as I’m concerned it is a rather cool, diverse, and powerful rack of software instruments and effects. But at $499, why should any of us care?
If you buy keyboard hardware you know how many hundreds, or even thousands you’re spending for sounds, effects, and sequencing. Well, if you’re using DP you are essentially buying that hardware for sounds and effects. Hmm, doesn’t that sound familiar? If you buy software instruments, you’re probably spending $100 to about $500 on each, some emulating a single type of keyboard, some powerful synths, and others with a great collection of quality instruments. You might also spend similar money for plug-in effects. Well, seeing the extensive list of instruments and effects, and having heard the very high quality you get for that $499 price, Logic Pro 8 is sounding like a pretty amazing deal. Considering that only a portion of the Logic Studio Sound Library consists of all five Jam Packs that Apple has offered for quite some time, each normally sold for $99, the deal is sounding even better. Throw on top of that all of the Apple Loops, the Apple Loops Utility, and some of the unique capabilities described above, and I’m thinking this meets the definition of a “no brainer”.
Regardless of whether you think it’s worth it, you might be asking the most important question…how can DP and Logic work together? Well, if you haven’t caught on already, the “two-DAW / single-system” relationship I’m contemplating could be very similar to how DP and Reason integrate with one another. Reason has long been used by DP users as an instrument rack that can work nearly seamlessly through Propellerhead’s “virtual audio/MIDI cable” Rewire. DP offers good Rewire support, and Logic Pro 8 improves upon Logic’s prior mediocrity to better support the porting of multiple virtual audio and MIDI channels between the two powerhouses.
So what I’m talking about here is the possibility of having both DP and Logic open at the same time, in Logic setting up any combination of instruments and effects chains in Logic’s mixing environment, and sending them over Rewire audio channels which would be set-up as inputs in your DP Aux or Audio tracks. The coolest thing is that you could then create DP MIDI tracks to program Logic instruments, all of which would also be handled by Rewire connections.
How easily would this work? I suppose that depends on how CPU hungry Logic Pro 8 is, whether DP and Logic can get along with one another regarding shared resources (e.g. Audio Units, CoreAudio, CoreMIDI, etc.), and how you actually choose to use both DAWs. I tend to believe that it will be more complicated than how DP and Reason work together, but I’m confident that DP and Logic can now get along better than ever before.
While the most attractive integration would be to have them on the same system, Rewire may not be the answer for everyone. They may also live harmoniously together with the help of friends such as Jack or Soundflower both of which provide Rewire-like virtual audio channels between open applications. If DP alone already maxes out your CPU then perhaps you could run them on separate machines passing audio from Logic to DP through your audio interface, possibly even syncing them through your timepiece of choice. Not as much integration, but certainly a most powerful workstation. Suddenly using both doesn’t seem all that far-fetched, does it?
Of course none of us “need” this, but I have at least convinced myself that this could be a reasonably happy marriage and I have just placed my order for Logic Studio with plans to give it a go, and I’d like to take you all along for the ride.
To start it off I have created a thread titled “DP or Logic Pro 8? Why Not Both?” at the HYPERLINK "http://en.440forums.com/forums/?showforum=61" MacMusic DP Forum. It is there that I will post my experiences as I attempt to run DP and Logic Pro 8 side-by-side, with all the flops and follies that are sure to arise as this odd couple tries to get along. Until then I would love to hear from you and your thoughts on DP vs. Logic Pro 8. If you don’t already have an account at the MacMusic DP Forum, it’s free and private.
Depending on your interest in the DP vs. Logic Pro 8 debate, and the experience of my match-making, I may cover the integration details in an upcoming DP Corner installment as well as the differences in that integration between Logic Pro 8, Logic Express 8, and Garageband.
And if you haven’t already, be sure to click over to the DP Corner signup page so you’ll receive DP Corner as soon as it’s released.
If you have a Digital Performer related question that you would like me to take a shot at answering or have any feedback, please send it to timr@audioMIDI.com. I will do my best to select the questions that seem to stump the most people.
As always, stay tuned to the audioMIDI.com eNews for the latest reviews and new product info.
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