Apple Logic Pro 12, MainStage 4 Now Available, Here’s What’s New


Apple has released major updates for Logic Pro, MainStage and Final Cut Pro for macOS as part of its rollout of the new Apple Creator Studio.

Key updates for musicians include AI Session Players and Chord ID in Logic Pro, Beat Detection in Final Cut, Ableton Link in Mainstage, and a more comprehensive sound library.

What’s new in Logic Pro 12:

  • AI Session Players:
    • Transform your tracks with the all-new Synth Player, and create keyboard and bass performances with intuitive controls.
    • Generate dynamic synth performances that play notes and manipulate instruments.
    • Use Simple Pad to add lush harmonic layers to your song, or add movement and dynamics with Modulated Pad and Rhythmic Chords.
    • Explore popular synth bass styles including 808 Bass, Pump Bass, and Sequenced Bass to dial in the low end.
    • Use Chord ID to identify chords from any part of your song and Session Players will automatically follow along.
  • Sound Library:
    • Explore a free, expanding collection of premium sound packs with the brand new Sound Library.
    • Listen to audio previews of any sound packs and install your favorites.
    • Free up storage space by easily deleting packs you are no longer using.

What’s new in Final Cut Pro 12:

  • Powerful Intelligence:
    • Use Transcript Search to quickly find spoken words or phrases in your footage by searching for exact matches or using natural language descriptions*.
    • Discover Visual Search, a fast and easy way to locate moments in your footage, including objects and actions, using natural language*.
    • Let Beat Detection analyze any song to reveal its bars and beats, enabling you to easily align your video edits to the music’s rhythm.
  • Get Started Fast:
    • Dive into editing with a special demo project featuring the talented singer-songwriter Allie Sherlock, and explore the exciting new features of Final Cut Pro firsthand.
    • Accelerate your next edit with in-app guides on how to create a new library, import media, and add clips to a new timeline.

New in MainStage 4:

  • Support for Ableton Link:
    • Synchronize tempo with Ableton Link supported software and hardware devices.
  • Sound Library:
    • Explore an ever-expanding collection of premium sound packs with the brand new Sound.
  • Library:
    • Listen to audio previews of any sound packs and install your favorites.
    • Watch producer pack videos to get inspired by the creative process of top producers, and then install their custom made loops and instruments.
    • Free up storage space by easily deleting packs you are no longer using
  • Logic Pro 12 for macOS is available now for $199.99.
  • Final Cut Pro 12 for macOS is available now for $299.99.
  • MainStage 4 for macOS is available now for $29.99.

They are also available as part of the Apple Creator Studio subscription bundle. Visit the Apple site for details.

 

Apple Updates Logic Pro For Mac & iPad With New Features For Recording, ‘Unmixing’ and More


Today,  Apple released updates to Logic Pro, for both Mac & iPad.

Among the new features is Flashback Capture, which lets you save performances that you forgot to record; Enhanced Stem Splitter, which lets you ‘unmix’ recordings and create new mixes; and Undo History is now saved with your project.

There are also the sound pack upgrades. Dancefloor Rush is designed to push your drum ‘n’ bass buttons by way of 400 loops, drum kits and a dedicated Live Loops grid, and comes to both versions of Logic Pro.

New in Logic Pro 11.2:

  • New Features and enhancements
    • Flashback Capture
      • Recover and save a spontaneous performance that otherwise may have been lost because Logic Pro was not set to record.
      • Enable cycle mode to improvise multiple takes, without the pressure of being in record – Logic Pro can then retrieve them to a take folder, or multiple new tracks.
      • Use Flashback Capture on almost any source (MIDI, audio or external instruments) to capture dynamic performances as they happen.
    • Enhanced Stem Splitter
      • Split stems from audio recordings with even greater audio fidelity — now with support for guitar and piano.
      • Use the new submix feature to create a custom audio file, like an instrumental or just drums with bass.
      • Use presets to quickly make sets of commonly used stem mixes like acapella, instrumental, instrumental with vocal, and more.
    • Writing Tools in the Notepad
      • Explore ideas like song lyrics, chords, and more using ChatGPT with integrated Writing Tools.2
    • New Sound Packs
      • Dancefloor Rush delivers peak-time Drum and Bass with hard-hitting synths and drums.
      • Magnetic Imperfections brings unpredictable charm to every sound, evoking the unpolished soul of analog tape.
      • Tosin Abasi brings his flavor of progressive metal guitar, with boutique amps and effects, distinctive picking styles, and signature crushing riffs.
    • Search and Select
      • Navigate large projects with ease by searching and selecting tracks by name or track number.
  • Other new features include:
    • Undo History is now saved with each project.
    • It is now possible to search for and select tracks by name and track number
    • When a portion of a MIDI region is copy and pasted using a Marquee selection, the pasted copy of the region now includes data from the original region outside the borders of the Marquee selection.
    • The Dolby Atmos plug-in now offers a Direct 2.0 monitoring option.
    • There is now an option to create a new empty take in MIDI Take folders.
    • The Chord Track can now be imported from a different Logic Pro project.
    • The Dolby Atmos plug-in now offers an option to switch the rendering mode between Music and Movie.
    • The Mixer can now be configured to show long faders.
    • Ableton Link and MIDI Clock can now be output at the same time.
    • It’s now possible to create a marker from a Marquee selection.
    • Folder Stacks can now be directly converted to Summing Stacks.

Visit the Apple site for details.

New  in Logic Pro for iPad 2.2:

  • New features and enhancements
    • Learn MIDI
      • Use your favorite MIDI device to control plug-ins, instruments, and automatable parameters in Logic Pro.1
      • Create connections quickly using the intuitive Learn MIDI interface — simply select a control in Logic Pro and move the corresponding physical control (such as a fader, knob, switch, or pad) on your connected device.
      • Visual feedback displays assigned and available controls in real time, helping you stay in flow while mixing, automating effects, or fine-tuning instruments.
    • Flashback Capture
      • Recover and save a spontaneous performance that otherwise may have been lost because Logic Pro was not set to record.
      • Use Flashback Capture on almost any source (MIDI, audio or external instruments) to capture dynamic performances as they happen.1
      • Enable cycle mode to improvise multiple takes, without the pressure of being in record — Logic Pro can then retrieve them to a take folder, or multiple new tracks.
    • Enhanced Stem Splitter
      • Split stems from audio recordings with even greater audio fidelity — now with support for guitar and piano.2
      • Use the new submix feature to create a custom audio file, like an instrumental or just drums with bass.
      • Use presets to quickly make sets of commonly used stem mixes like a cappella, instrumental, instrumental with vocal, and more.
    • Drum and Bass Pack
      • Dancefloor Rush delivers peak-time Drum and Bass with hard-hitting synths and drums.
  • Other new features include:
    • Ableton Link and MIDI Clock can now be output at the same time.
    • It’s now possible to create a marker from a Marquee selection.
    • Folder Stacks can now be directly converted to Summing Stacks.
    • Projects can now be renamed, duplicated, and moved directly from the document screen
    • Region gain can now be normalized.
    • There is now a command to create two automation points at each border of a region.
    • There’s now a command to duplicate a track and its content.
    • There is now a setting to toggle Auto Input Monitoring.
    • Navigate large projects quickly by searching and selecting tracks by name.
    • If an external MIDI device is connected, Logic Pro now automatically indicates incoming MIDI data.
    • Undo can now be added as a control in the Control Bar.
    • Tapping and holding a plug-in slot in Mix Mode now opens a popover showing the most important controls.
    • It’s now possible to rename a project while it’s open.
    • Dragging chord regions from the Chord track to Session Player tracks or Software Instrument tracks now creates regions with the chord changes.

Find out more on the Apple site.

 

Logic Pro For Mac + iPad Updated With Peter Gabriel’s Reverb


Today, Apple introduces Logic Pro for Mac 11.1 and Logic Pro for iPad 2.1, free updates that bring some significant new features to the multi-platform DAW.

The update introduces the new Quantec Room Simulator plug-in, which allows users to “tap into the legendary sound of the most acoustically accurate reverb ever created”, according to Apple, built using the original schematics, algorithms, and code from Quantec founder and inventor Wolfgang Buchleitner.

Users can select the vintage Quantec QRS to add natural acoustic space to music while preserving sonic character, or the modern Quantec Yardstick for improved clarity and detail. The Quantec QRS technology is also great tool for video editors who want to add natural-sounding spaces to dialog, foley, and music.

“The Quantec Room Simulator has been a key element to my sound for many years, appearing on records like Passion and Us. I also used it to build harmonic drones to start my live set, which then evolved into songs like Across the River,” said musician Peter Gabriel. “It’s wonderful that Apple is bringing the Quantec QRS back to life as a plug-in for Logic users around the world.”

Other updates:

With Reorder Mixer Channels, users can rearrange channel strips by dragging them, and can even select multiple channel strips to reorder them collectively. To make it easier to find and add any plug-in directly using a keyboard command, Logic Pro for Mac users can now search by category, company name, or even part of a plug-in name. Logic Pro for iPad also introduces Sample Folders, giving users access to their personal collection of samples directly from the built-in Sound Browser right from iPad, external storage, and iCloud Drive.

Logic Pro for Mac 11.1 is available today as a free update for existing users and for $199.99 (U.S.) for new users on the Mac App Store. Logic Pro for Mac 11.1 requires macOS 14.4 or later.

Logic Pro for iPad 2.1 is available today as a free update for existing users, and available on the App Store for $4.99 (U.S.) per month or $49 (U.S.) per year, with a one-month free trial for new users. Logic Pro for iPad 2.1 requires iPadOS 18.1 or later.