We’re continuing down the ever-expanding rabbit hole of music creation on Mac and iOS this year with product reviews, tutorials, tips/tricks for Logic users, and much more. That includes tutorial installments, new instruments/FX for Logic users, the best peripherals/controllers and much more.
Want more Logic Pros? Check out the archives below and stay tuned for a new installment each week in 2017.
Welcome to our 2023 edition of the best MIDI keyboards for iPad and Mac. With the reveal of Logic Pro for iPad (it’s about time, Apple) and the holidays on the way, it seems a fitting time to go over some new releases and the best hardware keyboard controllers to put both the Mac and new mobile version of Apple’s flagship music software to work. The touch interface on Logic Pro for iPad looks fantastic thus far, but there’s nothing quite like getting hands-on with a MIDI keyboard when it comes to playing chord progressions, writing riffs and melodies, banging out beats on some bonus drum pads, and supplementing the touchscreen controls with assignable control pots. So let’s take stock of the newest releases as well as some mainstays still worth your time (and money) as part of our 2023 edition of the best MIDI keyboards for iPad and Mac.
Expand Expanding Close
Update: We have now launched our new 2023 edition of the best MIDI keyboards for Mac and iPad ahead of the launch of Apple’s new Logic Pro for iPad.
Welcome to the 2021 edition of the best MIDI keyboards for Mac (and iPhone/iPad). This is a great time of year to take stock of what’s out there ahead of the holidays, including both brand new options released in 2021 and some mainstays that have rightfully earned another mention on our list. Apple’s Logic Pro made leaps and bounds with the latest major updates and these are the best MIDI keyboards out there to take advantage of what it and other DAWs have to offer, just be sure to check out the Launchpads we detailed earlier in the year for direct Live Loops control as well. Head below for a closer look at 2021’s best MIDI keyboards.
Expand Expanding Close
We have some new details today on Apple Lossless and Spatial Audio for indie artists. Apple’s recently announced Spatial Audio and Lossless audio formats for Apple Music are set to kick off next month. While we know it has partnered with big artists like Ariana Grande, Maroon 5, and Kacey Musgraves, among others, to bring the first 3D and hi-fi audio to its streaming service, what does this mean for the rest of us? After code hinting at the new service surfaced ahead of the official announcement from Apple, followed by, what was for some, confusion over what headphones/audio playback systems can actually support it, we immediately asked ourselves if these hi-fi audio deliverables would be available to indie artists as well. While there have been no direct announcements as of yet, we have done some poking around, digging through the crates, and sources suggest Apple’s new Spatial Audio and Lossless streaming will indeed be available to indies in the near future. More details below.
Expand Expanding Close
Welcome to the April edition of Logic Pros Marketplace — a roundup of all of the most interesting free FX plug-ins and sound resources, discounted instruments, and more for Logic Pro users. This time around we are tracking even more offers on MPE gear for your multi-touch-gesture explorations as well as a host of new, completely free FX and vintage synth-based sampler instruments for your Kontakt library. Head below for everything.
Expand Expanding Close
Today we are taking a look at how to get your music video on Apple Music. More specifically, the various options and difficulties with regards to independent digital distribution of our music videos and music-related video content to Apple’s streaming platform. We have previously discussed services like TuneCore — one of the better options for getting your music on Apple Music, Spotify, and many others — however, things have evolved in the space since then with TuneCore competitor Distrokid now making waves, but to some degree, options are still somewhat limited when it comes distributing your companion video content. So let’s take a closer look at Apple’s official list of distributor partners, the best options available for independent music makers/content creators, and how to distribute your music video on Apple Music.
Expand Expanding Close
After looking at how to quickly move timeline-based projects over to a Live Loops setup and some nice price drops previously, today we are talking about mapping Remix FX to Launchpad. Apple’s GarageBand multi-FX unit gone pro made its debut inside Logic Pro for the first time as part of the flagship app’s major overhaul last year. A particularly useful and creative tool, especially in concert with Live Loops, Remix FX houses a number of multi-touch ready FX units from filters and repeaters to down samplers and interesting tape stops to add some serious flavor to your compositions. But with direct and multi-touch control available via Logic Remote already, and some tricky X/Y pads to deal with, is it really worth the trouble mapping Remix FX to Launchpad?
Expand Expanding Close
Today we are taking a look at the copy to Live Loops function and transforming your regions into cells. While we previously explored some of the more performance-based applications of Launchpads and Live Loops, arguably the most obvious use for Apple’s grid-based production environment is in arrangement. You can easily and quickly experiment with transitions from one part to any other without having to start dragging and dropping huge, unwieldy chunks of regions around. Sure, that’s nothing some Marquee tool or skip/cycle wizardry can’t handle on the regular timeline, but there’s really no comparing that to the musical immediacy and hands-on immersion of triggering these sections with a single Launchpad button, all-synced to the timeline and without having to commit to anything until you’ve experienced the change.
Expand Expanding Close
Welcome to another edition of Logic Pros Marketplace — the place where we gather all of the most interesting free plug-ins, instruments, FX, and deals to bolster your Logic Pro rig. While things are starting to feel as though they are loosening up in some places, many folks are still stuck inside with plenty of time to kill and new, exciting projects to explore. If you’re anything like us, some new gear, a quirky boutique plug-in, or some vintage-style drum machine might be just what you need to get inspired for your next big production. You’ll find a curated selection of Logic resources, free plug-ins, and more, all conveniently listed for you down below to explore.
Expand Expanding Close
After exploring some techniques and functionality to bolster performance potential last time around, today we are taking a look at custom Launchpad modes and creating our own bespoke controls for Logic Pro. Continuing our journey towards complete creative hardware dominance over our instruments and tracks in Logic Pro, these custom made templates allow us to quickly and simply throw some widgets around to personalize hardware control over just about every parameter your trackpad can find. Used in combination with Logic Pro’s particularly powerful Learn assignment functionality, Novation’s Components Editor is a simple and effective way of expanding Launchpad hardware control well beyond the factory limitations.
Expand Expanding Close
We are checking in today to talk about Live Loops performance, sound design, and composition. The obvious application of Novation’s Launchpad integration with Apple’s Live Loops has to be the ability to trigger various vertical slices of a song project in order to rearrange it or just simply perform and record new versions of the original idea. But it is the more creative side of things we are particularly interested in, taking collections of our musical parts not just to alter the arrangement of the verses and choruses but also to create layered sounds and rhythmic ideas that can result in entirely new song ideas/audio resources. Today’s Logic Pros Live Loops Launchpad Diary is here to explore some of the elements and functionality to best accomodate this kind of creative approach.
Expand Expanding Close
Logic Pros Marketplace is the place we explore some of the best and most interesting free instruments, discounted content/sound sources, and audio manipulation tools to fuel our Logic Pro rigs. We are starting to see some notable spring-time promotions hit alongside a host of new free instruments/FX, and some major expansions to some of last year’s best. Setting our Launchpad Live Loops rig aside for the time being, you’ll find a curated selection of major price drops and completely free creative tools below to complement Logic’s new workflow possibilities, sampler tech, and sequencing.
Expand Expanding Close
In today’s Logic Pros Live Loops diary, we are taking a look at the process of introducing this new workflow into our day-to-day recording sessions along with some quick Novation Launchpad tips. The potential of these repurposed controllers has just been getting even more intriguing with every Logic Pro update and after discussing the the pros and cons of the current-generation lineup, we are diving into to some tips and quality of life reminders for making the transition a smooth one.
Expand Expanding Close
What Launchpad should I get? With basically every Launchpad out there now compatible with Logic Pro it’s time to look at which model is best for Apple’s flagship DAW and your personal needs. After discussing the overall value proposition for Novation’s Launchpad Logic Pro integration last time around, we are now diving in to some of the major differences between them to determine which best suits your needs.
Expand Expanding Close
Welcome to the Logic Pros Live Loops Launchpad diary. Apple’s grid-based music production environment works wonders with its pricey tablets and handsets, but it’s the colorful Novation pad controllers that have caught our interest. Initially designed for something else entirely, it’s time to see what these almost reversed-engineered, repurposed controllers are worth to Logic Pro users.
Expand Expanding Close
Along with the announcement of next-generation, M1-equipped Macs, we are also getting Logic Pro 10.6. Apple has now issued the latest update for its flagship music production software to coincide with the latest MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini models. While it’s certainly not as groundbreaking as the massive 10.5 update issued earlier this year, there are some interesting enhancements here along with an influx of new and very much free MainStage content. Read on for the details.
Expand Expanding Close
This is the best MIDI keyboards for Mac and Logic Pro X 2020 Edition. With so many of us finding more time than usual this year to get creative and start new audio projects, not to mention that massive update Logic Pro X users saw a few months back, having a good controller by our sides might be more important, and useful than ever. If our MacBooks or iOS devices are the brains of our music production setups, than a dependable MIDI keyboard might just be the heart of the operation. What is a simple piece of plastic made to look like a piano to many, is an expressive tool for translating human emotion and creativity into an otherwise overly-efficient piece of cold steel with an Apple logo on it to the rest of us. Head below for a closer look the best MIDI keyboards to help unleash your creativity and to decide which option is best for your particular needs.
Expand Expanding Close
Today, we are taking a look at creating Apple Loops, Untagged Loops, the Loop Browser, and some related updates. With the influx of new content and patterns, alongside some improvements to Apple’s tempo and pitch-fluid audio format infrastructure in the 10.5 update, it’s time for a refresher. The introduction of the new Live Loops environment, as well as the Step Sequencer patterns and more, makes creating custom Apple Loops, understanding how Untagged content works, and the ability to leverage this wealth of free content even more useful.
Expand Expanding Close
Now housed inside Logic Pro X, the Remix FX plug-in brings more than just a few DJ tricks to Apple’s flagship production suite. To some degree overshadowed by the influx of game-changing new tools and technologies that hit Logic Pro X with the 10.5 update, the multi-FX, touch control plug-in rig can be a particularly useful and creative production tool that only enhances new powerhouse additions like Sampler and Live Loops. Below we are exploring its capabilities and how Logic Pro X users can take advantage of the immersive touch-based musical performance surface.
Expand Expanding Close
Today we are taking a closer look at the new Logic Pro X drag and drop export functionality. A trend you may have noticed through our recent exploration of LPX’s blockbuster new features — Sampler, Step Sequencer, Live Loops, more — is Apple’s focus on simple drag and drop control over our audio/MIDI. This has also notably extended to the way we can export tracks and regions from our Logic Pro X projects directly into the Finder, emails, and just about anywhere that will accept them. Hit the jump for a closer look.
Expand Expanding Close
It’s time to take full control of Apple’s latest production technologies with Novation’s Live Loops and Logic Pro Launchpad grid controllers. The Live Loops grid-based environment is a wonderful experience with a connected iPad, allowing for a more immersive approach to your cells via the Logic Remote app. But Live Loops also brings with it official support for a wide range of those colorful and affordable grid controllers from Novation. For compatible models, functionality details, and more, hit the jump.
Expand
Expanding
Close
After taking a good look at each of the main features in the latest Logic Pro X update, it’s time for the notable holiday weekend plug-in deals. This time of year tends to bring a number of half year sales and things of that nature on plug-ins, software instruments, FX, and even some hardware gear for Logic users and music makers of all kinds. Head below for this weekend’s deals and freebies from Waves, UAD, iZotope, Spitfire Audio, Native Instruments, KORG, Apogee, and many others.
Expand
Expanding
Close
Apple has completely overhauled Logic Pro X’s sampling technology with the new Sampler and Quick Sampler. While those two might be running the audio recycling operation here, the powerful new Logic Pro X tool known as Auto Sampler is not to be overlooked. Now available to all users, the plug-in can automate the sample creation process like Logic Pro X has never seen before.
Expand
Expanding
Close
The long awaited successor to Logic Pro X’s EXS24 software sampler is here with full backwards compatibility, a suite of new toys pulled from Alchemy, a much needed makeover, and some particularly intelligent sampling tech. Among the latest 10.5 update’s most exciting new additions, Sampler has now dethroned Logic Pro’s roughly decades old workhorse sampler. If Quick Sampler can completely change the way music makers interact with just about every little clip of audio they can get a mouse pointer on, Sampler can do all that and more, automatically transforming collections of samples and melodic phrases into coherent virtual instruments with artificial intelligence levels of automation.
Expand
Expanding
Close
With the Logic Pro Step Sequencer comes a new way to interact with MIDI and automation data. Not unlike something found in vintage drum machines and hardware sequencers, we can now program our software instruments in the new Logic Pro X 10.5 editor and creative tool known as Step Sequencer. Its introduction continues the trend of bringing powerful new workflows to Logic Pro X inspired by popular vintage products and other DAWs, but with that particular Apple touch of course.
Expand
Expanding
Close