Moving up to Logic Pro. have some questions though??

[Extreme-G]

I've been trying to make trance music using Sylenth1 on my MacBook pro laptop this past week. I love it, i'm hooked! At the moment, I'm using Garageband (since i'm beginner). well, i'm already in the midst of my 2nd compoition and feel it's time that i move up in the music software chain that are more advanced and have much more features. From what i've read, LogicPro is like in the garageband/MAC family but obviously the steps above. since i already have experience and familair with the garageband already i was considering purchasing Logic Pro 9 for my Macbook pro laptop..

A few concerns. this one is hard to explain, so i say it best as possible. with some of my sythesizer based recording loops, there are some parts where i want to adjust the cutoff nob to where a piece of the music will fade in and out. ya know, the cutoff AB section - where u kind of fade out the piece of music for a moment? I could do it while it's playig obviously, but can't just do it while it's playing & have it record it as well. Not sure if that feature is on garageband, but hoping it's available on the higher music softwares..

Next, is there a feature where could crescendo parts of the music in the loops? And finally, i've read up that people recommend Ableton if you're considering producing trance music. Would like to know if i could do good stuff on logic pro 9? Fl Studio is out of the question since i have Mac, no windows . it looked pretty cool.. I did a test trail of Ableton and seemed puzzled (but then again this was months ago when i was newer than newbie and thought Guatar Center store sold hardware synthesizers to make trance music).

Most of all, i like user friendly, something to fits good with me. And since i already have 2 songs going that i've put lots of time into, id like to just open up my current songs that i made in garageband in another music software program & pick up where i left off at..

Sorry for the long post.. hope it's in the correct spot.

Thanks much!!

[Josmoker]

Logic Pro is a perfectly valid choice for trance and pretty much any genre and, as you're already on a Mac, it's pretty hard to beat value for money.
Afaik it's also pretty much on par with the other DAWs regarding the featureset. You will be able to do the cutoff-thing you are talking about with it. I'm not sure what you mean with "crescendo parts of the music in the loops", so don't know about that.

[tapler]

...with some of my sythesizer based recording loops, there are some parts where i want to adjust the cutoff nob to where a piece of the music will fade in and out. ya know, the cutoff AB section - where u kind of fade out the piece of music for a moment? I could do it while it's playig obviously, but can't just do it while it's playing & have it record it as well. Not sure if that feature is on garageband, but hoping it's available on the higher music softwares..

The feature you need is called Automation, and it is already available to you in Garageband:


I've used Logic for years and never have really tried Garageband, so I can't really speak on the differences. But Logic is a great program I'm still discovering new things it can do. At the new price, it's a no-brainer!

[billcarroll]

Logic Pro is awesome, and even though I use Ableton Live, I often wish some features and instruments from Logic were available in Ableton Live. Logic has amazing built in instruments. You can produce top quality music without ever touching a plugin.

Logic's strengths are probably more oriented towards automation and mixing, and the built-in instruments and effects. Lot's or people use Ableton to quickly come up with ideas and then bounce stems for use in Logic or Pro Tools where they do a final mix down or mastering. You can mix just fine in Ableton Live too, but some people like separating mix and mastering process. There is no "right" way.

I find Ableton to be super fast for getting creative ideas out. Logic is more cumbersome -- it seems to take more steps to do most things. However, both are terrific for producing the type of music you want to produce.

At the end of the day it's the software you are excited to learn and use daily that will give you the best results. You really can't go wrong with either Logic or Ableton Live.

[BDeep]

Most of all, i like user friendly, something to fits good with me. And since i already have 2 songs going that i've put lots of time into, id like to just open up my current songs that i made in garageband in another music software program & pick up where i left off at.

The good news is, with Logic you can actually open GarageBand songs. I must say I haven't tried it, but I believe it's a feature. Now, logic isn't exactly user friendly (but this is the case with most sophisticated DAWs for that matter), but you get loads of functionality in return. Studio One is said to be somewhat more accessible, but if you don't mind a slight learning curve, I can recommend logic. It's just a shame you can't demo it nowadays. But if you're serious, for the money you can't go wrong.
It's good for trance as is every DAW, and, if in a week, you should decide to move to bluegrass, it will do that as well As proof of the pudding, Armin uses Logic.

Good luck!

[BDeep]

Logic Pro is awesome, and even though I use Ableton Live, I often wish some features and instruments from Logic were available in Ableton Live. Logic has amazing built in instruments. You can produce top quality music without ever touching a plugin.

You're absolutely right, but yet somehow, I keep buying third party AU's. Should really use the built in ones more often, they're really good. This applies to the built in effects as well, a really good bunch of effects that you keep you busy when you start off.

[michael2]

Logic has a bit of a learning curve to it, but not nearly as steep as I was lead to believe (either that or I am a really gifted engineer with abundant natural abilities).

you can open Garageband files in Logic, but if you used a bunch of plugins in your original GB project, they often will be routed in the most retarded way when you open them in Logic. not the end of the world, just not the way I would typically set up an arrangement.

Logics automation is great (miles ahead of GB). you can either open up the automation window (think it's really called a lane) and pencil stuff in, or you can hook it up to a controller and turn knobs on the fly and it will record the movements. You can also set up sends and busses on Logic (last time I used GB you couldn't do this). it's a real game changer and you can get much more creative; either subtly or drastically.

other things I love: programming MIDI is waaaay easier than on GB, you can import groove templates, changing the velocity of notes is much easier than GB, you can manipulate and transform MIDI very easily. you can make sampler instruments out of audio very quickly (super cool feature). you can timestretch things easily (just click and drag).

one could go on forever. for me it's a great tool, I know enough to get decent results and learn more every day. since i'm not a pro engineer, I can't picture outgrowing Logic at all. you can get as deep as you like. lots of tutorials and forums online (free and very helpful to get you going).

I have GB on my work computer and sometimes use it to sketch ideas on my breaks: it's way slower to open, uses more resources on my computer (seems that Logic is more efficient), and the MIDI is just a bummer. GB is a great program, but after having used Logic for a few years now, I find it much easier to do things in Logic. once you get your workflow happening, it's fast and efficient. I feel like I can be much more creative when I don't have to worry about work arounds for my DAW. tried Ableton and it's got some cool features, but nothing I can't do quicker in Logic (for my needs at least). I use it to blend electronics and acoustic instruments and handles both with ease.

[Extreme-G]

Thanks for the feedback! i didn't know Armin uses Logic. Interesting.. Yeah, i'll check out the automation feature in Garageband. basically, for this track, i just want my loop of notes/chords while i go in Sylenth1 and at a certain part of the loop i want to manuever the cutoff button to sound in/out the type of sound it provides. So when i play it back, it'll play the notes + plus the change at the certain part of the loop. i wish i knew the term for it, but u hear it in alot of trance or EDM. Or better yet, if u play dj hero and u have that fade button on the turntable where u manipulate the type of sound at certain parts of a song..

But yeah, I think i'm going to go wtih logic pro 9..im super excited. also, is there a feature where i could have tempo variations throughout the song? like if i wanted it to slow down, or spead up at certain parts?

Thanks!!

[Extreme-G]

Nevermind... i figured out the automation thing! i didnt' realize the sylenth1 had a drop down menu on the small browser that pops up when u hit add automation. I was then able to adjust the Filter Control Cutoff A at the certain spots. so cool didn't know it had that feature, even an added synthesizer has a it's little menu of adjusting things.

[tapler]

also, is there a feature where i could have tempo variations throughout the song? like if i wanted it to slow down, or spead up at certain parts?

Your wish=Logic's command:

[Extreme-G]

Excellant! ... i was able to figure it out on Garageband in the Master track.

wonder if i could do my own personal remixes to songs that are already out there... fun, fun, fun

[Extreme-G]

how long will it take for me to get Logic Pro 9 after i purchase it? I'm guessing you buy it and download it right away or within 24 horus?? i'm getting exctied. tahnsk1

[BDeep]

Don't you have any experience with the app store? (either apple or google). It's the same process, you go the the App Store on your Mac, search Logic, you buy it, and it starts downloading immediately. Really, the time until you can use it really depends on your internet bandwidth.
Also, there's some additional content you can download later on, but that doesn't really keep you from using Logic in the meantime.

[djshire]

Whoever said that Live is better for trance than Logic needs to be punched....give me a name, description, and address, as I'd like to do so personally.

If you look at a lot of the "pros" setups (which are fun to look at, but shouldn't be a base for your decisions), a lot them use multiple DAWS, but a mix of Live and Logic seems to be pretty common.

Logic is a wonderful DAW, with pretty much everything you need from start to finish to produce a track. You can also load Garageband projects into Logic (but not vice versa).