tedlee

I recorded “cuckoo sitting in the cuckoo berry tree” entirely in Apple Logic. When I started the tracks in 2007, I was using Logic Express 7. In December 2007, I upgraded to Apple Logic Express 8. In the middle of the project, I upgraded to Logic Studio 8 (see below for reasons). 

Logic is an awesome piece of software. Even with the entry level Logic Express, you get a wide variety of plugins giving you access to just about any effect or instrument you could want. 

In Logic 8, Apple upped the ante with more studio instruments, effects, Mainstage, and an incredible library of instruments/loops. The interface for Logic was radically revamped, allowing for split screens and really making the most of limited real estate.

Most of the recording was done on a Macbook Pro 2.4ghz and an iMac 2.16ghz. I upgraded the iMac to the Aluminum iMac 24″ 2.8ghz in August. The extra speed was beneficial in rendering/bouncing mixes. I use an additional 20″ Cinema Display, allowing me to have the main view on the main display, and the mixing view on the second display. 

My audio interface is a PreSonus FIREPOD. All tracks were recorded to an external Firewire hard drive (Western Digital 7200RPM drive). 

The main reason I upgraded from Logic Express to Studio was Sound Designer. Recording drums in my home studio meant that I didn’t have the best room available to me for drum sounds. But in a way that was good. The room itself was very dry and dead, which allowed me to modify the drum sound in the mix using Sound Designer. Additionally, Logic Studio 8 comes with all of the material from the Jam Packs. My two main keyboard sounds on the album are the FM Organ sounds and the Analog Moog Lead. 

I’ve used ProTools for other projects, and it has it’s pace in the industry. It’s obviously the industry standard. But in many areas, ProTools seriously lags behind Logic. UI, ease of use, breadth of hardware options, and value. For $499 ($449 from Amazon.com)you get an entire studio in a box. You get an awesome non-linear editor. You get MainStage, for those who want to use your Mac on stage. You get Soundtrack Pro 2, for those who are creating music for movies/video. You get a huge library of effects and instruments. You get WaveBurner. The list goes on and on. In terms of value, no other package compares to the professionalism and quality of Logic.

If you are looking to get more value than ProTools provides, or move up from another NLE, Logic Studio 8 is a best bet.