What are /r/LogicPro's favorite Products & Services?

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You might enjoy the Scaler plugin a lot in fact. Actually I know you won’t be disappointed. It works as a midi plugin and can dramatically increase your knowledge of scales and chord changes and can actually read what you’ve laid down, tell you what would work next and give you mock versions you can try out and then drag and drop chords into a midi instrument. Here’s a link. Thank me later. https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/3-Studio-Tools/72-Utility/3933-Scaler

Was gonna mention Sitala as well! And if you like to organize your samples, then definitely try out ADSR so you can drag your files to Sitala's app.

These are two recent apps I'm just learning about, but they've been promising so far!

Looks like 24 bit/48 kHz. I found this cool article on Apple’s site which has links for instructions and some tools to master in their format. Hope it helps! Apple Lossless Mastering

If you're willing to spend a little, this book helped me. https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Pro-Training-Professional-Production/dp/0321967593/ref=sr\_1\_6?dchild=1&keywords=Apple+Pro+Training+Series%3A+Logic+Pro+X%3A+Professional+Music+Production&qid=1624531759&sr=8-6

That mic won’t work directly with that interface. The interface only takes 3.5mm inputs. However, that’s a USB mic which doesn’t need an interface at all. You can just plug it into your computer directly. Here’s another one I’d pick over the Samson because it uses USB-C. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATR2100x-USB-Cardioid-Microphone-ATR/dp/B07ZPBFVKK/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?crid=2LWG88YWWB66W&keywords=audio+technica+usb+microphone&qid=1671228568&sprefix=audio+technica+usb%2Caps%2C209&sr=8-5

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/US16x08--tascam-us-16x08-usb-audio-interface

Alternately if you plan to expand/have the $$; https://www.amazon.com/Tascam-US-16x08-Rackmount-Audio-Interface/dp/B016R8CQJG?th=1

It costs a little money, but David Nahmani’s book. It’s the guide for getting Apple certified. He does a great job with teaching concepts/workflows with real-life situations in mind. He also runs logicprohelp.com

Just set your output in logic preferences to your L12 if you’re connected via usb?

Otherwise use a 1/8 to dual 1/4 stereo out cable like this and plug it into your head phone jack on your Mac and into the inputs on your mixer

Audio production doesn't need a lot of bandwidth. I bought a Sabrent external case and a Samsung M.2 NVME for my macbook air and it's great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RVC6F9Y https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MFZXR1B

Wouldn’t something like this do the trick? No need for an interface because the 3-ring 3.5mm jack built in to the MacBook will provide enough power for the mic

Fan noise is standard on laptops. The M1 series doesn't have that problem, of course. But the 2020 model will.

There's a couple of things you can do:

1. Isolate the machine, and use an external keyboard, mouse, and monitor.
2. Cool the machine with a cooling pad, or just give it better airflow around the bottom and back of the machine where the air flow needs to be unimpeded.
3. Use a directional microphone rather than an omni-directional one.
4. Save the project and don't use heavy processing when recording. Wait until after recording to do all your audio processing. (Which is what causes the heavy CPU load.)
5. Use a foam isolation shield between the microphone and the laptop.

A combination of those things will help you reduce the amount of time the fans are spinning loudly, and will ensure that even if the fans are spinning, the mic doesn't pick them up.

Thanks- the track looks as expanded as I think it can go. There don't seem to be any arrows or other markers in the region to indicate otherwise. Additionally, when I select the region in question, it shows a piano roll in the editor, similar to a MIDI view. See screenshot below. So confused- just want to get my normal track back!

https://www.screencast.com/t/4y4sR1uhrXL

Boom: https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-HM-4-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B079C8MLG8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3BM6KCFUWHYQX&keywords=headphone+distribution+amplifier&qid=1643093982&sprefix=headphone+dis%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-3

Not sure if this is at all helpful but I’ve got a few of these on my 2015 MBP just for external libraries and it loads up a large drum kit (1GB-ish) in just under a second over USB 2.

WD 1TB My Passport SSD External Portable Drive, Gray, Up to 1050 MB/s - WDBAGF0010BGY-WESN https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08F27QGHX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_MHWXSVRGET3HTSKMRQP6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

As far as the key feel goes, almost all of the keyboards you see on the market today use the same keybed from Fatar. These people have really nailed down a good, low-price, reasonable feel keyboard feel that appeals to most people. So keyboard and synth manufacturers just buy a Fatar keybed and build the box and brains around it.

Because of that, there really isn't much difference between most of the MIDI keyboard controllers out there. It's honestly just looking at the form factor and deciding of that works for you.

Personally, I use the M-Audio 61-key: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DDN4PYD

I chose this one because is takes up less desk space than pretty much any other MIDI controller I have found. It's a workhorse, too. Built sturdy.

All of my other synths (Waldorf Blofeld, Native Instruments S49 MKII, and Bass Station II) came with their own keyboard, so I use this one when I want to strip down to basics and give myself some room on my desk! :-)

And, it's like $200, so it is super inexpensive, too.

Yeah - Samsung FIT Plus 128 GB Type-A 300 MB/s USB 3.1 Flash Drive (MUF-128AB) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FD878SJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_C22JZ2ZTXN537QAAGVSG

That’s the 128gb one and when I got the 256 I got a student discount on it straight from Samsung

You need to use an ASIO driver to get low latency on a PC. The Mac uses something called core audio which is already a low latency driver.

See if there are ASIO drivers for your laptop or try one called ASIO4ALL.
http://www.asio4all.org

If that doesn't work then you can easily solve the problem by buying an audio interface, which has low latency drivers and a lot of other features you might want.

Garage Band is a lite and stripped down version of logic. You can start out with that and then upgrade later if you go the Mac route, but just know that there are tons of people using FL Studio on PC . Probably more so than the Mac. You just need to make sure you are using ASIO drivers to fix your issue.

I used to use WireTap from Ambrosia Software for this sort of thing. I tried looking it up and their website is being finicky and/or non-responsive. I hope they’re still around.

Another program I used that may or may not work for that is Soundflower. https://en.softonic.com/download/soundflower/mac

If you've tried resetting and rescanning your plugins from the Plug-In Manager and you're still having the same issue, try quitting Logic, deleting its preference files from ~/Library/Preferences and relaunching it. If it's still not work, download Onyx (https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html) and run it in "Maintenance" mode with all boxes ticked. This flushes various caches, rebuilds your Spotlight index and other databases, and runs maintenance scripts. Reboot when it's done and then give your machine a bit of time to rebuild the Spotlight index. If that doesn't fix it a clean install almost certainly will. Let us know how you get on.

One other major consideration - besides what you've listed - is how old the platform is. In other words, what year was it originally built. Apple doesn't support their hardware forever and a lot of these refurbished models on the market originally date back to 2012. With the recent release of Big Sur, a 2012 model won't be supported. The link below has the official Apple list of supported hardware for Big Sur at the bottom of the page. I would not suggest buying anything that isn't several years newer than the minimum unless you want to replace it again in a year or two. I would also echo the recommendation of at least 16GB of RAM.

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https://www.apple.com/macos/big-sur/

Thanks for the mention, /u/NotDavidX!

OP, Audio Hijack can certainly help you record any audio on your Mac. You can set it to record from a specific application (say your web browser), and record whatever audio is playing there. Download the trial from our site (https://rogueamoeba.com/audiohijack/) and test it out.

Are you familiar with this:

https://www.apple.com/itunes/mastered-for-itunes/

If you aren’t able to find a loophole there, I would, strictly imo, make it one song physically and title/title it.

Best of luck - let us know how you make out!!

Warmly, Mr-Mud

To the OP... I STILL have a ton to learn and I've been writing/producing music since 1998 or so. If anyone tells you there is ONE proper way to do it, they are lying. I've learned I have to just experiment, experiment, and experiment some more. Learn to trust your ears. I started out trying to duplicate what I heard on the radio. In those days we only had General MIDI (127 sounds I think) but I remember creating a near duplicate of "I Want It All" by Warren G. So listen to some of your favorite songs and just try to match certain parts of what you hear. Don't be afraid to press buttons, put in plugins you don't know anything about just to see how they sound. If you hit a specific roadblock, Google it until you find the answer. Find sounds that get you excited... one of my favorite sounds of all-time is a stock Logic sound called "Dream Dancer"... it's under the "Classic" section of the synth library. Put a delay on it and just see what you come up with. One thing I would recommend Googling and learning about is how "sends" and "aux channels" work. It will make your workflow a lot faster. Basically it entails putting one plugin on a separate channel that you can then route to any track you want without re-loading the same plugin. This saves both a lot of memory and time. I start every session with several of these, but always a delay aux and a reverb aux, that I can then route to any track I want, which is usually quite a few. Best of luck! Don't be too hard on yourself, just try new things. I don't specifically write dance music but I found this to be really inspiring, even though I'm a piano player: https://www.masterclass.com/classes/deadmau5-teaches-electronic-music-production.

Why are you going to teach others a tool you are only now learning? What have these (and hundreds of other) resources failed to provide, that you will be providing?

In short, why would I want to learn from you, when I have any of the resources above, plus other very important ones you haven't mentioned, like Why Logic Pro Rules, and the Apple Pro Training Series on Logic Pro?

What's your hook? What's your unique offering?

Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MQ26QIY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_9SF2PN23D49BP6WCAHJB

Something like this will work with a regular thunderbolt 2 cable (not only Mini DisplayPort, they share a same adapter shape).

I strongly suggest reading up on different ports available for computers and the like, it’s very useful information to know.

Actually I just read the manual...

It looks like the cable they provide just goes to normal USB. You can get a dongle for like $40 and try the cable they provided.

https://www.amazon.com/UtechSmart-Thunderbolt-Delivery-Compatible-Nintendo/dp/B07X5KSBNJ/

OP here. First thanks to all for the input. Does anyone use/have an opinion on Nektar P1? Dies it get along with Logic?

Nektar Panorama P1 USB MIDI Controller with Nektar DAW Integration https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C1QJEH6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_CYGC2EVWDEKAQHG89TY8

This is the guidebook to get Apple certified in Logic. I've read it cover to cover, it'll teach you everything you could possibly need to know. It's more project/application based than theory based, so you get real examples of where the concepts/workflows would be applicable. This book is one of the best investments I ever made, I can't recommend it enough.

I never bothered getting officially certified because the Apple Certification test costs like $200, at least last time I checked like 7 years ago.

https://www.amazon.com/Logic-Pro-10-5-Professional-Production/dp/0136886620

The 2018 Mac mini supports SODIMM DDR4 2666 MT/s memory. There are only TWO slots on the Mac mini so keep that in mind. Here is the ram I got. It’s not as easy as the iMac to upgrade ram, so you’ll need special torx screwdrivers. They are pretty cheap though and you can find some on Amazon. Just google Mac Mini 2018 RAM replacement and follow one of the videos. IFixit has one.

I should caution you, SOME people are experiencing audio issues with T2 Macs. The Mac mini is a T2 Mac and you may encounter some of these issues. Personally, I have not experienced ANY issue with audio on my Mac mini. I’ve used both USB and Thunderbolt interfaces at every sample rate, and it’s totally fine. Maybe I got lucky... I don’t know.

If you want to be safe, you may just want to find a refurbished 27” iMac on the Apple store. Ram is easy to upgrade, and you’ll be able to find a cheaper model that’s refurbished. Refurb products are basically like new if you’re getting them from Apple.

It's a little complicated if you don't understand how it all works.

In your situation and for simple explanation - MIDI works two totally different ways in your system.

You can use midi OUT from Logic into the proteus to control it. This will allow you to generate sounds inside the proteus. The important thing to understand is that midi doesn't carry any sound itself. It's just notes without any sound. In this configuration you need to either hookup the sound output on the proteus to a sound card or speakers to hear anything.

You can also send midi from the proteus into Logic (midi IN). This will let proteus use the sound banks inside of Logic when it plays. You lose the sounds that are inside proteus and it plays using sounds found in logic. This configuration would be if you like the song structures in the proteus but don't want to use it's instruments.

What I believe you really want to do is use the soundbank inside the proteus, since those sounds are what make it so special. In order to do that you must run the audio out lines from the proteus into either a speaker or into a sound card with inputs. In this way you can send the audio out of the proteus into Logic and record it and/or play it through your computer speakers.

So to try to recap, for midi, if you want to use Logic's midi interface to play the Proteus you can use a USB MIDI. If you want the Proteus to play logic sounds you can also use the USB Midi. If you want to control the proteus from logic AND capture the sound inside logic, you need a USB Midi AND a sound card/device that can capture the audio outputs on the proteus. You can also skip the usb midi entirely and use a midi keyboard plugged into the proteus. You still need a soundcard to get the output into your computer.

Here is a popular device for capturing audio into your computer - https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56EA

There's the Apple Pro Training Series manuals. Bit costly but really in depth, and a new manual is released for every new version of Logic. Was used in University classes frequently when I studied on a Music Production undergrad.

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Thanks! Yeah -- I thought the controller did... but I can't figure it out. I did watch one of his videos but it was dealing with after the fact -- not playing live. I forget if it was this video...

my controller: http://www.amazon.com/midiplus-AKM320-MIDI-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00VHKMK64 .