What’s new in Logic Pro X

Logic Pro X includes major new features and enhancements, briefly described below:

Alchemy

Logic now includes Alchemy, an an easy to use yet powerful sample manipulation synthesizer. Alchemy features additive, spectral and granular synthesis and resynthesis, sampling, and virtual analog engines, and offers realtime performance controls and an extensive preset library.

User interface

Modern interface: The Logic Pro X interface is redesigned for increased functionality. The transport controls are now at the top of the window for better visibility and access, the Library is relocated next to the track headers, and multiple tracks can now be selected and moved in one operation. Menus are reorganized and streamlined, and there are a host of other ergonomic improvements. Groups of features can be turned on or off in the Advanced preferences pane, letting you optimize the interface to suit your way of working.

Quick Help: View brief descriptions of windows, controls, and other elements of the Logic Pro interface without leaving the application or interrupting your workflow. You can view Quick Help either in the inspector, or in a movable floating window.

Projects

New project structure: In Logic Pro X, project assets can be saved directly in the project or in a project folder, and can also be referenced from a location outside the project. For information about handling project assets, see Manage project assets. You can also save project alternatives in different states, including different cuts or mixes, and go back to earlier, automatically saved versions of a project using backups.

New sharing options: You can share Logic Pro X projects to SoundCloud, and share them to the Media Browser, to distribute and use with other applications on your Mac. For more information, see Sharing overview.

Auto Save: Logic Pro regularly saves your work in the background. In the event of an unplanned interruption, you can reopen your project with the latest changes and continue working.

Tracks area

Drummer: Select from a variety of virtual drummers, each with its own drum kit and playing style, to add to your projects. Adjust performance parameters including loudness, complexity, and kit piece focus for each Drummer region. Drummer can respond interactively to other tracks and regions in a project. For more information about Drummer, see Drummer overview.

Smart Controls: Quickly adjust the sound of a track using a set of visual screen controls. You can customize Smart Controls by mapping their screen controls to channel strip or plug-in parameters, then manipulate them using external MIDI hardware. For more information about using Smart Controls, see Smart Controls overview.

Track Stacks: Easily organize complex arrangements by collapsing multiple tracks into one. Create layered instruments with multiple software instruments. Create submixes to manage complex Mixer setups. For more information about working with Track Stacks, see Track Stacks overview.

Patches: Save and recall complex, multiple channel strip configurations along with their Smart Controls. Patches contain the instrument, effects, and routing settings that control the sound of a track. For information about patches, see Patches overview.

Arrangement track: Organize a project into sections, then move or copy the sections to build an arrangement. For information about using the arrangement track, see Add arrangement markers.

Groove tracks: Set one track in the project as the groove track, then select other tracks you want to follow the timing of the groove track. For more information, see Control timing with the groove track.

Editing

Flex Pitch: Manipulate pitch and other parameters of vocal and monophonic instrument recordings. You can make quick pitch corrections in the Tracks area, or use the full Flex Pitch functionality to quantize and edit pitch and adjust other parameters in the Audio Track Editor. For more information about using Flex Pitch with audio tracks, see Flex Time and Pitch overview.

Audio Track Editor: Edit audio regions nondestructively in a close-up view of a single track, including making Flex Time and Flex Pitch edits. For information about the Audio Track Editor, see Audio Track Editor overview.

The Piano Roll Editor and Score Editor have been redesigned and improved. For more information, see Piano Roll Editor overview and Notation overview.

Mixing

New Mixer options: The redesigned Mixer now includes gain reduction meters. The new multi-functional Effect slot design simplifies choosing, opening, and bypassing plug-ins. For information about the Mixer, see Mixing overview.

Instruments and effects

Drum Kit Designer plug-in: Customize or build drum kits to use with Drummer, or to play and sequence drum tracks manually. You can choose multiple drums, then adjust individual parameters for each drum. For more information about using Drum Kit Designer, see Drum Kit Designer overview.

Arpeggiator/MIDI plug-ins: Create sophisticated arpeggiator patterns for any software instrument using the Arpeggiator. Use other MIDI plug-ins to perform a variety of real-time operations. For more information about working with MIDI plug-ins, see Plug-ins overview. For complete information about MIDI plug-in parameters, see the MIDI plug-ins section of the Logic Pro Effects manual.

Redesigned vintage instruments: The three vintage instrument plug-ins (EVP88, EVB3, and EVD6) have been redesigned and renamed Vintage Electric Piano, Vintage B3, and Vintage Clav. For more information, see the relevant sections of the Logic Pro Instruments manual.

Retro Synth: Retro Synth is a flexible, easy-to-use 16-voice synthesizer that can produce a wide variety of sounds. This instrument plug-in provides four synthesizer types—Analog, FM, Sync, and Wavetable—each of which can generate unique sounds. For more information, see the Retro Synth section of the Logic Pro Instruments manual.

Bass Amp Designer: This effect plug-in emulates the sound of famous bass guitar amplifiers and the speaker cabinets used with them. For more information, see the Bass Amp Designer section of the Logic Pro Effects manual.