Which of the Launchpads is that? The one with the sequencer?
Heh, I came the other way. I just found Ableton far faster and stabler. I do miss Logic for mixing, but its session view is not close to Ableton (and Flex is not as good as warp for most of my use cases). In another year or two, when the novelty wears off, I bet I’ll be back in Logic. Just different ways of approaching things in both.
Really, it all depends on what you’re trying to do. I realized that I wasn’t using most of the features that Ableton excels at.
For sure. When I was doing songwriter/guitar/drums stuff Logic was way better. When I switched to mostly electronic music, it started to fall short. I expect I’ll switch back again at some point. It’s still waaaay better for bussing and mixing.
Ableton to me is a more fun creative toy. Logic is work. I wouldn’t buss drums to Ableton.
It unfolded well. Easy to hook up, route and monitor.
Though I can’t find a reverb like the CXM, especially not the Lexicon replicas. They’re trying too hard to be the original, you can just tell they’re not.
I’ve settled for Softube’s reverb. Just because it’s not even trying to be a Lexicon, yet clearly flirts with that time and age. But in its own way.
Time to explore a new sound, I guess.
I just got a new 16" M3 Max MBP with Logic Pro X on it, so I’ve started down the rabbit hole of Logic. I’ve just been watching hours of tutorials (MacProVideo as well as MusicTechHelpGuy on Youtube).
(Since I’m rocking my baby to sleep while she’s teething, got some time to spare to share some Logic Pro reverb tips I learned over the years)
I’m gonna assume you already know all this stuff, so I’m gonna keep it short.
This is just in case you were wandering in Logic’s reverb options and wondering what to make of them.
Here is a quick rundown of Logic’s options and how I use them.
This is just me. Ask the next guy, it’s gonna be something else.
And I won’t be trying to emulate your CXM. If you have the hardware, it will sound better almost every time when compared to software.
First, let’s get rid of a few 3rd party options I came to love over the years :
Valhallas
Great reverbs and delays. You’ve got some freebies that would totally be worth your ambiant ambitions!
ShaperBox 3
Their latest Reverb module is quite something. Really creative stuff. Worth the try, I’d say. Watching Cableguys video on this module helps big time understanding what they aimed to do.
Then, Logic stock options.
Silver Verb
It’s a great algo. But it’s a good bus reverb for vocals, guitars and pianos. Nothing too crazy.
EnVerb
A great digital reverb, mostly used for busses too. It’s a great option, but not so creative as the next one.
ChromaVerb
That’s your 80ish option right there. It has cool options and algos but it’s still trying too hard to be what it’s not : its hardware counterparts. But as an insert, it can yield great results. Especially if you sidechain it against its source material.
SpaceDesigner
This one is an often forgotten and dismissed option. But it’s a powerful weapon of choice - especially when (on the Mac version) making use of IRs. I think you could try and make some CXM IRs and try out the results. Always worth the try.
Legacy Algorithms
The old reverbs (you can find them under Legacy but they are hidden and revealed when pressing [alt] in the main plugin menu, if I remember correctly) are nothing to write home about. But I learned over the year that they can be useful when paired with the newest ones. There, you can go crazy creative when designing chains with multiple reverbs taking care of different frequencies, etc.
Logic’s Amp
The most overlooked Reverb option. And for a good reason : these are recreations of Amp Reverbs. So, mostly String and Plates. Some Rooms. But here again, used properly in addition of other reverb, you can yield some tasty textures.
Honorable mention to my fave Logic amp : the Transparent Amp. Its reverb is light and smooth, and this amp can subtly add harmonic content to your source. That one is a mix engineer’s secret weapon. Every time.
Pedalboard
Here again, you’ll find some Reverbs that many if not most producers just forget about. I find their Delays and Reverbs to be limited, yet really colorful. And it’s a pedalboard. Meaning you can route things together, in parallel, etc. The iPad version is a bit limited but the Mac version is a powerful environment to create crafty tones.
Alchemy
Alchemy has some powerful algorithms. And since you can go crazy with your own samples, it’s a creative powerhouse that sometimes borrows from the realms of bigger plugins such as Portal. It’s a tool you can twist and repurpose at length.
Step FX/Remix FX
These two are really creative. You won’t be able to get some natural reverbs out of them.
But you certainly can use them in many scenarios, more so when used with other reverbs.
StepFX is a real ambiant machine - makes me think of Portal at times.
RemixFX is more of a DJ tool. But it can still be useful when you want to automate some reverb on many sources.
There you go.
I don’t know if you’ll ever pull something out of this post.
But, as it turns out, my daughter is waking up just in time for me to end this list!
Here’s hope it helps someone!
I wrote a long post but realized it was better suited to the Logic Pro for iPad thread. But as it also concerns Mac Logic, Ableton, Push 3, I think it’s of interest to people reading this thread.
This + Baby Audio Crystaline (Mac and iPad)
Great summary.
Many years ago I got a set of bricasti m7 impulses that are really nice for space designer. I won’t post a link tonight because I want to check the link I saw online is the same one I downloaded years ago, but it’s an easy google if anyone is impatient!
This is awesome thank you.
Softube is really starting to grow on me, but I’ll check these out. Exploration is fun without an end
And now, using the XLN Audio RC-20, though not on the master, but to colour certain patches a little more. It’s like a Chase Bliss pedal with options.
Should’ve thought of this one too.
A great unit. A loads of options!
And not so fiddly. Each section, very specific, with few but efficient features.
In general, if there’s more sliders in an interface than I got kids, I’m out.
And also, Analog Labs is nice, but both underwhelming and overwhelming. Too much content, but too little control over the content in place.
However, I really like Arturia’s Model D plug - that, with some tape effects slapped on, and I think I can create the patches I’m hearing in my head. Potentially the Emulator II instead, also a very nice and specific plug.
I remember purchasing it on a whim and ended up using it extensively.
XLN doesn’t have the most exciting update cycles. But this one is a great sound shaping tool.
I still think it could do with improvements (some new drive and reverb options, more detailed RATE knobs). But the filters are really great, the noise algos are really smooth and once you get to know it better, it has a way to make different sources sound amazing.
Arturia’s V Collection has some great recreations but I ended up using Pigments a bit more in the end.
I still love their Piano, their SEM
And their Moog recreations. But I couldn’t justify the price of each upgrade.
Analog Lab is great as a preset box. It often frustrates me how the most relevant settings of each preset is not available. But as a free preset machine, it’s incredible value.
At the moment, I’m having a field day with their Microfreak and got myself to think that I really like Arturia’s FXs, but not so much their synths anymore.
Although, as we said earlier, if you get one of their MIDI controllers, they really try to give you a great integration.
I still like Arturia’s products more than Native’s - but to each his own, I guess!
Valhalla wins over Softube after all. Once I started exploring the algorithms, it clicked.
Also, the Softube reverb is just stupid expensive. Or if it’s the Valhalla that’s silly cheap.
I can see myself liking the Valhalla even more than the CXM. Though that’ll take some use before I end up there. I’ve been with the CXM since its launch, after all.
Is it possible to record Logic’s output directly onto an audio track, in Logic? I’ve tried to set it up but it only captures the microphone audio.
Essentially, the album feature of the OP-1 - say I got seven tracks, a mix of midi and samplers. I just want to record them straight to an eight audio track. I know I can render one and then drag it into Logic, but it seems I should be able to just route all audio going out from Logic, onto an audio track while it’s recording, disabling its output to avoid feedback.
But I can’t figure it out.
Help?
Never mind - figured it out Bounce - Regions - and select to make it into a new track.