New Features in Logic Pro 8 This is an overview of the new features in Logic Pro 8. For more information on these features and their use, see the documents mentioned in the following sections. Logic Pro 8 Changes This section provides a summary of new or enhanced Logic Pro 8 features. Further details, including usage information, for these functions is found in the Logic Pro 8 User Manual. Interface The user interface of Logic Pro 8 has undergone a significant transformation.
 Toolbar and Transport bar: A customizable Toolbar spans the top of the Arrange window. It contains buttons that open or close other Arrange window areas, plus several function buttons. The customizable Transport bar spans the lower edge of the Arrange window. See “Customizable Arrange Toolbar and Transport Bar” on page 4.
Loop Browser All Apple Loops (and other loop format files, such as ReCycle files) can be browsed or searched for, and added to your arrangement. This is an enhanced version of the Loop Browser of earlier Logic revisions. Library The Library is new to Logic Pro 8. It provides access to all settings files—for all channel strip, effect, and instrument plug-in settings (including EXS instruments).
Arrange Channel Strips A second channel strip has been added to the Arrange area Inspector, which shows the primary destination channel strip for the track channel strip. This enables you to alter the settings of the bus (aux channel strip), output, or master channel strip associated with a track/channel—without leaving the Arrange window. Customizable Arrange Toolbar and Transport Bar A customizable Arrange Toolbar spans the top of the Arrange window.
Changed Link Behavior The Content Link function is now activated by Option-clicking the Link button (doubleclick still works). Control-click (or click-hold) the button to access a shortcut menu, offering: No Link, Same Level Link, and Content Link modes. Piano Roll Editor The Piano Roll Editor Link button now provides only two states: On and Off.
Renaming of Functions and Elements Changes to the interface have brought about a number of terminology changes. Many functions, commands, preferences, settings, and alert dialogs have been altered, making them simpler and clearer.
Marquee Operations The new Bar ruler marquee stripe can be used as a selection and navigation tool. When activated, a thin marquee stripe is shown at the top of the Bar ruler. You can simply drag in this area to create a marquee. To activate the marquee stripe: m Click the note icon at the right-hand end of the Bar ruler, and choose the Marquee setting from the menu. To make a marquee selection: m Click-drag in this area to create a marquee stripe selection area (also shown on selected Arrange tracks).
Graphical Time Stretching of Audio Regions You can now visually time stretch or compress an audio region directly in the Arrange area: Simply Option-drag its end into the desired direction. The processing uses the currently selected Time Machine algorithm.
Shortcut Menus Throughout the application, you can access contextual shortcut menus within editing areas (and other areas, such as the Bar ruler and track list) by Control or right-clicking. These allow quick access to a number of operations that are specific to the window or area. The menu will update to show relevant operations, dependent on selections made within the window. To explain, the options available in the Arrange area are different when a region is, or is not, selected.
Advanced Track Creation and Configuration Logic Pro 8 offers a number of facilities that streamline track and channel strip creation. One-Step Region, Track, and Channel Creation Dragging a media file into a blank Arrange area section now creates a new track, and corresponding channel strip. Â Standard audio files and audio Apple Loops create new audio tracks and channel strips.
Recording Logic Pro 8 introduces a number of new and enhanced recording functions. These include take recording—of both MIDI and audio—and the addition of the Input Monitoring button to audio tracks. Takes and Comping Logic Pro 8 provides advanced take management facilities. A take is a recording of a part (a guitar solo, for example) that is performed and recorded multiple times. You can use takes to record several consecutive versions of a solo, and pick the best one, for example.
Input Monitoring You can use the new Input Monitoring buttons to monitor audio tracks that are not armed. Simply enable the Input Monitoring button on an audio track (or channel strip in the Arrange or Mixer windows). This works when Logic Pro is stopped or playing.
Mixing As a legacy of the improved surround facilities and new interface, the mixing facilities of Logic Pro 8 have changed in the following ways. New Mixer Window Logic Pro 8 unifies the features of the former Track Mixer and Environment Mixer in one Mixer window. Channel strips are automatically generated when new tracks are created (the File > Project Settings > Audio > Automatic Management of Channel Strip Objects setting must be active—it is by default).
Improved Aux Channel Strips The improved aux channel strips of Logic Pro 8 unify the features formerly available in ReWire and bus channels. These channel types are no longer used in Logic Pro 8 (but are still available, for compatibility with projects created in earlier Logic versions). Â Buses are available as an input source for aux channel strips.
Binaural Panner and Post-Processing Plug-in The output menu of audio and instrument channel strips now offers the Binaural setting: When you activate it, the channel strip pan/balance control is replaced with a Binaural Panner. The Binaural Panner is a psychoacoustic processor that can simulate arbitrary sound source positions (including up and down information) by means of a standard stereo signal.
 Create New Empty Project: Automatically loads an empty project and opens the Save As dialog, allowing you to name and save your project.  Create New Project using Default Template: Automatically opens the default template, and launches the Save As dialog, allowing you to name and save your project. Any project can be defined as the “default” template. This is the equivalent of the Autoload of earlier Logic versions.
Changed Close Behavior Closing all open windows now automatically closes the open project. A dialog allows you to save and exit the project, exit the project (without saving) or cancel the operation. Opening MIDI Files When you open a MIDI file in Logic Pro 8, software instrument tracks are automatically created for each MIDI track, and an appropriate GarageBand instrument is assigned to each.
Automatic Track Creation If you enable any of the automation write modes on a channel strip that is not used by a track in the Arrange window, a new track (and automation lane) will be created. Improved Global Track Functions The global tracks have been enhanced as follows: New Configuration Dialog The global tracks settings found in the View menu of earlier Logic Pro versions have been changed.
Sharing Logic Pro Data Over a Network Logic Pro 8 allows you to share or back up the following data types over a network:  Plug-in settings  Channel strip settings  Key command sets This makes it easier to collaborate with other Logic Pro users. Your data can be shared or backed up:  Via a local network—using Bonjour.  Over the Internet—using .Mac (requires a .Mac account). Distributed Audio Processing (Nodes) Management of Nodes is now much simpler.
Resizing a Staff’s Meter The new Size parameter in the Clefs & Signatures tab of the Score project settings allows you to alter the appearance of the meter (often much larger, for conducting purposes) on the staff. It is expressed as regular and percentage values. Single systems show both numbers (4/4, for example) on the system. Double systems show the upper number on the upper system, and lower number on the lower system.
Key Command Changes Logic Pro 8 introduces a number of new key commands: for new functions and operations, and also to cater to interface changes. It goes without saying that many existing key commands have been renamed to match changed elements, functions, and commands in the application. Removed MIDI Commands Learn Functionality The MIDI Commands Learn functionality (found in the Key Command window of earlier versions) has been removed.
New Touching Fader Selects Track Checkbox The Logic Pro > Preferences > Control Surfaces > General tab includes the new “Touching fader selects track” checkbox: When active, touching a fader on the control surface selects the corresponding track. Note: This functionality only applies to devices with touch-sensitive faders. Simplified Easy Mode The Easy view of the Controller Assignments window has been updated, making basic control surface assignment tasks much simpler and faster.
Environment The new interface has resulted in a few small changes to the Environment window. Â The Audio layer has been renamed to the Mixer layer. Â A new View > Frameless Floating Window command has been added. This allows you to set up a resized Environment layer which can be opened as a (generally small) floating window within a screenset. The menu bars and other elements are removed from the floating Environment window, thus minimizing screen space usage.
Instrument and Effect Changes This section provides a summary of the Logic Pro 8 instruments and effects features. For more information on these features and their use, see the Logic Studio Instruments and Effects manual. General changes that affect the application-specific use of plug-ins are described in the Logic Pro 8 User Manual. General This section outlines several changes that impact on the use of all effect and instrument plug-ins in Logic Pro 8.
New Effect Interfaces The user interface of all “blue” effect plug-ins has been enhanced, making them easier to use. The interface of the Multipressor has also been streamlined, simplifying its use. New Plug-In Header The plug-in header (for all plug-ins) has also been redesigned. It is clearer to read, and now provides Previous and Next (plug-in setting) buttons. A Compare button has also been added, making it easy to switch between edited/unedited plug-in parameter states.
Ultrabeat Ultrabeat has received a number of new, or enhanced, facilities with the Logic Pro 8 update. Step Automation A new Edit Mode switch engages Ultrabeat’s step automation mode. Step automation allows you to program several parameter changes—per step—for each drum sound. You can automate as many of the available parameters as you wish, per step.
ES2 The ES2 has received a number of new, or enhanced, facilities with the Logic Pro 8 update. Surround Features When inserted as a surround instance, the ES2 extended parameters provide the Surround Range and Surround Diversity parameters: Â Surround Range: Determines the range of the surround angle. This can be from 0 to 360 °. Put another way, this determines the breadth of the surround field.
Sculpture Sculpture has received a number of new, or enhanced, facilities with the Logic Pro 8 update. Surround Features When inserted as a surround instance, Sculpture’s extended parameters feature the Surround Range and Surround Diversity parameters: Â Surround Range: Determines the range of the surround angle. Put another way, this determines the breadth of the surround field. To better explain its use: Imagine an LFO routed to a pickup’s pan position with an amount of 1.0.
New Sustain Mode The Morph Envelope’s Sustain Mode menu features the new Scan via CtrlB mode: When active, the timeline position within the envelope is “disconnected” from real time, and you can “scan” the whole time range by using the MIDI controller chosen for Ctrl B. EFM 1 The extended parameters of the EFM 1 now offer MIDI controller assignment facilities.
New Microphaser Effect Logic Pro 8 includes the simple Microphaser effect, which allows you to quickly create swooshing, phasing effects with just three parameters. Improved Space Designer The enhanced Space Designer offers full surround compatibility: Â Space Designer now supports any impulse response format up to 7.1 (including B-format). Â The impulse response library has been expanded, and now offers surround impulses from popular places like the Münster Ulm Cathedral or Bavaria Film Studios.
Improved Stereo Compressor The enhanced Stereo Compressor allows you to switch the circuit between several models, including: Platinum, Classic A_R, Classic A_U, VCA, FET, and Opto (optical). It also integrates a limiter that is triggered by the output—after the gain control. The trigger information is used to dynamically adapt the compressor (to perform the limiting effect). The result is a musical and fluent transition between compressing and limiting. Another special feature is the Auto button.
The Modulation Delay, Tremolo, and Phaser allow you to control the surround behavior with the following parameters: Â LFO Phase parameter: Controls the phase relationships between individual channel modulations. At 0°, the extreme values of the modulation are achieved simultaneously for all channels. 180° or -180° is equal to the greatest possible distance between the modulation phases of the channels.
AutoFilter The completely redesigned AutoFilter interface features three new filter state buttons, allowing you to switch the AutoFilter between a highpass, bandpass, and lowpass characteristic. © 2007 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Bonjour, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, Logic, Mac, and Ultrabeat are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. GarageBand is a trademark of Apple Inc. .Mac is a service mark of Apple Inc.
