Music Apps - Logic Pro/ex - Flp Options

[carded]

Hi everyone,

I am looking for a program that will run like fruityloops for mac. I have just bought a mac and I am not familiar with the different types of music apps.

Does Logic pro have a program/plugin that works similarily? I don't really want to put xp on my mac. If you can suggest a program that'd be great!

I also am wondering what the major differences between logic express and pro are. I have compared both products but I was wondering if anyone has used both and has opinions on both programs.

Thanks,

Thomas

[gdoubleyou]

I just read the feature set for the upcoming Fruity Loops Studio, looks like they made it more competitive on the midi side.

Both versions of Logic come with enough instuments and effects plugins to get work done without adding 3rd party software plugs.

I've been using Logic Express for about four years, but I plan on upgrading to Logic pro this summer.

I also sometimes use Ableton's Live, it time streatches audio, does midi and probably closer to FL, in the way it handles audio.

Cubase SX is currently the worst performing DAW on the Mac. The Mac and PC versions share the SAME codebase, so it's not highly optimized for OSX or G-series cpus. Currently only dual/quad G5 owners are happy with SX.

Performance may improve when they release the MacIntel compatible version. SX was unuseable on my Powerbook, so I moved over to Logic Express.

The plugs in either version of Logic are higher quality than the plugs includes with SX.

Logic is also compatible with Garage Band, you can directly load GB songs, and have access to all of the Garage Band Instruments and Apple Loops.

When Sonic Foundry was bought by Sony, Apple hired the developement team for ACID.
The result was Sound Track Pro, and the Apple loop technology. Later on they were teamed with the Logic developers, and created Garage Band.

The Acid file format is a subset of Apple loops, Like Acid loops Apple loops contain tempo, and pitch information, Apple loops can also contain midi information, but when dropped into an audio track the wave component is used. You can also change the sounds used in a midi apple loop, and save them as custom Apple Loops.

In Logic any midi or audio data can be saved as an Apple Loop, for future use. With the Apple Loop utility you can batch convert any audio loop into an Apple Loop.

The effects and instruments in Garage Band and Logic are actually part of the source code and are not available in other programs.

The instruments in Garage Band are based on the instruments in Logic Pro, but they have a more simple interface, with less programable parameters.

But they share the same sound engines, the GB instruments are very tweakable, and you can create your own custom sound banks. Some instruments are sample based and load into a simplified EXSP sample player.

The effects in Garage Band are a selection from some of the effects available in Logic Express.

Take a look at the Logic Express, and Logic Pro Video tours here....

http://www.apple.com/logicpro/quicktours/
http://www.apple.com/logicexpress/quicktour/index.html

Express and Pro comparison chart
http://www.apple.com/logicexpress/comparison.html

Garage Band, if you have a newer Mac it is already on your hard drive.
http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/

I can quickly assemble basic backing tracks in Garage Band, then open the songs in Logic for audio recording, and mixing.