Product Reviews

Logic Audio has undergone a major overhaul to reach version 3.0 and just listing the program's new features would fill this page alone. The previous version, Logic Audio 2.6.6, had no realtime audio effects (other than a basic equaliser), but offered a selection of non-realtime pitch and timestretch algorithms, audio-to-MIDI pitch conversion, audio/MIDI groove interpreter and the stunning Audio Energizer. But Logic Audio 2.6.6 always lagged behind its contemporaries, lacking plug-in support and realtime audio DSP effects. Version 3.0 takes care of these shortcomings and looks set to lead the way, retaining its audio features and accommodating Digidesign's Audiosuite plug-in architecture (integrated into its low-end DAE/PowerMix version of ProTools 4), plus the ubiquitous Adobe Premiere plug-in effects. However, neither of these systems perform realtime processing, so Logic Audio 3.0 has its own range of realtime effects.

Limited only by the CPU performance of your Mac, Logic Audio 3.0 incorporates the majority of features found on hardware audio mixers, with up to eight sends, eight inserts and an eight bus matrix with a further eight effects/EQs per bus if your hardware is up to the job. Add to that the fully editable chorus, flanger, delay and reverb effects, and the versatile equaliser and filter sections that provide four EQ stages per track. All these parameters can be automated in realtime.

Installation from the upgrade CD involves simply dragging the Power Mac or 680x0 application onto your hard drive plus any demo or set-up files that are of interest. Older versions of Logic Audio remain unaffected. Follow this up with the updater disk (to version 3.0.6), which requires PC Exchange to be readable.

Running the program brings up the Arrange page with audio tracks, MIDI tracks preset for General MIDI sounds with appropriate icons for each instrument, and a range of custom icons to choose from. To the left of the tracks

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are the collapsible parameter boxes providing access to regularly used functions for MIDI and audio tracks alike. There's a multitude of edit windows, too, including the highly regarded notation editor. At the heart of the program is the object-oriented Environment window. This has several layers to it for MIDI and audio use. Using the printer port for MIDI interfacing revealed the MIDI layer does not have a global parameter to change the preset track assignments from the modem port to the printer port. This has to be done manually for all MIDI channels and the MIDI metronome, too. This is on another layer altogether.

The audio environment is a basically a virtual mixer. Emagic has overcooked this slightly - when we were testing on a Performa 6400 Creative Studio an array of 32 tracks appeared which is more than the system, let alone the hard drive, could run simultaneously. Add to that the bus returns and mix master fader and you need three screens to see it all at once. Reduce the number of audio tracks to a sober eight and the program adjusts to give you more effects, inserts and sends.

The effects themselves work well, although only reverb and chorus are available as stereo options which have a performance penalty. Surprisingly, no Level 2 cache is required, but use Emagic's Audiowerk8 hardware (eight separate audio outputs plus digital interfacing) or any of the other popular audio interface cards and some of the processing burden is relieved.

Logic Audio 3.0 has improved punch in/out recording and synchronisation features. When slaving to a sync source the audio sample rate can alter to cope with any timing variations, rather than freewheeling from an initial start time.

The essence of this object-oriented application is flexibility and customisation. While seasoned users delight in this, it can be lost on novices who'd prefer a clear modus operandi to learn its functions. The Key Commands window is a fine example, offering personalisation of approximately 500 functions accessible from a QWERTY keyboard or via MIDI. The menu detail is awesome which the manual neglects to explain effectively. There is a Logic Guide file, too. This unfortunately constantly refers to the demo song, only occasionally giving a topic the brief explanation you're after.

Nevertheless, whether you're an earnest amateur or serious professional the enhancements in Logic Audio 3.0 affect the whole spectrum of Mac and audio hardware, giving the Emagic faithful all the features they've been waiting, with a vengeance.