Apple has released its latest update to Logic Pro for Mac, including a number of interesting additions to plugins and general user interface tweaks.
Quantec Room Simulator
Perhaps the most notable new feature is the Quantec Room Simulation plugin which provides advanced digital reverb effects. It uses a unique algorithmic reverb technology to replicate how sound waves behave in different acoustic environments, and it includes both the classic QRS and the later YardStick models.
It has been used in many studios on pop music recordings, radio plays, classical music broadcasts and movie soundtracks, so to have it bundled in as a free stock plugin is quite something.
Mixer channel strip reordering
Mixer channels can now be reordered simply by dragging them, including multiple at once. Maybe a small change but something clearly Apple raises has been wanted for some time.
Mixer plugin search
Users are now able to use a search box to type in plugin names for quick access — useful if a certain plugin is buried in several levels of menu.
Other features
- New options for Bounce regions in place: The Bounce in Place dialog includes a Destination File pop-up menu with options to bounce regions to a single file, one file per track, or one file per selected region.
- Bypass low frequencies in Beat Breaker: Using the Bypass Below controls, you can set Beat Breaker to bypass frequencies below a chosen threshold while affecting mid and high frequencies.
- Remove a plug-in or a send from a channel strip in the Mixer: You can quickly remove a plug-in or a send from a channel strip in the Mixer by Command-clicking, without having to open a menu.
- Consolidated option for saving Sampler instruments: When saving a Sampler instrument together with its samples, you can have Logic Pro consolidate the saved samples to a minimum number of audio files of the CAF file type by selecting the Consolidate checkbox in the Save dialog.
- Auto Record Enable setting: Using the Auto Record Enable pop-up menu in Recording settings, you can choose whether all selected software instrument tracks are record enabled or only the focused track.
- Join flexed regions using the Join command or the Join tool: Now you can join flexed regions using either the Join command in the Edit menu or the Join tool.
- Table for Step Sequencer step rates: The Step Sequencer chapter now includes a table showing the musical length of every step rate.
- Share songs to Voice Memos: You can share a song to the Voice Memos app on your Mac. Songs can be shared as compressed audio files with various quality levels. See Share songs to Voice Memos.
- New sound packs: The Modular Melodies and PomPom sound packs are available to download from the Sound Library.
Not a bad collection of updates for a dot one version upgrade, and it’s all free for existing users so nothing lost.
