Apple releases Logic Express 9 with new instruments, effects

On the heels of the debut of the new Logic Pro suite, Apple this week began shipping the new $199 Logic Express, featuring many of the new capabilities found in Logic Pro 9.

Logic Express is the mid-tier digital audio workstation offering from Apple. Compared to the full-featured Logic Pro, Logic Express has limited functionality. But it is closer to Logic Pro than Apple's low-end offering, GarageBand. Logic Express also allows users to easily upgrade from GarageBand. The new version requires Mac OS X 10.5.7 or later and will only work on an Intel processor.

"The new Logic Express adds an amazing collection of amps, speaker cabinets, and effects pedals that guitar players can use in traditional combinations to re-create legendary sounds or mix and match for something truly original," the official Web site states. "It also features new production tools that make it easier than ever for musicians to set up and record, edit timing and tempo, and create pro mixes."

Like the new Logic Pro 9, Logic Express 9 includes Flex time, which allows users to manipulate the timing and tempo of audio. Tempos can also be imported and exported, and automatically modified to fit the beat of another project.

Other new features of Logic Express 9, according to Apple, include:

• Selective Track Import: Transfer setups and track content between projects by selecting the individual components you want to import on a track-by-track basis.
• Drum Replacer: Replace or double less-than-perfect drum tracks with triggered samples in just a few clicks.
• Convert to Sampler Track: In one step, turn an audio region into a sampler instrument with a MIDI track to trigger it, then modify and resequence the part.
• Amp Designer: Build your dream rig by mixing and matching 25 amps, 25 speaker cabinets, and 3 mics you can position freely around the speaker cone.
• Apogee GiO support: The new USB audio interface and control device lets you operate Pedalboard hands-free and works with Logic Pro 9 and MainStage 2 right out of the box.

Last month, Apple released the latest version of Logic Studio. The $499 version ($199 upgrade) features high-end capabilities not available in Logic Express, including the ability to record, edit, mix and encode projects in surround sound.