Do You Need to Learn Logic to Work In Audio?

01/02/2012

If you’re an aspiring audio engineer or music producer, you might be familiar with Logic, the digital audio workstation (DAW) that acts as a fully functional recording studio on your computer. Logic is a software program similar to Pro Tools in that it can handle all the basic functions of recording, from capturing audio to signal processing to mixing. The question is, how necessary is it to learn Logic? Or for that matter, would you be better off learning Pro Tools?

The answer is based really on your needs and preferences. Pro Tools is currently in wide use in most professional recording studios, having become somewhat of an industry standard, but some studios prefer Logic to Pro Tools—and some use both in different settings. The main difference between the two DAWs is that while Logic is strictly for Mac use, Pro Tools can operate on both Mac and PC, making it slightly more versatile across platforms. Additionally, while both DAWs can handle both live audio and electronic/software instruments, electronic musicians frequently prefer Logic over Pro Tools for the way it handles software instruments. Beyond those differences, it is basically a matter of preference which one gets the most use.

That being said, as a new audio engineer, it is extremely wise to make learning Pro Tools a priority, simply because it is so frequently used. However, here are some instances in which it would also be wise to learn Logic:

• If you prefer Mac to PC. Logic is an Apple-owned software, and integrates well with other Apple programs, so if you use Mac exclusively, you might prefer Logic to Pro Tools.
• If you lean toward electronic/MIDI instruments. Again, many electronic musicians seem to lean toward Logic for the reasons mentioned above.
• If you work in a recording studio that uses Logic, or if you are trying to get a job in such a studio. It stands to reason that you should learn whatever software programs your studio uses.
• If you want to be more versatile as an audio engineer. The more DAWs you are familiar with, the more comfortable you will be in any setting. Also, by learning Logic along with other DAW programs, you’ll have more freedom to choose between programs according to your preferences.

In summary, Logic is perhaps not as widely used as other DAWs like Pro Tools, but it certainly competes with the others in quality; so whether or not to use it is a matter of taste, preference and practicality. To put it simply, you should learn Logic if it is logical to do so.