What is Logic, and Should I Learn It?

01/05/2012

If you are thinking about getting into audio engineering and recording (whether home recording or in the studio), you have probably heard about a software called Logic. First developed by a German company called Emagic, Logic was purchased by Apple nearly 10 years ago, and has been since marketed solely as a software for Mac. You can get Logic in several versions: the standard Logic Pro; the “light” version, Logic Express; and bundled with a suite of related software (called Logic Studio).

What is Logic, exactly? It is a digital audio workstation (DAW) that functions as a virtual recording studio, encompassing pretty much all the functions you’d find in a physical studio (e.g., multi-track recording, mixing, signal processing), except all the controls are software based from the computer. Logic can record and process audio signals from external devices, or MIDI signals from virtual software instruments. Users can also employ a wide range of plug-ins, including instrument packs and signal processors of many kinds.

Many have compared Logic to the more widely used Pro Tools, and there has been some debate about which DAW is the best. In most cases, it is a matter of need and personal preference. The great advantage to Pro Tools is that because it is so widely used, it is an industry standard, and projects created in Pro Tools can be easily transferred from user to user, or between recording studios. On the other hand, if your emphasis is more on electronic music or virtual (MIDI) instruments, Logic seems to offer more control in this area. Also, if you’re a dedicated Mac user, Logic is an Apple software, and integrates easily with related Apple software such as Final Cut, Soundtrack Pro, Garage Band and others—so you might find Logic more usable within the realm of Apple and Mac. However, both Logic and Pro Tools have their individual strengths, so it is not uncommon for professional recording studios to have both programs available.

So is Logic a program you should learn? That likely depends on your needs and on your particular goals. If you’re a Mac user, you’ll probably like Logic for its ease of use with Apple products (although many like Pro Tools just as well, or better). If you’re a PC user, you won’t have much use for Logic. If your goal is home recording, Logic will serve your purposes just as well as Pro Tools; if you want to be a professional audio engineer, Pro Tools is pretty much a necessity to learn, but Logic makes a good counterpart.