So, this is where the story starts, I got nearly 6 years out of my MacBook Pro, purchased in 2008. Fantastic for a computer, let along a laptop. I did so much work on it, recorded albums, mastered music, composed for orchestra and film, with no real problems (aside from the logic board dying, lucky under Applecare) and most of all, it still works (ish), can be used for a bit of web browsing, the odd bit of writing, but since updating OS's, particularly to OSX Lion and now Mavericks, it can't handle much any more, but in it's heyday it was pretty awesome (sadly though, now it makes this sound!).So I was waiting and waiting for Apple to update their range and now they have…..and I can safely say that this will probably be my last apple computer. What has happened at apple? Do you make computers any more or are you just a communications company? How can my new machine be worse that my old one?? I have written in the past about the Logic X situation, and also the fact that there is still no Apeture update (don't worry Apple, I have since moved hook-line and sinker to Adobe, using Premiere, After Effects, Audition and LightRoom). But what is this about,glued memory for example, therefore no longer able to upgrade in the shop or anywhere. Why have you taken features out of iWorks apps to make them compatable with mobile devices!?!? There are no Thunderbolt peripherals and those that exist are prohibitively expensive when compared to standard devices. Realistically for those on a budget you can only afford a tiny hard drive in this day and age!! But more importantly this...I have Been using Logic since it's Notator days, and whilst I have had flings with other software, I always come home to Logic. But, I think the writing is on the wall, we have been to relationship counselling, but there doesn't seem to be a compromise, in that how can continue loving you when I give you all the latest things in terms of technology and yet you refuse to run one load of Kontakt and an Omnisphere and shock horror...one...yes one audio track, without you breaking down and spluttering and causing me to have to freeze you all the time. As you probably know I am also a big advocate of the other Daw in my life (thank goodness for this world where we can see other DAWs) Digital Performer, and whilst I think it is superior in many ways, plus the dev team don't hide behind the ....oooo we are SOOO f'ing cool Apple and can't tell you anything because we will blow you mind.....yeah Right Tim, that boat has long since sailed!....I struggle with song writing and composing the way I like to compose in DP. It is a personal thing, but I like to (perhaps lazily) work with midi regions and drag them around etc etc which you can't really do in DP, of course there are ways to do it, but it doesn't quite gel with my creative mind. Audio wise DP is awesome, love tracking and editing with it...but just wish I could get the bounce to mp3 to work like it does in Logic, and the export to movie like it does in Logic. Perhaps I need to also have a look at Cubase. One other reason being that I am starting to get sick of the over pricing of Mac and the move away from a computing company to being a communications company. Perhaps very very very sadly in the next few year might have to start considering a move to a certain Beige Box system. Uncertain times for sure. When did we stop talking Apple? All this could be solved with a call, a note, acknowledge our existence....So...Cubase...DP....ProTools?Okay I get it Apple....planned obsolescence!!PeaceNeil
Day 22 - Consequences
Something a bit grander today, bits of orchestra and sound design mixed together, using a bit of Omnisphere, Aria, Stylus and Kontakt. Unfortunately I am suffering from massive CPU spikes in Logic 9 (Mac OS 10.6.8) and this is getting really frustrating as my new Mac is pretty much useless under Mavericks. I really don't know what is going on, but it is very very annoying!! Enjoy!!PeaceNeil
Piece a year?
So after spending nearly a year and a half writing a piece every day, I haven't managed to write anything this year....how shocking! It just goes to show what a great challenge PAD was! So I have thrown myself back into it (kind of) a just had to get the vibe back, so I fired up Logic (not Logic X yet!) decided not use my usual staple of Omnisphere, but went with Kontakt and the amazing Spitfire Albion, with a bit of some vocals from the Francesca library. A bit rusty around the edges but I thought I would post anyway in the spirit of piece a day!EnjoyPeaceNeil
Logic X released!!
So here it is!!! Hell has frozen over!! Just 3 days short of four years when 99% of us had given up hope, Apple just slip it out there. There is quite a lot to digest, and I am going to have to get downloading this asap. But from what I can tell it looks very good! I guess it does look a bit Garageband pro, but so far I think the interface works....shame they seemed to have keep the crappy 90's icons though! But yes very swish! I love the concept of Drummer, especially for what I do and look forward to exploring it in depth and yes it seems the biggy for me (yes to fully tell), but audio editing has been addressed!! Finally, you can do sample accurate edits in the track window...>FINALLY!! Flex pitch! Finally!!Questions for me currently are....Environment? Is it still there? EXS...hasn't be replaced....Kontakt it is then!!Well done Apple, finally, but hey....it's not cool, you could have told us, we aren't impressed by your secrecy!More to follow once I have got my teeth into it!!PeaceNeil
What do we want from Music Technology?
As you may have noticed, I have posted quite a bit recently about Logic 10 (or Logic X), or perhaps that should be the lack of Logic. I kind of thought we would have had an announcement at WWDC on the 10th of the June, but there was none, and this is fuelling the fire that it has off Apple's radar. In July, it will have been 4 years and that is an incredible amount time in terms waiting for an update of any piece of software. So this got me thinking, what is that we actually want from music technology? I mean Logic 9 does more than anyone in the 60's/70's/80's could ever of dreamed of! The Beatles worked on a 4-track, Logic gives in an infinite number of tracks and the ability to move, quantise, correct, adjust by samples, add any effect you could imagine, add an orchestra, all from the comfort of my Laptop. But have I produced the next Sargent pepper? Nope!!We have access to amp modellers (I posted recently about this) which can create every single amp, effect, pickup configuration known to man, and this is an amazing feat for music technology. But, in this respect, why are we trying to model and recreate the past? Would it not be more fortuitous to try and develop something new? Or is it down to the musicians/creatives who continually try to push the boundaries of the technology we have. They aren't bothered that the their Line 6 model of a Fender tweed isn't an 'exact' replica, but it is a sound, which they can shape into something new! They aren't worried that they don't have every plug-in under the sun at their disposal, but take the tools they have an put move focus into the act of creation.Now, as I started this article about Logic X and how I am waiting for it, this makes me sound a bit like a hypocrite. So this is what caused me to start to wonder.....what is it that I want from music tech?In a sense, I think I have answered my question by wanting less perhaps. Maybe running 4 tracks on Garageband on an iPad, because that is all it can handle, will stop me thinking of what could be and make me actually work within those constraints. Maybe I just need one amp sound and make it my own, perhaps I should not spend a day going through 999 presets, but make one which is my own (okay I do do that!), but these aren't failings of music technology, they are failings of me and my inability to go with what I have. But then again, do you remember the days when a synth was a whole collection of knobs, limited to a couple of LFO's, Oscillators and the like? You could spend all day just tweaking, it was a very tactile experience, not looking at a screen with an million options, you would learn each feature inside out and yes you then thought of somethings you would also like, but on the whole you would create art. Now we have every option under the sun pretty much, and a million that we never thought of, I think this gives us what I call 'creative option overload' or COO for short and maybe it is time to fight back.....but what could music technology do to help us? Less perhaps?Okay, going back to me being a hypocrite, there are somethings I'd love in Logic.... in particular....better audio editing ...I mean it is 2013 now! But in hindsight, there isn't much, and I am perhaps caught up in upgrade envy. I am not sure....I mean if I am doing a sound project, I'll work in Digital Performer, as it has fantastic audio editing tools, it is just that it totally doesn't suit my way of working when it comes to composing (that is just me!).Do we need more options? Do we need simplicity? Do we need something 'new' without constant references to the past?What do you want from music technology??My parting thought is as follows....Make the most of what you have, push the boundaries, be experimental, drop off the internet and all the opinions that it brings. Believe in you, believe in your art, that makes it personal, that makes it unique.PeaceNeil
Logic Pro X or 10 - release date 10th June?
I guess having posted so many time about Logic 10 or the lack thereof update, I guess our final hope lies at the Apple WWDC conference on the 10th June 2013. Being the last big event Apple will be holding for sometime, I guess it is our last hope that something comes out, after that it will have been almost a month shy of 4 years since Logic was last updated, and that is just such a long time. I know there are some arguments about 'well what more could you want' (better audio editing for a start) and to some extent, if it ain't broken then don't fix itI guess all some of us want is for Apple to cut their b**s**t ...secrecy trend (it ain't cool any more, especially when you are running a business!) and let us know we still exist, acknowledge us. I want to give Apple money believe it or not, I would love to upgrade my dead MacBook Pro (yep it is dead) but even they haven't been updated in over a year), so Apple are preventing me from spending cash with them. Bizarre!Hand on heart though, I think we will seem snazzy new iOs bs and a version upgrade to the iMobile device, and nothing for the creative profession....I'd so love to be proved wrong!PeaceNeil
Zoom H6 Handy Recorder
Wow, just seen this this announcement from Musikmesse 2013, about the update to the Zoom H4N (which I have been using for years). The interchangeable microphone format is fantastic news!! I personally am very excited about the M/S option, just wonder what the capsule is like!! This is going to make working with a DSLR for filming very interesting indeed. I wonder what the price is going to be!The current information is
Zoom H6 Handy Recorder
- The world's first handy recorder with interchangeable mic system
- XY mics capture remarkable stereo depth and clarity
- Mid-side mics provide continuously variable stereo width
- Four XLR/TRS inputs for external mic/line connections
- Up to six channels of simultaneous recording
- High-definition audio of up to 24-bit/96kHz
- 6-in/2-out USB audio interface
- Over 20 hours of operation with 4 AA batteries
- Supports SDXC memory cards up to 128GB
- Optional Shotgun mic and external XLR/TRS inputs available
PeaceNeil