In this video, sponsored by Universal Audio, we look at using the Lexicon 480L on a pop vocal duet. Using Lexicons Random Spaces algorithm, we use the Lexicon’s unique pre-echo, spin, and wander controls to work to craft a unique and compelling vocal space to help the vocals sit nicely in a relatively dense arrangement. 

Recently, Reverb added 2 new segments: LP and software. Reverb Software is of course, very much in harmony with our world of Logic Pro X and I would encourage you to go take a look at the offerings. Reverb’s software section does have a slew of freebie offerings much like several other sites that curate links or downloads with an additional major bonus that is of particular interest.

I love food analogies and I think it will be a fun and effective way to shine some light or at least, change the perspective of the light we see on how we record and mix today. In particular, there are 2 food trends we see a lot of today, both in the restaurant scene and in home cooking media, that I feel worthy of some discussion. We’ll then look at how this may be in an analogous manner, affecting our choices when it comes to music production.

With Black Friday around the corner, we are all no doubt salivating at the prospect of plentiful new inexpensive plug-ins to slap across all our Logic tracks in the hopes that a new shade of lipstick will make our music beautiful. It’s a rabbit hole we all fall down to some degree or another.

I’d like to share with you an article I recently wrote with some mixing tips that start from a different perspective. Rather than looking at each track as a raw unfinished piece of the puzzle waiting to be painted and made up before the whole can be considered complete, top-down mixing takes a less is more approach. It’s a different mindset where we try and use as little additional processing as necessary. rather than trying to use as much as possible.

We see lots of articles on compression techniques and feature lists for both hardware and software refer to a blend mode or a control to mix the compressed signal with the dry signal as parallel or “New York” compression. The idea of parallel compression is that a blend of the sustain of the compressed signal and the attack of the dry signal combine in manner to give a result that is the best attributes of both signals. Prior to boxes with a dedicated parallel function, the technique to do this was to “mult” (split) the signals, and then mix them back together again on separate console strips. It is widely accepted that this technique was first used in one or more reknown studios in New York. The problem is that it isn’t authentic New York compression, there’s a missing detail that makes all the difference.

e-Instruments has come up with a sample set for the classic 1974 Wurlitzer electric pianos. And in case you are wondering, yes; it feels great to play! Weighing in at a solid 4.5GB, Session Keys Electric W is more than just a stunning sample set. Like their other keyboards, there are two sample sets to choose from. In this case, one is sampled from the instrument’s direct output. The other is captured from the instruments built-in speakers and recorded with various microphones.

It’s much easier to fire up Logic, or whatever your DAW of choice is, and play around with some new plug-ins than thinking about the larger questions that are constantly there in the background. Nagging away at us, even if we are not really consciously aware of them. The more time we spend denying these realities, the more time we waste not being our best creative selves and getting the most out of the time we put in in front of our workstations. 

Logic Pro Expert Contributor, Chris Vandeviver, reviews the newest offering from innovative upstart Mastering the Mix. In this review, Chris examines Animate, a unique plugin that takes expansion to a whole new level.

Groove From Mars is a comprehensive free collection of midi groove templates from 25 of the world's most legendary drum machines and sequencers. With these grooves, you'll be able to quantize your midi clips with the unique feel that each of these machines has to offer.

Eventide has released the SP2016 reverb plug-in, based on their hardware model released in the 80’s. The hardware unit was one of pro audio’s first rack-mount multi-effects processors This newly released plug-in version features great sounding rooms and plates. See it in action as we put it to work in Logic on various tracks.

We’ve been getting reports of some issues with how Logic Pro 10.4.2 implements the ARA2 protocol, some may consider it a bug, others not, however if you are not careful you may lose hours of work.

The new smart tempo multitrack sets have a feature whereby you can exclude specific tracks in the set from contributing to the tempo analysis.  There seems to be a bug with this feature though. Check out this free video to see the workaround.