What’s new in Logic Pro 10.4

Smart Tempo

With Smart Tempo you can record a performance without the metronome and have Logic Pro adapt the project tempo to match the tempo of the recording, or keep the project tempo and flex the recording to match it. You can also use Smart Tempo when importing audio files with different tempos or tempo variations to have Logic Pro keep the project tempo and flex the audio regions to match it, or adapt the project tempo to use the tempos of the audio files. Smart Tempo can also be used with multitrack audio recordings and with MIDI regions. See Logic Pro for Mac Smart Tempo overview and Work in the Logic Pro for Mac Smart Tempo Editor.

Articulation Handling

For software instruments that provide multiple articulations, Logic Pro provides new controls for creating, editing, and choosing articulations. You can view and change parameters for existing Articulation Sets, and create and save new Articulation Sets, using the Articulation Editor, then quickly change articulations while working in the Editors. See Use the Articulation Set Editor and Manage software instrument articulations.

Mixer enhancements

The responsiveness and performance of the Mixer is improved, particularly for projects with high channel strip counts. In addition, the Mixer provides several new capabilities, including creating a default channel strip configuration, disabling autoscrolling to the selected channel strip, and highlighting channel strips corresponding to a send or routing destination. In addition, selecting multiple channel strips also selects the tracks assigned to them.

Dynamic plug-in loading

When you open a project, Logic Pro analyzes the project to determine which channels are needed for project playback. Only plug-ins needed to enable the full signal flow for playback (including auxes, busses, and outputs) are loaded. This allows projects to quickly be opened and be ready for playback and editing. While you are working on the project, other plug-ins are loaded as needed. You can prevent a track from loading when you open a project using the On/Off button in the track’s header.

Dynamic loading of plug-ins is active when the “Only load plug-ins needed for project playback” checkbox is selected in Project Settings > General.

New Drummers

Two new Drummers and a new Brush Kit have been added to Logic Pro for Mac. You can now find Austin and Tyrell in the Songwriter category.

Studio instruments

The Studio instruments are high-quality multisampled brass and string players that offer a collection of solo and grouped instrument presets. Each preset provides a range of articulations that let you create expressive, nuanced performances and recordings. See Studio Horns overview and Studio Strings overview.

Vintage Mellotron

Vintage Mellotron recreates the features and a number of sounds from this famous keyboard instrument that has been featured on dozens of classic rock and pop songs from the 1960s, 1970s, and beyond. See Vintage Mellotron overview.

Alchemy

Several modulation enhancements, including new Envelope Follower and MIDI modulation functions, have been added. See Alchemy modulation overview. Also included are new loop length settings, new solo functions, and improved undo and drag and drop behavior.

Effects

Logic Pro for Mac features a variety of new effects to use in your projects, including: DeEsser 2, ChromaVerb, Vintage EQ collection, Phat FX, and Step FX. The Expander, Space Designer and Direction Mixer plug-ins have been extensively redesigned.

Support for ARA with the Melodyne plug-in

Logic Pro now supports Audio Random Access (ARA) for the Melodyne plug-in. ARA enables Logic Pro and the Melodyne plug-in to share song structure information and analysis results. See Support for ARA 2 plug-ins.

Adjust panning for sends independently

Using the Independent Pan setting for a send, you can adjust the pan type and position for the send independently from the pan type and position for the channel strip. See Adjust panning for sends independently.

Automatic slurs in the Score Editor

You can apply automatic slurs to notes in the Score Editor. Automatic slurs can cover a selected group of notes, and adjust when the notes are copied, moved, or transposed. Using key commands, you can quickly add and edit automatic slurs for an entire line, part, or score. See Add dynamic marks, slurs, and crescendi to a score.

Manage Logic Pro content

You can relocate the Sound Library to a different volume or partition. See Manage Logic Pro content.

Logic Pro Help

Logic Pro Help now includes complete information about the included instruments and effects in one combined document, for easy searching and browsing.