10.4.5 update: Increased Number of Tracks and Channels, up to:1000 stereo audio channel strips1000 software instrument channel strips1000 auxiliary channel strips1000 external MIDI tracks12 sends per channel stripall-new DeEsser 2 plug-in16 ports of MIDI clock, MTC, and MMC from Logic – yeah, expect to see a Mac Pro in broadcast/film/TV applications running audioMixer configuration can be set to your own user-definable defaults (huge time saver there, finally)A clever automatic duplicate erase when you’re merging MIDI recordingsAnd some new keyboard shortcuts to save you time when editing:Option + Shift while rubber-band selecting in the Piano Roll: new time Handles selection.Option-click track on/off button: loads/unloads the plug-ins on the channel strip (wow, easy A/B!)Shift-double-click Tracks background: start playback from that position.And for the “I have an old beat-up MacBook you can pry out of my dead fingers” crowd – finally Freeze works the way it should. (How many of you were desperately freezing tracks while cursing Logic as the CPU meter refused to go down?) From the release notes:“Freezing a track now unloads its plug-ins to free up resources.”http://cdm.link/2019/06/logic-pro-x-10-4-5-upgrade/
Logic Pro X is the most advanced version of Logic ever. Sophisticated tools for professional songwriting, editing, and mixing are built around a modern interface that’s designed to get creative results quickly and also deliver more power whenever it’s needed.
Autocad 2018 for mac compatibility. 01 – Autodesk updates AutoCAD for Mac to version 2018.1 You can now save a file as a PDF more simply by clicking on a single button after setting your page size. (see image 01). Using orange dots located on menu and icon items, hovering over these dots will spawn a popup menu that explains the new functions associated with a feature in the program.
Do you think music production is something you are good at? Then you need to ensure that you have all the equipment that you need. From the keyboards to the speakers to the microphones you need high-quality equipment so as to make high-quality music. Most importantly, you will need a good computer that will integrate all these equipment and enable you to produce music. The big question is; which Mac should you choose? Here is a guide that will help you choose the best Mac for music production.
Mac vs PC
The truth is that you can actually choose either. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Consider what you are used to and who it is that you are collaborating with.
Mac’s hardware is robust and if you are familiar with the system you will find a Mac easy to use. The main reason why many people prefer Mac is because of some music production software that is only available for Mac operating systems. Examples are GarageBand and Apple Logic Pro X.
- GarageBand will allow you to create music as an expert. It has a complete sound library that has presets for voice and guitar, instruments, percussionists and session drummers. The design is very simple and easy to use. Within a short while of using the Touch bar you will be able to learn, create, record and share music with the world from your MacBook Pro.
- The Logic Pro X is an app by Apple that is meant for the professional music producer. This app will cost you $199.99. This price is more affordable than the competition with the likes of Cubase retailing at about $500 and the Pro Tools 11 on PC being even more expensive.
- In the new MacBook Pro, the Touch Bar provides a better way to interact with the computer. You will work in particular like the multi-touch dial that will give you the studio feel. The computer can be easily customized and is powerful enough to handle all the tasks involved in music production
How to choose the Best Mac for Music Production
The guidelines below will help you make the right decision when it comes to choosing an appropriate Mac for music production.
Macbook vs iMac vs Mac mini?
Best Mac For Logic Pro X 2018 Movie
Preview | Product | Rating | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, Touch Bar, 2.6GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM,.. | from $2,187.93 | ||
Apple iMac (27 Retina 5K display, 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 1TB).. | from $1,499.00 | ||
Apple Mac Mini - 3.0GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i7, 16GB Memory, 2TB Fusion Drive,.. | $799.00 |
These are not just different in sizes but in capabilities as well. When buying the best Mac for music production, consider the kind of work you do. Do you work from one point where all the musicians come to you? Or do you move from place to place creating musi? The latter situation requires a Mac that is portable while the prior can do with a desktop.
Other than portability, consider what other equipment you will be using with the Mac and ensure that the one you get has all the necessary connectivity options. When it comes to making music, these connections are necessary. You will need ports to connect microphones, USB instruments, monitors and other equipment as necessary as you make music. This need automatically disqualifies some Macs like the MacBook which despite being underpowered it has only one USB-C port. The MacBook Air lacks enough screen space and power and is hence not an ideal music production computer.
What are the hardware specifications of the Mac?
The hardware is what determines how powerful the Mac will be. Here are the most important hardware components to look at:
1. MacBook Pro | 2. MacBook Pro | 3. iMac 21.5 | |
---|---|---|---|
Screen | 15 inches & Touch Bar | 13 inches & Touch Bar | 21.5 inches & 4K Display |
Processor | 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7 | 3.1 GHz Intel Core i5 | 3 GHz Intel Core i5 |
Memory | 16 GB | 8 GB | 8 GB |
Hard Disk | 512 GB SSD | 256 GB SSD | 1TB HDD |
Graphics | Radeon Pro 560 4GB | Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 | Radeon Pro 560 4GB |
Rating | |||
Price | $2,799 | $1,799.00 | from $999.99 |
RAM: Music editing software requires lots of RAM so be sure to buy a Mac that has lots of it. Since most Macs will not allow you to upgrade the RAM, later on, you have to get it right from the first time as you buy it. Ensure that the RAM of the computer you buy is 8GB or above because anything less than this will give you trouble when doing professional work.
CPU: This is the heart of the Mac and the more powerful the CPU is the better the computer is. High-end audio and video work are particularly processor intensive. Go for a Mac that is fitted with the best processor at the time. Avoid low priced Macs that are fitted with weak CPUs if you will be using professional plugins and effects in producing your music.
Hard drive: This is where all the music you create will be stored and since you will want to make lots of music you need a large hard drive. But size is not everything. Consider choosing Macs that have SSD drives over those that have HDD drives. Note that SSDs are more expensive than HDDs and they usually start out smaller. SSDs are fast and quiet in operation. Since getting high capacity SSDs fitted laptops can be very expensive consider using external storage to store sample libraries. This option however may not be appropriate for you if you keep moving from place to place because carrying everything may be a challenge. If you can afford it, buy the best laptop for music production that has a high capacity SSD.
Screen: From writing to mixing you will need to fit many things on one screen. Trying to fit these on a small screen will prove challenging. So, buy a Mac that comes with a large screen. Ideally, the screen should be more than 15 inches long. The iMac 27 inch is perfect.
Your Budget?
Since you cannot spend money that you do not have, get the best Mac you can with the money that you have. Do not expect the best MacBook Pro for music production at a cheap price. Generally, the more expensive the computer is, the better it will perform. This is not to mean that you cannot get cheap laptops for music production. You actually can. The Mac Mini is one of the best budget Mac. It is small and quiet while having the same connectivity as the iMac and comes with audio in port.
Preview | Product | Rating | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Apple Mac mini, 2.8GHz Intel Core i5 Dual Core, 8GB RAM, 1TB Fusion Drive, Mac.. | from $949.00 | ||
Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2.3GHz Dual-Core Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD).. | from $1,232.00 | ||
Apple iMac (21.5 Retina 4K display: 3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 1TB.. | from $999.99 | ||
Apple iMac (27-inch Retina 5K display: 3.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM,.. | from $1,588.25 | ||
Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, Touch Bar, 2.6GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM,.. | from $2,187.93 |
When it comes to music production, you need to ensure that you get the best Mac. Ensure that it has lots of storage space, a powerful RAM and CPU while the screen remains large enough to allow you to do all the activities you need. Remember that a powerful Mac will allow you to produce great music.