By Geary Yelton APPLE LOGIC STUDIO and LOGIC EXPRE MAGIX MUSIC STUDIO 12 DELUXE
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_By Geary Yelton APPLE LOGIC STUDIO AND LOGIC EXPRE Ever since Apple (www.apple.com) acquired link and crossfade Emagic in 2003, it has outdone itself with the best portions each new release of its flagship digital audio of each take. Best sequencer. The latest version, Logic Pro 8, is of all, Logic Pro 8 part of a software suite called Logic Studio no longer requires (Mac, $499; $449 for students; $149 for institu- a USB dongle. tions; volume pricing available). For half the MainStage, in price of Logic Pro 7 alone, you also get the combination with multitrack audio editor Soundtrack Pro 2, 40 software instru- software instruments, 80 effects plug-ins, ments and ef- thousands of new sounds, all the loops and fects, turns your instruments from the first five GarageBand Jam computer into a Packs, and a new live-performance application live-performance called MainStage. workstation. Its Logic Pro 8 lets you do all your sequencing, three-dimensional editing, and arranging in a unified, single-window interface lets you set up customized virtual racks Response Utility (for re-creating acoustic spaces), work space. You can record and overdub, audi- and stack and layer your instruments. Easily inte- WaveBurner (for authoring and mastering audio tion loops, create lead sheets, and make sample- grate USB and MIDI hardware such as keyboards CDs), and Compressor (for encoding audio and you don't need all accurate audio edits, all without ever leaving and control surfaces, and use your pedalboard to video in numerous formats). If the Arrange window. The program supplies control guitar gear onscreen. the bonus software and soundware that comes production-ready templates and a streamlined In addition to newly enhanced software instru- with Logic Studio, Logic Express 8 (Mac, $199; track-setup window to get you up and running ments such as EXS24, Ultrabeat, and Sculpture, $179 for students) features the same digital audio quickly. Recording multiple takes is easier than Logic Studio includes Apple Loops Utility (for cre- sequencer-Logic Pro 8-bundled with 36 soft- ever, and Quick Swipe Comping allows you to ating and metatagging your own loops), Impulse ware instruments and 70 effects plug-ins. MAGIX MUSIC STUDIO 12 DELUXE says that version 12 is the Furthermore, you can easily create and publish first to seamlessly combine Podcasts for free on the Magix Online Album. audio and MIDI recording, Vita is a new sample player that gives you editing, mixdown, and hands-on access to an assortment of user pa- mastering in an integrated rameters and serves as the control center for the user interface. Built on the bundled collection of Vital Instruments, which Samplitude platform, the range from drums and bass to acoustic guitar and software now supports grand piano. Another new instrument is Revolta, 64-bit audio and is fully a soft synth specializing in lead and bass sounds. compatible with Windows Atmos generates mood-enhancing sound effects Vista. Its new Track Edi- such as traffic, rain, and animal noises. In addition tor provides easy access to all-new software instruments and capabili- to plug-ins and to param- ties, Music Studio 12 Deluxe offers numerous en- eters such as volume, hancements to its editing functions, restoration Magix (www.magix.com), maker of pro studio pan, EQ, monitoring status, and aux sends. The and sound-design effects, and the Magix Master- Previously introduced features include applications Sequoia and Samplitude, is ship- included Music Manager lets you archive your ing Suite. equalizer, VariVerb stereo ping Music Studio 12 Deluxe (Win, $79,99), an songs and burn them to CD, and Photo Manager a parametric 4-band reverb, Task Assistant, and JamSession mode. affordable digital audio sequencer suite. Magix organizes and optimizes your photo collection. 8 MUSIC EDUCATIONTECHNOLOGY • NOVEMBERIDECEMBER 2007 www,metmagazlne.com OPTEK FRETLIGHT FG-401 RHYTHMSOURCE METRONOME With the release of the Fretlight FG-401 ($399.95), Throughout most of musical history, metronomes Optek Music Systems (wwwA.fretlight.com) prom- were mechanical boxes that clicked at constant ises to accelerate the process of learning to play user-adjustable tempos. In the late 20th cen- the guitar. The only fully acoustic model among tury, they evolved into pocket-size electronic Optek's line of technology-enhanced guitars, devices and simple software utilities, but they the compact FG-401 is shaped like a hollow- didn't change much in terms of functionality. body Fender Telecaster with mahogany sides, RhythmSource (www.rhythmsource.com) recently a spruce top, and a glossy finish. What makes introduced the Metronome ($179), a new tool for any Fretlight guitar unique, however, are the performers, students, and teachers. It aurally and LEDs embedded in its bolt-on neck, positioned visually indicates rhythms of almost any com- on the nut and just above every fret, and a USB plexity using innovative techniques developed nome proviles port that connects to your computer. The Fret- by educator and percussionist A. C. Lewis. an assortment light Interactive Learning System illuminates the Instead of simply beating out a regular tick- of preset rhythms, and its onboard memory al- correct fingering for chords, scales, and songs tock to indicate tempo, the RhythmSource Met- lows you to store and recall rhythms you create. in response to signals from companion software, ronome can play virtually any rhythmic pattern, Powered by two AA batteries or the included AC allowing beginner, intermediate, and advanced from simple beats to advanced polyrhythms. It adapter, the Metronome plays and displays 7 me- guitarists to improve their performance skills. plays nine sounds and uses eight LEDs arranged ters, 6 polymeters, and 25 subdivision patterns, The FG-401 comes with Fretlight Lesson Player in a circle to demonstrate the cyclical nature of and it has a tempo range from 6 to 360 beats per for Windows XP, which supplies 30 lessons and meter. A small LCD shows parameters you adjust minute. RhythmSource's goal is to give musicians a library of more than 2,000 chords and scales. using buttons on the front panel. You can control an intrinsic understanding of rhythm that extends It also includes Guitar Power (Win), a software- each beat's volume, sound, and subdivision to far beyond mere tempo. based reference from Jana Software that teaches the basics of playing guitar. You can choose from optional software such as M-Player (Win, $39.95), which shows GARRITAN CONCERT &MARCHING BAN[ you note for note how to play Concert & Marching Band (Mac/Win, $239), numerous other instrumental ensembles. popular songs; Guitarz (Win, the long-awaited music software from Garritan Designed for easy playability4 Concert & March- $59.95), which translates (www.garritan.com), is now available. It combines ing Band furnishes standardized controls for dy- downloadable tab files Native Instruments Kontakt Player 2 with a 2 GB namics and expression. You can quickly build into data that lights up your collection of sampled brass, woodwind, and per- ensembles of any size by specifying instruments fretboard; and GarageBand cussion instruments from the makers of Garritan individually or in groups. Concert & Marching Plug-In (Mac, $29.95), which Personal Orchestra. Featuring a comprehensive Band provides educators, composers, and stu- illuminates a series of chords selection of baritone horns, cornets, euphoni- dents with valuable feedback while composing and scales you specify in ums, mellophones, saxes, and arranging. It also serves Apple GarageBand. You can sousaphones. trombones, as an indispensable aid for order additional Lesson Paks trumpets, and tubas, as well designing drill routines for ($49.95 each) and Style as clarinets, flutes, piccolos, marching bands, especially Paks ($39.95 each) marching drums, mallet per- in combination with software to expand Lesson * cussion, and more, Concert such as Pyware 3D. Con- Player, and choose & Marching Band fills a major cert & Marching Band is fully from a selection void in the world of sample compatible with Finale 2008 of individual songs libraries. The software is ideal and Sibelius 5 for playback ($4.99 each) or song for arranging music for high directly from a score, and it bundles ($14.99 school and university bands, runs standalone and as an to $25.99) for military bands, brass bands, AU, DXi, RTAS, or VST plug-in M-Player in a va- drum and bugle corps, and in all major sequencers. riety of styles. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 - MUSIC EDUCATIONTECHNOLOGY 9 www.metmagazine.com COPYRIGHT INFORMATION TITLE: Teacher’s Toolbox SOURCE: Music Educ Technol 5 no4 N/D 2007 The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and it is reproduced with permission. Further reproduction of this article in violation of the copyright is prohibited. To contact the publisher: http://www.metmagazine.com/.