Exploring the All-New Logic Pro 11 Update: New Features, Session Players, and More!

Exploring the All-New Logic Pro 11 Update: New Features, Session Players, and More!

Today, I'm excited to dive into the all-new Logic Pro 11 update. There's a bunch of cool new features that have been added, and I'm going to show you all of those. So, let's dive in!

Before we get into the update, I'll quickly show you how to back up your previous version of Logic Pro. This way, you can go back to it later if you ever need to. All you have to do is go into your Finder, find Logic Pro in Applications, right-click on it, and click "Compress." This will create a zip file. I recommend renaming it to the version number, like 10.8.1, so you can easily identify it if you need to revert back.

What's New in Logic Pro 11?

The good news about this update is that it's free for any previous users of Logic Pro 10. So, if you already own Logic Pro 10, you can upgrade for free. If you're new to Logic Pro, there's a free trial available for download. However, you will need macOS Ventura 13.5 or higher for this update. Also, not all new features are available on Intel-based Macs. If you have an Apple Silicon chip (M1, M2, or M3), you're good to go. Otherwise, some features won't be accessible.

Session Players

Once you open Logic Pro 11, you'll notice it looks similar to Logic Pro 10, which is great because they haven't completely redone the interface. Instead, they’ve added onto it. One of the first things you'll notice is the new session players. Previously, we had Drummer, but now we also have Bass Player and Keyboard Player. These new additions work similarly to Drummer.

Keyboard Player

Let's start with the Keyboard Player. You can choose different styles like Freely, Broken Chords, Block Chords, Arpeggiated, and Simple Pads. After selecting a style, it creates a region similar to the Drummer region. You can see chords at the top that the Keyboard Player will follow. You can change these chords or the chord track by clicking on the Global Tracks icon or pressing 'G' on your keyboard. Right-clicking allows you to access different chord progressions and edit individual chords.

You also have control over the complexity and intensity of the keyboard part using sliders, much like the XY pad for the Drummer. You can adjust the left and right hand parts, set different patterns, and even change the range in which the keyboard plays.

New Keyboard Instruments (Studio Piano)

With the Keyboard Player comes a new keyboard instrument called the Studio Piano, which includes four new piano sounds: Studio Grand, Concert Grand, Vintage Upright, and Studio Grand One Mic. You can play around with the different microphones and adjust pedal noise and key noise to get the sound you want.

Bass Player

Next, let's look at the Bass Player. Similar to the Keyboard Player, you can choose different styles like Modern Motown. The Bass Player will follow the chord track you've set. You can adjust the complexity and select different patterns or input your own rhythmic patterns. The Bass Player also comes with new bass instruments, including Classic 60s, Rock, Session, Modern, and American Upright.

Chroma Glow Plugin

One of the exciting new plugins in Logic Pro 11 is the Chroma Glow, a saturation plugin that replicates the warmth and coloration of analog audio equipment. However, this plugin is only available on Macs with Apple Silicon. It offers five different emulation models: Retro Tube, Modern Tube, Magnetic, Squeeze, and Analog Preamp. These can give your tracks a cool, gritty effect.

Stem Splitter

Another big addition is the Stem Splitter, which allows you to take a finished audio file and split it into individual stems, such as vocals, drums, bass, and others. This feature is great for remixing tracks. Like the Chroma Glow plugin, Stem Splitter is only available on Macs with Apple Silicon.

TIMECODES:
00:00 Intro
00:29 Backing up Logic Pro
01:22 Who can upgrade?
02:28 Loading Session Players
03:37 Chord Track
05:22 Keyboard Player
07:17 Studio Piano
08:51 Bass Player
10:04 Studio Bass
10:24 Drummer
12:42 Drum Kit Designer
13:26 ChromaGlow
14:33 Stem Splitter
15:30 Final Thoughts