IS LOGIC A COMPOSITION PROGRAM??

Question

HI newbie here..with a very big question to all logic users...me and my songwriting buddy are about to take the plunge to logic 7.2 and a g5 dual 2.0...but he has alot of questions..i told him i been on here asking about it and reading information from the forum..we r coming from a pc enviroment and from pro tools le 6.1..before he lets out his wallet he wants to know....WE HEAR THAT LOGIC IS A COMPOSITION PROGRAM FOR MUSICIANS...WHAT DO U MEAN A COMPOSITION PROGRAM?...THEN WE HEARD IT IS SORT OF LIKE ACID PROGRAM..A BUNCH OF CLIPS STRUNT TOGETHER TO FORM THE BASIS OF A SONG. what would be the benefit is songwritng with logic over pro tools?...thanxs and sorry if i offend anyone with these question...any info is great appreciated

Answer 1

Well, Logic is a fully functioning DAW (like protools/cubase, etc)--
The way I see it--Pro Tools is an Audio Editing/Recording program (Sound Designer) that has adapted Sequencing capabilities. Logic on the other hand, was originally a composition/sequencing only program (Notator) that adopted audio editing, etc.
In this way, the two programs take completely different approaches to making music. It's a whole different topic when it comes to comparing the differences of PT and LP though.
The biggest part about Logic is the MIDI capability it offers--which makes it a composition beast. You can route MIDI signals to anywhere you could think with logic's Enviroment (The heart of the program). It can all get fairly complicated, or as simple as you want...but what I'm trying to get across, is if you have a substantial outboard MIDI setup, with keyboards, controllers, synths, etc--you will be able to control basically anything you want from anywhere you want, anyway you want to do it. It just takes some learning of the environment (feel free to ask questions here when/if the time comes, theres a few of us very proficient with the eviro.)
Aside from the MIDI--Logic really just 'feels' like a composition program-as I said, it is an evolution of the MIDI Sequencer Notator-it is always (for the most part) acting on a grid specified by you. It is very easy to do ACID type arrangements with logic, because of the way logic utilizes Regions. Regions are blocks on the Arrange that represent either MIDI sequences or Audio Clips. These can then easilly be looped, chopped or edited.
For MIDI editing, there is the Matrix editor, which is a classic Piano Roll style sequencer--but in my opinion, is one of the most elegently implemented (especially compared to Protools).
Plus, the arsenal of sound design tools Logic provides is unmatched--Synths, Samplers, Dynamic FX, Modulation FX---I dont know the exact number, but I know you are provided with almost 100 plugins. This alone makes for a composer's playground.
I could go on and on about why Logic is my choice for composing music--but ultimately it comes down to personal preference...my suggestion is try to toy around with Logic (Do you have a local Apple Store? They usually have a store display that is running Logic)--or find a friend who has it...or go here and download the Logic Express Trial to get a feel for the program....
Some people simply cant stand the way Logic works--as it is almost the exact opposite of ProTools when it comes to functionality. So try it out, test the water, and if you do decide to jump in, the user-base here is always willing to help.
In anycase, best of luck with your decision.