Apple ships Logic Express 7

Apple today announced it has begun shipping Logic Express 7, the next major release of its music composition and production software that delivers professional quality audio and MIDI tools at an affordable price of $299. With new Apple Loops support, software instruments and high-quality effect plug-ins, Logic Express 7 allows musicians to create, record, edit, and mix music. Logic Express 7 can open songs from GarageBand, Apple’s consumer music creation software, making it ideal for consumers seeking to step up to a more advanced application with a studio-style mixer, movie scoring capabilities, and the ability to edit and print performances using music notation.

GarageBand Jam Packs, including the new Remix Tools and Rhythm Section packs, provide additional professional quality loops and instruments for Logic Express 7 for $99. Projects and skills learned in Logic Express 7 are directly transferable to Logic Pro 7, Apple’s professional music creation and audio production software, offering users a smooth transition to high-end
professional audio production.

“Logic Pro 7 is a big hit with pro audio customers and reviewers who are saying it’s a must have upgrade and the biggest release of Logic ever,” said Rob Schoeben, Apple’s vice president of Applications Marketing in the press release. “We’re now shipping Logic Express 7, a streamlined and affordable version of Logic for education customers and advanced hobbyists who want to create and produce music like a pro for the unbeatable price of $299.”

“Berklee requires students entering the Music Education major to purchase a PowerBook G4 outfitted with Logic Express so they are equipped with a complete mobile studio to continue their work anywhere,” said David Mash, vice president of Information Technology for Berklee College of Music in the press release. “Our students are going to benefit from the many new features in Logic Express 7, particularly the full-featured score editor that will allow them to compose, view, hear and print music using traditional notation, tablature, and chord symbols.”

Logic Express 7 ships with 26 expressive software instruments and 42 high-quality effect plug-ins providing customers with more options to create unique sounds. New software instruments include EFM1, an easy-to-use FM synthesizer that creates a wide range of digital sound, EXSP 24 mkII sample player, as well as all the instruments built into GarageBand. New plug-ins include Guitar Amp, a full-featured guitar amplifier simulator that recreates the sounds of the world’s best known guitar amplifiers. Additionally, Logic Express 7 includes new Autofilter, EQ and reverb plug-ins for professional quality audio production.

Logic Express 7 now comes with support for Apple Loops, the powerful open-standard file format for real-time key and tempo matching of audio loops. The Apple Loops format offers richer information than standard audio files, so users can quickly find a loop by instrument, genre or mood. Logic Express 7 offers the familiar Apple Loops browser of GarageBand and over 1,000 Apple Loops enabling musicians to get started creating music faster. In addition, users can construct their own Apple Loops using the included Apple Loops Utility.

Apple offers a complete line of integrated music creation tools that addresses the needs of consumers, students, educators, creative pros and professional musicians alike. For consumers, GarageBand turns the Mac into a high-quality musical instrument and complete recording studio. GarageBand Jam Packs, including the new Remix Tools and Rhythm Section packs, provide additional pro quality loops and instruments for GarageBand, Logic Express 7 and Logic Pro 7. Projects created with GarageBand can be easily imported into Logic Express 7 and Logic Pro 7, providing an easy upgrade path for music hobbyists who are ready to graduate to a more advanced audio production tool.

Logic Express 7 is available now through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $299 (US). Registered users of Logic Express 6 can upgrade to Logic Express 7 for $99 (US). Full system requirements and more information on Logic Express 7 can be found at http://www.apple.com/logicexpress . Select Apple retail stores and Apple Resellers are hosting Logic Express 7 events on Thursday, December 2, 2004. Visit http://www.apple.com/logicexpress for event details, times and locations.