Apple makes a couple of popular music creation apps that appeal to casual users and professionals. There’s Logic Pro X, which is professional-level audio editing software that runs on the Mac, and the more entry-level but still full-featured GarageBand that runs on both the Mac and iOS.
Both apps are popular for a reason — they offer a broad range of capabilities for their target markets and are therefore the go-to audio editing apps for a number of MacOS and iOS users. Now, Apple has made each of them a little bit better, with recent updates that add new features and support some new device capabilities, as MacRumors reports.
First up is GarageBand 2.2 for iOS, which offers both a redesign and a significant new feature. The Audio Recorder function has been redesigned to make it easier to add vocal effects to recordings with a single tap, along with implementing pitch correction, delay, and distortion. A new Visual EQ graphical interface has been added as well.
In addition, GarageBand now includes the Alchemy synthesizer feature from Logic Pro X. It’s now available as another instrument with a support for a wide range of musical genres, and a new sound browser makes it easier to select Alchemy and other instruments.
Next is Logic Pro X 10.3, which now supports the most notable the new MacBook Pro feature, the Touch Bar. As with many other apps that utilize the new OLED touchscreen, Logic Pro X functions can now be more easily accessed for specific tasks with Smart Controls and the ability to play and record instruments with drum pads and piano keyboard.
In addition, Logic Pro X now works with iOS devices, letting users add tracks on the go with their iPhones and iPads and then integrate them into compositions on their Macs. GarageBand-compatible Logic projects can be shared to iOS devices, while iOS devices can be used to create recordings that can be added to Logic Pro X projects.
Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of application product marketing, put it this way: “Music has always been part of Apple’s DNA, and we are excited to deliver yet another fun and powerful update to our music creation apps, GarageBand for iOS and Logic Pro X. These updates bring a wide range of new and highly requested features to both hobbyists and the community of pro musicians and audio engineers who rely on our software and hardware to create amazing music.”
You may have already received GarageBand for free with your Mac or iOS purchase, but if not, then it’s available in the Mac App Store and iOS App Store for $5. Logic Pro X is available on the Mac App Store for $200. Both updates are free to current owners, and so if you want to access the new functionality all you need to do is hit the update button.
