# Using only Logic Pro's stock sounds - how far can I take it



## Hans Blomberg (Mar 7, 2018)

Update: New version with the Studio Strings and Studio Horns in Logic Pro 10.4.

Hello people!

I’ve been hanging out with the Logic Pro stock sounds for a while.

I’d like you to listen to this track I made. Your input on anything from overall impression to the tiniest detail would be much appreciated!

I'm very convinced there are plenty of really sweet orchestral libraries out there - like CSS, Spitfire and more - that I would probably have a lot more fun with. But I’d like to know how far you think I can take it with what I have right now.

Best, Hans

PS. I love Logic, but if you tempt me I don’t know how much longer I can stay 100 % faithful!


----------



## Alex Fraser (Mar 7, 2018)

Hey Hans! Like the track! Impressed that it's a Logic only work. The string shorts actually sound pretty good.

I'm very much a "Logic stock sounds" advocate. The Logic factory sounds and plugins are the backbone to all of my work, especially the included synths. Also, Apple keep sneakily adding new sounds to play with.

Like you suggest, at some point, the siren call of Kontakt and Spitifire/CSS etc beckons. Whilst I use some of these libraries, the Logic factory stuff is always lurking in the back of my tracks somewhere. Often I find the stock stuff fills a hole I'm missing from my third party stuff.

If you're going on a orchestral tip, you'll undoubtedly get better results with more exotic libraries. But it's nice to keep the stock stuff around, right?
A


----------



## Ashermusic (Mar 7, 2018)

Logic comes with a great compliment of everything you need EXCEPT orchestral strings, brass and woodwinds. The included content is barely passable IMHO.


----------



## synthpunk (Mar 7, 2018)

Love the Electric Piano, Alchemy, Retrosynth, ES- 2, Drummer, the Compressor plug-in, a lot of the little utility plugins, and the new Chromaverb of course.


----------



## Hans Blomberg (Mar 7, 2018)

Alex Fraser said:


> Hey Hans! Like the track! Impressed that it's a Logic only work. The string shorts actually sound pretty good.
> 
> I'm very much a "Logic stock sounds" advocate. The Logic factory sounds and plugins are the backbone to all of my work, especially the included synths. Also, Apple keep sneakily adding new sounds to play with.
> 
> ...


Thank you Alex! I agree, it seems like the Logic strings do sound good in some situations, but I notice they are limited in variation with only a few velocity layers sampled. So yeah, at some point I will have to buy something with a more realistic sound if I want to go in the orchestral direction. Alternatively make music with more of other instruments and the orchestral sounds only as a small part of the arrangement. But I kind of feel at home in the orchestral environment. I guess playing bass in symphony orchestras as a kid kind of shaped me ...


----------



## Vik (Mar 8, 2018)

I never use them actually, it was Apple's very strong focus on electronica and synth based music which re-triggered my interest for invest in orchestral libraries a few years ago. But my main Mac can't run Logic 10.4/Sierra, so I haven't really tried the new orchestral sounds yet.


----------



## Alex Fraser (Mar 8, 2018)

Hans Blomberg said:


> Thank you Alex! I agree, it seems like the Logic strings do sound good in some situations, but I notice they are limited in variation with only a few velocity layers sampled. So yeah, at some point I will have to buy something with a more realistic sound if I want to go in the orchestral direction. Alternatively make music with more of other instruments and the orchestral sounds only as a small part of the arrangement. But I kind of feel at home in the orchestral environment. I guess playing bass in symphony orchestras as a kid kind of shaped me ...


If you want to stretch out the Logic orchestral stuff, you can..

Set up EXS patches to crossfade via CC between velocity layers, rather than using the "by key velocity" presets.
Layer up the string patches with the "string ensemble" sound. Thickens them up a little.
If you want to go over the edge, you can (sort of) get a fake legato going by modulating the sample playback start and attack. But by the time you're at this point, maybe it's time to go third party(!)
For orchestral work, I've mostly gone to Kontakt now, but the Logic factory stuff is in constant everyday use:

The EXS piano (not the Yamaha) for pop/rnb stuff. It cuts through in a way that more expensive stuff doesn't.
EXS for drums. (A whole other thread.)
The wind chimes from the orchestral kit. Every day.
ES1 for bass.
Vintage Electric Piano.
Alchemy, Retro Synth, ES2.
The drummer producer kits.
The world stuff.
Recently, Apple dropped a lovely new koto and a brand new taiko kit. That one went under the radar. And the new percussion sounds are deeply sampled with multiple articulations. (The factory cowbell has 6 articulations!)


----------



## Hans Blomberg (Mar 8, 2018)

Vik said:


> I never use them actually, it was Apple's very strong focus on electronica and synth based music which re-triggered my interest for invest in orchestral libraries a few years ago. But my main Mac can't run Logic 10.4/Sierra, so I haven't really tried the new orchestral sounds yet.


Thanks! Neither have I, I'm running Logic 10.0.7 so I don't know how much about them, those new strings and horns they announced ... Probably sound more realistic than what I have. But still more tempting to go for 3rd party. But I have to make sure my good ol' computer can handle it (MacBook Pro 2012, 2,5 GHz Intel Core i5, 4 GB etc ... poor little thing - better than nothing)


----------



## Hans Blomberg (Mar 8, 2018)

Alex Fraser said:


> If you want to stretch out the Logic orchestral stuff, you can..
> 
> Set up EXS patches to crossfade via CC between velocity layers, rather than using the "by key velocity" presets.
> Layer up the string patches with the "string ensemble" sound. Thickens them up a little.
> ...


That seems like a trick! I thought I was creative when I duplicated the trombones to be able to crossfade between the soft and the sharp brass sound...  Well, my computer is a little old and I doubt it can run the newest version of Logic. There seems to be some interesting new features in the 10.4 version...
Thank you for your tips!


----------



## garyhiebner (Mar 8, 2018)

Wow! Thats amazing that that's only Logic stuff in your piece. Great composition. I think you would also benefit with some 3rd party Kontakt percussion libraries. And obviously better other elements like strings, brass and woodwinds, will take you so much further. But you have achieved quite a bit with just the stock stuff. Nice work


----------



## Hans Blomberg (Mar 8, 2018)

garyhiebner said:


> Wow! Thats amazing that that's only Logic stuff in your piece. Great composition. I think you would also benefit with some 3rd party Kontakt percussion libraries. And obviously better other elements like strings, brass and woodwinds, will take you so much further. But you have achieved quite a bit with just the stock stuff. Nice work


Thank you very much! That’s very encouraging


----------



## Ashermusic (Mar 8, 2018)

I hate to be critical, my default is to praise what I like and shut up about the rest, but Hans, while the writing is nice, I don't think those strings and brass sound very good.


----------



## Hans Blomberg (Mar 8, 2018)

Ashermusic said:


> I hate to be critical, my default is to praise what I like and shut up about the rest, but Hans, while the writing is nice, I don't think those strings and brass sound very good.


You are welcome to criticize - anything that can help me learn and develop is appreciated. So thank you! And I’m glad you say the writing is nice. There’s no doubt I’d benefit from some better libraries. And of course also developing my production and mixing skills. THX


----------

