Matt S
English 119

Summary of Electronic Musician article, EMAGIC LOGIC
PLATINUM 5.5 (MAC/WIN)

	This is a music software program for either a Macintosh
or Windows computer.  The company is called Emagic and they
have been around for at least ten years now.  This is an
older software program that was called Logic Platinum 5.5,
but is actually referred to as Logic 5.5.  5.5 refers to the
version number of the program.  Currently Emagic has
released a new version of Logic under a new name called
Logic Pro which is now at version 6.4.2.   I decided to do
this paper on version 5.5 because that is the version that I
use and as a result have the most hands-on experience with. 
I have been using Logic almost since it was originally
released for the Atari ST and   from the experience that I
have with version 5.5, I can say that it is a much more
powerful program than it was ten years ago.  It also has a
new look to it with its dark and futuristic knobs and
faders, but it also lets you make it look like it used to in
version 3.  Submenus are more organized than in previous
versions and there are a number of new features as well.	
	ThereÕs a number of different windows in the program,
but it is in the arrange window that you will most likely do
most of your work.  After you have connected your electronic
keyboard to a MIDI interface, which should then in turn,
plug into your computer, you have everything you need to
play note information into Logic.  (MIDI stands for Musical
Information Digital Interface).  I suggest that you purchase
and use the Karma keyboard made by the company Korg.  You
will need to create the correct environment in the
environment window in Logic in order to get your Karma to
communicate correctly to logic.  If you donÕt know how to do
that, I can e-mail you my environment for the Karma keyboard
to you.  Once your new environment is loaded, you can then
select a Karma track in the Arrange window.  I suggest that
you select track 1.  Now you are ready to record some music
from the Karma into Logic.  After you play your music, you
can save your work, but all that is going to be saved to the
computer is note information, otherwise known as MIDI data. 
To hear what you have played, You will still need your Karma
turned on the next time you run Logic.  If you want to
record the music into the computer so that you will not need
your keyboard on, you will need to record to a audio track
in Logic.   You may also need an audio interface if your
computer does not have an audio input jack.  I use the MOTU
828, and that is what I would suggest.  Logic works great
with the MOTO 828.   Logic will let you record at least 48
audio tracks, which in my opinion, is more than enough.   
Once  you set your audio levels, so they are not too high or
too low, and peak just below the red level, you are ready to
record audio into your computer.  After you have recorded
audio, you can put effects over the audio.  There are at
least 28 effects to choose from in Logic.  I like a lot of
them but my favorites are the delays.  There are Stereo
Delays and Tape Delays, both of which let you add delay the
sound to a very detailed degree.    Adding just a little
delay to a vocal track makes them just a little bit easier
to hear over the music.  
	In conclusion, there are many other things that Logic
can do, but for me to go into all the details here would
make this summary much longer.