Logic Pro 9 Minimum Specs to Run Logic 9

smacclutch

New Member
Hi all -

I'm brand new to DAWs, but am currently getting started on scoring a sitcom pilot. I'm also incidentally getting a new computer - a Mac. Yesterday, the salesman at the Apple Store basically tried to up-sell me into buying a 15" MacBook Pro, claiming it was absolutely necessary that I have a QuadCore processor to run ProTools or Logic. Of course, that's about $500 US more than the 13" with a DuoCore. Alternatively, I can just buy an iMac, but since I'm on the road with some frequency for extended periods of time, I'm leaning towards a laptop.

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!


smacclutch
 
Spend as much as you can. the 17 inch i7 quad core is your best bet for actually having a machine that will have close to enough power to do a show. Add 16 GB ram, and get a couple of fast drives. If you aren't recording any live audio, use the built in audio for an interface, if you are, how many tracks max at one time will you need.

If you really have to score a show, you'll want more than you can afford once you get going.
 
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Hello,

What software do you plan to use for your scoring project? EXS24 instruments included in Logic? Or a 3rd party product like GPO, EastWest, VSL, etc? Looking at the software makers web site will give you clues regarding the minimum recommended system specs.

Are you "sketching" the score in Logic to be completed on a more powerful system or do you plan to produce the finished project in Logic?

If using a 3rd party sample instrument program, it's best to have an additional drive for storing the samples. The instrument files can be stored on your main hard drive. Any audio that's recorded (or bounced) should also be store on a separate drive as well. An optimal system is: the internal drive in your laptop of choice running the OS and Logic, a 2nd external drive for samples, and a 3rd for audio. This set up means that read/write head in the respective hard drives are working efficiently as they perform a limited set of tasks versus OS/Logic, samples and audio all on one internal drive which is mechanically stressful to the drive mechanism.

The external drives, ideally would be 7200 rpm (vs the slower 5400 rpm) for faster performance (read/write time).

An important consideration is not only what you plan to do in the next few month, but over at least the next 3 years. Will the computer you buy today still deliver the necessary power in 3-5 years from now?

If you're using a lot of sample instruments, then you also need to load your laptop the maximum amount of RAM.

I increased RAM in my 2010 i5 MacBook Pro to 8 GB RAM and replaced the stock internal drive with a 750 GB 7200 rpm drive which is much more responsive.

My projects are relative small, so hopefully the power users here will be able to more specifically answer your question.
 
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Congratulations on landing what sounds like a nice gig.

If it is true that you have no experience with a DAW, my suggestion is to forget about doing your work on a computer. Continue to score the way you have been, and hire someone to enter the data if you need to produce mock-ups. All DAWs have a learning curve, and I cannot imagine meeting deadlines while trying to figure out the software.

But what do I know? I am just the guitarist.

If you want another opinion on cores, I agree with the salesman. I just finished a review of the performance increase of Protools 10 native setup on a two-core versus a four-core. The PT10 demo will limp along on a 2.2GHz two-core, but runs great on a 2.6 four-core.

Also cannot believe you are worried about $500! Logic would absolutely reek on a 13" screen. Figure a two display system, or get an Imac with a 27" screen.

Hire a tutor before you spend money on the wrong hardware.
 
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