What does Logic Pro X signal for future FCPX updates?

I just thought I'd start up a separate thread to address anything people may find while looking at Logic that might inform future updates to Final Cut.

I think most specifically I'm wondering if we'll see any of the UI in Logic seep over to FCPX.

While new the Logic feels right at home with FCPX and Motion5, there are some notable differences.

There's less "chrome" on audio elements, no gloss and just a color gradient on each track. Speaking of which, wouldn't it be nice to see customizable colors for Roles in FCPX.

And of course, Stacked Tracks has me salivating for a structured organization of Roles in the Timeline. Collapsable, with a user defined order and color.

Is Logic now supposed to be the mixing solution for FCP? I personally think this would be very unfortunate. Logic is clearly focused on being a music production application, and the vast majority of it is quite irrelevant to FCP users. It's wonderful that this new cross application functionality has been included in Logic, but I hope this does not mean that audio mixing features are no longer needed in FCP.

Apple is not positioning it that way in the marketing materials.

Logic as an extension of FCPX was one theory that's been floated around for advanced audio editing/mixing. We're certainly not seeing that now. Perhaps that will change after an Apple update where you could have round-tripping. But that's all supposition.

So I don't think there's any reason to think Apple won't be expanding audio tools in FCPX. I would certainly love to see some of what's in the Logic X UI in Final Cut.

I'm still trying work out how to open up a FCPX XML in Logic Pro X. Not devoted much time to it but everything I do end up with a spinning ball.

But as to the original thread topic, I can see the next FCPX version also offering an an Apple designed iPad control surface, maybe to assist color correction or to control the transport functions.

I can also see the overall color UI design changing to fit in with Mavericks new look and as 'Dis...Pictures' mentions it would be nice to see color coded roles.

But overal i'm very impressed with Logic Pro X, and whilst I've not produced any music yet, I'm looking forward to my first session. All my old vers 9 files open easily and the design of the mixer is superb.

I've always done most of my serious audio work in Logic from FCP, in legacy versions. How is it not geared for video? LPX is super easy to learn and use now. Very powerful, and perfect for doing audio work in for video projects. It is a DAW, but also revamped enough to be of use to film and video folks quite well.

When the get the FCPXML read bugs fixed.

Hi Ben,

What type of Video Audio work would you undertake in Logic? Soundtracks? Mixdowns? Spot FX?

Just interested in how you use it - or will use it.

I managed to open a XML from FCPX but it took about 15 minutes to convert and split the audio into 260 tracks - very exciting!

Must be doing something wrong - but there is no real mention in the manual of FCPX XML in and apart from the fact that it exists.

You can still export all the audio as Roles, either in a Quicktime and extract them or separate files. Then just mix normally in Logic and re-import the finished stereo mix into your FCPX project. I don't know why everyone is waiting for XML to work perfectly before using as is.

If Apple does have plans for FCPX/LogicX workflow, the release of LogicX certainly only represents half of that equation.

As I said, Apple's page is exclusively focused on musicians and album work, and until all the pieces are in place, there little point advertising it as a general purpose DAW.

Import of FCPXML to Logic X was a complete disaster. Out of sync, audio missing. Not even close. With that being said, it's very early on and I understand there are many bugs to be worked out. I am very hopeful this will turn into a very powerful audio sweetening/finishing tool with near seamless integration with FCPX in the coming months. Hopefully the upcoming FCPX release will greatly enhance the XML abilities as well as improve integration with Logic X and Motion 5. I'm optimistic that it will.


Edit: I also completely agree with dinerdog about exporting as roles for the time being.

I guess this is not considered an upgrade for Logic Pro, but a new application. So no upgrade path from Logic Pro to Logic Pro X. $200 for all punters. Still no mechanism in the App Store for upgrades?

No upgrade path, but still better then renting for life

Also (and I only tried it one time) Logic X perfectly "exported an FCPX XML of some audio that imported perfectly as a Compound Clip into FCPX.

Tom Wolsky wrote: I guess this is not considered an upgrade for Logic Pro, but a new application. So no upgrade path from Logic Pro to Logic Pro X. $200 for all punters. Still no mechanism in the App Store for upgrades?

See here. I agree.

david-smith.org/blog/2013/07/16/apples-a...-on-upgrade-pricing/

But, shouldn't it also be said that the full price now was the old upgrade price? Wasn't it $200 to go from Logic 8 to 9? Same thing with Final Cut. Going from 6 to 7 was $300. X was $300 flat. I really have a hard time complaining about those prices, honestly. Or that there is no upgrade pricing.

filmfreak3000 wrote: But, shouldn't it also be said that the full price now was the old upgrade price? Wasn't it $200 to go from Logic 8 to 9? Same thing with Final Cut. Going from 6 to 7 was $300. X was $300 flat. I really have a hard time complaining about those prices, honestly. Or that there is no upgrade pricing.

+1

Indeed the upgrade price for Final Cut Studio was $300, based on a suite of applications valued at $1700, including Final Cut Pro, Motion, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Compressor, Color, and Cinema Tools. Now of course the current apps are sold separately, and if you were to include the four current applications it would be $600. So should FCP be upgraded it would sell again for $300?

In not a Logic user, I guess you are, would you say you are getting the equivalent of $200 benefit in increased productivity, in new features you can't do without, in application improvements, that are equivalent to a new $200 application? Improvements over Logic 9?

It's always hard to quantify the financial value of an upgrade. In my opinion the work doesn't necessarily get done any quicker, it becomes more streamlined and efficient, and allows more time to play around with new features.

Logic Pro X is a huge advance over Logic Pro, it is far more stable and attractive to use and they have unified the command UI interface to bring it more in line with the other Apple Pro applications.

I would imagine that Apple will charge for a substantial FCPX upgrade, but think it will be line with their present charging structure which is incredibly reasonable.

I would hope that existing FCPX users would get a rebate of some kind ( unlikely ) for all the Beta like testing
we've been carrying out over the last 2 years.

$199 is definitely a steal for the shear power you get, PLUS the improved workflow and easy of use. Not to mention the incredible amount of time I'm actually saving. And yes, I have used Logic Pro almost daily for many years, and teach it.

Since the software is just as powerful and goes head-to-head with ProTools software, and ProTools 11 new is $699 at B&H (PT HD 11 $599, what?), LPX is literally a steal. Add to that no DVDs or serial numbers to keep track of. Yes, $199 is far and beyond worth it for LPX.

So you spend $500 MORE on ProTools. What exactly do you get in it that is worth $500 more?

P.S. The ProTools 11 "upgrade" price varies depending on what past version you're upgrading from, starting at $299 (from PT10 to PT11) up to $999 (from PTHD9 to PT11). So yeah, Avid has upgrades that cost more than a new package! Wonder why Avid is scraping for sales?

If you're a professional user, making money off software like this every day, then these prices are pretty much non-issues. If $199 is a big issue for you, you're not charging enough for your time.

• edited to add. $199 for LogicX. I wonder if Apple might drive the price of FCPX down even more. If 10.1 is coming in a few months, could it be $199 as well?

There is a huge pool of users worldwide whose "job" is not making video, but who make video as part of their job, if you can see the distinction. Video production is now a prerequisite for anything involving PR, marketing, corporate communications, advertising, sales, instruction, plain information delivery, and a whole host of other professions, hundreds of thousands of media creators around the world. They don't get paid to edit, or sweeten audio, or color correct. They get paid as something else, and of course need to justify every purchase of software and/or hardware, not to themselves but to someone up the food chain.