Does UltraBeat still have a use?

Hi all, just curious to see how people feel in regards to the new dmd and drumsynth features and if there is any real reason to use ultrabeat now? I am just curious to know if ultrabeat still has a place within Logic or if it was left there for legacy users?

They don't remove older instruments as a) they can still be useful - there's things Ultrabeat does that are quite unique; and b) so people can load old projects that require those things.

They don't remove older instruments as a) they can still be useful - there's things Ultrabeat does that are quite unique; and b) so people can load old projects that require those things.

As a relative newbie it’s seems that ultrabeat is a very detailed drum synth, sample player with a step sequencer, yes? What is it capable of accomplishing that the newer step sequencer, dmd and drum synth aren’t able to do? Is it worth still learning is what I guess I’m getting at? Thanks for the reply.

It's a multi layer drum synth that can combine synthesis with samples. It has an inbuilt pattern sequencer which you can play live from keys, you can include melodic parts, you can run live audio through it and cut it up with the sequencer... lots of things. Fiddly interface though...

It's a multi layer drum synth that can combine synthesis with samples. It has an inbuilt pattern sequencer which you can play live from keys, you can include melodic parts, you can run live audio through it and cut it up with the sequencer... lots of things. Fiddly interface though...

Thanks for the explanation. Sounds like it’s a tool worth learning. Do you personally prefer UltraBeat for your drum programming and sequencing?

Personally I don't prefer one tool or another, I have different applications for different tools. To this day, Ultrabeat is still being used by some of the current DMD patches that ship with Logic Pro X 10.5.1.

 

DMD is not an instrument, it just routes MIDI Notes to different instruments like Ultrabeat, Drum Synth, Quick Sampler, or whatever instrument you want.

 

Drum Synth is a single mono synth based on the Ultrabeat audio engine but with much simpler controls. So in essence, you're still always kinda using Ultrabeat under the hood, albeit with a stripped down interface.

Personally I don't prefer one tool or another, I have different applications for different tools. To this day, Ultrabeat is still being used by some of the current DMD patches that ship with Logic Pro X 10.5.1.

 

DMD is not an instrument, it just routes MIDI Notes to different instruments like Ultrabeat, Drum Synth, Quick Sampler, or whatever instrument you want.

 

Drum Synth is a single mono synth based on the Ultrabeat audio engine but with much simpler controls. So in essence, you're still always kinda using Ultrabeat under the hood, albeit with a stripped down interface.

Thanks for the clarity! Looks like it'd be a good idea to learn Ultrabeat. Any books on the topic?

You can start with the manual:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/logicpro/lgsifdc04988/mac

 

Should be pretty much everything you need right there...

You can start with the manual:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/logicpro/lgsifdc04988/mac

 

Should be pretty much everything you need right there...

Thanks!

You're welcome! It's a pretty accessible read, and should get you up and running, anyway.

Apple has done this a number of times. They provide a powerful "general purpose" technology – one that, as in this case, has you "start with the manual" (and maybe "quite a manual it is"). Then, they look for more-approachable ways to handle the common use-cases, so that you can take advantage of "the same powerful technology" more easily and with much less of a learning curve.

 

And they've been quite generous in the stuff that they give away(!) in the form of GarageBand ... which of course might be the best sales-tool for Logic Pro X that was ever invented.

I've just updated Logic pro to 10.5.1, Where are Ultrabeat presets in logic sounds download manager ?

I don't care about apple loops and don't want to DL full Logic library.

I'm still using Ultrabeat in 80% of my LPX projects (check my youtube videos) and 909 kit is still my all time favorite there. Yeah, I'm using DMD and drumsynth but I don't really like them as Ultrabeat.