Linda C Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 Good Afternoon- Please forgive my “ naivety” on this question-I want to buy my son a birthday present and I need help understanding the requirements to run Logic Pro X. He currently has a non- Mac computer. He has always used microsoft. Recently he has just purchased a PreSonus audio box Studio- he wants to be able to use Logic Pro X ( which I understand is made for a MAC) for ease and best practices. I am NOT wanting to purchase a new $$ Mac but am looking for a refurbished one. What should I be looking for? He will only use it for this purpose- he will use his current computer for all school work etc. Thank you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rAC Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 @Linda C without knowing what sort of music etc it is very hard to make a recommendation. With that caveat said I would suggest a refurb of any M series Apple with 1Tb storage and 16 Mb RAM would probably go a long way. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scriabin rocks Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 Hi, I had to look up what the AudioBoxStudio consists of, and it seems to be discontinued. https://legacy.presonus.com/products/AudioBox-Studio May I ask, how old is your son, is it the first time he gets into music creation on a computer? Does he play an instrument? I agree though what rAC said above, if it has to be a Mac and Logic, which is a full blown professional and complex studio software, additional cost of 199 dollars for the license have to be factored in as well. A refurbished Mac Mini can be found at the apple store, I would check that daily as the offers change. RAM and the internal SSD can not be upgraded in MacMinis. Usually additional stuff is required as well, such as a USB hub. Feel free to dig deeper, many helpful people around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscwilde Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Hi Linda. Does your son want a laptop (MacBook) or a machine that is set up with a keyboard/monitor, etc. in a fixed location? As another Q....what territory/country are you in - Mac pricing for refurbs/new kit can vary quite wildly, depending on locale - whether bought thru Apple or retailers. How much were you looking to spend? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Hi @Linda C, I would recommend you try to get a Mac that is at least an M1 (or M2 or M3) but not an Intel processor. Even the least expensive original Mac mini M1 will run Logic Pro and you can find those new for around $500. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solution Dr.Socrates Posted January 22 Solution Share Posted January 22 Dear Linda, That is a very nice gift for your son, one that I am sure he will have very much good value from, and which might turn out to be a quite significant event in his life. In time, even if making music in Logic Pro is his main intended use for it, he might grow to use and love his Mac for many other things as well. Yes, you are right that you need a Mac to use Logic. And with a Mac, he will also be able to use GarageBand, which is a good entry (and free for Mac users) into making music. Garageband and Logic work good together, so work that starts in Garageband can be continued in Logic. I agree with the others in this thread. Any Mac with an M-series processor (that is, the current generation of processors that Apple is developing themselves, as opposed to Intel processors that they used to use before), should most likely last him many years. I have a first-generation (M1) Mac mini myself, which is by no means maxed out, and which has plenty of power to run Logic Pro. (I also have Macs that are one and two decades old, and where I can still use Logic (although not the latest versions). You see, as some of the others have pointed out above, there can be some differences as to what specification one needs depending on the complexity of the work one is doing – those who work professionally can oftentimes have hundreds of tracks with hundreds of plug-ins in a project, which is demanding for the CPU (processors). But reading from your description, that your son is in school and seems to be quite new to music production, it will likely be years since he grows to that level. And even if he would do that soon, there are techniques to use to make that work even with a less expensive Mac. All in all, I think that any M-series Mac will suit you just fine! They are great computers, in my opinion. The most important thing is likely, as @oscwilde asks, whether or not he wants a laptop or a stationary computer. In the latter case, he will need an external monitor/screen. Also, as noted above, he most likely needs a USB audio interface. It is possible to connect midi keyboards directly via USB to the computer, and it is possible to use USB-microphones connected directly to a computer (and it is actually also possible to connect an iPhone directly to a Mac and use that as a microphone), but most likely your son will like to connect microphones or guitars or keyboards through a USB audio interface to the computer. There are many good options, which are not very expensive. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscwilde Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 11 hours ago, Scriabin rocks said: AudioBoxStudio consists of, and it seems to be discontinued. Probably this, if a recent purchase: https://www.presonus.com/en-US/interfaces/complete-recording-solutions/2777700101.html 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda C Posted January 22 Author Share Posted January 22 Thank you!!! EVERYONE- To answer a few questions… My son is in college, so a laptop is needed. He is turning 21 this week. He is new to music production, and has been inspired by a friend who is willing to work with him. His friend is very talented and has a mega set up. The Sonus system was the 25th edition purchased at guitar Center last week. Not sure if it’s discontinued- as previously mentioned by a contributor, his current school laptop is NOT a MAC. Since his friend is accustomed to using MAC- pro logic x- that is what’s driving this purchase. Might seem crazy to some, but he has a friend willing to work with him, who is beyond talented- I want to help him seize the opportunity that he has in front of him to learn. -As far as the type of music- my son leans towards country, but his friend sells beats to Post Malone and different Rappers, so there’s that! His friend has been doing this since he was in diapers and actually encouraged my son to buy the Sonus system… He said, “ you’ve got a knack for this and this is a good system to get you started, and I can teach you some things!” My son writes lyrics, which is how they hooked up to begin with- … But his friend can not teach him on the laptop he has because he can’t run pro logic. Whoops, I guess we should’ve known that known that. I am willing to help however, purchasing an over-the-top system, because I’m unaware of what is minimally needed to run pro logic x with the Sonus 25th edition -that he currently has, is what I’m trying to avoid. Would I be correct to say a MacBook Air laptop, with at least an M1 processor, or greater with 8G ram ( refurbished) would do the job? linda 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 27 minutes ago, Linda C said: Since his friend is accustomed to using MAC- pro logic x- that is what’s driving this purchase. Might seem crazy to some, but he has a friend willing to work with him, who is beyond talented- I want to help him seize the opportunity that he has in front of him to learn. Not crazy at all, in fact it makes a lot of sense. You know, back when I purchased my first copy of Logic Pro, the reason was, I went to a friend who was using it, and I thought the Mixer window looked pretty. Silly isn't it. Most teachers at school recommended using Digital Performer, but I went with Logic instead, only for that reason. I don't regret making that decision one bit (even if the reason for the decision was silly). 😄 But a talented friend willing to help him get started is an excellent reason to make that choice. And you can also turn your son to our forum where he can ask questions about his daily frustrations or troubleshooting needs. 27 minutes ago, Linda C said: Would I be correct to say a MacBook Air laptop, with at least an M1 processor, or greater with 8G ram ( refurbished) would do the job? Yes, yes, yes, definitely. When traveling I do all my demos, teaching, and even some work, running large projects, with my trusty MacBook Air M1 with 8GB RAM. I know everyone says 8GB RAM is not enough but to get started, it's definitely enough. Surprising what this little beast can do. Happy birthday to your son, he's very lucky to have a mom like you!! 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscwilde Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Hi @Linda C, Assumed USA here. Apple provide student discounts....for hardware and software: https://www.apple.com/us-edu/store David's suggestion of a base M1 is a good one. It's a great little machine and surprisingly powerful for music production. Also has very good battery life. You'll need to factor in a USB-C hub of some sort so that other devices (keyboards, audio interface, pad or fader controllers, etc.) can be attached. This is one company who sells these types of peripherals....but there are many others: https://satechi.net/collections/macbook-air 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlas007 Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Hi @Linda C, The fact that your son has a talented friend to support and motivate him into making music production using Logic Pro is definitely a big plus to invest into his future! As mentioned above, Logic is a very deep and powerful software tool to make musical production. It could however be set to a simplified mode, which considerably eases its learning curve. Complete mode could be set to gain access to Logic’s full power and features when the time comes. Logic features among other things ways to write lyrics along a musical staff. As @David Nahmani mentioned, Logic Pro Help contributors will be competing (for free) into providing help to supplement your son’s friend with his Logic exploration, learning, tips, etc… As a suggestion, I warmly recommend David’s book, which is pretty well crafted guide to learn the basics of Logic. The author actually host this forum (Logic Pro Help) and attends same on a daily basis, providing support relentlessly to everyone… 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scriabin rocks Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 (edited) 19 hours ago, David Nahmani said: ...when I purchased my first copy of Logic Pro, the reason was, I went to a friend who was using it, and I thought the Mixer window looked pretty... ROFLMAO phew David. *breathing hard* when I re-started computer music 20 years ago, after a long time since the first step with an Atari, back then on a self build PC, VST synths were totally new to me. Hence, I was wondering what I should purchase to begin with, and then I saw this, and I thought what a pretty a clean interface that is, and that's mainly why I considered to buy it before I heard a single patch. Well, it turned out to be the best investment in music tech I ever made as the Omnisphere update was at no cost. Linda, I second Davids suggestion towards a MacBook Air, and I believe that by now you already will find mostly the newer M2 processor in the refurbished section. I would also suggest, being a laptop and being hauled around, to consider including the apple care+, which is a three years peace of mind solution. Yes, by all means do point him towards this forum, umm 🫣, but please, only after his birthday as a matter of course! 😂 He is lucky having a mom like you! Edited January 23 by Scriabin rocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scriabin rocks Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 I just had that picture on my mind.... that kid on his b-day Ripping paper from box... *JAW DROP* Mooom?! *grinning from ear to ear* followed by explosive hugs. 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Socrates Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 This thread just smells like Christmas spirits to me: the beautiful act of care from a mother towards her son, and all the great help that all you good people are providing! (I thought it was January already … 😮) Seriously: You all have made my day, and you, Linda, will have made the whole year (or more) for your son, come his birthday. Thanks to everyone! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda C Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 (edited) Well- I did it! I purchased a new MacBook Air 13 inch M1 8G- Best Buy had it for $250 off at $747.00 2 years free Apple Care I was getting freaky about the refurbished ones- and honestly the price was not that far off after the $250 off! THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️ I really appreciate it! Congratulations to me - I have a 21 year old ( in 4 days!) -who will be over the moon!!! CHEERS! Linda Edited January 25 by Linda C Word missing! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscwilde Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Well done @Linda C. While the price won't be any different, if your son has an interest in video as well, you can get the education bundle of Logic/Final Cut/Compressor/MainStage/Motion https://www.apple.com/us-edu/shop/product/BMGE2Z/A/pro-apps-bundle-for-education If it's only music, then Logic Pro can be purchased thru the App Store. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/logic-pro/id634148309?mt=12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nahmani Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Fantastic. Happy birthday to him! 🥳 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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