Easter Eggs. They’re a long standing tradition in new software releases. Hidden little gems. Gifts from the code writer Gods, left undocumented, for the brave and dedicated users who push the software limits to discover and enjoy. Logic 8 has a few. There are plenty of little nooks and crannies to tuck them away in; to be discovered and savored slowly over time. This week’s post isn’t specifically a tip or trick, but a road map to two hidden features in Logic 8 awaiting to be used for those who want.

 

1. In the new Transport Bar that is attached to the bottom of the Arrange Window, there is a master volume slider. This is a nice elegant feature that allows for global control of the entire audio stream. To the left of the slider is a little speaker icon. When this icon is clicked , the volume is lowered automatically. Another click will return the level to it’s previous default. So, this speaker button in fact acts as a “dim” control, which is a great feature to quickly A/B your mix elements at different volume levels. And further to this, the level the signal is attenuated can be set in the Audio Preferences. There is a “Dim” slider where you can set how many db you want the signal to drop. This undocumented (as far as I can find) dimming feature can also be accessed on the Master Fader. Next to the solo button is a “D” button that activates the attenuation.

 

This is truly excellent! My only wish is that there were a key command to toggle the dim functions. As it is now, a mouse click is necessary each time. This will be a great feature once it is fully implemented. Applying this “dim” function to solo modes would be a very nice touch as well. Attenuating the level of Regions or Channel Strips _not_ soloed would be an awesome addition once this feature gets fully developed. That way soloed Regions or Channel Strips could be heard not in isolation, but in context with everything else being attenuated. Let’s hope that’s what the developers have in mind.

 

2. The single biggest change in Logic 8 is the new Arrange Window. I don’t think any user on the planet would argue that point. What many users do argue over though are the relative merits / drawbacks of many of the new Arrange Window features, functions, and layout. Although the “old” Arrange Window is not available in Logic 8, something pretty close to it is.

 

In the Key Commands window there is an artifact from pre Logic 8 days. The command to “Open Trash” is still there. When assigned and invoked, this will open up an Arrange Window that is a strange hybird bastard child, born of an illicit union between the old and new. Open Trash calls up an Arrange Window that looks like the regular new Arrange Window, but with some significant differences. There is no shortcut bar at the top. There is no Transport Bar anchored at the bottom. And the Media And Lists area and tabs are absent. Interestingly, the key strokes normally used for the individual Media and List sub tabs call up dedicated windows of the same class. And this unique Arrange Window,  available no other way other than through the Open Trash command, can be saved in  screen sets and repeatedly recalled. Very cool!

 

There are undoubtedly more hidden Easter Eggs lurking beneath the surface. Both now, and almost certainly in the future too. As sure as Christmas will come, so Easter will follow. It’s a tried and true tradition.