Justin is the Editor-in-Chief at 9to5Toys and a senior editor covering all things music for 9to5Mac, daily deals, and more. A senior deal Jedi over at 9to5Toys where he heads up our Apple gear and game/app coverage, Justin is also an audio engineer/producer with well over 10 years experience in the music industry.
It’s time to kick off another work week with all of today’s best Apple deals. Alongside a fresh new price drop on Apple Watch Series 6, you’ll find up to $199 off the latest M1 MacBook Pro with a 13-inch form-factor as well as both OtterBox and Apple Leather MagSafe Wallets for iPhone 12. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.
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Apple has now rolled out Lossless and Spatial Audio streaming to its subscribers. Eddy Cue sat down with Billboard regarding Apple’s new hi-fi music streaming just after Apple Music’s Zane Lowe dropped a quick hint pertaining to upcoming Logic Pro integration for music producers. We recently did some digging around to see if independent artists would be able to take advantage of Spatial Audio and Lossless streaming with major distributors all but confirming as much. But it now looks like Apple will be taking it a step further and has plans to directly integrate hi-fi music authoring tools into its flagship DAW. More details below.
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We have some new details today on Apple Lossless and Spatial Audio for indie artists. Apple’s recently announced Spatial Audio and Lossless audio formats for Apple Music are set to kick off next month. While we know it has partnered with big artists like Ariana Grande, Maroon 5, and Kacey Musgraves, among others, to bring the first 3D and hi-fi audio to its streaming service, what does this mean for the rest of us? After code hinting at the new service surfaced ahead of the official announcement from Apple, followed by, what was for some, confusion over what headphones/audio playback systems can actually support it, we immediately asked ourselves if these hi-fi audio deliverables would be available to indie artists as well. While there have been no direct announcements as of yet, we have done some poking around, digging through the crates, and sources suggest Apple’s new Spatial Audio and Lossless streaming will indeed be available to indies in the near future. More details below.
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The new Twelve South MagSafe charging stand launched earlier this week with a minimalistic, clean look and a design that leaves your iPhone 12 floating in midair. We have been fans of the brand for a quite a while now, but with Apple reintroducing MagSafe tech this generation, it’s time to give Twelve South’s first crack at the technology a run for its money. Head below for our hands-on Twelve South Forté review.
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Meet the new Forté – the very first Twelve South MagSafe charger to hit the market. Now joining the rest of the brand’s accessories, stands, and charging gear, the new Forté Twelve South MagSafe charger is available exclusively through Apple retail and the Apple Online Store starting today. Providing iPhone 12 users with another elegant solution for docking and charging, it sports a clean, minimalist approach and a slick magnetic pedestal that leaves your iPhone 12 floating in air. Head below for more details and a closer look at new Forté Twelve South MagSafe charger introductory video.
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Welcome to the April edition of Logic Pros Marketplace — a roundup of all of the most interesting free FX plug-ins and sound resources, discounted instruments, and more for Logic Pro users. This time around we are tracking even more offers on MPE gear for your multi-touch-gesture explorations as well as a host of new, completely free FX and vintage synth-based sampler instruments for your Kontakt library. Head below for everything.
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Today we are taking a look at how to get your music video on Apple Music. More specifically, the various options and difficulties with regards to independent digital distribution of our music videos and music-related video content to Apple’s streaming platform. We have previously discussed services like TuneCore — one of the better options for getting your music on Apple Music, Spotify, and many others — however, things have evolved in the space since then with TuneCore competitor Distrokid now making waves, but to some degree, options are still somewhat limited when it comes distributing your companion video content. So let’s take a closer look at Apple’s official list of distributor partners, the best options available for independent music makers/content creators, and how to distribute your music video on Apple Music.
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After looking at how to quickly move timeline-based projects over to a Live Loops setup and some nice price drops previously, today we are talking about mapping Remix FX to Launchpad. Apple’s GarageBand multi-FX unit gone pro made its debut inside Logic Pro for the first time as part of the flagship app’s major overhaul last year. A particularly useful and creative tool, especially in concert with Live Loops, Remix FX houses a number of multi-touch ready FX units from filters and repeaters to down samplers and interesting tape stops to add some serious flavor to your compositions. But with direct and multi-touch control available via Logic Remote already, and some tricky X/Y pads to deal with, is it really worth the trouble mapping Remix FX to Launchpad?
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Today we are taking a look at the copy to Live Loops function and transforming your regions into cells. While we previously explored some of the more performance-based applications of Launchpads and Live Loops, arguably the most obvious use for Apple’s grid-based production environment is in arrangement. You can easily and quickly experiment with transitions from one part to any other without having to start dragging and dropping huge, unwieldy chunks of regions around. Sure, that’s nothing some Marquee tool or skip/cycle wizardry can’t handle on the regular timeline, but there’s really no comparing that to the musical immediacy and hands-on immersion of triggering these sections with a single Launchpad button, all-synced to the timeline and without having to commit to anything until you’ve experienced the change.
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We have spotted some notable deals on Novation Launchpads today. Amazon is now offering the Novation Launchpad X Grid Controller for Logic Pro and Ableton Live at $159.99 shipped. That’s $40 or 20% off, matching the 2021 low, and the best price we can find. Recently updated to work hand-in-hand with Apple’s huge Logic Pro update (as well as Ableton’s Live recording software), these controllers offer up hands-on control over your tracks and sounds in Logic Pro like never before. You’re looking at 64 RBG pads for playing notes/drums or triggering loops, transport controls (play, stop, volumes, mutes, pans, and much more), and the ability to customize everything for triggering/controlling just about anything inside of Logic Pro. Rated 4+ stars from over 1,600 Amazon customers and you can get a much better idea of what to expect in our ongoing Live Loops Launchpad diary right here. Additional deals and details below.
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Welcome to another edition of Logic Pros Marketplace — the place where we gather all of the most interesting free plug-ins, instruments, FX, and deals to bolster your Logic Pro rig. While things are starting to feel as though they are loosening up in some places, many folks are still stuck inside with plenty of time to kill and new, exciting projects to explore. If you’re anything like us, some new gear, a quirky boutique plug-in, or some vintage-style drum machine might be just what you need to get inspired for your next big production. You’ll find a curated selection of Logic resources, free plug-ins, and more, all conveniently listed for you down below to explore.
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After exploring some techniques and functionality to bolster performance potential last time around, today we are taking a look at custom Launchpad modes and creating our own bespoke controls for Logic Pro. Continuing our journey towards complete creative hardware dominance over our instruments and tracks in Logic Pro, these custom made templates allow us to quickly and simply throw some widgets around to personalize hardware control over just about every parameter your trackpad can find. Used in combination with Logic Pro’s particularly powerful Learn assignment functionality, Novation’s Components Editor is a simple and effective way of expanding Launchpad hardware control well beyond the factory limitations.
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We are checking in today to talk about Live Loops performance, sound design, and composition. The obvious application of Novation’s Launchpad integration with Apple’s Live Loops has to be the ability to trigger various vertical slices of a song project in order to rearrange it or just simply perform and record new versions of the original idea. But it is the more creative side of things we are particularly interested in, taking collections of our musical parts not just to alter the arrangement of the verses and choruses but also to create layered sounds and rhythmic ideas that can result in entirely new song ideas/audio resources. Today’s Logic Pros Live Loops Launchpad Diary is here to explore some of the elements and functionality to best accomodate this kind of creative approach.
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After launching its leather AirPods cases early last month, Pad & quill is now adding to the lineup with a new AirPods Max model. The high-end Brief AirPods Max Case provides a luxurious home for your precious Apple headphones as well as a low power mode magnet array and a built-in stand. Best of all, we have a nice promotion code so you don’t have to pay full price. Head below for all of the details.
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Logic Pros Marketplace is the place we explore some of the best and most interesting free instruments, discounted content/sound sources, and audio manipulation tools to fuel our Logic Pro rigs. We are starting to see some notable spring-time promotions hit alongside a host of new free instruments/FX, and some major expansions to some of last year’s best. Setting our Launchpad Live Loops rig aside for the time being, you’ll find a curated selection of major price drops and completely free creative tools below to complement Logic’s new workflow possibilities, sampler tech, and sequencing.
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In today’s Logic Pros Live Loops diary, we are taking a look at the process of introducing this new workflow into our day-to-day recording sessions along with some quick Novation Launchpad tips. The potential of these repurposed controllers has just been getting even more intriguing with every Logic Pro update and after discussing the the pros and cons of the current-generation lineup, we are diving into to some tips and quality of life reminders for making the transition a smooth one.
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What Launchpad should I get? With basically every Launchpad out there now compatible with Logic Pro it’s time to look at which model is best for Apple’s flagship DAW and your personal needs. After discussing the overall value proposition for Novation’s Launchpad Logic Pro integration last time around, we are now diving in to some of the major differences between them to determine which best suits your needs.
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We are now tracking a huge Parallels deal for Mac users. One of our favorite virtual desktop apps out there, the folks over at Parallels are now offering its popular Parallels Desktop 16 app bundled with 10 FREE Mac apps, offering up to $712 in savings and one of the most notable promotions of the year. Head below for a closer look at the latest Parallels deal.
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Welcome to the Logic Pros Live Loops Launchpad diary. Apple’s grid-based music production environment works wonders with its pricey tablets and handsets, but it’s the colorful Novation pad controllers that have caught our interest. Initially designed for something else entirely, it’s time to see what these almost reversed-engineered, repurposed controllers are worth to Logic Pro users.
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As we head into the President’s Day and Valentine’s Day weekend, we have a giant list of top-tier holiday iOS app deals to roundup. This week has seen plenty of big-time price drops on some of the App Store’s best titles including Stardew Valley (that just received a massive update on console), Samorost 3, Bloons TD 6, Pascal’s Wager, NBA 2K20, the brilliant Affinity imagine manipulation apps, and it just keeps going from there. Head below the fold for handy list of all of this weekend’s best holiday iOS app deals.
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At today’s virtual HARMAN ExPLORE event, JBL is celebrating “75 years of pioneering acoustic, transducer and electronic design” with the announcement of its new SA750 Amplifier. The high-end, retro-inspired amp is inspired by vintage models produced in the 1960s and ’70s with a host of modern-day accouterments, including Apple and Google wireless streaming platforms and more. Head below for more details on the new JBL SA750 Amplifier.
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We are getting our first look at the new Bose Sport Open Earbuds today. These unique earbuds are specifically made for workouts and combine Bose OpenAudio technology with an interesting design that doesn’t go in your ears or cover them, leaving wearers fully aware of their surroundings without comprising audio quality, according to Bose. Head below for a closer look.
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As is usual at this time of year, we are now tracking a massive collection of Christmas iOS app deals, alongside a selection of Mac price drops. Over the last week or so the App Store has been exploding with big-time discounts on just about all of the most popular titles available for your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. With so many folks stuck indoors this year, scoring some Christmas iOS app deals might be a great way to keep everyone occupied and entertained over what will likely be a bit of an extended break for some. Head below for a gigantic roundup of all of the most notable Mac and iOS apps on sale for the holidays.
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The classic Star Wars KOTOR 2 is now scheduled for an official release on iOS and Android on the same date as The Mandalorian season 2. The original KOTOR game has been available on mobile platforms for quite some time now, but after fans asking for a mobile port of the sequel for “so long,” publisher Aspyr has now officially announced the mid-December launch date. Head below for more details and a look at today’s announcement trailer.
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