Apple Logic Pro for iPad 2 gets AI-based session players and stem splitters in major update

Apple hosted its Let Loose event on Tuesday, where it unveiled the new iPad Pro and iPad Air models along with the Apple Pencil Pro. But amid all the hardware announcements, the Cupertino-based tech giant also rolled out a big update for the Logic Pro app. The new Logic Pro for iPad 2 and Logic Pro for Mac 11 will now offer new artificial intelligence (AI)-based features and new tools for mixing songs and beats. It should be noted that the company also introduced an update for the Final Cut Pro application.

Logic Pro, the company’s in-house digital audio workstation (DAW), has been an essential platform for users to mix beats and create professional-quality tracks for years. With this new update, Apple has added more features for music enthusiasts to play with. There are three new features in total — Session Players, Stem Splitters and ChromaGlow. The first of these is powered by AI.

Users have seen and used the Drummer feature for many years. It’s a virtual session player that can play drum beats in a wide range of styles and techniques to accompany the song. Now Apple is expanding the feature to include two more virtual session players, a bassist and a keyboardist. All three are grouped as session players. The tech giant revealed that just like the drummer, the other two players have also been developed using AI and sampling technology. There are eight bass players to choose from, and each can be further customized using parameters such as slides, mutes, dead notes and pickup kicks.

The keyboard player is the other virtual session player that comes in four different styles. It comes with Chord Track and Studio Piano plug-ins that can control block chords, chord voicing, extended alternate harmony, and more.

Apart from Session Players, Stem Splitter is another unique feature. This will allow users to split and extract any audio recording of drums, bass, vocals and other instruments. Once separated, individual effects can be applied or new parts added to them before being combined again.

Finally, the company also added ChromaGlow. Based on its description, the feature appears to be a saturation style controller that can add five different reverb styles with varying amounts of saturation to the voice. Apple says this feature will add “ultra-realistic warmth, presence and power” to any song.