Logic Pro
Essential plug-ins for beginners using Logic Pro
The question Which plug-ins does a beginner using Logic Pro actually need to buy?
Short answer
Very little, at first. Logic Pro includes a full set of instruments and effects, including Channel EQ, Compressor, ChromaVerb and Alchemy. Learning those well is worth more than any purchase.
When you hit a limit, free plug-ins fill the obvious gaps: TDR Nova for dynamic EQ, Valhalla Supermassive for big ambient spaces and Vital for wavetable synthesis.
Whatever you add, Logic Pro hosts Audio Units plug-ins, so check that any purchase is available in AU format for macOS.
How Logic Pro handles plug-ins
Logic Pro uses Apple's Audio Units format. Apple's documentation covers Audio Units plug-ins (AUv2) and Audio Unit Extensions (AUv3), and lists both in Logic's Plug-in Manager, where you can rescan and activate them. Apple's tech specs list support for Audio Units effect, instrument and MIDI plug-ins.[1][2]
In practice: when a product page lists VST, VST3 or AAX only, it will not load in Logic. Look for 'AU' or 'Audio Units' in the format list. Every third-party plug-in recommended on this page lists an AU version.[1][3][4][5][6]
Learn these four stock plug-ins first
Your everyday EQ
Channel EQApple
Eight bands, including high- and low-pass filters, and a built-in analyser. Most corrective and tonal EQ in a beginner's mix can be done here.
[7]From the manufacturer's documentation
- Eight colour-coded bands: low-pass and high-pass filters, low and high shelves, and four parametric bands.
- Built-in FFT analyser that shows the frequency curve in real time.
Your everyday compressor
CompressorApple
Seven circuit types let you hear how different compressor designs respond, which is an education in itself. It also has a side-chain section for kick-triggered ducking.
[8][9]From the manufacturer's documentation
- Selectable circuit types: Platinum Digital, Studio VCA, Studio FET, Classic VCA, Vintage VCA, Vintage FET and Vintage Opto.
- Threshold, Ratio, Knee, Attack, Release and Auto Release controls.
Your everyday reverb
ChromaVerbApple
14 room algorithms with editable damping and an output EQ. Start on an aux send rather than inserting it on each track.
[10]From the manufacturer's documentation
- 14 discrete room type algorithms.
- Main view controls: Attack, Size, Density, Distance and Decay.
A deep synth you already own
AlchemyApple
Alchemy combines additive, spectral, granular, sampling and virtual analogue engines. Exploring its presets and then editing them is a good introduction to synthesis.
[11]From the manufacturer's documentation
- Additive, spectral and granular synthesis and resynthesis, sampling, and virtual analogue engines.
- Up to four sources per preset, each using one or more synthesis engines.
Free additions that fill real gaps
These are worth adding only once you know what you are missing. Each is free and lists an AU version for macOS.
| TDR Nova | Valhalla Supermassive | Vital | DC1A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Equaliser | Reverb | Synthesiser | Compressor |
| Pricing | Free | Free | Free tier + paid tiers | Free |
| Plug-in formats | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX | VST2, VST3, AU, LV2 | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX |
| macOS | Mac OS X 10.9 or higher | OS X 10.9 to macOS 10.15, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, Sequoia and Tahoe; Intel and Apple Silicon (M1 to M5) | macOS 10.15 or later, Intel or Apple Silicon; 64-bit; OpenGL 3 or higher | Supported (AU, VST, VST3, AAX); minimum macOS version not stated |
| Gap it fills in stock LogicEditorial | Dynamic EQ | Very long, modulated reverb/delay | Visual wavetable synthesis | One-knob character compression |
When you need dynamic EQ
TDR NovaTokyo Dawn Labs
Logic's Channel EQ applies static cuts and boosts. TDR Nova adds four dynamic bands, so a cut only happens when a frequency becomes a problem, which is useful for taming harsh notes or managing kick and bass overlap.
[3]From the manufacturer's documentation
- Parallel dynamic equaliser.
- Four dynamic EQ bands plus separate high-pass and low-pass filters.
When you want huge spaces
Valhalla SupermassiveValhalla DSP
Supermassive specialises in very long, modulated reverbs and echoes, the kind of effect ChromaVerb is not primarily designed for.
[4]From the manufacturer's documentation
- 22 reverb/delay modes, including Gemini, Hydra, Great Annihilator, Andromeda, Lyra, Capricorn and Sirius.
- Controls for Mix, Width, Delay, Warp, Feedback and Density.
When you want to learn wavetable synthesis
VitalVital Audio
Vital's free tier includes the full synth. Its visual design makes wavetable movement and modulation easy to see, which helps when learning.
[12]From the manufacturer's documentation
- Spectral warping, which acts on a waveform's harmonics.
- Built-in wavetable editor, plus conversion of your own samples into wavetables.
When you want quick character compression
DC1AKlanghelm
Two main controls and a few switches. Useful for adding density without learning every compressor parameter first.
Worth knowing
- Klanghelm doesn't state minimum macOS versions, so check compatibility with your system before relying on it.
From the manufacturer's documentation
- Two main controls: input and output.
- Deep switch engages a high-pass filter to reduce pumping on bass-heavy material.
When it makes sense to spend money
Paid plug-ins make sense when you can name the specific limitation they remove. For example: needing more than four dynamic EQ bands (FabFilter Pro-Q 4), wanting a dedicated bus compressor (The Glue), or wanting pitch-shifted shimmer reverb (ValhallaShimmer). Our genre guides go into those choices in more detail.[3][14][15][16]
Questions
- Can Logic Pro use VST plug-ins?
- Apple's Logic Pro documentation describes support for Audio Units plug-ins and Audio Unit Extensions, and does not list VST. Choose the AU version of any plug-in you buy for Logic.[1][2]
- Do I need to buy plug-ins to start producing in Logic Pro?
- No. Logic Pro includes an EQ, compressor, reverb and several synths, including Alchemy. Free third-party plug-ins cover most remaining gaps.[11]