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Emagic

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Emagic
Company typePrivate (GmbH)
Industry
  • Electronics
  • Computer software
GenreMusic technology
FoundedSeptember 1992[1]
DefunctJune 12, 2006; 18 years ago (2006-06-12)
FateAcquired
Headquarters,
Key people
ProductsLogic
Number of employees
80+[1] (2004)
ParentApple Inc.
Websitewww.emagic.de

Emagic was a music software and hardware company based in Rellingen, Germany and a satellite office in Grass Valley, California. On July 1, 2002 Emagic was bought by Apple Computer. Emagic's Windows-based product offerings were discontinued on September 30, 2002.

History

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The company was best known for its music sequencer, Logic. Logic stemmed from Creator,[2] then Notator, made by C-Lab[3] (the company's forerunner) for the Atari ST platform. In 1992, Emagic Soft- und Hardware GmbH was founded and Notator Logic[4] was launched for Atari[5] and Macintosh, followed by a version for Windows. The "Notator" was dropped from the name and the product was redesigned from the ground up, and the product became known under the name "Emagic Logic".[6][7] Original copies[8] of Emagic's Logic software retailed for US$699 (equivalent to $1,518 in 2023),[9] and with plugins ranging from $99 to $299.[citation needed]

The other major software product that Emagic offered was SoundDiver, an editor/librarian for hardware synthesizers.[10] It communicated via MIDI and offered easy patch and sound management. While there was a beta version for Mac OS X, production of SoundDiver was discontinued in 2005.

Emagic formerly offered a line of audio interface hardware, the Audiowerk PCI cards, as well as USB units. A potential post-acquisition successor to these products, the unreleased Asteroid FireWire interface, was the subject of the Apple v. Does trade secret litigation.

Acquisition by Apple

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Emagic was acquired by Apple in July 2002.[11] The announcement included the news that development of the Windows version would no longer continue, rendering Logic 5.5.1 as the final version available for Windows. This announcement caused controversy in the recording industry with an estimated 70,000 users having invested in the Windows route not wishing to reinvest in a complete new system. Despite much speculation in various Pro Audio forums however, exactly how many users may have abandoned Logic upon its acquisition by Apple, or abandoned the Windows platform for the Mac version, remains unknown,[12] but Apple Pro Apps revenue has steadily increased since Apple's acquisition of Emagic,[13] (roughly $2 billion a year as of Q1 2014).

Logic 6 was released in February 2003,[14] serving as the first major release of Logic following Apple's acquisition of Emagic. The following year, it released Logic Pro 6, which replaced Logic Platinum and consolidated over 20 different Emagic products, including all instrument and effect plug-ins, Waveburner Pro (CD Authoring application), and Pro Tools TDM support, into a single product package. Apple also released a scaled down version of Logic called Logic Express, replacing Logic Silver and Logic Gold.

Logic Pro 7 was released on September 29, 2004, the first version of Logic to be released under the Apple brand, with technical support being provided through AppleCare+ instead of Emagic.[15] As Emagic's products had been transferred to its parent company, it discontinued all of its older products, but continued to provide technical support until late 2005.[16] Emagic became defunct on June 12, 2006.

Products

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C-Lab software

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  • SuperTrack (for Commodore 64) – MIDI sequencer[17]
  • ScoreTrack – scorewriting
  • Creator (for Atari ST) – MIDI sequencer[18]
  • Notator (for Atari ST) – MIDI sequencer and scorewriter[19]
  • Notator Alpha (for Atari ST) – cut-down educational version of Notator[20]
  • Aura (for Atari ST) – ear training[21]
  • Explorer 1000 – patch editor[22]
  • Explorer 32 – patch editor[23]
  • Explorer M1 – patch editor
  • Midia – MIDI monitor/educational tool[24]
  • Polyframe – patch editor
  • SoftLink
  • Xalyser (for Atari ST) FM synthesizer

C-Lab hardware

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  • Unitor (for Atari) – SMPTE/EBU synchroniser[25]
  • Unitor 2 (for Atari) – SMPTE synchroniser/MIDI interface[26]
  • Combiner (for Atari) – cartridge expansion interface
  • Export (for Atari) – MIDI interface
  • Falcon mk I, mk II and mk X
  • Steady Eye – SMPTE/VITC synchroniser
  • Human Touch – Audio synchroniser

Emagic software

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  • Logic[27]
  • MicroLogic
  • Sound Diver[28]
  • Waveburner[29]
  • Epic TDM
  • Guitar Tuner
  • Space Designer
  • HearMaster – music theory training
  • ZAP – audio file compression

Software instruments

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  • ES1 synthesizer[30]
  • ES2 synthesizer
  • EVP73 Fender Rhodes VST instrument
  • EVP88 electric piano
  • EXS24 sampler[31]
  • EXSP24 sample player
  • EVB3 Hammond B3 instrument
  • EVD6 Hohner Clavinet instrument
  • EVOC20 vocoder

Emagic hardware

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  • LOG3 (for Atari ST) – MIDI interface
  • LOG2mac – MIDI interface
  • LOG2PC (c.1991) – ISA 1×1 MIDI interface card (rebranded Midiman MM-401 card)
  • Audiowerk II – PCI soundcard
  • Audiowerk8 – PCI soundcard[32][33]
  • Unitor 8 – 1U rackmount 8×8 MIDI interface[34]
  • AMT8 – 1U rackmount 8×8 MIDI interface[35]
  • MT4 – 2×4 MIDI interface[36]
  • EMI 6|2m – USB audio interface
  • EMI 2|6 – USB audio interface[37]
  • Logic Control

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Company". Emagic. Archived from the original on April 12, 2004.
  2. ^ Mellor, David (February 1989). "C-Lab Unitor (SOS Feb 1989)". Sound on Sound (Feb 1989): 42–45.
  3. ^ "Atari74user - C-Lab / Emagic". August 30, 2022. Archived from the original on August 30, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  4. ^ Waugh, Ian (August 1993). "Emagic Notator Logic (MT Aug 1993)". Music Technology (Aug 1993): 68–69.
  5. ^ "Early DAWs: the software that changed music production forever". MusicRadar. February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  6. ^ "Emagic Logic Audio v3.0". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  7. ^ "Emagic Logic Audio 3". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  8. ^ "Emagic freeware and software downloads for mac and pc". www.dontcrack.com. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  9. ^ "EMAGIC LOGIC AUDIO - Logic SILVER from the Logic range is a great cheap s/w with more than enuff facilities for any dance". June 11, 2018. Archived from the original on June 11, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  10. ^ "Emagic Sound Diver 3". Sound On Sound. May 2001. Archived from the original on June 6, 2015.
  11. ^ "Apple Acquires Emagic". Apple, Inc. Retrieved February 13, 2007.
  12. ^ "Apple Drops Emagic Bombshell". The Register. Retrieved July 1, 2002.
  13. ^ "Apple Pro Apps Quarterly Revenue". Alex4D. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
  14. ^ "Emagic Logic 6.0 (MacOS/OS X) and 5.51 (Windows) released". KVR Audio. February 28, 2003.
  15. ^ "Apple Introduces Logic Pro 7 & Logic Express 7". Apple. September 29, 2004.
  16. ^ "Emagic – Support". Emagic. Archived from the original on October 30, 2004.
  17. ^ "C-Lab Supertrack". Sound On Sound. May 1986. pp. 61–3. ISSN 0951-6816. OCLC 925234032.
  18. ^ "C-Lab Creator". Sound On Sound. November 1987. pp. 57–61. ISSN 0951-6816. OCLC 925234032.
  19. ^ "C-Lab Notator". Sound On Sound. September 1988. pp. 22–6. ISSN 0951-6816. OCLC 925234032.
  20. ^ "C-Lab Notator Alpha Scorewriter". Music Technology. May 1991. p. 11. ISSN 0957-6606. OCLC 483899345.
  21. ^ "C-Lab Aura". Music Technology. May 1991. p. 14. ISSN 0957-6606. OCLC 483899345.
  22. ^ "C-Lab Explorer 1000". Music Technology. September 1989. pp. 50–53. ISSN 0957-6606. OCLC 483899345.
  23. ^ "C-Lab Explorer 32". Music Technology. October 1989. pp. 16–18. ISSN 0957-6606. OCLC 483899345.
  24. ^ "C-Lab Midia". Music Technology. May 1991. p. 12. ISSN 0957-6606. OCLC 483899345.
  25. ^ "C-Lab Unitor". Sound On Sound. February 1989. pp. 42–45. ISSN 0951-6816. OCLC 31700536.
  26. ^ "C-Lab Unitor 2". Music Technology. March 1992. pp. 26–29. ISSN 0957-6606. OCLC 483899345.
  27. ^ "Emagic Logic Audio v4.5". Sound On Sound. October 2000. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015.
  28. ^ "SoundDiver V1.5.7". Future Music. No. 60. ISSN 0967-0378. OCLC 1032779031.
  29. ^ "Emagic Waveburner Pro". Sound On Sound. June 2001. Archived from the original on September 15, 2014.
  30. ^ "Emagic ES1". Sound On Sound. May 2000. Archived from the original on June 6, 2015.
  31. ^ "Emagic EXS24". Sound On Sound. September 2000. Archived from the original on June 8, 2015.
  32. ^ "Emagic Audiowerk8". Future Music. No. 59. Future Publishing. August 1997. p. 39. ISSN 0967-0378. OCLC 1032779031.
  33. ^ "Emagic Audiowerk8". Sound On Sound. July 1997. Archived from the original on June 6, 2015.
  34. ^ "Emagic Unitor 8". Sound On Sound. April 1998. Archived from the original on June 9, 2015.
  35. ^ "Emagic AMT8". Sound On Sound. January 2000. Archived from the original on April 9, 2015.
  36. ^ "Emagic MT4". Sound On Sound. October 2000. Archived from the original on June 6, 2015.
  37. ^ "EMAGIC EMI 2|6". Sound On Sound. November 2001. Archived from the original on June 9, 2015.

Further reading

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