I used to use Cubase on pc, but once I switched to mac I forced myself to use Logic. Check out a bunch of tutorials on youtube as well as the manual-especially for learning the environment window. Like all things it's best if you just take a few days just to fiddle around with every random setting.

btw: Which osx are you running before I can give you some tips

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I'm a recent switchover, too. One tip Lolo posted awhile back is Onyx - a free tool to keep it clean and performing well. Got it and love it.

As far as the trial, I found this thread that says the trials ended for Cubase - seriously? I can't find one either.

http://www.cubase.com/forum/display...=10775&get=last

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Originally posted by DJ RANN So after years of my old PC, I finally made the switch to Mac, and I have to say it rocks. Hard. Just wondering if any Mac ninjas out there know of tweaks to get the most of your mac? Even if they are just tips on how to keep it performaing to it's out of the box status (yes I already bought a hard drive so the internal is just the system). PC's have loads of these tweaks(musicxp etc.), but Macs always have that thing of maintenance being done automatically. Any ideas anyone?

Other than using Onyx as Lolo has suggested, there isn't really much you need to do. Unlike a PC, there is really no need to "tweak" the Mac, its got very few things running at startup as is. Pull up your Activity Monitor and check out how few things are running compared to a PC. All that power is available for you to use in Logic.

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Originally posted by DJ RANN Also, I haven't got my head round Logic 8 since abandoning 5.5 6 years ago and wondered about going back to cubase on the Mac, but I can't find a "trial" version of cubase 2/3/4 anywhere for Mac.......

I made this switch myself about 6 months ago and honestly, the best advice I can give you is to just start writing in Logic. It's probably going to be a bit frustrating at first as you are getting used to where things are and how to do things in Logic that you are used to doing in Cubase. My first song in Logic took a bit longer than my typical working time, but by the time I had finished it, I knew my way around Logic well enough to where I wasn't hunting for commands and my next session was loads more productive.

Also, check out the Logic videos at macprovideo.com, they have some great tutorial videos (from people you have actually heard of). I recommend picking up Logic 404, as this goes pretty deep into mixing into Logic. Also 202 is a great tutorial on the ES2 synthesizer.

Another cool resource is this guy on youtube, sflogicninja. He puts out Logic tutorial videos pretty frequently, and its a great way to pick up tips and learn how to do things "the Logic way".

The sole system issue known today with mac os X Leopard is its memory management. It's a lazy dude, and you'll end up having lots of inactive RAM being used for nothing, but good thing is that once your computer needs it, it uses it. By all means, try to get 4 gigs in a mac if using Leopard. I'd like to have that ASAP, too.

Besides that, Leo now runs fine on both macs here, but I know it's not the case for everyone.

Speedtools can be recommended if you really need some disk optimization software. But BEWARE, Leopard 10.5.1 once crashed (my mac hd disappeared from the desktop) on my iMac because of a defragged fork on a file and it took me 8 hours to re-install everything. It looks better in 10.5.4 though.

By all means, use big hard drives, and Time machine, too. It'll avoid you stressful situations.

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Thanks to everyone for your help!! This was exactly what I was looking for.

Elipse: I think I'll have to just pootle around with it for a while as you suggested. Just a bit annoying as I'm so comfortable on Cubase now...

Ray: thanks for the Onyx tip - had never heard of it and just got a hold if it. Will have to do some testing....
As for the cubase trials, that seems to have ended years ago, but, um, I was also kind of talking about cubase "trial" versions such as H20, radium etc. I can't find anything for intel macs?

Eric: thanks for he really detailed advice and I will definately check out the vids on YT. I thought this was the case with macs, in that they don't require the sort of poking around that PC's do, and frankly after nearly 15 years of playing around with PC's I'm glad to let the computer do the work for me.
The tutorial vids sound good but in terms of mixing, I'm not too worried about it, as mixing is really mixing, regardless of how you get there or what the interface is, and it's a very subjectively personal thing as to how you personally go about it.

Lolo: interesting to hear about the memory situation with Leo. I don't think I'll go down the speedtools route (not yet at least) because I am nowhere even near to maxing out my 2.8ghz imac, and if it aint broke don't fix it (at least in mac land). I also made sure I got a 500gb external drive to keep anything non system on.

For anyone on the westcoast of the US or for especially anyone who lives near one, check out Fry's for harddrives. I got a 500gb Seagate Freeagent external drive for less than $80!

I'm on 10.5.3 by the way, should I immediately update?

One other thing, I've never done any automation in Logic though, and that was one thing that was so easy and powerful in cubase. any pointers?

Again thanks for all the input peeps....

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Originally posted by DJ RANN The tutorial vids sound good but in terms of mixing, I'm not too worried about it, as mixing is really mixing, regardless of how you get there or what the interface is, and it's a very subjectively personal thing as to how you personally go about it.

While this is true, the reason I suggested it is he gets into some Logic specific tricks using things like the Enveloper that might help a bit.

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Originally posted by DJ RANN I'm on 10.5.3 by the way, should I immediately update?

I'm still on Tiger (for Waves compatibility), so I'll have to defer to Lolo on this one

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Originally posted by DJ RANN One other thing, I've never done any automation in Logic though, and that was one thing that was so easy and powerful in cubase. any pointers?

The only big difference here is you have to go into Automation "Mode" to get to the automation. Other than that its the same. When you get there don't forget to play around with the automation "curves". This is a feature that did not exist in Cubase when I used it and is really useful.

Nice! thanks for the tip. and I will check out the 404 then....