How To Install F9 Packs In Logic 12

Starting with Logic Pro 12 (and MainStage 4), Apple consolidated every piece of sound library content - patches, Apple Loops, software instrument presets, samples, channel strip settings, the lot, into a single file called:

   Logic Pro Library.bundle

This replaces the old system where content was scattered across multiple folders in the "Audio Music Apps" where it shared space with files that may be used by other apps such as Garagband or Final Cut Pro.

Think of it like a filing cabinet that used to have dozens of drawers spread around different rooms being gathered into a breifcase that you can pick up and carry anywhere. That one-file design is the whole point for Apple's developemnetn team: it makes relocating your library to an external drive, sharing it across a network, or moving between machines dramatically simpler.

By default the bundle lives at:

~/Music/Logic Pro Library.bundle

You can reach it by making sure Finder is in focus and using this menu option:

And copying the following into the box that appears (including the little squiggle (tidle) that represents your home folder:

    ~/Music/

You can then see it in the resulting finder window:

All Is Not What It Seems 

In OSX, .bundle files are actually folders pretending to be single monolithic files. You can access their contents at any time by holding down the control key and clicking on them and selecting the options 'Show Package Contents' ( or right-clicking on them if you have the secondary mouse / trackpad  button enabled on your mac )

You will now see the folder structure and you can install as per the normal instructions - 

1 - Logic Patches

All Logic patches from us should be installed in the folder shown below - please note - install these INSIDE the "Instrument" folder that lives in the "Patches" folder. 

2 - Sampler Instruments

Any EXS24 related folders from F9 ( NOT Logic patches) can go in here :

3 - Samples

The large sample folders for any of the F9 releases can live inside the "Samples" folder in this new bundle.

Please note this can make the size of the bundle grow substantially but the beauty of having everything in this single place is that it is easily transportable between computers and systems.

Please note you may place the samples in a different location within your system if you wish. It is the only part of an F9 pack installation that doesn't have to sit in a designated folder.

Logic uses Spotlight to find samples if they are not in the main location please do be careful that you don't duplicate any of the sample folders across your system or Logic will prompt you to choose a location if it detects the same audio files in multiple places.

4- Impulses Responses and Apple Loops

Finally, impulse responses can live in the same folder structure - not all F9 releases use impulse responses but if they do, they can be placed here

Apple loops can now be directly installed in this folder also as opposed to the alternate Apple locations that have existed across the years

I'm sure you'll agree that this is much simpler than the scattered approach that has been painful to operate around for many years

Please don't forget to re-index the Apple loops if you have added any as they don't automatically show up in the Apple Loop browser. 

Everything should now be in place and logic 12 will index the new content and allow you to access it.

The only change between our original installation instructions during actual use is that the installed logic patches used to appear in:

    "User Patches" 

Within the logic library and this is no longer the case they will now index right next to the built-in logic content, meaning one less folder to dive through.