Logic Pro update adds Synth Player and Chord ID tools

Apple announced on January 13, 2026 that Logic Pro for Mac and iPad will gain a major round of AI-driven tools, led by a new Synth Player that joins the existing Session Player roster. The update, due to arrive January 28, 2026, extends Session Player capabilities beyond drums, bass and keyboards so producers can now generate chord and bass parts from a single, instrument-aware utility.

The Synth Player will default to Logic’s internal synth and sampler library but is built to drive third-party plugins and external hardware synths, giving patch cable and MIDI fans a direct bridge from algorithmic ideas to analog rigs. Users keep hands-on control: complexity, intensity and performance style remain adjustable, so generated parts can be tamed, humanized or dialed into aggressive sound design workflows.

Alongside the Synth Player, Logic Pro adds a Chord ID feature described as a personal music theory expert. Chord ID analyzes audio or MIDI and produces usable chord progressions that can populate Logic’s Chord Track. The analysis is performed rather than live, which means Chord ID speeds up sketching and arrangement by translating existing recordings or sketches into workable harmonic material without the latency constraints of real-time detection.

Logic Pro for iPad also picked up workflow-focused features. Quick Swipe comping brings faster take selection to touch workflows, and Music Understanding tools use AI to find suitable sounds and loops from natural-language prompts or example audio. Those tools aim to shrink the gap between a germ of an idea and fully arranged parts, especially when working away from the studio desktop.

Apple is offering the updates both standalone and as part of a Creator Studio subscription bundle that groups Final Cut Pro, Motion, Compressor, MainStage and other apps. Creator Studio is priced at $12.99 per month or $129 per year. Standalone Logic Pro for Mac remains at $200; Apple said iPad standalone and subscription details will be clarified ahead of release.

For songwriters and sound designers this is a practical evolution: quick harmonic maps, AI-driven synth voicings and integrated third-party or hardware output can accelerate demos and reduce GAS by turning inspiration into playable parts. Because analysis is not real-time, expect the tools to be strongest for production and arrangement rather than unpredictable live jamming.

Our two cents? Try the Synth Player first with a soft synth and a single external module to test MIDI mapping and latency, then scale up. Use Chord ID to populate a track, then edit voicings to taste. These additions lower the friction between a patch idea and a finished part, so patch your workflow accordingly and save a little patience for fine tuning.