Arrange track
A track as seen in the Arrange window. This is different from a Track Object: an Arrange track can be assigned to a variety of objects, including (but not limited to) Track Objects, MIDI instruments, Bus Objects, Instrument Objects, etc.
AU
Audio Units is a new standard (as of this writing, December 2002) integrated into the Mac OSX at operating system level. It is designed to provide a common programming platform for the development of plug ins by third party developers, and is made available by Apple to any developer interested in programming for Mac OSX. Think of it as a "a Mac OS-level standard, intended to replace all competing and conflicting standards (including but not limited to VST)". Logic under OS X only supports AU plug-ins -- VST is no longer supported.
Audio Instrument Object
See: Instrument Object
Audio Object
An Environment object that usually looks like a "channel strip". I.e. the entire Audio Mixer consists of Audio Objects. Audio Objects can have wildly differing functions: some feed live inputs into your mix, others are used as busses, etc.
Audio Plug In
See: Plug-in
Aux Object
An Audio Object whose Cha parameter is set to "Aux n". Usually in the Audio Mixer these are named "Aux 1" (2, 3, ...)
bus
A virtual node to which an audio signal can be sent. Many Audio Objects can somehow send to busses. Only Bus Objects and Aux Objects can have a bus as input. For an explanation of the difference between a Bus Object and a "virtual node" bus, see this FAQ's chapter on Inserts, Sends, Busses and Aux objects.
Bus Object
An Audio Object whose Cha parameter is set to "Bus n". Usually in the Audio Mixer these are named "Bus 1" (2, 3, ...). For an explanation of the difference between a Bus Object and a "virtual node" bus, see this FAQ's chapter on Inserts, Sends, Busses and Aux objects.
CC
Short for "MIDI Continuous Controller", a specific kind of MIDI message. The modulation wheel of your synth, for example, sends out "MIDI Continuous Controller 1", or CC1. Likewise, Volume is CC7, Sustain (pedal) is CC64, et cetera. The full MIDI specification can be found at http://www.omega-art.com/midi/. A table listing all CC messages is at http://www.omega-art.com/midi/mbytes.html#mstat
DAW
Digital Audio workstation. A computer whose main function is the recording, mixing and production of music, speech, soundtracks - in other words, audio in any form. Characteristically, A DAW, while it may be a Mac, or IBM compatible PC, will be dedicated to music recording, as opposed to also serving as a computer for the countless other uses computers are put to - games, internet, office programmes etc. etc.
Input Object
An Audio Object whose Cha parameter is set to "Input n". Usually in the Audio Mixer these are named "Input 1" (2, 3, ...)
Instrument Object
An Audio Object whose Cha parameter is set to "Instrument n" ("Inst n"). Usually in the Audio Mixer these are named "AudioInst 1" (2, 3, ...)
LAM / LAW
Logic Audio Mac, and Logic Audio Windows, respectively. Sometimes a P/G/S is added to denote Platinum, Gold, Silver (e.g. LAMP for Mac Platinum).
Output Object
An Audio Object whose Cha parameter is set to "Output n". Usually in the Audio Mixer these are named "Output 1" (or 1-2 for stereo outputs, etc.)
Plug-in
A Plug-in is a device which runs within Logic, which can have a variety of functions:
An Audio plug-in is a plug in designed to process audio, altering, or adding to its sound, in whatever way is deemed desirable by the user. For example, an EQ plug-in affects the frequency characteristics of an audio file - more highs, less mids etc. A Compressor plug-in affects the perceived volume of an audio file by changing its dynamic range in whatever way is deemed desirable. Audio plug-ins which add to a sound are, for example, delay plug-ins, which cause the sound to repeat itself in whatever way deemed appropriate, or a reverb plug-in, adding an element of space or room to the sound recorded.
Other Plug ins are for example virtual instrument plug-ins, such as the ES P, ES E and ES M synthesizer plug-ins included in Logic 5.x, or the EXS 24 Sampler available as an add in For Logic. There are a miriad of third party plug-in manufacturers, such as Waves, offering effect plug-ins, or Native Instruments, offering virtual instrument or synthesizer plug-ins.
What they all have in common is that they use Logic as a host software, they run, and can be played, from within logic, and their settings can be saved along with a logic song, or alternatively in preset banks, making them available for other songs, or even other applications which can also host them (note: this is not the case with most Emagic plug-ins, which run exclusively within Logic: see ES1, ES2, EXS 24, EVP 88, EVOC 20, EVB3, EVD6). See also VST, VSTi, DirectX.
region
An object on a track in the Arrange window, containing audio data (i.e. part of an audio file). The only objects Arrange tracks can contain are sequences and regions, and nothing else. Usually regions are on Arrange tracks assigned to Track Objects.
sequence
An object on a track in the Arrange window, containing MIDI data. The only objects Arrange tracks can contain are sequences and regions, and nothing else. Usually sequences are on Arrange tracks assigned to MIDI instruments or Instrument Objects. When using Object Based automation, sequences can also be used to automate any Audio Object, or plugins inserted in Audio Objects.
Track Object
An Audio Object whose Cha parameter is set to "Track n". Usually in the Audio Mixer these are named "Audio 1" (2, 3, ...). Also see "Arrange track".
VST
Officially a plugin protocol developed by Steinberg. Such a plugin should be called a VST-plugin, but in this FAQ the term VST (or VST-plugin) is used to describe any sort of plugin, including the native Logic plugins which are strictly speaking no VST-plugins (a.o. since they can't be used in another host than Logic). Logic under Mac OS X no longer supports the VST protocol in favour of the Mac-native AU-protocol. Also see AU.
VSTi
In this FAQ: a virtual instrument of any kind, including the Emagic virtual instruments (that aren't proper VST-instruments, since they have nothing to do with the VST protocol). So you can encounter something like "insert a VSTi in an Instrument Object".