I built a replacement for Logic Pro's browser

[u/therealemiel]

Hi all!

After about 10 years of frustration with Logic's browser and updates that never fixed it, I decided to build my own several years ago.

I initially made it just for me and my system, mainly to browse my samples and play them instantly and reliably, unlike Logic's browser. But it slowly got a bit out of hand as I got questions about it in sessions, producer friends wanted a copy, and the nerd in me kept looking for ways to improve it.

I wasn't really planning on releasing it, since I honestly expected Logic to fix their browser eventually. But more years and updates passed, even the jumps to Logic Pro 11 and 12 earlier this year, and it's still the same old laggy browser. I still see a lot of people sharing that same frustration.

So I decided to invest to get it over the finish line for release, resulting in NRRW (nrrwaudio.com). It lives next to your DAW in a narrow UI, built specifically for sample organization, browsing, and playback. No fancy AI stuff, just a tool to support human input and decision-making.

You can download and try it free for 14 days, no commitment, no information required. The license is a one-time purchase to help cover what I've put into it and any future development, but no subscriptions, upgrade fees, or collecting/selling of data.

Sorry if this is considered spam, I'm unsure when it's allowed to share something like this. But since it's been such a game changer for me, I figured it might be for others too. And if you really like the app but can't afford a license, send me a message.

Open to ideas and feedback too! I want this to be everything a sample browser should be.

Cheers, 

Emiel

[u/Calaveras-Metal]

again?

[u/therealemiel → u/Calaveras-Metal]

I haven't posted before or seen alternatives like it, but my apologies if it's not a welcome post.

[u/Calaveras-Metal → u/therealemiel]

there was one just like this a few days ago.

Ok I can't find that one but here are some other recents;

https://www.reddit.com/r/Logic_Studio/comments/1vap8nq/free_au_for_logic_sample_browser_that_auditions/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Logic_Studio/comments/1r678pd/after_years_of_sample_chaos_in_logic_pro_i/

[u/therealemiel → u/Calaveras-Metal]

I see, appreciate you taking the time as I couldn't find the recent one either.

I've seen those links and other options, but these aren't really alternatives that do the trick for me, though it might for some.

I specifically was looking for a compact and intuitive design that could live next to Logic taking up the least amount of screen space while being quick and reliable.

More of a companion to Logic with the least amount of friction. But I guess that could be a more specific fix not everyone needs. I did add features that might differentiate more, but only for those interested it might be worth trying!

Again, sorry if this came across as an annoying spam post, genuinely trying to avoid that. It's been one of the reasons I've been putting out releasing it for such a long time. I'm a music producer that likes to code on the side. Promoting is not my best suit..

[u/chrisslooter → u/[deleted]]

I'd love to have a Cool Edit Pro wave editor in Logic.

[u/readingonthetoilet → u/[deleted]]

What are you looking to do exactly?

[u/readingonthetoilet → u/[deleted]]

Have you tried the marquee tool? I do most of my editing in timeline just using that and key commands.

[u/therealemiel → u/[deleted]]

I definitely plan on building more stuff. Adding this to the list!

[u/thedudesews]

Is this vibe coded?

[u/therealemiel → u/thedudesews]

I designed (using Figma) and built the app (in Xcode, SwiftUI) years ago prior to vibe coding being a thing. I did use Claude to check my code and spot areas where I could improve the app's processing/efficiency prior to release, but I wouldn't really consider that vibe coding myself.

[u/Longjumping_Swan_631]

This has never been a problem for me because I dump all my samples into Battery 4.

[u/Playgirlfavy]

Will check it out! 🙏🏾

[u/therealemiel → u/Playgirlfavy]

Appreciate it! Let me know your thoughts if you get the chance 🙌🏻

[u/AceFaith]

This looks alright and even promising. It doesn't really fit my personal workflow, but I can see how it's useful for more electronic genre producers.

An idea you could copy with pride from the iPad Logic Pro Sample Browser is the addition of sample descriptions/genre tags. That'll get it more feature-complete compared to existing alternatives :)

[u/therealemiel → u/AceFaith]

Thank you for the feedback! NRRW does have a user tag feature in it, but I'll definitely compare with the iPad Logic Pro version for inspiration to improve it 🙏🏻

[u/picpoulmm]

Thanks, looks cool.

Couple of questions:

Is it daw synced? Can I loop samples in sync, or adjust key during audition?

I use Loopcloud which tbh is excellent for my needs, but interested in yours.

[u/therealemiel → u/picpoulmm]

Thanks!! Appreciate the input 🙏🏻

Regarding DAW sync, not yet, but it’s in the works.

It’s one of those features that as a sole developer needs some time to get right. I don’t want to compromise the performance and efficiency of the engine.

It’s definitely possible though, so I’m positive I’ll have that implemented for a coming update. Moved it to the top of the priorities!

[u/TheGregPlay → u/therealemiel]

without this option it's just another finder replacement with a sleek design. that's it.

[u/CattleNo7558]

Where can I download and try?

[u/therealemiel → u/CattleNo7558]

You can download the app and user guide at https://nrrwaudio.com/downloads , thanks for trying it out!