The inability to sample and create instruments from scratch in Logic Express was a big reason more musicians spent the extra money on Logic Pro. But with the release of version 8, Logic Express now offers users the ability to record their own samples and map them across a keyboard for playback. The samples may be looped or one-shots (such as drums, percussion, and sound effects). Essentially, what Apple did was to give Logic Express the full version of the EXS24 MkII sampler, once only available in Logic Pro. Logic Express is now an even better bargain at $199 (and Apple even lowered the price of Logic Studio - formerly Logic Pro - to $499, making lots of musicians quite happy).