Plokhi

Sure,
i've devised a workaround in the meantime.
There's two artboards - they look identical inside Affinity Designer. On export however, one ignores erase layer.
one has "erase" layer and the other is masked (which is clunkier and harder to edit, but at this point i probably won't move stuff around anymore)
Example.afdesign

I agree. Final Cut and Logic icons are just silly... I never really liked Logic Pro 7 and then 8 onward logo. (7 was kind of a sampler, and 8 onward is that silly plaque). I think that professional/prosumer oriented software needs a strong brand rather than suggestive icon.
 
Suggestive icon is very useful for people are less computer-literate. But an advanced vector software isn't targeting that demographic.
 
You can't have a clue what a certain plugin does by looking at the icon (battery has a lightning bolt lol), but you instantly know its NI.
But the links you posted aren't really NI icons. :)
someone designed them to fit logic better, as they're not stock with NI plugins.
this is how real battery looks like:

 
They look kinda out of place in Yosemite, to be frank.
 
Sharp thick shadows, very deep perspective, and intense gradients. 
 
everything in yosemite is sort of "soft", gradients are hinted not overblown.

Hm.
Audio guys do it differently then.
 
Cubase
Cubase2-300x192.png
 
ProTools:
ProTools_Logo.png
 
Nuendo:
Nuendo.png
 
reaper:
34655.png
 
Presonus Studio One:
474214058_175.png
 
Sonar:
sonar_256x256x32.png
 
iZotopeRX:
icon-64.png
 
Cycling 74 Max7:
max7_logo.png
 
 
Not all of the above are good icons though.
 
IMO Cubase, reaper and Max stand out.
 
Also, Evernote for example?
 
I think a strong logo outline can be powerful, more than suggestive icon.
 
Frankly, apple doesn't need strong app logos. They have the apple. None of their apps really need competition - you get them for free with your computer.

I think that gradients are "over-designing" the thing.
 
 
Perhaps you could achieve the emphasis with a subtle transparency instead?
 
and perhaps just a subtle highlight over.

 
 
edit:
the highlight i had in mind:

 
edit2: also, the lighter parts are transparent. You can try it yourself, its a transparent PNG, just copy/paste over something

I think that gradients are "over-designing" the thing.
 
 
Perhaps you could achieve the emphasis with a subtle transparency instead?
 
and perhaps just a subtle highlight over.

 
 
edit:
the highlight i had in mind:

 
edit2: also, the lighter parts are transparent. You can try it yourself, its a transparent PNG, just copy/paste over something

I think that gradients are "over-designing" the thing.
 
 
Perhaps you could achieve the emphasis with a subtle transparency instead?
 
and perhaps just a subtle highlight over.

 
 
edit:
the highlight i had in mind:

 
edit2: also, the lighter parts are transparent. You can try it yourself, its a transparent PNG, just copy/paste over something