Mixcraft 4 Page 1 of 93 Mixcraft 4 Welcome to Mixcraft 4, the easiest multitrack editor on the planet! Most people don't need to use the help, but we shall indulge in your request. Please Proceed... Important Sound Setup Information! (Read This!) Quick Start Registration What's New In Version 4? How To... Mixcraft Reference Troubleshooting Glossary About Acoustica Copyrights & Trademarks Mixcraft © 2008 Acoustica. All Rights Reserved. Mixcraft™ and FlexAudio™ are registered trademarks of Acoustica™, Inc.
Mixcraft 4 Page 2 of 93 4. If you don't have Vista, the next option is "ASIO". If available, click "ASIO". If it is grayed out, go to your sound device or sound card manufacturer's website and install the latest drivers. Click on the "ASIO Device" and choose the sound device or sound card you wish to use. You can adjust the settings of the ASIO device by clicking "Open Mixer".
Mixcraft 4 Page 3 of 93 he can visibly measure out 10 loops. In this manner, SW loops both the bass and drums. Records a Lead Synth Pad SW hooks up his MIDI keyboard and creates a Virtual Instrument Track. He finds a groovy synth lead and records himself. In a few spots, he played the wrong note and so he simply goes to the Piano Roll Editor and moves the notes to the right spots! Records Himself SW writes down some quick lyrics about how square wheels just don't get you rolling.
Mixcraft 4 z z z z Page 4 of 93 Transfer project feature Record multiple audio tracks at a time. Import MP3s, WAVs, OGGs or AIF files Supports 24 bit, 192 khz high resolution audio. If you are upgrading from Mixcraft version 2, there are a few features that are different. Some of the features that you were used to in version 2 have slightly different interfaces. Envelope Points On Sounds In Mixcraft 2, you were able to add envelope points anywhere on a clip by simply clicking at that spot.
Mixcraft 4 Page 5 of 93 The price of registration is about the cost of going out to dinner! Entering In Your Registration Information Once you have purchased the software, you should receive instructions on completing the registration and entering in your registration code. Type in or copy and paste your "Registration ID" (usually your email address) in the Step 3 edit box and type in or copy and paste the 20 character "Registration Code" (excluding dashes) into the Step 4 edit box.
Mixcraft 4 Page 6 of 93 Let's add the Reggae style drums. On the category drop down, make sure that Song Kit is selected and then click on Reggae One Drop. Click the + icon next to the Drums or drag the sound into the Sound Workspace area. If the software asks you if you want to change the tempo of the project, click Yes. We now have a sound in our project. Once a sound is in your project, you can do all kinds of edits to it, including looping, time stretching, pitch shifting, editing the volume and pan.
Mixcraft 4 Page 7 of 93 Click on the instrument icon: This brings up the instrument dialog: Select a category and a preset. Close the window by clicking the [x] on the top right corner, if you'd like. Make sure that the track is selected and then go to your MIDI keyboard and start playing! More details on choosing a Virtual Instrument. How To Record Audio You can record anything from your computer's microphone to your entire band with each member on its own track.
Mixcraft 4 Page 8 of 93 correct input. Arm as many tracks as you can for true multitrack recording. Recording Source If you are in Wave mode and are recording from your sound card's CD, microphone or line-in, you'll need to select the correct recording source and recording level. You can do this by clicking the Arm arrow, selecting your sound device, followed by clicking Stereo Source. Choose the source that you'd like to record from.
Mixcraft 4 Page 9 of 93 You can also create a fade out by clicking the Sound menu, followed by clicking Fade Out, followed by clicking Fast, Medium or Slow. Fading Pan, Low Pass or High Pass Filters You can also fade in and fade out the other envelope types by choosing the correct envelope type on the toolbar and then using the fade in or fade out commands. Choose from pan, low pass filter, low pass resonance, high pass filter and high pass resonance on the toolbar.
Mixcraft 4 Page 10 of 93 Reduce, followed by clicking either -1%, -5%, -25% or -50%. Boost works in the opposite manner and raises the volume for selected areas. Boosting or Reducing Pan, Low Pass or High Pass Filters You can also boost or reduce the other envelope types by choosing the correct envelope type on the toolbar and then using the boost or reduce commands.
Mixcraft 4 Page 11 of 93 Zoom in on the transition and move the sound Beds Are Burning to start on the last major beat of Atomic Dog. We don't want Beds Are Burning to play at 107 bpm because its normal tempo is at 119, so we add three tempo markers that ramp up the tempo during the transition. Add a marker by double clicking the time line or right clicking the time line and selecting Add Marker... That's it! Add more songs, add more tempo markers and burn it to CD or mix it down.
Mixcraft 4 Page 12 of 93 If possible, pick a section of sound a measure or so before the obvious audio drift. Make sure that snap is off on the Snap Settings so that you can make a precise split. After the split, select the right hand side clip and adjust the tempo on the Sound Details tab. On the Loop Editor, you'll be able to see a dark gray area which shows that the left side of the sound has been trimmed by the split. You can zoom in to the light gray side to visually determine the best tempo.
Mixcraft 4 Page 13 of 93 Mixcraft Reference This is the main view of Mixcraft. Click on an area for more information! Project - Sounds - Tracks - Sound Workspace - Effects - Timeline Details Area - Preferences - Master Bar - Menus & Toolbar - Keyboard Controls - Cursors Project The project is everything in your mix, including the tracks, sounds, effects, markers and more. Click on one of the following topics for more details.
Mixcraft 4 Page 14 of 93 Record Yourself Or Your Band * This option is best for making recordings from live instruments or your microphone. Auto Beat Match is off by default and any loaded sounds will not be beat matched unless they are specifically a loop. The time line view defaults to time mode. Snap is off by default. Build Loop & Beat Matched Music * This option is great for DJs or just anyone constructing music with loops. Auto Beat Match is on by default and any loaded sound will be beat matched.
Mixcraft 4 Page 15 of 93 Project Templates A template is a special project that stores track names, track images, volume settings, armed states and other track settings. You can load a template so that you don't have to set up your tracks each time you start a new project. Mixcraft project templates are stored as .mx4template files. To save a project template, choose the File menu followed by Save As... On the Save Your Mix window, click the Save as type drop down and select Mixcraft Template.
Mixcraft 4 Page 16 of 93 If you have trouble burning a CD, go to the troubleshooting section. This is what the cd burning window looks like. The options on this screen are described below. Writer Select a CD writer if you have more than one CD writer in your computer. Speed Choose a CD writing speed. In some cases, burning at a slower speed may improve the success rate of burning and may be more compatible in some older CD players.
Mixcraft 4 Page 17 of 93 Mix Down To Audio File Mix down your project to one of the following audio file types: MP3, WAV, WMA or OGG. Click the Mix Down button on the toolbar or select Mix Down from the File menu, followed by selecting the format you'd like to mix down to. Alternatively, you can choose Save As.. from the File menu and then click the Save as type drop down control to select the desired format.
Mixcraft 4 Page 18 of 93 example, if a sound has a key of A and the project's key is B, the sound will play back two semitones higher than normal in order to be in tune with the key of B. Project Time Signature * The time signature affects the software's snap behavior if the snap is set to Snap To Measure or Snap Bar. For example, if the time signature is 3/4 and the software is snapping to the measure, it would mean that the software is snapping every three beats, instead of four beats for 4/4 time.
Mixcraft 4 Page 19 of 93 For tips on beat matching, see How To Beat Match Songs or How To Fix Songs With Drifting Tempos. Recording Folder Each project has its own recording folder which defaults to the Default Project Recording Folder in the Preferences under the Recording area. You can change the recording folder for each project for better organization. All new recorded sounds will be placed in this folder. Click Change on the Project Details Tab to set a new recording folder.
Mixcraft 4 Page 20 of 93 Audio Clips Adding... Recording Cross Fading Edit In An External Editor Loop Editor Setting the Snap Point Virtual Instrument Clips Adding... Recording Editing Many operations and features are common to both types of clips and some things are specific to either format.
Mixcraft 4 Page 21 of 93 Time Stretching Sounds (FlexAudio™) Adjusting Tempo Pitch Shifting Sounds Adjusting Key Renaming A Sound Locking Sounds Muting Sounds Adding Effects To Sounds Sound Details And Properties Cross Fading Edit In An External Editor Loop Editor Setting the Snap Point Adding Audio Clips There are several ways to add audio clips to the project. Click Add Sound.. From The Mix menu. Navigate to a folder with the sound, select it and click Open.
Mixcraft 4 Page 22 of 93 If you don't see a level or its not a very strong level, go to the Track section for more on arming tracks and setting the correct recording source. Sounds will be recorded at a default of CD quality. This can be changed in the Sound Device Preferences by clicking Preferences from the File menu and clicking on Sound Device. When you are ready to record, click the record button on the master bar. The software will start recording and the new sound will be displayed in red.
Mixcraft 4 Page 23 of 93 right click on the loop editor window and choose Set As Loop Start or Set As Loop End to set a loop point. Push the Play button to preview how your loop will sound. Showing Detected Beats If you are not seeing the detected beat points, click the Show Detected Beats button. This will show the beats in the sound. Each beat point has tempo. The software will not show all the beat points depending on your zoom level. Zoom in to see more detail and beat points.
Mixcraft 4 Page 24 of 93 However, during the beat detection of a sound, the snap point will be moved the first detected beat. You can adjust the snap point's offset in the Loop Editor. Virtual Instrument Clips A Virtual Instrument Clip is made up of MIDI data and instructs a synthesizer what to play. Virtual instrument clips do not contain the actual audio data and, thus, they can be edited with greater control. Each line inside the clip represents a note. Adding...
Mixcraft 4 Page 25 of 93 the Arm button on a track to prepare for recording. After clicking the armed button, it should turn red signifying that it is ready for recording. You should see a level or signal coming in on the track, as shown below. When you are ready to record, click the record button on the master bar. The software will start recording and the new Virtual Instrument Clip will be displayed in red.
Mixcraft 4 Page 26 of 93 Click on a note to select it. Alternatively, select the Arrow tool and drag a selection. All notes that fall within the selection rectangle will become selected. Hold down the Shift or Control key to multi-select notes. Double click a note on the piano roll keyboard and all notes of that value will become selected. Click anywhere besides a note to deselect it or press the Esc key. Selected notes will appear black. Moving Notes Select a note and drag it.
Mixcraft 4 Page 27 of 93 Editing Controller Information You can edit controller information in the controller area in the lower portion of the piano roll. Copy, Cut, Paste And Clipboard Operations You can select a group of notes to copy, cut or paste in the expected manner. You can use the keyboard shortcuts or simply right click on the Piano Roll Editor and select the appropriate operation. Once you copy or cut some notes or partial notes, the notes reside in the clipboard.
Mixcraft 4 Page 28 of 93 For example, if you had a recording of eighth notes and set your Quantize Note Start to be eighth notes and then set your swing to 30%, you would end up with a rhythm where every other eighth note is offset by 30% to the next eighth note. This shows the eighth notes before the swing quantization: We then quantize to eighth notes with a 35% swing. Quantizing Note Length Click the checkbox next Quantize Note Length and then choose a setting.
Mixcraft 4 Page 29 of 93 More on editing and viewing controller information. Controller Information You can edit MIDI controller data on the bottom portion of the Piano Roll Editor on the Sound Details tab. Choose The Controller Type Click the drop down on the left hand side to pick a specific controller. Alternatively, you can type in a controller number from 0 to 127. You can choose from the following controller types: z Velocity (Special 'controller' that is linked to notes in the piano roll.
Mixcraft 4 Page 30 of 93 When we are satisfied, we release the mouse and we end up with the following ascending velocities. If you need more room or pixels to edit the controller data, simply click on the bar at the top of the controller area and drag it up or down to resize the controller area. Looping Virtual Instrument Clips You can make a Virtual Instrument clip loop. In the Piano Roll Editor, you can adjust the start and end loop points.
Mixcraft 4 Page 31 of 93 Once you are satisfied with the loop, you can extend the clip in the session area to loop it as many times as you'd like. See Looping Sounds. M.I.D.I. Primer M.I.D.I. stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It is simply a series of messages that keyboards and synthesizers use to play notes or change the sound of a synthesizer. A Virtual Instrument Track in Mixcraft contains Virtual Instrument Clips, which contain MIDI data.
Mixcraft 4 Page 32 of 93 Other Controllers There are other controllers that are useful for various synthesizers. Learn more about MIDI on Wikipedia Moving Sounds To move a sound, select its title bar and drag while holding down the mouse button.. (The title bar is the top area of the sound where the name is displayed.) BEFORE MOVE AFTER MOVE You can also move a sound by using the keyboard. Select a sound or group of sounds and then use the arrow keys to move the sounds.
Mixcraft 4 Page 33 of 93 You can trim the left or right edge of any sound. The sound will trim based on the snap settings. If you cannot trim a sound to a specific length it is probably because snap is on and you need to turn it off. Trim Silence You can automatically trim the silence from the start and end of sounds by select them and then clicking Trim Silence from the Sound menu. (This is currently only available for Audio Clips.
Mixcraft 4 Page 34 of 93 determines the split point ) . Select Split from the Edit menu or the shortcut Ctrl+T Four new sounds are now in place of the original two. The caret will be set based on the snap settings. (If you cannot set the caret to a specific location it is probably because snap is on and you need to turn it off.) Joining Sounds Joining causes any selected sounds to be moved so that there is no silence between sounds. It does not make the joined sounds into one big sound, though.
Mixcraft 4 Page 35 of 93 This shows a clip with two envelope points, each at 100% volume. Change the Volume Envelope Click on the line to create a new volume point. The cursor will change to an Envelope Point Edit cursor. In the image above, a new volume envelope point has been created. Click on the point to drag it to a new volume level. In the image above, the volume of the sound now goes from 100% up to about 170% and then slowly down to 100% again.
Mixcraft 4 Page 36 of 93 To pan a sound, edit a point by dragging it up or down. Like volume, you can add as many envelope points as you'd like. The image below shows a sound panned from left to right. A envelope point panned all the way to the left channel would be at the bottom of the sound. An envelope point panned all the way to the right would be at the top of the sound. Pan Range Pan can be set to values from 100% left to 100% right.
Mixcraft 4 Page 37 of 93 you can use them to create filter sweeps, by adding resonance while the cutoff frequency moves up or down. The cutoff frequency and resonance amount are each controlled via an envelope, and these values can change over time, in the same way a volume or pan envelope can be used to change to volume and pan amount over time. How To Edit A Low Pass Filter To edit a sound's low pass filter cutoff, go to the toolbar and make sure that Low Pass Cutoff is selected.
Mixcraft 4 Page 38 of 93 to Adjust To Project Tempo on the Sound Details Tab and add several successive tempo markers to the timeline. FlexAudio™ FlexAudio™ is Acoustica's trademarked way to visually time stretch a sound clip. In this example, the sound is around 14 seconds long and we'd like it to be 10 seconds. While holding the Ctrl key down, click on the right edge and move your mouse left to the 10 second mark on the time line.
Mixcraft 4 Page 39 of 93 synchronization and adjusts the playback rate based on the latest tempo change. Changing The Tempo Of A Sound Assuming that the detected tempo of the sound is correct, you can change the tempo of a sound by adding markers with tempo changes.
Mixcraft 4 Page 40 of 93 Choose Adjust Pitch By from the drop down list on the Sound Details Tab. This allows you to change the pitch by semitones. You can type in a partial amount such as 1.26 semitones or use the drop down or spin arrows to adjust by a whole semitone or 1/10th of a semitone. You might use this option to fix a slightly off key vocal performance or transpose a sound into a key you are more familiar with. Adjust To Project Key Click here for more on adjusting a sound's key.
Mixcraft 4 Page 41 of 93 If the sound's detected key is wrong, you can adjust it via the Detected Key drop down control. The original detected key will show up with an * next to it, in case you need to restore the original detected key. Renaming A Sound You can rename a sound by going to the Sound Details Tab and editing the sound's name in the edit box labeled Name. Press the Enter key or click on another part of the window to finish the name change.
Mixcraft 4 Page 42 of 93 Name Change the name of the sound in this edit box. Mute or Unmute Sound Click the speaker icon to toggle a sound's muted state. Offset Change the offset of a sound by entering in minutes, seconds and milliseconds or using the spinner controls. Length Change the length of a sound by entering in minutes, seconds and milliseconds or using the spinner controls. (If the sound is made long enough, this will also cause it to loop)..
Mixcraft 4 Page 43 of 93 Track Effects Arming For Recording Monitor Input Duplicating Tracks Freeze Track Track Details Adding Tracks Each new project starts with 8 blank tracks. You can add tracks by clicking the +Track button above the tracks to the left of the time line. You can also click Add Track followed by selecting the type of track from the Tracks menu to append a track.
Mixcraft 4 Page 44 of 93 Click the [x] button on the top right of the window to hide the instrument dialog. Alternatively, you may click the instrument button on the track header to toggle the visible state of the instrument preset window. There are three special categories: , , & . This means that you have made your own custom virtual instrument. Learn more about creating a custom virtual instrument patch.
Mixcraft 4 Page 45 of 93 This will extend the instrument window and show more details about the preset. To add a virtual instrument, click on and then choose a synthesizer from the drop down list. After selecting an instrument, you can change the following parameters: z Preset - Select a preset or patch from the synthesizer z Edit - If the synthesizer has an interface, click the Edit button to bring it up for further customization.
Mixcraft 4 Page 46 of 93 Choose an icon by clicking Set Icon... you've made your own custom virtual instrument! Save Preset... You can save your preset for later use in other projects, as well. Type in a name and select a category. You may create a brand new category by typing it in, if you wish. Optionally, you can have the custom icon embedded in the preset file by clicking the Embed Icon checkbox. When are satisfied, click Save. New Preset Click this to create a blank preset.
Mixcraft 4 Page 47 of 93 The Choose A Track Image window comes up. Select a new image and click OK. Add Your Own Image Or Photo You can add any image or photo of your band members, your dog or almost anything that is in the one of the following image formats. z .JPG z .BMP z .PNG z .GIF Click on Add My Own Image File... and then navigate to the image you'd like to add. Select the image and then click Open.
Mixcraft 4 Page 48 of 93 Track Color Each track's color can be set on the Track Details Tab. All sounds on a track acquire the track's color. The default color can be changed in the Preferences on the Display section. Track Volume Each track has its own volume which can be adjusted by the slider on the track. Click down on the slider and move it left or right. The volume can be set from 0% to 200%.
Mixcraft 4 Page 49 of 93 Alternatively, you can click the Track button followed by clicking Mute (Ctrl+M) or by right clicking on the track header and selecting Mute. Track Effects Each track has it's own effects which are applied to all sounds on the track. Learn more about editing effects here. Arming A Track For Recording Arming a track simply means that you are preparing it for recording. When you arm a track, you are instructing the software that you want to record on that track.
Mixcraft 4 Page 50 of 93 Setting Recording Level On Vista With WaveRT If you are using Window's Vista and are using the WaveRT drivers, right click on the speaker icon on the lower right area of your desktop. (The speaker icon should be to the left of the time display). Right click on the speaker icon and click on Recording Devices. Select the recording device that you wish to record and then click Properties. Click on Levels from the pop up window. Move the slider to the appropriate level.
Mixcraft 4 Page 51 of 93 Duplicating Tracks You can duplicate or copy all settings and sounds on a track. Click the Duplicate button on the Track Details Page to duplicate the selected track. Alternatively, you can choose Duplicate Track from the Track menu or right click on a track and select Duplicate Track. Track Details Click on an area for more information. Sound Workspace Sounds - Caret - Selections - Zooming Click on an area for more explanation.
Mixcraft 4 Page 52 of 93 A selection is an area that you'd like to edit or work on. Click down on the Sound Workspace or on a sound and then drag the cursor to create a selection. Selections show up as transparent rectangles. Selections obey the snap setting. In this example, the user has clicked down in the Sound Workspace area and while holding down the mouse button, moves the mouse towards the sound. The user continues to drag the selection rectangle over the sound.
Mixcraft 4 Page 53 of 93 boosting or reducing audio. Zooming Zoom to get a closer view or a larger view of the sound workspace. The software will zoom to the last Caret position or the last mouse click, whichever was last. Zoom Via The Mouse Wheel The easiest way to zoom is to spin the mouse wheel, assuming you have a mouse wheel on your mouse. (The mouse wheel is usually located between the left and right mouse button.) Zoom Via The Keyboard Push the - key to zoom out and push the + key to zoom in.
Mixcraft 4 Page 54 of 93 Muting Effects Reordering Effects Editing Effect Properties Effects Included In Mixcraft Adding Effects To add an effect, click the drop down labeled and choose an effect. If you want to add effects to a track, you can click the FX button on the track to bring up it's effect chain. To edit the global or master effects, click the Effects button on the toolbar. Choose a preset or fine tune each effect. Add multiple effects in this manner. The order is important.
Mixcraft 4 Page 55 of 93 changing the effect settings to your liking and then saving the preset. (In the above example, there are three presets chosen: Percussion Tighten-Up, Slapback Echo and [Sys] Grand Hall). Muting Effects You can mute an effect by unchecking the check box to the left of the effect. This allows you to audition how things sound without that particular effect without losing the settings. Note: When a track is frozen, its effects will not be editable until the track is unfrozen.
Mixcraft 4 Page 56 of 93 Click the Edit button to edit all parameters or values for an effect. Here is an example of how the bundled Classic Flanger looks: Each effect interface will have the same controls on the top of the effect window which allow you to choose a new preset, save a preset or delete a preset. Active Checkbox This determines whether or not the effect is muted or heard. If it's unchecked, it is muted and is bypassed. Preset Drop Down Choose a preset.
Mixcraft 4 Page 57 of 93 a certain amount of time, and play the audio back, sometimes at a lower volume. This creates an echo effect, such as hello, hello. The Feedback parameter allows you to send some of the delayed audio back into the delay effect, so it will play again after the delay period. This can be used to create a long series of echoes, such as hello, hello, hello, hello, hello.
Mixcraft 4 Page 58 of 93 useful in music. A delay effect with some feedback, with one quarter note delay, can turn a simple percussion parts into a huge-sounding orchestration, with all echoed sounds occurring on the beat and at the correct tempo. You can also use the Classic Delay effect to recreate the sound of analog delay effects and tape delay effects from the 70s.
Mixcraft 4 Page 59 of 93 If the mix is already playing, pushing the record button on and off allows you to punch in and out of recording mode. Recording Problems? Recordings Are Not In Sync Recordings Are Drifting Or Getting Out Of Sync Over Time Recording Resources Arming A Track Setting Recording Levels Changing To ASIO Mode Using A Recording Timer Playback Controls The playback controls include play/stop, fast forward, rewind, fast forward to the end, and rewind to the start.
Mixcraft 4 Page 60 of 93 Now click the Loop Play Back Mode icon on the Master Bar and it will become high-lighted . Click the Play button and it will loop the selected area. Each time you stop play back, the loop selection area will be reset to the current selection (If there is no selection, it will loop the entire project.) To turn off Loop Play Back Mode, click the Loop Play Back Mode icon again . Alternatively, you can select the Mix menu and select Loop Playback Mode to set the looping area.
Mixcraft 4 Page 61 of 93 Marker Name Marker Color Tempo Key Time Signature CD Marker Metronome Details Adding Markers There are several ways to add markers. Click the Add Marker above the tracks and to the left of the time line. The marker will be added at the time offset of the playback indicator. If snapping is on, it will adjust based on the Snap Settings. You can also double click the time line to add a marker or right click on the time line and select Add Marker...
Mixcraft 4 Page 62 of 93 Automatic Marker Wizard The track marker wizard is a handy way to add multiple track markers at a time. You can either choose to add markers at specific intervals, or you can add markers based on the silence in a sound. It will even remove the silence! This can be very handy if recording albums from the Internet, LPs or cassettes and need a quick way to break up the tracks! Intervals Choose At Intervals Of to set markers at an equal spacing for a period of time.
Mixcraft 4 Page 63 of 93 Marker Time Signature Edit the marker to change it's time signature. Each marker can have a time signature. Changing the marker's time signature will affect the metronome. Note that this will also force the time signature to have a tempo change, even if its the same tempo as the previous tempo change. CD Marker Edit the marker to make it a CD marker. Click the Create Track For CDs Or Audio Files checkbox.
Mixcraft 4 Page 64 of 93 position and playback indicator when click in the Sound Workspace. Otherwise, click the time line to set the playback position and indicator. Snap Setting One convenient way to control the precision of copy, paste, looping, moving and other operations is to set the snap level. You can change the snap level on the time line or by clicking the View menu followed by clicking Snap To Grid followed by clicking the desired snap setting.
Mixcraft 4 go away & show button Page 65 of 93 to hide and show the details. Hide Or Show The Details Area If you want to see more tracks, click the Hide Details button on the upper right portion of the Details Area. If you want to view the Details Area, click the Show Details button on the bottom right of the screen. Click here for information on resizing the Details Area. Resizing The Details Area You can resize the details area by clicking on the bottom of the Master Bar and dragging it up or down.
Mixcraft 4 Page 66 of 93 You'll find a list of category ranges below the Category drop down control. Click on an item to populate the current library sounds. For example, in the Song Kit category you will find the following items: 12-8 Blues, Acid Techno, BDiddley, Blues Shuffle, Country Rock, Country Shuffle, Disco, Dub, Electro Groove, Funk Rock, Hip Hop, Music Beds, Power Ballad, Punk, Reggae One Drop, Sludge Metal, Sound Effects, and Speed Metal just to name a few.
Mixcraft 4 Page 67 of 93 If you are having download problems, try switching your default download server in the preferences. All downloading will occur on the Loop Library Tab. Download All Sounds In View Click the Download All Sounds button to download all sounds in the current library view. Cancel Download(s) If you want to cancel the current download or pending downloads, click the Cancel Download button. Update Loop Library Periodically, we will be adding new sounds and loops to download.
Mixcraft 4 Page 68 of 93 Default Input (Recording) Choose the default sound device from which to record audio. Please note that on Vista, you may need to make sure the device is on and plugged in, otherwise it may not show up. Default Output (Playback) Choose the sound device from which to play audio. Please note that on Vista, you may need to make sure the device is on and plugged in to the speakers, otherwise it may not show up. Sample Rate Choose a sample rate for both recording and playback.
Mixcraft 4 Page 69 of 93 These are the preference options if WaveRT mode is selected on the Sound Device Preferences. WaveRT stands for Wave Real Time and is Microsoft's new audio driver layer for Window's Vista only. Latency Adjust the number of milliseconds of latency that you'd like. Lower numbers are better for performance. However, as you lower the latency, you are also increasing the potential for audio gapping or non-continuous audio. WaveRT is the preferred driver.
Mixcraft 4 Page 70 of 93 Default MIDI Settings This button will revert this page back to the default settings. General Preferences These are the general options that weren't special enough to have their own preference page. :) Play Exported Files After They're Created After you mix down to an audio file, this option will launch the associated player to play it.
Mixcraft 4 Page 71 of 93 The default time signature. (Default is 4/4 time.) Show New Project Dialog This option will cause the New Project Dialog to display whenever you start the software or start a new project. Metronome Preferences Metronome Sound File (Measure) Choose the sound that plays at each measure boundary. The default is a sound called HighTone.wav and is located in your Mixcraft folder under Program Files. Click Browse... to choose a new sound.
Mixcraft 4 Page 72 of 93 IMAPI, if available, is Windows XP and Vistas way to burn audio CDs. The draw back is that if you are burning more than one track, it inserts a two second gap between tracks and it automatically converts to wav before burning. Goldenhawk Drive Override... This allows you to attempt to use a generic driver or a driver of a similar CD recorded model if your CD writer is not supported.
Mixcraft 4 Page 73 of 93 Mix Down Mix down your project to a single audio file. Zoom Out Zoom out to view more time. Zoom In Zoom in for a closer view. Buy or Register Mixcraft Purchase Mixcraft and enter your registration information. More on purchasing and registration. Select Envelope Selects the current envelope type for all sounds in workspace. Choose from Volume, Pan, Low Pass Filter, Low Pass Resonance, High Pass Filter, High Pass Resonance.
Mixcraft 4 Page 74 of 93 LightScribe disc or print on a direct-to-CD printer. Preferences (Ctrl+P) Bring up the Preference Dialog. Recent Projects This is a list of the last ten projects that you have loaded or saved. It is a convenient way to load a previous project. Select one of the recent projects on the pop up menu to load it. Exit This will close down the software. It will ask you if you want to save before exiting.
Mixcraft 4 Page 75 of 93 Shows the Add A Sound dialog so that you can add any supported sound file. See Adding Sounds... Add Instrument Clip This will add a blank Virtual Instrument Clip on the closest Virtual Instrument Track. You can also double click a Virtual Instrument Track to create a blank Virtual Instrument Clip. Loop Library This shows the Loop Library Page. Play / Stop Playback ([Space Bar]) This starts and stops playback of the project from the Playback Indicator position.
Mixcraft 4 Page 76 of 93 Loop Play Back Mode Loop play back of a selection or the entire project so that you can play along with it or edit effects. Use Recording Timer Set a recording timer which allows you to automatically end a recording. Project Settings This shows the Project Details Tab so that you can edit the project key, tempo, time signature, author information, global effects and the recording folder. Track Menu Add Track This appends a new audio track .
Mixcraft 4 Page 77 of 93 Edit Effects This shows the Track Details Tab so that you can edit the effects for the selected track. Select All Sounds On This Track (Ctrl+Shift+A) This selects all tracks on the selected track. Sound Menu Edit / Edit Loop This will display the Sound Details tab for the currently selected sound. If it is an audio clip you will be able to edit it's loop, change it's key and tempo.
Mixcraft 4 Page 78 of 93 current envelope type on all selected sounds. Note that the fade is applied to the selected area and if there is a selection rectangle, it will only fade in the selection rectangle. Boost This shows a pop up menu allowing you to choose a percentage to boost all selected sounds for the current envelope type. Note that the boost is applied to the selected area and if there is a selection rectangle, it will only fade in the selection rectangle.
Mixcraft 4 Page 79 of 93 Zoom To Project ( 0 ) Zooms in or out so that the entire project is visible on the screen. Help Menu Help Contents... Brings up the help file. Check For Update... Checks the Internet to see if there is a newer or updated version of this software. Enter Registration Code... If unregistered, this allows you to enter in your serial code and register the software. Buy Now! If unregistered, this shows a window with instructions on purchasing and registering the software.
Mixcraft 4 Page 80 of 93 [Space] + Ctrl Playback from next timeline marker. [Space] + Ctrl + Shift Playback from last timeline marker. [Home] Rewind the playback indicator to the start of the project. [End] Fast forward the playback indicator to end of mix.
Mixcraft 4 Page 81 of 93 Ctrl+Z Undo the last thing you did. Nudging Sounds via the Keyboard You can move sounds via the keyboard. Use the arrow keys to move selected sounds! Moving horizontally along the timeline. Use the arrows to move the sound quickly. Hold down the Ctrl key and the sounds will move in increments of 20 milliseconds. Hold down Ctrl+Shift key to move in increments of 1 millisecond. (<- or -> ) +/- quick move (depends on zoom level.
Mixcraft 4 Page 82 of 93 Resize Or Loop Sound This cursor shows that you can resize or loop a sound from the left or right. Track Volume This cursor is used when changing the master volume or a track volume's slider. Track Pan This cursor is used when changing a track's pan.
Mixcraft 4 Page 83 of 93 with your sound card's configuration or drivers. Refer to your sound card documentation to try to figure out what is wrong. 3. Load the volume control that came with your sound card and make sure that the Wave device is turned up and not muted. 4. Another program may be using the sound card at the same time (May happen with older versions of Windows.) 5. Update or install your sound card's drivers. Check their website for the latest drivers and documentation.
Mixcraft 4 Page 84 of 93 Reducing Latency Using Wave drivers Go to the Wave preferences and reduce the number of buffers and/or size. Try different settings to try and find the right balance between performance and smooth non-gapping audio. Reducing Latency Using ASIO Go to the ASIO preferences and click the Open Mixer... button. Use your ASIO driver control to configure the latency. Usually, you will have some way to set the latency in terms of milliseconds. If possible, choose 10 milliseconds.
Mixcraft 4 z Page 85 of 93 Try switching to ASIO mode. or WaveRT mode for better synchronization. My recordings are slowly losing synchronization over time! If after 10 minutes or so, your recordings are noticeably out of synchronization, you may need to get a new sound device that won't lose synchronization. Here are some tips to deal with drifting recordings on some sound cards. Always make sure that you have the latest drivers for your sound card.
Mixcraft 4 Page 86 of 93 When a sound plays back at a different speed, it can sound odd if it's too drastic. WMA File Support In order to load and save to WMA files, you must have support for Microsoft Windows Media Format 7.1. If you are trying to load a WMA file or export to WMA file and the option is grayed out, you probably do not have this installed. To download and install it, please visit http://www.acoustica.com/plugins/wmainstall.htm .
Mixcraft 4 Page 87 of 93 instead of something general like "stereo mix," "what you hear" or "digital wave." For example, if your recording source is a microphone, choose "microphone." If you're recording from your computer's Line In input, choose that. To choose your recording source in Mixcraft, click on the small down arrow that appears to the right of the arm button on the track you want to use for recording.
Mixcraft 4 Page 88 of 93 Try a different blank CD (Make sure it's not full or scratched) Try a different blank CD from a different manufacturer. z Shut down other programs and temporarily shut down your virus checker during a burn. ( Shutting down your virus checker should be done at your own risk. Make sure you are not connected to the Internet and have done a full virus scan recently.) z Try burning at a slower speed, especially if your CD recorder does not have 'Burn Proof'.
Mixcraft 4 z Page 89 of 93 Try a different Internet download server by changing Mixcraft's Loop Library Download option. Glossary ASIO ASIO provides an interface between your audio application and the sound card, and stands for: Audio Stream Input/Output. It was developed by Steinberg Media Technologies and helps manufacturers and developers to create hardware and driver software which extend the personal computer's audio connectivity to meet the needs of musicians and audio engineers.
Mixcraft 4 Page 90 of 93 DRM DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. DRM provides a security layer on software, audio or any type of media to help ensure proper licensing and use of the content. DRM on audio files is constantly evolving and the 'jury is still out' as to whether it is effective. Effects Chain A list of effects in which audio is processed. Audio is sent down the effect chain list from top to bottom and the final result is heard on your speakers.
Mixcraft 4 Page 91 of 93 Normalize The process of raising the volume so that the biggest volume in the sound is increased to the maximum possible and the rest of the sound is raised in volume by the same percentage. OGG Ogg is a patent-free, fully open and standardized multimedia bit stream container format designed for efficient streaming and manipulation (concatenation and muxing) by the Xiph.Org Foundation.
Mixcraft 4 Page 92 of 93 Time Signature The time signature (also known as "meter signature") is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each bar and what note value constitutes one beat. Time Stretch Time stretching is the process of changing the speed or duration of an audio signal without affecting its pitch. Virtual Instrument Clips A Virtual Instrument Clip contains MIDI data which is a series of notes and other events.
Mixcraft 4 Page 93 of 93 About Acoustica Acoustica was founded in 1998 and is located in the foothills of the Yosemite Valley. Acoustica's mission is to create high quality, intuitive and powerful software. We value diligence, creativity and innovation. We are embracing Internet technology and the new world that it is creating. We also have this curious idea that SOFTWARE SHOULD BE EASY TO USE! Mixcraft 4 is the latest in a series of highly innovational and user-friendly software we are making.
