REVIEW CONTROLLER » ANALOG SYNTH » VIRTUAL PIANO » DAW

ACOUSTICA Mixcraft 6

BY CRAIG ANDERTON

MIXCRAFT HAS GONE FROM “PRETTY GOOD FOR THE PRICE” TO “it really does all that?” Each version has added capabilities, but without losing the ease of use and low cost that make it appealing. The original Mixcraft was clearly aimed at the “catch the inspiration while it’s hot” crowd, so let’s see what Mixcraft 6 has done to build on that premise. Overview downloaded Mixcraft, selecting a loop down- Snap Judgment Superficially, Mixcraft resembles other DAWs. loads it on demand. These loops aren’t filler, However, digging deeper reveals the differ- and Mixcraft makes it easy to put them together ences. For instance, there’s no structural dis- into a quickie music bed. When you drag the PROS Nimble, effi cient tinction between MIDI, instrument, and video first loop into a project, you’re asked if you workfl ow. CPU-effi cient. tracks, as they’re treated similarly. Inserting an want to conform the loop to the project, or the Comprehensive loop library instrument is easy; aside from the very usable project to the loop—nice. Zplane’s stretching and solid instrument sounds. preset sounds, you can load VST plug-ins or algorithm (used in several DAWs) does an ex- Excellent stretching/looping ReWire in instruments. If you want a MIDI-only cellent job with tempo and pitch, and there are support. Can defi ne splits, track to drive an external synth, just de-select various loop editing options, including noise layers, and effects when the associated instrument. reduction. As with audio, it’s easy to create and inserting a synth. Well- Mixcraft also lets you specify a synth’s “roll out” MIDI loops. implemented comping. volume, pan, keyboard range, transposition, Mixcraft does comping right, placing each Shockingly good video velocity range, and outputs when you insert it, part in its own lane, and making it easy to edit capabilities. so it’s easy to create splits and layers. This is multiple takes into a cohesive keeper track. one of several “why doesn’t every program do Play or mute any clip from within the clip itself, CONS No mixer . this?” features. as well as add loop iterations by clicking the No VST3 or REX support. “+1 loop” button. Adequate, but not great, Looping and Comping selection of plug-ins in base Although Mixcraft isn’t a “looping program” Video version. Limited mixer EQ. per se, it excels in that role. The boxed version Th is is a shocker, and I’m surprised Mixcraft No Mac version. includes a library of over 6,000 loops; if you hasn’t billed itself as the “direct-to-YouTube”

68 Keyboard 12.2012 When inserting an instrument, you can specify split and velocity ranges as well as other parameters, and include effects—then save and recall everything as a preset.

DAW. You can load multiple video clips (with Many omissions are “vocal minority” fea- out. And yes, online music with videos gets a lot their associated audio) into a single video track, tures like MIDI plug-ins, audio quantizing, more views than the audio-only kind. mix WMV and AVI formats (sorry, no MP4), graphical pitch correction (although there is a Many little touches show that serious and even do some editing: You can change video pitch correction plug-in), and the like. While thought went into Mixcraft. Hover over a and audio stream lengths independently, and there’s no VST3 or REX fi le support, you could track’s FX button to see a list of inserted eff ects; crossfade clips. insert a third-party instrument that plays REX right-click on it, and the GUIs for all eff ects You can also insert still images and crossfade fi les. A music staff view allows editing and open up. Every track has a built-in tuner, MIDI between them, which is ideal for “slide show” printing, but it’s primitive, as is the mixer’s editing (including drum maps) is greatly ex- videos. Th ese are on the same track as the video three-band EQ. Insert an EQ plug-in if you need panded from previous versions, and every time so you can mix and match. You can insert text more frequency-sculpting control. you save a fi le, Mixcraft generates a backup. (and even scrolling text) into multiple text Th e bundled plug-ins are generally useful. Why doesn’t every program do this? lanes, and add text fades, background colors, You’ll fi nd virtual instruments and plenty of Mixcraft’s fans got me interested in this pro- and basic intro and outro text animations. eff ects, but there’s no sampler or drum instru- gram in the fi rst place, and I can see why. You Not impressed yet? Try the 25 bundled ment other than the preset sample player ver- really can’t get any more for any less, and you video eff ects including brightness, posterize, sions. What’s included will likely accommodate get much more than you’d expect—making this color channel strength and inversion, emboss, many users; if not, I’d recommend ReWiring a no-brainer of a Key Buy. and more. Th ese are added to the video track Reason Essentials into Mixcraft. You could just like adding automation lanes to audio, and also get Mixcraft’s Pro Studio 6 version, which Craig Anderton is Executive Editor of you can automate the video eff ect parameters. adds 18 plug-ins that aren’t in the base version. Electronic Musician magazine and Editor I’ve never seen this kind of video fl exibility in Th ese include Yamaha CS-80 and Memorymoog in Chief of HarmonyCentral.com. any other DAW. soft synths, iZotope’s Mastering Essentials, up- graded reverb, vintage and modern parametric What’s Missing? EQs, and much more. Bottom Line Well, there’s no mixer automation. You can Far more DAW than you’d expect create automation envelopes in automation Conclusions at this price, and extremely user- lanes, but you can’t record fader movements. Th ere are many “lite” versions of fl agship pro- friendly at that. Fortunately, you can record MIDI controller grams. But Mixcraft doesn’t deliberately leave data from a control surface to automate virtual out features to encourage upgrading, and is easy Base version: 84.95 boxed | instrument plug-ins, as well as do remote con- enough for novices yet deep enough to satisfy $74.95 download | Pro Studio trol of functions like track arming, transport even jaded DAW jockeys. It’s also a stellar way version: $149.95 download control, loop toggle, and so on. Th is helps speed to ease into video: conceptually, video is treated acoustica.com workfl ow, but hands-on is a big like audio so there’s no culture shock for musi- part of how I mix. cians—nor will you feel limited when starting

Watch Craig Anderton’s Mixcraft 6 instructional video. keyboardmag.com/december2012

70 Keyboard 12.2012