Get Into the Mix On Your PC

For a few years now, music educators who teach in schools that have PCs often ask me what software is available for the PC that is comparable to GarageBand.  My answer, until very recently, has been that there really isn’t anything that has the same functions with the same friendly user interface.  This past January, I was introduced to a new product from Acoustica, and the minute I saw it, I knew that at last I would be able to point music educators to the “GarageBand for the PC”.  Introducing MixCraft 4.0.

The first thing that happens when you click on the MixCraft 4.0 icon is a small pop-up window appears asking you what type of project you’d like to begin working on: record yourself or your band; build a loop based composition, or work with virtual instruments.  All of these features can be accessed with any of the options you choose, but MixCraft will set up a project template for you to get started with after you select on of these options. Once you have selected the type of project you’d like to work on, you’ll notice that the interface looks very similar to the GarageBand interface (see Figure 1).  The menu bar on top has a few powerful options: Edit, Mix, Track, Sound, and View (as well as File and Help).  You’ll find that almost everything you need is in the Mix, Track and Sound menus, although you can easily use the icons that are on the screen as well as some terrific shortcuts.

The left side of the window displays the tracks that are set up with the standard measure markers running across the top of the screen.  At the bottom of the window there are four tabbed windows, including the Project window (where you can establish the time signature, key, tempo, global effects, metronome); the Track window where you can create custom labels for your tracks and add effects; the Sound window where you can edit your tracks; and the Library window, which holds hundreds of copyright and royalty free loops.

Getting Loopy

To begin, I suggest opening a Loop Based composition, as that is the feature that most music educators are looking for after seeing what GarageBand can do.  When your window opens up, you’ll see 8 pre-made tracks and the Library tab will be open at the bottom of your screen (see Figure 2).  The library is well organized, and allows you to select from various categories, including: tempo, instrument, mood, and a feature called “Song Kit” that bundles loops together which complement each other (great feature).  Once you have selected the category of your loops, you can audition them by simply clicking on them.  If you like what you hear, you can drag the loop directly into one of the tracks. Once you have one loop entered, MixCraft will format any other loop you insert into the song so that the tempo and key matches up.  Extending loops is as easy as clicking on the end of the loop and dragging it. 

Recording MIDI

MixCraft comes with a variety of high quality software instruments, including a General MIDI library, two sampled grand pianos, Hammond B-3™ emulator, MiniMoog™ emulator and a polyphonic synthesizer (see Figure 3).  To select an instrument you simply click on the icon on the left hand side of the track information window and then select from the various menus until you find the instrument you are looking for.  MixCraft works with any USB keyboard controller, or a synthesizer that is hooked to the PC through a MIDI interface.  The preferences window in the File menu has an easy to follow MIDI setup.  Most PCs will recognize when you plug any sort of MIDI interface into the computer.  For best results, I would suggest plugging the keyboard in before starting up MixCraft.  Adding a metronome and quantizing your performance is very easy, and editing your work after you’ve recorded it is a snap.

Importing Audio

If you’d like to bring in some audio files (either from a CD or music that you’ve downloaded on the Internet) you simply click “Control H” or select “Sound” from the menu bar and then select “Add Sound”.  Once you have selected the audio file you’d like to import, it will insert into a new track and open the “Sound” tab at the bottom of the window.  Here you can adjust the audio in a number of different ways, including transposing and stretching the time so that it will fit with any loops that you are already using in the project (great feature).  MixCraft allows you to import MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV or AIF files into your project. 

Recording Audio

MixCraft allows you to use any microphone that can be connected to a computer (including built-in microphones and USB microphones) as well as audio interface devices, such as the Mobile Pre USB or FastTrack from M-Audio.  This allows the user to record any acoustic or electric instrument directly onto their computer’s hard drive.  Once the audio is in the program, MixCraft has a terrific editing window that makes it possible to clean up any recording that you make, including the ability to add as many as 18 effects, stretch the timing of the recording (called FlexAudio) without effecting the pitch, transpose the recording without effecting tempo, and many more editing functions. 

Time To Export

Once you’re finished with your project, getting it onto a CD has never been easier.  There is an icon at the top of the program window in the shape of a CD.  When you click on it, a window will open up with a number of options.  If you’d like to go straight to a CD, simply click “Start Burn”.  You can also convert the track to a WAV file first, ensuring a better burn.  There are some other options, including the ability to create the CD text so that when the recording is played in a CD player, the title of the song will display in the player window. MixCraft also comes with an add-on program that allows you to create labels for your CD. 

If you’d prefer not to create a CD, MixCraft also has a “Mixdown” option that will automatically mix down the recording (including all of the MIDI tracks, imported audio tracks, and loops) and convert it to an MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV or AIF file.  This feature is terrific, and not available on some other programs, including GarageBand.

Ready to Take a Spin?

If you’d like to try out MixCraft for yourself, log onto the MixCraft website at: www.acoustica.com, and download a demonstration copy of MixCraft today.  SoundTree is proud to offer a single copy of MixCraft for $49.95.  If you’d like to purchase MixCraft for your lab, there are some wonderful discounts on site licenses.  Visit www.soundtree.com/store and search for “mixcraft” to purchase single copies OR call your local SoundTree Accounts Manager today for more information – 1-800-963-TREE (8733).