Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

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Acoustica Dan
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Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by Acoustica Dan »

Hi friends,

We're starting our design sessions for Mixcraft 7, and we'd love to hear more of your requests and ideas for the next version, so we know we're on the right track. Please let us know what features you'd most like to see in Mixcraft 7!

Dan
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TrevsAudio
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by TrevsAudio »

Yay! :D

Dan, just judging by requests on the forum and how many times I've answered them personally, it HAS to be MIDI control on multiple tracks. Eg. Korg NanoControl sliders to control 8 tracks.

Bring it on, the rest of you...
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by aj113 »

Please please please center the playback indicator when zooming. MC 5 did it, all other DAWS do it, for some crazy reason MC6 does not.

Select multiple channels facility, so that all selected channels can be muted, volume adjusted etc.

Fix the clip merge function so that there are no glitches in place of edits after the merge is done.

"bypass all" function so that all plugins on a channel can be toggled on/off simultaneously.

Tempo map function. Any DAW worth its salt has some sort of tempo mapping function. "Auto Beat Match" is a poor substitute - all it does is give the average BPM - conceivably every single bar could be out of time when this function is applied.

Sidechain!

Facility to copy automation of any given variable from one channel to another.
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Rambler40
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by Rambler40 »

Already mentioned and noted by Greg but, ability to create sub-folders to categorize VST menu effects by type (ie: compression VSTs, limiter VSTs, etc).
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by aj113 »

More video codecs!
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by MusicMeister »

It would be amazing if it could include some vocals oriented plugins, like auto tune with graphical interface for manual adjustments, as well as a de breather.
If possible, improving the audio clip stretch/shrink and pitch up/down algorithms would make it even better.
The ability to put submixes inside submixes!
this may be said already, but fix the clip merging so that the audio doesnt fade out and in again
Acoustica Dan
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by Acoustica Dan »

Hi guys,

I'm happy to say that most of these ideas are already planned for Mixcraft 7. However, two of you have mentioned issues with clip merging. Are you all using the latest release build (b210)? We're under the impression that we've fixed any issues with merging in the latest version.

Dan
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by EuripidesMac »

This has been my Mixcraft dream for a few years: what Rambler said!

It would be incredible and oh soooooooo nice to be able to organize my VST's within Mixcraft, into categories...and if you can even go a step further and go one more level down: subcategories :lol:

Whether this is done simply in the VST GUI or if this is done through manipulating folders in the Windows filesystem...I don't care. :mrgreen:

Thanks so much for all the hard work and a fan freakingtastic product!

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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by Anorax »

Alright, time to break out the big guns.

One thing that I noticed that was a big recurrence in the MX6 suggestion thread (albeit, posted after MX6 went beta) was advanced parameter controls.
most notably, this meant a tighter and more advanced control mechanism for parameter editing. The hardest thing to do with parameter editing is make curved parameter automation. currently, the more detailed you want your curve, the more points you have to manually add and, usually, manually adjust their values.
there are quite a few DAWs that have a more complex system that allows for rather complex automation patterns without extensive user input. let me insert a photo that I posted in the MX6 request thread:
Image

Above is an image of the automation editor in Fruity Loops. As you can see, the editor in fruity loops has "control points", which have the same function as the current point editors in Mixcraft. however, fruity loops also has section modifiers (which includes the 'tension points' and the drop down menu at the right), which lets you modify each section's automation curves. this allows for more smooth automation without overly complicated modification by the end user, but still allows for in-depth automation if the user wants it.


Another thing I've seen mentioned (above and elsewhere) is sidechaining. While sidechaining is definitely a good idea to have, i think that you need to be able to have multiple sidechain sources, such as compression and envelopes.

If I can think of any other ideas, i'll post them here as well.
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by perihelion summer »

Wow, working on version 7 already! I'm sure it's going to be awesome! Well, I really don't have a lot of major additions to ask for, so great job Acoustica team! I do have 10 or so ideas though, which is a lot I know, so I've ordered them by importance/usefulness:

1. I'm not sure if Mixcraft 6 has this feature already, but it would be great if you could easily solo just a single track by holding down the shift key (or alt or ctrl.) That way I don't have to un-solo any tracks when I only want to preview one at a time. (Just a nice timesaver.)

2. One other issue (just a slight time-waster really) is the transferring of effects between tracks. For instance, I often move instrument effects on duplicate tracks to the effects chain of a single submix or send track. It would be really helpful if there was a simple "move to" or "copy to" command or something like that for transferring VST effects to other tracks.

3. Stereo delay plugin please! :D Stereo delay is something I've been learning about recently and I wish Mixcraft came with one. A stereo delay (with built-in low pass filter, if I'm using the right term) can simulate wall echos and is a subtler alternative to reverb.

4. Another thing is time select, a wonderful feature currently available in version 6. It works great for selecting entire sections of the project, and I sometimes wish it was available in piano roll view on virtual instrument clips.

5. If possible I would really appreciate a method for specifying smooth tempo changes, whether its a check box on tempo markers or automation on the master track. Currently it takes some effort (though not too much) to add several markers during tempo transitions. Again, an automated system would be just awesome! :D

6. As an icing on the cake thing, I think it would be cool if Mixcraft could display chord names in notation view by analyzing the notes of midi clips. It would really make the notation printouts much more useful, especially to those who can't read traditional sheet music, but can follow along to chord progressions.

7. I would like to see some enhancements to the wonderful automatic backup feature. Right now, Mixcraft takes a backup every time you save the project; however, I tend to save my projects very frequently, leading to dozens of backups during a single session. It would be great if you could enable an option so that Mixcraft only saved a backup after you closed a project. It sure would make the backups folder smaller and save some hard drive space. Additionally, you could add a menu option to "save a backup," for those times when you really did want a copy.

8. The one thing I disliked about Mixcraft 6, and the only thing for that matter, was the new font on the transport area. I'm not opposed to a change of typography (I'm really interested in typography,) but the font you guys made just looks, well, slightly ugly. (The concept isn't bad, just the execution seems unrefined. It might look better in a lighter weight or in TrueType format, for using ClearType.) If you ever have the money to license a professional font, I think that Eurostile, Museo Sans 500, or Anivers would look and function great. (UPDATE: Consolas seems more legible than the three I originally mentioned.)

9. Similar to suggestion #4, I would appreciate a reverse command on midi clips, on those occasions when I like to play around with reversed-sound effects. It's not a necessity for me, but I think it could be easy to implement.

10. Sample tracks would be great for sampling repeated sound effects and drums hits from the loop library. For instance, you could drag an audio clip onto a sample track, then use some sort of clip or what-have-you to trigger and stop the sound. (It could even be controllable via midi.)

Also, another vote for "submixes in submixes," such as cymbals submix in drums submix. (Two levels deep is all I need.) And an up vote for more video codecs. And one last vote for "bypass all."

If there is still room for more features, I would also appreciate (though not require) support for FLAC audio, and perhaps a way to select all midi notes in a clip that are from the same midi channel. Thanks! (PS you can get rid of the 3-band EQ on the main mix track in the mixer. I know, I know... I suggested it. But I don't really use it as much as I thought I would, and wouldn't care if you dropped it in version 7.)
Last edited by perihelion summer on Sat Jul 06, 2013 9:06 am, edited 10 times in total.
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by Impulseman »

I'm making a list but I guess some features have been mentioned already in MC6 topics.

1) An editing possibility for some Acoustica Instruments would be nice (for Envelopes, Filters, LFO, and the like) with a visible GUI interface. I do love the sounds but sometimes I would just like to tweak them a tiny bit so that they sound just perfect for what I need.

I know, I'm asking a lot, there are so much instruments in Mixcraft.

At least, having a VST that would modify the instruments, for those ones which have no controls, like Acoustica's...
I hope this feature is feasible.

2) Another feature I'm thinking of is adding a more broad range or snapping when editing notes, 1/64 is nice but sometimes I need even more precise controls, like up to 1/128, also, 1/64 in triplets would be useful for me.

3) A way to choose the numbers or bars/measures (or time) to insert, add or delete in a new or chosen track, with a snapping feature at measures and bars.

4) A stronger snapping (magnetize) when editing notes in the Piano Roll when choosing a timed function would be great.

5) More definition for the Piano Roll grid, like showing bars and ticks when zooming in. The actual design is nice but there is still not enough difference between measures and bars IMHO. At least thicken the measure column line, middle (Pitch bend) and upper/lower mid lines, or adding a user customizing bank(s) that we could save/load within Mixcraft, in which we could modify to our taste.

6) A Track grouping feature, with editable parameters for the chosen group, like GVolume, GMute or GSolo. Yes, child tracks are nice but...still missing some editing I think..

That's about all I can find for now.

Thanks! :mrgreen:
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Cjax
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by Cjax »

-Sectional dynamic time stretching like in Logic/Garageband.
-Beatcraft interface integrated into mixcraft.
-Updates to beatcraft <----
-A way to chain vocal tracks to virtual instrument tracks to make manually vocoded/pitch perfect effects.
-Chop 'n Screw remix toolbar?
-Chirp Generator (Audacity)
-Better drum samples on the virtual instruments (see integrated beatcraft)
-(optional) Square grid snapping on automation effects for true off/on.
-Maybe a Mastering feature where you can arrange and edit the album as a whole (transitions, track times, etc).
-The ability to COMPLETELY send a track to a send track/bus so the original track has zero output and it's only coming out of the send/bus. <-----
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by Jaymzzb »

My two suggestions are -

"bypass all" function so that all plugins on a channel can be toggled on/off simultaneously. (mentioned by aj113)

And

Quantize Audio not just Midi. I know Pro tools uses some kind of beat detective malarky, So something like that to tighten up sloppy drums!
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by gypsy101 »

Rambler40 wrote:Already mentioned and noted by Greg but, ability to create sub-folders to categorize VST menu effects by type (ie: compression VSTs, limiter VSTs, etc).
this or just a highlight & scroll up/down drop/drag type of feature for individual presets w/in each effect.that may not be possible w/ 3rd party effects though.

bounce down tracks in a submix w/ record from routing like I mentioned in another thread

master effects bypass per track

when switching to large track view have it stay on the same track you're working on.I seem to have to scroll to find that track.

a merge function for 2 different tracks similar to merging an overdub but w/out copy/pasting into 1 track.

a pop up clipboard window for song notes kinda like the old Windows XP paperclip helper wizard guy. I'm not sure how to explain that one better.lol
Last edited by gypsy101 on Sat Apr 06, 2013 3:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Mixcraft 7 suggestions?

Post by gypsy101 »

Acoustica Dan wrote:Hi guys,

I'm happy to say that most of these ideas are already planned for Mixcraft 7. However, two of you have mentioned issues with clip merging. Are you all using the latest release build (b210)? We're under the impression that we've fixed any issues with merging in the latest version.

Dan
I had issues w/ it yesterday. figuring out split/merge for someone on Reaper this seems like a good option-
auto split @ the 0db or lowest level break like between guitar note picks in a lead then it merges @ the next 0db break.this could be an auto function w/out having to zoom or change to large view for the track.
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