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Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 5:55 am
by starise
A few things I really like. The tuner on each audio track is a killer idea.

When you freeze a track it makes that noise and you have a frozen graphic. How could you ever top that one?

I'll be honest, since I'm primarily an audio recordist instrumentalist I much prefer the real thing if possible.I use my keys skills to track vsti though. Some daw users start with a midi piano roll. I'm probably not qualified at this point to make a judgement on the piano roll in Mixcraft. I opened it and played with it some. I looks as if it will do anything I need it to do since I'm a basic midi guy. I didn't go into it deep enough to see if there were multi tools and/or advanced copt paste functions. I guess I haven't needed it.

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2018 12:42 am
by dpaterson
Hello.

I thought I'd just update / add to this thread for posterity!!!

I can finally and in all honesty say that I am happy with the plugins that I now have (and actually use) and therefore am no longer looking for the next best thing (famous last words I suppose). And I have to thank some certain members around here for one or two free plugins / utilities that I find invaluable (basic as they may be). More importantly: I reckon that for the first time since having Mixcraft I'm actually now, really, putting it through its paces (as opposed to just mucking about with a few MIDI backing tracks) and so far so good and very happy i.e. really could not want for more or a better product. And note that I do not say "for the price" either!!! My personal opinion (which I've had for a long time) is that the price should be increased. This may not make me popular BUT I'm of the opinion that this is the main reason why Mixcraft isn't in the mainstream and never gets mentioned on vendors' websites in the list of compatible DAW software (along with "the usual suspects") i.e. it's a matter of perception (you know that saying "you get what you pay for" except in the case of Mixcraft you're getting a HELL of a lot more than what you pay for)!!! Maybe a Mixcraft "Lite" (or maybe Home Studio) should be bundled with audio interfaces (just like "the usual suspects")??? In all honesty I was just lucky to find Mixcraft i.e. some many years ago I was using Acoustica Beatcraft and was looking to reinstall it this time around and that's how I came across Mixcraft and, well, will never look back. In addition: Acoustica support is top notch let's face it. And yeh: I've started a few threads in the last year or so (maybe a little more) detailing some issues but for the most part it turns out they're not issues but rather my not really understanding what was going on at the time (and also not having read the manual which, you'll be pleased to know, I'm doing now BEFORE starting a thread). I think a LOT of thought etc. has gone into the development of Mixcraft and sometimes the reasons for doing things may not seem obvious at first. it does have its quirks here and there so far as I can tell but they are just that i.e. quirks as opposed to actual issues.

So yeh. All good. And thanks (everyone).

Now my delivery address for the t-shirt and the cheque is ... LOL!!!

Regards,

Dale.

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:13 pm
by mixyguy2
dpaterson wrote: My personal opinion (which I've had for a long time) is that the price should be increased. This may not make me popular BUT I'm of the opinion that this is the main reason why Mixcraft isn't in the mainstream and never gets mentioned on vendors' websites in the list of compatible DAW software (along with "the usual suspects") i.e. it's a matter of perception (you know that saying "you get what you pay for"
I'm sorry but that couldn't be more wrong. Reaper has made a lot of inroads these days and it's comparably priced to Mixcraft (but needless to say not as good). I think it's just that enough people haven't discovered it yet and it's such a bleeping competitive market with more DAWs popping up every day, it's hard to make inroads. I do think the future looks bright though, as people seem to finally be letting go of thinking the "big boys" like FL Studio, Cubase and (gag) Pro Fools, whoops I mean Tools, are so great, and are exploring other options.

And while the "you get what you pay for" is a good rule of thumb, you can toss that out the window when it comes to the audio world, esp in this day and age. Not just about DAWs, but gear too. Finally, keep in mind that with the growing quality of lower end gear and improvement of DAWs, there are a LOT and growing number of home studios/hobbyists out there, and most can ill afford pricier stuff; they're looking for bargains. Mixcraft qualifies in spades!

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 3:04 am
by dpaterson
Yelo.

Hmmmnnn... This thread has the potential for some interesting debate.

You make some good points re: DAW software i.e. you could be, and probably are, quite right really. Never thought about it all that way. Not sure I agree when it comes to gear and hardware though. Sure gear and hardware has become cheaper and more affordable and does the job but there's a difference between doing the job and doing it well and reliably and for an extended period of time (and here I do still firmly believe that you get what you pay for and I don't mean in terms of features or "bang for buck" either but rather sheer component and build quality i.e. there's little point to buying some piece of cheaper or affordable gear or hardware that is packed with extras and features and more inputs and outputs and the rest but it's going to pack up, usually a week after the warranty has expired, if you just happen to look at it sideways on a bad day) (and if this thread gets any traction I've got my fair share of first hand experiences to share).

Anyway. I didn't develop Mixcraft so it's not mine to worry about really let's face it i.e. I should just be happy (which I am) that I have it and it does everything it does (and as well as it does).

Regards,

Dale.

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:48 am
by bigaquarium
TheHound wrote:Have you tried loading a track recorded on MC on to Logic or vice versa? Do you think they would sound the same?
Interesting that you mention this, I happened to load an MP3 that had been mixed and mastered in Logic 9 in MC this morning and it sounded fine. (Scratching head)

- N

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2018 6:31 pm
by mixyguy2
dpaterson wrote: Sure gear and hardware has become cheaper and more affordable and does the job but there's a difference between doing the job and doing it well and reliably and for an extended period of time (and here I do still firmly believe that you get what you pay for and I don't mean in terms of features or "bang for buck" either but rather sheer component and build quality i.e. there's little point to buying some piece of cheaper or affordable gear or hardware that is packed with extras and features and more inputs and outputs and the rest but it's going to pack up, usually a week after the warranty has expired, if you just happen to look at it sideways on a bad day)
We'll again agree to disagree. :) "You get what you pay for" is a good rule of thumb, but no more...and applies less with audio gear and even more so as time goes on. Tons of low-end gear today performs as well if not better than mid-range or even top-end stuff of not that many years ago. And yes I'm talking strictly quality, not features. People who swear otherwise I'd love to get in a room to do some blind tests; I'd make a fortune. :wink: Meanwhile companies pat their marketing and advertising people on the back quite a bit these days I'd imagine. Tons of confirmation bias out there!

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:31 am
by Rolling Estonian
There's also tried and true products that have stood the test of time. Sure you could do blind tests etc but there are products out there that are industry standards for a reason. My brother has SM57s and 58's from the 80's that are still kicking despite being through hell and back.

Yes, we get your point. But when you talk about certain products not being all that, I'd like to see some of those cheap mics be around in 25 years of heavy use. Just one of the reasons that people go with tested and trusted over cheap but sounds as good as __________.

M

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 12:55 pm
by dpaterson
Hello.

Rolling Estonian ("M") gets my point (you didn't think you were going to get off THAT easily did you mixguy2??? LOL!!!).

I've had no less that three mixers replaced under warranty in the past eighteen months: an Alto and two Behringers. And before I go any further: let me tell you that I am ANAL about my gear (it gets "babied" like you have no idea) (maybe that's the problem). In all three cases: I've traded up (coughed up in $$$) instead of taking a simple like-for-like warranty replacement (so I'm now at a point where I no longer have entry level mixers). The entire entry level Alto range has a USB recording issue (noise on the line) which has, to date, not been resolved by Alto. Both Behringers just stopped working (lights on but nobody home): one after two days and the other after two months or so. They hadn't even been out of my studio (for gigs or anything else). Now there's been talk around these parts on good budget (affordable) audio interfaces. And the person in question went for the Behringer. Looks like a great unit i.e. double everything that my Focusrite has and more. Would anybody be able to tell the difference between stuff recorded on that Behringer or on my Focusrite??? I doubt it very much. But will that Behringer make its warranty period??? I don't have the answer (I do sincerely hope so though). Guitars: I've got three. One $5K custom, hand made, absolute prize of a guitar and two (much) cheaper Jacksons. Do they all sound good??? Yip (and the maker of my expensive guitar will hate me if he sees this but I actually prefer the sound of the Jacksons i.e. they've got what I call "the Jackson jangle") (that '80's hot rodded strat sound). I love all three of them. But the difference??? The hardware on the Jacksons is all licenced stuff. I've already stripped a nut on one. So: in my closet I have two sets of genuine parts (Floyd Rose stuff) ready for the day that something packs up on my beloved Jacksons (and that day will come). Marshall: no less than five CODE amps around me here. I absolutely live and die for the sound of these things. Problem (but one example): the knobs are "iffy" and I think I've just been lucky with mine i.e. Marshall's own forums are testament to this. While these sound just as good (preset and creativity dependent of course) as any good 'ol (but expensive) Marshall valve amp. (and I've had one or two in the past): are they going to still be around and working for the next couple of years??? Hmmmnnn... Don't really want to even speculate. M-Audio: entry level stuff is just that and nothing more (but in days gone by it was really good stuff). Would it be better to buy entry level Yamaha or Roland or more expensive M-Audio??? Dunno. And the list can go on (I won't even START on lighting and lighting equipment because the budget stuff has REALLY gone down the pan). Point is: the budget or more affordable stuff will work and do the job (and, probably, will do the job well) but for how long and at what OVERALL future cost is the question. So yeh: when it comes to gear etc. I'm sticking to my guns about getting what you pay for. With software??? As I said: you're probably quite right actually. This being said: I could start ranting and raving about the cost of iZotope and the Melda stuff (Melda being my new flavor of the month!!! LOL!!)!!! And BFD3!!! LOL!!! Sorry but I've only (also) just started putting BFD3 through its paces and, well, I'm gobsmacked at the realism etc. etc. etc. (makes Addictive Drums, as but one example, sound "quaint" for want of a better word BUT I paid for the privilege).

So. Dunno where that leaves our discussion (on the pricing of Mixcraft) but there's my take on things (at least when it comes to more affordable gear and hardware).

Regards,

Dale.

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2018 6:40 pm
by mixyguy2
Rolling Estonian wrote:There's also tried and true products that have stood the test of time. Sure you could do blind tests etc but there are products out there that are industry standards for a reason. My brother has SM57s and 58's from the 80's that are still kicking despite being through hell and back.

Yes, we get your point. But when you talk about certain products not being all that, I'd like to see some of those cheap mics be around in 25 years of heavy use. Just one of the reasons that people go with tested and trusted over cheap but sounds as good as __________.

M
Yes, durability is another consideration for sure, though a diff thing altogether than quality of sound or features. Of course it all depends on the specifics; I'd also bet heavy money that there are some pricey pieces of gear which don't necessarily hold up all that well over time either, and that, generally speaking, most cheaper gear (discounting perhaps the very silly cheap end, like $9.95 karoke mics and the like) on average holds up very well.

dale - Behringer stuff is an interesting case; my impression is that they made a lot of "get what you pay for" cheaper junk in years gone by, but have really upped their game and made quality stuff now (I can't say from experience like you can, just a general impression). Were those mixers bought recently? Your M-Audio remarks were also interesting as I have been eyeing their lower-end AIs. What did you have/use that either didn't perform well or didn't hold up?

Anyway it's moot regarding Mixcraft; no hardware to break. :) If the worst I do is MC 8, I'm all set, no complaints.

Except the ones I put in the suggestions thread :wink:

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:06 am
by dpaterson
Hello again.

Been thinking a lot about the content of this thread before posting here again. I need to be clear though before continuing:

It's not for me to slate or target specific manufacturers i.e. I'm only imparting details based on personal experience. Your experience may be totally different. And dare I say that it may even be location dependent. I live in South Africa and I actually do believe that could very well be part of the problem. There's been a nasty rumor going around for years that we get the stuff shipped here that wouldn't pass quality control in other countries. Whether that's true or not or simply a conspiracy theory I know not (but it wouldn't surprise me to be honest). And unfortunately (and this is important too when making a buying choice of anything): after sales service and support is extremely important and can actually make or break a product in my opinion no matter HOW much such product costs or is worth. Here: after sales service and support is a problem in this industry. Generally speaking: if something goes awry the perception is "oh he's just a musician so what does he know" (it's a BIG mistake to make though). Case in point (sorry but Behringer HERE again): it took them eight weeks to assess the problem with one of those mixers and this in spite of me going into minute detail WITH PICTURES as to what the problem was. And this is a big deal i.e. I can tell you that had they not been so lax I probably wouldn't be so hard on them. I did indeed have a Focusrite pack up on me (which could POSSIBLY have been my fault if the truth be told i.e. my notebook packed up for no rhyme or reason and the Focusrite wouldn't work after that so who knows what happened). It was replaced within a day. BIG difference!!! And also: it does pay to do your (Internet) research. In fairness to Behringer: I've really not seen too many posts about mixers just packing up for no reason. As noted: one was DOA after two days and the other had "scratchy" gain pots on two of the channels after about two months but the point is that given that Behringer must sell thousands of these things: if these were common issues well, then, I'm sure people would be very "vocal" about it on the Internet. Another case in point is Alto. They were great in that they took my first mixer back and I got a refund (and then went on to buy Behringer mixers). Great pity is that I actually really wanted an Alto mixer to match my Alto PA system but unfortunately there is a problem with their LIVE series of mixers (this noisy USB thing) and it's not been sorted out to date (I know because I constantly monitor their support threads). Why they've never sorted the issue is beyond me because generally speaking their stuff is top notch in my opinon i.e. I wouldn't change my PA for anything and frankly the build quality of the Alto mixer was WAY better than even these more expensive Behringer mixers that I now have. A great pity. So there's a few scenarios to compare and consider.

So (and taking into account my rather LONG preamble above);

To answer your questions:

Both of the "failed' Begringers were bought almost (to the day today would you believe) one year ago (bought within two days of each other). So. Could it simply have been a bad batch??? It's possible I suppose. It wouldn't be the first time I've heard this as an excuse anyway.

M-Audio: I have a Keystation 88 and have (had) two 2x2M audio interfaces. One is gathering dust in the cupboard and the other I gave to the salesman that sells me most of my gear (just to tide him over while his interface was in for repair i.e. I have always gotten FANTASTIC service from him so was happy to help out). Oh and I have two M-Audio monitors. Where do I begin??? Well the Keystation 88 doesn't have a velocity curve and (here we go again) it's a known problem that this particular keyboard has an issue where the black keys are more sensitive than the white keys. NO support on this from M-Audio whatsoever!!! So (and thanks so much to these forums) I was able to work around the issue with a plugin and, that aside, I'm like my keyboard. It does the job. But (and here's the point we're all debating here): no question that it's entry level (having been playing the piano since I was three, so I'm told anyway, I've had my fair share of really decent pianos and keyboards over the years so I'm well aware of the fact that I cannot be fair in comparing my Keystation 88 to the likes of a Roland electric piano or a Yamaha Clavinova for instance i.e. we're taking THOUSANDS of $$$ for these things whereas my Keystation 88 probably cost around $200). The audio interfaces: I just didn't like them. For one thing: I could never get the latency down to what I would call acceptable or useable. Put another way: my yardstick has always been that Mixcraft demo project "I Can't Go On This Way"!!! LOL!!! If you can play that project smoothly with a very small buffer size then you'\re good to go (in my opinion). I could not do this with the 2x2M. With the Focusrite I can play that project with a 128K buffer size no problem (and can record with a 64K buffer size). And the most infuriating thing with the 2x2M is the fact that it has a built in power saver which cannot be turned off!!! If you left Mixcraft open for a while and went to make coffee and came back then the interface had powered itself down and almost 99% of the time when it powered up again (when you moved the mouse or something like that) you could do nothing and had to reboot to get started again (it was almost as if the buffers just dissapeared) (and NO: it wasn't USB power settings on my PC before somebody pipes up with this advice!!! LOL!!!) (and interesting that the Focusrite ALSO has this built in setting BUT YOU CAN TURN IT OFF IN THE BIOS!!!). Must be thing with M-Audio (I think they're big on saving our planet) because my monitors also power themselves down after being idle for a while (this not a big issue though). To be fair though: I'm happy with my M-Audio stuff just as long as I keep remembering that it is INDEED BUDGET gear (which I guess is the point of this entire discussion) (at least from my side anyway).

Some more thoughts on the topic though:

Look. There is NO question that stuff is more affordable nowadays and you certainly do get a LOT of bang for buck that you didn't get years ago. This is my third (and final attempt!!! LOL!!!) to make something of my music (started in the '80's but "life" got in the way I suppose and again about fifteen or so years ago and AGAIN "life" got in the way) (but that ain't going to happen again that's for sure). Point is: on my last two attempts there is NO way I could make the sound that I do let alone record it with the quality that I am able to nowadays (not unless you spent, probably, TENS of thousands of $$$ back in those days). I mean to say: just LOOK at what you get with something like Mixcraft for instance??? Absolutely unheard of back in those years. So it's all good. And in spite of all of my comments: I cannot honestly tell you that there isn't anything that I would now change insofar as all of my gear is concerned even if I had THIS time over again and a lot more money. Would I have spent a little bit extra on certain stuff knowing what I know now??? Probably e.g. although I do like my keyboard and it does the job M-Audio actually do make better keyboards for just slightly more. But: I'm good. I guess I have a mixture of low end budget stuff e.g. M-Audio to high end stuff e.g. my PA and guitar(s) and, well, together, with Mixcraft (of COURSE), I really couldn't want for more.

In closing (this post anyway): I guess there's low end and then there's low end i.e. not all low end stuff is created equal let's face it.

Anyways. There's a lot of stuff for ya. Hope it helps others some anyway.

Regards,

Dale.

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 11:20 am
by dpaterson
Actually: I thought this may be worth a mention given the context of this latest discussion and the fact that Rolling Estonian ("M") mentioned his brother's Sure mics. (given the context of this latest discussion it should also be good for a laugh)!!! LOL!!!

Speaking of products that will stand the test of time, name brand products, and by no means cheap or entry level:

Did you know that the new Sure SM57's come with a wonderful little quirk (at least those that were being sold about a year ago i.e. not sure if the little quirk has been addressed as yet)??? The grille (screen) rattles if the mic. is shaken (well that's what they say anyway i.e. "shaken vigorously" but I have news for them: I have two and they both rattle when under sound pressure from my guitar amps.)!!! And the REAL corker: Sure's fix is to insert some sponge between the grille and the capsule!!! LOL!!! Matter of fact: if you order a kit from them they send you some sponge pieces!!! LOL!!! I kid you not i.e. take a look here: http://www.shure.com/americas/support/f ... rill-piece.

So. I guess you cannot be too careful now can you i.e. budget or not!!! LOL!!!

(But yeh: they will last if looked after though i.e. no question about that).

Regards,

Dale.

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 9:26 pm
by Thomas
dpaterson wrote: Now there's been talk around these parts on good budget (affordable) audio interfaces. And the person in question went for the Behringer. Looks like a great unit i.e. double everything that my Focusrite has and more. Would anybody be able to tell the difference between stuff recorded on that Behringer or on my Focusrite??? I doubt it very much. But will that Behringer make its warranty period???...
In case anyone reading this is considering the Behry, remember to register it soon after purchase to get an extra year of warranty. That's 3 years total. :D

Oh, as for the original purpose of this thread: The main reason I chose Mixcraft was for ease of use. That's was I was targeting, coming from basically ground zero in knowledge and experience. Thanks to that guy on TalkBass who made mention of it.

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 7:18 am
by bigaquarium
Acoustica Greg wrote:
Hi,

Assuming your sound device audio quality settings are the same, you'll get the same recording quality from any DAW. You're just transcribing the digital audio information.

Greg
Morning,

Not to beat a dead horse, but I’ve come to the conclusion that what I had been noticing was just a simple gain/level issue with some of the VSTis bundled with Mixcraft. Once I adjusted the levels and maybe popped a little compression on, everything sounds just peachy.

I think the other thing is that a lot of Logic instruments and presets come with pretty sophisticated effects chains already set up, so it’s not an entirely apples to oranges comparison.

It might be worth going through the library and re-tweaking the levels and effects for MC9 to better show off its capabilities to the uninitiated who might be looking for an alternative to GarageBand.

That said, it is officially MC only for me!

Thanks!

-N

Re: Mixcraft still the easiest learning curve!

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 8:36 am
by jlouvar
FWIW: I recently upgraded from MC6 to MC8.1 Pro because I totally love Mixcraft. However, I use GarageBand on my iPhone as a scratchpad to capture ideas so I don’t forget them, then I use Mixcraft to get serious.

I love Mixcraft 8.1 Pro Studio. :)