Description:
Renegade club DJs looking for a fresh sound have created live grooves on the fly, using Mixman's popular remixing software. With the release of Mixman StudioPro 4.0, packed with production tools for creating professional-quality grooves, don't be surprised if you see more laptops in your favorite club's DJ booth. This installation in the Mixman series isn't just for the pros, though. With its slick, simple interface and brilliant documentation, any amateur mixmaster with a fairly fast computer and an ounce of creativity can easily create unique sound sculptures. Mixman StudioPro 4.0 consists of four modules in a virtual music-production studio. Pop into the recording studio to record live sounds (microphone not included), or sample existing sound bites, then move over to the editing room to refine the clips into a smooth, endless loop. A generous library of sound samples--drums, bass, synthesizer samples, guitar riffs, and more--is included in the package. With the sonic ingredients in hand, hop over to the remixing studio to cook up a tune. Load up to 16 tracks into the interface (resembling a dual turntable setup, each supporting eight tracks), with each track having a corresponding key. Then, punch tracks into the mix, cross-fade, shift tempo and pitch, and apply effects with simple keyboard commands or mouse clicks. The pre-existing samples are time-coded, synching perfectly with the other tracks in the mix. It's as simple as that. Only moments after firing up the program, layers of snazzy percussion, chest-thumping bass, and exotic sounds are unleashed on the ears of happy dancing people (or, at the very least, your confused dog). Those without a live audience can kick out the jams to the world online, thanks to Mixman's brilliant Web community. Store your mixes on a customized Web page in the Mixzone where others can download and remix your mixes into unique interpretations. Mixman Radio is the place to broadcast your creations to open ears across the Web. The site's integration of MP3 technology for sound-file swapping opens an entire new realm of sampling and collaborating possibilities. As with just about any sound-production software, you'll need a speedy computer--at least a 233 MHz system. Beyond this modest restriction, StudioPro's packed with all the tools you need to mold a musical soundscape of your own, then unleash it on the world. --Eric Twelker
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