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Mixcraft Pro Studio has been on ourradar for some time. John Rossi IIIreviewed versions 4, 5 and 6 in previousissues, always praising it for its simplicitywhile pointing out its breadth and value.John wasn’t available for this review, buthis previous articles reveal a product thathas been evolving along with the state ofthe recording art, and Version 7 is noexception. Mixcraft Pro Studio 7 takes offfrom previous versions with a slew of newfeatures, a number of operational andperformance enhancements, and an evenlarger set of instruments and effects.Just a list of the new features in version 7

is a little over-the-top. Some of the updatesare somewhat expected: 64-bit support,improved control surface support, newpitch- and time-shifting tech, and new audiocontent. Others might actually change theway that you approach the software, suchas the Performance Panel for clip launchingand unlimited automation edit lanes. Andfinally, Acoustica has added more plug-ins,which are always welcome additions. Let’stake a look at a few of the specific updatesto see how they stack up!

Performance PanelAn eyebrow-raiser in version 7 is the

Performance Panel. A concept first foundin Ableton Live (but now embraced by sev-eral software companies), the PerformancePanel presents audio and MIDI clips as amatrix of boxes that can be clicked inorder to be performed. A vertical columnof clips can all be fired at once, a conceptsimilar to an Ableton Live Scene, andeach track can have multiple lanes, eachwith its own Performance Panel clip.Where things get interesting is with

some of the control that Mixcraft pro-vides for the clip playback. In additionto global clip launch settings, you haveindividual clip settings that can force cliprestarts or even allow you to sync thestart point of a new clip to the playbacklocation of the current clip to provide aclean mid-clip transition. This results in avery dynamic and fun playing style, witheasy track variations in realtime.You can arm the Performance Panel

system to record your clip selections; theresulting performance data is saved inyour track and remains in place even ifyou hide the Performance Panel... oreven delete the clips! This makes for aquick composition system that is veryeffective for song format development.

Multi-Lane AutomationWhile I enjoy working with physical

controllers to enter first-pass control move-ments, it’s the use of detailed automationediting that helps me bring a projecthome. Mixcraft’s new Multi-LaneAutomation editing functions allow you towork on several automation envelopessimultaneously—a super-useful functionthat makes it much easier to coordinatecomplex automations. The lanes dropbelow the content tracks, and can controlany mix function (volume, pan or individ-ual send controls), any effects parameter,or any instrument setting in MIDI tracks.It is surprising to me that producers don’t

take more advantage of the extensiveautomation provided by modern software;it can liven up a track, or prevent overuseof effects by allowing them to exist only inselect spots. I found Mixcraft’s automationvery natural and easy to access. I hopethis makes it more likely that users will tryparameter automation in their own work.

Step EditingThe new Step Editing system will be a

great addition for anyone that is focused oncreating beats from scratch. While it can betempting to focus on the deep set of loopsand construction kits provided with Mixcraft,having access to beat development toolscan provide a lot of creative options for thebeat designer. The Step Editing tool pro-vides a drum-specific view of a MIDI track,with mappings that match the drum kit setsthat are provided with Mixcraft.Selecting the Step Editor from the

sound editing tab gives you a grid that issized to match your drum kit—and yourcurrent zoom level. Zooming in will allowyou to enter very tight rhythmic content

(down to 64th notes), with rows labeledby sample name, and a lane dedicatedto tweaking the velocity that each hit willgenerate. This sort of editing is found inmany DAWs, but Mixcraft’s highly-integrated implementation will open some new doors for beat creation.

New instruments and effectsOne of Mixcraft Pro Studio 7’s big

draws is the huge number of plug-ins thatare included. Each version of Mixcraftintroduces new plug-ins (some created byAcoustica, others created by third-partiesand licensed for use in the software), andversion 7 introduced several new audioeffects and instruments. I could fill thiswhole review just with plug-in reviews,but instead I’ll focus on a few new toolsthat jumped out of the system to becomemy personal favorites.

Alpha and Omni: Mixcraft comes withtwo new samplers, and they are some ofthe most enjoyable instrument plug-ins thatI’ve come across in some time. Thesesamplers, rather than being the feature-filled monsters offered by other develop-ers, instead lie in the “software should beeasy” realm that Acoustica prefers.The Alpha sampler couldn’t be easier to

use: it accepts a single sample, then pro-vides basic envelope and filter controls.You drop a sample into Alpha and you areimmediately rocking the sound—it remindsme of sampling with my old EnsoniqMirage, or (more recently) the samplerbuilt into the iPad version of GarageBand.It includes some quick buttons for mono-phonic behavior, which is great for soloingpurposes, and quick reversal (especiallyuseful for pad effects). I loved the simplicityof working with this instrument; while not

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...where we bring you follow-up articleswith application hints and upgrade newsabout gear already reviewed in Recording

by Darwin Grosse

Acoustica Mixcraft Pro Studio 7

Excerpted from the April edition of REcoRding Magazine 2016©2016 Music Maker Publications, inc. Reprinted with permission.5408 idylwild Trail, Boulder, co 80301 Tel: (303) 516-9118 Fax: (303) 516-9119 For Subscription Information, call: 1-954-653-3927 or www.recordingmag.com

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the right tool for massively layered or heav-ily tweaked sample content, it proved morefun than a whoopee cushion.

The Omni sampler is a bit different, butis equally fun for creating sample content.In the case of the Omni, we have a gridof samples, each with its own pitch, filter,envelope and level settings. It is eerily simi-lar to the Ableton Live Drum Rack system,where each note receives its own grid.However, unlike the complexity embeddedinto Ableton’s Drum Rack, each of theOmni note-slots just gets a sample andruns from there. Add a global modulatorand global volume control, and you havea device that can create a serious drum orsound effect matrix in minutes.

Glass Viper: Where the samplers do pre-cisely what they say on the package, theGlass Viper (developed by QuikQuak) issomewhat under-defined. What is a GlassViper anyway? In practice, it turns out to bean unabashed digital synth, sharing a lot ofheritage with software synths like NativeInstruments Massive or Absynth, or olderdigital synths like the Korg DW8000 andProphecy. The sounds are in-your-face, andwouldn’t be out of place in a modern dub-step or hype-pop track. But I also found thatits unique method of waveform and voicedesign allowed me to make all sorts ofentertaining and interesting sounds—all ofa distinctly ‘artificial’ nature.

This is also a synthesizer that reallyresponds to the effects that come withMixcraft. Taking the hyper-present, ultra-digital sound and pumping it through asideband-controlled compressor, multi-band distortion, or warbling filter/delayrewards you with an amazingly richpalette of sound. Good stuff!

Fusion Field Reverb: My friends know meas a bit of a reverb fiend, and MixcraftStudio Pro 7 includes a new reverb that hasme entranced. The Fusion Field Reverb –also made by QuikQuak – is a convolution-based reverb that provides extensive controlover the sound and quality of the effect. Italso provides a display that combines bothfrequency- and time-domain information dis-played as a ‘cloud’ formation. While thismight sound like a difficult visualization, inpractice it couldn’t be clearer. I mean,what’s more cloud-like than a reverb?

Behind the controls and the visuals,though, is a sweet-sounding reverb thatcan do smallish rooms or huge canyonswith ease. It was especially useful in creat-ing large pads out of almost any sourcematerial, and was so easy to edit that Ifound myself perfecting reverb soundsimmediately. This is a very effective wayto work with natural-sounding spaces, andis now part of my Arsenal Of FavoriteReverbs.

A new user’s viewpointAs a new Mixcraft user, I got to experi-

ence the entire introductory process:

downloading, installing and learning. Myinitial installation caused me a little grief:for some reason, the sample content forthe default instrument was not properlyloaded, so I wasn’t able to hear anythingwhen I’d follow the Quick Start instruc-tions. But the online support for Mixcraft ispretty amazing, and I quickly got the hintthat a reinstall was in order. Normally, Imight not mention this in a review—but inthis case, the resulting interaction with theonline community was so helpful (andeasy to access at 2 AM!) that it actuallyended up being a positive experience.

Learning the software was especiallyeasy due to a couple of things: the wonder-ful documentation and the videos availablethrough the Mixcraft 7 University. I receivedthe printed manual (along with the electron-ic text available through the application),and browsed it to get a sense of the appli-cation and some basic concepts behindhow it works. I quickly found myself becom-ing comfortable with the basics (it alignswell with most of the DAW concepts you’dfind in other software), some of the details(video editing in an audio DAW at this

price point—really?!) and especially thedeep set of included instruments andeffects. In addition to detailed informationabout the entire application, the manualalso includes some extremely helpful side-bars that, in a breezy style, provide hints toimprove your efficiency or provide insightinto working with the software.

When it came time to get producin’, itwas the online Mixcraft 7 University thatcame to the rescue. This set of video docu-ments, numbering over 60, begins with aQuick Start guide describing the interface,and moves through details like using thesampling devices or working with the MIDIeditors. They are in-depth, super-informative,yet quick-to-view tutorials on the software,and prove very helpful and inspirational.Every time that I found myself wanting toknow more about the software, I inevitablyfound a video that would jump-start me onmy path, and a section of the manual thatwould provide in-depth explanations. This

combination for self-education is so effective,it should serve as a model for every otherrecording software package!

In general, my experience joining theMixcraft party was entirely enjoyable.Working with the Performance Panel as afront-end to track creation, then using theextensive number of plug-ins (and access-ing my favorite third-party plug-ins), madethe system both efficient and just plainfun. I personally found the mechanism forselecting plug-ins to be a bit painful—itcould easily have been reduced to some-thing more efficient than the current multi-step selection system—but once I had myplug-ins selected, the editing, mixing andproduction environment all combine tomake a fun and productive musical envi-ronment.

And that plug-in collection is amazing.For new DAW users, I can imagine theplug-in set will provide virtually every sort ofsound one can imagine making, and awhole lot more. Once you are interested incustom sound design, the Alpha and Omnisamplers provide an easy way to do thatas well, opening even more creative doors.

ConclusionIn previous reviews, John Rossi III called

Mixcraft a sequencer “for the rest of us”. Ithink that, if you look closely, you’ll see thatthis is actually quite true: these modestly-priced packages are constantly improving,becoming as full-featured as any DAWwhile maintaining an accessible interface.

Mixcraft Pro Studio 7 is a strong playerin this area, providing a Windows-basedplatform for a variety of users: beginners,educators and budget-consciousrecordists/songwriters. By providing amultitude of ways to approach the soft-ware—as well as a start-of-the-art learningportal—Acoustica has taken this packageand made it a potential player for almostany DAW need.

Prices: Mixcraft 7, $89.95; Mixcraft ProStudio 7 (as reviewed), $164.95

More from: Acoustica, www.acoustica.com

Excerpted from the April edition of REcoRding Magazine 2016©2016 Music Maker Publications, inc. Reprinted with permission.5408 idylwild Trail, Boulder, co 80301 Tel: (303) 516-9118 Fax: (303) 516-9119 For Subscription Information, call: 1-954-653-3927 or www.recordingmag.com