This software lets you do a lot more with MP3s files than just listening.
It can perform a lot of additional tasks that are described later in
detail.
The main product of an mp3 mixer is a long and perfect
performance. Whenever you need an extended play list of songs like...
- in the disco,
- at fashion shows
- for background music in shopping centers
- for playback performances
- etc...
...there is nothing that beats mp3.
You certainly know the problems. Either the needle of the turntable
jumped or CD started to repeat the same part over and over or the tape was
noisy or the minidisk was failing. Before mp3 there was simply no reliable
medium for that.
Mp3 is the perfect medium for live-performances. If you use a flash
player there is not even a moving part so almost nothing can disturb the
performance.
What are the interesting features of a mp3 mixing software?
- Make a play list of tracks. You can simply take any sound
file in the supported formats you want and put it somewhere on a time
axis.
- Adjust the level of your tracks. When you copy tracks from
different CDs you might have different levels. With your mp3 mixer you
can easily adjust the difference.
- Mix your tracks. You can perform different types of
transition from a simple cut to a sophisticated cross fade.
- Match the tempo. A good software even lets you match the
tempo of different songs without affecting the pitch. This is very
important for DJs when mixing a seamless performance.
- Match the pitch. Modern Software even lets you set the
pitch independent of the tempo. This might be an important feature
when 2 songs are slightly out of tune. It sounds very strange when you
use this feature too excessively.
- Play additional single sounds. You can add some single
sounds like a vocal sample or a special effect at any place in any
volume to your mix.
- Record the mix. You can record the mix or just parts of it
into a new sound file. A good program lets you choose the format and
quality of the final file.
Beside these basic functions there are also some additional
possibilities offered by mp3 mixers.
- Additional effects. There are compressors, flangers,
delays, equalizer, filters, etc...that you can apply to certain parts
or the whole mix.
- Looping. You can set looping points either by markers or on
the fly in order to loop parts of a track. Some software even lets you
loop a defined segment of your original loop like put it in half or
quarter or double it.
- Visual cue point finding. This is used either to find the
exact starting point of a tune or to make perfect loops.
- Additional hardware. Djs often don't like to work with the
Keyboard and the mouse alone. They want some additional hardware
to control the software and the music.
Some programs are more life oriented. They give a DJ an environment
he's used to. He can move the fader, push the buttons, switch the switches,
turn the tables, etc...just like a real performance in a disco.
The other part of software is more for the composer, arranger,
that steadily builds his mixes. The more sophisticated mp3 mixer in this
category like Sonic Foundry's Acid
are real composition tools and let you even make complete remixes like
in a recording studio.
Mp3 Mixer