free mixing music pc software resources
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Freeware, shareware and demoware all provide musical software options that might not otherwise be available. To top is off, these programs are either free or inexpensive. Below is a categorized review of some of the options online today.
Sequencing - free mixing music pc software
Numerology
www.five12.com, Shareware $85, Mac compatible
What is it:
A modular sequencing studio, that excels as a performance sequencing instrument, yet also functions as a studio free mixing music pc software power tool
Features:
-Sequencer modules that are connected to construct a personal composition or performance setup.
-Sequencing machines control Audio Units instruments, effects and MIDI devices
-MIDI output can be recorded by and routed to a MIDI sequencer
-A collection of modules comprises a group and a session consists of a number of groups, all of which can be saved in one of the 64 presets
-Presets can be recalled manually or automatically in the Tracks view
-MIDI directly controls free mixing music pc software Numerology modules
Energy XT
www.xt-hq.com, Demoware £28, PC compatible
What is it:
energyXT is a true multi-task machine. It acts a fully-featured VST host, a live performance instrument, a MIDI processor and router, and an audio/MIDI multitrack sequencer free mixing music pc software construction kit.
Features:
-Connect VST instruments and effects to a MIDI and audio system
-Adds step sequencing to the VST filter plug-in
-Virtual modules and processors combine to create a studio
-Acts as a standalone rack of VST instruments
Tu2:
www.brambos.com, Shareware $35, PC compatible
What is it:
A sampling workstation geared toward creating free mixing music pc software samples and loops. It then assembles them into songs.
Features:
-Use Tu2’s instruments, step sequencers and effects to create your own sample
-Use up to 12 different samples in a single pattern
-Blend a more linear approach with standard pattern-based sequencing
Renoise
www.renoise.com, Shareware €50, PC and Mac compatible
What is it:
A traditional free mixing music pc software tracking tool that blends incorporates VST plug-ins and real-time MIDI control.
Features:
-Works well with external MIDI devices
-Good user interface with a proper blend of mouse-driven GUI and classic tracker keyboard
-Demo and tutorial songs
Multi-Track Audio Editing
HyperEngine-AV:
www.arboretum.com, Freeware, Mac compatible
What is it:
A ‘trackless’ audio editing that enables you to place audio clips anywhere on the free mixing music pc software arrange page.
Features:
-Each audio clip can have its own effects
-Effects applied during playback or rendered to a new file
-Special plug-in format only available for HyperEngine-AV
-Useful for assembling samples or making quick work-ups
Kristal:
www.kreatives.org, Freeware, PC compatible
What is it:
A 16-track digital audio workstation
Features:
-Handles sample rates up to 192kHz
-Uses 32-bit floating point processing
-Supports VST plug-ins
-Work nondestructively with audio parts that can be freely arranged, split, spliced and copied
Audacity:
www.audacity.sourceforge.net, Freeware, PC and Mac compatible
What is it:
A multitrack audio editor that’s compatible with a large number of file formats
Features:
-Each track can operate at a different sample rate
-Handles conversions during playback and mixing
-Offers DSP processing and VST plug-in effects
-Record 32-bit floating point audio files
-Export projects in standard 16-bit and 24-bit formats
Audio Processing - free mixing music pc software
Awave Audio:
www.fmjsoft.com, Demoware $50, PC compatible
What is it:
A batch processor that enables the application of DSP processing to a group of files
Features:
-Converts between a wide range of formats
-Handles high sample up to 192mHz
-Processing done at 32-bit floating point quality
Sample Manager:
www.audiofile-engineering.com, Shareware $70, PC compatible
What is it:
A batch processor of a variety of audio file formats through a simple interface
Features:
-Converts between many formats, including Acidized WAV to Apple Loops
-Broad range of DSP processing commands
-Bit and sample rate conversion
-Group mixing and assembly of files
SoX
http://sox.sourceforge.net, Freeware, Mac compatible
What is it:
A software utility developed as part of an open source initiative
Features:
-Shuns flashy GUI for command line operation
-Powerful in conjunction with OS X’s shell scripts or Windows’ batch command files
-Converts files from format to format
-Apply DSP processing
-Alter sample rates
-Change bit resolution
MIDI Tools
MIDI-OX & MIDI Yoke:
www.midiox.com, Shareware (MIDI-OX $49, MIDI Yoke $12), Free for non-commercial use, PC compatible
What is it:
A multi-function package free mixing music pc software that brings together a number of useful utilities
Features:
-Monitor shows MIDI activity on any port
-Software can play MIDI files
-Patchbay feature can filter messages and connect any input to any output
-Adds virtual MIDI ports to your system so that applications can pass MIDI information between each other
-Multi-client ports; up to 4 applications can send data to the same destination
MIDI Pipe
http://homepage.mac.com/nicowald/SubtleSoft, Freeware (donations requested), Mac compatible
What is it:
A programmable MIDI patchbay capable of filtering, processing and routing MIDI data
Features:
-MIDI file player
-On-screen virtual keyboard
-Create ‘pipes’ connecting input and output MIDI ports which can transform data
-The patchbay can run AppleScript routines to generate or process
MIDI
MIDI Monitor and SysEx Librarian
www.snoize.com, Freeware, Mac compatible
What is it:
A program that enables the viewing of MIDI data as if flows in and out of physical MIDI ports or between applications
Features:
-Choose which ports to display
-Capture SysEx messages sent by MIDI devices and save them as files
-Use SysEx Librarian to share MIDI data dumps
-Saves against common problems encountered when using a sequencer to update MIDI products
Plug-in Hosting
VSTHost and SaviHost:
www.hermannseib.com/english, Freeware, PC compatible
What is it:
Two co-mingled programs that run VST instruments without using a host sequencer
Features:
-Use software instruments for live performance
-Load multiple instruments to create layers
-SaviHost lets you copy it to your VST plug-ins folder and rename it the same as the instrument’s .dll file name
-Supports plug-in presets and banks
-On-screen mini-keyboard
MiniHost:
www.tobybear.de, Shareware $20, PC compatible
What is it?:
A features packed plug-in host
Features:
-External audio processing
-WAV file recording
-Step sequencer
-Control gater for modulating plug-in settings
-Preset randomizer
Rax:
www.grantedsw.com, Shareware $30, Mac compatible
What is it:
A plug-in host that lets you create a rack of software instruments and effects
Features:
-Mixer channels can each be assigned an instrument and effect plug-in
-Send up to eight send effect chains
-Control the rack with MIDI hardware or virtual ports
-Link MIDI control surface to plug-in controls
Sample Organization
Audio Finder:
www.iceaudio.com, Shareware $60, Mac compatible
What is it:
A program that will have a dramatic affect on your studio by locating, organizing and processing your audio files
Features:
-Browser view navigates the file structure
-Scanner view searches for all audio files; scans can be saved for recall later
-Drag files into the sequencer
-Process files with plug-ins and built-in functions
Loop Horse:
www.loophorse.com, Freeware, PC compatible
What is it:
A system to collect, copy, archive and delete sound files
Features:
-Can be limited to only display certain files
-Drag files to collect them to the copy list
-Audition candidates for the final selection
SampleCatalog:
www.geocities.com/samplecatalog, Freeware, PC compatible
What is it:
An organization tool that uses a catalog system to store descriptive information about each file
Features:
-Libraries can contain other libraries and sound files
-Place the same files in multiple libraries without duplicating the file
-File name and category search
-Create a collection of files and archive them to CD or DVD
Audio Tools
ASIO4ALL
www.asio4all.com, Freeware, PC compatible
What is it:
A low-latency, hardware independent ASIO driver
Features:
-Works on top of Windows instead of at the driver level
-Stable operation
-Easy removal when not required
JackTools
www.jackosx.xom, Freeware, Mac compatible
What is it:
A program to pipe audio from one program to another
Features:
-Record from software that does not have audio recording capability
-Manages connections between applications
-Manages connections to and from the soundcard
-Reduce latency by patching output directly to a soundcard output
Soundflower:
www.cycling74.com/products/soundflower.html, Freeware, Mac compatible
What is it:
A system using virtual audio buses to pass audio between applications
Features:
-Two CoreAudio drivers.
-Assign the dual-bus as the source program output driver to process the output of one program with another.
-Works like a mixing desk bus.
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