What is music mixing? Well, it’s the process of combining different sound sources together to make new sounds. You can use diverse musical instruments, voices, or any other type of sound to produce a melody. It’s the process of matching the most suitable sounds with the most appropriate sounds.
Music mixing is a task of combining tracks to a song. Music mixing is the practice of matching different music pieces on your computer; it can either be done live or by following previous editing methods. It also involves the control of audio levels and sound quality during playback. Mixing is commonly done on audio recording and sound reinforcement systems, such as for live shows. The music which you hear daily on the radio, in clubs and nightclubs; on many occasions it’ll be present some DJ’s who “mix” the music while playing along with this music.
Music mixing is a process of combining a number of sounds, a typical example being a song, to create a mixture or ‘collage’ of sound. Mixing can be performed either by an individual or a group of individuals known as sound engineers. Often the music producer will hand over their recordings to one of these engineers so they can finalize the product. In some cases, a solo artist may even decide to mix their track on their own.
Mixing music can be frustrating, especially if you aren’t sure where to start. First, you need to figure out what software you should be using. There are a lot of great pieces of music-mixing software, but not all of them might be right for you.
Mixxx
Mixxx is yet another open-source sound mixer software that has a few similar similarities to Audacity. This program is cross-platform compatible. Whether you’re an amateur or professional DJ, the program has a good set of features to facilitate an exciting experience. Also, with audio mixer software- Mixxx, you can use it freely without the need for extra software integration. But in a case where you have any external hardware, it supports a Midi control. More features you’ll find from Mixx include a wide range of real-time effects; records your creation in OGG, FLAC, ACC/M4A, WAV, or MP3, BPM integration which automatically sync the tempo of a couple of the songs, etc.
Supported Operating Systems: Windows, Mac OS
Pros:
– Easy broadcasting
– Has a built-in time stretching effects
Cons:
– Contain limited pre-bundled effects
Serato DJ FX Pack
We’re now going to have a look at Serato DJ FX Kit, which is a piece of software that is developed together with iZotope, which is a company that is amazing at what they do, which is audio technology. FX stands for ‘effects’, and Serato can really brag about some really good effects for music production!
One way to use these audio effects is chaining, where you load several FX into one unit. The audio will go from left to right moving through this chain of effects and this is an excellent way to make your music come to life and sound really cool, plus the possibilities are close to endless.
Serato DJ Pro makes it easy to apply effects to your different remix decks, and you can choose whether to use the same audio effects for all the remix decks or adapt them individually. It’s easy to add accurate rhythm effects and you can even tap the BPM (Beats per minute, meaning the tempo) manually so that you get it exactly as you want it.
One great thing about this music production software is that the basic program is easy to use and pretty, well, basic, which can be really good if you’re just starting out as a DJ. If you master the basic program and feel like you want to take it to the next level, there are expansion packs that you can download. Some of them are free and others cost money.
Remember the five tips about Ableton Live 10? The same guy has made a video about Serato, and this video is great for beginners. Check it out now! Serato DJ For Beginners – Top 5 Serato DJ Effects
Watch this video on YouTube
Pros:
+ Create amazing FX chains
+ Expansion packs available
+ Developed together with iZotope, for amazing audio effects
Audacity
Audacity is one of the commonly used sound mixer software that is both free and open source. It brags with its’ simple and easy-to-use user interface which auger well for both tech-savvy guys and novice individuals. However, contrary to the fact that this music mixing software is simple and easy to use, it comes with almost all the professional Supported Operating Systems in addition to mixing music tracks which include multi-track editing, live recording, ability to convert records and tapes to digital formats, noise and vocal reduction, and more.
Supported Operating Systems: Windows, Mac OS
Pros:
– The software is absolutely to use and open source.
– Cross-platform compatible.
– Available as a portable variant.
– Plug-in support.
Cons:
– The user interface is displayed quite to be dated and cluttered.
– A time it faces frequent crashes on Mac.
MAGIX Digital DJ 2
MAGIX Digital DJ is a good program for aspiring DJs who want software for Mac and PC that is pretty easy to use as long as you’re willing to spend some time in the beginning to learn it. It’s not super easy, it does take some work to get into, and therefore it’s probably best for somebody who knows that they will use it from time to time so that you don’t waste a lot of time learning it, never to use it again.
This program makes it easy to use songs from your music library on iTunes or music that you have saved on your computer, you just drag them to the right deck to aid with your musical creations. No matter if you want to simply play the music, remix it, or scratch, this software can do it without any extra hardware.
Pros:
+ Affordable
+ For Mac and PC
+ Basic DJ software
Apple Garageband
Garageband by Apple is an extremely popular DAW, especially among beginners. Extremely suitable for those in the starting stages of music, particularly younger ones or those who merely want to lay down some tracks and make some cool tunes. However, I have some friends who tour nationwide that still use Garageband just because of its simplicity and ease of use for recording. We’d go with this over Fruity Loops in terms of starting from scratch as your first DAW if you’re on a Mac.
What’s also special about this software is its got a very user-friendly interface that helps you visualize what you’re making — keyboard, synths, and percussion. It offers some pretty solid presets for vocal and guitar recording as well, although nothing too out of the ordinary. It does have a few good amps and effects for the guitar or mic. As a cool little additive, if you’re looking to learn how to play piano, it’s got a nice built-in lesson function for both pianos as well as guitar. It maps out the chords and explains what they are to help you get a better understanding of music theory. It supports your standard USB keyboard and gives you some loops built-in to mess around with (you can buy more through their app store), and there’s something called “Smart Controls” which is basically an interactive control of plug-ins — knobs, buttons, sliders, etc with images to really visualize what you’re doing behind the scenes.
Just an overall solid digital audio workstation for beginners, especially because it’s free. The way they monetize off of the software is basically purchased for more plug-ins, effects, and others; however, you can get away with what it comes with. A nice little touch is its compatibility with iPads if that’s what you’re looking for, a trend we’ve seen an increase in lately.
MAGIX Music Maker
Are you a beginner who wishes to start as a DJ, but also would like to be able to record and produce music? Do you want a program that is easy to use and specifically designed for people like you, with no DJ experience? Then Magix Music Maker is the DJ software for you! It’s like a hybrid between a DAW (the digital audio interface on a budget) and DJ software, and it will enable you to do whatever you like!
It comes with a lot of cool sounds, 8000 to be exact, and it features a wide range of virtual instruments and loops. It’s a really good software that is very easy to get started with and does it all.
If you want to try this program out properly before you buy it, there is a free version that you can start your music production off with, which will give you a feeling of what it’s all about and might make you want to purchase the full version.
Pros:
+ DAW and DJ software
+ Great for beginners
+ 8000 sounds
+ Free version available
MixPad
MixPad comes in the third spot of the music mixing software of this list which is only free for non-commercial use. Once you are in possession of this program you have the liberty of how to make a music mix from audio, music, vocal tracks, and as well concurrently record single or multiple tracks at the same time. Furthermore, MixPad offers free sound effects and a music library which are readily available for use at any instant. More actions you can execute with this utility include using a built-in metronome, adding instruments and effects through VST plugins, either mix to .mp3 or Burn to a disc.
Supported Operating Systems: Windows, Mac OS
Pros:
– Supports sample rate from 6-96 kHz.
– Has very low latency.
– Enables you to upload mixed music directly to Sound Cloud, Dropbox, or Google Drive.
Cons:
– Limited features for non-commercial version.
Price: Version dependent
Logic Pro X
Obviously, Logic Pro X will not slip away from any list of creative music mixers for Mac. We could have made this the first choice on the list for being Apple’s DAW, however, it’s only supported by Mac OS and this slices its accessibility by some folds because not every DJ has got Mac OS. It comes with all the basic tools you’ll expect from audio mixer software. More importantly, it instantly matches the timing of different tracks while mixing with the aid of “Smart Tempo”. Logic Pro X supports wide a range of audio formats like CAF, AIFF, WAV, MP3 among others.
Supported Operating Systems: Mac OS
Pros:
– It’s rich with features and contains a variety of plugins.
– Comes with a ton of tutorials.
Cons:
- Its a bit expensive.
eJay DJ Mix Station
Finally, we’re going to finish with a piece of software that doesn’t require any additional hardware, you can just use the software on your PC or laptop and you’re good to go! This is the kind of program you would buy if you’re having or going to a party and you want to try what it’s like to be a DJ, but you don’t want to purchase any real DJ equipment or fancy software that will cost a lot of money.
It has everything you need to have fun with your music, and you can even record your own samples to personalize it even further. And you can, of course, add scratching audio effects to make it perfect.
Pros:
+ Good for total beginners
+ Cheap
+ Fun to play around with
Conclusion
There are many ways to create music, so, in essence, there are different mixing methods. Mixing is somewhat of an art form, but it is also relative to the equipment used. Recording techniques, instruments used, microphones used — all these factors play a part in how a song should sound.