Free doesn’t always mean low quality. And while the big boys continue to peddle their expensive wares, there are a small number of outfits who do this stuff out of pure love. Mixxx is one such product — it’s bee around for a good while now, and while lacking the financial backing to make everything happen, v1.11.0 has been released with a heap of new high level features.
To understand what Mixxx is all about, I urge you to go to the press page and read the history. This will give you an understanding of exactly where the team is coming from, and importantly that this isn’t your average software. As open source, users are actively encouraged to get involved to make Mixxx better with every release.
To bullet point what Mixxx offers:
- Cross-platform (Windows XP/Vista/7/8, Mac OS X, Linux)
- Free and open source (GPL v2)
- Parallel or split scratchable waveform displays
- Waveform summaries
- Spinning vinyl widgets
- MP3, OGG, WAVE, M4A / AAC, and FLAC playback
- Extra playback formats through plugins
- Fast, database-powered library
- Shoutcast and Icecast broadcasting
- Microphone Support
- Automatic crossfading with Auto DJ
- Crates and playlists
- Reads iTunes, Traktor, and Rhythmbox libraries
- Pitch-independent time stretch (key lock)
- Vinyl emulation
- Quantized loops, hot cues, and beatloops
- Synchronization and auto-beatmatching
- 4 Sampler Decks
- Wave and Ogg recording with optional MP3 support.
- BPM detection and estimation
- Bulk BPM analysis
- Multichannel soundcard support (playback and capture)
- Headphone cueing with multiple soundcard support
- Adjustable EQ shelves
- Crossfader curve control
- Skinnable interface with 5 pixel-perfect skins bundled
- Advanced MIDI scripting engine
- Multiple simultaneous MIDI controllers
- Adjustable pitch range
- Ramping pitchbend controls
- Multi-core CPU support
- 24-bit/96000 Hz playback and capture
- Crystal clear audio
- Hardware video acceleration
And the list of supported controllers is endless. So as you can see, they’re not messing around with Mixxx. It is proper and almost complete DJ software, and I’ll address that comment later.
So what of the new features? It’s a very long list, but most definitely not padded out with filler:
- Colored, 3-band Waveforms
- Don’t miss a beat. These waveforms make every kick, snare, and thumping beat stand out.
- Brand New Beat Detector
- With a brand new beat detection system based on the latest academic research at Queen Mary University, Mixxx’s beat detection is now deadly accurate. This means your loops, hotcues, and beatsyncing will be spot-on.
- HID and Bulk Controller Support
- Mixxx now supports non-MIDI devices using its powerful scripting system.
- Mixxx 1.11.0 comes with HID presets for the following devices:
- EKS Otus
- Traktor Kontrol F1
- Hercules DJ Console Mk1
- Hercules DJ Console Mk2
- Hercules DJ Control MP3 e2 (driver no longer necessary on Linux)
- Nintendo Wiimote
- Pioneer CDJ 850/900/2000
- Sony SixxAxis
- Session History
- Whether you need to report your setlists to ASCAP or just remember the tracks you played last night, the new Session History feature keeps track of every tune you drop so that you don’t have to.
- Beatloop Rolls
- This stunning new effect works just like a beatloop except when you release the button the deck jumps to where it would have been if you hadn’t started the loop. Try it out by right-clicking on a beat-loop button.
- Preview Deck
- A highly-requested feature, the new preview deck allows you to preview tracks in your headphones without having to load them into a main deck. Just click preview on any track in the library and it will start to play in your headphones.
- Advanced Search
- The library search box received some much-needed love. Try out these example queries:
- bpm:100-120 rating:>4
- All tracks between 100 and 120BPM with rating greater than 4.
- artist:”Aphex Twin”
- All tracks with “Aphex Twin” in the artist column.
- genre:electro bpm:>115
- All Electro tracks with BPM greater than 115.
- For full details, see the Mixxx manual.
- Improved AutoDJ
- Now you can customize the crossfade period, re-queue tracks instead of removing, and more.
- Point-and-Click MIDI Mapping
- Getting your controller mapped is now easier than ever. Just click on the button or knob you want to map in Mixxx and then wiggle the control on your MIDI controller to wire it up.
- New Sample Grid skin
- With 16 sample decks, this skin is perfect for radio DJs and advanced beat-jugglers alike.
- Time Widgets
- Skins now show the time so you can keep your eye on the clock while in full-screen.
- Sample Deck Improvements
- Sample decks now have sync buttons.
- When there is room skins now include more sample decks.
- New and Improved User Manual
- Not sure what that knob does? Read the fine manual!
- New Controller Support
- Mixxx Certified Support
- Allen & Heath Xone K2
- EKS Otus
- Keith McMillen Instruments QuNeo
- Vestax VCI-400
- Mixxx Community Support
- Akai LPD8
- American Audio VMS2
- Behringer BCD2000
- DJ-Tech CDJ-101
- DJ-Tech DJM-101
- DJ-Tech Mixer One
- DJ-Tech Kontrol One
- Gemini FirstMix
- Hercules DJ Console Mk1
- Hercules DJ Console 4-Mx
- Hercules DJ Control AIR
- Hercules DJ Control Instinct
- Kontrol Dj KDJ500
- Korg nanoKONTROL
- Korg nanoKONTROL 2
- Korg nanoPAD2
- MixVibes U-Mix Control 2
- MixVibes U-Mix Control Pro 2
- Nintendo Wiimote
- Novation Dicer
- Novation Launchpad
- Numark DJ2Go
- Numark MIXTRACK Pro
- Numark N4
- Numark Omni Control
- Numark V7
- Reloop Terminal Mix 4
- Sony Sixxaxis
- Traktor Kontrol F1
- Vestax VCI-100 3DEX Edition
- Vestax VCI-300
- Other Highlights
- Hamster / Reverse mode for the crossfader now supported.
- Track analyzer has better prioritization of work and feedback.
- Controller presets now include wiki/forum links, authorship info and a description.
- The View menu toggles for skin elements (Vinyl Control, Microphone, Samplers, etc.)
- View settings are now saved across restarts.
- New latch mode for microphone talk-over button and kill switches.
- Removed tracks now appear in the “Hidden Tracks” section of the library.
- Locale selectable via preferences.
- MixVibes support for Vinyl Control.
- Quick Links section in Browse mode allows you to save favorite browse locations.
- The –controllerDebug command-line option auto-reloads controller scripts when they change.
Going back to my “almost complete” comment. When I say almost, at this time the effects engine is woefully inadequate. The team have clearly spent time on a lot of key features, but seem to have left the effects engine on a back burner. For me, if Mixxx is ever to move beyond being open source free software, it needs more effects as an absolute priority. I know it’s incredibly daunting to be faced with the combined 1-2 of Traktor and Serato’s iZotope effects superiority, but this just shows how important a feature is it to users. Actually, calling it a feature is a disservice — effects are as important as loops, hot cues and any other essential DJ tool.
So given that you’ve got a truly cross-platform piece of DJ software, complete with 99% of everything you could possibly want, and all for free, I can’t find anything to really moan about. I ponder the future of Mixxx, and really hope that they can shape what they have into a compelling product for manufacturers to bundle with their assorted hardware offerings.
As we at DJWORX continue to root for the underdog, We’ll be doing what we can to assist them to get to where they ant to be, and also to help shape Mixxx into a real player in the DJ software industry that can generate some sort of income to allow it to develop and prosper. One last thing — there’s only so long you can go with v1. At some point, you have to draw the line and jump to the next version, and an effects engine is most probably that line.