Mixer4 Quick Start Guide for Linux ---------------------------------- by Grekim Jennings Installation: ------------- Untar the Mixer4.tar file in a directory of your choice. Use the command: tar -xf Mixer4_Linux.tar Included in the tar file is the Mixer4 binary, the manual, 3 text files (described below) that Mixer4 will read when the application is run, plus an application to help you set up complex mixes, and finally some eq and compressor templates. Nothing permanent is added to your system and all these files are very small. To uninstall, simply delete all the files. Because it is so small, the Mixer4 executable can be copied to the directory you want to work in. Additionally, like any other application, you can copy it (with administrative priviledges) to an application directory such as /usr/bin. When running Mixer4 from the project folder you will need to type ./mixer4_32bit, for example. If placed in /usr/bin you do not need to type ./ but simply mixer4_32bit. Feel free to rename or remove _32 bit or _64 bit parts of the application name. Basics: ------- Although you cannot hear the audio until it is processed by the program, it normally works at a speed many times faster (20x or better) than the length of the song itself. A mode called preview mode allows you to greatly speed this processing time up by only working on a portion of the song at a time. After the processing is complete, a mix file is created which may be opened in any wave player. Some wave players can be launched by Mixer4 automatically. There are 3 text files that control Mixer4. A preferences file called prefs.txt must be in your working directory. It will tell the application where you want output files to go, start and stop times for the current mix, and many options. The program is set to run with default settings so generally you only need to add options to the preferences file when you actually want to change something. Each project has it's own prefs.txt file which you can copy from project to project. The faders.txt file is used to adjust volume, pan, and effect settings. The tracks.txt file holds the list of the audio files in your project and allows some solo and mute capability. You'll probably want to keep both the faders.txt file and the tracks.txt file in your working directory as well. But, you can load them as command line arguments if you want to change what they are named or where they are located, or run multiple instances of Mixer4 in a script. Please note, do not work with a text format other than plain text. Rich text or .odt, for example, contain formatting that make the data unreadable by Mixer4. Gedit, Emacs, Leafpad, and Nano are all good choices and have been tested. Although not fully tested, it should be possible to use a spreadsheet application for the faders.txt file, but you still need to open and save as .txt and use tab separations. Let's Mix Something! ------------------- The included text files are almost ready to mix 3 tracks (the limit is 127). Copy or move three 16 or 24-bit wave files (mono or stereo) into the project directory. Open the tracks.txt file and change the names in the list to the names of your audio files. It is important to keep the format of the tracks.txt file: (1) Begin a line with a number and then type a space. (2) After the space, type the name of your audio file. (3) Type another space and then a + sign. Add two more audio files on the next two lines. Save the text file. For example, 1 guitar.wav + 2 oboe.wav + 3 cowbell.wav + The numbers before the track names are for your reference, but are also necessary as part of the format unless changed in the preferences. A plus sign means add the audio file to the mix. To prevent an audio file from being added to the mix (to mute it), put a minus sign or any other symbol instead of a plus sign. Be sure to save any changes in the text files your are editing before running the mixer! Double check that you have the wave files, the faders.txt file, the prefs.txt file, and the tracks.txt file all in the project directory. You may then run the Mixer4 application from the terminal. Again, if you placed the program in /usr/bin or a known path, just type "mixer4". If you copied the program to your project folder, type "./mixer4". A file will be created that begins with stats that will also tell you what your volume peaks were in case you are not running from the terminal or wish to review statistics on levels at a later date. A file called MixFileName.wav should appear in your directory. You can change the name of the output file by opening faders.txt file. The first line of this file is the name that will become the mix filename (the .wav extension will be added by the program). How do I hear it? ----------------- The output wave files are playable in any wave player. Beginning in version 1.131, the launch command (see "Playback" in the manual) can be used to start playback in a command line type of wave player. My Waveplayer utility is designed for this task and playback can begin nearly instantly after the mix finishes. Make Some Changes ----------------- Open up the faders.txt file. Please keep to the format: (1) Output/mix file name at the top (2) Tabs between all parameters (3) A line starting with "t" is a time entry in minutes, seconds, and milliseconds all tab separated. You must have a time zero entry: t 0 0 0 Below this are your initial volume settings. Lines starting with "v" are for volume. For example, v 1 -4 The number after "v" is the channel number you are adjusting and it is based solely on the order of your source files in the track list. In other words, the first file in your track list is automatically hooked up to channel 1 of the mixer. The 2nd file is hooked up to channel 2, etc. After the channel number is the volume in dB, in this case -4 dB. Try lowering the volume of one of the channels using your text editor, then save the faders.txt file and run the mixer again. Similarly, make an adjustment to the pan settings. Lines starting with "p" are for pans. The values can range from -100 which is full left to 100 which is full right. Zero is center. Finally, try adding a new volume at 10 seconds into the song by entering t 0 10 0 On the next line enter a volume change by entering v 1 -9 Save the file and run the mixer. You should hear the volume of the first track of your list drop in volume at 10 seconds into the mix. Try Preview Mode ---------------- Open the prefs.txt file. Change "off" to "on" in the first line. You may change the values after start to the minutes, seconds, and milliseconds respectively, for the point where you wish the preview to start. The number after "length" is the length of the preview in seconds. Save the file and run Mixer4. The output will now be a file called "preview.wav". This allows you to work on sections of your mix and speed up workflow. As you would expect, the time entries in the faders.txt file are absolute such that if you have a volume change at 20 seconds and the preview starts at 15 seconds, the volume change will be heard 5 seconds into your preview file. Workflow Suggestions for Automation: ----------------------------------- Generally, tracks need volume changes when a song part changes such as a verse to a chorus. Note the times when the parts change and enter them into the faders.txt file. Consider using these time values as approximate starting points for when you run in preview mode. If you are working with music that has been recorded to a metronome, you may prefer to work with a measures-beats-ticks time base. Refer to the manual for how to set the tempo and change to this mode. Also, above a time entry you may enter a note for your reference like "chorus2" You can enter any text you want that is not a Mixer4 command. Using the Fader Generator Application: -------------------------------------- The Fader Generator utility can be used to easily create a faders.txt file for as complex an initial setup as you wish. You can add effects such as eq and compression manually, but it is probably easier for a beginner to do it using the fader generator. Or, even if not using effects, but you have a project with many tracks, then the Fader Generator will generate settings for up to 127 tracks with initial conditions of your choosing. Please be aware any existing faders.txt file in the same directory as the Fader Generator will be overwritten (there is a warning)! So rename or move faders.txt files that you want to save before running the Fader Generator. Or better yet, run the Fader Generator in a different directory. Note that effects will be bypassed initially because of the parenthesis around the commands. Remove them to activate the effects. Customization: -------------- Things you can change include: Time entries in measures-beats-ticks instead of min-sec-msec. How much text is outputted to the console when the program runs. Volumes in an intuitive scale of 0-256 instead of decibels. A simpler way of entering the track list. Playback modes (such as play once or start an interactive mode) Directories for output files Tips about Effects: ------------------- Mixer4 scans through the fader file looking for key words. If you want to bypass an effect, simply disguise the key words by putting parenthesis around the key word or something like a "." or an "x" in front of the command. Keep separate text files to store your favorite effect presets. Then just copy from your preset file and paste into your working project. Technical Support: ------------------ There is a lot to learn in the manual. Please check it out But also, feel free to contact me for technical support at mixer4 at acousticrefuge dot com.