Xara Music Studio - 2013 Instruction Manual
2
Copyright
This documentation is protected by law. All rights, especially the right to duplicate,
circulate, and translate, are reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in the form of copies, microfilms or
other processes, or transmitted into a language used for machines, especially data
processing machines, without the express written consent of the publisher.
All copyrights reserved.
All other product names are trademarks of the corresponding manufacturers. Errors in
and changes to the contents as well as program modifications reserved.
Copyright © MAGIX Software GmbH, 1994-2012. All rights reserved.
MAGIX, Samplitude, Hybrid Audio Engine are registered trademarks of MAGIX
Software GmbH.
This product uses MAGIX patented technology (USP 6,518,492).
VST and ASIO are registered trademarks of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.
Other mentioned product names may be registered trademarks of the respective
manufacturer.
www.magix.com
Preface 3
Preface
Congratulations on your purchase of Samplitude Music Studio 2013!
Creating your own music or video soundtracks in a home studio has become more
and more popular. But the wide variety of available equipment and software often
confuses both beginner and professional musicians alike. You may find yourself
asking questions like "What do I really need?", or "What's the best value for my
money?"
Samplitude Music Studio 2013 is the perfect solution: Fast and easy-to-handle music
production on your PC, from recording to mastering. Transform your PC into a
complete sound studio.
All you need to produce and arrange in high-quality is a conventional sound card, but
additional studio equipment can easily be added.
The following pages will introduce to you in detail the various functions and
possibilities offered by Samplitude Music Studio 2013.
Have fun with Samplitude Music Studio 2013.
Your MAGIX team
Restrictions to this version
Note: MAGIX Music Studio is a restricted version of "Samplitude Music Studio".
The following information refers to the full feature set in Samplitude Music Studio.
The following features are either limited or not available in MAGIX Music Studio:
• Fewer tracks: 64 maximum
• No submix/AUX busses
• Lower sample rates: up to 48 kHz
• Fewer plugins per object (2), track (2) and master (2)
• Input/Output limited to 2
• Only 2 essentialFX (VocalStrip + Compressor)
• No MR-64 multitrack recorder
• No print function in the Score editor
• Limited number of export formats
• No sample content
• Only one Vita Solo Instrument ("Century Keys")
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Table of Contents
Copyright 2
Preface 3
Support 14
Introduction 16
What is Samplitude Music Studio 2013? 16
What’s new in Samplitude Music Studio 2013? 17
The features 18
Tutorial 21
Step-by-step mode 21
Switch workspace 31
Recording in the Arranger 31
Integrate audio material 33
VIP and wave projects 34
Arranging MAGIX Soundpool loops 35
Add synthesizers 38
Edit objects 38
MIDI recordings 40
Edit MIDI 42
Effects 46
Burn CD 48
Program desktop overview 49
VIP window 49
Managers/Docker 50
Docking 51
Transport control 53
Track Editor 55
Track box 58
Symbol bars 59
Workspaces 64
Functional overview 65
Objects 65
Ranges 75
Wave projects 78
Marker 79
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Table of Contents 5
Volume 80
Output mode 80
Record 81
Folder tracks 84
Tips & tricks 85
Mouse functions and mouse modes 88
Universal mode 88
Range mode (safe mode) 90
Curve mode 90
Curves / Object mode 91
Cut mode 91
Pitchshift / Timestretch mode 91
Draw volume mode 92
Draw panorama mode 92
Wave edit mode (only wave projects) 92
Scrub mouse mode 92
Color mode 93
Zoom mode 94
Effects and effect plug-ins 95
What effects are there, and how are they used? 95
Saving effect parameters (preset mechanism) 96
"Sound FX" (object editor, mixer channels, Mixmaster) 97
Parametric equalizer (track effects, mixer channels, Mixmaster) 101
MAGIX Mastering Suite 102
Vintage Effects Suite (track effects, mixer channels, mix master) 107
essential FX 120
Vandal SE 131
Analogue Modelling Suite: AM-Track SE 136
Track dynamics 142
Track delay/reverb (track effects) 144
Elastic Audio Easy 144
Automation 153
Automation – context menu 153
Automation modes 155
VST plug-in/VST parameters dialog 156
Recording automation in "Read" mode 156
"Draw" mode 157
Edit automation curves 157
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Move automation curve with audio/MIDI data 158
Mixer 159
Overview 159
Operating the mixer 160
Channel strips 162
Master section 164
Global settings 165
Buses and routing 167
Embedding external effects devices 168
Tips and tricks 168
MIDI in Samplitude Music Studio 2013 169
What is MIDI? 169
Connect external equipment 169
Convert MIDI objects into audio files 170
MIDI settings 171
MIDI: Import, record, edit 171
MIDI object editor 174
Step recording via keyboard or controller keyboard 176
MIDI editor 177
Software / VST instruments 211
Installing VST plug-ins 211
Load instruments 213
Loading routing settings with software instruments 214
Load effects plug-ins 215
Route MIDI instrument inputs 217
Instruments with multi-channel outputs 218
Adjust instrument parameters 218
Play and monitor instruments live 220
Routing VST instruments using the VSTi manager 222
Preset management 223
Freezing instruments (freeze) 223
Tips on handling virtual instruments 224
ReWire 225
Tempo editing 227
Tempo and time signature changes in the tempo map... 227
Tempo markers 228
Tempo Map Modes: BPM Mode / Grid Fit Mode 229
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Table of Contents 7
Tempo Change: BPM Marker 230
Time Signature Marker 230
Grid Position Marker 231
Grid Tapping 231
Tempo Map Dialog 232
Tempo and Time Signature Dialog 234
Manipulating the Tempo Marker in Timestretch Mouse Mode 234
Synth objects 236
Working method 236
Note for users of older versions of MAGIX Music Studio 237
Atmos 238
BeatBox 2 plus 238
Loop Designer 250
LiViD - Little Virtual Drummer 254
Robota 255
Vita 263
Revolta 2 265
Additional Vita Solo synthesizers 267
Surround sound 269
Surround panorama module 269
Stereo and mono signal processing with twin-channel Surround 271
Automation of twin-channel Surround 272
Synchronization 274
Synchronization formats 274
Synchronization / Synchronization settings 276
Burning CDs 279
Writing 279
Burning CDs in Samplitude Music Studio 2013 279
DSP display 281
Tools and wizards 282
Load audio CD track(s) 282
Crossfade Editor 284
Waveform generator 285
Remix Agent 287
Harmony Agent 293
Track settings 295
Managers 297
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SMPTE Generator 306
Solo JamSession 307
Timestretch patcher 311
File menu 313
New Virtual Project (VIP) 313
Open 315
Load / Import 316
Save 318
Save project as 319
Save project as template 319
Save object 319
Save session 319
Export 319
Internet 323
Trackbouncing (internal mixdown) 326
Range trackbouncing 328
MIDI bouncing 328
Rename project 329
Clean up 329
Close project 331
Project properties 332
Program Preferences 336
Exit 339
Recently opened files 339
Edit Menu 340
Undo 340
Redo 340
Undo List 341
Mouse mode 341
Object mode 342
Copy 342
Cut 342
Split 343
Insert 344
Delete 345
Silence 345
Tempo 346
Range 346
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Table of Contents 9
Crossfade 351
Track menu 353
Insert new tracks 353
Copy track(s) 354
Insert track(s) 354
Delete track(s) 355
Track type 355
Input 355
Track size 355
Track Freeze 355
Track effect settings 357
Track information 357
More 357
Object menu 362
Object editor 362
MIDI editor 362
Wave editing 362
New MIDI object 363
New MIDI object in the range 363
New synth object 363
Edit 363
Quantization 366
Object effects 368
Select objects 378
Groups 379
Move object 379
Snap point (Hotspot) 381
Object color / name 381
Tempo and beat recognition 381
Harmony Agent 381
Harmony display 382
audioid 382
Time Stretch/Pitch Shift Patcher... 382
Playback / Record menu 384
Play once 384
Play loop 384
Play in range 384
Play with preload 384
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Play only selected objects 384
Restart playback 385
Stop 385
Stop and go to current position 385
Playback mode 385
Playback options 386
Record 387
Record mode / Punch in 388
Record options 389
Monitoring 392
Move Play Cursor 393
Marker 394
Solo JamSession 396
MIDI record modes 396
MIDI panic – All notes off 397
Automation menu 397
First entries in the automation context menu 397
Editing curves 397
Delete all curves 398
Automation mode 398
Do not display automation 399
Display track automation (default setting) 399
Display selected curves only 399
Display unselected curves (cannot be activated) (Default setting) 399
Display unselected curves (can be activated) 399
Effects menu 400
Amplitude / Normalize 401
Dynamics 403
Frequency/Filter 405
Delay / Reverb 406
Time / Pitch 408
Distortion 411
Restoration 412
Stereo / Phase 413
Modulation / Special 415
Sample manipulation 418
Plug-ins 420
essential FX 421
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Table of Contents 11
MAGIX Plug-Ins 422
Waveform Generator 423
SMPTE Generator 423
Process only left (right) stereo channel 423
Process Effects Offline 423
CD menu 424
Load audio CD tracks 424
Make CD 424
Indices (Track markers) 424
CD track/index manager 426
CD disc options 427
Set pause time 427
CD arrange mode 427
Get CD info (freeDB Internet) 428
freeDB options 428
Show CD-R drive information 428
Show CD-R disc information 428
audioid 429
Menu view 430
Mixer 430
Multitrack recorder MR-64 430
Mastering Suite 430
Transport control 430
Time display 432
Visualization 433
Export tool 434
Managers/Docker 435
Manager 435
Track editor 435
Rebuild graphic data 435
Sections 436
Hide submix / AUX buses 436
Grid view 436
VIP display 437
Overview mode 438
Horizontal 438
Vertical 438
Cascade 438
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Tile 438
Untile 439
Window 439
Toolbars 439
The "Share" menu 441
Community upload 441
Use as background music 442
Add to music collection 442
Help menu 443
Help 443
Help index 443
Context help 443
Open PDF manual 443
Watch the introductory video 443
Online tutorials 443
About Samplitude Music Studio 2013 443
MAGIX auto-update 444
Open magix.info 444
Product registration 445
Download more instruments/Sounds/Soundpools 445
Screen transfer - MAGIX Screenshare 445
Restore original program settings 447
MP3 Encoder activation 447
Preset keyboard shortcuts 449
Mouse 449
General settings 449
System / Audio 449
Program 462
Edit keyboard shortcuts and menus 465
Design 469
Easy setup 472
Project options 473
General 473
Project Auto Save… 476
Mixer setup 477
Synchronization 477
Recording options 478
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Table of Contents 13
Varipitch/practice mode 480
If you still have questions 481
Tips for program help 481
System requirements 482
Uninstalling the program 482
Serial number 482
More about MAGIX 484
MAGIX Online World 484
magix.info 484
Soundpool DVD Collection 485
Index 486
14
Support
Dear MAGIX customer,
Our aim is to provide fast, convenient, solution-focused support at all times. To this
end, we offer a wide range of services:
• Unlimited web support:
As a registered MAGIX customer, you have unlimited access to web support
offered via the convenient MAGIX service portal on http://support.magix.net,
including an intelligent help assistant, high-quality FAQs, patches and user
reports that are constantly updated.
The only requirement for use is product registration at www.magix.com
• The online community, on-the-spot support and a platform for exchange:
MAGIX customers have free and unlimited access to the online community at
www.magix.info, which includes approx. 150,000 members and offers the
opportunity to ask members questions concerning MAGIX products as well as
use the search function to search for specific topics or answers. In addition to
questions & answers, the knowledge pool includes a glossary, video tutorials and
a discussion forum. The multiple experts, found round-the-clock at
www.magix.info guarantee quick answers, which sometimes come within
minutes of a question being posted.
• Email support for MAGIX products:
For every new MAGIX product you will receive, as of date purchase, 12 months of
email based customer service.
Premium email support:
For priority support, or if you want the MAGIX support team to help with nonMAGIX related hardware problems you can purchase a Premium email support
ticket. Log in at http://support.magix.net and click on "Purchase access code",
the ticket is for a specific problem, and is valid until it is solved, it is not restricted
to an email.
Please note: To be able to use the Premium email support and free product email
support via the Internet, you have to register your MAGIX product using the serial
number provided. This can be found on the CD case of your installation CD or on the
inside of the DVD box.
• Additional telephone service:
Besides the large number of free customer service offers, we also offer a feebased telephone customer service.
Here you can find a summary of our technical support telephone numbers:
http://support.magix.net/
Mail (Europe): MAGIX Development Support, P.O. Box 20 09 14, 01194 Dresden,
Germany
www.magix.com
Mail (North America): MAGIX Customer Service, 1105 Terminal Way #302, Reno,
NV 89502, USA
Please make sure you have the following information at hand:
• Program version
• Configuration details (operating system, processor, memory, hard drive, etc.),
sound card configuration (type, driver)
• Information regarding other audio software installed
MAGIX Sales Department
You can reach the MAGIX Sales Department workdays for help with the following
questions and problems:
• Orders
• Product consulting (pre-purchase)
• Upgrade requests
• Returns
Support 15
Europe
Monday - Friday, 09:00-16:00 GMT
U.K.: 0203 3189218
Denmark: 45 699 18763
Sweden: 46 852 500713
Finland: 35 89 42419023
Norway: 47 210 35843
North America
9 am to 4 pm EST Mon-Fri
Phone: 1-305-722-5810
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Introduction
What is Samplitude Music Studio 2013?
Samplitude Music Studio 2013 is a multitrack recording and editing application for all
types of audio material featuring unlimited editing options. It's easy to use and follows
three simple steps:
1. Download and record
You can download CD tracks, MP3 songs, wave files, video soundtracks, or sounds &
samples from the hard disk, the CD-ROM drive, or the Internet. You can even make
your own recordings from a stereo system or with a microphone. Everything you
download or record is displayed as an object on the Arranger's tracks.
2. Arrange and edit
Basically, all tracks stacked virtually above each other will be played simultaneously,
and everything that follows horizontally will be played in subsequent order. However,
you can mute the objects stacked above each other.
Every object – that is, every sound, every song – can be cut up or have effects added.
For example, if you want to shorten a song, move the object with your mouse to the
length at which you would like the song to be – done! Want to freshen up your
sound? Then open the equalizer and either select a preset that fits, or modify your
sound "by hand”.
Arranging and editing is essentially all about cutting, blending, adding, mixing effects,
and placing audio material into the right positions and into the right tracks. But it’s
also about play and experimentation. If it fits, throw it in! Without experimentation
there is no innovation. Samplitude Music Studio 2013 allows you to experiment, and
experiment wildly. There’s no risk of your audio material being damaged. All editing
functions are "non-destructive”.
Export and use
Regardless what you're experimenting with, in the end something usable should come
out of it. Samplitude Music Studio 2013 has everything you need to be productive:
• Homemade audio CDs which can be played by any standard CD player
• Unique MP3 collections, e.g. as a source of material for your MP3 player
• Podcasts: Simply export the project as a podcast and - if you want - publish it
online using MAGIX Podcast Service online (the MAGIX Podcast Service can be
reached via the "Online" menu.)
• And much more. The export principle is simply "what you hear is what you get".
That is, what you export sounds exactly as it sounded in the arrangement during
playback in Samplitude Music Studio 2013.
www.magix.com
Introduction 17
What’s new in Samplitude Music Studio 2013?
96 kHz
Thanks to the high, 96 kHz, sample rate, the signal is now measured 96000 times a
second, instead of 48000, like earlier. Together with the 32-bit rate, a much more
precise digitalization takes place, resulting in a high sound quality like in professional
productions.
128 tracks
With ambitious projects that works with track doubling, aux tracks, plug-ins, etc.,
track number sky-rockets pretty fast. The new version lets you arrange on 128 tracks
(instead of the 64 earlier) - enough space for the most complex multi-track projects.
4 Vita Solo instruments
The four new Vita Instruments, rock drums, string ensemble, bass machine and world
percussion, can be found as before via the "Synth"> "Vita" buttons.
Vita 2 sample player
In its 2nd version, Vita Sample Player has a new "Tube distortion" function, a new
user interface as well as more sounds:
• Rhodes: Rhodes clean / Rhodes Phaser / Rhodes smooth / Rhodes wah
• Ethno Percussion: DunDun / Framedrum / Gamelan Chimes / Sourdo / Tablas /
Drums / Udu African / Talking Drums
• More orchestral woodwinds: Piccolo / English Horn (each in two variations)
Additional improvements
• 5 essentialFX in a new skin (ChorusFlanger, Phaser, StereoDelay, Compressor,
VocalStrip)
• Guitar tuner
• Music Maker compatibility: Project files (*.mmm) from the latest MAGIX Music
Maker generation can be loaded without any problems.
• New Soundpool user interface
• Mastering Suite 4.0 with an integrated 6-band equalizer
• MIDI learn (in the mixer)
• Various detail improvements
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The features
The best possible sound quality
This feature is especially important to every music lover: Samplitude Music Studio
2013 offers unique sound quality for digital music editing.
• 100% sound neutrality: Benefit from Samplitude, professional audio software
that's been used for years in sound studios and radio & TV stations around the
world. Samplitude's unique feature is that the original sound of audio files is not
diminished by any specific audio discoloration, as is often the case with other
programs.
• 24-bit/48 kHz recordings: Your own recordings can be made with the correct
hardware in professional, high-quality, high-resolution 24-bit/48 kHz format.
• 32-bit floating point: Internal sound processing is executed via the 32-bit floating
point process for especially differentiated and high-quality calculation. This way,
the audio picture can be created with especially high dynamics. Digital distortion
and clipping is virtually impossible.
Formats and interfaces
Import: MIDI standard formats (MID, GM, GS, XG), WAV (24- & 32-bit), WAV with
codec, MP3, CD-A, OGG Vorbis, AIFF, FLAC, MOV.
Export: MIDI standard formats (MID), WAV (24-bit), WAV with codec, MP3, CD-A,
OGG Vorbis, AIFF, WMA, FLAC.
Synthesizers
Samplitude Music Studio 2013 comes with the following synthesizers that you can
play directly on your PC keyboard, via your mouse or with a MIDI keyboard:
• Vita: A sampler with incredibly realistic-sounding, "classical" instrumental
sounds like different guitars (Power chords, clean electric guitar, acoustic guitar,
bass guitar), different pianos, percussion, strings, brass, woodwinds (each as an
individual set & as an ensemble set), and much more.
• Beatbox 2: For computer beats and computer sounds
• LiVid (Little Virtual Drummer): For "real" acoustic drum tracks
• Drum Engine: Perfect drum sounds
• Robota: For "mean" electronic sounds
• Revolta 2: An analog, varied, and powerful-sounding 12-voice synthesizer
featuring a sound matrix, noise generator, and nine effect types. With this
synthesizer, you can create any electronic music you can imagine. The sound
presets were created by the sound designer for Access Virus and Rob Papen's
Albino.
• Lead Synth: "Analog modular" synthesizer
• Century Guitars: Authentic guitar sounds.
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Introduction 19
• Loop Designer: Cut loops yourself
• Atmos: For nature sounds or atmospheres like rain, thunder, or wind
Effects and effect plug-ins
Samplitude Music Studio 2013 offers the following effects and effect plug-ins:
• Equalizers: 10-band graphic and 4-band parametric
• Echo/Reverb + Room Simulator
• Vocoder
• Vandal SE: Authentic simulation of classic guitar effects, tube amplifiers, and
speakers.
• essentialFX: Basic effects for unique sounds (Stereo delay, chorus/flanger,
phaser)
• Vintage Effects Suite, consisting of chorus, flanger, analog delay, distortion,
filters, and the low-fi effect BitMachine.
• Mastering Suite 3.0, consisting of equalizer, vitalizer (stereo enhancer),
multiband compressor, and audio meter + limiter.
• Compressor with many presets such as limiter, Deesser, noise gate, expander, or
leveler and in different models, e.g. as the multiband compressor Multimax.
• Tape simulation: High-quality simulation of analog tape compression
• Stereo FX: For editing the stereo bandwidth
• Declipping: For eliminating digital clipping
• Timestretching/Resampling/Pitchshifting: For correcting pitch and length
• Elastic Audio easy: Dynamic pitch correction with harmonization (creates up to
four choir voices)
• AM-Track SE: High-quality tape machine sound emulation makes typical aspects
of the large, saturated sound characteristics of magnetic recordings a digitalquality reality.
Audio & MIDI
The MIDI format is extremely important in modern music production. You can use
MIDI files to control external devices such as synthesizers and samplers and internal
software audio generators such as VST plug-ins from your computer.
With Samplitude Music Studio 2013 you can arrange, load, record, edit, and play
MIDI data just as easily as audio data. For MIDI recordings and editing you can use
the specialized MIDI Editor with Piano Roll, Drum Editor, Velocity/Controller Editor
and Event List. Recording can be started directly from the arranger by setting the
recording mode in the track header to "MIDI record" or "Audio record".
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Multitrack recorder (MR-64)
The multitrack recorder (MR-64) looks like a hardware mixer and can also be
operated in the same way. In contrast to earlier mixers, now it can be opened using
the "View" menu in order to conduct multi-track recordings just like with a real mixing
board. The MR-64 unites the advantages of the analog look with digital technology:
realistic appearance, direct workflows, and familiar functionality.
Soundpool
A collection of loops is included, and many more can be found at Catooh. The loops
are categorized into "styles" (e.g. ambient, dance, hip hop, rock, etc.) and
"instruments" (e.g. drums, bass, guitars, etc.). The name of the loop file also informs
you about the kind of sound you can expect. Every loop can be previewed by clicking
it. Monitoring is adjusted to the loops in the arranger. For example, you can create and
play back a framework of bass and drums first, while the Soundpool manager
searches for suitable guitar sounds which are automatically adjusted to the rhythm of
the drum track and the pitch of the bass track during previewing. Every loop can be
loaded into the arranger by dragging it or by double clicking.
You can find the Soundpool Manager in the docker (or in the "View" menu >
"Manager").
Jam Session
The JamSession lets you create complete songs single-handedly. The program
simulates working with hardware "Looping delays", like, for example, the Gibson
Echoplex. The difference is that Samplitude Music Studio 2013 creates an
arrangement during "looping" which can later be edited and compiled into a
complete song. During a Jam Session, everything you do is recorded. The most
important thing with the Jam Session is the fun factor – there can never be too much
of it!
Activate "Solo Jam Session" via the "Playback" menu.
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Tutorial 21
Tutorial
In this chapter we will introduce the most important features of Samplitude Music
Studio 2013. You will learn how to create an arrangement with audio and MIDI as well
as the powers of both formats. You will also receive information about essential parts
of the program so that you can take advantage of all possibilities of Samplitude Music
Studio 2013.
Step-by-step mode
Samplitude Music Studio 2013 offers a step-by-step mode for beginners and users
who want to achieve results quickly. All major tasks when producing music in a virtual
recording studio are solved in five, clearly defined steps.
Recording: First, vocals and instruments are recorded on multiple tracks.
Editing: The recorded material is then edited, with a focus on cutting and arranging.
Mixing: The tracks are mixed, i.e. positioned within the volume and stereo panorama.
Mastering: In the end, the entire sound is edited with effects.
Export: After you have completed all stages, the next step is to "output" your
material, either as a classic audio CD or as a song file in MP3 or WAV format. Or you
can upload and publish your song directly on the Internet.
In what follows, we will present these five steps in more detail, because "Easy Mode"
offers the fastest start into the program.
22
Quick setup
After starting the program for the first time, the "Easy Setup" dialog appears. In this
dialog, you can specify which sound card configurations you would like to use. Usually
you will not have to change anything, because Samplitude Music Studio 2013
automatically selects the correct settings. If you are using several sound cards,
however, you can select the one you want to work with from the menu.
You can also set your plug-in directory for VST plug-ins and other elements.
The settings dialog appears only once when you start the program for the first time,
giving you the chance to check and adjust the settings of Samplitude Music Studio
2013. After that, you can open the dialog by pressing "y" on your keyboard (or via
"File" > "Program settings" > "System/Options").
• Beginners should not change the settings at all and simply click "OK".
www.magix.com
Start selection
The start dialog, which appears after every program start, opens:
Tutorial 23
In "Project settings", you can give your project a name (for example, the name of the
song you want to record) and specify the number of tracks and a track directory.
Everything can be changed at a later stage.
The main purpose of this dialog is to open a new or an existing project that was saved
previously. Since we are still at the beginning, we don't have any existing projects yet.
Therefore, we will create a new project:
• Click on "New project".
The interface will open in step-by-step mode with the "Recording" setting.
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Recording
In this view, you can do recordings via a connected microphone, for example.
It is recommended not to record an entire song at once, but to record the different
instruments and voices one after another on different tracks. For example, if you
wrote a song that you usually accompany with the guitar, you should record the guitar
without vocals first and then add the vocals later, in a second step. This has the
advantage of being able to entirely focus on one aspect, i.e. the instrument or vocals,
thereby improving recording quality.
The top area displays multiple empty tracks of your project, which are arranged one
below the other. The control panel for the recording is located below the tracks. The
large display, especially of the time display, enables better control of the recording.
This is useful, because as a singer or pianist, you do not want to have to look at the
screen continuously in order to follow the progress of the recording. Thanks to the
large display, a side glance from the distance is sufficient to see where the recording
stands.
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Tutorial 25
• You can activate background music via
Accompaniment. This function is more of a
gimmick and allows you to experiment! Let
yourself be inspired by the different
accompaniments to create your own
melodies.
• Metronome adds a regular clicking sound, which serves as a rhythmic orientation.
The sound should be output via headphones to ensure that it is not recorded. You
can select different speeds via the arrow keys.
• Practice Speed allows regular playback speed to be reduced. This way, you can
record at half speed and use the result with normal speed.
• Monitor lets you preview audio material and monitor it while recording. The level
displays what enters the sound card inputs. If it reaches the upper red range, the
input level is too high. In this case, you should reduce the input volume.
If you are ready to start your first test recording, click on the red "Record" button.
Samplitude Music Studio 2013 now starts recording and indicates this in the record
window by displaying a counter with the passed record time.
After recording is complete, an audio file with the recording appears in the top track.
Now you can record on other tracks. The red button to the left of every track displays
which track is currently being recorded. In the top picture this is track 2.
You can enable any track for recording by clicking with the mouse and then record on
any track.
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Editing
In the "Editing" view, the record field is deactivated and only the Arranger is visible.
Samplitude Music Studio 2013 offers almost unlimited possibilities for audio editing.
In step-by-step mode, the focus is one removing slight irregularities from the audio
material.
Let's just say you accidentally knocked the microphone against something while you
were singing and now your otherwise good recording is ruined because of the cracks.
Instead of using the cleaning effects from the effects menu, we can simply cut out the
crackling. This is the easiest and most effective method for removing isolated cracks.
• Play back your recording (the easiest way to do so is by using the spacebar on
your keyboard) and search for the section that you want to cut out.
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Tutorial 27
• You can move the playback marker in the bar ruler above the first track at any
time by clicking.
• If necessary, zoom into the display to get a better view of the waveform display.
To do so, use the horizontal and vertical zoom buttons located in the bottom
right-hand corner:
• Place the playback marker just before the crackling and press the "t" key on your
keyboard (or click on the "Scissors" symbol in the toolbar).
• Now place the playback marker just after the crackling and press the "t" key
again.
• Click on the isolated piece containing the crackling and delete it from the track.
Did you cut out too much by mistake? No problem: The object handles located at the
edges can be used to recover deleted material and vice versa, to remove bothersome
rests.
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• To do so, select the section you want to edit with the mouse.
• Move the mouse pointer exactly on top of the handle. After it has turned into a
double-arrow, you can move the front part to the right or to the left with the
mouse button held down – ideal for fine-tuning your cuts.
As mentioned before, Samplitude Music Studio 2013 offers many more editing
possibilities. We will discuss more options later. For now, we will leave it at this
simple editing exercise.
Mixing
The next area of the step-by-step mode opens the mixer. All other elements are
hidden to provide a better overview.
With the Mixer you can adjust and even automate the volume and panorama of the
recorded tracks. Furthermore, you can add effects and much more.
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Tutorial 29
• Adjust the volume of the individual tracks with the sliders in the lower part of the
mixer until you have a balanced result and every instrument in the song is
sufficiently accounted for.
• Take some time and experiment with the effects (Aux, Inserts, Sound FX,
Dynamics, EQ) on the individual tracks.
Mastering
The "Mastering" area of the step-by-step mode opens the Mastering Suite, which is
used to optimize the overall sound.
The Mastering Suite includes four devices, which are organized on top of each other
in an effects rack. Which device is used for what purpose?
Equalizer: For regulating the sound characteristics. You can set four frequency bands
separately in the graphical control panel.
Vitalizer: A stereo effects processor that allows you to change the stereo width. In
"Multiband mode" only the mids are edited.
Multimax: A multiband compressor for editing the volume and the sound impression.
Limiter: To prevent overmodulation.
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Export
After successfully passing through the four stages of the step-by-step mode, the
result is a first, perfect song. The last stage, "Export", is where you decide what you
want to do with your song.
There are four options to choose from:
Burn CD: An audio CD that can be played back on any CD player is the typical way of
exporting your song.
Save as WAV: An audio file in WAV format is the standard format for audio
productions. It can be played back with different software and on multiple devices and
features crystal-clear sound.
Save as MP3: MP3 is a space-saving alternative to WAV that can be played back
directly in the player.
Upload: This uploads the song directly to the Soundcloud or Facebook community.
This was intended as a first, quick overview of the step-by-step mode!
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