There are few music production softwares
dedicated for home users nowadays, yet Steinberg Sequel 3 (Shopper 289)
made it and raised the higher barrier for the standard. The latest product of
Magix can be in comparison with that in feature terms. It has 64 tracks with 8
effect slots on each track, along with 8 virtual instruments which is a
warmly-welcomed improvement point compared with 48 tracks of Sequel with 3
effects for each track and 3 virtual instruments.
However, quality is much more important
than quantity. There is a new analogue synth named Lead Synthesizer, but its
controls and sounds bring no surprise at all as its name. Besides, it is
equipped with a new feature called Loop Designer. It reminds me of LoopMash,
which is already packed with Cubase.
Drum Engige has a normal approach to the
electronic drum sounds. They are the combination of its previous versions,
including LiViD, which offers the auto-accompanied drum performances along with
Vita, with its impressive and large orchestral as well as pop instrument
library.
However, after all, though the number of
Sequel’s instruments is obviously less than, they take advantages of their
quality. They benefit from a library of MIDI phrases; therefore, users can use
them immediately in case they doesn’t have a MIDI keyboard on their own.
Music Maker currently supports VST plug-ins
in order to diversify the built-in effects and virtual instruments. Two out of
8 effect slots per channel absolutely can be used for VST effects while the
rest are plugged firmly into the signal chain. Nevertheless, while Sequel can
only use VST3 plug-ins, of which there are seldom met, Music Maker can also
works with VST2 plug-ins, and ò which there are thousands of plug-ins.
The built-in loop library is another
impressive point. It isn’t large but well-organized according to genre and kind
of instruments as well as abnormally high quality towards a consumer software
package. We are familiar with mediocre sound library which can be completely
abandoned by people rich in experience, but library of Music Maker MX is
represented and recorded in high standard. Above all, the harmonic samples are
recorded at 7 pitches; it is not only pitch-switched but re-performed so that
they can be used to make chore sequences together.
Unfortunately, these features are down in
value due to neglect of details in the interface. Editing was completely
fastidious, along with chaotic snap-to-grid feature seldom does as our
expectation. Several of pop-up windows have to be closed before other sections
of the interface can be accessed; we even couldn’t click Stop button. Simple
tasks such as recording track, setting the start time, previewing loop in a
specific point of time or changing editing tools require more clicks than
usual.
And the most ominous issue, regardless long
experience of Magix with the music production softwares, it seemed to struggle
with sound card settings. As soon as our click on record button, a pop-up box
appeared along with a lengthy, complicated message about the dangers of not
using ASIO drivers – as well as those of using them. While we followed the
advice and chose ASIO driver, the result was frequent clicks along with a
tremendous lack of synchronization, with the existence of audio recordings half
a second later after the time we performed them. Returning with non-ASIO driver
and click record button let the message displayed “Cannot close Waveform Device
for recording! The specified device handle is invalid”. To our extreme
surprise, recordings kept going, but it is absolutely not what we expected
before expressing our heart into the microphone.
During testing with sound card setting, we
often witnessed the sample rate of the recording changed mysteriously; therefore,
it led to the pitch-switching in the whole track. Making a music production
software to work smoothly without a musician’s sound card – or even with sound
card – is not a piece of cake at all, but this system demanded an “internal
built-in sound card”. Magix needs to face with its challenge rather than let
the users fix these problems by themselves by using inelegant control,
especially what makes us distract from our creative process.
Magix
Music Maker MX 18.0 Multilanguage Screenshots
Summary
Comments:
Music Maker has several features for powerful music creating, but its interface
strongly decreases its value.
Music production software: Require Windows XP/Vista/7, 2GHz processor, 1GB RAM (2GB
recommended), 4.5GB disk capacity.
http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/software/1289617/magix-music-maker-mx
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Ratings
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Price
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$50
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Website
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www..co.uk
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