The Basics Part 2 – Using the Mixer and Playlist

The following tutorial will introduce the Playlist and the Mixer

Playlist
Before you use the playlist, you should know how to store multiple patterns. At the top of the program next to the tempo, you should see a box with “Pat” under it (image below). It should say 1 right now – you can click this and move your mouse above it and it will go to the next patterns. You can make as many was you want. You can also select different patterns in the playlist, simply by clicking “Pattern 1″…”Pattern 2″… Etc.

To bring up the playlist, click the button highlighted in purple:

Make sure you have the paintbrush tool selected in the playlist window, and just click to the right of where each pattern is listed, again left click to add, right click to erase. You can put the patterns on top of each other to make them play at the same time. Go ahead and try this with a few different patterns. To hear the patterns as they are arranged in the playlist, make sure you check “Song” at the very top, to the left of the play button, otherwise only the selected pattern will play.

You can zoom with the zoom tool, or use the little boxes at the top right .

The area in the top is where you will see clips if you decide to add any. You can literally drag a clip from a folder in your computer to the box up there and it will be inputted in the playlist.

You can also adjust the snap settings with the snap tool – basically it changes the way you drag the patterns around.

This is essentailly everything you need to know about the playlist. It is straightforward.

Mixer

The mixer is very important in production. This is where you’re gonna get all your levels right, apply reverb, compression, etc. To bring up the mixer hit the button highlighted in red:

The red is the insert that you are using. You can link specific sample(s) to each insert and then edit them individually. This is important in EQing, and also allows you add effects to specific patches easily.

The area in the yellow box is where you can EQ. Here you can change the highs, mids, and lows, as well as the shapes of your alterations. You can also change the axis and volume.

The area in green is where you add effects or plug ins to your insert. Click the drop down and select from the list provided. You can add more (check the VST article). If you click the little green buttons it will mute the effect. The knob next to the green button will change the degree the effect changes your sample (sorta like the volume of the effect).

The area in purple under the insert is where you can change the panning of the volume of a specific insert.