Mixtikl; add on Paks; inline editing of Noatikl and Partikl “parts”
December 23rd, 2009 by Tim ColeWe were recently asked a couple of sensible questions about 1) how to create add on Paks for Mixtikl for iPhone, and 2) whether Mixtikl for iPhone would ever support or include Noatikl or Partikl editors.
1) Creating add on Paks of content for Mixtikl for iPhone (or any Mixtikl version).
Add on content Paks are just collections of content files that have been zipped with certain path information, and in some cases various supplementary files e.g. text-based meta files to let Mixtikl know what tempo and pitch the loops are at for when you mix them into a mix at a different pitch and tempo.
The only things you need for creating add on Paks is a utility to create zip files, the content you want to use in Mixtikl, and a text editor if you want to create meta files. Creating Paks is therefore best done on a desktop computer, as that is where you are likely to have all the source content files you will be wanting to use, and where you will create your meta files (as required).
Full details on how to create zipped Paks is given here.
For most people, if you already have some suitably licenced audio or MIDI loops, then you are in business right away!
For those who want to create and use your own Partikl or Noatikl files, then you will need to use our desktop editors (more on that below).
2) Will Mixtikl for iPhone (or other mobile versions) ever support or include Noatikl or Partikl editors?
We develop and price tools according to their function, application and platform: we have a “toolchain” approach.
All versions of Mixtikl include both Partikl and Noatikl runtime engines, this is so that Partikl and Noatikl content can play in any version of Mixtikl.
Yes, Mixtikl can play and (to a degree) sequence audio loops and generative content (templates we call “parts”), but when it comes to the generative content, the runtime engines create the music live from the rules and settings in the parts that the user has chosen to add to the mix, so Mixtikl is not just a simple file player. It is a music generator! That said, we know that you cannot currently customise the parts, but more on that later.
All versions of Mixtikl include the Partikl FX Editor (a subset of the full Partikl Editor) so that you can create and edit FX, the settings of which are stored as vector audio in mix files. But, only the Desktop version includes the full (and complex) Partikl Editor, and this is the tool you would use to create new Partikl files (which can be converted to vector audio, but which can also be very big).
Partikl files comprise MIDI based/or MIDI generating source content e.g. MIDI or Noatikl files to which sound sources are then designed and/or assigned to. They can also include Ogg files that are wrapped into a virtual wavetable. Once the content is “wrapped” by Partikl, it is saved to a Partikl (binary) file for use in Mixtikl.
This whole Partikl file creation process is quite complex and so, to us, it does not make sense to expose this capability in the Mixtikl mobile versions (which would then need to be in ALL mobile versions, including keyboard only controlled ones). Besides, if we did include it, we would have to increase the price of Mixtikl mobile because it would also cannibalise our desktop toolchain. Mixtikl is $2.99 for iPhone/iPod touch, and Mixtikl for desktop is currently a very reasonable $19.99 (and includes standalone, browser plugin and VST/AU plugins) .
So, coming back to the issue of customising parts, we do understand that this is important. What we want to add to Mixtikl Mobile is, therefore, the ability for you to CUSTOMISE various Partikl settings in the parts. We call this “Inline Editing”. When we have included this, you will be able to change the sound settings of a “part”, perhaps one of the tone generators, and hear the change live, and then save that change (as vector audio) to the mix file. However, you will still not be creating/saving a new Partikl file. If you want to do that, you will need to use the Mixtikl desktop version.
The benefit of this “Partikl file customisation” approach, is that you do not have to understand how to create a Partikl file from scratch (i.e. sourcing and binding in the content), but you can adjust the sounds and hear that in a mix. Additionally, as no new Partikl files are created, the result is all vector audio and so mixes remain totally portable.
There is a similar, but slightly different rationale for how we want to handle the relationship between Noatikl (the desktop editor), Noatikl files and Mixtikl. As mentioned, there is a Noatikl runtime engine in Mixtikl. The Noatikl tool chain is well established, and there are many, many parameters in Noatikl that just do not make sense to access in a mobile product. Therefore, similar to the Partikl Editor above, we plan to keep Noatikl file creation to the Noatikl desktop toolchain.
However, similar to the approach for Partikl, we want to allow “inline editing” of some of the Noatikl parameters that are in a Noatikl file that is being used in a mix. It is a bit complicated, as the Noatikl file can also have been wrapped as a Partikl file (as Noatikl is a MIDI note/event generator, and so needs to play through a sound source such as Partikl). But, we figure it should be possible to allow access to changing the values of some key rules and parameters, including even note patterns/riffs. This would mean “live” customisation of Noatikl parameters in a mix with the changes being saved as vector audio in the mix file.
As some people have already noted, Mixtikl can be a bit daunting to get your head around (to start with at least – and we are working on docs etc. to try to help there). And, adding these inline editing capabilities is not going to help in that department 
. BUT, the benefit is that people should be able to have a lot more fun with Mixtikl, and take it “off piste” in ways that will be challenging, personal, unique and exhilarating.
We do not know how long it is going to take us to add the inline editing capabilities, and there are also technical challenges surrounding that, but we do know it is important for people that we do it. So, please be patient with us and bear with us!
Posted in Mixtikl, Noatikl, Pak, Partikl, Plugin, Tiklpak, VST, Windows Mobile, apps, development, iPhone, iPod touch | No Comments »
