Contents
Install / Remove
Basic Operation
|
Content Cells
|
Settings & Nav
More Content
Help
|
Mixtikl from Intermorphic Ltd.
© 2008-2014 Intermorphic Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Rev: V5.7.6 Jun 2 2014. E&OE
iOS version: AudioCopy & AudioPaste by Sonoma Wire Works
http://intermorphic.com/mixtikl/5/guide/pdf/archive/mixtikl_guide-5-7-6.pdf
© 2008-2014 Intermorphic Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Rev: V5.7.6 Jun 2 2014. E&OE.
iOS version: AudioCopy & AudioPaste by Sonoma Wire Works
Note: See also Mixtikl 6, the next iteration of Mixtikl.
Mixtikl 5 is a powerful generative music mixer. It includes an underlying 12 track mixer / cell sequencer / arranger / performer with 4 central content cells per track, together with an integral multi-synth sound generator incorporating powerful live FX.
Content Cells are at the core of the music generated by Mixtikl 5, and are accessible via the powerful Mixer / arrranger screen. If you want to customise the music, arrangement, FX or tap voices in your mix, you are going to need to use the Mixer. You load into Content Cells the generative content (parts) and audio or MIDI loops you want to mix. You can only have one content cell active (playing) at a time in a track, and that cell can also be silent or empty. A part's sounds, FX, root, pitch offset and rules can be customised on a per cell basis.
Tracks can be set for their content cells to do one of 4 things: play once and then move to the next cell in the track (Sequence cell), play forever (Looping cell), play once and only when triggered (Spot cell) and tap play when in the Visualizer screen (Tap cell). You can temporarily turn a sequence cell into a looping cell by selecting it and applying a cell loop. Tracks can also have FX applied, be muted/soloed and have their volume and pan changed.
Lists are also core to Mixtikl, as it is through lists that you select content/paks and FX presets, some options and menu items.
Mixtikl for iOS and Android and Mixtikl Desktop Standalone for Mac OS X are installed via the respective app stores as part of the download process.
The 30 day trial full versions of Mixtikl for Windows and Mac can be downloaded here and are installed as below. See Enter the Product Key on how to unlock them after the trial period is up.
Installing Mixtikl Desktop 30 Day Trial Versions :
Mixtikl Desktop Standalone & Desktop Audio Plugin for Windows PC:
- The downloaded zip file is called
mixtikl_win.zip
- Unzipping it will extract the file
Mixtikl_Win_setup.exe
- Run this to install the following:
mixtikl.exe (standalone)mixtikl_VSTi_win.dll (VSTi plugin)
- The VSTi plugins are installed here:
- 64-bit Windows (64-bit Windows 8/7/Vista/XP):
- 32-bit Windows (32-bit Windows 8/7/Vista/XP):
Mixtikl Desktop Audio Plugins for Mac:
- The downloaded zip file is called
mixtikl_plugins_mac_dmg.zip
- Unzipping it will extract the file
Intermorphic - Mixtikl Plugins.dmg
- Run this to extract the
Mixtikl Plugins.mpkg installer
- Run that to install the following plugins:
mixtikl_VSTi_mac.vst (VSTi plugin) installed to
mixtikl_AU_mac.component (AU plugin) installed to
Launching Mixtikl
Once launched, the load screen will display for a few seconds as Mixtikl loads up and show status updates such as "Loading skin" "version number " and "Loading content". Once Mixtikl has loaded the load screen will disappear.
- iPhone / iPad / iPod touch / Android:
- Tap the relevant Mixtikl app icon in the App screen.
- Desktop PC or Mac:
Product Key (Desktop Trial Versions only)
Mixtikl Desktop Standalone & Desktop Audio Plugins for Windows and Mixtikl Desktop Audio Plugins for Mac are all made available via our website as 30 day trial versions (the versions purchased or IAP purchased / unlocked via the Mac App Store do NOT require a product key). To continue to use them after the 30 day evaluation period requires that you purchase the revelant licence(s) from the Intermorphic webstore. Following your purchase you will be sent an Order Confirmation email that contains your Order ID, Customer ID (the email you used for purchase) and Product Key.
Note: Product Keys for the Mixtikl Desktop Audio Plugins are different to those for the Mixtikl Desktop Standalone versions, therefore you must enter your Product Key into the same product that you have licenced or it will not be accepted. For example, you must enter the Mixtikl Desktop Audio Plugin licence key into the Mixtikl Desktop Audio Plugin. To enter your Desktop Audio Plugin product key, launch the Plugin from your Desktop Audio Workstation (DAW) or Sequencer that is a VST or AU host (e.g. Sonar, Logic, Reaper, Ableton, Cubase etc) and then follow the instructions below.
If you are entering your Product Key into a plugin on a Windows PC, then you might need to ensure that you are running the host software (e.g. Reaper 3) "as Administrator" in order to get the product key to stick.
Entering the Product Key
- Open your Order Confirmation email.
- Launch Mixtikl
- Mixtikl Desktop Standalone is launched as you would launch any standalone software.
- Mixtikl Desktop Audio Plugin(s) must be launched via the VST or AU host you are using it in.
- Select the Quick Help button in the center of Mixtikl's Main Menu to launch the Quick Help Screen.
- At the bottom of the Quick Help Screen, select the link "Enter Mixtikl Product Key".
- A dialog box will pop up, and you should copy the relevant information from your Order Confirmation email (i.e. Customer ID, Order ID and Product Key) and paste into the relevant fields. All information must be the same as that in your Order Confirmation email. If you have problems, see this FAQ entry.
Backing up:
However you use our IM Apps, we strongly recommend you regularly and suitably back up your "Suitable Content" (see below) to somewhere safe: you don't want to lose it!
- IM Apps on Mobile Device: If you have a Mac/Windows PC we strongly recommend you use it to regularly and separately back up your Mobile Device "Suitable Content" (see below) to an "Intermorphic Folder" (see below) on that Mac/Windows PC. You should certainly do this BEFORE you remove an IM App from your device or you will lose your files!
- iOS specific note: Although making an iTunes backup of your device will back up all your installed apps AND their data (see: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4946), if you remove and then reinstall an app, its DATA is not restored: the only way to get back that app's data is to do a device restore from a backup (See: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1766) - but that also then OVERWRITES ALL device app data with whatever was in the backup. If you want or need to go that route, see this FAQ entry.
IM Apps
Details in this section apply to Noatikl or Mixtikl ("IM Apps"), as relevant.
Suitable Content:
Noatikl [NT2.5+]
- Tiklpak/Pak, .noatikl, .partikl, .fxm, .tg, .DLS, .SF2
Mixtikl [MT6+]
- Tiklpak/Pak, .WAV, .Ogg, .MIDI, .mixtikl, .noatikl, .partikl, .fxm, .tg, .DLS, .SF2
Mac / PC - Intermorphic Folder:
Noatikl 2.3+ and Mixtikl 6 (OS X/Windows)
Our Desktop IM Apps save to a specific folder and look for content in that folder. This is to allow Suitable Content (above) to be shared/used between both mobile and desktop versions of those apps. We call this folder the "Intermorphic Folder". It is a *flat folder* (where tilde [~] or %HOMEPATH% in the pathname is a shortcut for your user account name), and is found here:
~/Music/Intermorphic/ (Mac)%HOMEPATH%\Music\Intermorphic (Windows)-
- Tip: If you are not sure where to find the Intermorphic Folder, use a Desktop IM App and try saving a .mixtikl or .noatikl file and then take a look to see what folder it appears in - that is the folder you’re looking for!
- If you want to use your own content in IM Apps, or want to move Suitable Content from an earlier version of Mixtikl or Noatikl, simply move it to the above *flat* folder(s).
- IMPORTANT: A flat folder means that *all content* must be at the top level of that folder. It must not be in a subdirectory under it or it will not be found. So, for example, the free Tiklpak AL Collections 1-3 zip file would just go here, alongside any mix files you might have saved or indeed any other content e.g.:
~/Music/Intermorphic/IMTPALLoopEssentials1.zip
Copy: iOS <-> Mac / PC:
Noatikl 2.3+ and Mixtikl 6 (iOS)
Refer to Apple's docs on iTunes Apps File Sharing, as this is the latest information from them on how to do this.
- Tip: You may need to restart the IM App for it to be able to find any new content copied in.
- Tip: You can also email yourself mixes and recordings, and then import from those, but that is something that has to be done one file at a time.
- Note: All Suitable Content is shown in the root directory in the right hand side list. Ignore folders called "CompatibleAppsCache" and "intermorphic".
- Note: Click the following links for information related to Noatikl 2.3 (or earlier) Desktop (OS X/Windows) or Mixtikl 5 Desktop (OS X/Windows).
Copy: Android <-> Mac / PC:
Mixtikl 6 (Android)
- Connect your Android device to your PC or Mac. It will appear in Explorer or Finder as a USB device.
- With Explorer or Finder look for a top level folder on the device or SD card called "Intermorphic" (i.e. NOT /Music/Intermorphic/).
- Copy your Suitable Content (see above) to/from this folder. If you want to access the same mixes and recordings in Mixtikl for Desktop, put them in the Intermorphic Folder (see above) on your Mac/Windows PC.
- Tip: You may need to restart Mixtikl for it to be able to find any new content copied in.
- TipYou can delete files on your Android device using Menu > Tidy, or by deleting them via Explorer or Finder.
- Note: Click the following link for information related to Mixtikl 5 (Android).
Note: If you want to remove Noatikl so you can reinstall an older version, see the instructions here.
iPhone / iPad / iPod touch:
- In the App screen tap and hold the Mixtikl application icon, and then press the jiggling black cross in the left corner of it.
Android:
- In the App screen tap and hold the Mixtikl application icon, and then from the pop up menu select "Remove from Device".
PC:
Mac:
- With Finder, locate the following folders:
-
Hard Disk/Applications
- Drag
Mixtikl to the Trash
-
Hard Disk/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components
- Drag
mixtikl_AU_mac.component to the Trash
-
Hard Disk/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST
- Drag
mixtikl_VSTi_mac.vst to the Trash
At the top of the Mixer Screen is a black display area ("Top Display Area") with 3 invisible "sections". The menu button is the left most section, and the right most section displays either the mix name, or, briefly, a tooltip for the highlighted cell. The central section displays the mix time, and selecting it pops up the global volume slider.
Beneath the display area is the Top Toolbar, the buttons in which give shortcuts to a number of key actions, such as track volume/pan display toggle, solo/mute, play/stop, mix recording, mix tempo/root/rules, mic recording, EQ and global FX.
The central "content area" displays 8 columns and 12 tracks, each containing 4 content cells which display the content name for any content they have loaded. When the mix is playing, the "active" content cell in any track will display a "gold" dot at the top. This dot has one of 4 horizontal positions which indicate which bar of the content is playing (e.g. bar 4 of a 4 bar loop). If the playing cell has content loaded, then the cell adopts a faint orange colour so that you can more easily see that this is a cell that is creating sound! A blue dot at the top left of a cell indicates that it is using non-default generative bars/range settings, and a black dot at the top right indicates it is using non-default cell repeat/range settings. A solid blue bar at the top means that the cell will loop forever (more accurately, it plays for as long as the underlying generative part is set to play) and only applies to generative content where the default gen bars/range values have not been changed). A solid orange bar at the top indicates that the cell is "Looping", i.e. has been forced to loop. Go into the Content Cell to edit the content.
The Bottom Toolbar gives button shortcuts to a number of key actions, such as online video tutorials (any that are available on the Mixtikl Youtube channel), mute/solo store/restore, column locks (when locked, only sequenced cells in that column will play), tools, and the actions menu.
The bottom right "?" for online help is available in most Mixtikl screens. Simply tap on it to go to the relevant page in this online Mixtikl User Guide. Mixtikl is a deep tool, and this makes it easy to find out about the operation of a particular screen or control.
Top Display Area
- Menu Button: Select the Menu button (left) to access the Menu, or on desktop (once Mixtikl Standalone, VST or Browser Plugin has the focus) press the escape key.
- Global Volume: Select the Global Volume slider (area) in the middle to display a pop up slider which lets you adjust the mix volume to your taste.
- Mix Name / Tips: The right area displays the mix name and (briefly) any tooltips there might be for the currently highlighted cell.
- Cell Highlight: Indicates the cell in any screen that has current focus. This is only important for the Desktop versions, where the cell position can be selected by keyboard arrows (see Navigation).
Top Toolbar
Contains the main button shortcuts, as follows:
- Track Vol/Pan Display Toggle Button:
Toggles between the Vol and Pan icon to indicate whether column 1 is displaying either track volume or pan settings (orange bars for volume, grey bars for pan).
- Mute/Solo Button:
Toggles between the Mute and Solo icon which then determines what is applied to the relevant track cell in column 2, when selected.
- Play/Stop Button:
Press to play or stop the mix (PC/Mac: Also use spacebar or App Window Action Play/Stop.
- Mix Record Button:
Press to launch the Mix Recording screen so you can save the mix to an audio file.
- Mix Tempo, Pitch & Rules Button:
Press to launch the Mix Tempo, Pitch & Rules screen, where you can change the tempo of the mix, change the mix root (and pitch shift all the loops in it) and set the mix generative rules.
- Microphone Recording Button:
Press ot launch the Microphone Recording screen, where you can make a microphone recording for the mix.
- EQ Button:
Press to launch the EQ List, where you can apply EQ to the mix and customise it.
- Global FX Button:
Press to call up the Global FX menu, where you can select a FX to be applied to the whole mix (a global FX).
Tracks
There are 12 tracks each with 8 cells; the four central cells (in between the two dark vertical lines) are the "content cells" via which content is added to the mix.
- Track Volume and Pan (1st cell):
Depending on the track vol / pan toggle setting in the Top Toolbar, tap and then drag the cell or drag the bottom pop up slider, or select this cell and (on desktop) use the navkey left/right to decrease or increase the track volume (central indicator is black) or pan (central indicator is grey).
Release the slider or select another cell to lose the focus.
- Track Solo/Mute (2nd cell):
Depending on what the Solo/Mute column toggle is set to in the Top Toolbar, select this cell to apply / remove solo or mute to that track.
- Content Area (3rd-6th cells):
This area contains the "Content Cells", which is where you add in your content of a supported content type.
To add content to a cell, select it and select the Content List Button from the pop up Content Cell Menu, which is also where you find the controls to be able to customise your content (e.g. if generative content then its sounds, FX used, scale and harmony rules, and Noatikl parameters).
When a cell has content in it, you see the name of the content in the cell (skip and silent cells have their own identifiers).
Cells that show red mean that the content in that cell cannot be found. When you see this it is most likely because you have got a tweeted mixtikl and you do not have that content pak (Tiklpak) installed, whether an add-on loop pak or a user saved loop.
The golden dot at the top of the active content cell in the track is the "play indicator" (there is only ever one play indicator shown for each track as there can only be one active content cell in a track); for a cell with multibar content this moves within the cell every bar that is played, up to 4 bars, before starting over again. The play indicator in an empty cell which is always 1 bar in length, so it does not move within the cell.
For a "sequenced" track, the play indicator will move to the next content cell when the content has played through once.
Each content cell also has indicators at the top. An orange bar at the top indicates a cell that has been forced to loop and the content in that cell will continue to play until the looping is turned off (generally by tapping/holding the cell or via the Loop On/Off button). A blue bar at the top indicates a cell that contains generative content that has (effectively) infinite length and so will play for ever. A blue dot top left indicates a non-default Gen Bars setting. A black dot top right indicates and non-default Cell Repeat setting.
Black text in a cell indicates Audio and MIDI loop content and blue text in the cell indicates generative content.
- Track Rules (7th cell):
Selecting the Track Rules cell will toggle the Track Rules between the 4 available states.
- Sequenced Cells: An Orange arrow signifies that the cells in the track are sequenced cells. This means that when the content in any cell has finished playing, the mix will play the next content cell in the track. This is the default cell state.
- Loop Cells: An orange loop symbol signifies that all the cells in the track are looping cells, meaning they have to be set to loop in order to play. This is achieved by simply tapping/holding the cell (the orange background cell loop indicator will toggle on/off) or by tapping on it to load the Content Cell Menu and then selecting the loop button. When the cell displays the orange background cell loop indicator the content in it will loop continuously until another track cell is set to loop, or the track rule is changed. They will also play ONCE when the section lock is first applied to a section (if a cell is not already looping).
- One Shot Cells: An exclamation mark in an orange circle signifies that the cells in the track are one shot cells and any content cell in that track will ONLY play through once (like a sting) if the cell is triggered (i.e. with key 3 i.e. if in desktop version) or by tapping the cell on it to load the Content Cell Menu and then selecting the Trigger button.
- Tap Cells: An double orange circle signifies that the cells in the track are tap cells, and the active content cell in that track will play ONLY when tapping the screen in visualizer mode. You can set any number of tracks to be of Tap Cell type and so you can layer up sounds in different tracks, and they all get played when the screen is tapped. Tap cells otherwise behave like sequence cells and so will sequence unless locked: this lets you have some very interesting results in mix visualisation!
- Note: When you select Tap Play > Auto in the Message / Visualizer Display Settings screen, ONLY track 12 will revert to a standard sequenced voice type so that it can play (and if you uncheck the setting the track reverts to a Tap Cell type).
- Track FX (8th cell):
Selecting this cell will launch the Track FX Menu from which you can select an FX Preset via the Preset button or create/edit (Mixtikl Full only) a FX Network (via Edit Network button) that you wish to apply to this track (FX is processor intensive, so use Track FX sparingly in your mix, unless on a PC!).
Bottom Toolbar
Contains the main button shortcuts, as follows:
- Online Videos Button:
Takes you to the online Mixtikl YouTube page.
- Store / Recall Button:
Press this button to store the solo/mute settings for all the tracks, and then clear them from the mix. Press again to apply the stored values.
- Mix Sections 1-4:
Press a section button to "lock" any sequenced cells in the mix to that section (i.e. only such content cells in that column will play). Cells that are looping (blue) are not affected. Press any locked section again to release the lock. If no section is locked, then when a cell has played its content (once), the next cell in the track with play until it reaches the end of the track, when play moves to the first cell in the track, and so on.
- Clear Button:
Press to see the Clear Mix Content options.
- Tools Button:
Press to launch the Tools List, where you will see a list of macros and other tools to help with your mix making.
Mixtikl Visualiser Button
The visualiser can be driven by any music that Mixtikl creates or plays, e.g. generative music as well as audio or MIDI loop beats and samples! It can also driven by the notes generated by tap-play and a mix can have a number of these "tap parts" which can even be different sounds on different tracks to create a multi-layering effect. Tap parts can be customised in many ways in Mixtikl, such as by changing the sound, the FX, the generative rules, the pitch and pitch range, the harmonisation etc.
Included text can also be displayed onscreen in a number of ways including: as a message (with "karaoke" style highlighting), in random order, revealing words one at a time, as random words chosen from an included word bank, with floating words and even as a jumbled up message.
Note: If you don't hear any notes being played when you tap the screen it is either because no tap-part has been included, or the tap-part is not configured correctly.
Visualiser controls
- Tap: Menu
- Tap/hold: New random mix (if running Mixtikl on a mobile device, also shake the device for the same)
- Middle area
- Tap: play a note, where up/down is pitch axis; left/right is pan
- Tap/hold: Sometimes it can change the pitch of a note by a semitone or 2
Menu > Open
Open a previously saved mix. Mixes you have saved are coloured blue, and demo mixes included with the installed Tiklpaks are show in black and at the bottom of the list. Do check out the demo mixes, as they are a great place to start!
Note: You cannot rename Mix files, and if you want to change the name, simply save the mix again with the name you want and then delete the original.
- +<OPTIONS>
- Select to show the options. When
<HIDE OPTIONS>
shown, select to hide the options.
-
-[DELETE MIX]
- Select this and then, from the list that displays, select the item you want to delete. Select Cancel to close the list.
- Note: You cannot delete the demo mix files.
- List of mix files, blue ones are the ones you have saved
Menu > New
The New Mix screen is a very powerful screen in Mixtikl as it lets you create random new mixes in ways that can let you come up with new ideas fast. It comes with some default settings, but once you are familiar with Mixtikl you may way like to try customising the settings to suit your working preferences.
Random Button
The Random Button lets you create a random mix for the Paks you have checked in the Pak list, according to the various randomisation settings and options (See Settings). Content cells, Track volume/pans, GenBars/Range, and CellRepeats/Range are all randomised within ranges you can set.
- From the Tiklpak list check all the Tiklpaks you want content to be selected from (tap on the checkbox to select/deselect).
- Tap right side of the Tiklpak list to select/highlight the Tiklpak you want to be the underlying base pak for your random mix, e.g. GenMix 1.
- If, before you create your random mix, you wish to change some of the randomisation settings, then select the Settings button and make your changes.
- Select the Random button and you will be presented with the Mixer Screen and a new randomised mix.
Empty Button
The Empty Button is the simplest of all the options and selecting it allows you to create a new, empty mix based on the Tiklpak you choose.
- Tap right side of the Tiklpak list to select/highlight the Tiklpak you want to be the underlying base pak.
- Select the Empty button and you will be presented with the Mixer Screen and a new empty mix.
From Mix Button
The From Mix Button lets you create a random mix based on a pre-existing mix.
- Select the From Mix button to display the Mix File List.
- Select the mix you want your new mix to be based on.
- You will be presented with the Mixer Screen and a new randomised mix based on the mix you selected.
Note: There are two alternatives, as follows:
- When the "Use Mix Cells Only" check box is checked (see Randomisation Settings) only content cells that already include content will be randomised according to the randomisation rules.
- When the "Use Mix Cells Only" check box is unchecked (Randomisation Settings) any content cell can be randomised according to the randomisation rules.
Show Paks Checkboxes
The Show Paks checkboxes at the bottom of the New Mix screen will filter what Tiklpaks you will see in the Pak list. Using these filters makes it easy to only select from certain kinds of Paks (or by deselecting the checkbox to clear those selections). For example, if you do not want to see/use any content from Loops paks (e.g. Audio Loops Tiklpaks), then make sure the Loops box is unchecked (default setting).
- Gen: Shows/lists Tiklpaks that contain generative content (default on).
- Loops:
Shows/lists Tiklpaks that contain audio or MIDI loop content (default off).
- Default Pak Selection (small button with "flash" on it): Applies the Mixtikl default selection of paks which is most likely to give you the best random mixes.
- Use Content Filter: Filters out content from all the embedded Paks so that only the best is available for selection when you create random mixes (all content is still available from the Content button accessed via the Content Cell). If you deselect this checkbox then all content from all the paks you have selected can be chosen for random mixes (default on).
Menu > Save
Desktop Mix Save Mix Screen
The first thing you need to do is to save your new mix! When saving files, renaming mixes etc. in Mixtikl, you will be presented with the Text Entry screen.
- On iOS / Android devices we use the native text entry mechanism, a pop up keyboard (not shown here). Once you have entered your mix name with the pop up keyboard, press the keyboard's "Return" button and your mix will be saved.
- On PC, where we are unable to provide access to the native text entry abilities of a mobile device, we display a different screen (shown above):
- Desktop: Select the text field and enter text with your keyboard.
- Select the top left OK (tick) button (or soft menu item) to accept your changes, otherwise select the Cancel button (or soft menu item).
- The "B" on the bottom row is Backspace
- The "H" on the bottom row is Home
- The "E" on the bottom row is End
- The "D" on the bottom row is Delete
Where mixes are saved to:
The User_Content folder is where all your *mix files* are saved to by default (see here for more info).You can find this folder in Mixtikl Desktop Standalone software (not the Audio Plugins) by selecting:
Mixtikl > Options > Show the User-Content folder
User_Content folder for Mixtikl Desktop Standalone from Mac App Store:
(the tilde [~] in the pathname is a shortcut for your user account name)
~/Library/Containers/com.intermorphic.mixtikl/Data/Library/Mixtikl/intermorphic/mixtikl/paks/User_Content
User_Content folder for Mixtikl Desktop Audio Plugins for Mac OS X from IM Web store:
(the tilde [~] in the pathname is a shortcut for your user account name)
~/Library/Mixtikl/intermorphic/mixtikl/paks/User_Content
You can get to this folder by opening Finder, selecting Go -> Go to Folder... and pasting in the above path. User_Content folder on Windows XP:
\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\intermorphic\mixtikl\paks\User_Content
User_Content folder on Windows 7:
\ProgramData\intermorphic\mixtikl\paks\User_Content
Menu > Import
Imports into Mixtikl a mix that has been pasted to the clipboard, perhaps copied from an email, tweet or forum posting. See also importing to a Content Cell and Importing mixes, Tiklpaks, audio loops .
Menu > Export
Export your mixes and tweet your mixtikls. It is very easy to do.
- "mixtikl" as Tweet
- Your mix is then copied to the clipboard and you see a pop up message. You are advised there are 2 formats, one for pasting into a tweet where the tweet app will auto-shorten a link for you, and the other where you want to paste it into an email or shorten yourself by using one of the URL shortener services (this is in case the tweet app does not auto-shorten correctly). See the FAQ for further details.
- "mixtikl" to Clipboard
- Your mix is then copied to the clipboard for you to e.g. paste into an email.
- "mixtikl" via Mail (inline) [iOS & Desktop only]
- Your mix is then copied to the clipboard and then inserted into a new email.
- "mixtikl" via Mail (attachment) [iOS only]
- Your mix is inserted into a new email as an attachment.
Mixer Screen > Any Content Cell
Content Cells are at the heart of Mixtikl and what you can do with it, so this menu is one of the most important screens in Mixtikl. It lets you access the Content List to enter/change the content in a cell, loop/un-loop a cell, trigger a cell, import audio loops from another app (iDevice version only, via audio clipboard), get info on the content in the cell and to set the cell root, pitch offset and cell rules etc.
Content Cell Menu
Select one of the central Content Cells in the Mixer Screen to display the Content Cell Menu above.
Trigger Button
How you can force the cell to play, depending on what the Track Rules are set to:
- Sequenced cell/track (orange arrow)
- The content cell plays once (at next bar boundary), then;
- Next cell played
- One shot cell/track (orange circle with exclamation mark in it)
- The content cell plays immediately (not synched to bar boundary) and once only;
- Looped cell/track (orange loop symbol)
- The content cell starts looping immediately until cell looping is stopped or cell type changed
Content List Button
Displays the Content List, which provides you the means to preview and/or add content your to mix. This content can be from the included Tiklpaks or other content such as your own loops (see also Add-on Content).
- [Pak HOME]: Pakname
- This displays the name of the Pak on which this mix is based
- Select this item to get back to a list of content from that Pak
- (..)
- Selecting this allows you to browse for other content under the Mixtikl directory i.e. from other installed Paksb (in which case it can be auto pitch shifted or time stretched) or recordings you might have made and saved .
- To browse outside of the application (and load Add-on Content "as is"), use the Advanced > BROWSE option below.
- Content Items
- Selecting one of these will add it to the Content Cell.
- Tip: To preview content in the Content List, tap the right side "speaker" icon (or use Left or Right keys on Desktop), and it should play for a few seconds.
- Tip: To toggle to the bottom or top of the content list tap the top right side of app (to the right of the mix play time).
- Content items are shown in different colours
- Generative - blue
- Audio and MIDI - black
Loop On/Off Button
How you can force the cell to loop continously, or to un-loop it. What this button does, depends on what the Track Rules are set to:
- Sequenced cell/track (orange arrow):
- The content cell loops continuously (from next bar boundary) until cell is unlooped, then;
- Next cell played
- One shot cell/track (orange circle with exclamation mark in it):
- The content cell loops immediately (not synched to bar boundary) until unlooped;
- Looped cell/track (orange loop symbol):
- The content cell loops continuously (from next bar boundary) until stopped or cell type changed.
- Note that when the track rule is set to this, the only way to play the content cell is to loop it. This is useful when you do NOT want any of the cells in the track to play UNLESS they are looped.
Gen Bars / Gen Bars Range Controls
These two controls determine the bar lengths for generative content and help you to "arrange" a mix so as to allow it to breathe better. The settings have no effect for non-generative content (i.e. content that is not Noatikl based).
- Gen Bars:
- Defines how many bars a generative part will play for before the cell either e.g. loops or play moves to the next cell should it be a sequenced cell (see track rule).
- If the values is "Normal", this means the setting is as defined in the underlying part, which is generally something like 32,000 bars, and so effectively infinite in length. A blue bar shows at the top of the content cell.
- If this value is non-default, a blue dot shows to the top left of the cell.
- Gen Bars Range:
- Defines the range over the above value, allowing for a spread of possibilities.
Info Button
This will only display if there is content in the Content Cell, and tapping it will open a browser window. This will display a webpage with further information on the pak that this content items comes from (if known). Note that if the content cell is showing as red, then it means Mixtikl cannot find that content (it is not present / installed in your version of Mixtikl). This button can be useful to help find out more about that content and where to get it, should you want to hear the mix as intended.
Cell Repeat / Cell Repeat Range Controls
These two controls determine how many times the content in the content cell repeats, helping you to "arrange" a mix so as to allow it to breathe better. This setting applies to both generative and non-generative content, and goes on the length of the underlying content in the cell, e.g. if the cell contains a 4 bar audio loop, this just sets how many times that loop will repeat.
- Cell Repeat:
- Defines how many times the content in a cell will repeat before play moves to the next cell, should the cell be a sequenced cell (see track rule).
- If this value is non-default, a black dot shows to the top right of the content cell.
- Cell Repeat Range:
- Defines the range over the above value, allowing for a spread of possibilities.
Roots & Rules Button
This will only display if the content in this content cell is generative (e.g. Noatikl-based). In which case it will launch the Cell Noatikl Rules screen.
- The left-hand list displays the Cell Root, and if you leave as the top value (i.e. no offset) then the cell plays with the Mix root.
- The right-hand list displays the Pitch Offset and this can be used to adjust the lowest note that can be composed/played by this part (whilst following harmony and scale rules).
- Harmonize with me (default setting - checked): This determines if Mixtikl needs to take the notes played by this part into account when composing/playing other parts.
- Harmonize with others (default setting - checked): This determines if Mixtikl needs to take the notes played by other parts into account when composing/playing notes for this part.
- Harmony Rule Button: Displays the name of the currently selected cell harmony rule
- Use Cell Rules (default setting): use the rules that are in the part.
- Custom: Override the rules in the part with your customised rules. Tap/drag the sliders at the bottom to change the various interval weightings for the rule. This affects composition in real time. See the Noatikl User Guide on this parameter for further information.
- Default: The Noatikl default harmony rule values.
- Scale Rule Button: Displays the name of the currently selected cell scale rule
- Use Cell Rules (default setting): use the rules that are in the part.
- Custom: Override the rules in the part with your customised rules. Tap/drag the sliders at the bottom to change the various interval weightings for the rule. This affects composition in real time. See the Noatikl User Guide on this parameter for further information.
- Default: The Noatikl default scale rule values.
Import Button (iDevice Only)
This displays the Choose Import Clipboard message where you can choose to import a recording via the Apple General Pasteboard, or via Sonoma AudioPaste.
Whatever method you choose, once the import has occured you will be presented with the "Imported File Meta info" screen where you will need to provide the following information (See also FAQ entry "Loop Import"):
Imported File Meta info screen
- Root:
- Set the root note (e.g. C#) for the imported loop
- Time Signature:
- Set the time signature (e.g 4/4) for the imported loop
- Tempo:
- Set the tempo (e.g 120bpm) for the imported loop
- Bars:
- Set the number of bars (e.g 4) for the imported loop
Parameters Button
This will only display if the content in this content cell is generative (e.g. Noatikl-based).
Experimenting with the Noatikl parameters is a great way to learn about how Noatikl works and we refer you to the Noatikl User Guide for full details what each of the Noatikl parameters do. We will break out this section in due course, expanding on it, and create some simple tutorials and videos.
The Noatikl Editor in Mixtikl allows powerful real-time & inline editing/customisation of the core Noatikl parameters used in a Noatikl part. This includes adding, deleting and renaming voices as well as editing pattern strings. It is a drill down editor, and is meant for editing of Noatikl content rather then creating new Noatikl content from scratch, for which we direct you to Noatikl itself (but you can do that if you have the patience!).
There several buttons at the top of this dialog which allow you to create a new Noatikl file, import, export or save one (the folder button) or copy, cut, rename etc voices (the pencil button). The Left / Right arrow buttons allow you to undo or redo your last action.
- Object List:
- This shows the list of Noatikl voices (blue) and Noatikl rules (black) that are in the Noatikl file. First select one (e.g. voice) and then select a list item from one of the lists below.
- Parameter Group:
List
- This displays the Noatikl parameter groups, some of which are relevant for the Voice Type of the Object selected above. To change the Voice Type of the selected object, select the Basics group and then the Voice Type list item and select the type you want.
- Parameter List:
- This is the list of parameters available for the selected Parameter Group, e.g the Pattern Parameters.
- value:
- There are 3 kinds of control to set the value for the parameter you have selected:
- a slider with an edit box above it for data entry if required.
- the pattern editor which, when the folder button next to it is pressed calls up the pattern randomiser: select a pattern to create a random variant; beneath this is the sub-pattern list and you can order the sub-patterns with the up/down arrows.
- a rule editor similar to the one used in mix and cell scale/harmony rule editing.
Sounds Button
Mixtikl allows powerful real-time & inline editing/customisation of (mono) sounds played through Partikl (i.e. synth sounds, fx and sound/fx networks, but not audio loops).
Experimenting with Partikl is a great way to learn about modular synth/sound design, and we refer you to the Partikl User Guide for full details on how to use Partikl.
The Sounds button will only display if the content in this content cell is generative (e.g. Noatikl-based).
Press the Sounds button to launch the Partikl Synth Attacher screen. This shows which MIDI channels the part is generating sound on (the mix must be playing), and the polyphony to be used by the sound generators on each channel.
If you press the Edit (pencil) button for the channel you are interested in (the channel highlighted in black in the left hand list), you will see the Synth Network Editor screen from where you can import, modify and even create synth networks used/to be used on that channel, as well as exporting them as a preset.
Cell FX Button
Mixtikl allows powerful real-time & inline editing/customisation of cell level (stereo / mono) sound FX played through Partikl (i.e. fx and fx networks), which is in addition to Track and Global level FX.
The main reasons we allow cell level FX are A) to allow different FX to be applied to different channels on a part that uses multiple channels (e.g. GenDrum 1/2 OWt templates) and B) so that the parts in a track can simply have different levels, pan (amp) and FX (for variety).
Experimenting with Partikl is a great way to learn about FX design, and we refer you to the Partikl User Guide for full details on how to use Partikl.
The Cell FX button will only display if the content in this content cell is generative (e.g. Noatikl-based).
Press the Cell FX button to launch the Partikl FX Attacher screen. This shows which MIDI channels the part is generating sound on (the mix must be playing), and channels which have FX applied (and a global level cell FX, too).
If you press the Edit (pencil) button for the channel you are interested in (the channel highlighted in black in the left hand list), you will see the FX Network Editor screen from where you can import, modify and even create FX networks used/to be used on that channel, as well as exporting them as a preset.
Clear Button
This clears the content from the current cell.
Advanced Button
This displays a list containing advanced settings for the Content Cell. In all probability you will never want to or need need to check these out!
- -[BROWSE]
- Lets you choose different top level folders in which to search for content.
- -[SKIP]
-
After selection the content cell will be designated a skip cell (shown left).
- When no section lock is on, a skip cell is skipped and next cell in the track plays instead.
- -[SILENT]
-
After selection the content cell will be designated a silent cell (shown left).
- When no section lock is on, a silent cell plays silence.
- <STREAM SKIP ms: 0>
- This allows you to start playback of a mic recording at a set period of time into the recording.
- The recording must be set to Stream in the option below.
- <AUDIO: value>
- Determines whether the cell audio content (if any) is played back in a mix as a stream (e.g. for long recordings) or a sample (e.g. for short recordings, or those you want to be able to change pitch/tempo, as below):
- Sample [default value]:
- Recording gets loaded into memory when mix is playing
- Means it can be looped on a bar boundary
- Suitable only for shortish recordings, e.g. up to about 16 bars max in length
- Stream:
- Recording when played in content cell will play once, and will not loop
- Select this item if you're using sounds that
you simply don't ever want time-stretched and/or pitch shifted (e.g. ambient sounds like wind/rain etc.)
Mixer > Global or Track FX cell
Track FX cells and the Global FX cell are at the heart of Mixtikl as they determine what FX, if any, are applied to the content in each track, as well as to the whole mix (i.e. globally). They also let you access the FX Preset List to select a preset, disable or enable a FX, access the FX Network Editor or clear an FX etc.
Select either the Global FX cell or a Track FX Cell in the last column of the Mixer Screen.
- When selecting an FX cell with an FX in it, you will see the FX Cell Menu above.
- When selecting an empty FX cell you will be presented with a list of FX Presets to choose from.
- If you touch/hold an FX Cell with an FX already in it, then you display the relevent FX unit directly.
- Note: FX uses up processing cycles more than most things (and Reverb uses by far the most), so use carefully. Also, where possible, use a global FX instead of the same FX applied to multiple tracks. See also the FAQ.
Edit Network Button
Will display the full Partikl FX Network Editor for your selected FX (which allows you to chain together FX).
FX Enable / Disable Button
Select to enable or disable the FX. When the FX is enabled it shows in the mixer as a icon of the normal colour for that FX. When disabled, the colour is muted (duller).
Edit Unit Button
Select to customise the relevant Track or Global FX unit or network you have already applied.
FX Preset Button
Select to display the FX Preset List. There are a wide range of FX Presets that come with Mixtikl, to get you started, but you can also customise and save them.
- +<OPTIONS>
- Select to show the options. When
<HIDE OPTIONS>
shown, select to hide the options.
- [RENAME]
- Select this entry to see the list of FX available for renaming
- You cannot rename presets that are included with Mixtikl or are in Pak zip files.
- [DELETE]
- Allows you to delete any FX presets you have saved.
- You cannot delete presets that are included with Mixtikl or are in Pak zip files (but you could delete those Pak zip files).
- FX Presets
- Selecting one of these will add it to the FX Cell.
- Tip: To scroll through the list to see all the Presets, tap and drag the list up/down or (on desktop) use the Up / Down or Page Up / Page Down keys or the mouse center wheel.
- Tip: Touch the top right of the display area to toggle to the top and bottom of the list.
- See also Navigation.
Clear Button
Select to clear the Global FX or selected Track FX, as relevant.
Mixer > Record > Clipboard >
Mixer > Content Cell > Import >
Mixtikl's iOS support for Copy and Paste on (via the Apple General Pasteboard) makes it a snap to get audio loops and recordings into and out of Mixtikl.
Mixtikl on iOS also supports AudioCopy and AudioPaste by Sonoma Wire Works which passes meta information about loops such as tempo and makes it easy to find compatible apps which you can copy to/paste from. For further general or usage details other than as given below, please visit the Sonoma AudioCopy / AudioPaste webpage on the Sonoma website.
Copy
-
Select the Mix Recording Button from the Mixer Screen.
- If you get a pop-up message saying that you cannot record the mix because it uses locked content, then you either need to go to the in-app store to unlock that content and then try again, or simply create a mix that does not use any locked content.
- Select the item you want to copy from the list, then the "Clipboard" button.
- You will get a pop up message asking you "Choose Export Clipboard":
- Pasteboard
- Choose this for basic copy
- AudioCopy
Paste
- Select a Content Cell to display the Content Cell Menu.
- Select the Import button and you will get a pop up message asking you "Choose Import Clipboard":
- Sonoma AudioPaste
- General Pasteboard
- Choose this for basic paste (no tempo or other information is carried over). When the import is completed you will also then see the "Imported Meta File info" screen where you will need to set the Root and Time Sig settings if different from those shown. See also FAQ entry "Loop Import".
- Root:
- Set the root note (e.g. C#) for the imported loop
- Time Signature:
- Set the time signature (e.g 4/4) for the imported loop
- Tempo:
- Set the tempo (e.g 120bpm) for the imported loop
- Bars:
- Set the number of bars (e.g 4) for the imported loop
- Noatikl / Partikl
- Choose this to import a Noatikl or Partikl file
- Cancel
Sonoma AudioCopy (iOS Only)
- Follow steps 1-3 for Copy as above.
- Select the AudioCopy button above for Sonoma AudioCopy.
- In the popup Sonoma AudioCopy control select the "Copy Audio" button to copy the recording.
- Select the compatible App you want to paste into and it should launch; or press the Done button to cancel out of this screen.
- From the App you have selected, use Sonoma Paste within that App to paste the recording into the app.
Sonoma AudioPaste (iOS Only)
- Follow steps 1-2 for Paste as above.
- Select the AudioPaste button above for Sonoma AudioPaste.
- In the popup Sonoma AudioPaste control, select the "Source" list item to display the popup "Paste From" control.
- From the "Paste From" control choose the App / Recording that you want to paste and then select the Done button.
- Back in the Sononma AudioPaste control you can select the "Paste To" list item to select mono/stereo, but you should leave the "Loops" list item to just 1, as you can use Cell Repeat in Mixtikl to control the number of times you want the loop to repeat. Once done, select the Paste button and the loop will be pasted into the Mixtikl content cell you started from. You will see a message saying "AudioPaste success!" when completed.
- The Mixtikl "Import As" screen is then displayed, with a name already in the edit field (Appname_Date_Time) to make it quicker to get the recording in, and you do not have to change this if you do not want to. Tap or double tap the displayed file name to edit it and then the bottom Return button when done.
- You see a message telling you that the file has be copied to the User Content folder.
- Press OK to see the Mixtikl "Imported File Meta Info" screen. We make a guess at the Tempo and Bars of the recording from information we can back from Sonoma AudioPaste, but it depends on the App you are pasting from, so please double check! You will need to set the Root and Time Sig settings if different from those shown. See also FAQ entry "Loop Import"
- Root:
- Set the root note (e.g. C#) for the imported loop
- Time Signature:
- Set the time signature (e.g 4/4) for the imported loop
- Tempo:
- Set the tempo (e.g 120bpm) for the imported loop
- Bars:
- Set the number of bars (e.g 4) for the imported loop
- Once done, press the top left check (OK) button and you see a message saying "Clipboard import all done". Once you press OK to dismiss this message you will see the name of the recording appear in the Content Cell. It can take a little while for the name to appear, especially for big recordings, as Mixtikl is loading the recording into memory so that it is ready to play. To copy this recording to other cells, use the Copy command in the Tools menu.
Mixer > Record
Mixdown Audio Recording: With non-real time recording (mixdown), it is easy to make the best possible quality audio or MIDI recording of your mix or arrangement (but you cannot interact with it at the same time), even if your device struggles to play it live at the quality you want.
Live Audio Recording: It is easy to record your mix to an audio or MIDI file of specified bar length, and you can interact with it while the recording is being made, even when in the visualizer (iDevice has default audio output set to 22KHz stereo for live play). If your mix struggles to play at that quality, either reduce it, or make a mixdown recording!
Where are mix recordings saved to?:
All your *mix files* are saved to the "User_Content" folder which in turn is under the "paks" folder. All *recordings* you make with Mixtikl are saved to a folder called "recordings" which is in parallel with the "paks" folder. To find these recordings so you can copy them, see Copy Content In/Out.
To make a mix recording:
-
Select the Mix Recording Button from the Mixer Screen and then:
- Live Audio Recording:
- Start: Select the Live Recording button (orange button, right arrow) and you will be presented with a popup asking if you want to make a recording which, once accepted, will direct you to the visualizer screen so that you can play along whilst you are recording (you can, of course, change to the mixer screen to make your changes). The mix recording button shows white so that you know the mix is live recording.
- Stop: In the mixer screen, press the orange stop button, or from the visualizer screen select either the Menu or Message/Display Settings Screen and press the white stop button, or in the Menu press the Rec / Preview button, or simply wait for it to reach the bar length specified in Settings.
- Mixdown Audio Recording:
- Start: Select the Mixdown button (orange button, down arrow), then select the OK button and you will see a status indicator appear on screen showing you how the mix recording is progressing. When the mixdown has finished a popup will advised you of the size of the recording and the recording will then appear in the recordings list so that you can preview it.
- Stop: Select the black stop button [desktop version only] to stop the recording or wait for it to reach the bar length specified in Settings.
To email a mix recording (audio recording only):
Note: On Mixtikl for Desktop, this will only work with the OS preferred Email client.
- Select the item in the recordings list that you want to email (it must be an audio recording; transferring a MIDI recording at present requires you to do that via iTunes file sharing).
- Select the white Email Button in the top toolbar.
- Fill in the details in the email, and send it!
Recording Type:
You can select whether to record your mix to either an audio file, or a MIDI file (but not both at the same time).
Tip: Note events and music generated by tap events in the visuallizer also get recorded, too!
- Recording Type (checkbox)
To Preview, Copy, Rename & Delete Mix Recordings:
Tip: You can quickly get to the Mix recordings screen from the Preview button on the Main Menu.
- Copy to Clipboard
- Select an item in the recordings list
- Press the Clipboard button, and then either select the Pasteboard button or the Sonoma AudioCopy button. Follow the Copy instructions.
- Preview
- Select an item in the recordings list
- Press the Preview button to start playback
- Press the Preview button again to stop playback
- Delete
- Select an item in the recordings list
- Press the Delete button to call up the text edit screen
- Press OK if you want to delete the recording
- Rename
- Select an item in the recordings list
- Press the Rename button to call up the text edit screen
- Rename the file and press return to accept the change
Mix Recording Settings
Select the Settings button to show the Recording Settings screen. Here you can define the settings for both Live recordings and Mixdown recordings, and (aside from the preface) they can be different for each.
- File name preface
- Bars Duration (Live Recording / Mixdown)
- The bar length of mix recording, up to 99 bars.
- Tap the control to display the pop up bar list, and select the value you want
- Live recording: 2 bars (default); Mixdown recording: 4 bars (default)
- Format (Live Recording / Mixdown)
- The file format for the recording.
- Tap the control to display the pop up format list, and select the value you want
- 16-bit Wav (default), 8-bit Wav, 16-bit AU, 8-bit AU.
- Audio Quality (Live Recording / Mixdown)
- The different available output frequencies for recordings.
- Tap the control to display the pop up list of audio qualities available, and select the value you want
- Live recording: 22Khz stereo (default); Mixdown recording: 44Khz stereo (default)
- Live Recording: The range of options will be up to that of the quality set in Options for the Audio Output. If this is set, for example, to 22KHz stereo, then that is the maximum quality at which you can record.
Mixer > Mic Record
It is easy to make a mic recording of specified bar length, and attach it to a particular cell. You can do the same things with a mic recording as you can with any other loop (e.g. pitch shift/time stretch it if you change the mix tempo or root, or just stream it so that it never changes).
Large/long microphone recordings are best set to play as a "stream" meaning they can be played right off the storage media/hard drive and do not have to first be loaded into memory (which can take time which will also mean a mix can take a long time to load). Samples need to be first loaded into memory so it can be pitch shifted/time stretched as required).
Songwriter Note: The mic recording facility is designed for recording (and using in mixes) ambient sounds, speech etc. that do not require a precise "bar boundary" start. However, in the Content Cell Advanced Settings we do provide a "Stream Skip" setting that you can experiment with.
Where are mic recordings saved to?:
All your *mix files* are saved to the "User_Content" folder which in turn is under the "paks" folder. All *recordings* you make with Mixtikl are saved to a folder called "recordings" which is in parallel with the "paks" folder. To find these recordings so you can copy them, see Copy Content In/Out.
To make a mic recording:
- Start:
- Select the Mic Recording Button above from the Mixer Screen.
- You will see a pop up message asking you "Mic Record - Select the cell to which you wish to record".
- Press OK and you are taken back to the mixer screen where you will notice that the bottom right toolbar button now has a red outline.
- Select the desired cell to then see the Mic Recording screen.
- In the Mic Recording screen select the Live Rec recording button to start the recording.
- The mic recording will now being made according to the bar length defined in Mic Recording Settings, unless you otherwise stop it.
- Stop:
- In the mixer screen, press the stop button, or wait for it to reach the bar length specified in Settings.
To Preview, Copy, Rename & Delete Mic Recordings:
Tip: You can quickly get to the Recordings screen from the Preview button on the Main Menu.
- Preview
- Select an item in the recordings list
- Press the Preview button to start playback
- Press the Preview button again to stop playback
- Copy to Clipboard
- Select an item in the recordings list
- Press the Clipboard button, and then OK and either select the Pasteboard button or the Sonoma AudioCopy button. Follow the Copy instructions.
- Rename
- Select an item in the recordings list
- Press the Rename button to call up the text edit screen
- Rename the file and press return to accept the change
- Delete
- Select an item in the recordings list
- Press the Delete button to call up the text edit screen
- Press OK if you want to delete the recording
Mic Recording Settings
Select the Settings button to show the Settings screen. Here you can define the settings for mic recording.
- File name preface
- Bars Duration
- The bar length of the mic recording, up to 99 bars.
- Tap the control to display the pop up bar list, and select the value you want
- Mic recording: 2 bars (default)
- Loop checkbox
- Bars Count in
- How many bars you want to count in before the recording starts, up to 3 bars.
- Tap the control to display the pop up bar list, and select the value you want
- Bars Count in: 0 bars (default)
- Quality
- The different available output frequencies for mic recordings.
- Tap the control to display the pop up list of audio qualities available, and select the value you want
- Quality: 22Khz mono (default)
- Format
- The file format for the mic recording.
- Tap the control to display the pop up format list, and select the value you want
- 16-bit Wav (default), 8-bit Wav, 16-bit AU, 8-bit AU.
- Input FX checkbox
- Check (default) if you want the mic recording to have input FX applied (currently a compressor unit), or uncheck if you don't want it applied.
- FX Button
- Press the button to launch the Compressor Unit so that you can customise the settings.
Mixer > EQ
You may not ever have the need to use this, but the EQ Screen is where you can set the global Mixtikl EQ setting, applied to all mixes. You can also select from a number of EQ Presets.
Select the EQ Preset List at the bottom to open the list of Presets, and choose the preset you want. Alternatively, drag the sliders to customise the mix EQ to suit!
List Navigation: See Navigation.
To access the EQ List:
Select the EQ Button in the top toolbar of the Mixer Screen.
Mixer > Tools
There are a number of tools and macro functions available for the Mixtikl Mixer. When selected, the colour of the Tools cell highlight changes to red.
Tools are generally sticky (i.e. they operate until cancelled) and the method of operation is generally:
- Select the tool entry
- The list closes
- Select a content cell
- To turn off the mode, press the tools button again
To access the Tools List:
-
Select the Tools Button in the bottom toolbar of the Mixer Screen.
[COPY CELL/FX]
- After selection (and until cancelled), select a content cell. Any other content cell you then select will then have this content pasted into it.
[TRIGGER CELL]
- After selection (and until cancelled), when selecting a content cell that cell will be forced to play. Normal operation for that cell resumes after it has been played once.
- If you trigger a One-shot Track Rules cell (see Mixer Screen), then the content will play immediately, and not wait until the next bar boundary. This is ideal for "spot fx" such as stings and other incidental sounds.
[CLEAR CELL]
- After selection (and until cancelled), any content cell you select will have its contents cleared.
[RANDOMISE COLUMN]
- After selection (and until cancelled), every content cell in the columm (section) you then select (by selecting a content cell in that column/section) will have its content chosen at random from whatever the underlying pak is.
- The intention is to allow quick random combinations to be generated.
[RANDOMISE TRACK]
- After selection (and until cancelled), every content cell in the track you then select (by selecting a content cell in that track) will have its content chosen at random from whatever the underlying pak is.
- The intention is to allow quick random combinations to be generated.
[SKIP CELL]
-
After selection (and until cancelled), any content cell you select will be designated a skip cell (shown left).
- When no section lock is on, a skip cell is skipped and next cell in the track plays instead.
[SILENT CELL]
-
After selection (and until cancelled), any content cell you select will be designated a silent cell (shown left).
- When no section lock is on, a silent cell plays silence.
[LOOP CELL]
-
After selection (and until cancelled), any content cell you select will be designated a looping cell (shown left).
- Looping cells continue to loop, whether or not a section lock is on in another section, until the looping is removed (which you can do by selecting Content Cell > Looping again).
Mixer > Clear
The Clear Mix Menu gives you quick toolbar access to a number of ways to clear cells in your mix.
(your can also clear a cell directly from the Content Cell, or with use of sticky Tools.
To access the menu:
Clear Menu
- [CLEAR CELL]
- This is a sticky control (the Clear Menu button shows a red surround), so once selected (and until the Clear Menu button is selected again), it will clear out everything and all settings from any cell you select. Use CAREFULLY as there is no undo!
- Clear All Loops
- Once selected (and you are asked to confirm), it will clear out all the loops from the current mix.
- Clear All Track Settings
- Once selected (and you are asked to confirm), it will clear out from the current mix all track settings (track FX/global FX, track mute/solo) and reset track volume and pan settings to default values. Note: This will not clear loops, turn off looping on any content cell or reset track rules.
- Clear EVERYTHING
- Once selected (and you are asked to confirm), it will clear out from the current mix ALL loops and ALL mix settings including turning off looping on any content cell. It does not reset track rules.
Menu > Settings
The Mixtikl Settings menu provides you with a number of ways to customise Mixtikl (including enabling Audiobus support).
Audio Output...
The System Audio Output options are:
- The drop list presents a list of all the audio output options that are detected to be system-available (e.g. 22050 kHz Stereo, the default setting for iDevice).
- Select the option you prefer.
- If your mix stutters during playback, it means your device is having problems playing your mix: you should either try removing content from your mix, or try lowering the audio output quality. Even if you lower the output quality, you can still make a high quality mix recording with the Mixdown capability.
- We strongly recommending changing this setting with an empty mix as it can take some time to change the Audio Output if there are several audio loops in your mix, as each of these needs to be resampled.
Checkboxes
The available Checkboxes are:
-
Full content names: value
- Checked: In the Content List this will displays the file name and file extension
- Unchecked: In the Content List this hides the file extensions
-
AirPlay: Enabled/Disabled [iOS only]
Note: When this option is enabled, you are not able to make Microphone recordings in Mixtikl for iOS.
Note: If AirPlay for Mixtikl is disabled (below), you will NOT see an AirPlay option for Mixtikl on your iDevice.
AirPlay : Disabled (unchecked - default)
- Mixtikl audio plays through the iDevice speaker or headphone socket, as normal, and you are able to make Microphone recordings in Mixtikl.
AirPlay : Enabled (checked)
- iOS4.2 or higher required: Should you have one set up, you can direct Mixtikl's audio output to an AirPlay enabled Apple TV, an AirPort Express or paired Bluetooth device so that you can listen to Mixtikl through e.g. a Home Cinema, Audio system, Car stereo etc.
- To select your preferred audio output:
- When Mixtikl is playing, double tap the home button.
- Swipe the bottom toolbar all the way to the left (by swiping right).
- Select the little arrow on the right to get a pop up choice of outputs.
- Select e.g. Apple TV / AirPort Express / Bluetooth device and you will see the little right arrow glow blue.
-
Check for update when Mixtikl Starts [Desktop Audio Plugins only]
Check this for Mixtikl to check for updates when it starts. Uncheck this if you do not want Mixtikl to check for updates.
-
Audiobus [iOS only]
To enable Audiobus support, simply check the Audiobus checkbox at the bottom of the Settings screen.
Audiobus is an iOS app that allows you route iOS audio to other Audiobus-supporting iOS applications. It therefore allows you to mix audio streams together and process or record them in other applications. The reason for adding Audiobus support to Mixtikl is that Mixtikl is a great ambient music generator and loop sequencer and so can provide an interesting background to jam to or play along with (for example, try it with Thumbjam), to record etc.
For instructions on how to use Audiobus, please refer to the Audiobus website. To use Audiobus you will also beed to install the Audiobus app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
Notes: When you check the Audiobus checkbox in the settings screen the Mixtikl audio is then muted and is instead routed through Audiobus. You can then record it e.g. via an app like MultiTrack DAW. You can also hear it if in the Audiobus output if you select "Speaker Output".
Note 1: Although not necessary for recording, "Input Monitor" (in MultiTrack DAW screenshot, the most righthand one below) is shown as being selected so that you can also listen as Mixtikl is being recorded. Some apps, like Loopy HD, do not seem to support input monitoring so in those apps you will not be able to hear the audio whilst it is being recorded.
Note 2: Although you *might* be able to jam live against Mixtikl (e.g. with Thumbjam) without audio breakup, recording that via Audiobus will certainly result in audio breakup and this is because of the way we have configured Mixtikl - we hope to be able to tweak that in the future. In the meantime, we recommend that you record the output and then jam against that - it is still great fun!
Click above for bigger image
Menu > Tempo/Root
From the Mix Settings screen you can pitch shift & time stretch the entire mix (but it is not real time, and it can take some time). You can also change the generative harmony and scale rules that apply to all generative parts in the whole mix except where over-ruled on a per-cell basis.
Tip: Generative content should change as soon as you make a change to the pitch/tempo/rules values; audio loops will be changed as quickly as is possible to pitch shift/time stretch them. You can press the Cancel button at any time.
To access the Mix Settings screen:
OK button
- Applies any changes you make to the Tempo and Root settings.
- Changes are made (non-destructively, i.e. in memory) to each content item in your mix.
Cancel button
- Simply press the cancel button if you want to reverse all your changes and close the screen.
Tempo list
- To change this value drag the list up or down and tap the value you want (Desktop: also tap to the Left or Right of the list item, or use the Left/Right or 4/6 keys to decrease or increase the value by 10).
- The time it takes depends on how many loops there are in your mix, what quality you are mixing at (e.g. 22KHz) - hence it can take some time to do!
Root list
- To change this value drag the list up or down and tap the value you want (Desktop: also tap to the Left or Right of the list item, or use the Left/Right or 4/6 keys to decrease or increase the value by 1).
- The time it takes depends on how many loops there are in your mix, what quality you are mixing at (e.g. 22KHz) - hence it can take some time to do!
Global Harmony
- Ensures that the mix level harmony rule is applied in a musically optimum fashion when composing which may also mean some unexpected notes still occur. Can be over-ridden by rules at a cell level.
- Checked - Rule applied (Default setting)
- Unchecked - mix level harmony rules is not applied and parts do not attempt to harmonise with each other at all, but harmonise only withing themselves (cell level harmonisation).
Strict Harmony
- Ensures that the mix level harmony rule is absolutely obeyed by all parts when composing. You may wish to use this setting to ensure that ONLY certain harmonies occur. Can be over-ridden by rules at cell level.
- Checked - Rule applied (Default setting)
- Unchecked - the strict enforcement of a mix level harmony rule is not applied.
Rule Editor Screen
Harmony Rule Button
- Displays the name of the currently selected mix level harmony rule; only notes available in this harmony rule will play
- Use Cell Rules (default setting): use the rules that are contained within the various parts.
- Custom: A customised mix harmony rule that will be applied to the mix in accordance with the two checkbox settings. See the Rule Editor Screen (side or below) where you tap/drag the sliders at the bottom to change the various interval weightings for the rule. This affects composition in real time. See the Noatikl User Guide on this parameter for further information.
- Default: The Noatikl default harmony rule values.
Scale Rule Button
- Displays the name of the currently selected mix level scale rule; only notes available in this scale rule will play
- Use Cell Rules (default setting): use the rules that are contained within the various parts.
- Custom: A customised mix scale rule that is applied to the mix. See the Rule Editor Screen (side or below) where you tap/drag the sliders at the bottom to change the various interval weightings for the rule. This affects composition in real time. See the Noatikl User Guide on this parameter for further information.
- Default: The Noatikl default scale rule values.
Menu > New > Settings
New Mix Randomisation Settings Screen
There are a number of Mix Randomisation Settings that determine what content can be selected for randomisation, and how it is selected.
General Controls
- Tracks Control: Determines how many tracks (1-12) can have randomised content (the others are left empty).
- Cells Control: Determines how many cells (columns 1-4) can have randomised content (the others are left empty).
- Vol Min Control: The minimum volume a track can have.
- Vol Max Control: The maximum volume a track can have (where 86 represents 0db.
- Pan +/- Control: The maximum variation in the track pan from the center value of 64.
- Gen % Control: The percentage of cells that include generative content. If this setting is 100% then only generative content is used; if 0% then only non-generative content (e.g. audio loops) is used.
- BPM +/- Control: The maximum variation of the tempo from the tempo of the chosen Pak. If set to 0% then the tempo will not be randomised.
- Blank % Control: The percentage of cells that are empty; this can help thin out an otherwise dense mix.
Cell Controls
- GenBar Min (default value is 8): The minimum value for the GenBar content cell setting, where "Normal" (i.e. a value of 0) means the generative content will play for as long as it is set to play in the underlying Noatikl file. When the "Normal" value is used by a cell's content, a blue bar displays at the top of the content cell in the Mixer UI.
- GenBar Max (default value is 16): The maximum value for the GenBar content cell setting.
- GenBar Range (default value is 8): The maximum value for the GenBar content cell setting.
- CellRepeat Min (default value is 1): The minimum value for the CellRepeat content cell setting.
- CellRepeat Max (default value is 7): The maximum value for the CellRepeat content cell setting.
- CellRepeat Range (default value is 3): The maximum value for the CellRepeat content cell setting.
Checkboxes
- Cells Loop: If checked it means that all tracks will be of a looped type, and not a sequenced type - this is useful if you are using Mixtikl for performing live.
- Use Mix Cells Only : See "From Mix" button above.
- Mix Root: If checked it means that the root of the mix will be randomised (e.g. A or C or E etc); If unchecked, then the root will not be changed.
Visualiser Settings Button
Visualiser Settings Screen
This is where you configure the visualiser settings. Buttons at the top are shortcuts to a number of key activities such as exporting mixtikls, getting more mixtikls, opening saved mixtikls, making recordings etc. Buttons that have a tap/hold shortcut show a small icon at the bottom right of the button.
IMPORTANT: Mixtikl files ('mixtikls') are user self-published as URLs & Intermorphic has no control over any user-included text or tunes ('message'). On importing a mixtikl that contains a message you will be required to agree that you understand Intermorphic has no control over the content of that message.
Top Buttons & Shortcuts
- Vis button (left):
- Tap: Accept your changes, display Vis screen
- Tap/Hold: Accept your changes, display Menu
- Mixer button (second left):
- Tap: Accept your changes, display Mixer Screen
- Tap/Hold: Accept your changes, New random mix
- Play/Stop
- File Open:
- Tap: Open list of previously saved mix files
- Tap/Hold: Search online for tweeted mixtikls
- Attach Message:
- Tap: Copy mixtikl to clipboard for tweeting
- Tap/Hold: Paste mixtikl into a new email ready for sending
- Save (right):
- Tap: Save Mix file
- Tap/Hold: Mix Preview/Recording screen
Message and Visualizer Settings
- Mix name:
- To the right of the screen is displayed the mix name
- Tip: Before you email or tweet your mixtikl, save it with a catchy or relevant name, e.g. "Happy Birthday" or "Play this haiku" or "One for you Bill" etc, as you will see this in front of the mixtikl URL.
- Display Text Checkbox: If checked, display text in the visualiser
- Text Box:
- Tap in it to enter up to 140 characters of your own text
- Tip: If you put 2 carriage returns after a word the next word will appear in a text block that is displayed once the previous text block has displayed.
- Import Button: Import text from the clipboard
- Export Button: Export text to the clipboard
- Clear Button: Clear the text field
- Display Mode Radio Buttons:
- Message: Select to display words in a block as an on-screen message
- Words: Select to display words one at a time through display events (below)
- Word Xtras:
- Extra Message Tap Words: Check to display floating text in addition to your message
- Jumbled: Check to display the text box words in a random order / jumbled up
- Wordbank: Check to also include words from the Mixtikl word pool (which includes over 600 words)
- Display Events:
- Music: Check to allow music engine generated events to drive the visualiser, shapes or text highlighting
- Taps: Check to allow taps to drive the visualiser, shapes or text highlighting
- Tap Play:
- Auto: Check to have Mixtikl play the tap part for you!
- Defaults:
- Press button to save current settings as defaults for new mixes
- Visualiser List: Choose one from the list visualizers available
- Shapes List: Choose a note shape from one of those available
There are a number of sources of add on content that you can use in the Mixtikl content cells:
- The pre-installed Intermorphic Tiklpaks that come with Mixtikl.
- Add-on Tiklpaks from Intermorphic.
- Add-on Paks you have made yourself, or sourced from some other vendor (noting that to copy these to iDevice, you will need to be using Mixtikl (Full)).
More Content
Add on content needs to be of the types listed in Content Types, but can be from the example sources:
- Mixtikl Mobile: WAV or Ogg samples or loops you have made yourself on your Device with another app, such as microphone recordings or modular synth recordings, and that you copy into Mixtikl Mobile from the audio clipboard using the Content Cell > Import button (this is by far the easiest way on mobile, i.e. using another app that supports copying to the audio clipboard see a list of these apps here) or the Content Cell > Content List button where you can copy into the cell recordings made in Mixtikl.
- Mixtikl Desktop: WAV or Ogg samples or loops you have made yourself on your Desktop PC, such as microphone recordings or modular synth recordings, and that you copy into Mixtikl Desktop via the Content Cell > Content List button or Content Cell > Advanced > Browse button.
- Partikl, Noatikl or MIDI files you have created yourself.
- Creative Commons licensed samples, e.g. One Laptop Per Child project.
- Loops and Samples you may already have handy:
- You have purchased some loops
- You have purchased an Music Magazine with cover DVD
- You have a sequencer or other software tool that comes with some loops
- You have downloaded some free online loops
Making Paks
Otherwise, you will need to create a Pak.
Menu > More
Displays a list of weblinks to sources of shared mixes, and communities.
- Tweeted "mixtikls"
- Shared Mixes Forum
- Mixtikl@Soundcloud
- Mixtikl Support Forum
- IM @ Facebook
- Goes to the IM Facebook page where we will be linking to mixtikls and releasing Mixtikl news. Please make sure you friend us!
- IM @ Twitter
- Goes to the IM Twitter page where we will be linking to mixtikls and releasing Mixtikl news. Please make sure you friend us!
- Other Communities
Mixtikl allows the mixing together of many different audio and music
files, namely "content". This content can be in a wide range of file formats, from
audio clips to MIDI files and beyond. To keep things simple, we refer to any item of
content in any format simply as "content" or "content item", but this section gives
some more information on the different formats.
Mixtikl’s content flexibility allows you to be creative in ways that both
suits the capabilities of your device and that match your personal preferences –
namely how much memory you have on your phone, and how much space you
want to set aside for storing content or recordings of mixes you might make.
Audio Content
Audio content is used where maximum sonic impact is required. The reason is that
an audio sample (a short clip) contains a great deal of high quality pre-processed
audio information (such as a real voice, electric guitar riff, orchestral theme etc).
However, the downside is that memory usage is higher than for other content types
(for both storage and operation). A typical 1 bar audio sample (in compressed Ogg
Vorbis format, 48Kbps) is around 15Kb, but in order to be mixed it must first be
expanded into your device RAM memory, where it might be >4 times larger!
Audio formats supported (file extensions capitalised for consistency):
- Ogg Vorbis (compressed audio format) – .OGG
- WAV (PCM and ADPCM) - .WAV (8 or 16 bit only at present)
Note: When using audio content, there are a number of factors that determine the
size of the content item. The key ones are the tempo of the mix and how many
"bars" there are in each item of content (a "bar" is a musical term which refers
most commonly to 4 beats, and is the normal minimum size for a content item),
and then for each item the sample rate, bit depth and whether the sample is stereo
or mono.
Tempo is to do with how many beats per minute (bpm) you have in your mix,
which is defined in each Pak. Tempo and the content size are closely
interrelated in that a 1 bar 60bpm audio clip is 4 seconds in length (each beat is 1
second in length and there are 4 of them in a bar), and a 1 bar 120bpm audio clip a
2 seconds in length (each beat is ½ second and there are 4 of them).
MIDI Content
MIDI content is an electronic version of sheet music
(in that it only contains note playback information), and it is played through the
Mixtikl integral MIDI synthesizer. MIDI content has the advantage of
small size, and so uses far less device memory, but it does not have the sonic
impact and richness of the much larger audio content. A typical 1 bar MIDI riff is
around 1Kb.
MIDI formats supported (file extensions capitalised for consistency):
- SMF (Standard MIDI file, type 0 or 1) - .MID/.MIDI/.KAR
Advanced Content
Various advanced content options are available within Mixtikl, and these
allow greater use of the device as a music "computer", creating rich sounds from
small components. This kind of content is typically in .partikl
format, and it allows the use of real software synthesisers, FX and music engines. A
1 bar .partikl file can be just a few Kb in size, but can be set up to allow the creation of
hundreds of minutes of varied and sonically rich content.
Partikl content can also include audio samples, for which the comments
above related to audio content apply. Partikl files may contain any combination of DLS file data, audio data (Ogg, Au and/or WAV), Noatikl files, MIDI files and Partikl Modular Synth and FX network settings. Noatikl files are generative content, meaning that they are composed for you in real-time by the Noatikl trans-generative music engine.
Advanced formats supported (file extensions capitalised for consistency):
- Noatikl - .NOATIKL or .NOA
- Partikl - .PARTIKL or .PAR
DLS 1 Wavetable
The Partikl multi-synth can be used to hook up MIDI or advanced content to a DLS 1 Wavetable. The Wavetable can either be in one of the pre-installed Paks, or included in a Pak you might have made. Either way, it has to be installed to your device and Partikl must know the path to it.
Being able to target a DLS 1 Wavetable via Partikl means that MIDI playback, via the MIDI synth in Partikl, can use some cool sounds and with the smallest performance overhead - all you need is the Wavetable!
Multi-bar Content
This is content in any of the above forms that plays for more than 1 bar. It can be
even more effective than content of 1 bar length as it provides more continuity and
variation over a longer period of time. Mixtikl is very powerful in that
mixes can utilise not only 1 bar content, but also multi-bar content.
Mixtikl intelligently caters for content of non-full bar length (e.g. 2 ¼
bars). When the content is not in a Tiklpak it will not simply loop the content,
causing mix synching problems, but will instead pad it out with silence until it
reaches the next bar boundary. Content that *is* in a Tiklpak is time-
stretched/shrunk automatically to the nearest bar multiple.
The "mixtikl" itself
When you add content into a mix, references to it are saved to the ".mixtikl". The mixtikl stores all the information about what
content is used in the mix and where used, together with sound FX, generative rule customisations etc. However, all content referenced in the mixtikl must be installed in Mixtikl in order for it to play - e.g. loops and MIDI files are not themselves saved to the mixtikl!
Add-on Paks and Content
There is a lot that can be used in Mixtikl. See here for what is available!
Navigating Mixtikl is pretty straightforward, and how you do it depends on whether you have the iOS, Android or Desktop versions.
To action or activate a cell, button or area
- Tap
- Either tap or or mouse click the cell (i.e. desktop version).
- Applies to :
- Tap/Hold
- Either tap or mouse click the cell (i.e. desktop version) for a second or two.
- Applies to :
- Content Cell to loop / un-loop it.
- Keyboard (desktop only)
- Either position the yellow Cell Selector with the nav keys (L, R, Up, Down) on to the cell or button and press the Enter key or press the relevant keyboard shortcut.
- Applies to :
General Activation Areas
- Menu button for the Main Menu.
- Top middle area (volume slider) in the Mixer Screen for global volume.
- Bottom "?" in most screens for contextual online help on that screen.
- When in a Content or FX list (via Content Cell Menu or Track/Global FX Cell Menu), tap top right of the list to toggle to top or bottom of the list
- When in Content list via the Content Cell Menu, tap the speaker item at the far right of list item to preview content
Controlling Knobs and Sliders
- Select the knob or slider control (as above);
- Tap/hold the bottom pop up slider control and drag L/R to select new position;
- Release
- On keyboard, select as above and use L/R keys to change value and Enter to accept the value.
Keyboard Up/Down, L/R & Enter (Desktop version)
- Use L/R and Up/Down to move around the screen
- Enter will select highlighted cell
- In an Options Lists, L/R will toggle option value
- In the Content List L/R can be used to preview / play content
Cancelling from lists
- Tap the top left hand display area when it says "Cancel"
- Additional for Desktop versions:
- Press the Escape key
- Press the * key
Clearing contents of a Content or FX Cell
- Select the cell and select "clear" item from the pop-up Content Cell Menu or FX Cell Menu
- Select the Tools cell, select "Clear" from the pop-up Tools Menu and select the cell you want to clear.
- IMPORTANT: Remember to tap the Tools cell again to turn it off; you can tell a tool is "Active" when the tools cell has a red outline.
- Additional for Desktop versions:
Desktop Control
- Spacebar: toggles play/stop
- Escape key: cancel from a menu or list
- Delete to clear cell
- Left and Right arrows are L/R
- Others as below except that in lists 3 is page down, and 9 page up
Desktop Menus
These are shown at the top, and are only visible on the desktop versions.
- Mixtikl
- Quit or Exit: Closes Mixtikl
- Options
- Restore Window Size
- Show the User_Content folder
- Check for Update When Mixtikl Starts (check or uncheck)
- Output Devices: Select your audio output driver (Desktop Standalone, not Plugin)
- Input Devices: Select your audio input driver (Desktop Standalone, not Plugin)
- Help
- Online User Guide: Go to the online User Guide
- Mixtikl Forum: Go to the online Mixtikl Forum
- Online Licence: Go to the online EULA
- Mixtikl Product Key: Enter your Mixtikl Product key and licence information
- Intermorphic Creativity Tools: Goes to Intermorphic Website tool pages
Keyboard / Keypad shortcuts
In addition to being able to navigate and control Mixtikl with your mouse, the following shortcuts are available for the Desktop
versions.
Mixer
- 1 - Play/Stop mix
- 2 - Up
- 3 - Trigger a cell or spot cell (also T) [See Content Cell Screen]
- 4 - Left
- 5 - Action / Select
- 6 - Right
- 7 - Key shortcut (7, Col, Row : e.g. 7, 2, 1);
- Columns
- 1 - Volume/Pan
- 2 - Solo/Mute
- 3,4,5,6 - Mix Sections
- 7 - Rules
- 8 - FX
- Rows
- top toolbar: Up
- tracks: 1-9,*(10), 0 (11), #(12)
- bottom toolbar: Down
- 8 - Down
- 9 - Tools Cell
- 0 - Clear Cell
- * - Menu / Cancel
- 2 - Up
- 3 - Page Up
- 4 - Stop Preview
- 5 - Select
- 6 - Preview / play content
- 7 - None
- 8 - Down
- 9 - Page Down
- 0 - Clear Cell
- * - Cancel
- 2 - Up
- 3 - Page Up
- 5 - Select
- 8 - Down
- 9 - Page Down
- 0 - Clear Cell
- * - Cancel
FAQ - General
Amazon Appstore: See Getting Started and Install Amazon Appstore.
There is a very, very simple reason for this: Amazon automatically set and collect all sales taxes and then remit them to the relevant authorities on behalf of the developer. For apps sold on Google Play the developer has to undertake all of that financial heavy lifting themselves*.
The costs of securing tax advice (even just to sell in major countries) together with the admin burden of making remittances etc. simply does not make sense for us at the moment - it would cost us way more to do than we would ever get back in terms of app sales. One day thay might change, but until then we just do not have the resources to sell apps on Google Play - sorry.
That said, it is very easy to install the Amazon Appstore on your Android device, and purchase Mixtikl from there. Once downloaded and installed you then just load Mixtikl from its icon, like any other installed Android app (you do not have to first load the Amazon Appstore). If you do not already have an account with Amazon you will need to set one up, but this is no different to what you would need to do to purchase via Google Play, either!
* We have spoken to Google about this situation and they are aware of it but we do not think they are going to do anything about it.
Note: If you have purchased a licence one of our tools via our website you will receive an email containing your Customer ID, Order ID and Product Key. If you are having problems getting the Product Key accepted the most likely reason is that you are trying to use a product key for the Desktop Standalone version to unlock a Desktop Audio Plugin version or vice versa (see the steps below). You have to enter your Product Key into that same Mixtikl version as it was licenced for or it will not be accepted.
Check you have followed the Product Key section in the Mixtikl User Guide.
Note: If you're running on Windows, and find Mixtikl doesn't save its license key when you close the application, use the Windows option to run the host software (e.g. Reaper 3) "as Administrator". Enter and save your registration details. Restart the application normally: it should now be fine. If you've got trouble saving the license key for the Desktop Audio Plugin, you should run the host application.
If the above does not get you going, then please try the following steps:
- Close all instances of our software (including sequencers using our plugins).
- Open the version of software for which you have purchased a license (e.g. Mixtikl Desktop Standalone Desktop Audio Plugin variant), and from the Mixtikl Main Menu select the Quick Help button in the center to launch the Quick Help Screen and then at the bottom of the Quick Help Screen, select the link "Enter Mixtikl Product Key". Enter your Customer ID, Order ID and Product Key. We recommend you copy and paste the Product Key and do not try to type it in.
- Once entered, close the software and restart it.
- Tip: Do not have any spaces at the end of the Product Key ... or at the start.
- Problems copying/pasting Product Key?
- Mac - To paste on the Mac, you must:
- Right-click in the text box, OR Control-click in the text box
- ... then select 'Paste' from the pop-up menu
- Alternatively, click in the text box, and press Cmd-V / Applekey-V (the paste shortcut).
- Windows - To paste on Windows, you must :
- Right click in the text box
- ... then select 'Paste' from the pop-up menu
- Alternatively, click in the text box, and press Control-V (for paste).
- We have also had problems reported from Mac users with Microsoft Entourage. The issue is that the Product Key is not being treated as plain text. Try this:
- run TextEdit (you'll find TextEdit using Finder in the Applications folder)
- copy the values from Entourage
- paste the values into TextEdit (where it is set-up to be plain text, *not* RTF format!)
- copy each value you need from TextEdit
- paste into noatikl...!
- See also https://forum.intermorphic.com/viewtopic.php?t=263.
- Tip: If you are still having problems, please contact us and let us know the version numbered displayed in Help About (as well as OS version, how much free disk space you have, how much RAM do you have, the format of your hard disk [e.g. FAT32]).
We try as hard as we can to make our apps stable. If this app does crash on you, please do send us a crash log so that we can investigate and try to fix the problem (for all users). The crash log files all start with the app name, and have an extension "crash". They are text files that we can read, and give us useful information in tracking-down a crash.
Please send the text in them to us via our feedback form, and don't forget to tell us what you were doing when you had the crash! Hopefully we will be able to fix the crash in the next update.
Here is how you get the crash log files:
Crash logs for Mac Desktop versions
Note: Also refer to this article.
To find a log file, in Finder open:
~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/
You may have to hold down the option key when using the Go menu in the Finder to open the Library folder (this is needed on Lion and above).
Crash logs on Windows XP / 7 / Vista Desktop
See this article.
Crash logs on Windows 8
Open Event Viewer, then go to Windows Logs -> Application and look for errors.
Crash logs for iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad version
Note: Also refer to this article.
- Sync your device to iTunes. This will copy the crash
logs automatically from your device to your computer.
- You'll find the relevant app crash logs on your computer in one of the following
locations:
Mac OS X:
~/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/MobileDevice/<YOUR_DEVICE>
(the tilde ~ in the pathname is a shortcut for your user account name.
To find the log file, open ~/Logs/CrashReporter/MobileDevice/ in the Finder
- Note: You may have to hold down the option key when using the Go menu in the Finder to open the Library folder (this is needed on Lion and above).
e.g. /Users/jdoe/Library/Logs/CrashReporter/MobileDevice/John Doe’s iPhone/Mixtikl_2013-01-29-200048_John-Does-iPhone.crashi
Windows 7, Windows Vista:
<drive>:\Users\<YOUR_NAME>\AppData\Roaming\Apple
computer\Logs\CrashReporter/MobileDevice/<YOUR_DEVICE>>
Windows XP:
<drive>:\Documents and Settings\<YOUR_NAME>\Application Data\Apple
computer\Logs\CrashReporter/<YOUR_DEVICE>
Of course you do not need to attribute Intermorphic! If you wish to, though, then please do!
Please note, though, that Educational versions may not be used for commercial or business purposes, and where the product is a freemium product (i.e. includes in app purchase [IAP] for Save/Export/Clipboard, such as is the case with Mixtikl Free Mobile and Mixtikl Free for Mac) then you must purchase that IAP. Please also ensure you comply with the licence terms for any Tiklpak and/or 3rd party content you use in your recordings.
In general, yes you can. For further details and clarification around the Audio Loop Paks see here.
Please note that Educational versions may not be used for commercial or business purposes, and where the product is a freemium product (i.e. includes in app purchase [IAP] for Save/Export/Clipboard, such as is the case with Noatikl Mobile and Noatikl Free for Mac) then you must purchase that IAP. Please also ensure you comply with the licence terms for any Tiklpak and/or 3rd party content you use in your recordings.
It is very easy! Launch Mixtikl, and from the Menu screen (if you are in the mixer screen press the top left Menu tab) select the New button. From the list that pops up choose one of the installed Paks (e.g. GenMix 1) and then select New Random from the next list. Mixtikl will create a new mix for you, which you can tweak further by tapping the various cells. See the Mixtikl Video Tutorials for more help!
- Check the Mixtikl audio output is going to where you want it to:
- Check the volume output settings of your Mac/Win PC or iDevice (device volume buttons and also see AirPlay above - try also using headphones to make sure you can hear something)
- Check the Mixtikl Global Volume in the Top Display area is not zero (tap piece time at top and then adjust the pop up slider)
- Try loading and playing a Demo Mix from e.g. Tikpak GenMix 1 - Mixtikl Menu > Open > Demo GenMix 1A and the press the Play button.
- Ensure mix is playing (play/stop button will be orange)
- Ensure the relevant track rule is set to looping/sequence and not trigger/one shot (which shows as an exclamation mark on the right (col 7)
- A Content Cell will show as red if the content cannot be found (and so cannot play)
- Check track is not muted (M column 2)
- Check another track is not soloed (S in column 2) and the track in question is not also soloed
- Check track volume is not zero (black bar, column one)
- If using generative content, sometimes takes a while to play
- If using FX, check the Wet and Dry settings (try making Dry maximum just to check)
Yes, Mixtikl is a 12 track mixer that supports use of your own loops, and you can use an FX (e.g. EQ) on each track as well as one FX globally (all subject to device capabilities e.g. processor and memory). Loops must be in WAV or OGG format. For further details see: Using Add on Content and Transferring files.
Note: Tweeted mixes should NOT reference loops or recordings you have created, imported or are not otherwise available in an Intermorphic Tiklpak. This is because other people will not have or be able to have access to that loop/recording on their device, and so will not be able to hear it!
There are a couple of main differences.
- Mixtikl 5:
Is a cell sequencer primarily aimed at allowing users to easily mix together pre-designed generative pieces / templates with audio loops and track FX. Allows editing of generative music parameters, but with a very basic UI for that. Allows MIDI recordings, but does not support MIDI in/out.
- Noatikl 2:
Has an interface primarily aimed at enabling users to create custom generative music pieces allowing deep and as-easy-as-possible editing of all generative music parameters. Supports MIDI in/out so it can be used as a controller of external MIDI synths. Noatikl Mobile also features a blend screen for quite blending of piece volume and pan. Pieces created in Noatikl can be exported and then imported into Mixtikl. Does not support cell "sequencing" or audio loops.
Whether or not it would appeal, depends on to what end you're using Noatikl; and to what end you'd *like* to use Mixtikl.
Mixtikl includes a Noatikl music engine. But it adds a lot to the Noatikl party. It lets you work more quickly with generative music, by focusing on higher-level issues, without focusing as much on the process of setting-up generative rules and parameters.
In Mixtikl, you're taking pre-authored Noatikl content that has pre-attached sounds (and maybe audio loops!), tweaking sound FX in real-time, and throwing them all together into a generative melting pot. Mixtikl's version of the Noatikl engine combines the composition process for all ongoing internal Noatikl pieces, to give a single unified generative output stream - an *audio* stream - where everything "just works".
Of course, you can also pull-in your *own* Noatikl content, attach sounds (using Mixtikl's built-in Partikl synth), and have a blast mixing-up your own custom Noatikl content with the Mixtikl-included generative content (which is the same as in Noatikl incidentally).
You can also use Mixtikl to create audio recordings.
Yes, see here for the current range of Tiklpaks.
Yes, and we are going as fast as we can!
Mixtikl does not currently allow direct upload of recordings to SoundCloud. However, you can get Mixtikl mix recordings onto SoundCloud via another iDevice app that supports copy / paste as well as uploading to SoundCloud.
One app that can do that is MultiTrack DAW from Harmonic Dog. This app can also compress files to both OGG and AAC format (to save on upload banwidth) AND can send recordings via Email and transfer via WiFi.
Firstly, decide the audio qualitty you want Mixtikl to record your mix at, bearing in mind that some generative content can really work the processor hard (in some cases too hard to play/record at 44KHz stereo). Mixtikl defaults to 22KHz stereo operation. If you want to change to 44KHz stereo, then go to Menu > Setttings > Audio Output. Select 44KHz stereo, or whatever you want. This setting determines the maximum quality Mixtikl will run at, and you cannot record mixes etc at a higher quality than this setting.
When you press the mix record button (black spot on top toolbar), you have a setting below called +Options; press this to see all the options and set quality to what you want (noting above); e.g. 22KHz stereo, and set this before you make your mix recording.
Once the mix is recorded, you get a pop up message asking if you want to copy it to the clipboard. Say Yes.
Start the MultiTrack DAW app. Tap and hold a blank area in a track and select the blue Paste pop up button. Then select Menu > Help/Sharing/Upgrades and then Email. Select your encoding format and quality, then press send and it will encode and attach it to an email. Or, you can use SoundCloud (you will need to have a SoundCloud account of course!).
FAQ - iPhone / iPad / iPod touch
Re-installing Mixtikl Free does not restore your In App Purchase; you need to separately Restore your IAP.
Note: Restoring Mixtikl Free from a device backup should also restore the IAP, though.
In any event it is easy to restore an IAP!
See the Store instructions here on how to Restore an IAP.
The processors in mobile devices are getting faster all the time. For example, Gen 1 iPod touch devices are not as powerful as Gen 2, which are not as powerful as Gen 3, which are not as powerful as Gen 4 etc.
Whether or not a mix will play fine on your device generally depends on how much processor power and RAM are required. The key elements to consider here are:
- Audio output quality setting (doesn't change from mix to mix)
- Number of modular synth based parts being used
- Number of FX being used
- Sheer number of parts playing
- Amount of RAM being used (esp for audio loops)
You can generally tell when a mix is starting to push your device too hard, as the interface will start to get less responsive and you will get some audio breakup.
Modular synth based voices (e.g. in particular parts from Gen Mix 5, 6, 7, BellsMetalsArps and Dronemaker 1) and FX are the real heavy hitters, so you need to use them carefully in a mix, and not use too many - and the number you can use depends on your device.
On a Gen 1 device you should be able to do audio loop based mixes with a couple of FX at 44KHz stereo, but not mixes that use a synth voice, so you are better off at the default 22KHz stereo output. On a Gen 3 and higher iPhone / iPod touch / iPad, for example, you can most of the included Mixtikl demos (which include several effects, synth based voices etc) at 22KHz stereo just fine, and some can run at 44KHz stereo. Try the demo mixes to see what works for you, but you are probably better off sticking to 22KHz stereo output so that most everything plays, and you can always use Mixdown recording to save to 44Khz stereo anything that you want keep keep as a recording.
The performance issue is a difficult one for us, as we don't want to prevent those lucky enough to have e.g. the latest generation iPhone/iPad/iPod touch or PC / Mac from doing the max that is possible (which does come down to RAM and processor). We could have cut Mixtikl down to only 6 tracks and one content cell per track, and only allowed just global FX, but we felt that going for a lowest common denominator then limited the appeal of Mixtikl.
Tips to try:
- Try the included demo mixes at 16KHz stereo, 22kHz stereo and 44Khz stereo (for the latest gen device) - you can change the audio output setting from Menu > Settings > Audio Output. You should be able to get a feel from the number of voices and FX as to what will work OK in a mix on your device. Audio loops have less effect on the processor, so you can have more of them. The Gen Mix 1 - 4 demos should play on all devices OK at 22Kz stereo.
- Try removing parts from your mix to see if it then plays without breakup:
- Heaviest processor usage: Dronemaker 1 (all); Gen Mix 5 (all);
- Medium processor usage: GenMix 6 (most); GenMix 7 (most); BellsMetalsArps (most);
- Lower processor usage: Gen Mix 1 - 4; audio loops
- Try removing the mix level FX, and track level FX; and if you have applied any cell level FX, try removing those.
- Try simplifying any custom sounds if you have used any.
- Another alternative is to record your mix to an audio file, using Mixdown recording. Whilst this does not happen "live" (so you cannot hear the mix whilst it is recording), you can record the mix at the highest quality mix (e.g. 44Khz stereo). It can take a long time though, especially on older devices.
- Your last resort is to consider upgrading to a more powerful, later generation iDevice.
You might want to do this if iOS updates to a new version and you do not or are unwilling to do that, you have removed Mixtikl and the new version of Mixtikl is no longer available for your version of iOS (we use Apple tools to build our apps, and Apple updates to these tools change which versions of iOS we can build for). So, how do you restore the last version of Mixtikl available for your version of iOS?
See Apple's instructions on how to do this or an AppleInsider article. Alternatively, you might try restoring from a device or even TimeMachine backup.
You can either export to clipboard the mixes you want to keep and email them to yourself (so you can later open them again via the URL) or (recommended) copy them off your device using iTunes file sharing (see full instructions here) for save keeping!
Mixtikl includes integral audio loop time stretch / pitch shift ("stretch") algorithms. These allow you to change the root a tempo of a mix that uses loops. The algorithms are not lossless or artifact-free but they work fairly well.
When you import a loop from the clipboard into Mixtikl then it will make a guess as to the root and tempo of the loop and stretch that loop so that it fits the tempo and root of the mix. Note that Mixtikl does NOT compress the loops it imports, so any noise or artifacts you hear will be as a result of stretching process (and they will be worse the more stretching it has to do).
So, for optimum results when using imported loops, always try to make sure they are at the same tempo as your mix, and at the same root. However, they don't have to be if you don't mind them being stretched on import.
When you have placed loops on the clipboard and imported them via Mixtikl Menu > Import menu, then after the import has happened you are presented with the "Imported File Meta info" screen (See: Mixtikl Import). This is where you tell Mixikl about the root, time signature, tempo and (bars) loop length of the loop. It is verty important that you enter the correct values as Mixtikl will use these settings to determine what stretching (if any) is done.
Mixtikl files for the Mixtikl 5.1.0.6 + App Store version (free/full) are saved and loaded to/from this folder:
~/Library/Containers/com.intermorphic.mixtikl/Data/Library/Mixtikl/intermorphic/mixtikl/paks/User_Content/
In previous versions they used to be installed to either of:
~/Library/Mixtikl/intermorphic/mixtikl/paks/User_Content/
~/Documents/intermorphic/mixtikl
NOTE: In your mix, if you use or link to audio files that are not in the IM Tiklpaks (e.g. perhaps your own sample loops or recordings), then you must also move those loops to the above folder and relink from there. Sorry, but this is all to do with the Apple sandbox requirement. Everything used by an app has to be within its sandbox.
When the processor is overloaded the UI can get become slow (slower than normal), and the biggest impact on that is use of FX and of synth based voices (they show as red in the content list). As they are the heavy hitters, then you need to use them carefully in a mix, and not use too many - and the number you can use depends on your device. The other factor in this is that we have had to make some UI compromises to allow Mixtikl to remain truly cross platform.
FAQ - Android
- Open the Amazon Appstore on your device
- Tap the menu button
- Select "MY APPS" from the menu list
- Tap "ALL" in the upper right side (below the search bar)
- Locate your App and click “Install"
FAQ - Desktop PC (Win / Mac / Linux)
If you purchased a licence for Mixtikl Standalone or Full 1.x, 2.x , 3.x or 4.x, then yes, you can! See our commercial model
- Simply download the Mixtikl 5.0 software from our website, install it, and your old licence key should work fine.
If you purchased a licence for Mixtikl Standalone or Full 1.x, 2.x , 3.x or 4.x, then yes, you can! See our commercial model.
- Simply download the Mixtikl 5.0 software from our website, install it, and your old licence key should work fine.
You might want to do this if OS X updates to a new version and you do not or are unwilling to do that, you have removed Mixtikl and the new version of Mixtikl is no longer available for your version of OS X (we use Apple tools to build our apps, and Apple updates to these tools change which versions of OS X we can build for). So, how do you restore the last version of Mixtikl available for your version of OS X?
See Apple's instructions on how to do this. Alternatively, you might try restoring from a device or even TimeMachine backup.
If you had purchased a retail (not Academic) full product licence Megabundle or Mixtikl 4.x Standalone or Full for Mac on or after 9th July 2011, then we sent you a promo code to Mixtikl 5 for Mac provided we received your request for it by Feb 1st 2012. The timeframe for the free upgrade (via promo code) has now passed, so if you still want Mixtikl 5 you will need to purchase Mixtikl 5 from the Apple App Store. See our commercial model
Important note for Mac Mixtikl <=V4 customers who have moved to Mixtikl 5 for Mac:
You will have to move the contents of this folder:
~/Documents/intermorphic/mixtikl
to here:
~/Library/Mixtikl/intermorphic/mixtikl
If you have deleted e.g. Mixtikl 4 Desktop Audio Plugins from your Mac and installed the Mixtikl 5 Plugins and then try to re-install the Mixtikl 4 Plugins (as you have sensibly made a backup) then you may find you get the message "Intermorphic Mixtikl can't be installed on this disk. A newer version of this software already exists on the disk."
Ultimately it is down to Apple's decision not to expose uninstall options in the menu somewhere!
Solution:
- Close any installer you might have open
- Open the Terminal application (under Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal)
- Paste these 4 lines into the Terminal window:
-
sudo rm /var/db/receipts/com.intermorphic.mixtikl.plist /var/db/receipts/com.intermorphic.mixtikl.bom
-
sudo rm /var/db/receipts/com.intermorphic.mixtikl.plist /var/db/receipts/com.intermorphic.mixtikl.plist
-
sudo rm /var/db/receipts/com.intermorphic.mixtikl.plist /var/db/receipts/com.intermorphic.mixtikl_plugins.bom
-
sudo rm /var/db/receipts/com.intermorphic.mixtikl.plist /var/db/receipts/com.intermorphic.mixtikl_plugins.plist
You can then install your older copy of Mixtikl!
Note: the first time you enter the "sudo" command-line, you'll be prompted to enter your password.
Explanation: the "sudo" command tells the system to run the command that follows with an administrative level; otherwise, you wouldn't be able to remove the (hidden) receipt files that are blocking your re-installation of the older version.
Check (using Audio MIDI Setup under Finder > Application > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup) that the default input device matches your default output device!
- Select Finder > Applications > Mixtikl
Yes you can! Follow these instructions:
FAQ - VST & AU Plugin
- First try removing Mixtikl, then try re-downloading the latest version and then re-installing to see if you get the same problem.
- If your problem persists, it is likely a misbehaving 3rd party audio device, or maybe webcam. Try unplugging them all and then retrying Mixtikl.
Almost certainly, the issue is that you've not told your sequencer(s) to scan the appropriate folder for the Mixtikl VSTi. The folder in question is (depending on your system). Please refer to the installation page which lists where the VST plugins are installed.
You need to attach the Mixtikl AU to an instrument track, and NOT an audio track. If you try adding to an audio track, the Mixtikl AU won't be listed!
Noatikl Generative Music Composer
Mixtikl Generative Music & Loop Mixer
Liptikl Cut-up Text Generator
Wotja Reflective Music System
Tiklbox Generative Ambiences
Tiklpak Add-on Content
Noatikl Music Engine
Partikl Sound Engine
