2.0

Live Input Mode
Menu: playback
This is another very powerful feature of MAGIX music editor 2 – the Live Input Mode! When working
with this mode, MAGIX music editor 2
lets you use the real-time Mixer to mix live inputs from the sound card channels.
This turns MAGIX music editor 2 into a full-scale digital real-time Mixer with unlimited channels, internal
32-bit processing and effects, including DirectX
Plug-Ins!
The Basics:
The Live Input Mode basically functions similar to recording with multiple sound cards. All
channels/tracks that are to be used for live mixing have to be armed for recording –
each track has to be configured with the correct recording device and the track arming buttons need to
be active.
Once the playback of the VIP is started with the Spacebar, the live signals on the inputs of the audio
device(s) are routed through the Mixer. Use the controls in the Mixer window to create a mix. In
addition, any VIP object is also played back while
the live inputs are processed.
Latency:
The audio processing in MAGIX music editor 2
obviously takes time. This may lead to small delays at the outputs versus the incoming signal. This delay is
very much dependent on the VIP Buffer size. The latency can be reduced by using smaller VIP buffer
settings. Use settings that enable the program to process the real-time audio without introducing any
errors. A setting of 4 buffers at a buffer size of 8000 stereo samples creates a delay of 0.7 seconds. A
buffer size reduction to 2000 samples results in a delay of only 0.2 seconds. Experiment with the buffer
settings to find the optimal settings for your system!
The latency may not make it possible to use the Live Input Mode to replace an analog mixing console.
However, it leaves room for some very interesting application aspects.
Applications:
The Live Input Mode may be used for some of the following applications:
- Digital Mixer for ADATs – or other multi-track tape machines. During playback of an ADAT tape the
8 tracks are transferred via a digital audio card, such as the Prodif Gold, and processed by the MAGIX
music editor 2 Live Mixer. Since the material is transferred digitally, no quality loss is encountered, and
the latency is not significant, since the ADAT tape does not have any ‘live’
relevance.
- Effects and Mix Down during Recording – Use the function ‘Mix to File’ in the Mixer to create a new
WAV file from the master signal. This allows MAGIX music editor 2 to record through the Mixer into an
audio file. Don’t forget to rename the newly created audio file afterwards. Otherwise, the next ‘Mix to
File’
process will overwrite the contents of the previous take.
- MAGIX music editor 2 as Live Effect Processor – If you are looking for fancy effects that are not
offered by effect units in your rack, try to use some of the integrated effects in MAGIX music editor 2
. A live signal can be processed with the FFT Filter, the Multi Band Dynamics processor, and the Stereo
Enhancer. You may also use the many DirectX Plug-Ins available. There is no limit to your creativity!
Page 273