MAGIX Music Studio 2013 Operating instructions

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Copyright

This documentation is protected by law. All rights, especially the right to duplicate,

circulate, and translate, are reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in the form of copies, microfilms or

other processes, or transmitted into a language used for machines, especially data

processing machines, without the express written consent of the publisher.

All copyrights reserved.

All other product names are trademarks of the corresponding manufacturers. Errors in

and changes to the contents as well as program modifications reserved.

MAGIX, Samplitude, Hybrid Audio Engine are registered trademarks of MAGIX

Software GmbH.

This product uses MAGIX patented technology (USP 6,518,492).

VST and ASIO are registered trademarks of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.

Other mentioned product names may be registered trademarks of the respective

manufacturer.

Preface 3

Preface

Congratulations on your purchase of Samplitude Music Studio 2013!

Creating your own music or video soundtracks in a home studio has become more

and more popular. But the wide variety of available equipment and software often

confuses both beginner and professional musicians alike. You may find yourself

asking questions like "What do I really need?", or "What's the best value for my

money?"

Samplitude Music Studio 2013 is the perfect solution: Fast and easy-to-handle music

production on your PC, from recording to mastering. Transform your PC into a

complete sound studio.

All you need to produce and arrange in high-quality is a conventional sound card, but

additional studio equipment can easily be added.

The following pages will introduce to you in detail the various functions and

possibilities offered by Samplitude Music Studio 2013.

Have fun with Samplitude Music Studio 2013.

Your MAGIX team

Restrictions to this version

Note: MAGIX Music Studio is a restricted version of "Samplitude Music Studio".

The following information refers to the full feature set in Samplitude Music Studio.

The following features are either limited or not available in MAGIX Music Studio:

• Fewer tracks: 64 maximum

• No submix/AUX busses

• Lower sample rates: up to 48 kHz

• Fewer plugins per object (2), track (2) and master (2)

• Input/Output limited to 2

• Only 2 essentialFX (VocalStrip + Compressor)

• No MR-64 multitrack recorder

• No print function in the Score editor

• Limited number of export formats

• No sample content

• Only one Vita Solo Instrument ("Century Keys")

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Table of Contents

Copyright 2

Preface 3

Support 14

Introduction 16

What is Samplitude Music Studio 2013? 16

What’s new in Samplitude Music Studio 2013? 17

The features 18

Tutorial 21

Step-by-step mode 21

Switch workspace 31

Recording in the Arranger 31

Integrate audio material 33

VIP and wave projects 34

Arranging MAGIX Soundpool loops 35

Add synthesizers 38

Edit objects 38

MIDI recordings 40

Edit MIDI 42

Effects 46

Burn CD 48

Program desktop overview 49

VIP window 49

Managers/Docker 50

Docking 51

Transport control 53

Track Editor 55

Track box 58

Symbol bars 59

Workspaces 64

Functional overview 65

Objects 65

Ranges 75

Wave projects 78

Marker 79

Table of Contents 5

Volume 80

Output mode 80

Record 81

Folder tracks 84

Tips & tricks 85

Mouse functions and mouse modes 88

Universal mode 88

Range mode (safe mode) 90

Curve mode 90

Curves / Object mode 91

Cut mode 91

Pitchshift / Timestretch mode 91

Draw volume mode 92

Draw panorama mode 92

Wave edit mode (only wave projects) 92

Scrub mouse mode 92

Color mode 93

Zoom mode 94

Effects and effect plug-ins 95

What effects are there, and how are they used? 95

Saving effect parameters (preset mechanism) 96

"Sound FX" (object editor, mixer channels, Mixmaster) 97

Parametric equalizer (track effects, mixer channels, Mixmaster) 101

MAGIX Mastering Suite 102

Vintage Effects Suite (track effects, mixer channels, mix master) 107

essential FX 120

Vandal SE 131

Analogue Modelling Suite: AM-Track SE 136

Track dynamics 142

Track delay/reverb (track effects) 144

Elastic Audio Easy 144

Automation 153

Automation – context menu 153

Automation modes 155

VST plug-in/VST parameters dialog 156

Recording automation in "Read" mode 156

"Draw" mode 157

Edit automation curves 157

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Move automation curve with audio/MIDI data 158

Mixer 159

Overview 159

Operating the mixer 160

Channel strips 162

Master section 164

Global settings 165

Buses and routing 167

Embedding external effects devices 168

Tips and tricks 168

MIDI in Samplitude Music Studio 2013 169

What is MIDI? 169

Connect external equipment 169

Convert MIDI objects into audio files 170

MIDI settings 171

MIDI: Import, record, edit 171

MIDI object editor 174

Step recording via keyboard or controller keyboard 176

MIDI editor 177

Software / VST instruments 211

Installing VST plug-ins 211

Load instruments 213

Loading routing settings with software instruments 214

Load effects plug-ins 215

Route MIDI instrument inputs 217

Instruments with multi-channel outputs 218

Adjust instrument parameters 218

Play and monitor instruments live 220

Routing VST instruments using the VSTi manager 222

Preset management 223

Freezing instruments (freeze) 223

Tips on handling virtual instruments 224

ReWire 225

Tempo editing 227

Tempo and time signature changes in the tempo map... 227

Tempo markers 228

Tempo Map Modes: BPM Mode / Grid Fit Mode 229

Table of Contents 7

Tempo Change: BPM Marker 230

Time Signature Marker 230

Grid Position Marker 231

Grid Tapping 231

Tempo Map Dialog 232

Tempo and Time Signature Dialog 234

Manipulating the Tempo Marker in Timestretch Mouse Mode 234

Synth objects 236

Working method 236

Note for users of older versions of MAGIX Music Studio 237

Atmos 238

BeatBox 2 plus 238

Loop Designer 250

LiViD - Little Virtual Drummer 254

Robota 255

Vita 263

Revolta 2 265

Additional Vita Solo synthesizers 267

Surround sound 269

Surround panorama module 269

Stereo and mono signal processing with twin-channel Surround 271

Automation of twin-channel Surround 272

Synchronization 274

Synchronization formats 274

Synchronization / Synchronization settings 276

Burning CDs 279

Writing 279

Burning CDs in Samplitude Music Studio 2013 279

DSP display 281

Tools and wizards 282

Load audio CD track(s) 282

Crossfade Editor 284

Waveform generator 285

Remix Agent 287

Harmony Agent 293

Track settings 295

Managers 297

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SMPTE Generator 306

Solo JamSession 307

Timestretch patcher 311

File menu 313

New Virtual Project (VIP) 313

Open 315

Load / Import 316

Save 318

Save project as 319

Save project as template 319

Save object 319

Save session 319

Export 319

Internet 323

Trackbouncing (internal mixdown) 326

Range trackbouncing 328

MIDI bouncing 328

Rename project 329

Clean up 329

Close project 331

Project properties 332

Program Preferences 336

Exit 339

Recently opened files 339

Edit Menu 340

Undo 340

Redo 340

Undo List 341

Mouse mode 341

Object mode 342

Copy 342

Cut 342

Split 343

Insert 344

Delete 345

Silence 345

Tempo 346

Range 346

Table of Contents 9

Crossfade 351

Track menu 353

Insert new tracks 353

Copy track(s) 354

Insert track(s) 354

Delete track(s) 355

Track type 355

Input 355

Track size 355

Track Freeze 355

Track effect settings 357

Track information 357

More 357

Object menu 362

Object editor 362

MIDI editor 362

Wave editing 362

New MIDI object 363

New MIDI object in the range 363

New synth object 363

Edit 363

Quantization 366

Object effects 368

Select objects 378

Groups 379

Move object 379

Snap point (Hotspot) 381

Object color / name 381

Tempo and beat recognition 381

Harmony Agent 381

Harmony display 382

audioid 382

Time Stretch/Pitch Shift Patcher... 382

Playback / Record menu 384

Play once 384

Play loop 384

Play in range 384

Play with preload 384

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Play only selected objects 384

Restart playback 385

Stop 385

Stop and go to current position 385

Playback mode 385

Playback options 386

Record 387

Record mode / Punch in 388

Record options 389

Monitoring 392

Move Play Cursor 393

Marker 394

Solo JamSession 396

MIDI record modes 396

MIDI panic – All notes off 397

Automation menu 397

First entries in the automation context menu 397

Editing curves 397

Delete all curves 398

Automation mode 398

Do not display automation 399

Display track automation (default setting) 399

Display selected curves only 399

Display unselected curves (cannot be activated) (Default setting) 399

Display unselected curves (can be activated) 399

Effects menu 400

Amplitude / Normalize 401

Dynamics 403

Frequency/Filter 405

Delay / Reverb 406

Time / Pitch 408

Distortion 411

Restoration 412

Stereo / Phase 413

Modulation / Special 415

Sample manipulation 418

Plug-ins 420

essential FX 421

Table of Contents 11

MAGIX Plug-Ins 422

Waveform Generator 423

SMPTE Generator 423

Process only left (right) stereo channel 423

Process Effects Offline 423

CD menu 424

Load audio CD tracks 424

Make CD 424

Indices (Track markers) 424

CD track/index manager 426

CD disc options 427

Set pause time 427

CD arrange mode 427

Get CD info (freeDB Internet) 428

freeDB options 428

Show CD-R drive information 428

Show CD-R disc information 428

audioid 429

Menu view 430

Mixer 430

Multitrack recorder MR-64 430

Mastering Suite 430

Transport control 430

Time display 432

Visualization 433

Export tool 434

Managers/Docker 435

Manager 435

Track editor 435

Rebuild graphic data 435

Sections 436

Hide submix / AUX buses 436

Grid view 436

VIP display 437

Overview mode 438

Horizontal 438

Vertical 438

Cascade 438

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Tile 438

Untile 439

Window 439

Toolbars 439

The "Share" menu 441

Community upload 441

Use as background music 442

Add to music collection 442

Help menu 443

Help 443

Help index 443

Context help 443

Open PDF manual 443

Watch the introductory video 443

Online tutorials 443

About Samplitude Music Studio 2013 443

MAGIX auto-update 444

Open magix.info 444

Product registration 445

Download more instruments/Sounds/Soundpools 445

Screen transfer - MAGIX Screenshare 445

Restore original program settings 447

MP3 Encoder activation 447

Preset keyboard shortcuts 449

Mouse 449

General settings 449

System / Audio 449

Program 462

Edit keyboard shortcuts and menus 465

Design 469

Easy setup 472

Project options 473

General 473

Project Auto Save… 476

Mixer setup 477

Synchronization 477

Recording options 478

Table of Contents 13

Varipitch/practice mode 480

If you still have questions 481

Tips for program help 481

System requirements 482

Uninstalling the program 482

Serial number 482

More about MAGIX 484

MAGIX Online World 484

magix.info 484

Soundpool DVD Collection 485

Index 486

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Support

Dear MAGIX customer,

Our aim is to provide fast, convenient, solution-focused support at all times. To this

end, we offer a wide range of services:

• Unlimited web support:

As a registered MAGIX customer, you have unlimited access to web support

offered via the convenient MAGIX service portal on http://support.magix.net,

including an intelligent help assistant, high-quality FAQs, patches and user

reports that are constantly updated.

The only requirement for use is product registration at www.magix.com

• The online community, on-the-spot support and a platform for exchange:

MAGIX customers have free and unlimited access to the online community at

www.magix.info, which includes approx. 150,000 members and offers the

opportunity to ask members questions concerning MAGIX products as well as

use the search function to search for specific topics or answers. In addition to

questions & answers, the knowledge pool includes a glossary, video tutorials and

a discussion forum. The multiple experts, found round-the-clock at

www.magix.info guarantee quick answers, which sometimes come within

minutes of a question being posted.

• Email support for MAGIX products:

For every new MAGIX product you will receive, as of date purchase, 12 months of

email based customer service.

Premium email support:

For priority support, or if you want the MAGIX support team to help with non-

MAGIX related hardware problems you can purchase a Premium email support

ticket. Log in at http://support.magix.net and click on "Purchase access code",

the ticket is for a specific problem, and is valid until it is solved, it is not restricted

to an email.

Please note: To be able to use the Premium email support and free product email

support via the Internet, you have to register your MAGIX product using the serial

number provided. This can be found on the CD case of your installation CD or on the

inside of the DVD box.

• Additional telephone service:

Besides the large number of free customer service offers, we also offer a fee-

based telephone customer service.

Here you can find a summary of our technical support telephone numbers:

http://support.magix.net/

Mail (Europe): MAGIX Development Support, P.O. Box 20 09 14, 01194 Dresden,

Germany

Support 15

Mail (North America): MAGIX Customer Service, 1105 Terminal Way #302, Reno,

NV 89502, USA

Please make sure you have the following information at hand:

• Program version

• Configuration details (operating system, processor, memory, hard drive, etc.),

sound card configuration (type, driver)

• Information regarding other audio software installed

MAGIX Sales Department

You can reach the MAGIX Sales Department workdays for help with the following

questions and problems:

• Orders

• Product consulting (pre-purchase)

• Upgrade requests

• Returns

Europe

Monday - Friday, 09:00-16:00 GMT

U.K.: 0203 3189218

Denmark: 45 699 18763

Sweden: 46 852 500713

Finland: 35 89 42419023

Norway: 47 210 35843

North America

9 am to 4 pm EST Mon-Fri

Phone: 1-305-722-5810

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Introduction

What is Samplitude Music Studio 2013?

Samplitude Music Studio 2013 is a multitrack recording and editing application for all

types of audio material featuring unlimited editing options. It's easy to use and follows

three simple steps:

1. Download and record

You can download CD tracks, MP3 songs, wave files, video soundtracks, or sounds &

samples from the hard disk, the CD-ROM drive, or the Internet. You can even make

your own recordings from a stereo system or with a microphone. Everything you

download or record is displayed as an object on the Arranger's tracks.

2. Arrange and edit

Basically, all tracks stacked virtually above each other will be played simultaneously,

and everything that follows horizontally will be played in subsequent order. However,

you can mute the objects stacked above each other.

Every object – that is, every sound, every song – can be cut up or have effects added.

For example, if you want to shorten a song, move the object with your mouse to the

length at which you would like the song to be – done! Want to freshen up your

sound? Then open the equalizer and either select a preset that fits, or modify your

sound "by hand”.

Arranging and editing is essentially all about cutting, blending, adding, mixing effects,

and placing audio material into the right positions and into the right tracks. But it’s

also about play and experimentation. If it fits, throw it in! Without experimentation

there is no innovation. Samplitude Music Studio 2013 allows you to experiment, and

experiment wildly. There’s no risk of your audio material being damaged. All editing

functions are "non-destructive”.

Export and use

Regardless what you're experimenting with, in the end something usable should come

out of it. Samplitude Music Studio 2013 has everything you need to be productive:

• Homemade audio CDs which can be played by any standard CD player

• Unique MP3 collections, e.g. as a source of material for your MP3 player

• Podcasts: Simply export the project as a podcast and - if you want - publish it

online using MAGIX Podcast Service online (the MAGIX Podcast Service can be

reached via the "Online" menu.)

• And much more. The export principle is simply "what you hear is what you get".

That is, what you export sounds exactly as it sounded in the arrangement during

playback in Samplitude Music Studio 2013.

Introduction 17

What’s new in Samplitude Music Studio 2013?

96 kHz

Thanks to the high, 96 kHz, sample rate, the signal is now measured 96000 times a

second, instead of 48000, like earlier. Together with the 32-bit rate, a much more

precise digitalization takes place, resulting in a high sound quality like in professional

productions.

128 tracks

With ambitious projects that works with track doubling, aux tracks, plug-ins, etc.,

track number sky-rockets pretty fast. The new version lets you arrange on 128 tracks

(instead of the 64 earlier) - enough space for the most complex multi-track projects.

4 Vita Solo instruments

The four new Vita Instruments, rock drums, string ensemble, bass machine and world

percussion, can be found as before via the "Synth"> "Vita" buttons.

Vita 2 sample player

In its 2nd version, Vita Sample Player has a new "Tube distortion" function, a new

user interface as well as more sounds:

• Rhodes: Rhodes clean / Rhodes Phaser / Rhodes smooth / Rhodes wah

• Ethno Percussion: DunDun / Framedrum / Gamelan Chimes / Sourdo / Tablas /

Drums / Udu African / Talking Drums

• More orchestral woodwinds: Piccolo / English Horn (each in two variations)

Additional improvements

• 5 essentialFX in a new skin (ChorusFlanger, Phaser, StereoDelay, Compressor,

VocalStrip)

• Guitar tuner

• Music Maker compatibility: Project files (*.mmm) from the latest MAGIX Music

Maker generation can be loaded without any problems.

• New Soundpool user interface

• Mastering Suite 4.0 with an integrated 6-band equalizer

• MIDI learn (in the mixer)

• Various detail improvements

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The features

The best possible sound quality

This feature is especially important to every music lover: Samplitude Music Studio

2013 offers unique sound quality for digital music editing.

• 100% sound neutrality: Benefit from Samplitude, professional audio software

that's been used for years in sound studios and radio & TV stations around the

world. Samplitude's unique feature is that the original sound of audio files is not

diminished by any specific audio discoloration, as is often the case with other

programs.

• 24-bit/48 kHz recordings: Your own recordings can be made with the correct

hardware in professional, high-quality, high-resolution 24-bit/48 kHz format.

• 32-bit floating point: Internal sound processing is executed via the 32-bit floating

point process for especially differentiated and high-quality calculation. This way,

the audio picture can be created with especially high dynamics. Digital distortion

and clipping is virtually impossible.

Formats and interfaces

Import: MIDI standard formats (MID, GM, GS, XG), WAV (24- & 32-bit), WAV with

codec, MP3, CD-A, OGG Vorbis, AIFF, FLAC, MOV.

Export: MIDI standard formats (MID), WAV (24-bit), WAV with codec, MP3, CD-A,

OGG Vorbis, AIFF, WMA, FLAC.

Synthesizers

Samplitude Music Studio 2013 comes with the following synthesizers that you can

play directly on your PC keyboard, via your mouse or with a MIDI keyboard:

• Vita: A sampler with incredibly realistic-sounding, "classical" instrumental

sounds like different guitars (Power chords, clean electric guitar, acoustic guitar,

bass guitar), different pianos, percussion, strings, brass, woodwinds (each as an

individual set & as an ensemble set), and much more.

• Beatbox 2: For computer beats and computer sounds

• LiVid (Little Virtual Drummer): For "real" acoustic drum tracks

• Drum Engine: Perfect drum sounds

• Robota: For "mean" electronic sounds

• Revolta 2: An analog, varied, and powerful-sounding 12-voice synthesizer

featuring a sound matrix, noise generator, and nine effect types. With this

synthesizer, you can create any electronic music you can imagine. The sound

presets were created by the sound designer for Access Virus and Rob Papen's

Albino.

• Lead Synth: "Analog modular" synthesizer

• Century Guitars: Authentic guitar sounds.

Introduction 19

• Loop Designer: Cut loops yourself

• Atmos: For nature sounds or atmospheres like rain, thunder, or wind

Effects and effect plug-ins

Samplitude Music Studio 2013 offers the following effects and effect plug-ins:

• Equalizers: 10-band graphic and 4-band parametric

• Echo/Reverb + Room Simulator

• Vocoder

• Vandal SE: Authentic simulation of classic guitar effects, tube amplifiers, and

speakers.

• essentialFX: Basic effects for unique sounds (Stereo delay, chorus/flanger,

phaser)

• Vintage Effects Suite, consisting of chorus, flanger, analog delay, distortion,

filters, and the low-fi effect BitMachine.

• Mastering Suite 3.0, consisting of equalizer, vitalizer (stereo enhancer),

multiband compressor, and audio meter + limiter.

• Compressor with many presets such as limiter, Deesser, noise gate, expander, or

leveler and in different models, e.g. as the multiband compressor Multimax.

• Tape simulation: High-quality simulation of analog tape compression

• Stereo FX: For editing the stereo bandwidth

• Declipping: For eliminating digital clipping

• Timestretching/Resampling/Pitchshifting: For correcting pitch and length

• Elastic Audio easy: Dynamic pitch correction with harmonization (creates up to

four choir voices)

• AM-Track SE: High-quality tape machine sound emulation makes typical aspects

of the large, saturated sound characteristics of magnetic recordings a digital-

quality reality.

Audio & MIDI

The MIDI format is extremely important in modern music production. You can use

MIDI files to control external devices such as synthesizers and samplers and internal

software audio generators such as VST plug-ins from your computer.

With Samplitude Music Studio 2013 you can arrange, load, record, edit, and play

MIDI data just as easily as audio data. For MIDI recordings and editing you can use

the specialized MIDI Editor with Piano Roll, Drum Editor, Velocity/Controller Editor

and Event List. Recording can be started directly from the arranger by setting the

recording mode in the track header to "MIDI record" or "Audio record".

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Multitrack recorder (MR-64)

The multitrack recorder (MR-64) looks like a hardware mixer and can also be

operated in the same way. In contrast to earlier mixers, now it can be opened using

the "View" menu in order to conduct multi-track recordings just like with a real mixing

board. The MR-64 unites the advantages of the analog look with digital technology:

realistic appearance, direct workflows, and familiar functionality.

Soundpool

A collection of loops is included, and many more can be found at Catooh. The loops

are categorized into "styles" (e.g. ambient, dance, hip hop, rock, etc.) and

"instruments" (e.g. drums, bass, guitars, etc.). The name of the loop file also informs

you about the kind of sound you can expect. Every loop can be previewed by clicking

it. Monitoring is adjusted to the loops in the arranger. For example, you can create and

play back a framework of bass and drums first, while the Soundpool manager

searches for suitable guitar sounds which are automatically adjusted to the rhythm of

the drum track and the pitch of the bass track during previewing. Every loop can be

loaded into the arranger by dragging it or by double clicking.

You can find the Soundpool Manager in the docker (or in the "View" menu >

"Manager").

Jam Session

The JamSession lets you create complete songs single-handedly. The program

simulates working with hardware "Looping delays", like, for example, the Gibson

Echoplex. The difference is that Samplitude Music Studio 2013 creates an

arrangement during "looping" which can later be edited and compiled into a

complete song. During a Jam Session, everything you do is recorded. The most

important thing with the Jam Session is the fun factor – there can never be too much

of it!

Activate "Solo Jam Session" via the "Playback" menu.

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MAGIX Music Studio 2013 Operating instructions

MAGIX Music Studio 2013 Operating instructions

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