Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Mixxx 1.8 Preview

After many months of planning and development, we're finally approaching a beta release of Mixxx 1.8. Since our last release, several major new features have matured and are almost ready for public testing.
Our main focus for 1.8 has been improving the library, which is a direct result of continued feedback from our users. We're also excited to have been able to address several other major feature requests, and we think 1.8 is a big step in the right direction.

Library

The brand new database-powered library is not only faster, but much more flexible as well. The new library features include:
  • Keep your library organized by sorting your tracks into crates.
  • Need to take a break for a few minutes? Throw some tracks into the Auto DJ playlist and let Mixxx cover you.
  • The new Analyze view lets you peek at your recently added tracks and perform batch BPM detection.
  • A brand new intelligent library scanning algorithm is both quick and accurate at importing new tracks when you launch Mixxx. The library scanner is even smart enough to notice when you've moved tracks around inside your library and preserves any extra metadata you've added in Mixxx like comments and BPMs.
Crates in the new library


Looping and Ramping Pitch Bend

A major rework of our audio engine also brings looping to the next release of Mixxx. Running out of time to find that perfect next track for your mix? Lay down a loop and buy yourself more time. Unlike the competition, Mixxx has no limitations on the length of your loop, so you can be as creative as you want to be.
Additional work on our mixing engine has lead to a new feature we call ramping pitch bend. Ramping pitch bend helps you add extra smoothness to your mixes by making temporary pitch bends accelerate rather than jump suddenly.

MIDI Enhancements

A brand new MIDI backend completes the rewrite of Mixxx's MIDI code, the first part of which was included in 1.7 and enabled innovative new features like our MIDI scripting engine. The hot new addition for 1.8 is integrated multiple MIDI device support.
What do we mean by integrated? Check it out:





AAC and iTunes Support

Mixxx 1.8 can playback DRM-free AAC/M4A files on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. On Windows and OS X, Mixxx can also now see your iTunes library and let you play tracks from it without importing them.

In addition to a 1.8 beta, we're also preparing a 1.7.2 bug fix release. This release will fix MIDI on OS X and improve stability for certain hardware configurations.
2009 has been an exciting year for Mixxx, and 2010 is shaping up to be even better. As the year closes, we'd like to thank all of our generous contributors and supporters. We hope you're looking forward to next year as much as we are!


50 comments:

  1. Sounds promising, nice to have such open source project around.

    But one thing let me stay away from Mixxx in the past: It looks kinda ugly. Sorry to say that but many ppl judge by the cover.
    Will there be some decent skins with the 1.8 release?

    BTW. Happy 24th :-)

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  2. nice news. This preview in on trunk?

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  3. Definately looking forward to it :]

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  4. Andrei: M4A and looping are in trunk. The new MIDI code, ramping pitchbend, and the new library are in still in various branches. The pitchbend and MIDI branches have been reviewed several times (and passed) and are ready to be merged into trunk (I just need to actually do it), and our new library branch is shaping up quickly.

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  5. Mixxx is awesome! Can't wait

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  6. i love how this is still a freeware fully working software! keep on the incredible work so we can be DJing where ever we are and party 24/7 !!
    greetings from berlin

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  7. Hope windows version will now have built-in Ladspa/LV2 support

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  8. @GameGod I understand. I'll wait for the features to go in trunk

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  9. Wow this is great. Thank you Mixxx team for comming up with this innovative scripting thing. This will take digital DJing to next level for sure. I always wanted this type of feature. Thank you once again.

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  10. With this release I see no reason for me to go back to windows :)

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  11. For free? I think mixxx is great, not ugly at all. There are skins in the discussion forum I think that somebody did. I gave you guys a donation. Loving the loop idea

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  12. Loving the good work, when do you expect a beta release to be avalible?

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  13. Anonymous: It's difficult for us to say when exactly the beta will be released. We've had a number of testers who've already found bugs even before we made a release, so we're currently trying to tackle those. There's also a handful of niggles in the library that we're trying to iron out, and we're still not quite sure how much work is going to be involved for some of those. We're all working on Mixxx in our spare time too (we have no full-time developers), so that only adds to the uncertainty as well.

    So for now, all we can say is that we're trying to get a beta out soon. Anything less vague than that would probably be misleading. :)

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  14. Are there any plans to support the Novation Nocturn controller?

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  15. There was some mention in the forums, but I just wanted to confirm, as this is my main reason for looking into Mixxx: there will be shoutcast support (e.g. being the stream source for a shoutcast server) in 1.8? I've played with 1.7 and its just awesome. Thanks for all the hard work!

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  16. why not inserting a "translation option" for the interface?
    May be using a txt file for other language translations.

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  17. Great to see such an impressive software available for everybody. Mixxx is by far the best Dj Software available at the moment. Great stuff

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  18. You have some amount of testers, but iw you put mixxx 1.8 right now then you can take more amount of testers :-)

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  19. any1 know wen its being released?

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  20. LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPING THE REASON WHY I DJJJJJ, hurry :)

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  21. I'm excited...
    mixxx is a great idea!

    Thank you for your work and dedication!!!

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  22. OMFG!!!

    Can't Wait the midi multiple device!!!

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  23. really a great piece of software. looking forward to version 1.8. (Looping, yeah! multiple midi devices, yeah! crates, hell yeah!). Does 14. January still stand as release?

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  24. Brilliant, the new library sounds fantastic. Would love to see a hide bpm function on it. Also, in an ideal world it would be great to have the waveform showing in two forms, an overview of the full track horizontally on either side of the screen (e.g virtual dj), and a vertical representation of the part playing in the centre(e.g Serato).

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  25. Fantastic!! Thank you for your work very much!!
    I'm working on a version of the skin Outline for widescreen notebooks, I hope you interest.

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  26. Thank you so much for your contribution to mankind

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  27. Big hole is lack of .WMA support.

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  28. Auto DJ can't wait! Build an auto crossfade in, pleeaase!
    Thanks for your work so far!!

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  29. AAC support.. thank you!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3

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  30. Auto DJ - is this going to be auto crossfade (with editable fade curve?) or just stop and start for tracks?

    Been looking at a few different bits of version software that will run on a Mac G4 but if 1.8 is going to fit the bill I'll hold off shelling out on them.

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  31. Hi Rob: Auto DJ is just going to be basic non-editable auto-crossfade. Right now, it just crossfades for the last 5% of the track. We just wanted to get the groundwork done by implementing the simplest thing first, and then we hopefully we can convince some new contributors to develop the feature further.

    Thanks!

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  32. What is current release date?
    Can't wait for AAC support.

    Also, sad, but many people don't judge by functionality, but by looks. Cooler skins would
    be awsome!

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  33. All i can say is wow, and thanks so much for all the new features (AAC itunes support especially)

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  34. as we are talking about skins: is there any way to put some sort of hd skin?? you know on my 1920x1200 laptop screen even the 1280x800 skin looks tiny :P thanks :)

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  35. if you don't like the skins, make your own, there's info in the wiki

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  36. I didn't know that.. I'll have a look.! :)

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  37. This is a cool looking software package. Are there any plans to enable Internet streaming with Mixxx in the future?

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  38. I would use mixxx if the cue worked from the begining every time you load a song and it would be nice to have some colour adjustment on the interface.
    Its very good otherwise...thank you!

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  39. The most important feature for professionals IMO is the Database/Playlist.

    The only reason why i DONT use mixxx at work atm is that it cannot handle my mp3 tags. Without the ability to sort my music by tags (bar/minute, dance, difficulty) i cannot use the program at all. but id certainly like to as otherwise, its just great!!

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  40. usually I use virtualdj + maya44usb + uc33, I don't use mixxx because I can't easy find cue point with mouse: please consider to insert an option to use the dragging events on the waveform like the other dj programs.

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  41. I think this project is great!! I had a friend tell me about this program and I cant wait to see how Mixxx progresses in the future! I cant wait to mix on my Ubuntu system THANK YOU MIXXX!!!!!! Ill get my donation to you all ASAP!!

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  42. Software made by DJs for DJs - Mixxx 1.7.2. rocks specailly as it works on the third channel, giving extra decks. It works perfectly except the library, which isn't bad but as a few hiccups. Mixxx 1.8 sounds sweeter.

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  43. Anonymous: Unfortunately, we still have some bugs to work out in our Shoutcast code before we'd be comfortable with DJs using it live, and we've mainly been focusing our efforts on the new library. We don't have a fixed timeline for when we'd like Shoutcast completed, and it would be especially helpful if we had some extra help to work on it. Hop our our IRC channel (#mixxx on Freenode) if you'd like to hack on it, and we can help you get started!

    Thanks,
    Albert

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  44. I already like Mixxx 1.7.2 and am thrilled with 1.8 BETA. I'm happy about the loop function and, hope to see Hot-cues soon and i'll literally throw away my old traktor scratch software.

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  45. Will it be possible in 1.8 to mix also from the laptop's CD player?

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  46. Anon: 1.8 will not support CD playback, though we'd be willing to mentor anyone with C++ experience who wants to implement that feature for a later release.

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  47. Finally :)
    I have been missing the loop-function.

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  48. would this new software play the m4a tracks

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  49. Anonymous: Yes! The latest version of Mixxx will play M4A tracks, and you can download it from here: http://www.mixxx.org/download

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