FOSSPicks
FOSSPicks
This month Graham looks at Mixx, elfcat, Plover, and more!
DJ software
Mixxx
Mixxx started life more than 20 years ago as an application to help DJs organize and play their playlists, and it has since evolved into an incredible, fully fledged, live performance user interface for budding and professional DJs, podcasters, and radio hosts. It's a worthy competitor to the proprietary (and Linux incompatible) Native Instruments Traktor Pro, with both applications using the same user-interface paradigm. That paradigm involves two or more decks split horizontally across the main window with a bank of virtual faders and controllers in between them. The number of controls you see here depends on the number of decks you add.
A deck is akin to an old vinyl record deck or turntable, now popular again in their own right. Nightclub DJs would typically arrange two decks side-by-side with a mixer in the middle, so tracks could be switched between them with no delay. It's this configuration that Mixxx emulates, albeit for the 21st century. Instead of records, the virtual decks load one or more audio files for playback, with the virtual faders used to mix between opposite decks. Audio files can be loaded individually, dragged and dropped, or queued as a playlist. This configuration allows you to seamlessly blend between various audio tracks, whether they are breakbeats or advertising jingles, and either record the output as a single audio file or use it as the source of a live mix or broadcast.
To make transitions as seamless as possible, Mixxx is able to analyze the audio files to detect their tempo, frequency range, and even key. All of this is shown on the waveform, with the tempo highlighted as vertical bars, frequency range as color, and key as an annotation. Pitch controls can then change either the key, playback speed, or both, making it incredibly easy to match different audio files for a more integrated mix. If you still yearn to exercise those old DJ skills, you can drag your mouse across the waveforms to virtually scratch the needle across the record, producing beautifully authentic sounds. This can be taken even further by using a real turntable spinning a timecode vinyl record, which can be tracked by Mixxx inputs to accurately map your scratching to changes in playback speed. Everything can also be automated, either by the many keyboard shortcuts or via MIDI automation, where every knob and slider can be assigned a MIDI control value for external control. These can be scripted for even more control.
Modern effects can be added, chained together, and even isolated to certain audio buses or a headphone mix. You can also keep a microphone channel clear of other effects so you can announce you're running Mixxx on Arch Linux. All of this can be configured with Jack and the comprehensive settings. The latest release adds to these effects with color options for tracks, intro and outro marking, multithreaded analysis and more accurate key detection, and support for lots of physical deck controllers. Twenty years of development have enabled Mixxx to become a one-stop solution for playing, tracking, and DJing music. It's remarkable that this kind of software is being made and produced under an open source license.
Project Website
Binary explorer
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Servers Targeted by Akira Ransomware
A group of bad actors who have already extorted $42 million have their sights set on the Linux platform.
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.
-
XZ Gets the All-Clear
The back door xz vulnerability has been officially reverted for Fedora 40 and versions 38 and 39 were never affected.
-
Canonical Collaborates with Qualcomm on New Venture
This new joint effort is geared toward bringing Ubuntu and Ubuntu Core to Qualcomm-powered devices.
-
Kodi 21.0 Open-Source Entertainment Hub Released
After a year of development, the award-winning Kodi cross-platform, media center software is now available with many new additions and improvements.
-
Linux Usage Increases in Two Key Areas
If market share is your thing, you'll be happy to know that Linux is on the rise in two areas that, if they keep climbing, could have serious meaning for Linux's future.
-
Vulnerability Discovered in xz Libraries
An urgent alert for Fedora 40 has been posted and users should pay attention.
-
Canonical Bumps LTS Support to 12 years
If you're worried that your Ubuntu LTS release won't be supported long enough to last, Canonical has a surprise for you in the form of 12 years of security coverage.
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.
-
New Pentesting Distribution to Compete with Kali Linux
SnoopGod is now available for your testing needs