Mixxx

Last updated
Mixxx
Developer(s) RJ Ryan, Owen Williams, Sean Pappalardo, Daniel Schürmann, S. Brandt, Nicu Badescu, Uwe Klotz, Be, Sébastien Blaisot, ronso0, Jan Holthuis [1]
Initial release2001;22 years ago (2001)
Stable release
2.3.6 [2] / 15 August 2023;4 months ago (15 August 2023)
Preview release
2.4 alpha / December 2, 2020;3 years ago (2020-12-02) [3]
Repository github.com/mixxxdj/mixxx
Written in C++, JavaScript, C
Operating system Windows, macOS, Linux
Available in23 languages
Type DJ mixing
License GPL-2.0-or-later [4]
Website www.mixxx.org

Mixxx is free and open-source software for DJing. [5] It is cross-platform and supports most common music file formats. Mixxx can be controlled with MIDI and HID controllers and timecode vinyl records in addition to computer keyboards and mice.

Contents

Overview

Mixxx is a DJ Automation and digital DJ performance application [6] and includes many features common to digital DJ solutions as well as some unique ones: It natively supports advanced MIDI and HID DJ controllers, is licensed under the GPL-2.0-or-later and runs on all major desktop operating systems. [7] The project was started in early 2001 for a doctoral thesis as one of the first digital DJing systems. [8] Over 1,000,000 downloads of the program occur annually and as of Mixxx 1.10.0, 100 developers and artists have helped create Mixxx. Recent versions support harmonic mixing and beatmatching, both manually and automatically. [9]

Format support

Mixxx can read most popular audio formats, including MP3, Vorbis, Opus, AIFF and FLAC. v1.8 introduces a plug-in system to be able to read other formats, including patent-encumbered ones whose decoders cannot legally be distributed in binary form with Mixxx, such as Advanced Audio Coding (AAC). Any such plug-ins are automatically loaded at run-time if present. Mixxx can also play module files when compiled with the modplug=1 build flag, and can use LV2 plugins for effects.

Hardware

Any sound card that is supported by the operating system is usable in Mixxx. Mixxx supports various software APIs for using sound cards on different operating systems, namely ASIO, WASAPI, and DirectSound on Windows; OSS, ALSA, and JACK on Linux; and CoreAudio on Mac OS X, all via PortAudio.

For external hardware control, Mixxx can support any MIDI or HID controller as long as there is a mapping to tell Mixxx how to interpret the controller's signals. Mixxx includes mappings for many DJ controllers and users can create their own mappings as well. [10] It is the only DJ software capable of using a fully featured programming language, JavaScript, for creating mappings with advanced controller interaction and feedback. [11]

Turntables and CDJ media players can control Mixxx with the timecode control sub-system which is built on xwax. Like xwax, Mixxx supports timecode vinyl made by several manufacturers. [12]

Reception

One of the free and open-source applications available in the Mac App Store, in less than 48 hours from debut in February 2011, [13] Mixxx became the #1 Top Free App in the USA, Germany, and Italy. [14]

Mixxx has been accepted as a mentoring organization in Google Summer of Code 2007–2008, 2010–2014, 2016–2018, and 2020. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">FL Studio</span> Digital audio workstation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Audio control surface</span>

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Traktor is DJ software developed by Native Instruments. It is also used as a sub-brand for Native Instruments' associated DJ hardware products.

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Final Scratch is a DJ tool created by the Dutch company N2IT with input from Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva that allows manipulation and playback of digital audio sources using traditional vinyl and turntables. It seeks to cross the divide between the versatility of digital audio and the tactile control of vinyl turntablism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinyl emulation</span> Ability to physically manipulate audio playback with turntables

Vinyl emulation allows a user to physically manipulate the playback of digital audio files on a computer using the turntables as an interface, thus preserving the hands-on control and feel of DJing with vinyl. This has the added advantage of using turntables to play back audio recordings not available in phonograph form. This method allows DJs to scratch, beatmatch, and perform other turntablism that would be impossible with a conventional keyboard-and-mouse computer interface or less tactile control devices.

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References

  1. "Mixxx - Contact".
  2. "Release 2.3.6". 15 August 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  3. "Release 2.4-alpha · mixxxdj/Mixxx". GitHub .
  4. "Mixxx license". GitHub . Archived from the original on 2021-06-01.
  5. James, Daniel. "Drafting Digital Media". Apress, 2009, p. 213.
  6. Digital Dj Tips: "Get Your Mixxx for Free!" 14 October 2010, Retrieved on 4 Nov 2011
  7. Skratchworx: "Mixxx with 3 Xs - one for each supported OS" 7 Aug 2009, Retrieved on 4 Nov 2011
  8. "Publications, Tue Haste Andersen". Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  9. Source code of a simple implementation
  10. Mixxx Wiki, hardware compatibility page. Retrieved on 4 Nov 2011.
  11. Create Digital Music: "Turntablism in the Digital Age: DJ Jungleboy with Stanton SCS.3d; Open Scratch Scripting" Section: "Open Source SCS.3d Scripting?" Jun 9 2009, retrieved on 4 Nov 2011
  12. "8. Vinyl Control — Mixxx User Manual".
  13. Mixxx blog: App store availability announcement 18 February 2011, Retrieved on 4 Nov 2011
  14. MusicRadar.com: "Free Mixxx DJing app hits number one in the Mac App Store" 22 February 2011, Retrieved on 4 Nov 2011
  15. Mixxx in Google Summer of Code: