For those who aren’t familiar with The Mix Vibes Cross pack, it is a software/hardware package, designed to interface with your pre existing DJ equipment, which allows you to mix music from your computers music library. A lot of DJ’s these days are looking to integrate this software in to their set up’s as it saves on vinyl and CD purchases and allows downloaded tracks to be available to mix immediately.
The Mix Vibes Cross Pack comes with the software CD, audio interface hardware, cables, two control vinyl and two control CD’s.
Mix Vibes is only a recent addition to the Australian DJ market, only recently become available here after being on sale in Europe and championed by some big name DJ’s since 2003. In that time, software developers have spent time streamlining the program, adding features and improving the quality of the interface hardware to deliver the best quality sound.
Compared with the better known DJ’ing programs, the ‘Cross Pack’ does offer a value alternative while still delivering a professional standard features.
The software is compatible with Windows 7, XP, Vista and Mac OSX. It’s easy to install and works with just about any sound card. The installation process takes minutes and from there you can load in your music or iTunes library and start mixing right away.
The program does allow you to import play lists from a few other DJ’ing programs without losing cue points and loops created within those programs. Mix Vibes is also big on media organisation, enticing you to create and keep track of sets, flag tracks for future use, view the album covers and keep track of your performances with a history function.
Mix Vibes keeps you fairly busy with a variety of features built in the program – An FX bank, visual beat synchronization, easy to use loop functions and MIDI compatibility. These tools allow you to develop and improve your playing style over time and require some study to get the best out of them. Visually at first there seems to be a lot happening on screen with a variety of options and buttons. Floating the mouse over each of the icons tells what each button does. Sounds silly, but this actually quelled my frustration by telling me what I needed to know immediately as I was getting to know the program. The beat synchronisation is fairly accurate, sometimes seeming a little out, but I’m willing to forgive that as I have ears and I use them.
Part of the Mix Vibes mission statement is to be ‘open’ allowing DJ’s to interface there hardware with the program. This is good news for Producers, with a preset list as long as your arm of compatible MIDI controllers available on the MIX Vibes site. (www.mixvibes.com)
The program also comes equipped with a ‘learning function’ that allows you to add your MIDI controller if the program is unfamiliar with it.
Mix Vibes is compatible with both CDJ’s and turntables and comes with free control medium for both. I personally use control vinyl, as I prefer the hands on experience that only come from handing a record. The control vinyls are hardwearing and highly responsive. So far they have withstood my heavy handed scratching and adjustments during performances.
The hardware interface it’s self, known as U46MK2, has several inputs for your CDJ, turnies or MIDI as well as an input for a microphone if so desired. Mine has copped a fair amount of abuse, being dragged from gig to house party to Jam session and being unplugged and replugged. It has proven to be reliable and durable over time and *beer resistant over time.
(*Spilling alcoholic beverages on the U46MK2 is not recommended.)
So if you’re on the lookout for a new DJ’ing program to integrate with your equipment or just starting out I would seriously suggest taking a look at what they Cross Pack has to offer. It’s a value alternative to others DJ’ing programs on the market, boosts many useful features and handles to rough life of a performing DJ.
DJ KoBuki – BNKDj/ Kultur3 DJ/ Light Sounds DJ.
The Mix Vibes Cross Pack is available from Light Sounds
