trakAx

Is there a way to change the global BPM during a mix? In other words, is there a way to edit the global BPM envelope?

This could be useful when crossfading two tracks with very different BPMs.  For example, when mixing a 140BPM track with a 100BPM track, it would be nice to be able to smoothly decrease the global mix BPM from 140 to 100 as the tracks crossfade.

Is this something that’s possible with the current trakAxPC version?

Thanks!

Hi Idecarufel,

Thanks for the question.

When an audio track is brought into the Mixing Screen, it is bound to a global tempo of 120 BPM. You are able to change the Global Tempo to a speed of choice. All audio files will play at this Global Tempo. You are not able to change the Global BPM halfway through a mix, however you are able to play audio files in this mix at their normal detected BPM without being locked to the Global Tempo.

If you want the track to play at its normal detected BPM, just click on disable/enable beat-syncing icon in the track name to unlock it from the global tempo. It is a little blue button with a drum on it. Once this has been disabled the track will play at its normal speed.

Please see our wiki with a video included: http://www.trakax.com/software/wiki/Category:BPM_and_Global_Tempo::Adjusting_the_Tempo_of_Audio/
I have also done a video to show you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F37TmNOGMUM

You can change the play rate of track once it has been disabled from the Global Tempo. Here is a link with a video included that shows you how you can do this: http://www.trakax.com/software/wiki/Category:BPM_and_Global_Tempo::Adjusting_the_Tempo_of_Audio/

Once the tracks are in the mix, you can add fades to the beginning and end of your tracks to fade them in and out or place them in the same track to crossfade them: http://www.trakax.com/software/wiki/Category:Mixing_Window::Automatic_Crossfading_Icon/

Another option would be to create one mix at the first Global Tempo and export it to MP3, enter a second Mixing Screen and create your mix at the new Global Tempo and export it and bring the two new exported files in to a new mixing screen and disable the beat-syncing function. You will now have two separate mixes in the same screen and you can try and mix them. You could also try and find a BPM that will suit both files and try and automatically crossfade them.

You can access plenty more tutorials on how to create audio and video mixes at the following link: http://www.trakax.com/software/support/create_a_quick_mix/

I hope this helps and If you need any help or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best regards,

Thanks for your reply!

The solutions you mentioned don’t really solve my problem, unfortunately.

With a fixed global BPM, I believe you’re limited in what songs you can mix together.  If you have a 130BPM song, a 120BPM song and a 100BPM song, you have to pick up a global BPM that’s about the average of the three, ~115BPM in this case.  The problem with this is that some songs might sound a bit weird when played at a BPM too far from their original BPM.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to smoothly slow down the global BPM from 130 to 120 near the end of the first song, so that when the 2nd one starts to fade in, the global BPM matches it’s original BPM of 120?

This could be implemented using a “global track” that would contain only envelopes for global values, such as “global BPM” or “Master volume”.  If I’m not mistaken, this feature is supported in MixMeister (but let me tell you that trakAxPC is a LOT easier to use than MixMeister!).

I believe a feature like this would be very useful in a lot of cases.  Can you add it to your list of suggestions then?

Thanks!

Here’s a link to a MixMeister tutorial video that shows exactly the feature I need:

http://www.mixmeister.com/tour/tutorial03.htm

At the bottom of the track window, there is a tempo bar where you can add tempo markers.  Each tempo marker specifies a new BPM, and the software will gradually change the tempo from one marker to the next while playing the mix.

Is this a feature that you could consider adding to trakAxPC in the future?

Hi Idecarufel,

Thank you for sending the information relating to the changing of BPM and BPM envelopes, it was very imformative indeed.

Currently, we are focused on creating the best multimedia editing solution available at the most affordable price. We will be releasing a new upgrade for trakAxPC shortly which is based on improving video and photo editing as well as improving and optimising the trakAx playing engine. There will be no change to the current audio editing solution with regards to BPM.

However, this is something we will look at for future releases but at the moment I can not confirm that it will be implemented or in what time-frame. I have attached some links which discuss changing the BPM of individuals files which may be of some use - http://www.trakax.com/software/wiki/Category:BPM_and_Global_Tempo::Accessing_the_BPM_Parameters/

http://www.trakax.com/software/wiki/Category:BPM_and_Global_Tempo::Adjusting_the_Tempo_of_Audio/

http://www.trakax.com/software/wiki/Category:BPM_and_Global_Tempo::Changing_Tempo_of_Audio_using_Segment_Properties/

http://www.trakax.com/software/wiki/Category:BPM_and_Global_Tempo::Unlock_Audio_from_the_Global_Tempo/

I hope this is helpful and I will send on your request to our development team,

Best regards,

Colm