Mixcraft Pro Studio has the largest loop library of all the music production programs we tested. Its huge, diverse loop library; user-friendly interface; and deep editing toolbox make this a great program for producing music if you have limited experience playing musical instruments. Mixcraft also includes a video editor and music notation editor, making it one of the most comprehensive production programs we reviewed.
Not only is Mixcraft’s loop library expansive, but its loops also sound great. Because of its loop library, this software is perfect if you don’t want to use a MIDI keyboard or don’t want to play any instruments. Its loops are all royalty-free, and you can use the quality effect plugins to make them sound unique. The loop library, combined with the software’s video editing features, makes Mixcraft an all-in-one solution for adding audio to video
Mixcraft Pro Studio has more than 50 studio-quality effects, including everything you need to mix and master a complex arrangement. The Pro Studio version also includes the best third-party pitch correction plugin available, Melodyne Essentials. You can make melodic or rhythmic mistakes in the recording process and fix them in the post-production stage, which is great for inexperienced musicians. Logic Pro X is the only program we tested with a better editing toolbox than Mixcraft, and because Logic is Mac-only and Mixcraft is Windows-only, this is the best editing software we reviewed for PC users.
To grade virtual instrument quality, we recorded short clips with an acoustic piano, electric piano, lead synth, acoustic drum kit and an electronic drum kit. Mixcraft has a good selection of virtual instruments for all music genres, but we found the electronic drums and synthesizers sounded more dated than those in the best programs we tested. The acoustic piano plugin has a ton of usable presets, as did most of the other instruments, but if you plan to produce hip-hop or electronic music, consider purchasing third-party drum machines and synth plugins.
Mixcraft’s loop selection, recording tools and editing capabilities make it one of our favorite beat making programs. The included video editor and notation editor also make it one of the most complete production suites we tested. If you have a Windows computer and plan to edit and produce a wide variety of musical projects, Mixcraft Pro Studio is a good fit. Our issues with the virtual instrument quality are easily remedied by purchasing a few third-party VST plugins.
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