ROLAND R-MIX
Posted on Tue 20 September 2011 in Computer Music
Roland have recently announced a brand new and thoroughly innovative piece of software called 'R-MIX'. But what exactly is it? Let's take a quick look...Roland R-MIX software splits a stereo mix into frequency, panning and level elements and then creates a visual representation of the song using 'harmonic clouds'. Because each instrument in a song will have different frequency characteristics as well as different stereo positions, the visual landscape that is created actually allows you to 'see' each instrument in a mix!
Now, it's not so advanced that an electric guitar sound will form an electric guitar picture on the screen... but each element of a mix will have its own unique harmonic cloud and by critically listing to that sound in the mix (or by using trial and error), you should be able to identify and isolate individual mix elements.
Now, whilst this is impressive, being able to 'see' instruments is not particularly useful on its own, so this is where R-MIX gets really clever. Using this visual representation, the R-MIX software lets you select and edit individual instruments, in essence, allowing you to break apart a whole mix! You can hone in a particular instrument within a mixed stereo file and then adjust the levels, panning positions, pitch and/or tempo of the instrument as well as add effects to it, isolate it from the rest of the mix, or even delete it from the mix altogether! This means that you can delete vocals from a track to create a karaoke mix, isolate vocals to create an acapella, isolate a guitar riff and slow it down to help you learn, or even completely restructure the mix of an existing song by altering the levels and stereo positions of instruments within it and adding additional effects to them! Genius!
Roland R-MIX software is based on two existing Roland technologies; Variphase and V-Remastering. It uses a simple single-screen with easy navigation to help speed up workflow, it's Mac and Windows compatible and there will even be a simplified iPad version available!
Now, I've not used R-MIX yet, but I just hope that it lives up to the hype, because the concept is excellent and so useful. We will try and get a review up on our blog when it is released in November so watch this space!
For more information on the Roland R-Mix or to buy/order one, click the link below: