Magix Music Maker 16 is a relatively simple to use digital audio software package.
Compared to Digidesign's Pro Tools or PreSonus's Studio One Magix Music Maker 16 lacks true audio editing, but it's far more powerful a DAW than you should expect for £44, supporting both pro-level ASIO audio drivers and VST virtual instruments.
Magix Music Maker 16 is nothing if not easy to use. Tracks for recording audio, MIDI, or placing video objects stretch across the top of the main window. Various palettes reside below it, including the soundpool (pre-recorded loops that you may combine to produce music right away).
There's also a rack for synths, an FX pool, and a nice onscreen keyboard for entering notes. Robota, a drum sequencer/module, is included in the download demo. Just about everything in Magix Music Maker 16 is drag and drop. You drag audio loops and midi patterns onto tracks, drag FX on to audio objects to implement them, etc. You can even drop video object into the track layout and preview it in the lower righthand corner of the program.
More serious musicians, including those that can actually play an instrument will be happy that Magix Music Maker 16 also allows you to record audio and MIDI, and the MIDI step/drum/list editor is first rate.
Alas, they won't be too happy with the lack of a wave editor: There is no way to edit audio clips other than apply FX or changing their length in the track window. The £74 Premium version of Music Maker includes an external wave editor, but this basic version does not. Playback was quite tight, and the overall sound emanating from our EMU 0404 soundcard was excellent.
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