MuTools

starfluf · Post by **starfluf** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:12 pm

Hi all

I'm new to mu tools - and am thinking about using mu.lab in my school as a Cubase / Garageband substitute. Can I have any recommendations about installation, quirks of the programme etc? We currently have Dance Ejay which I hate and doesn't really allow the kids to compose.

Thanks

AndreasD · Post by **AndreasD** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:17 pm

Installation: There is no! Just copy the Mulab folder and you are done. You can even run it from a USB stick or external HD. If you are running several PCs with the same setup, do the Audio/Midi setup on one machine and copy the Mulab folder from there and you are just left with the authorization for each machine.

There are no quirks or problems at all. I am using MuLab only, coming from Cubase/Reason and I never looked back.

Using it is very easy and you are not overwhelmed by the interface. Clear and simple, but there is a lot of hidden depth!

The synth and samplers are fully modular and very serious and kids can lean to program synths, make their own samples etc.

The midi implementation is very powerful. I don't miss anything.

Audio recording is simple (once you get the principle). Audio editing is possible but you could add an audio editor e.g wavosaur.com (free), which can be called from MuLab, if necessary.

General routing possibilities are mind boggling.

Mulab does not do loop stretching etc. like Live/Acid and there is no real sample base delivered for conventional instruments. But there are a quite few free/commercial sample libraries to overcome that.

For me, I just love it. It just does what I need.

Read more here: http://www.mutools.com/mulab/docs/index.html

Hope that helps.

starfluf · Post by **starfluf** » Thu May 19, 2011 7:57 pm

Thanks for the reply and so sorry to only just spot your reply! At current I have 20 laptops I would install Mu.lab on. I think as a trial I'll roll out the free version - as 20 x £22 is quite a lot of money in comparison to free! (but cheap compared to cubas and the like!). Is it really worth paying out long term or do you think my 11-16s would be happy enough with the limited free version?

I'm basically wanting them to be able to sequence and compose little dance tracks or pop songs so I feel 4 tracks might be OK. Pity they couldn't give us just a few more! Can you export work as MP3? I want to avoid using pre-made samples if poss, but would like them to record on hand held recording devises for film music or singing into and import those clips - can I do that? would it have to be in a certain format?

My set up will be midi keyboard, laptop, midi cable and headphone jack and headphones into the laptop - is there anything else I need?

Thanks!

Trancit · Post by **Trancit** » Thu May 19, 2011 10:19 pm

starfluf wrote:Thanks for the reply and so sorry to only just spot your reply! At current I have 20 laptops I would install Mu.lab on. I think as a trial I'll roll out the free version - as 20 x £22 is quite a lot of money in comparison to free! (but cheap compared to cubas and the like!). Is it really worth paying out long term or do you think my 11-16s would be happy enough with the limited free version?

Perhaps, Jo will make a special offer for you

I'm basically wanting them to be able to sequence and compose little dance tracks or pop songs so I feel 4 tracks might be OK.

To be serious, your kids will be able to sequence little songs, but will have to do some additional routing work to get everything done with the 4 tracks limit, which will cost quite some energy... energy, which will be lost for "musical work"

Can you export work as MP3?

The Mulab docs says, atm you can only export as wav or aiff depending, if you are on MAC or PC

I want to avoid using pre-made samples if poss, but would like them to record on hand held recording devises for film music or singing into and import those clips - can I do that? would it have to be in a certain format?

Recording options are quite flexible in MuLab and all you requested can be done... for further information, visit this page:
http://www.mutools.com/mulab/docs/recording.html

My set up will be midi keyboard, laptop, midi cable and headphone jack and headphones into the laptop - is there anything else I need?

As long as your laptops have a soundcard with ASIO drivers, there is nothing else, they will need...otherwise load the drivers from www.ASIO4all.com

Keep in mind, that MuLab will receive a major update with lots of enhancements, in the next months (hoping, release will be sooner than later)...

But in the existing version, you'll get all you need in one package to teach your kids on demands you already listed and a lot more...
Please don't underestimate the modular possibilities of MuLab...you can find them in the complete program...from track routing over instruments to fx, so you can teach them (subtractive) synth structures as well...

So, even for the money you told, it's a real bargain and you should not only consider to use it but to buy it as well, as the product is worth to be supported...

Trancit

PS: Only a happy user here, I am not involved in the company...

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Fri May 20, 2011 7:27 am

starfluf wrote:At current I have 20 laptops I would install Mu.lab on. I think as a trial I'll roll out the free version - as 20 x £22 is quite a lot of money in comparison to free! (but cheap compared to cubas and the like!). Is it really worth paying out long term or do you think my 11-16s would be happy enough with the limited free version?

Thanks for your email, lets continue by email about this, will make you a special offer

Can you export work as MP3?

MuLab 3 does not mixdown to MP3 directly, but to AIFF or WAVE file, like you want. Then you can use another utility (WinLame, Switch, ...) to convert to that AIFF or WAVE file into MP3.

I want to avoid using pre-made samples if poss, but would like them to record on hand held recording devises for film music or singing into and import those clips - can I do that? would it have to be in a certain format?

MuLab reads AIFF, WAVE and OGG sample files.

starfluf · Post by **starfluf** » Fri May 20, 2011 6:06 pm

That's great help thanks. Also - can you confirm some of the details of the license - my IT guys think it's a bit ambiguous as to whether the license is per user or machine? I have 20 laptops but I have potentially 500 students who may get use of the software (only 20 machines in use at a time).

On that note, if I have an rolling 'audience' of 500 students, (of which 200 will be new every year - y7 intake) could there be deal or some sponsoring of software as you may get a lot of students downloading software to use at home? I could put up a sign / display in my department?

PM me?

starfluf · Post by **starfluf** » Fri May 20, 2011 6:54 pm

Also is there any way to drag in a movie clip as per garage band and cubase? There's a few SOW I'm planning for
Y7 and Y8 students to experiment with. One being dance music sequencing and one being film music (so writing to a visual stimulus, say clip from Incredibles or James Bond. I'd love for students to sync their music with the visual. Would this be possible to request in m4 if not already incorporated? A lot of schools would find this appealing and could be a Market to tap into?

starfluf · Post by **starfluf** » Fri May 20, 2011 7:01 pm

Also is there any way to drag in a movie clip as per garage band and cubase? There's a few SOW I'm planning for
Y7 and Y8 students to experiment with. One being dance music sequencing and one being film music (so writing to a visual stimulus, say clip from Incredibles or James Bond. I'd love for students to sync their music with the visual. Would this be possible to request in m4 if not already incorporated? A lot of schools would find this appealing and could be a Market to tap into?

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Sat May 21, 2011 8:53 am

starfluf wrote:That's great help thanks. Also - can you confirm some of the details of the license - my IT guys think it's a bit ambiguous as to whether the license is per user or machine? I have 20 laptops but I have potentially 500 students who may get use of the software (only 20 machines in use at a time).

The MuLab 3 User License is per user.

Most probably this will change with MuLab 4 though, where it will be per machine.

Anyway, we can make a deal, cfr the proposal i emailed you.

On that note, if I have an rolling 'audience' of 500 students, (of which 200 will be new every year - y7 intake) could there be deal or some sponsoring of software as you may get a lot of students downloading software to use at home? I could put up a sign / display in my department? PM me?

Please lets continue our talk about this per email.
Did you receive the special offer yesterday?

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Sat May 21, 2011 8:56 am

starfluf wrote:Also is there any way to drag in a movie clip as per garage band and cubase? There's a few SOW I'm planning for
Y7 and Y8 students to experiment with. One being dance music sequencing and one being film music (so writing to a visual stimulus, say clip from Incredibles or James Bond. I'd love for students to sync their music with the visual. Would this be possible to request in m4 if not already incorporated? A lot of schools would find this appealing and could be a Market to tap into?

This is not yet planned for the near future, although i agree it would be a nice feature.

starfluf · Post by **starfluf** » Sat May 21, 2011 12:45 pm

Thanks for responses Jo - I've replied to your email. Sorry for so many questions!

starfluf · Post by **starfluf** » Sat May 21, 2011 8:22 pm

mutools wrote:
starfluf wrote:Also is there any way to drag in a movie clip as per garage band and cubase? There's a few SOW I'm planning for
Y7 and Y8 students to experiment with. One being dance music sequencing and one being film music (so writing to a visual stimulus, say clip from Incredibles or James Bond. I'd love for students to sync their music with the visual. Would this be possible to request in m4 if not already incorporated? A lot of schools would find this appealing and could be a Market to tap into?
This is not yet planned for the near future, although i agree it would be a nice feature.

- could the video be viewed with a plug in?

Trancit · Post by **Trancit** » Sat May 21, 2011 8:30 pm

FL Studio from Image-Line has an integrated video player, which plays in sync to the project and you can run FL Studio as a VSTi in MuLab...
So load FL Studio VSTi in MuLab, open the the videoplayer inside FL Studio, resize the GUI of FL STudio to match the size of the video player eh voilá...

I didn't tried it, but I think it should work.
There is a demo installer (which is full functional, exept saving and rendering) available, so if you don't have the need to save the video inside the project, the demo should be enough...

Trancit

Trancit · Post by **Trancit** » Sat May 21, 2011 8:34 pm

Or try:

http://www.kvraudio.com/get/4039.html

hudson_m4000 · Post by **hudson_m4000** » Sun May 22, 2011 7:43 am

Trancit wrote:FL Studio from Image-Line has an integrated video player, which plays in sync to the project and you can run FL Studio as a VSTi in MuLab...
So load FL Studio VSTi in MuLab, open the the videoplayer inside FL Studio, resize the GUI of FL STudio to match the size of the video player eh voilá...

I didn't tried it, but I think it should work.
There is a demo installer (which is full functional, exept saving and rendering) available, so if you don't have the need to save the video inside the project, the demo should be enough...

Trancit

But if you bought FL Studio, why would you also need MuLab?

MuTools

KVR Audio

mu.lab in schools?