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Janek edited this page Aug 31, 2020 · 1 revision

Mixxx Macros - Google Summer of Code 2020 project

By Janek Fischer (xerus/xerus2000)

Official GSoC Proposal

See Macros for a list of controls.

Introduction

There are moves through which a DJ expresses himself - and there are many other, sometimes tedious tasks that need to be done as groundwork. Instead of having to juggle beatmatching, effects, cues and sliders all at once, a DJ should be able to rely on his tools so he can focus on what really matters. For some, beatmatching and keeping all tracks in sync is an art in itself - for others, including me, it is something happily delegated to the software - that is why there is a sync function.

But sometimes, more sophisticated automation can be helpful - maybe you want to skip a breakdown, shuffle around verses, loop an intro a specific way or deliberately repeat certain parts. Handling that while messing with effects and getting the next track ready can be tricky; that is where Mixxx Macros come in. With this feature implemented, it will be possible to record specific moves while playing a track and store them in a rack, to be used when it gets hot.

Requirements

Personas

Raptor is an experienced DJ who experiments with cue point drumming.

Bob wants to prepare his track so he can DJ mostly hands-off at a birthday party. For this he wants to censor his tracks as well prepare a few transitions.

Sona used to create custom versions of songs (extended & rearranged parts) in Ableton Live, but would like to avoid the problems this entails (duplication, quality loss through re-encoding, takes rather long, can get lost in editing)

Jannis wants to record Mash-ups in Mixxx, but currently has to re-record them several times, and even then he doesn't get them exactly how he wanted. He doesn't want to get into a DAW for that either.

User Stories

As Raptor

  • I want to
    • start a Macro recording
    • press cue points to create a beat
    • if live have it repeat immediately
    • save this as a looped Macro
    • assign it to a hotcue
  • so that I have a cool custom beat based on a track, which I can invoke anytime. Requirements: everything on controller

As Bob

  • I want to create a very simple rearrangement and censoring of a track
  • and save it to the track in enabled state
  • so that the track is automatically played back in that arrangement.

Requirements: No controller

As Sona

  • I want to be able to quickly recreate my Ableton Live edits in Mixxx
  • so that I can eliminate the data duplication and speed up my workflow for creating new edits.

As Jannis

  • I want to record an edit to a track, potentially with cue point drumming
  • so that I can play that back while creating a Mash-up.

I would appreciate the ability to edit a Macro so that I don't have to re-record it if I made a small mistake

Components

  • database table to store Macros
  • recording buttons (deck-independent)
  • send info on cue jumps (but not on scrubbing)
  • macro list for each deck with name, loop option, enable option

Use cases

Adapted from https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152750292038764&id=11864088763

  1. Making edits
    1. basic rearranging of tracks to create things like intros and outros, extend breaks, shorten or lengthen tracks, swap phrases
    2. create "clean"/censored version of a track
    3. create transition to another track e.g. double time version
    4. create new beats from cue point drumming
  2. Live-looping of cue point drumming or tone play - being able to drum out a pattern using the cue points in a track and then seamlessly loop it at the touch of a button.

-> You never need the Macro recording controls and the audio recording controls at the same time, so maybe they can be remapped.

Data Format

A Macro needs to have a name and id, needs to be coupled to a track and consists of an array of actions.

Actions

Each actions has some data and a type, the essential ones (as present in Serato Flip) being censor and jump. Loop is also a consideration, but bears some more questions: Should it use the same loop system the user uses? If not, aren't jumps sufficient?

A big question is whether each action has its own start-point, or whether there is a "wait" action that waits for a cue or timestamp to occur. The latter may make sense in scripting, since it allows to easily chain actions, but when recording there can hardly be a case where two actions wouldn't be separated by a wait action. And if that is the case, each action might as well have its own start-point - which might be a hotcue or a timestamp, as outlined below.

Referencing cues vs timestamps

  • timestamps: used by Serato Flip, persistent, but hardly editable; can break when track offset changes (when music file is swapped out)
  • cues: can be moved, but that could also accidentally mess up a flip and cues can't currently be shifted; add confirmation dialog similar to when deleting a track in a playlist to avoid breaking things -> but then cue needs to be aware of the Macros it's used in
  • how relevant is editing afterwards, how can we facilitate it?
  • Serato Flip "just works"
    • Flip is locked after recording, not blocking any hotcues or any chance of breakage

Name

"Macros" sounds like something to be triggered manually at any time - the point of flips is that they usually happen automatically.

Suggestions: Spin, Routines, Twist, MicroFlow, Mow

"Routines" sounds nice, is descriptive and well-received - we don't need to sell it either.

It sounds a little bland though, and doesn't capture the whole idea of using it to create non-destructive edits of a track. It also doesn't blend well with other terms, such as "Routine Mode" (for recording a routine).

I am now against Routines, but not happy with Macros either.

Discussion

Timeline

CW 21: Establish Timeline, work on open PRs, initial survey & discussion CW 22: Survey existing Serato Flip uses & collect input

June

Planned Deliverable: Format specification with examples

  • CW 23: Work out details of the format
  • CW 24: Start implementation of data structures, controls
  • CW 25: Create recording infrastructure
  • CW 26 (blocked)

Result: Basic working recording implementation

July

Planned Deliverable: Macros can be recorded, saved and played back

  • CW 27: Clean up, test & improve code
  • CW 28: Refine architecture
  • CW 29: Database
  • (CW 30)

Result:

  • Unit & end to end testing
  • Macros can be saved

August

Planned Deliverables: Controls mapped to a skin and controller, Macros are automatically loaded on track load and can be enabled as well as invoked

  • CW 31: Playback
  • CW 32: Design controls & integrate into a skin

Result:

  • Recording & Playback working correctly
  • Added MacroControl with COs as major architectural redesign
  • Unfortunately no visual feedback apart from controllers

Extras:

  • Loop mode
  • Enable Import from Serato & explore possibilities for sharing
  • Waveform highlighting for upcoming jumps
  • Record more controls
  • Integration with other tools (Serato Flip, Export/Import, Edit Dialog, Auto DJ?)

Log

How I work

I tend to branch out to other open source contributions when I want to work on something - I am almost unable to idle ;) Evidence of that are regular reports on GitHub: https://github.com/search?q=xerus2000&s=created&type=Issues However, this can also lead to delays in what I was supposed to work on.

I currently use https://notion.so to take notes and may link some pages here as proof of work - but these are personal working areas and not optimized for general understanding. I will always incorporate results into this wiki page when appropriate.

CW 21 & 22

CW 23

CW 24

  • document data format ideas
  • create & send out survey
  • finish remaining open PRs

CW 25

Mo:

Tu: Specify required controls & format in Macros page

We: Architecture discussion & add user stories

Th: Investigation of Mixxx code

Fr:

  • Playing around with MacroManager
  • More architecture considerations
  • Trying to understand Controls, Signals & Slots

Sa:

  • Connect a control
  • Factor out RecordingManagerBase

CW 26

Mo: Recording Macros works!

Unfortunately I wasn't able to do any further this week for medical reasons.

CW 27

Mo: Getting back into code, wiki work

Tu: Make Macro recording realtime-proof

We: Some clean-up

Th: Work on wiki and start writing tests

Fr: Planning & Refocusing, Revamp architecture back out of Engine

CW 28

Mo:

Tu:

  • Fix & Expand E2E tests
  • Investigate database integration

We:

Th & Fr:

  • Refine Architecture

CW 29

Mo:

  • Proto serialization to database working
  • Reviews

Tu:

  • Implemented Macro deserialization
  • Clean up & Improve code

Holidays

CW 30

Holidays

  • C++ Research (e.g. lambdas)
  • Coding Style fixes & tests

CW 31

Mo: Database & Side PR work

Tu: Research

We: Work on PlayerManager

Th: Code cleanups & clang-tidy investigation

Fr:

Sa:

  • Work on MacroManagerTest and its new parent abstraction MixxxDbTest

CW 32

Mo:

  • Work on side-PR reviews & personal tooling

Tu:

We:

  • Implement MacroDAO and integrate with TrackDAO
  • Test MacroDAO
  • Read Macro Actions from Track in Engine

Th:

  • Research

Fr:

  • Fix saving issue
  • Macro Playback

CW 33

Mo:

  • Start implementing Macro Playback tests
  • Fix local compilation issues

Tu:

  • Fix Playback test
  • Refactorings

We:

  • Create MacroControl with Channel COs
  • Cleanup

Th:

  • Finish cleanup
  • Implement COs & Playback in MacroControl
  • Improve MacroDAO

Fr:

  • Implement MacroControl ControlPushButtons
  • Update Database

CW 34

Mo: Save Macros via Track, add Playback to MacroControl & update COs

Tu: Implement MacroPtr & Improve DAO

We: Refactorings

Th: Improved controls & Added first MacroControl test

Fr: Travel

CW 35

Mo: Debug MacroControl tests

Tu: MacroControl + Tests working!

We:

  • Test MacroControl with controller (Traktor Kontrol F1)
  • Final refactorings

Th:

  • Work on blog post
  • Macro & Track dirtiness
  • Update controller mapping & COs
  • Many misc fixes

Fr:

  • Debug slots
  • Make Status enum class & fix status checks

Sa:

  • Debug failing tests
  • Address reviews
  • Document PR

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