Q: How do I get my music onto the Pacemaker Editor?
A: Simply drag-and-drop audio files (or folders with music) from your computer file system to the Editor track library. Alternatively, choose Import Music Files or Import Music Directory from the File menu in Pacemaker Editor.
Q: Can I import music that I’ve already added to iTunes?
A: Yes. iTunes tracks and playlists can be imported to the Pacemaker Editor. When starting the Editor you’ll be asked if you want to import iTunes tracks and playlists. If you want to disable import from iTunes, or change what and when the Editor imports from iTunes, go to Preferences located in the File menu on Windows or the Pacemaker menu on Mac and uncheck “Look for iTunes at Startup”.
DRM protected tracks (Fairplay) purchased via iTunes are not possible to import to Pacemaker Editor.
Q: What audio formats does Pacemaker Editor support?
A: The following audio formats are supported: MP3, M4A (AAC-LC), Ogg Vorbis, WAV, Flac, AIFF, and SND.
DRM protected tracks are not supported.
Q: Can I display additional track metadata, e.g. Key, Date Added, Cue Point, Rating, etc., in the track library?
A: Yes. Right-click the on one of the headings in the track library, e.g. Title, and check/uncheck track metadata categories to sort your track library the way you want.
Q: Can I filter the track library by Genre or BPM etc?
A: Yes. Simply click inside a library category column (e.g. Genre; House) to filter out a track list. To filter by multiple metadata categories (e.g. House and 128 BPM), use Ctrl+Click (Windows) or Command+Click (Mac). Remove active filters by clicking them.
Q: Can I sort the track library by different categories, e.g Date Added, Artist, BPM, etc?
A: Yes. Simply click the library category heading (e.g. Genre). Click again to toggle between descending/ascending sorting.
Q: Can I add/alter metadata for tracks?
A: Yes. In the track library, right-click the track that you want to add/alter metadata for; select “Get Info” from the context menu and edit as you like.
Altering metadata will not affect your tracks; only the Editor track database.
Q: Can I multi-select tracks in the library?
A: Yes. Press and hold the Ctrl key (Windows) or Command key (Mac) and click on the tracks that you want to select.
Q: How do I remove tracks from the library?
A: Select the tracks that you want to remove, and then select “Delete” from the Edit menu (or alternatively press the Delete key).
Removing tracks from the Editor will by default not remove them from your computer; if you want to remove them from your computer, select “Also Move Files to Recycle Bin (Trash)” in the dialog that is displayed when removing tracks from your library.
Q: How can I locate a specific track file on my computer?
A: Right-click the track in the library that you want to locate, and then select “Show in Explorer” (Windows) or Show in Finder” (Mac) from the context menu. The Editor will open the folder on your computer where the track file is located. Alternatively, right click on one of the headings in the track library, e.g. Title, and check the “Location” item. This will add a location column in your track library.
Q: Some tracks are marked with a question mark, “?”, to the left of the track title in the library. These tracks cannot be played. Why?
A: Tracks marked with a question mark “?” are disconnected tracks. They were probably imported to the Editor from a removable media, such as a USB memory or an external hard drive. Connect the removable media from which these tracks were imported - the question mark will disappear and the tracks are available.
If you don’t want the Editor to show disconnected tracks, go to the Preference menu and uncheck the option “Show Unavailable Tracks”.
Q: Some tracks are marked with an exclamation mark, “!”, to the left of the track title in the library. Is there something wrong with these tracks?
A: Tracks marked with an exclamation mark “!” are either lost or corrupt (damaged). Lost tracks are tracks that have been removed from your computer or moved in the computer file system. If you double-click a lost track, the Editor will ask you to relocate it. Corrupt tracks are tracks that are damaged for some reason, i.e. damaged metadata or broken file etc. When double-clicking a corrupt track, the Editor will display a dialog with this information. You are recommended to remove corrupt tracks from the Editor.
If you don’t want the Editor to show lost or corrupt tracks, go to the Preference menu and uncheck the option “Show Unavailable Tracks”.
Q: Some tracks are marked with a question mark, “?”, in the BPM field. What does this mean?
A: When the Editor fails to analyze beat information for a track, the track BPM will be marked with a question mark “?”.
Q: How do I create a new case?
A: In the File menu, choose “New Case”. Alternatively, press the New button in the Editor Case section.
Q: Can I create a case from a selection of tracks in the track library?
A: Yes. Select the tracks that you want to include in a new case, then select “New Case from Selection” in the File menu.
Q: How do I remove tracks from a case?
A: In the case track list (open a case by clicking the case name in the Cases section of the Editor (left pane)), select the tracks that you want to remove from the case, and then press the Delete-key. Alternatively, right-click one of the selected tracks, and then select “Delete from Case” from the context menu.
Tracks that you remove from a case are not removed from the track library.
Q: How do I rename a case?
A: Double-click the case name in the Cases section of the Editor (left pane) and edit as you like.
Q: Can I add/alter metadata for a case?
A: Yes. In the Editor section (left pane), click on the row that says “Cases” – your cases will be displayed in the library list. Right-click the case that you want to add/alter metadata for, select “Get Info” from the context menu, and then edit.
Q: How do I remove a case?
A: In the Editor section (left pane), click on the row that says “Cases” – your cases will be displayed in the library list. Right-click the case that you want to remove, select “Delete” from the context menu. Alternatively, select the case that you want to remove from the Case section in the Editor (left pane), and then press the Delete key.
Q: How do I create a new mix?
A: In the File menu, choose New Mix. Alternatively, press the New button in the Editor Mix section.
Q: How do I add tracks to a mix?
A: Simply drag-and-drop the tracks you want to include in the mix from the Editor track library to the Mix list or to the Mix view (top section).
Q: How do I remove tracks from a mix?
A: In the mix track list (open by clicking the mix name in the Mixes section of the Editor (left pane), select the tracks that you want to remove from the mix, and then press the Delete-key. Alternatively, right-click one of the selected tracks, and then select “Delete from Mix” from the context menu.
Tracks that you remove from a mix are not removed from the track library.
Q: How can I rename a mix?
A: Double-click the mix name in the Mixes section of the Editor (left pane) and edit as you like.
Q: How can add/alter metadata for a mix?
A: In the Editor section (left pane), click on the row that says “Mixes” – your mixes will be displayed in the library list. Right-click the mixes that you want to add/alter metadata for, select “Get Info” from the context menu, and then edit.
Q: Can I rip a mix to a digital file that is playable by other applications?
A: Yes. In the Editor section (left pane), click on the row that says “Mixes” – your mixes will be displayed in the library list. Right-click the mix that you want export to an audio file, select “Export” from the context menu and follow the instructions. Alternatively, select a mix from the library, and select “Export Mix…” from the File menu.
The mix will be rendered in the Ogg Vorbis format.
Q: I’ve heard that it’s possible to publish a mix on the Internet?
A: Yes. In the Editor section (left pane), click on the row that says “Mixes” – your mixes will be displayed in the library list. Select the mix that you want to publish on the Internet, then select “Publish Mix” from the Community menu. Alternatively, click on a mix in the Mixes section in the Editor (left pane) and press the “Publish” button.
You need to register a user account on mix.pacemaker.net to be able to the upload your mixes to the Internet. http://mix.pacemaker.net is the home for mix creators and music lovers that want to share their taste, show of some skills and listen to other’s mixes.
Q: How can I remove a mix?
A: In the Editor section (left pane), click on the row that says “Mixes” – your mixes will be displayed in the library list. Right-click the mix that you want to remove, select “Delete” from the context menu. Alternatively, select the mix that you want to remove from the Mixes section in the Editor (left pane), and then press the Delete key.
Q: How can I auto beat match tracks in a mix?
A: Overlap tracks by dragging the second track over the first track to a desired position. Adjust the second track’s start by truncating this track’s start position to the right.
A crossfade between the first and the second track will be automatically added.
Right-click the crossfade tool and select “Beat match” if you want the Editor to automatically adjust the tempo of the second track to the first track. If you want to manually change the tempo of a track grab the track’s tempo graph and adjust accordingly.
Q: When I overlap two tracks in a mix, a crossfade is added. What is this?
A: When overlapping two tracks, a crossfade is automatically added. The crossfade fades out the left track and fades in the right track. The tracks are not automatically beat matched. To beat match the tracks, adjust the tempo of the tracks manually, alternatively right-click the crossfade and select “Beat match”.
Q: Why is the displayed tempo information not correct?
A: The track beat and tempo analyzing is not always 100% accurate. We are continuously working to improve the analyzing algorithms. In the case you need to correct the tempo, simply adjust the tempo manually.
Q: Why can’t I beat match two tracks when using a crossfade with beat match enabled?
A: Try slipping the second track forward (right) or backward (left) in the Mix window until the crossfade sounds ok. If you cannot get it right, disable the crossfade beat match and try to beat match manually.
Q: Why is the tempo graph changed when I move a track in the Mix window?
A: This happens when the crossfade is set to “Beat match”; the software will automatically try to beat match the two tracks resulting in tempo changes.
Q: How can I turn off automatic beat match?
A: Turn off beat match by right-clicking the crossfade and uncheck “Beat match”.
Q: Why is the track length altered when I’m adjusting tempo?
A: The track length is altered because an increased tempo simply speeds up the track and hereby shortens the track duration, and vice-versa.
Q: How can I add a tool to a mix?
A: You can add a tool (X-Fade, Loop, Beat FX, Colour FX, EQ, Reverse play) by dragging and dropping the desired tool from the tool section to the position in the mix where you want it.
Q: How can I change the width of a tool, e.g. EQ?
A: You can change the time-span of a tool by clicking/grabbing the right or the left border of the tool and then move the mouse to the left or right to the desired width.
Q: How can I add and delete graph nodes in a tool parameter or tempo graph line?
A: You can add and delete graph nodes by double-clicking on the graph line. To delete a node you double-click on the graph node.
Q: How do I alter the Low, Mid and High parameters of the EQ tool?
A: Right-click the EQ tool and select “Lo”, “Mid” or “Hi” from the context menu, optionally add graph nodes on the corresponding graph line, then alter the selected parameter by moving the graph nodes accordingly.
Q: How do I change the Wet/Dry and Time parameters of the FX tool?
A: Right-click the FX tool and select “Wet/Dry” or “Time” (“Size”) from the context menu, optionally add graph nodes on the corresponding graph line, then alter the selected parameter by moving the graph nodes accordingly.
Q: How can I change the length of a loop?
A: Right-click the Loop tool and select “Length” from the context menu and then alter the start position of the loop by moving the left edge of the tool and then extend/shorten the loop by moving the right edge of the tool.
Q: How can I alter the number of repetitions/cycles of a loop?
A: Right-click the Loop tool and select “Repeats” from the context menu and then move the right edge of the tool forward. The repetitions will be graphically represented according to the length of the looped track segment.
Q: Can I re-use a loop in another part of the mix?
A: Yes. You can re-loop a previously defined loop by adding a new loop to the mix and select “Re-loop” from its context menu. The re-loop must be added after (later in the mix) the previously defined loop.
Q: Why is the track length altered when I’m adjusting Reverse play?
A: The track length is altered because the Reverse play tool inserts the defined tool/track portion as a mirrored part starting from the selected tool in-point.