Equally adept running on both Mac and Windows platforms, energyXT is an installation-free, feature-rich MIDI digital audio workstation and in spite of its diminutive size and portability, is quite powerful. Though it's still overshadowed by top-rated MIDI software programs like FL Studio and Numerology, energyXT is hardly a consolation prize. In fact, given its start-up times, efficient CPU usage and intuitive, well-designed interface, musicians, songwriters and producers have more time to let the software program speak for itself, as opposed to downloading, installing, running, mapping, etc, before finally being able to test it with any sort of rigor.
While energyXT was designed largely as a modular host for VST plugins, it also features a full MIDI sequencer that is also available as a plugin. The sequencer itself, while not really blazing into uncharted territory, performs incredibly well owing to both its minimal CPU usage and the sequencer interface.
Though energyXT can be used as the sole vehicle for MIDI sequencing and audio production tasks, it is often used as a plugin for or supplement to other audio production software programs such as Ableton Live, Pro Tools and others.
energyXT's MIDI sequencing interface is clean, well-organized and familiar in its overall look and functionality. The features, despite being somewhat limited, are impressively effective and powerful. The virtual mixer helps make sense of the sequencing, allowing users to mix "unlimited" MIDI channels, which is made even more valuable by virtue of energyXT's MIDI automation and mapping features. energyXT also provides a very useful automated beat-slicing tool, helping facilitate the sequencing process and expanding the program's overall creative potential.
energyXT's audio processing features are by no means an alternative to those offered by full-featured audio production programs like Ableton Live, Reason and KORE. Then again, few MIDI software programs do. That being said, energyXT can still process and record simultaneous MIDI messages and controllers. Editing tools to crop, trim, fade, reverse, normalize, and so on are also available to cover the basic needs of recorded MIDI files. energyXT also offers a virtual effect rack for MIDI controllers and instruments,
One editing feature that deserves mention is energyXT's time-stretching feature. Users can quantize tracks and audio elements, allowing them to fit into a larger sequence or composition without negatively affecting the overall structure of the composition.
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