yourfiles: Content Files

Paks can contain audio and music files in any of the related formats supported by Mixtikl (e.g. .ogg, .mid/.midi, .par/.partikl, .noa/.noatikl, .wav, .au and even DLS 1 wavetables). For further information see the section on Content Types.

For a real example, see the files in one of the Audio Loop Collection 1 add-on Tiklpaks.

1. For "Construction Kit" Paks: Include a minimum of 12 content items (one for each of the 12 tracks), but you can include more if you want to give your Pak users "bonus" items. We recommend 15-16 items.
2. For "Separates" Paks: Include as many content items as you like, but remember that there is limited file storage on mobile devices, and the more items you include, the more there is to browse (so it can take longer to find something).
3. Name your content files following the Content Naming Convention. Check Mixtikl's included Tiklpaks for examples of this.
4. Ensure that any loops used are a minimum of 1 bar length (if they are short sounds you can pad them out with silence); loops have the correct number of sample points for the respective bar lengths; they all loop cleanly.
5. You will need to normalise any audio sample used in such a way that when 9-10 of them are playing simultaneously in Mixtikl at say 80% Mixtikl max volume level there is no audible distortion. This might mean normalising to e.g. -2db or somesuch factor. Once this factor has been established, use it across all your Paks.
6. Content should be 1-4 bars in length, melodic elements being better as multibar (they more easily bear repetition that way; some beats can be 1 bar, but others should be longer). However, 2-4 bar samples can be large, so use sparingly. Generative content can play for ever :).
7. We recommend that content Master files should be 44KHz WAV files (mono or stereo depending on what you are working with).
8. Convert your .wav audio samples to .ogg using e.g. Oggdrop (quality setting 4, approx 128kbps). This should give you optimum sound quality, and file size.
9. Please bear in mind the overall recommended Pak sizes, and note that the Pak tempo will have a bearing on the size of the .Ogg files. Low frequency loops (e.g. Bass) tend to end up smaller than those with high frequencies (e.g. hi hats). You may need to experiment here, also with bar lengths to see what can fit.
10. All samples need to be prepared carefully so that the loop points are set correctly and there is no noticeable audio artifacts (glitches) when the sample loops. You should test all samples in test mixes. Also, you should ensure that the ogg encoded versions do not any clipping.
11. You should only include loops of the same scale in ANY Pak.