MuTools set the MuLab 8 modular digital audio workstation and the MUX Modular 8 plugin as free to use for a limited time.
The developer provided temporary user keys that will unlock the software for free. These keys will expire at some point (unofficially, they will probably remain valid for a few months). More info and user/unlock keys are available via the MuTools website.
MuLab 8 is a modular DAW that provides a streamlined and user-friendly alternative to the more popular choices. It’s an easy way for beginners to get into audio recording and MIDI sequencing.
The layout isn’t too different from DAW’s like Logic Pro X with tracks shown on the left, your composition in the middle, and transport controls along the top. Besides the transport controls, you’ll find buttons to switch window and toggle on/off the browser, and mixer, which show up on the right and at the bottom, much like a standard Logic layout again. If you’ve used other DAW’s, it should all be pretty familiar; if not, it should be easy to follow.
MuLab 8 is a very visual DAW, and that’s why it’s great for beginners. Many functions are drag and drop, like dragging an instrument from the browser and dropping it on the desired track. If you open up the MuDrum instrument, it shows 12 pads where you can assign drums sounds or load a preset kit.
I like it because everything is in one window; if you want to truncate any sample, just drag the marker as you’d do with an MPC or Maschine. If you want to add effects, you can create effects racks and rout each pad however you like by dragging virtual patch cables. It might be a simple thing, but stuff like that helps beginners get around the software faster and understand the process more clearly, too.
I don’t want to write it off as beginners only because it lets you work very quickly, and that’s always a primary concern at any level. It’s only around 75Mb in size and runs directly from the folder.
MUX 8 is a modular synth and effects plugin integrated within MuLab and available as a 32/64-bit VST plugin for macOS and Windows.
It’s easy-to-use and goes deeper than most might expect. As well as having loads of instrument/effect presets, being a flexible step-sequencer, arpeggiator, and sampler, it lets you build custom synths and effects.
You can also use any MUX modulator to modulate parameters in your 3rd-party VST plugins. It does a bit of everything, but too good to call it a jack of all trades; it’s surprising how flexible it is.
More info: MuTools (temporary free keys for MuLab 8 and MUX Modular 8)
More articles:
11 Comments
Tomislav Zlatic
onMany thanks to BPB reader Wing Yee for the info about the free MuLab offer.
Peter Mullins
onA temporary key is the same that a trial or a demo, nothing special but thanks.
Tomislav Zlatic
onThat’s true, but this will last longer than most trials, and without interruptions like white noise or silence. I like offers such as this one, lets me experiment with software that I wouldn’t have the chance to properly test otherwise.
Gery Zenz
onunfortunately no VST3 support!
El°HYM
onMulab is really worth to check out, actually a little bit similar to Bitwig. Thinking about MUX Modular, here.
Andres
on02.04.2021 – The temporary key is expired, a new key from the MuTools Website gives the same result :-(
Andres
onNew temporaly Keys works …. New Link: http://www.mutools.com/shop.html and refresh your Browser ;-)
Tomislav Zlatic
onThanks for the tip!
just-a-loop
onBeautiful software, but marketing could be better I think…
The temporary unlock code worked a few days. I don’t like software counting down to day zero…
So I quitted using it.
just-a-loop
onExcuse me, I just read that the counting down is a little issue which will be solved..
It gave me a little headache, but perhaps not necessary.. :-)
I hope the software won’t expire before my track is finished..
MuTools
onIndeed that expiration countdown only came in the last beta version (sorry about that), but that’s fixed already in the newest beta which now also supports FLAC import+export.