🎚️ Mixer, Channel Strips & MIDI Routing

The Mixer in Omni DAW is the heart of audio signal summing and balance control in your project. It offers precise adjustment of volume, stereo panning, FX bus sends, and advanced options for routing MIDI notes to external hardware synthesizers.

1. Channel Strip

Each track in the mixer has its own vertical channel strip equipped with the following controls:

• Volume Fader: Adjusts the signal level from -48 dB to +6 dB.
• Peak Meter: A stereo peak+RMS meter with a peak-hold line; upon clipping (above 0 dB), the bar color changes to red.
• Pan: A knob for balancing the signal between the left and right channels, featuring an Equal-Power Panning algorithm (prevents perceived volume changes when panning).
• Trim (Level Tuning): An additional input sensitivity knob (0.0–2.0, meaning -∞ to +6 dB) operating pre-fader — useful for gain staging.
• Mute (M): Mutes the track.
• Solo (S): Mutes all tracks except the selected one.
• Record Arm (Red Button): Arms the track to record the incoming signal.

2. Sends and Returns (Send / Return Routing)

Omni DAW allows efficient workflow with return effects (Return Tracks / FX Busses), such as shared reverb or delay. The number of Return busses is dynamic — you can add as many as you need without a hard limit.

• Send Knobs: Each channel strip features send knobs, one for each existing Return bus. Turning the knob sends a portion of the track's signal to the corresponding effect track.
• Pre / Post Fader Mode: A pre/post toggle for each send is available in the expanded Master Console.
  • Post-Fader (Default): The send level changes proportionally to the movement of the track's main volume fader.
  • Pre-Fader: The signal is sent to the effect before the volume fader, allowing you to mute the main track while leaving the trailing reverb audible.

3. Master Bus

The Master bus is located on the right side of the mixer and serves as the final summing point for all tracks in the project:

• Master Fader: The main output fader for the project (silence to +6 dB, double-click restores the default level). The MASTER control in the transport bar, the fader in the Master panel and the fader in the console all set this one level, and it is saved with the project.
• Balance: Left/right balance of the Master bus (double-click to centre), saved with the project.
• Meter bridge: Stereo LED meters with peak hold and clip lamps. The readout shows the fader level, the held sample peak (PK), true peak (TP) and momentary / short-term / integrated loudness (EBU R128). Click the meter or the readout to clear the clip lamps and held peaks.
• Master Console (CONSOLE button under the Master panel): full-width mixing and mastering view. The top bridge shows M / S / I loudness, loudness range, true peak L / R, headroom to the target ceiling, phase correlation and the clip lamps; RESET restarts the loudness measurement. The meter Scale (Peak / K-12 / K-14 / K-20) is the same setting as in the transport bar. Below: spectrum (with a frequency / level readout under the pointer), loudness timeline, goniometer and oscilloscope; every channel strip with meters, faders, sends, pan, trim and inserts; and the Monitor (listen modes, dim, mute, polarity), Loudness Target, Reference (A/B or blind X/Y against a reference track, with a live loudness match) and Export cards. The A / B keys above the master strip switch between two versions of the master chain, plugins included.
• Master FX Chain: A dedicated slot for insert mastering effects, such as a parametric equalizer, master bus compressor, and a brickwall limiter to prevent digital clipping.
• TPDF Dither: Built-in TPDF dithering mechanism for 24-bit and 16-bit outputs, ensuring clean, quantization-noise-free track exports.

4. Hardware MIDI Output Routing

Omni DAW not only controls internal synthesizers but can also act as the brain of a hardware studio:

• Per-Track MIDI Routing: In the MIDI track header, you can select the physical MIDI output port of your interface (e.g., USB MIDI Out).
• Panic Button (All-Notes-Off): In case playback is stopped or looped, the engine automatically sends an All-Notes-Off signal to physical ports, preventing "hanging" or stuck notes on external hardware synthesizers.