Gsoc2012Ideas

Student Project Ideas for Google Summer of Code 2012

This page lists the suggested projects for students working on Mixxx as part of Google Summer of Code 2012. Each of these projects represents something that we think would make a really big difference to our users and that we as a development team are really excited about. For advice on how to get in touch and how to apply, you should read gsocadvice.

A GSoC application that simply copy/pastes these deliverables will NOT be accepted. We expect you think about the feature and how it aligns with Mixxx's goals, outline potential use-cases and propose a plan for implementing a solution.

Synchronization Mode

If you've used Mixxx, then you know that our SYNC button is only a one-time sync. All it does is match up the beats of the tracks that are being mixed the moment you press the button.

There is tons of room for improvement here. The goal of this project is to allow decks to be synchronized such that they actively check whether they are in sync with the other, and make adjustments to stay in sync.

Additionally, a common feature in other DJ software is the ability to set a master-clock to a desired BPM. When Sync-mode is on, decks should also be able to synchronize themselves to the master-clock. This is useful because the DJ can set a goal BPM for their set and make sure they stay on tempo instead of gradually getting faster or slower.

Suggested Minimum Deliverables

Implement a master-clock in the Mixxx engine
The master clock will have a BPM that it "beats" at.
Implement synchronization of decks to the master clock signals.
Synchronization in this case is:

    * Adjusting the rate of each deck to match the master clock
    * Adjusting the "phase" or the alignment of the deck so that the beats of the deck line up with the beats of the master clock. 
* Create GUI widgets to control the master clock and assign a deck to synchronize to the master clock.
* Allow a deck to be set as the "master" deck 
* This is more open-ended -- think about the different ways to implement this and talk about it in your proposal.
* Bonus: Implement a metronome feature that ticks to the beat of the clock.
* Bonus: Implement a phase-meter that represents the sync of each deck to its target sync source. [[https://bugs.launchpad.net/mixxx/+bug/753301|Bug #753301]]

Point-And-Click Controller Mapping

Mixxx's MIDI-Learning wizard is not very usable. In order to map a controller, you have to go through the entire wizard even if your controller doesn't have the buttons that are hard-coded into the wizard's learning process.

This project will replace the MIDI-Learning wizard with an intuitive and easy-to-use point-and-click system for mapping a controller. When you want to map a control, just click on the button or knob in the GUI that you want to map and then turn the corresponding button or knob on your controller.

Plug and Play MIDI Mode / Community MIDI Mappings

Mixxx currently supports a wide-range of hardware MIDI controllers that DJs can use to perform with. Each supported MIDI controller has a "mapping" file that is bundled with Mixxx, but this mapping must be manually selected by the user before their controller works. The aim of this project is to increase the usability for new users by automatically selecting the correct MIDI mapping and to provide an intelligent workflow for when an unsupported MIDI device is connected.

This project will involve a lot of time thinking about use cases, dealing with users and understanding their requirements. It would be a great opportunity for a student to get involved with the Mixxx community. The student will also have the opportunity to borrow a MIDI controller from the development team for the duration of the project.

Suggested Minimum Deliverables

Automatically select an appropriate controller mapping when a user plugs in a device.
For unsupported devices, implement a UI and simple server-side functionality to:
1. Check mixxx.org for additional community-provided mappings.
2. Allow ratings and comments to be made on community-provided mappings.
3. Allow user-created mappings to be uploaded to mixxx.org.

Enhanced Platform Integration

Thanks in large part to Qt and a number of other cross-platform libraries, Mixxx runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. Although we're able to provide a consistent user experience on Windows and Mac OS X, we'd like to provide a better integrated experience on each of these platforms. We want to take advantage of the unique features that each platform provides, like the new fullscreen mode in OS X Lion or the new jump list in Windows 7, so that Mixxx feels as native as possible.

Qt already provides a small number of platform integration features, but to take advantage of other newer features that Qt doesn't have, platform-specific code for Windows and Mac OS X must be added to Mixxx. This project will involve figuring out which platform-specific features in Windows 7, Windows 8, Mac OS X Lion, and Mac OS X Mountain Lion would be the most useful for Mixxx users, and implementing several of those. (We don't expect students to have access to both Windows and Mac OS X, so a proposal focusing on one particular OS is OK, but an awareness of both platforms is a plus.)

For ideas, check out:

Minimum Deliverables (Example)

Implement support for Mac OS X Lion fullscreen mode
Implement Windows 7 jumplist actions for deck playback controls
Implement file type handling (eg. "Open with.... Mixxx")

Something Else!

As always with Summer of Code, you aren't limited to the suggestions we've made here. If you've got a great idea for a project involving Mixxx then we're looking forward to hearing about it.

IMPORTANT: You should contact us first to get feedback if you're going to submit a proposal for your own project idea!