The fastest way to change your project's tempo

Open Mixcraft 9 and look at the top toolbar. You'll see a number with "BPM" next to it — that's your tempo, measured in beats per minute. Click directly on that number, type a new value, and press Enter. That's the whole process. Your entire project shifts to the new tempo when ready.

If you can't find the BPM display, make sure you're looking at the main transport controls at the top of the window, not inside a track. The BPM box sits right next to the play button and the time display.

Key Takeaways

  • The BPM number in the top toolbar is clickable — select it, type your new tempo, and press Enter to change the entire project.
  • Changing tempo in Mixcraft 9 affects all tracks at once, not individual tracks separately.
  • You can also access tempo settings through the Transport menu if the toolbar is hidden or customized.
  • Mixcraft preserves the pitch of your audio when you change tempo, so vocals and instruments stay in the same key.

Using the Transport menu as an alternative

If you prefer menus over the toolbar, go to Transport at the top of the window and look for Tempo or Project Settings. Click it and a dialog box opens where you can type in your new BPM value. This route takes one extra step but works the same way — your project tempo changes across all tracks.

Some users hide the toolbar to get more screen space for editing. If that's you, the Transport menu is your fastest path to the tempo control.

Why your audio stays in tune when tempo changes

Mixcraft 9 uses time-stretching technology, which means when you speed up or slow down your project, the pitch of your recordings doesn't shift. A vocal recorded at 100 BPM stays in the same key if you change the project to 120 BPM. This is different from older software that would make everything sound higher or lower.

This matters because it means you can experiment with tempo without re-recording or re-tuning anything. If a song feels too slow, bump the BPM up and listen — your instruments and vocals adjust automatically.

Changing tempo for individual tracks

Mixcraft 9 doesn't let you set different tempos for different tracks within the same project. Every track follows the project tempo. If you need one track at 100 BPM and another at 120 BPM, you would need to create two separate projects and export them separately.

For most music production, this isn't a limitation — you want everything locked to the same tempo so nothing drifts out of sync. If you're working with samples or loops that were recorded at a different tempo, Mixcraft stretches them to match your project tempo automatically.

Fine-tuning tempo with decimal values

You don't have to use whole numbers. Click the BPM box and type something like 92.5 or 105.75 if you need precision. This is useful when you're matching a tempo to an existing recording or trying to hit a specific feel that falls between standard BPM values.

Mixcraft accepts decimal values up to two places after the point. If you type more decimal places, it rounds to the nearest hundredth.

Tempo changes that affect only part of your song

If you want your song to speed up or slow down partway through — like a ritardando or accelerando — Mixcraft 9 doesn't have a built-in tempo automation feature in the standard interface. The project tempo applies to the whole song from start to finish.

The workaround is to export your song in sections at different tempos, then import those sections back in and line them up. This is more involved, so most users reserve it for specific creative effects rather than routine editing.

Checking your tempo before you start recording

Set your tempo before you record live instruments or vocals. Click the BPM box, enter your target tempo, and press Enter. Then use the metronome (look for a speaker icon or check the Transport menu) to hear the click track while you record. This keeps everything locked to the same beat from the beginning.

If you record first and change tempo later, Mixcraft stretches your recording to fit, but starting at the right tempo saves you the extra step and sounds more natural.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing tempo affect MIDI tracks differently than audio tracks?

No. MIDI and audio both follow the project tempo. MIDI notes stay in the same key and timing relationship, and audio gets time-stretched to match. Both respond to the BPM change the same way.

What if I change tempo and my audio sounds weird?

Extreme tempo changes (more than 20 to 30 percent faster or slower) can make audio sound robotic or distorted because time-stretching has limits. Try smaller adjustments, or re-record at the new tempo if the sound quality matters for your final mix.

Can I save different tempo versions of the same project?

Yes. Use File > Save As and give each version a different name — like "Song_100BPM" and "Song_120BPM". Each file remembers its own tempo, so you can switch between them without losing your work.

Where is the metronome in Mixcraft 9?

Look in the Transport menu or the top toolbar for a speaker icon or metronome symbol. Click it to turn the click track on or off. The metronome plays at whatever tempo your project is set to.