You’ve probably noticed that Mix looks different this month. Welcome to the new design.
We think you’ll agree that the new look is fresher, bolder, more focused and easier to read. Certainly, we’ve made some major cosmetic changes, but the presentation reaches beyond typeface and graphics — the core of the redesign is about delivering meaningful content.
In the past few years, changes in media distribution have changed the ways people seek and receive information. Readers are no longer looking to monthly magazines for their news when it’s readily available up to the minute via the Internet. Print has taken on a new role: to provide context and analysis, an expert voice.
Consequently, one of the biggest challenges the Mix staff faced in approaching a new design was to find creative ways to present more information in fewer pages without sacrificing the in-depth coverage that our readers rely on. At the same time, we evaluated the ways we present content across the board, both in print and online: Mix is no longer just a magazine; it’s an information resource in ways that it couldn’t have been five years ago. For example, mixonline.com provides enhanced content and new media, such as acoustician Bob Hodas’ one-hour Webcast to 2,000 viewers, which was designed to supplement a room-tuning print feature. We’re also excited about events such as Mix Nashville, where 1,200 attendees spent two days learning direct, from pro to pro, reader to reader. Our content is evolving to reflect the new ways people in our industry receive information on a monthly, weekly and daily basis, whether that’s communicated in our application features and technology guides in print, or via nightly tradeshow dispatches on the Website.
Mix has — and always will be — about all aspects of professional production, from music to post to live sound. We continue to cover those areas as we reach into new markets, from worship sound to mobile apps. But technology is only one part of the equation. Since our first issue, Mix has focused on the creative applications of that technology and bringing the studio community to the forefront.
A redesign is a daunting task, but the best designers have a great sense of architecture, form and space, a solid understanding of editorial vision and more than a little diplomacy. Congratulations to our art team — senior art director Dmitry Panich and art director Kay Marshall. Their talent, passion and tireless efforts have been crucial to our redesign process and to the pages we produce daily. And the redesign is just the beginning; look for big changes to www.mixonline.com in the coming months.
We hope you’ll enjoy the new look of Mix as much as we enjoyed developing it. But the most important element in this vibrant audio community is you, the reader. Drop us a line at [email protected] and tell us what you think.
We’ll be listening.
