And with great pleasure I can announce that String 1.3.0 - our lush ensemble synth and FX combo - is now available.

Download the update / demo installer here for Mac OS X, Windows, or Linux. Both versions use the same installer: String will run in demo mode (with periodic silences), until unlocked to the full version by purchasing a licence key.

String is available in VST plug-in format (32-bit and 64-bit), as a standalone application (including native 64-bit on Linux), RTAS plug-in for Pro Tools, and Audio Unit plug-in (32-bit and 64-bit.) String also supports PPC format for older PowerPC based Macs.





String 1.3.0 improves on the previous versions with the following fixes and features:

• Native 64-bit VST plug-in for Mac OS X (64-bit VST support requires Mac OS X 10.6 or greater; 64-bit Audio Unit requires Mac OS X 10.5 or greater; all other formats require Mac OS X 10.4 or greater.)
  
• Integrated undo and redo, with unlimited history size.
  
• Preset Browser is now maximized to fill the entire plug-in window.
  
• Windows RTAS plug-in is now installed to the correct location on 64-bit Windows operating systems.
  
• MIDI Program Changes are now multi-threaded, and so will no longer potentially stall the audio synthesis.
  
• Fix for crash (on both Windows and Linux) that could occur when 'space' is pressed when confirming the overwrite preset dialog.
  
• VU meters now automatically reset their overload status after a few seconds.
  
• For Windows VST (32-bit and 64-bit), the preferences file can be placed alongside the DLL file to facilitate USB or portable installs.
  
• Clearer font in PDF documentation.
  
• Fix for rare issue that stopped presets from loading in Linux Renoise when LADSPA plug-in support is enabled.
  
• Factory presets now load significantly faster.
  
• Various host compatibility fixes.
  

Please don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions or comments. Thanks!
Last edited by colin@loomer on Thu Jan 19, 2012 3:17 am; edited 7 times in total

...And expect a String 1.3.1 at some point soon: there are a few minor issues under Maschine on Mac OS X - which may indeed prove to actually be Maschine bugs - so I'm anticipating another release shortly. ( And if any registered users are experiencing problems and need download links for previous versions, just drop me a PM and I can sort you out. )

String 1.3.2 for Mac OS X is now available. This release fixes several issues specific to the Mac OS X version; both Windows and Linux releases remain at version 1.3.0. Download the updated build here.

• Fix for GUI freeze that could occur in certain hosts.
  
• Fix for crash that could occur when validating the 64-bit Audio Unit.
  
• Fix for newly loaded presets being incorrectly marked as changed in Maschine when using the String Audio Unit.

Thanks!

String 1.3.5 for Mac OS X and Windows is now available. This release fixes several issues specific to the Mac OS X and Windows versions: String for Linux remains at version 1.3.0.

Included in this release are the following fixes:

• Fix for the String FX for Mac OS X VST plug-in not resizing correctly in some 64-bit hosts when opening the preset browser.
• Fix for mouse-wheel not working correctly for the Windows 32-bit VST plug-in.

Please download the updated releases here.

Thanks!

String 1.3.7 is now available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. Another minor update, this fixes an extremely rare crash that may occur when the plug-in is first loaded on a minority of 32-bit Windows systems. This also brings the Mac OS X and Linux version up to date, adding, amongst other things, significantly improved interface responsiveness.

New in String 1.3.7 :

• (Windows) Fixed incredibly rare crash which may occur when first opening the plug-in on certain 32-bit VST Windows hosts.
  
• (Mac) Workaround for issue that causes the preset browser to become invisible in Digital Performer 7 when the String FX Audio Unit plug-in UI is resized. This workaround, which forces this host to correctly use the Cocoa UI, can be enabled by adding the following line to the String.xml configuration file: <value name="CarbonAUInterface" val="0">
  
• Massively improved speed and responsiveness of all UI controls.
  
• Improved CPU usage when tweaking parameters from a hardware controller.
  
• For the Windows VST plug-in, when using a relative path for the presets folder, the path is now relative to the plug-in's DLL file and not the host's executable file.
  
• Standalone versions now support multiple simultaneous hardware controllers.
  
• Preset searches are now multi-threaded. Preset browser can now immediately respond to user interaction, even whilst searching a massive preset library, or when browsing a folder containing a large number of presets.
  
• (Windows and Linux) Preset meta data (ie, author name, notes, tags) is now correctly displayed after loading an .FXP based preset or restoring a saved project.
  
• Various minor compatibility fixes for certain hosts.

Download String 1.3.7 here. Thanks!

Hi,

I like String a lot. It would be great if you could add the ability to detune layer 2 against layer 1. This way you can achieve a thicker tone without the wobbliness of a chorus effect, Yamaha and Korg had done that back then.
By the way, any chance you will work on an ensemble circuit referencing the 2 or 3 concepts of what they used in the 70s ? (RS-202 vs RS-505 vs Elka/Eminent).
Aspect could also benefit from this or make it a separate plug as well.

Thanks, glad you like String!

I've actually been prototyping a few engine modifications for String, including tentative layer detuning. Whilst (in my opinion) the fundamental sound of ensemble synths is due to the divide down phase locked oscillators, my initial experiments with a second master oscillator and divide down network, phase locked in itself but detunable against the other master oscillator, have been surprisingly positive. I'd hate at this point to give a definite yes to this feature being implemented in the next update, but it's certainly the likely direction to take String.

That's great news. It would be wonderful if it gets implemented. Yamaha and others used this method too and their string machines still kept that typical string machine sound, only with the additional benefit of sounding more 3d than say a Solina.

Maybe at a later point it might be a good idea to think about adding a simple synth brass or organ section and voila... you have a very nice 70s ensemble keyboard.
Thanks again, you rock!

Seconded! Love this synth, and the ensemble idea is great. Looking forward to seeing the new implementations.