Wallander Instruments releases WIVI v2

Wallander Instruments has announced the release of WIVI v2 which they claim "raises the bar for acoustic modeling". While the original WIVI version was well-known for its high flexibility and Breath/Wind Controller action, WIVI v2 introduces a number of concepts designed for the keyboard composer.

The Sequence Editor
The most powerful new feature of WIVI v2 is the Sequence Editor. The Sequence Editor works much like an arpeggiator, but has the flexibility of a MIDI sequencer and more. By drawing notes and CC curves in an instrument's Sequence Editor, you make the instrument play that sequence each time you trigger a note. This way you can build advanced articulations, effects or even complex melodies triggered by the press a key.

Even more importantly, the notes in the Sequence Editor can all be assigned a unique Voice for WIVI's popular Polyphonic Mode. This way you can make sequences that adapt to the chords you play, creating "intelligent" arpeggios or articulations. Such as the adaptable trill articulation, included with WIVI, which uses the interval of any two notes you hold down together.

Introducing Smart Sequences
Smart Sequences are intelligent musical loops, created from ensembles of WIVI instruments using the Sequence Editor. What differs WIVI's Smart Sequences from a traditional loop is that the the harmony of a Smart Sequence can be altered in real-time, simply by playing the chord you want on your keyboard. You can also control the dynamics of the loop in real-time, with authentic timbre changes.

Even more importantly, you can build your own Smart Sequences, and edit the sequences included with WIVI in any way. You can choose to break up instruments to different MIDI channels and control them separately, or combine multiple sequences. Tempo is automatically aligned to that of your host program. It is also possible to download and share sequences with other users through Wallander Instruments' recently opened Online File Depository.

Introducing WIVI Templates
WIVI Templates is an easy-to-use scripting system for exporting and importing parameters from WIVI. Templates can be used to store reverb presets, sequences, envelopes or common tweaks that you often apply to your instruments. Since WIVI Templates allows outside control of any parameter in WIVI, it is an extremely powerful tool for the experimental composer.

Templates also allow more advanced features, such as randomization. This can be used to randomize any parameter in WIVI, and examples of such Templates are the included scripts for creating randomized symphony hall reverbs and random staccato envelopes for instruments. WIVI also includes more exotic Templates, such as the script that turns any instrument into a random plucked instrument.

The WI File Depository Is Now Officially Opened
The File Depository is an online storage of Presets, Templates and Documentation for WIVI. Anyone can access and browse the File Depository, listen to preview audio clips of Smart Sequences and other presets, read comments and see how WIVI users rate the files.

Registered owners can also rate, download and upload files to the depository. The File Depository is a way for users to share useful presets, such as home-made Smart Sequences and tweaked instruments, with other WIVI users around the world.

The File Depository also hosts the Standard Library which comes with the WIVI Player. The Standard Library is a constantly growing collection of Presets and Templates. Recently added files will be available from the depository, along with audio previews, comments and user ratings.

Summary of all New Features:

• RTAS support on Windows and Mac OS X.
• Sequence Editor.
• WIVI Templates, for exporting/importing parameters and randomization.
• Breath envelope for instruments.
• Instant help system. Double-click any item in WIVI to learn more about that feature.
• New graphical environments: Symphony Hall, Church, Recording Studio, Theatre and Anechoic Chamber.
• New visual themes: Retro, Blueprint, Crystal, Socket, Office, Assimilated, 1987, Oxygen, Fungus and iWIVI.
• Resizable interface (through WIVI settings).
• Select and edit multiple instruments simultaneously.
• Significant improvements in sound and behavior for all instruments, with randomization and envelopes configured out-of-the-box.
• The out-of-the-box vibrato has been significantly improved for all instruments.
• WIVI Trial Edition now has much less restrictions, and can be used to preview Smart Sequences, Polyphonic Mode, multiple environments and more, but with saving disabled.
• Instrument tuning on per-key basis + import of Scala files for microtuning.
• Key switching & CC switching.
• MIDI learning for CCs, MIDI channels, instrument range, and more.
• New mode for the Polyphonic Mode/Always Play feature: "Double 1st Voice".
• Multiple MIDI channels for all instruments, for accessing the separate instruments of a polyphonic section separately trough other MIDI channels.
• 8 graphical layers to put instruments on.
• Sustain pedal support, activated by default.
• Performance Shimmer & Performance Jitter, for creating low-frequency fluctuations of breath & pitch.
• Renaming of instruments, environments, groups and tunings.
• Permanent grouping of instruments.
• Special mode for vibrato where an external CC can replace the internal LFO, for Wind Controller players who want to control the internal vibrato using the Wind Controller's mouthpiece (set "Vibrato Speed" to "Off" to activate).
• CC controllers can now also be set to a fixed constant value, and remain unaffected by CC changes.
• The "Time" randomizer now also affects tongued notes and other CC changes.
• Documentation in PDF format included.

Bug Fixes:

• Mouse offset bug (Mac OS X only) in Cubase 4 and other Cocoa hosts has been fixed.
• Release trigger no longer causes stuck notes in Polyphonic Mode.
• Instabilities when switching instruments too fast fixed.
• The "Time" randomizer feature is now safe to use with Polyphonic Mode. In the past this feature could have a negative impact on the timing within a chord, creating unwanted "grace notes" in Polyphonic Mode.

Pricing & Availability

WIVI v2 is available now as a plugin in VST/RTAS formats on Windows and in AU/VST/RTAS formats on Mac. The boxed versions of the WIVI v2 instrument collections will soon be available through music stores around the world. WIVI v2 is also available as a direct download from wallanderinstruments.com.

The currently available WIVI instrument collections are:

• Brass 1 - $599
• Woodwinds 1 - $399
• Woodwinds 2 - $299
• Woodwinds 3 - $299