LinnStrument Firmware 1.2.5 is released!

[gbevin]

Hi everyone,

Today we released firmware version 1.2.5, you can get the installers from here:

linnstrument-firmware-1.2.5-macosx.zip
linnstrument-firmware-1.2.5-windows.zip

This release brings better compatibility with certain MIDI hosts and has a few little improvements.

These are all the changes since version 1.2.4:

• Bug fix: some LEDs could sometimes flash brightly when exiting Per-Split Settings, Global Settings, and Octave/Transpose, and at the end of a OS update. Fixed.
• Bug fix: when a note was released, a MIDI pressure message of zero value was sent after the Note Off message. It should have been sent before the Note Off. Fixed.
• Bug fix: it is possible to start LinnStrument in Low Power mode by holding Octave/Transpose while connecting power, useful when first connecting to an iDevice. Previously, if Update OS mode was on when this was done, Update OS mode mode would not be automatically turned off. Fixed.
• Bug fix: sometimes a MIDI message could be sent with a slight time delay between its individual bytes, causing some receiving devices (particularly Linux systems) to misinterpret the first part of the message as incomplete. Fixed.
• Bug Fix: in low power mode, Polyphonic Pressure with a value of zero would not be sent. Fixed.
• Bug Fix: Switch 1 and Switch 2 would sometimes light after returning from sleep. Fixed.
• Bug Fix: if Sleep mode was set to enter sleep after a period of inactivity, it was possible to enter Sleep even while holding a note for a very long time because the delay timer didn't recognize Note Off messages. Fixed.
• Bug fix: when holding the Octave/Transpose switch to enable low power mode at startup, the Octave/Transpose page was shown instead of the normal Performance Mode lights. Fixed.

Take care,

Geert

[2l8m8]

Geert, thank you for your excellent work and for the continual improvement and developing firmware!
This is a fairly rare occurrence - such high-quality care for the users.
It's worth a lot.
:thumbs up:

[alexk_]

Great, thanks! I've updated but my leds still flash randomly when going up and down octaves via the switch 1 & 2 buttons and also the split button and octave button.

Navigating in and out of settings is definitely improved and no longer flashes!

[gbevin]

The tonics are supposed to flash when switching octaves or switching back and forth to the transpose panel. I suspect that's what you're seeing.

[Roger_Linn]

Another way of saying that is that Middle C blinks whenever you exit Octave/Transpose in order to show you the new location of middle C. This is particularly helpful after changing octaves.

[lionscub68]

Hi Roger, Geert, et al:

Now that my big show is over:
After updating from 1.2.4beta to 1.2.5, it feels like the velocity response/curve is waaaaay too sensitive, even on the lowest setting. It was very reliable and playable/predictable on 1.2.4B. Is there any way to mimic the curve/settings from 1.2.4beta? or am I missing something here?

Please note I'm playing via 5-Pin DIN MIDI, not USB, playing the same custom electric guitar patches I've built in Omnisphere ever since I've had the LS (v1.2.0? firmware). The giveaway to my ears and the feel of playing is that I am no longer triggering "guitar harmonics" predictably. Think like that Eddie Van Halen kind of guitar harmonic during a guitar solo.

Now I can't seem to trigger it at all, or when I do, it's at an undesired time. I've tried reprogramming the patch and watching my velocity data stream with MIDI Monitor (the OSX app), and I'm not getting the results I should be at the velocities I'm playing. I've tried playing using other patches as well, for a few hours to see if my playing would swing towards the new velocity curve given practice, but I'm not getting there.

Any suggestions? Any way to revert the velocity curves to what would have been the standard responsive curve from 1.2.4beta?

[Roger_Linn]

Hi lionscub,

You must have updated from an early beta of 124 because there is no velocity change from the released 124 and 125. It's important to note that every sound generator has a different velocity curve, so what works for your Omnisphere sound won't necessarily work for other song generators or sounds within Omnisphere.

You also mentioned differences in triggering guitar harmonics. I'm guessing the particular sound you're using switches to a harmonic sample for the highest velocities. For example some Logic sounds do this for velocities above 123. One of the main advantages of OS 125 is that you must play harder to produce high velocities, just like on acoustic instruments, so it makes sense that you should have to play harder to achieve velocities of above 123. So it seems you are finding OS 125 to be more sensitive in general but less sensitive to producing the highest velocities. One thing you could do is lower the velocity threshold required to produce the alternate sample.

In general, the feedback we received was that the final OS 125 had the best velocity response, and that feedback was received from people playing a variety of sound generators. In fact, yours is the first comment saying that 125 is worse than earlier versions, so I would hesitate to revert to a version that people didn't like as much.

By odd coincidence, Geert just this morning developed a new velocity algorithm that we both think is even better in repeatability from note to note and also in evenness throughout the velocity range, plus it's closer to the dynamic response feel of a real piano, requiring more force to produce higher velocities. This will be in OS 126 and I think you'll prefer it.

[lionscub68]

great! good to know 1.2.6 is coming and might be a solution.

the velocity switching on my patch is at a velocity value of 118.
I also thought it might be Omnisphere's "round robin" preventing the same sample playing back, but that's not it. I recorded a midi loop of the same note at velocity 116 through 124 and it triggers a harmonic I'm looking for in the patch nearly every single time. When I play, I've gotten pretty good at hitting that same velocity "window" range of 8 (between 116-124), but I'm not triggering that sample any more. I wonder if it's the release velocity midi parameter preventing it from triggering.

If need be I can send that Omni patch to Geert.

[Roger_Linn]

There's no need to send your patch. I think you just happened to find a specific patch that worked to your liking with a specific beta OS version, but it likely doesn't work well for other patches or sound generators, as the comments from others seem to support. For this reason, we don't try to fit LinnStrument's velocity response to every sound generator but rather select a few that best represent the exponential dynamic velocity response stated in the original MIDI 1.0 specification. For pianists, that seems to be well-represented by PianoTeq, plus I've found that Logic/MainStage's pianos and electric pianos have an accurate exponential velocity response.

Another issue is that you're using a patch that doesn't use the intended MIDI velocity response curve, instead misusing high velocities to trigger an alternate sample. While this is a helpful trick, it wouldn't be very useful to design our velocity response around a misuse of MIDI velocity. That said, you can easily change the velocity threshold in Omnisphere to a lower threshold.

If you still have the beta OS version you liked, you're welcome to use that. And when OS 126 comes out, I suspect you'll like it better.

[lionscub68]

Thank you for your ongoing support, Roger!

Btw the marriage proposal with the LS involved went well. Video coming soon.