Waveform 14 Public Beta

[jens]

Am I the only one thinking that this appears to become a release gone pretty wrong?

Let's address the elephant in the room right away:

The major new feature (Ai) requires a paid subscription. Not to Tracktion, but regardless of who you have to pay, you have to pay to be able to use the biggest new feature.

So now matter what you think of Ai and no matter from what angle you therefor look at this feature, it's not free. You pay for the upgrade and then - without paying for an Ai subscription - you can't at all use what a big part of the development ressources went into. (Unless of course they plan to make Tracktion 14 a free upgrade, which I don't think is very likely at all.)

So there's that.


Then: I think some of the interface changes are really uncalled for - in the truest sense of the word "uncalled" - I really don't think anybody asked for this.


ARA2 is lovely and so is DAWproject support and some of the other stuff - and I kind of applaud the idea of the upgrade being a mix of more conservative and more innovative additions and changes, but please:

still approach it a bit more carefully and considerately.

[skipscada]

---

[Maarid]

I looked at the screenshots and read what the fire is burning in the topic, and perhaps I will refrain for now from registering for the pre-alpha program, there is nothing to watch
If you're interested in my opinion (which no one will ever ask), a paid embedded AI model could look like this - we train and assemble highly specialized models (500Mb +\-) in the context of performing and/or solving tasks, for example, calculating and creating macros, she understands and understands only macros, a model for calculating and creating racks in the context of goals (you probably need an editable tagger for all plugins), a model that understands the interface and It is part of the help, it is just a direct language engine, explaining what and where it works directly in this version of this studio pro or free, etc. 5-8 ready-made models that work offline in a small context window of 3\ 4 GB of video memory - this can be sold, most will buy an assistant, as well as within the framework of a direct connection with an API key, create within the context of the required function relative to the model, correctly create processing of the user's request by pulling up what is needed in the most specific way - this is also possible to sell.
At the moment, we see the most common mistake of a programmer - to do everything at once - as a result, in practice, the wrong thing works.
I will be following the noise on the forum with interest, this is the first version that I do NOT want to test, sorry

[pough]

Which other DAWs have AI integration like this?

The multi-channel thing is interesting. I just exported an Edit that had three channels, apparently because there is a compressor using a sidechain signal. To get a proper stereo output I had to specify the channel layout in the export dialog. The default was "From Edit" and it seems like the existence of a sidechain results in a center channel.

Is this a design feature or just something overlooked?

[boaakerstrom]

At least the AI features are not baked into any payment to Tracktion. So, if you don't want to use AI you can just choose to ignore that part.

For me the important development is multi channel compatibility. A very welcome addition.

I managed to tone down the colours a bit - I don't want to have to wear sunglasses whilst working...

Something I am not a fan of in Waveform is how access to presets is handled in some plugins (Brainworx for instance) - not in the plugin GUI itself, but in a sidebar. I'll see if I can learn to live with that "feature".

[pough]

Something I am not a fan of in Waveform is how access to presets is handled in some plugins (Brainworx for instance) - not in the plugin GUI itself, but in a sidebar. I'll see if I can learn to live with that "feature".

If the presets aren't in the plugin GUI, then they're not in the plugin GUI. That doesn't change in other DAWs, does it? Or do you just mean that other DAWs have those controls in their plugin wrappers, which looks like they're a part of the plugin GUI and Waveform puts them in the Actions Panel?

[boaakerstrom]

They're in the plugin wrapper in all DAWs I've used, except Waveform. Somehow feels quicker to use that way. Opening a sidebar in order to load or save a preset is an extra step. Waveform's distraction free user interface is one of it's strengths, so keeping a sidebar open at all times kind of spoils that for me.

Other than that, I am enjoying Waveform, and 14 seems like a step in the right direction.

A few high profile users have left Logic Pro just because how Apple implemented AI, hopefully Tracktion won't go down that route (I don't think they are though).

[jens]

They're in the plugin wrapper in all DAWs I've used, except Waveform.

They're in the plugin-window header in most DAWs but not all - e.g. in Reason they're in the Rack.

Personally I however also think that any other place than the window-header is a pointless inconvenience - unless, of course, it would be in addition to the window-header-

[commonchild]

This is one of the coolest looking DAWs I've seen. It is so easy on my eyes. Colors aside, everything just looks so "smooth." I don't own a license yet, but have been watching this DAW for a while, and this may just get me to jump in.

[citrusui]

Quickly tried out v14 beta on Windows, quickly uninstalled;

1. I will never be interested in AI features. Let me hide it and disable it. Assistant takes up wasted space in the panel if you don't use it. Let me disable it all. For me, this makes the update an immediate non-starter.
2. There is no way to dock the actions panel to the bottom of the screen. Yet another non-starter. Apologies if this is somehow a setting I missed.
4. Settings > Plugin panel has the list of plugins in a smaller box... for what reason? There was nothing wrong with the old layout.
5. I realize project migration is necessary for 14, but please DO NOT rename the existing project to XYZ (Original). I expect that all my original project archives are NEVER edited if I choose to upgrade. Even if that edit is a slight adjustment to the project name, that breaks the user's expectations.
6. The constant thin white border around the app is distracting. Is there a setting to disable this?

I am pleased to state #1 has been addressed. It seems this was an early oversight that was quickly corrected. Assistant is hidden as it should now. I show partial thanks; it seems to be an honest error but you can never be too careful when features are added so suddenly.

Looking forward to the Action panel being brought back to the bottom (#2)! Then I will no longer be upset about the change in workflow.

[unholyeyebrows]

Hi @edrickblade. Are you able to share the release notes for each of the new betas as they are released? So far you have shipped .18, .20, and now .24, but without seeing the release notes it is difficult for those of us testing it to know what to test. Thanks.

[talby]

If you can install WF for Windows, then this installer shows the changelog at the beginning of the installation or upgrade process.
Not on Linux, though. Cannot test on Mac.

[unholyeyebrows]

The download manager is the place for the release notes. That way users can decide whether they want to install before downloading.

[talby]

Yes, that would be the correct place. At least, for the Windows users, after having been shown the changelog by the installer, the installation or upgrade can still be stopped and then will not be processed.

[pough]

Waveform ChangeList

14.0.24
- Templates: Fixed an issue where creating a new project from a template wouldn't apply the chosen project name or add the project to the project list [#1063]
- UI: Remove the P/A filters from the Actions panel
- AI: Added a selected context indicator for plugins
- Scripting: Made Tracktion.* and wf.* JS APIs handle-compatible
- AI: Fixed JSON blocks being parsed as runnable scripts
- Scripting: Added the new wf API to the "Show API" button in the "Keyboard Shortcuts" settings page
- Scripting: Removed the parse indicator from the script editor on the "Keyboard Shortcuts" settings page as it conflicts with the new API and doesn't add much
- AI: Ensured errors from the API providers are passed on to the user (like rate limits)
- AI: Added a new Edit "Info" property which you can use to store metadata about the project which will be passes on to the Assistant

14.0.23
- UI: Improved internal plugin meter colours [#1056]
- Licensing: Updated demo warning audio message
- Archiving: Fixed a problem where archiving an open Edit could leave the audio clips referencing deleted files in the temp dir
- Archiving: Ensured project folder structure is preserved across archiving/unarchiving
- Project: Fixed a problem where Edits with Waveform sampler instruments could take a long time to load, archive or convert to the new Project format
- Archiving: Fixed an issue where newly archived projects couldn't be imported

14.0.22
- Project: Fixed an issue not being able to import external audio files if the Project was open on the Project tab
- AI: Fixed the location of the saved conversations (this will mean the list is lost in this update)
- UI: Tweaked internal plugin colours again
- UI: Changed the timecode displays to use the standard font
- AI: Added selection context indicator above the assistant chat
- Scripting: Added a new `wf` object for Edit element interaction
- AI: Refactored the Assistant's scripting usage to use the new `wf` JS API

14.0.21
- Multichannel: Improved settings page channel group chooser menu
- UI: Updated more icons
- UI: Fixed virtual keyboard popout crash and functionality on settings page

14.0.20
- Multichannel: Fixed the master level meters to only show channels for the default device
- UI: Updated some icons
- UI: Updated tab button look and icons
- UI: Updated some fonts and colours for better visibility

14.0.19
- UI: Fixed audio thumbnails to support arbitrary channel counts (was stereo only)
- Linux: Added a beta implementation of MIDI typing by pressing the "caps lock" key
- UI: Tweaked internal plugin colours
- UI: Fixed clip launcher colours from dimming when played [#1016]

14.0.18
- UI: Big cleanup of the MIDI device settings panel
- UI: Added genre property to Edit property panel

14.0.17
- Project: Render deleted folder based projects as missing in the project list
- UI: New projects now show the Actions side panel by default
- UI: Default browser panel to the right side Fixes [#1013]
- UI: Changed transport bar toggle buttons to use the primary accent colour [#1015]
- UI: Fixed mono audio clips being drawn as stereo in the Clip view detail editor [#1014]
- UI: Cleaned up obsolete W14 shortcut actions and added Content Editor alias [#950]
- Project: Fixed "Search for Unused Files" returning all files as unused [#944]
- Plugins: Fix for failure to offer to create a rack when adding a multi-bus plugin
- UI: Updated colours for internal plugins
- UI: Added a lock button to the Actions panel
- UI: Made the mixer panel dockable/floating

14.0.16
- Plugins: Fixed a couple of internal plugins whose channel counts were wrong and could cause crashing
- Project: Fixed an issue where renaming an Edit also created a blank edit with the original name [#999]
- Templates: Fixed an issue creating a project from a template would create a blank Edit in the project folder
- Project: Removed the "Delete the folder containing this project" popup menu option
- UI: Increased the size of the inputs area and decreased the track name font slightly
- Project: Fix for missing audio files on the Project tab if they're in the root of the project dir

14.0.15
- Licensing: Preparations for public beta. When the app appears locked now, just refresh your licenses from the "Licensing" settings page
- ARA: Fixed a potential crash undoing the addition of a clip which has ARA on it
- JS: Fixed a potential crash when calling the "showPluginWindow" function
- Language: Updated German translation to sound more natural (thanks Michael!)
- Stem separation: Fixed separation in new folder-based-projects [#936]
- Stem separation: Named stem-separated tracks, clips and rendered files after their stem type and original clip [#595]
- Settings: Updated the audio device chooser UI and added per-channel-group test tone buttons
- Audio: Fixed a crash if the i/o devices were set to "none"

14.0.14
- AI: Fixed dragging generated MIDI sequences to tracks
- UI: Fixed a potential memory leak and hang when dragging clip buttons outside the arranger window [#806]
- UI: (Windows/Linux) Fixed fullscreen button being hidden when entering fullscreen/kiosk mode
- Multichannel: Made sure that mono signals hitting a volume/pan plugin are widened to stereo to allow panning

14.0.13
- UI: Fixed ghost tracks from not being shown over clips [#768]
- UI: Added alias displays to the audio device lists
- Plugins: Fixed internal plugins with side chains having an incorrect number of output channels
- Rendering: Fixed a potential crash or strange behaviour when attempting to render [#983]
- Windows: Updated the Windows installer icons

14.0.12
- Audio i/o: All input and output channel levels are now shown live on the audio device settings page
- Audio i/o: Fixed a bug where input levels could only be seen when an edit is open
- UI: Made sure that channels are correctly labelled for mid/side meters
- UI: Improved the look of the "more tabs" button
- UI: Increased frame-rate of level meters
- UI: Fixed layout bugs with the level meter's levels in the actions panel
- UI: Fixed justification of "Username" in the General settings page [#887]
- UI: Fixed pop-up menu not appearing when right clicking rows in the Actions panel [#949]
- UI: Fixed transport stopping when right-clicking a plugin [#969]
- UI: Fixed a crash closing Edit tabs
- UI: Fixed rack wet/dry text entry converting dB to linear gain [#910]
- UI: Fixed fullscreen toggle button being hidden behind content when entering fullscreen on Windows/Linux
- Shortcuts: Added default keyboard shortcuts for MIDI preview and knife tools [#957]
- UI: Fixed Step Clip virtual keyboard popout not updating when changing selected note [#966]
- Plugins: Removed duplicated stretch algorithms in pitch shift plugin [#958]
- UI: Fixed project rename, Edit rename and Move Project handling in the Projects tab [#973]

14.0.11
- UI: Fixed full-screen close button not appearing in fullscreen mode
- UI: Added master meter marks in the actions panel
- UI: Added level readouts in the transport bar master meter
- UI: Removed plugin window pin system - windows now stay open until explicitly [#923]
- UI: Improved track header layout with aligned icons and repositioned folder button [#897]

14.0.10
- UI: Fix for the UI getting stuck in marquee mode

14.0.9
- UI: Moved the full-screen button to the same area as the rest of the window buttons
- UI: Fixed some odd alert window centring issues
- Multichannel: More channel layout control in various parts of the signal chain
- Multichannel: Improved level meters in the actions panel
- Multichannel: Improved the plugin channel configuration menu
- Projects: Fixed localisation changing storage paths and export filenames

14.0.8
- EditClips: Fixed a few issues with Edit clips not working with the new folder-based projects
- UI: Fixed the white outline of a clip not being shown when dragging
- UI: Added Edit clip properties inline in the actions panel
- Audio: When adding clips to an edit, new algorithm to decide whether to make it a relative path, now choosing relative path unless the files are in different drives or system folders
- Audio: Added the signalsmith time-stretch/pitch-shifter to the list of algorithms
- UI: Fixed audio tracks showing through gaps between global tracks
- AI: Added memory and user provided commands and skills

14.0.7
- Plugins: Allowed plugins to be given a user-customised name
- Macros: Added some new automation-related commands to the macro API
- UI: Fixed button text truncation and other uglies in the MIDI toolbar, and improved MIDI note selection highlighting
- UI: In the MIDI editor, cmd-dragging on the vertical piano roll now selects/deslects ranges of notes
- UI: Added a menu item to go to the custom macro editor
- UI: Fixed unreadable key text in keyboard settings panel
- UI: Normalised title bar sizes and layout for plugin windows
- UI: Added a "Resize tracks over clip area" setting to General Mouse settings and increased the hit area when this is disabled
- UI: Made save-on-close dialogs async for smoother dismiss behaviour
- UI: Added inactive overlay to MIDI editor when no clip is selected
- UI: Used recent edits list in Welcome tab for speed
- Multichannel: Made racks multichannel-capable
- Multichannel: Allowed tracks to have "none" selected as their output (for using them as "bus" tracks)
- Project: Removed the "Delete Project" button. This is better done via the OS file manager.
- Exporter: Added "(float)" text to 32-bit WAV export box to avoid confusion

14.0.6
- UI: Added a "Clip" editor to the "detail" panel which can be toggled from the existing "track" detail editor
- UI: Improved the colours of the clip/track panel step clips editors
- UI: Show error in action panel when ExternalPlugin fails to load
- Exporter: Added "(float)" text to 32-bit WAV box to avoid confusion
- AI Assistant: Added the new "Assistant" panel. To get started, create an API account at OpenAI or Anthropic and add the relevent API key to the "AI" settings page then open the "Assistant" side panel

14.0.5
- UI: Changed splash screen registration text from angled banner to right-justified label
- Samplers: Fixed converting Mult Sampler/Drum Sampler/Rompler from old project formats
- ARA: Fixed closing of ARA windows when a clip is deleted
- Launcher: Double clicking audio clips now shows the audio editor panel
- UI: Double clicking step or audio clips now show the audio/step editor panel even in Free/Unregistered
- Samplers: Fixed importing samples in the new folder based project format

14.0.4
- UI: Fixed dragging browser in eye UI arrange panel to reposition browser [#861]
- UI: Disabled closing of the transport bar as this shouldn't be possible now
- ARA: Fixed copy/paste and drag-copy with Melodyne clips (other ARA plugins might still have problems)
- UI: Made the plugin favourites list appear to the right of the main plugin list

14.0.3
- UI: Removed Properties button from minimal transport bar
- UI: Clicking clip headers now correctly opens the detail editor
- Plugins: Fixed Chord Companion pad playback octave not matching preview [#854]
- Audio: Fixed clip effects rendering mono clips as stereo [#556]
- UI: Fixed bipolar automation curve fill display [#836]
- Project: Fixed DAWproject import of looped MIDI clip lengths [#853]
- UI: Fixed "Pack to Submix" menu item creating a folder track instead [#828]
- UI: Fixed BPM counter vertical drag direction being inverted [#762]
- Preset: Fixed folder/submix track presets not appearing in Browser [#669]
- Scripting: Fixed showMessage displaying integers with trailing .0 [#630]
- Translations: Fixed a lot of menu items not being translated
- Translations: Fixed text ending in ":" not being traslated
- Translations: Fixed text ending in "..." not being traslated
- Translations: Improved the default font when using Spanish or German languages
- ARA: Added head/tail time processing
- ARA: Fixed a bug where moving a clip from one track to another would lose ARA changes
- UI: Made the plugin table in the settings page wide and the "Favourites" list hidable
- UI: Fixed colour scheme paste to handle all 18 colours

14.0.2
- Project: Fixed not being able to add folder-based projects to the project list
- Project: Fixed a problem not being able to convert projects on Windows
- UI: Fixed arranger, marker and chord resize buttons not appearing

14.0.1
- UI: Fixed main window close button not working on Windows
- UI: Fixed close button look and position on plugin Windows
- UI: Fixed colour scheme not being loaded correctly if unregistered
- UI: Fixed mixer selection position
- ARA: Fixed notes not displaying on audio clips
- ARA: Enabled looping for clips
- ARA: Added support for audio files with ARA iXML chunks

14.0.0
- UI: Avoided squashing the text in tight spaces
- UI: New colour palette
- UI: All 18 colour swatches can now be edited
- UI: New track colour order
- UI: Improved clip selection visibility
- UI: New default fonts
- UI: Added native menus
- UI: Removed title bars for more space
- UI: Removed the lower properties panel which has been replaced by the transport bar
- UI: Added a transport bar button to open/close the side actions panel
- UI: Added P/A buttons to filter "properties" and "actions" in the actions panel
- UI: Added a new set of phot-realistic and line track icons
- UI: When using the mouse wheel to scroll, holding alt/option inverts the x/y axis
- Plugins: Increased the number of plugins that can be added to a track to 25 (10 to a clip)
- Automation: Improved automation cut/copy/paste
- Project: Added support for DAWproject import/export
- Project: Changed the default project format to no longer require a .tracktion project file. Projects on the "Projects" page will have a yellow icon if they're in the legacy format and you'll be asked to convert them on opening.
- Project: Improved "Search" from the project page, this now returns "fuzzy" (i.e. partial) matches
- Archiving: Archiving has been simplified and improved. This is essentially now a conversion to the new project format, a file consolidation and a zip
- ARA: ARA support has been improved to work with non-Melodyne plugins
- ARA: Copy/paste (including between Edits) should now work