KVR Audio

Hi everyone,

We've got a new public beta of the LinnStrument firmware, version 2.0.0-beta4.

This one is particularly exciting since it adds many new features to LinnStrument, including an expressive polyphonic step sequencer!

As usual, beta versions are unsupported, so don't upgrade to them right before going to a gig! If you have to go back to a stable version, you might lose all your settings and have to re-do a calibration.

Please let us know if you tried this beta, even if it's just to say that everything is working fine.

The firmware installers can be downloaded from here:
linnstrument-firmware-2.0.0-beta4-macos.dmg
linnstrument-firmware-2.0.0-beta4-windows.zip

These are all the changes since v2.0.0-beta3:

• Feature: Tap tempo has been added as a new option in the Assign Switch options, located above Octave Up.
• Before when a note was played with Quantize on, the tuning would slide to the quantized pitch on initial touch. It now immediately jumps to the quantized pitch.
• Feature: The LinnStrument Updater application is now able to save sequencer projects to a computer and load them afterwards back again to LinnStrument.

The following are improvements to the Sequencer since v2.0.0-beta3:

• The Velocity, Duration, Bend and Y-Axis sliders now permit sliding across the full touch surface for finer resolution.
• Touching the blank column between the sequence note area and sequencer control area removes any note selection (blinking), regardless of the location of the selected note.
• Minor improvements to the layout of the Sequencer Settings page.
  Channel Per Row mode is now supported.
• Minor changes have been made to the sequence defaults.
• On a new sequence with View set to Notes, the first step of the sequence is automatically selected.

These are all the changes since v2.0.0-beta2:

• Improvement: In the Sequencer's Settings screen > Projects page, the last project button that was saved to or loaded from is lit in a different color.
• Improvement: In the Preset screen, if you pressed one of the 4 "All Settings" preset buttons on the right side, there was no indication of the last-saved or loaded preset. Now the last saved or loaded "All Settings" preset is lit in a different color.
• Bug fix: In the Presets screen, pressing one of the "All Settings" presets to load its settings wasn't working anymore. Fixed.
• Bug fix: The sequencer's "Loop Screen" feature would play all steps on the screen including those after the Sequence End. Fixed.
• Bug fix: The Sequencer's copy feature did not copy the Sequence length and other parameters. Fixed.
• Bug fix: In rare cases, if an OS Update was performed from slower computers or certain USB configurations, the update could corrupt data in LinnStrument. Fixed.

These all the changes since v1.2.5:

• Feature: Added expressive polyphonic step sequencer for each split. See manual page: http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/ls-sequencer.html
• Improvement: Significantly better velocity response, range and consistency, tuned for piano play with PianoTeq.
• Feature: Release velocity now supported in Note Off messages. LinnStrument is now “5D” in ROLI-speak.
• Feature: Four new LED colors: white, orange, lime and pink. Note that for these four new colors, if you move your eyes quickly across the playing surface, you will briefly see the individual RGB colors that comprise the combined color.
• Feature: Support for 14-bit Loudness CC values. In Per-Split Settings > Loudness/Z column:
  Hold “On” for large character display. Swipe down three times then swipe right to select “14 Bit”.
  Hold “CC11” for large charger display. Select any CC from 0 to 31. LSB data will be sent on the CC number that is 32 higher than the selected CC. For example, select CC11 to send MSB on CC11 and LSB on CC43.
• Feature: Added support for using the DIN MIDI OUT jack as a MIDI THRU jack. In Global Settngs > MIDI/POWER column ("MIDI I/O" on older units), hold “MIDI JACKS”. Swipe right to select “THRU”. Now the DIN MIDI OUT jack will both send MIDI OUT data and also echo received MIDI IN data.
• Improvement: Removed occasional flicker when switching between LED displays.
• Improvement: The timing of send USB MIDI messages has been optimized so that slower hardware synthesizers are less likely to misinterpret some of LinnStrument’s sent MIDI messages.
• Bug fix: If a MIDI "Pitch Bend Sensitivity” RPN message was received, LinnStrument responded by setting the Bend Range incorrectly. Fixed
• Bug fix: Updater application would sometimes not work correctly on Windows. Fixed.
• Bug fix: Global reset in 2.0.0-beta1 would incorrectly activate OS Update mode. Fixed.

Nice one, thanks for this.

Had just sat down to watch mindless TV for the evening, might have to change the plan now...

Very exciting developments! Looking forward to trying out. Thank you!

Jeremy

All installed well and have been playing with it for an hour or so.

Just the new velocity at the moment, I seem to have got caught up in playing rather than having a look at the sequencer!

I'm not sure how much of this is my imagination but the velocity response feels totally different to me, I have had to move from low sensitivity to medium sensitivity.

It feels more consistent now, also I can get more even response in the mid velocity range which I always struggled with a bit. So for me it's a thumbs up

I will have a play with the sequencer tomorrow, need to go and watch mindless TV now...

I ran the updater, and now my Linnstrument seems completely dead
No more lights, nothing.
Tried other usb power...it's just dead...how can I reset it to factory, without any lights working ?

PHY6 wrote:I ran the updater, and now my Linnstrument seems completely dead
No more lights, nothing.
Tried other usb power...it's just dead...how can I reset it to factory, without any lights working ?

You can boot by holding down Global Settings and then install the official 1.2.5 release, this should get you back to a working state. It would be interesting to know if installing 2.0.0 beta afterward puts it in the same state. Did you connect through a USB hub for the upgrade?

gbevin wrote:

PHY6 wrote:I ran the updater, and now my Linnstrument seems completely dead
No more lights, nothing.
Tried other usb power...it's just dead...how can I reset it to factory, without any lights working ?

You can boot by holding down Global Settings and then install the official 1.2.5 release, this should get you back to a working state. It would be interesting to know if installing 2.0.0 beta afterward puts it in the same state. Did you connect through a USB hub for the upgrade?

No hub, it's in the back of my mac pro and have it connected via USB permanently.
So what do I do...hold down GLOBAL SETTINGS and run the updater while holding ?

Updater failed. Still no lights.
It's seems really dead....gutted

Geert was explaining a way to boot LinnStrument into OS Update mode: While holding Global Settings, connect power. The screen will show "FWUP", an abbreviation for "Firmware Update". At that point, please try to reload version 1.2.5, and I apologize for the problem.

Doesn't work.

PaulSchilling wrote:

What's the clapping about....?

Failed !

Can you tell me who you are? If you wish to remain anonymous to the forum, you're welcome to email me at support@rogerlinndesign.com.

PHY6 wrote:Updater failed. Still no lights.
It's seems really dead....gutted

It might not show the FWUP text if the firmware writing was wrongly done. Press Global Settings while you connect the USB cable, it might stay blank. Then launch the firmware upgrader from version 1.2.5 (not from 2.0.0).

It will not be able to retrieve the settings btw.