nashNET updates reViSiT Pro to v1.4

nashNET has updated reViSiT Pro to v1.4, comprising several eagerly-awaited features, notably including Sample and Instrument Library screens. These screens are designed to allow you to seamlessly handle file operations (e.g. sample loading) as an integral part of your composing workflow, without having to tackle clunky Windows point-and-click dialogs. As such, the main features of 1.4 are:

File browsing and previewing...
Before you can lay down any notes, you have to setup an instrument or sample. With reViSiT 1.4, the goal is to make this process easier and quicker. The previous host-supplied open file dialogs have been replaced with dedicated library screens, allowing you to browse and audition samples and instruments on your computer, before loading them into your song. In the library, any selected sample or instrument can be played using the keyboard, with full pitch control – then, if it passes muster, it can be loaded into the current sample or instrument slot, by simply hitting Enter. Other file dialogs (e.g. save) have also been changed to give reViSiT more control over their appearance and windowing behaviour.

Sample and instrument ripping...
One of the great things about tracking is the amount of tracker files out there, on the Internet, combined with the tradition of sharing tunes and sounds. There are literally thousands of great tracks, featuring great, professional-sounding samples – almost all in open formats. reViSiT 1.4’s libraries allow you to browse inside these tracker songs, preview their samples or instruments, and directly “rip” (extract) them for use in your own piece. It’s a great way to learn and get started – cutting straight to working on the music in the Pattern Editor without having to spend ages preparing instruments or looping and mapping samples.

Other innovations, changes and fixes...
reViSiT 1.4 makes it easier for you to copy patterns that you have already written, so that you can subtly vary your song over time. In the Order List (F11), Duplicate Pattern (Ctrl-D) will make a copy of the pattern referenced by the previous list entry, and insert a reference to it, at the cursor. The copy is created in the next available empty pattern, and can be inspected by selecting the newly-inserted entry and pressing the Go To Pattern (g) command. Other changes include a few workflow improvements, better memory and resource handling, and fixes for the odd niggle introduced by previous 1.x features.

Changes in v1.4:

• [ADD] Sample & Instrument Libraries - integrated file browsers with audition before loading and ripping from modules and archives.
• [ADD] Order List Duplicate Pattern command (Ctrl-D) - inserts a copy of the last pattern, in the order.
• [MOD] Resizing more forgiving when moving cursor.
• [MOD] Editor window no longer hidden for file dialogs.
• [MOD] Auditions use mapped MIDI channel (if appropriate)
• [MOD] Improved mouse selection dragging in centred view.
• [MOD] Wider support for mouse scroll wheel (tree, list).
• [MOD] Playback cursor no longer ticks during audition.
• [MOD] More economic use of OS graphics objects.
• [MOD] Improved memory usage in playback engine.
• [FIX] Shift-Delete/Backspace (clear note) not working.
• [FIX] Labels on trees not drawn correctly.
• [FIX] Minor resource leaks in interface.
• [FIX] Blank patterns with lots of host windows open.
• [FIX] Halve/Double Selection not working properly.
• [FIX] (Silent) hanging notes during audition.

Changes in v1.3.4:

• [MOD] More intuitive mix behaviour for main rows/subrows
• [FIX] No manual keyboard input after hiding editor.