nashNET releases reViSiT v1.6 Standard and Professional

nashNET has announced the public release of reViSiT version 1.6, in both Standard and Professional editions, with many, many updates and new features - and several prompted by actual scientific research.

For Standard Users looking to upgrade to the Professional edition, see here.

reViSiT 1.6 includes (* denotes Professional Edition only):

• Pattern Layers*: As in photo editing, reViSiT now allows you to layer up to 4 patterns on top of each other. Each pattern's data is mixed together at playback, allowing you to overlay patterns on top of a base layer, dynamically replacing any data in that underneath. For example, if higher layer has any data (notes, effects, volume entries, etc.) in track 3, row 3, then reViSiT will use it instead of data in the layer below. Accordingly, the Order List (F11) now has spaces for an additional 3 pattern entries at each stage of playback. Layers can be used in many ways, such as separating patterns into melodic, harmonic and rhythmic parts (using different channels, which can then combined in the final mix) or writing a template base pattern which you can then add to or override as necessary.
• Polyphonic MIDI-triggered Patterns*: With the new layer features, you can now trigger up to 4 patterns at once, the ranking of which is determined by the order in which you hit keys. This allows you to arrange and mix your song on-the-fly, by striking different chords on your MIDI keyboard. Different keys contribute different elements to the overall texture of your music. For example, C-5 could contain a harmony in C Major, whereas C#5 and D-5 contain different melodies. Similarly, E-5 and F-5 might contain percussive components that could be added, such as a bass and snare part in one, and a hi-hat or shaker part in the other. You can use the parts to jam with different arrangements or textures live, or you could use a sequencer’s MIDI editors and tracks to visually arrange your tracker song with the mouse.
• Pattern Browser (Esc in Pattern Editor) and Management*: To give you a broader overview of your music, reViSiT now offers a screen showing thumbnails of patterns, with tools to manage them (move, copy, insert, delete). This should help you to move about quickly and keep track of the wider song, between episodes of low-level note editing, in the Pattern Editor. To further help you identify and remember what patterns (or layers) represent, reViSiT now allows you to use 3-letter labels in place of Pattern Index, which is set using Pattern Options (F2 in Pattern Editor), visible in the Browser, and can be used in the Order List. It is also possible to trigger pattern or song playback from the Browser, and now also the Order List itself.
• Significant improvements in performance and memory usage: Among other tweaks, reViSiT now uses a more advanced memory handler for pattern data, no longer storing empty rows, tracks or patterns in memory. This can reduce the memory footprint to as little as 20mb, and should do so without significantly impacting performance, which itself has been drastically improved thanks to several tweaks of the audio engine.
• Work flow improvements and other changes: The Order List (F11) has seen a number of improvements besides layer support. You can Reorder Patterns (Alt-R), so that they appear in the Pattern Editor in an order matching the Order List. There's also improved cursoring in text boxes (Home, End, Ctrl-Left/Right for word skip) and improved sample waveform display. A handful of niggles and improvements have also been made, relating to window management, MIDI, 32-bit sample support, and many others - see below for a full list of 1.6 changes.

Previous changes in reViSiT v1.5
There was no mailing list announcement for v1.5, the first release after the Experiment, so here's a quick recap of the highlights (see change log below):

• MIDI file import*.
• Pattern Annotations*.
• host window integration.
• faster loading times.
• FLAC support.
• improved visual aesthetic.
• the end of data logging for the experiment.

Full Change Log

reViSiT v1.6 (* Professional Edition only):

• [ADD] * Pattern Layers (mixes up to 4 patterns).
• [ADD] * Polyphonic MIDI-triggered patterns.
• [ADD] * Pattern Browser (Escape from Pattern Editor).
• [ADD] Redesigned Order List with up to 4 entries.
• [ADD] Pattern Re-order (Alt-R, in Order List).
• [ADD] Pattern Labels (in Pattern Options & Order List).
• [ADD] Play Pattern / Song from Cursor in Order List.
• [ADD] Support for 24/32-bit floating-point WAV samples.
• [ADD] Home and End cursoring in text boxes.
• [ADD] Skip word/number (Ctrl-Left/Right) in text boxes.
• [MOD] * Piano graphic for pattern -> pitch map.
• [MOD] * Set instrument macro now affects subrows.
• [MOD] Significant audio performance improvements.
• [MOD] Further improved memory usage (up to 40mb less).
• [MOD] Minor aesthetic changes (notably Order List, F11).
• [MOD] Song Variables moved to new Pattern Browser.
• [MOD] Insert next (n) inserts 0 in empty order list.
• [MOD] Instrument label in toolbar updates as edited.
• [MOD] Go To Pattern (in Order List) now Ctrl-G.
• [MOD] Insert Next Pattern (in Order List) now Alt-N.
• [MOD] Improved auto-complete for instrument labels.
• [MOD] Maximum Axx resolution increased to 100.
• [MOD] Improved waveform preview.
• [MOD] Improved Microsoft Wave compatibility.
• [MOD] Host dialogs no longer appear behind reViSiT.
• [MOD] reViSiT font defaults to narrower width.
• [FIX] * Note mask highlights not correct for pan/depth.
• [FIX] * Subrows in newly extended pattern not accessible.
• [FIX] Maximise issues on multiple monitors.
• [FIX] Update icon out of position.
• [FIX] Instrument names to long on MIDI import.
• [FIX] Phase flipped in 32-bit int samples.
• [FIX] 32-bit int samples louder than other bit depths.
• [FIX] Edited instrument labels not updated in toolbar.
• [FIX] Instrument list tails in Pattern Editor cut off.
• [FIX] Column separators misaligned at bottom.
• [FIX] Muting MIDI channels not triggering Note Offs.
• [FIX] Unmuting MIDI channels leads to hanging notes.
• [FIX] Pattern graphics not fully updated upon New.
• [FIX] Max initial resolution reduced to 100.

v1.5.3:

• [MOD] Improved memory usage (up to 25mb less).
• [FIX] * MIDI triggering accidentally disabled in 1.5.x Pro.
• [FIX] * Poor audio performance in 1.5.x Pro versions.
• [FIX] Odd behaviour soloing several channels at once.

v1.5.2:

• [MOD] * Editing now possible for overlapping annotations.
• [MOD] * Block annotations only created if cursor inside.
• [FIX] Inconsistent focus when changing windows in host.
• [FIX] Window sized to 0 if in host and off main screen.

v1.5.1:

• [FIX] Loading XM files causes playback problems.

v1.5:

• [ADD] * Standard MIDI File import.
• [ADD] * Row/selection Annotation feature (@).
• [ADD] Added FLAC support (8-24 bit, mono/stereo).
• [ADD] Editor window appears inside host.
• [ADD] Audition mode allows cursoring and settings edits.
• [ADD] Basic interaction log for bug reports.
• [MOD] * Experiment code removed.
• [MOD] * "Rows Per Beat" relabelled "Rows Per Quarter".
• [MOD] Improved file loading times (up to 10x faster).
• [MOD] New channel header style, with extended colours.
• [MOD] MIDI Program No. setting now 1-based.
• [MOD] Mouse select no longer aborts past pattern limit.
• [MOD] Auto scroll on mouse select closer to window edge.
• [MOD] Pattern Previews now anti-aliased.
• [MOD] Minor graphics performance improvements.
• [MOD] Larger/clearer toolbar readouts.
• [MOD] Non-SSE2 audio processing used for earlier CPUs.
• [MOD] Crash detect triggers for less non-reViSiT errors.
• [FIX] Floating point rounding error in host sync.
• [FIX] Last subrow not erased upon delete.
• [FIX] Left of row text cropped by new entry.
• [FIX] Chn. header colours not updated instantly on edit.
• [FIX] Error on selecting folder in folder dialogs.
• [FIX] Channel setting edits causing crash when scrolled.
• [FIX] Infrequent error on opening MIDI Settings dialog.
• [FIX] Possible hanging notes caused by thread deadlock.