PlugInGuru updates Unify to v1.10

PlugIn Guru has released an important update for their signature plugin, Unify.

This update (v.1.10) is recommended for all Unify users, because, aside from adding some really nice features, it contains very important bug fixes, which will avoid crashes when working with Bob Dedes' Ambient Dreams library.

New features:

• Layer Colors:
  • You will now find a "Change Layer Color" sub-menu at the very bottom of the ops (bullet) menu at the far right side of each layer.
  • Right-click or Ctrl-click the bullet icon for immediate access to only the colours menu.
  • The first item in each color menu is always the standard color for that type of layer.
  • The remaining items are a set of colors and greyscale tones selected by John.
  • Layer colors are saved in patches and layer-presets.
  • Standard layer colors will be used for legacy patches and layer-presets, which don't contain explicit colors.
  • We're working on ways to support custom color palettes, color override options for vision-impaired users, etc., but such features will probably not be ready in time for release of Unify 1.10. (See below under "Other changes/Settings view.).
• Pop-up plug-in Search lists:
  • You can now add and swap plug-ins without menu diving as well.
  • Each of the "plus" and "bullet" icons in layer plug-in boxes brings up the usual menus, but a new "Search" option has been added at the top.
  • For faster access, you may also Right-click, or Ctrl-click, not only these icons, but anywhere in the box containing the icons.
    • When the Search box pops up, the full list of applicable plug-ins will appear (all known plug-ins for MIDI slots, instrument plug-ins for Instrument slots, effect plug-ins for Audio Effect slots), with the first item already selected.
    • Type in the text box at the top to narrow down the selections to those which match what you type.
    • Use up- and down-arrow keys to move the current selection up/down in the list.
    • Use the ESC key (or click anywhere outside the pop-up Search window) to dismiss the Search window without selecting any plug-in.
    • Use the ENTER (Return) key to activate the selected plug-in and dismiss the Search window. Alternatively, you can also use the mouse in the usual ways in the list, and either double-click a list item, or single-click and then click the "Load Selected" button at the bottom.
  • The reason why all plug-ins are available for MIDI slots is that there is no standard way to distinguish MIDI effects in VST/VST3 formats, and so some vendors choose to have their plug-ins identify as Instruments, others as Effects.
  • We may attempt to use the user's defined Plug-In Subsets to refine these lists in future.
• "Ear" icons in macro-links windows:
  • Two new "ear" icons have been added to the pop-up macro-links edit windows.
  • The "plus ear" at the top lets you add a new parameter link without menu-diving.
    • Click the icon, and it and the icon next to it begin flashing green, indicating that the link window is "listening" for parameter changes.
    • Adjust any control in any plug-in GUI window, and a new link will immediately be added, with the correct path to that specific plug-in.
    • If you wish to cancel the learning mode without adding a new link, click the ear icon again, or click any other ear icon, or simply close the link-editor window.
  • Every link now also features an "arrow ear" icon, which allows you to swap the link for another, in a similar way.
  • NOTE this only works for plug-in parameters; it does NOT work for Unify's built-in parameters such as layer levels. Support for these may be added in future.
• New built-in "PhaseMORE" phaser effect:
  • John has always felt that the existing single-stage "PhaseMod" effect was too subtle.
  • PhaseMORE features up to 10 stages of notch filtering for stronger phasing effects.
  • It is also possible to set the LFO rate to zero, and then use the Freq control to adjust the notch frequency.
• New built-in "DataVerb" reverb effect:
  • This is a very nice-sounding plate-reverb effect, based on an algorithm developed by John Dattorro of Stanford University.
• New built-in "CC Sender" MIDI effect:
  • CC Sender generates MIDI continuous-controller (CC) and channel-pressure (mono aftertouch) messages, in response to parameter automation.
  • It exposes 129 parameters (one each for MIDI CC#0 through CC#127, and one for channel pressure), which you can link to Unify's macro knobs.
  • Its GUI features a scrollable list of these parameters, which you can use together with the new "ear" icons to set up such parameter links quickly.

Other changes:

• MIDI layers are now full-width, to allow multiple chained MIDI effects to be more clearly visible.
• For Multi-monitor setups, Unify now automatically opens new plug-in GUI windows near the top-left corner of whichever monitor Unify itself is on, rather than the "main" monitor.
• Plug-in ops menus:
  • New "reset GUI position" item, to move the plug-in's GUI window back to where Unify originally placed it, near the top-left corner of the active monitor.
  • For VST3 plug-ins, the Operations sub-menu features a "load .vstpreset" item. This should now better and more consistently than before.
• New "DUPLICATE links to all layers" item appears on macro-knob ops menus. This is useful when setting up to use PolyBox with multiple instances of an instrument plug-in for extended polyphony.
• Settings view:
  • New Default Transport Trigger Mode menu allows you to set Unify to default to a Trigger Mode other than "MIDI / Quick Stop" if you wish.
  • New Accessibility section presently has just one checkbox "Ignore layer colors in patches/presets". If this is checked, Unify will ignore layer-colors stored in patches and layer-presets, substituting the standard colors instead. This may be helpful for vision-impaired users.
• Patch Browser:
  • New "Copy patch name to clipboard" item has been added to the menu which appears when you right-click (or Ctrl-click) on any patch name.
  • Database rebuild (lightning-bolt icon) is now further optimized, so that only currently selected library folder(s) are rebuilt. To force a full rebuild, hold down ALT while clicking the lightning bolt.
• Guru Sampler:
  • LFO rate knob now goes up to 100 Hz.
  • The lightning-bolt icon beside the sample-select menu now refreshes the folder menus, as well as the sample list. This is useful if you decide to rearrange the structure of your sample folders while developing a new library.
• CC Rider now features a "sync" checkbox:
  • By default, this is checked, so the LFO is synced with the Transport "song position".
  • Un-check the box to allow the LFO to free-run at the selected rate (which is still set according to the Transport BPM setting.).
• Knob ops buttons: New keyboard shortcuts:
  • CTRL + SHIFT = copy knob.
  • SHIFT = paste knob.
  • CTRL-click or Right-click opens links editor (also works when clicking knob itself).
• Title bars of link editor windows now include the current name (label) of the macro knob.

Bugs fixed:

• MIDIBox:
  • Should no longer drop the down-beat event in a loop.
  • No longer sends multiple MIDI pedal-up events, if the "Notes/Pedal" MIDI passthru box is checked.
• UniWrap (our special AU plug-in for bridging Intel-only plug-ins on Apple Silicon Macs)
  • Plug-in itself should no longer fail validation in Logic Pro.
  • Unify should no longer attempt to use UniWrap on Intel Macs or PCs.
• Unify/general:
  • Multiple crash bugs have been found and fixed.
  • Many more minor bugs have been found and fixed.
  • Improved compatibility with SoundPaint.
  • Avoid crashing when loading plug-ins like Steinberg HALion 7, which enumerate with 0 outputs.

Important Notes

PlugInGuru will be releasing at least one minor update soon, to address the following limitations on Windows:

1. The Windows installer is not signed, and so Windows will ask if it is OK for the installer "from an unknown publisher" to make changes to your system; of course it is.
2. Pro Tools users on Windows: the Unify AAX plug-in is not yet updated; it remains at v1.9.1.

Also, please note the following important limitation on MacOS:

• Due to changes forced by Apple, we are no longer able to support MacOS versions older than 10.13. Do not update to Unify 1.10.x if your MacOS is older than 10.13.