discoDSP updates Discovery Pro synth to v8.20

discoDSP has updated Discovery Pro to v8.20, bringing full MPE support with per-voice pressure, pitch bend, and Y (CC74) expression, independent Poly Aftertouch and MPE Mode toggles, real-time aftertouch and Y visualization on the status LEDs, plus Favorites pinned to every Programs popup.

Discovery Pro is a Nord Lead-style virtual analog you can put inside your DAW. Four layers, twelve oscillators, and 16 filter types including Nord Lead Zero Delay Feedback, Moog Ladder and Oberheim SEM. Full Nord Lead SysEx import/export keeps your existing patches working both ways.

Version 8.20 turns Discovery Pro into a fully expressive MPE instrument. Per-voice pressure, pitch bend and Y (CC74) flow independently through the engine, so you can bend, slide and brighten one finger while the rest of the chord holds still. Toggle between MPE and Poly Aftertouch from the Config menu, or let LinnStrument's RPN handshake switch MPE on automatically. Real-time aftertouch and Y feedback light up the status LEDs so you see what every finger is doing.

What's New

• MPE Mode: per-bank toggle (Config menu and Edit > Swap) that enables per-voice channel routing for pressure, pitch bend, and CC74 (Y / Slide). Mutually exclusive with Poly Aftertouch.
• Manager / Member Channel Split: pitch bend and channel pressure on the manager channel (MIDI ch 1) drive the global pitch wheel and global aftertouch, while member-channel traffic routes per-voice. Hybrid controllers like the Osmose CE work correctly out of the box.
• MPE Pitch Bend Range: global setting (2 / 3 / 12 / 24 / 48 semitones, MPE-default 48) persisted in Config/MPE.xml.
• MPE Configuration Message (RP-053) Auto-Detect: receiving the CC 100 / 101 / 6 handshake automatically enables MPE Mode without any menu work.
• MPE Y (CC74): drives the per-voice morph axis at full depth, so any knob with a sense delta responds independently per finger.
• Poly Aftertouch: per-bank toggle restored as an independent option (Config menu and Edit > Swap) that gates 0xA0 reception. Mutually exclusive with MPE Mode - each greys the other out - and old presets that had Poly AT enabled light back up automatically.
• Real-time Aftertouch Visualization: blue AT halo on the status LEDs follows live pressure, max across all active voices.
• Real-time MPE Y Visualization: green sense LEDs follow live Y position, max across all active voices.
• Bank Popup Menu: category submenus moved to the top for faster navigation.
• Favorites Folder: a Favorites folder placed under Presets/Programs is now pinned to the top of every Programs popup (Programs, Randomize > Program, Randomize > Program from Disk, Disk Bank, and File > Export Program to Folder) with a separator beneath it.
• Improved Aftertouch Edit: double-click in aftertouch edit mode now resets the AT depth back to zero (Cmd+double-click resets the knob's main value instead).
• Right-click Parity: right-click is now accepted everywhere Shift+click is, so every alternate-click action works with either gesture - Assign LED, Panic, Layer ABCD, Split, Amp Limiter, Filter Distortion, Filter Type, Filter Model, Gate components, and Preset menu items.
• Bug Fixes: File > Export Program to Folder now writes the .fxp file to the chosen subfolder as expected. Morph Assign LED and knobs stay in sync after Reset Bank, program switch, or MIDI CC 14, so knobs no longer behave as if morph is off while the LED shows it on.

This update is free for all 8.x customers. The Discovery Pro 7.x to 8.x upgrade offer ends today, June 1st, 2026. Discovery Pro is available for Windows, macOS (including Apple Silicon), and Linux in VST, VST3, AU, AAX, and standalone formats.