Topten Software releases Cantabile v1.1 beta

Topten Software has released beta version 1.1 of Cantabile, featuring several new features and a few bug-fixes.

New in Cantabile version 1.1

Session Files

• Added the ability to save all settings on the main screen to a session file.
• Includes recently used list of sessions for quick switching between different configurations.

MIDI Sequencer

• Plays any standard MIDI file.
• Can play using either the loaded VST and/or external MIDI devices.
• Microscore display shows visual representation of the notes in the file as well as the current play position and loop range.
• Track list for solo/mute, device and channel selection of each track.
• Combined with audio recorder can be used as a simple realtime MIDI file renderer.
• Load Last Recording - loads the last MIDI recording into the sequencer.
• Automatically Load New Recordings - when enabled new midi recordings are automatically loaded into the sequencer.

MIDI Filters

• Allow translation and manipulation of incoming and outgoing MIDI events.
• Can be defined for each MIDI input/output port and for the loaded VST.
• Channel Map MIDI filter allows reassignment of one MIDI channel to another, or suppression of a particular channel.
• Controller Map MIDI filter allow reassignment of one MIDI controller to another, or suppression of a particular controller.
• Velocity Curve MIDI filter allows fine tuning response of keyboards.
• Controller to VST parameter MIDI filter allows controlling VST parameters from a MIDI controller.
• Note transposition (keyboard split) MIDI filter.
• Cantabile automation MIDI filter allows control of Cantabile through a MIDI control surface. (e.g. play/pause/record/output gain etc.)
• Note to Controller MIDI filter emulates a MIDI controller using MIDI notes events.
• MIDI Filter "learn" capability simplifies configuration of MIDI filters.

Internal MIDI Mapper

• Cantabile now supports a simple MIDI mapper that maps MIDI events to either the loaded VST, or passes them to the MIDI output ports.

Support for VST MIDI Effects

• VST MIDI effects such as chord makers, arpeggiators, MIDI delay and gain effects are now supported. The output of a VST MIDI effect is always routed to MIDI output ports.

On-screen Keyboard Enhancements

• Ability to capture the PC keyboard. When captured, the PC keyboard always get routed to the on-screen keyboard - even when the VST editor window is active. Press the F12 key to toggle keyboard capture on/off.
• New drop down menu to select the MIDI channel that the keyboard transmits on.
• Ability to send simple program changes.
• Ability to hold keys by pressing the Control key while playing notes. Pressing the 'A' key releases all held notes.
• Panic button - sends note-off events for all notes on all channels - releases 'stuck' notes.

Output Limiter

• New soft-saturation output limiter can be used to avoid hard clipping of audio signals that exceed the normal audio range.
• The level at which the output limiter cuts in can be controlled in the General Page of the Options dialog.

Miscellaneous Enhancements

• Shell Integration - file associations for FXB, FXP, MIDI and VST DLL files. You can now right click on one of these files and choose Open With > Cantabile, or drag and drop the file onto Cantabile's main window to open it.
• Volume ramping eliminates crackle artifacts when adjusting input/output gain.
• New menu command to Stop Audio Engine.
• Menu commands to launch Windows Volume Control, Windows Recording Levels and Windows Sound and Audio Devices control panel applet.
• Two new commands Add to Favorites and Organise Favorites simplify creation and management of favorite VST banks (FXB files).
• Each file open/save dialog now remembers the last directory it was used in.
• New option Use Plugin Folder for Presets and Banks on the VST settings page. When selected all preset and bank save/load dialogs default to the directory of the plugin itself.
• New Keyboard Shortcuts help command.
• New option to disable automatic VST directory scanning for quick startup.
• New filename formatting variables for Session Name, Session Path, Plugin Name and Program name allow generation of recorded files with names matching that of the current session and/or plugin and program name.

Performance Enhancements

• Changes to audio engine to minimize stalls due to system locks in Windows.
• Improved performance of many user-interface components including level meters and on-screen keyboard.
• Menu animations on all drop down menus are now automatically disabled.
• General performance tuning and code profiling.

User Interface Improvements

• The program selector drop-down now has a scroll bar.
• Better looking, easier to use slider controls for adjusting input and output levels.
• The input and output level meters now display levels in stereo.
• MIDI activity indicators show (from left to right) input, output and internal MIDI activity.
• Removed the Options panel, replaced with menu bar.
• Rearranged recorder panels to use less room.
• Miscellaneous other minor UI changes.

Bug Fixes

• Fix for DirectSound drivers failing to start on some machines.
• Fix for audio recording with DirectSound drivers not working correctly.
• Many fixes to improve compatibility with various VST plugins.
• Fix for clicking on-screen keyboard octave selector not repainting correctly.
• Fix for mono plugins only rendering to left speaker.
• Fix for several very minor memory leaks.
• Fix for crash when clicking next/previous program buttons on main screen with no plugin loaded.
• Other minor bug fixes.