Renoise 2.5 Beta

Pretty exciting new feature set:

+ Pattern Matrix:

 In Renoise you build your song from the bottom up. The workflow is
 based on patterns, lines, and the details in between. Something that
 gives an overview from the top down, a birds eye of view of the song,
 has been missing so far.

 The new Pattern Matrix ingeniously solves this problem the Renoise
 way: without radically changing the nature of Renoise, the tracker.

 Patterns and Tracks are divided into Blocks that can be moved around,
 providing the ability to manage the flow of the music instantly and
 easily. It's a natural evolution to the product, and quite frankly it
 just damn cool.

 Here are some Pattern Matrix features at a glance:
 - Overview of all notes in the song over multiple patterns (see
   what's happening in your song, when and where)
 - Ability to select, drag & drop, copy, paste, clone and insert
   blocks into multiple tracks or pattern selections.
 - Fully keyboard driven. It can be just like the pattern editor,
   if that’s what you are into.
 - Extension to the pattern sequencer, thus visible next to and with
   the Pattern Editor or Mixer
 - Fully optional (no need to use it, when you don't need it)
 - Ability to mute parts of your song, without the need to create new
   patterns. Useful when playing livesets or to develop patterns in
   real time (create full arrangements or "drafts" from a single pattern
   with just a few clicks)
 - User definable colors for tracks, which are also visible in other
   parts of Renoise (like the pattern editor) for better overview,
   grouping
 - Resizable columns and rows lets you see more at once, or visualize
   more detailed content previews
 - Easily see repeating content (spot variations over multiple patterns)
 - Single track mode, focus your attention on a particular column


+ Cross Track Routing For All "Meta Devices"

 Renoise’s Meta Devices, effects that modulate/control other parameters
 like the "LFO Device" or "Hydra", can now be chained to parameters in
 other tracks.

 This way you can control multiple devices on multiple tracks at the
 same time with a single slider (using our "Hydra Device" for
 instance). Or use a "Key Tracking" device to modulate parameters from
 key input in another track.

 In essence, you can now connect & modulate all parameters with all
 others, making your tracks interact where ever you want them to.


+ Vastly Improved MIDI Mapping

 Nearly everything in Renoise can now be mapped to a MIDI controller.
 Start/stop buttons, patterns, tracks, sequence navigation or track
 muting/soloing... Anything you need in a live session, or simply want
 mapped, is easier than ever to achieve.

 Besides being able to map more MIDI, there are also plenty of other
 improvements:

 - Notes can now be mapped to parameters (e.g. switch a Cutoff
   value between two settings)
 - A MIDI Note or Controller can be mapped to multiple parameters /
   actions in Renoise now (e.g. for cross fading - or mute/un-mute
   several tracks at once with one click)
 - Context sensitive, intelligent mappings: You can set up mappings
   to do things with the currently selected device or track. This way
   you can use your MIDI controller hand-in-hand with the mouse or
   keyboard, and don't have to map every single parameter for every
   existing FX manually...
 - New overview of already set up mappings with the ability to clear
   and remap/adjust existing mappings


+ Instrument Grabber

 Just like Renoise's versatile "Render Selection To Sample" feature,
 the Instrument Grabber allows you to create sample based instruments
 from any VSTi or AU plugin instrument.
 Extremely useful to free up your songs from plugin dependencies, or
 just to extend your sample library with sounds from your favorite
 plugin instruments.

 The instrument grabber features:
 - replace or create multiple instruments with custom batch settings
 - replace/unload the plugin instrument in the whole song, or create
   new instruments
 - create single or multi-sample instruments from a range of notes
   with specified sampling step (specify how many samples to capture)
 - smooth auto looping via crossfading, or a customizable note, tail
   duration with auto cropping or fading


+ A Bunch of New Internal Effects

- Cabinet Simulator Audio FX
  A truly excellent, yet simple to use Guitar & Bass Amp simulator
  with 18 different cabinet models, a nasty tube, and an EQ.
  Highly recommended, not just for guitar or bass sounds.

- Stutter Audio FX
  Basically this thing just repeats whatever you throw at it. But, by
  having total control over the repeat rate and time alignment of
  the repeats, you can easily add variations for drums, or create
  strange stutter like effects.

- *Signal Follower Meta Device
  The Signal Follower listens to incoming audio from a track, and
  transfers this signal to any automation parameter. This allows you
  to create sidechain like effects for !any! FX parameters, not just
  Compressors. Or add Auto Wah-Wah effects and much much more.

- *XY-Pad Meta Device
  This device lets you link two parameters onto a sweet looking X/Y
  pad. In combination with "*Hydra" devices, this thing is extremely
  useful for preparing and performing Live sets.


+ Some Audio Engine Motor Oil

 We've finished the transition from our legacy tracker tick base
 timing. These final transitionary optimizations have resulted in
 better overall performance of Renoise's Audio Engine (up to a 10%
 boost, maybe even 20% on some old machines like a G4).

 These changes also result in better standards compliance for VST/AU
 compatibility: The "static buffer" compatibility option for VSTs, AUs
 will less often be needed now.


+ Improved Plugin delay compensation

 Renoise will now more accurately respond to real time playback with
 PDC enabled: notes that you're playing/recording with your keyboard,
 while the song is running. This makes it much easier to record &
 improvise, even when using loads of delay causing plugins.


+ Audio Plugin Crash Guards for OSX

 Just like on Windows, when a plugin does something bad, Renoise on
 OSX will try to "recover" from such disasters, and show an error
 instead of letting the plugin crash the system.
 This way you can know which plugin caused a crash and also get the
 chance to remove the buggy plugin, backup your song. Of course, this
 could also save your ass in a live gig...


+ MIDI Chord Mode Recording

 Recording notes into patterns with the MIDI keyboard, will now create
 chords, automatically. Just like when holding down the Shift key in
 the Pattern Editor to "enforce" chords.


+ MP3 Loading Support on Linux

 On Linux you can now import MP3 files in Renoise with libmpg123.
 OGG, Flac and other formats don't need any external components
 installed. On OSX and Windows MP3 files have always been supported
 with Quicktime installed.


+ Loads of User Interface Cosmetics, Tons of Small Workflow Improvements

 Renoise got a small face lift. It gives veterans a better overview
 and new users more consistent UI experience.

 The most noticeable changes are the cleaned up transport panels.
 Additionally, Pattern related options & settings are now in a new bar
 next to the pattern. Rarely used functions are now in a new menu
 named "Options" at the top.

 Some examples for other GUI & Workflow related changes are:
 - FX devices can now be minimized in the DSP chains
 - Meta device routing (also for the new cross track routing) are
   now visualized in the mixer for the currently selected FX
 - The sample recording dialog can now also be shown outside the
   sample editor
 - Automation envelopes will now properly snap & show bipolar parameters
 - All context menus got cleaned up, and you can also set/change the
   keyboard focus this way
 - Double clicking on parameters name will reset the parameter to its
   default value
 - Added "Save Sample" & "Save Instrument" shortcuts to the context
   menus (so you don't have to use the Disk Browser)
 - Added Delete "Unused Tracks" and "Delete Unused Samples in
   Instruments" actions to the edit menu
 - The keyboard preferences pane now have an "All" entry, which simply
   shows all mapped keys, independent from the focus
 - You can now create up to 8 effects columns in the pattern editor  
 - ...a plethora of small tweaks, here and there...

i don't know from tracking but i have used renoise and i'm excited about the instrument grabber

whoa @ pattern matrix

also whoa @ features for 2.6 "- Extend Renoise with the features you always wanted:

Just like Extensions in for example Firefox, you will be able to extend

Renoise with the features you want, like beatslicing, note shuffling,

auto composing algorthms, whatever. Thoise scripts allow bidirectional

comminication with Renoise, but not just with the song, as we have

it now for the XRNS tools."

is the pattern matrix kind of like the buzz dealy how you arrange songs?

lol, looks like I'm going to have wait a couple weeks until I have the funds to renew my license.

awesome! grabbing now.

This is very exciting for me.

Wickity wickity wicked, I'm gonna czech this shit out tomorrow.

Pattern matrix is great, so much easier to overview and move around a song for me

pattern matrix is cool, but still not enough to make renoise work for me. used to use it like everyone else when i found out venetian snares used it, but then i realized that so much more is possible much quicker in ableton. even for chopping up beats, piano roll ftw.

still, kudos to taktik for his hard work and awesome attitude towards software.

holy mother!!..

taktik said in this thread, when they add scripting in 2.6, the language will be LUA

  Quote

Not really a secret: will be LUA. Mainly because of its excellent performance compared with other scripting languages - and we might use it in performance critical areas, while still being a nice, do "whatever you want" and easy to learn language. Of course LUA also has its disadvantages, but every language has...

can someone point this newb to a quality LUA tutorial?

  On 12/10/2009 at 10:25 PM, Bubba69 said:

is the pattern matrix kind of like the buzz dealy how you arrange songs?

Yeah, reading the description it sounds exactly how Buzz's Sequence View works...