Hi @Zynthianers!
A new version is ready for updating. You only have to connect your Zynthian Box to your router with an ethernet cable and click the “update software” option in the admin menu. This is a major upgrade, and it would take some time. Be patient, relax and sit-down … or go to take a good beer!!
WARNING! This will only work with an “almost unchanged” Gorgona/Gorgonilla image. If you already installed the testing multilayer version by hand, you should re-burn your image and start with a fresh Gorgona. Also, if you tweaked too much your Gorgona image, perhaps it’s better to re-burn.
This is the extended list of new features:
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Multi-layer & multi-engine: Now you can create sound layers with any engine, in any MIDI channel. Yesss!! You can lay several instruments in the same MIDI channel, or create true multi-timbric setups, mixing different engines.
The workflow has changes a little bit, of course. The first screen is “Layer List”. From here you can create new layers, select the current layer in the GUI, change layer options (bold select) or remove one or all layers. -
Improved Controllers: Now the controllers show the real values, including decimals (this is relevant in MOD-UI, and will be in the incoming “linuxsampler’s effect’s chain”). Also, when the controller is assigned to a MIDI CC, it’s shown in the bottom of the controller frame with a tiny number.
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MIDI learning: Currently, it’s working only in the MOD-UI engine, but will be implemented in all the engines very soon. For using the MIDI learning feature you need the touch interface. From the control screen, slide left-to-right over the desired controller frame and move the desired external controller. The captured MIDI-CC will be shown in the bottom of the control frame. For unlearning, slide right-to left.
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WIFI support: Althought the WIFI support will be installed and can be enable/disable from the Admin menu, you still have to configure your network credentials by hand, editing the “/etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf” file. The configurator GUI is in the way!!
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TouchOSC Bridge: Yesss!! Now you can use OSC control surfaces that support this popular protocol. I’ve made the testing with my mobile phone and the MyOSC App from the PlayStore, but you can try with other Apps and share your experiences. Also, it’s a good idea to make a point to point WIFI connection between the tablet/phone and your zynthian (“WIFI zone” feature, in Android). I’ve done and the latency is quite good!!
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Audio to MIDI: WTF??? Yessss… For those having a Zynthian Box with Audio Input, now you can have tons of fun with this crazy feature. It uses the aubionotes tool (from the aubio suit) for converting audio to MIDI. The current conversion parameters are very experimental and the result is not the best, but you are free of trying to improve the result by tweaking with it!!
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Session Recording: And finally, the session recording utility, that will allow to easily record your sessions with Zynthian without the need of other computer or recorder device. The utility will detect if there is an USB pendrive plugged in the Zynthian Box and will use it for storing the audio files. If not present, it will save the audio files in the internal storage, in the “/zynthian/zynthian-my-data/capture” directoy.
WARNING! Using the internal storage for saving the recorded audio files is dangerous and you can end with a corrupted SD card. I recommend to ALWAYS use an USB pendrive. -
Lots of little improvements and, i hope, better stability, althought i’m pretty sure that also new bugs
Enjoy!