Symphonix Evolution 1.86

We've submitted Symphonix Evolution 1.86 to the App Store!  This update includes these changes:

• It is now possible to define a set of System Exclusive messages for external devices 
• Percussion symbols can be defined for each device, and mapped to lines in the Percussion Staff 
• A new display mode has been added to manage tracks more effectively 
• It is easier to add Controller Events to a score 
• It is now possible to add Time Signature changes 
• Added new Split, Merge, Duplicate and Clear functions 
• Tracks can be merged when printing 
• Easier note selection in Piano Roll mode 
• It is easier to drag and extend a Selection 
• It is now possible to select text and delete it 
• Sleep mode is now disabled in Step Recording mode

The following bugs have also been fixed:

• Fixed bugs in chord builder 
• Fixed size of MIDI import screen 
• Fixed handling of accidentals in key signatures 
• Default lead-in count for recording is now saved properly  
• Fixed bugs when printing multiple tracks 

 Over the next few days we'll be posting some videos about how to use the new features, so stay tuned!

*** UPDATE ***
We've had reports of the app crashing on startup when running on the iPad2.  This has been traced to an optimization issue in the LLVM compiler.  We've recompiled without the optimization setting and submitted version 1.86.1 to the App Store.  If you haven't yet upgraded, please wait until version 1.86.1

Symphonix Evolution Update Coming Soon

We're busy putting the finishing touches to the next release of Symphonix Evolution.  This version brings new features, including the ability to split, merge and duplicate tracks!

We'll reveal more soon.

A New Track View for Symphonix Evolution

We're working on an improved Track display for Symphonix Evolution:

The new screen shows all track names, preset assignments, and channels all in one place.  It's also possible to change the track attributes from here.

The yellow blocks to the right of each track are a "MIDI Activity Panel". MIDI activity panels show note events in graphical form and are especially useful by allowing you to see at a glance which tracks and channels are being used by the current song.

The next version of Symphonix Evolution is coming soon.  We'll keep posting here as we reveal more features!

What MIDI interface do we use to test our apps?

People are asking us what the best MIDI interface is for using our Symphonix Evolution app with MIDI hardware.  The answer is that we use a variety of interfaces, but the one we like the most is the the iRig MIDI from our friends at IK Multimedia.

The iRig MIDI is a hardware interface that plugs into the dock connector on the iPad or iPhone, and provides direct support for Core MIDI.  It's truly a "plug and play" solution and doesn't require any setup - just plug it in and go.  iRig is automatically detected by Symphonix Evolution and works without any need to set it up.

iRig has a number of advantages over a USB MIDI adapter:  It's low-latency so performance is slightly better for MIDI input.  The hardware-level Core MIDI support also provides more precise timing information along with the input data, so we can eliminate even more latency by compensating for the time lag between when data is received and when it is made visible to the app.

Better yet, the iRig works just fine on the iPhone, so you can load music into our Symphonix Evolution Player app and connect the MIDI output to your hardware while on the road.  (This overcomes a limitation with the USB Camera Connection Kit which only works on the iPad).

IK Multimedia also offers a number of other solutions that help with using the iPad or iPhone in a studio or stage environment.  In particular you might also want to check out the iKlip adapter, which makes it a snap to attach the iPad to a microphone stand.

As you can see, we use iKlip in our studio setup and it turns Symphonix Evolution into a touch control panel for the synth that's integrated nicely with the rest of our gear.

In the next posting we'll talk about what we've been up to for the last few weeks...There's some great enhancements coming soon!

Percussion/Key Maps

In the last posting I mentioned that we are working on a percussion/key mapping editor, so that you can create individual named notes for drum or synth effect presets and tell Symphonix Evolution where to place them on the percussion staff.
Here's a screenshot of the editor so you can see how it works:

As you can see, in the next version you will have complete control over the note symbol and where it should appear on the staff.  Once these mappings are created, the app allows you to setup a percussion clef for one or more tracks and choose which notes to use in each track - The correct note and symbol are then automatically selected when notes are dragged onto the staff.  It's also possible to save default percussion setups as the default for new songs.

We're still working on more new features, so keep watching this space over the next few weeks!

A SysEx Manager is coming, and more!

We're putting together the next update for Symphonix Evolution.  As usual, this release will add a number of new features and today I'd like to talk about the new System Exclusive Manager. 

Many synths use MIDI System Exclusive messages to access advanced features, or to switch between a "General MIDI" and "Native" mode. The messages themselves are often complicated and it is useful to have a stored list for easy access.  The System Exclusive Manager makes this possible.

There's no limit to how many messages you can store and these can be inserted anywhere in the song by using the Controller button on the main app Toolbar.

The SysEx messages themselves are kept in the Device Map file (.sxd) and the inbuilt editor makes it easy to quickly add the data.  Of course, if you have a lot of messages to add, the device file is an XML file that can be edited in a text editor on your Mac or PC.

If you look carefully at the screenshots in this posting you might also notice an option for "Key Maps".  These are used for patches such as percussion or synth effects where each key is mapped to a different sound.  For example, a percussion patch might use different notes for bass, tom, hihat and cymbal.  In the next version, the device manager will allow you to store the name of each note.  A new Percussion clef is being added, and the app will provide a way for you to map each line of the staff to a percussion symbol and named note (regardless of the actual MIDI note number).

Many more functions are coming - we'll keep you posted over the next few weeks as we start to put together the next release.  In the meantime, post comments here about any other features you'd like to see in the app!

Symphonix Evolution Player Update

A new version of the Symphonix Evolution Player app releases today.  This update gives the Player the same "look and feel" as the full Symphonix Evolution app, including redesigned screens for tempo, program change etc.

We've also added a few features in response to feedback from our users such as access to settings and the ability to repeat a song (eg for using the app as a beat generator).

Patch Map Converter

Now that Symphonix Evolution 1.85 has been released, we've also put together an application to convert your existing Cakewalk®/Sonar® instrument files into the Symphonix Evolution format, so you can use the presets for your external MIDI devices right away without having to create the Device Map inside the Symphonix Evolution app.

The converter asks for the filename of an ".ins" instrument definition file and the output filename of the ".sxd" Symphonix Evolution patch map you'd like to create.

Once the .sxd file has been created,  use iTunes® to copy it from your Mac or PC to the iPad using the same procedure that you'd use for transferring MIDI files.

Please note that the Symphonix Evolution instrument "families" are not created automatically, since this information is not contained in the .ins file, and the converter assumes General MIDI style mappings. After you've loaded the .sxd file on your iPad, use Symphonix Evolution to edit the device map and select the correct instrument family for each instrument, or edit the .sxd file in a text editor and add the families there.

You can download the patch converter from here:
Mac Version (OSX 10.4 or later)
Windows Version

Symphonix Evolution 1.85 Released!

Symphonix Evolution 1.85 hits the App Store today!  This update is packed with new features, enhancements and bug fixes - Here's a list of all the changes:

New Features and Enhancements:

• Sheet Music View. The main Symphonix Evolution screen can now be switched into a “Sheet Music” mode that displays in Portrait Orientation, with multiple lines of music per page. 
• External MIDI Device Patch Maps. Patch maps for external devices to be created and edited.
• Support for AirPlay®. It is now possible to route the output of the internal synth to AirPlay®.
• Play to WAV file. It is now possible to render the music output to a WAV file, for use in other applications. 
• Play to Pasteboard. It is now possible to render the music output to the Pasteboard, for use in other applications that support audio pasting. 
• Redesigned screens for track, preset, tempo and channel selection 
• Chord Builder. This is a new screen that allows chords to be inserted directly into the score.
• Redesigned Mixer screen. The Mixer now shows Pan as well as Volume for each track, as well as current activity (levels) on each track. 
• Remote Connection Capability. Touch this icon to start a peer-to-peer connection with compatible external applications that can be used to control or send input to Symphonix Evolution. 
• Auto MIDI File Key Signature. When MIDI files are loaded without a key signature, Symphonix Evolution will now automatically choose the key signature that results in the fewest number of note accidentals. 

Bug Fixes:

• Piano Roll - Improved note selection. It should be easier to select, drag and resize notes without scrolling accidentally 
• Piano Roll - Measures were not displayed on the correct beat lines with time signatures other than 4/4
• Piano Roll - The Piano Roll allowed the user to rotate the screen into Portrait mode, causing the main display to be displayed incorrectly after closing the piano roll screen.
• Realtime Recording - Some screen buttons still responded to user interaction when recording was active, even though the buttons were not visible. These have now been disabled.
• MIDI - Pitch bend events from external MIDI devices were not played correctly through the internal synth causing the note to sound at the wrong pitch during recording, even though the correct pitch was recorded. This could cause the internal synth to sound off pitch by as much as two semitones. 
• Song Playback - Repeats did not play correctly if the next repeat started on the same measure as the end of the previously repeating section (i.e. two repeated sections one after the other with the next section beginning on the very next bar after the end of the previous section).
• Notation - When scoring notes, a full measure containing a single note would center the note in the measure, causing it to be misaligned with other tracks. This behaviour is now limited to whole note rests only. 
• Notation - Uncommon accidentals were chosen when recording into some key signatures. Common note names are now used where possible.  
• Notation - Incorrect leger line positions were displayed for some notes in certain key signatures, causing the rendered notation to be wrong compared to the played notes. 

The "SE Controller" app is also available from today, and our "Player" app will be updated within the next few days.

One More Feature Coming Soon in Symphonix Evolution 1.85

We've nearly finished testing Symphonix Evolution 1.85 and are about to submit it to iTunes for review.  Before we do, here's one last surprise - Sheet Music View!

Sheet Music View shows multiple lines of notation in portrait orientation, and is designed to make it easier to use when playing along with the music.  It's especially useful when setting the clef to a single staff and hiding other tracks.

This makes it possible to use Symphonix Evolution for displaying lead sheets during a performance and also works well with lyrics.

In "Sheet Music" mode notes are highlighted as they play, and the screen updates a full page at a time instead of the horizontal scrolling when in landscape mode.

When viewing multiple tracks overlaid (see the screenshot), Sheet Music mode makes it much easier to see the flow of the music and how the tracks interact with each other across multiple bars.  Swipe gestures can be used to "turn the pages", so this feature presents a familiar way to see the music.


We're still saving a few more features for the actual release, so there's more to come!

Announcing SE Controller for Symphonix Evolution

SE Controller is an iPhone app we'll be releasing soon.  It works as a companion app with Symphonix Evolution 1.85 to add Pitch Bend, Modulation Wheel and Sustain controls to the virtual synth keyboard.  It communicates using a Bluetooth shared connection with the new "Remote Device Control" feature, and SE Controller events appear to Symphonix Evolution as MIDI input.

Here's a video of SE Controller in action:

(Apologies for the poor quality of the video).

Using Symphonix Evolution with Network MIDI

Did you know that if you have a Mac, you can connect Symphonix Evolution to it using Network MIDI?  This means that you can use Symphonix Evolution as a MIDI input or output for other applications thanks to the Core MIDI support in iOS.

Here's how to get it running:

1. On your Mac, go to Applications and then Utilities.  Locate the Audio MIDI Setup app and open it.

2. When the Audio setup screen appears, go to the View menu and choose the Show MIDI Window option

3. You'll now see a screen that shows the MIDI devices connected to your Mac.

4. Now double-click the "Network" icon to show the Network MIDI Settings.  In the top right corner you'll see a box labelled "Sessions".  Click the + button under this to add a new session so that your screen looks like this:

5. Now start Symphonix Evolution on your iPad.  If all is well, you should see the iPad listed in the "Directory" panel like this:

(Note this is notoriously fickle the first time you try it, so if you don't see the iPad in the list you may need to look at your network setup.  In my case, I had to add it manually first with the + button and then remove it before the Mac showed it with the green light indicator.  If you don't see it at first, try rebooting both Mac and iPad).

6. Once the iPad shows up, highlight it and click the Connect button.  You should now see it in the "Participants" list in the "Session" box to the right, like this:

7. Now you're all connected.  Try pressing some notes on the Symphonix Evolution virtual keyboard.  You should see them appear in the "latency" box, which will confirm that everything's working.

8.  Now start any application that uses Core MIDI, to try it out.  I'm going to use GarageBand, and create a new "Loops" composition:

9. GarageBand opens an empty screen ready for me to add tracks.

10. Click the + button in the lower left corner under the track list, and select a virtual instrument so it appears like this:

11. Now start playing the Symphonix Evolution keyboard.  GarageBand detects the MIDI input automatically and plays it using the software instrument, as if you'd connected a real MIDI keyboard!

This is an excellent way to add more instruments to the standard set in Symphonix Evolution.  It's also a great way to extract any performances you might have created on the iPad while on the road, without having to sync MIDI files through iTunes.  Enjoy!

Patch Maps in Symphonix Evolution 1.85

In the forthcoming Symphonix Evolution 1.85 it will be possible to create your own patch maps for MIDI devices, allowing Symphonix Evolution to use your instrument's actual names when selecting presets.  The patch maps are stored in an XML file with a ".sxd" extension where each file represents a different device, and there is no limit on how many devices you can have.

The .sxd files are kept in the app's Documents folder, meaning that they are visible to iTunes and may be copied into and out of the folder using drag-and-drop from iTunes on your PC or Mac.

Here is the structure of the .sxd file, if you'd like to get a head start on creating your own patch map:

<patchmap version="1.0" device="Your Device Name Here">
<patch family="GM Family" bank="CC00.CC32" preset="PROG" name="Instrument Name Here" />

<-- Insert as many patch lines as you need to cover all instruments -->
</patchmap>

Replace "Your Device Name Here" with the name of the MIDI device as you'd like it to appear in Symphonix Evolution.  Similarly, "Instrument Name Here" is the name of the preset. (Remember that HTML-style quotes will be needed for certain characters such as &, ', <>, etc).

"GM Family" is a number that describes the instrument family to which the preset belongs, based on the General MIDI groupings:
0 = Piano
1 = Chromatic Percussion
2 = Organ
3 = Guitar
4 = Bass
5 = Strings
6 = Ensemble
7 = Brass
8 = Reed
9 = Pipe
10 = Synth Lead
11 = Synth Pad
12 = Synth Effects
13 = Ethnic
14 = Percussive
15 = Sound Effects
16 = Drum Kit

Each preset must specify a MIDI bank (MSB/Controller 0 and LSB/Controller 32) and preset number ("PROG").

For example, if the MIDI device is a "MySynth 1000" and has a single instrument named "Synth Lead" that is set by sending controller #0=8, controller #32=0 and preset of 85:

<patchmap version="1.0" device="MySynth 1000">
<patch family="10" bank="8.0" preset="85" name="Synth Lead" />
</patchmap>

This would be saved in a file named "MySynth 1000.sxd".

Chord Builder

In the previous post we promised we'd tell you about another new feature in the upcoming version 1.85 of Symphonix Evolution, so we're pleased to unveil the new Chord Builder!

The Chord Builder allows the user to select a chord and then insert the notes directly into the song using the current key signature and note length.  The screen updates immediately during chord selection to show the notation (in the current key signature) and the piano keyboard highlights the notes, which makes it easy to learn how to read and play each chord.  It's also possible to hear the chord play through the internal synth or external MIDI device if connected.

Many commonly used chord types are represented including all possible inversions and variants such as "power" chords.

Development on version 1.85 is nearly complete and we're now concentrating on testing.  We'll post more information about the final release date soon.

The New Mixing Control Panel

In the forthcoming version of Symphonix Evolution we've redesigned the Mixer.  The original version looked like this:

And here's what the same panel looks like in version 1.85:

The new version is displayed in a larger window so it's easier to manipulate the controls.  It adds the ability to see either the current volume (MIDI controller #7) or sound level (a combination of MIDI velocity and volume).  The "sound level" mode makes it easy to see which tracks are currently playing music.  There's also a Pan controller under each track that operates MIDI controller #10 (panpot).  Mute and Solo buttons provide the ability to isolate individual tracks.

The Mixer is updated in real time while music is playing so you can use it to see which tracks are active.

In the next post we'll move on to another major new feature.  Watch this space!

Work continues on Patches, Tempo and Tracks

Work continues on the next version of Symphonix Evolution.  Firstly, the patch map editor mentioned in the previous post is now complete and in version 1.85 it will be possible to setup or edit MIDI preset maps for external devices from right inside the app:

The patch maps are stored in XML format and can also be edited in a text editor on your PC by copying the files into or out of iTunes (more on this in future posts!).

We've also redesigned the screens for selecting tracks, presets and channels.  These replace the original "retro" screens, which looked great but were a bit awkward to use.  For example, here's the new Track Selection screen:

It combines two of the previous screens into a single panel, and also makes it easier to access the Mute, Solo and Hide functions.

The new Tempo selection makes it much easier to quickly enter the tempo you need:

We're now focusing on the next major feature, which I'll keep under wraps for now except to say that it adds significant functionality to the app.  More about this in the next post!

Symphonix Evolution Work in Progress

It's been a while since I've posted about what we're working on with Symphonix Evolution, so here's a quick update.  This is the new track preset selection screen:

You can see that the instruments will be grouped into Families (these correspond to the General MIDI groups).  Select a Family in the left panel and the list of presets in that Family are displayed in the panel on the right.  This makes it much easier to quickly locate the instrument you need.

In the top part of the window you'll also see the ability to control whether the track should output to MIDI or the internal synth, or both (in the current version this is a global setting that can't be set on individual tracks).

There's also a Device Map function, which allows you to use one preset for the internal synth and a completely different preset when outputting to MIDI.  It will be possible to create new Device Maps, meaning that you can set up a mapping for your own MIDI devices and select all of the presets by name.  You can even use different devices on different tracks (provided they are on different MIDI channels).

Of course this is only one screen - there are many other enhancements and we'll keep you updated as we work toward the next release.  Stay tuned over the coming weeks!

Sketchtasy

We've released a different kind of app to our usual fare this week:  Sketchtasy!  This is a very basic drawing app for the iPad that offers pressure-sensitive input so the thickness of the lines you draw depends on how hard you are pressing on the screen.

Sketchtasy was designed to be as simple as possible.  It offers a full screen drawing panel and the ability to select a color from a palette that you can create from a huge selection of colors.  The only other feature is the ability to import a photo from your album and use it as a background so you can trace over it, and then remove the photo to reveal the final sketch...and that's it.  Nothing else stands in the way between you and your drawing so it's quick and easy to use.

Some readers might be interested in the technical aspects.

There are several noteworthy functions that combine to create the overall effect.  Firstly, the pressure sensitivity is based on an algorithm that constantly measures the accelerometer and works out an "average" touch pressure, which is then converted into a line thickness.  This isn't as simple as it sounds because the accelerometer only measures the amount of movement in a time period and not the pressure at any given moment, so we had to work out a way to translate the acceleration.

Secondly, to achieve good performance the new drawing strokes are rendered to an internal bitmap image.  While drawing the screen, this pre-rendered image is displayed first followed by only the latest stroke.  This is fairly standard practice for iOS drawing apps.  However, Sketchtasy also retains the original vectors of each drawing stroke and while at the moment it's only used for the Undo function, it technically makes it possible for us to implement an "infinite zoom" function or print at extremely high resolutions so we'll probably implement these in a future version.

Finally, however, the time it takes to process the accelerometer and translate it into pressure combined with the pre-rendering means that the touch responsiveness isn't as smooth as you'd think (or that we'd like).  We ended up using a quadratic bezier spline to interpolate the movement between adjacent points so that a smooth curve is displayed.

The end result is a drawing app where the thickness of the lines can change throughout the same stroke because of the touch pressure applied.  We think it adds a new element to the existing drawing apps that are out there - it was certainly a lot of fun to develop!

Symphonix Evolution 1.82 has been submitted to iTunes

It shouldn't be long now before you see the next update to Symphonix Evolution, subject to the usual App Store review.  As noted in the previous post, the main change in this update is significant performance and stability enhancements on iPad 2.  But we also couldn't resist adding some new features!

• Added "lead in" count function when recording
• Added "punch in/out" function to recording
• Added "auto sync" function to keep notes aligned across all tracks while editing
• Added new settings for Metronome to set the percussion channel notes used for beats and measures
• Minor bug fixes to some editing functions

These address some of the requests made by users to our support mailbox.

The "Lead In" count function tells the app to count in for a number of measures before starting a real-time recording so you have time to prepare.  Punch In/Out allows you to re-record over part of a track without clearing the entire track, so you can correct errors easily.  Finally, Auto-Sync makes it possible to automatically line up the notes in other tracks with new notes as you drag them into the score so that each vertical "column" of notes represents the same time offset regardless of which track you're in.

The iPad 2 enhancements relate to differences in the CPUs used in iPad 1 vs iPad2, which caused the timing of some of the low-level waveform processing to be different depending on the device.  This in turn caused some of the functions to finish earlier or later than expected and that in turn impacted the audio quality.  In some cases it could even cause the app to crash, so we're very happy to report that the problem is now resolved.

We've got one more update coming soon to the MIDI Breakout Box app and then our focus will shift to the next major version of Symphonix Evolution - Big things are coming!

Symphonix Evolution maintenance update is coming soon

Thanks everybody for your feedback for version 1.81.  With your help we've been able to identify and fix a number of issues including performance and stability on iPad 2, and we're nearly finished testing the next update.  It should be submitted to iTunes in the next few days for review.

I'll post more info in the next couple of days - In the meantime, keep that feedback coming!

New Version of Symphonix Evolution Player

The new version of the Symphonix Evolution Player hits the App Store today!  This is a significant update and brings the app closer into line with the full "Symphonix Evolution".

Here's the new iPhone 4/iPod Touch screen:

The iPad version also gets a facelift and shows the notation/scoring mode for the first time:

Work in Progress

We're currently working on a major upgrade to our Player app so it has more of the "look and feel" of the full Symphonix Evolution app and the next version will bring the Player up to full file compatibility with the main app. Work has also begun on the next version of Symphonix Evolution and we'll have some more news in a couple of weeks about some exciting new features!

Note Velocity Editor in Symphonix Evolution

The new Controller Editor introduced in version 1.80 has been well received, but we did want to add one more feature.  So Symphonix Evolution version 1.81 will add the ability to edit Note Velocity!

Use this function to select notes in the Piano Roll and then drag the velocity up or down in the Controller Editor panel:

This feature provides fine control over the velocity of each note.  The "Play" button on the Piano Roll screen can be used to play back the song immediately without exiting the editor so you can hear your changes.

Version 1.81 also fixes a number of bugs as a result of user feedback to our support mailbox.  It has already been submitted to the App Store and should be available within the next week.

MIDI Breakout Box Updated

The MIDI Breakout Box has been updated.  Version 1.6 resolves more MIDI latency problems and input lag has been almost completely eliminated.  Performance is now excellent even with many channels in use.  Check it out now in the iTunes App Store or on our website.

Symphonix Evolution 1.80 hits the App Store today

Here's a demo of some of the new features you'll see in version 1.80:

The Retro Tape Recorder is Gone

During real-time recording it's a challenge to display information on the screen while at the same time responding to the MIDI or virtual keyboard input without introducing latency.  The original version of Symphonix Evolution used a "virtual tape recorder" just so that the user would know that something was happening when in record mode.  But the problem was that while you now knew that the app was actually recording, the screen wasn't very informative and we received several comments from users about it.  We've decided to fix that in version 1.80 and the recording screen displays information about the number of measures and notes recorded, the track being recorded, and a clock timer.

Symphonix Evolution 1.80 Submitted to App Store Review

We've submitted Symphonix Evolution Version 1.80 to the App Store for review, so all things going well it will be available from iTunes within the next week or so.  As always we've tried to include as many user suggestions as possible and the app is coming together nicely - It's starting to have some of the comprehensive features that you'd normally only find in desktop solutions.  Version 1.80 is one of the most substantial releases so far and I'm constantly amazed at how much it's possible to achieve with the iPad!  Over the next few days I will be recording some videos to demonstrate the new features so look out for them here.

A quick update of work in progress

We've nearly finished work on Symphonix Evolution 1.80. Many new features have been added, many as a result of user feedback, and it's turning out to be a much bigger update than we originally planned. For example, in addition to the changes already announced we've also added note velocity control and the ability to add measure bars automatically as notes are entered. More news soon!

MIDI Controller Events in Symphonix Evolution 1.80

Symphonix Evolution version 1.80 has a new function for editing MIDI controller events graphically.  This is done from the "Piano Roll" screen and it's possible to "draw" directly on the screen using touch: (sorry about the small screen capture, the editor is shown in the lower part of the screen).

This new feature makes it easy to manage functions such as Pitch Bend, Volume, Panning and RPN/NRPN and will help bring out the best in your synth setup.  At this stage we'll be submitting version 1.80 to the App Store within the next couple of weeks, so keep watching this blog for more info!

Clef selection is coming soon in Symphonix Evolution 1.80

Here's another "teaser" screen of a much-requested new feature we're bringing to version 1.80 - Clef Selection!

Each track can have its own clef, and notes in other tracks are automatically transposed into the clef used by the "current" track so you can see how the different tracks relate to each other.  The track octave setting can also be used with the treble and bass clefs to indicate "8va, 8vb, 15va or 15vb" so there are a large number of choices available.  Finally it's easy to score music for different instruments and vocal ranges.

Symphonix Evolution 1.80 Sneak Peek

Here's a peek at the next release of Symphonix Evolution, version 1.80 scheduled for the middle of May 2011.  We've added a new "Notation Entry" panel that allows common symbols to be dragged easily into the music notation.  There's also support for new symbols (including pedal, coda and segno) and many of these are output as MIDI messages!

We've still got many more changes planned and we'll reveal more as we get closer to the release date, so stay tuned!

MIDI Breakout Box news

Version 1.5 of the MIDI Breakout Box app has been submitted to iTunes.  Version 1.5 reduces latency and adds some new functions for saving presets and creating custom keyboard splits!  It also fixes a rather annoying bug where the app would hang after receiving a MIDI Program Change event.  We've created a website that describes how to use the app for those who haven't seen it yet.  Check it out here (this web page applies to Version 1.0 but we'll update it for Version 1.5 when it is released).

Symphonix Evolution 1.70 coming soon

Symphonix Evolution 1.70 has been submitted to iTunes for review so you should see it on the App Store in the next week or so.  In addition to the new lyrics editor we've added a number of other functions to help make it easier than ever to create music on your iPad.  As usual, many of the enhancements have come from feedback we receive in our support mailbox - Keep those suggestions coming, and don't forget to update your App Store reviews with each new version so other people can see what you think!

A glimpse of the new Lyric Entry tool

Here's a sneak peek of the new Lyric Entry tool in the next version of Symphonix Evolution:

We've tried hard to come up with a Lyric entry system that's easy to use and that also fits into the design of the app.  In addition to creating new lyrics, existing lyrics in MIDI files are also displayed and can be edited within the app. Version 1.70 of Symphonix Evolution will be available in the App Store before the end of April!

MIDI Break Out Box

Our latest app has hit the App Store today! The MIDI Break Out Box allows you to route incoming MIDI data to a different channel or instrument. You can also transpose the output and copy it to multiple channels. This is a great way to extend the instrument range of your synth by combining presets into new combinations, eg piano+strings or brass+strings+reed.

Symphonix Evolution "Player" has been released

The Symphonix Evolution "Player" App has been released to the App Store for iPad and iPhone and allows you to play back the songs you create in Symphonix Evolution wherever you go.  Check it out here

Using the Piano Roll in Symphonix Evolution 1.65

We've put together a video to show you how the new Piano Roll function works.

Symphonix Evolution "Player"

We've just submitted a new "Symphonix Evolution Player" app to the App Store, so you'll see it in the next week or so.  It is a basic no-frills MIDI player that uses the GS/GM synth emulation from the full Symphonix Evolution app, and allows you to play back your MIDI or SXE files on an iPhone 4 or iPad.

If you've already purchased Symphonix Evolution then you won't need this app, but it's a great way to share your compositions with friends who don't need to see the notation.  It will be on the App Store soon for US $0.99.

Symphonix Evolution Development Schedule

Now that version 1.65 has been released, it's a great time to talk about what we've got planned in future updates of Symphonix Evolution!

1.70 (April) - Enhancements to notation entry and editing. We're also adding support for lyrics.

1.80 (May) - Enhancing the new Piano Roll screen so that it can be used to enter or edit Controller events such as pitch bend.  The "Controller" button on the main screen will also be extended to support new graphical editing.

1.90 (May/June) - Guitar and Piano/Organ Chord symbols, with support for playback.

2.0 (July) - Guitar "tab" notation and graphical fret board for note entry.

Let us know if you've got any other ideas or functions that you'd like us to add - We're listening!

Symphonix Evolution Version 1.65 is coming soon

We've submitted version 1.65 of Symphonix Evolution to the App Store review process so you will be seeing it on iTunes within the next 10 days or so.  As noted previously, it includes a number of refinements to the file management, and also includes some new features that we'll keep as a surprise for now!  We've also fixed some bugs reported through the support mailbox - Keep the great feedback coming, it's really appreciated by our team.

iPad2 and iOS 4.3

It's been an exciting week with the launch of iPad 2, which brings some welcome performance enhancements that directly affect the way in which Symphonix Evolution works and also make it possible to use the full instrument set without the fear of running out of memory.  (We've had a couple of instances where new users have reported problems with launching Symphonix Evolution for the first time due to running out of memory in "Full Instrument Set" mode.  So in the next update we're changing the default mode to "Reduced/Subset" mode - existing default settings will remain unchanged).

Version 1.65 of Symphonix Evolution will be out in the next couple of weeks and it's been compiled and optimized for iOS 4.3 - so expect to see some further performance enhancements.  We're also working on extending the file management functions:  Soon you'll be able to organize your work into folders, rename and delete files, and copy files from one folder to another all without leaving the app.  Stay tuned for further updates soon!

Using the new "Track Mode" in Symphonix Evolution 1.6

Symphonix Evolution version 1.6 introduces "Track Mode", which allows many of the editing functions to apply only to the current track.  You can use this to create a number of interesting effects.  Firstly, quickly create a duplicate of a track. (This is so useful that we're thinking about adding a special button in a future version so you can easily duplicate a track in one step):
1. Select Track mode
2. Create a Selection
3. Touch inside the Selection and choose "Select All"
4. Touch the Selection again and choose "Copy"
5. Change to a different empty track and create a Selection, then touch inside it and choose "Paste".

Now make sure that the new track is playing on a different channel and choose a different instrument preset.  When you play back the song you now have combined the original track with the new one, and many instruments "blend" into entirely new sounds with more depth.  For example, add a guitar track and duplicate it to a piano, using the Mixer to put the piano track at a lower volume.  If you get it just right, the song will still sound like a guitar but the piano will add some texture to the tone, giving it more depth.  Another combination that works well is strings combined with a flute.

Now try experimenting with the new Track Octave Transpose function (see Track Settings in the online help), or use the Transpose function in Track mode to take the duplicate track up or down in pitch - you'll be surprised how easy it is to create rich tones in this way.

Symphonix Evolution 1.6 is coming

Welcome to the Vinclaro Development Blog.  It's a place where we will be discussing new features in our software, the reasons behind our design decisions, and information about upcoming releases.  It's also an opportunity for you to add your own comments about things you'd like to see in our software.

To kick things off I'd like to announce that we've just sent Symphonix Evolution version 1.6 for the App Store to review.  This version makes a number of important changes in response to the fantastic feedback we've been getting:

• The width of the Virtual Synth keys can finally be customized!
• Most of the editing functions can now be applied to a single track without affecting other tracks.
• There's an Undo function at last!
• We've added some exciting new recording and playback functions

We're really excited about this new version and we can't wait to see what you think!