Cantabile is a simple, easy to use VST host, MIDI recorder/sequencer and audio recorder.
Designed primarily for real-time playing of virtual instruments, Cantabile includes a highly optimized audio engine to minimize system load and reduce audio drop outs.
Cantabile is free and a version 1.1 (beta) is available now.
Features
VST Host
* Real time processing of VST effects and instruments (VSTi).
* Saves and loads VST program and bank (fxp/fxb) files.
* Automatically loads the correct plugin for a particular fxb/fxp file.
* Support for VST MIDI effects such as chord makers, arpeggiators etc...
* Favorite FXBs for quick loading of commonly used plugins/banks.
Audio Engine
* Highly optimized multi-threaded audio engine.
* Support for ASIO and DirectSound audio drivers.
* Support for MMX and SSE CPU instructions.
* Output limiter avoids hard clipping for out-of-range audio data.
Audio Recorder
* Writes directly to wave file.
* Can record audio input or the output of the currently loaded VST.
* Automatic start/stop mode.
* File name formatting allows flexible naming of recorded files.
MIDI Recorder
* MIDI recorder writes directly to .mid file.
* Automatic start/stop mode.
* File name formatting allows flexible naming of recorded files.
* Automatically loads newly recorded MIDI files into MIDI sequencer.
MIDI Sequencer
* Plays any standard MIDI file.
* Can play using either the loaded VST and/or external MIDI devices.
* 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.
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. (eg: 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.
Session Files
* Session files save all settings on main screen.
* Recently used session menu for quick switching between configurations.
* Option to auto-reload last session.
User Interface
* Input and output gain controls.
* Input and output level meters.
* Buffer utilitization meter shows system load.
* MIDI activity indicators for MIDI input ports, output ports and internal MIDI mapper.
* On-screen keyboard with ability to "capture" PC keyboard.
* Panic button.
* Collapsable user-interface saves screen space for unused features.
Miscellaneous
* Shell integration allows MIDI, FXB, FXP and VST DLL files to opened via right click Open With Cantabile command, or by drag dropping file onto Cantabile's main window.
* Internal MIDI mapper allows re-direction of MIDI events to either loaded VST plugin or external MIDI device.
* Ability to disable VST directory scanning for fast start up.
* Built in tools to delete/rename recorded files and the loaded MIDI file.
What's New in Version 1.1
The following summaries what's new and what's changed since version 1.0.
Session Files
Added the ability to save all settings on the main screen to a session file.
Also includes recently used list of sessions for quick switching between different configurations.
MIDI Sequencer
The new midi sequencer will load any standard midi file and allow you to play it to either the loaded VST instrument and/or MIDI output ports.
Includes a "microscore" display that allows you to see a visual representation of the notes in the file as well as the current play position and loop range.
The track list allows redirection of tracks, channel overrides and solo/mute.
Combined with the Auto Record Audio feature, Cantabile can now be used for real-time rendering of MIDI files. Offline rendering is not yet available (next version maybe).
Also the Midi Recorder has a two new commands:
* 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
MIDI filters allow you to define simple manipulations of the MIDI events being received and transmitted.
The current filter types allow you to:
* Reassign or suppress MIDI channels.
* Reassign or suppress MIDI controllers.
* Assign MIDI controllers to a VST parameters.
* Define velocity curves to fine tune the response of a keyboard.
* Transpose a ranges of notes.
* Control VST parameters from a MIDI control surface
* Control Cantabile settings from a MIDI control surface (eg: play, pause, record, output gain etc...)
* Emulate a MIDI control using MIDI note events.
You can define filters for any MIDI input/output port as well as for the currently loaded VST. VST MIDI filters are saved with the session file while MIDI port filters are saved globally (to the registry).
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, arpreggiators, 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
The 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 Geneal 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 artefacts 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 Enhancments
* 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 progam 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.
* New Icon and Logo artwork (special thanks to Rick Christy of Designer Monkey )
* 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.
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