VSTSynthFont1 news

VSTSynthFont [3] is a complete rewrite of the older VSTSynthFont which is no longer supported. VSTSynthFont [3] has been extensively tested to make sure it is 100% compatible with common sequencer hosts like the Cubase range of products from Steinberg.

NOTE 1: VSTSynthFont [3] is not freeware. You can try it for 15 days and then purchase a license for 15€. This license also covers SynthFont2, so you get 2 for 1! Go here to purchase a license by donating to help us continue developing this tool.

NOTE 2: The name of the plugin is still VSTSynthFont or VSTSynthFont64 so that old projects can be used without any changes.

TIP: If you want to use VSTSynthFont off-line as a stand-alone tool (in the manner of SyFonOne) you can do so with e.g. this free tool: Nanohost.

What is new in version 3.430 of VSTSynthFont / VSTSynthFont64?

Bugs fixed
- Since version 3.421 the plugin has not been able to use arrangements stored in the host's project
- The reference count for the use of SoundFonts has not been accurate, leading to either memory leaks, or - worse - exceptions.

New feature:
- in case a SoundFont file has gone missing, the plugin will now search all known folders for it

Other stuff:
- "Aftertouch" is now called "Polyphonic Aftertouch" in Options, .Tracks & Channels, MIDI Commands. Channel aftertouch is still called "Channel Pressure"

What is new in version 3.421 of VSTSynthFont / VSTSynthFont64?

Bugs fixed
- Version 3.410 crashed when initialized using an Arrangement file
- A few SoundFonts were incorrectly interpreted
- Version 3.410 did not let you assign different SoundFonts or Presets to tracks sharing the same MIDI channel. This is now possible again, although it violates the MIDI standard.
- Some other minor bugs fixed

New feature:
- You can assign a VST2 Instrument as a "Sound source file". To do so, change the "File type" in the file open dialog box to "VST2 instruments (*dll)". See images below. NOTE: VST2 Effects also have the extension "dll" but cannot be used.
- Version 3.300 introduced MIDI events filters (see below). One of the filters is the note range. Version 3.421 lets you more easily change the note range using a "Mixer" function. (The Mixer is to the right and has a drop-down menu.). There are two new items in the Mixer menu: "Note range - change low" and "Note range - change high".

What is new in version 3.410 of VSTSynthFont / VSTSynthFont64?

Bugs fixed
- The new user interface supporting screen readers would not let you change the default SoundFont in Options
- Changing the SoundFont while playing could cause memory overload
- Some other minor bugs fixed

New feature:
- Two new buttons on either side of the Sound source Preset drop-down list (see image). These two let you easily scan through the set of Presets in the selected SoundFont. NOTE: the same feature has already been available through the Mixer function "Sound source preset", as shown in the image. Now you do not need to switch to this Mixer function.

What is new in version 3.400 of VSTSynthFont / VSTSynthFont64?

Bugs fixed:
- MIDI Continuous Controllers #72 ("Sound Release Time" - to set the Note Release Time), #74 ("Sound Brightness" - to set the Low Pass Filter frequency threshold) and #75 ("Sound Control 6" - to set the Low Pass Filter Resonance) - were active only for notes playing at the moment when the CC was set.
- A few other reported bugs fixed

New features:
- A special User Interface optimized for Screen Readers. The UI has been tested with Microsoft Windows' own Narrator and NVDA.

NOTE 1: This UI does not contain any of the Mixer functions (Volume, Pan. etc.).

NOTE 2: REAPER is currently the only DAW known to support tabbing into the UI.

NOTE 3: Track selection is instantaneous as this is a non-destructive choice. For a SoundFont or Preset you need to at first navigate in either of the two trees, using arrow keys, and finally press ENTER to select the item you want.

NOTE 4: During installation you can select to activate this UI by default.

- Some SoundFonts may have very unfortunate settings for the Note Release Time (the last volume envelope phase). You can now set the release time using a new Mixer function. The trackbar has two ranges: 0.01s to 1s and 0.1 to 10s. You can change the range by pulling the trackbar slider to either end (max and min).

What is new in version 3.310 of VSTSynthFont / VSTSynthFont64?

Bugs fixed:
- Version 3.300 could introduce a slight noise on some VST hosts
- The "Simple user interface" (see Options|Visual) did not work as intended. Now it does. Only the first track will be displayed. NOTE: you can assign any MIDI channel to this (or any) track.
- The "Sound source file" > "Open file..." dialog was buggy.
- Some other bugs fixed

New feature:
- A search box in the "Sound source file" > "Open file..." dialog to search for files in the current folder and sub-folders

What is new in version 3.300 of VSTSynthFont / VSTSynthFont64?

Bugs fixed:

- Just a few minor ones

New features:

- Support for multiple CPU cores. Results in faster handling of larger number if note events (voices / polyphony). Can be switched off at will (see image ->)

- Slider to set the polyphony limit (see image ->)

- Improved means of routing the MIDI channel to the tracks (see image ->)

- MIDI events filter. Most useful in case of multiple tracks for a channel, that is, combined with the routing feature above (see image ->)

What is new in version 3.201 of VSTSynthFont / VSTSynthFont64?

- The internal reverb effect was noisy

What is new in version 3.200 of VSTSynthFont / VSTSynthFont64?

- Some bug fixes

New features:

- The Inbuilt Reverb effect has been improved and made faster. Previously the same Reverb settings were applied to all separate instances of the plugin within a project. Now you can have separate settings for each instance. (You can identify the instance number at the top, right)

- There has been no way to select multiple tracks for editing. This version has a new column at the far right with checkboxes. Here you can check the tracks you want to handle simultaneously. Additionally at the top there is a new button, "SEL". Press to select/unselect all tracks. See image at the bottom.

- The 64 bit version has now a different "unique VST identification code" than the 32 bit version. Some hosts (like Cakewalk from BandLab) cannot handle two plugins with the same ID. If your host cannot find the 64 bit version you may need to rescan.

- Generally optimized and faster 64 bit version than before.

What is new in version 3.110 of VSTSynthFont / VSTSynthFont64?

- Some bug fixes

New feature:
- Inbuilt Reverb effect: MVerb. In Options/Synth you must select the mode and also enable/disable the effect. You can adjust the amount by using the new item in the Mixer menu, "Reverb Amount". Additionally, the amount can be set by MIDI Continuous Controller #91 (effects level).

What was new in version 3.100 of VSTSynthFont / VSTSynthFont64?

- You can now add more SoundFonts in addition to the Default SoundFont by listing folders containing any number of SoundFont files (or other suitable sound source files). See Options image below. Use this feature to add support for sound banks not present in the Default SoundFont. The plugin will search all the files for a suitable Bank and Preset patch.

- GUI: Icons for the 16 MIDI Program groups. See image further down below.

- GUI: The checkbox used for mute/play status has been replaced by a button (up/down status). Additionally, a separate Solo button has been added (see image).

- GUI: The track function to choose Pitch Shifting mode has been moved into the "Mixer" together with functions like Volume, Pan etc.

- GUI: The height of the tracks has been increased to facilitate text on two rows (mainly Sound source file and Preset).

- The plugin can now automatically check for the availability of a new version (there is also a button for manual check).

What is new in the latest VSTSynthFont [3] version?