What's new in Electra 3.0.1
Feb 9, 2023
- New features - interface:
- GUI with 16 different sizes (with and without editor / effects).
- Native support for WQHD, 4K, 5K and 8K UHD displays.
- GUI can be scaled from 50% up to 300% by clicking in the lower right corner.
- Smoother animations and more responisve controls.
- Support for hardware-acceleration.
- Ultrasharp graphics with enhanced HiDpi and Retina Display support.
- The SYNTH button flashes when a layer plays a note.This makes it easier to work with several arpeggiators.
- Automatic detection of the ideal GUI size.
- A check-mark shows the last loaded custom-waveform.
- Online help with tutorial videos.
- New features - synthesis:
- 118 additional patches that make use of the new features. The synth ships with 1439 patches now.
- The 8Bit noise oscillator can create lo-fi fx sounds from the past.The sound can be changed with PW and the key.
- Major and minor chords are available as additional key modes for the arpeggiator.
- The new 'Transient shaper' adds punch and presence to the sounds. It can be accessed in the 'sound mode' selector.
- The new 'Transient + Bass' mode adds presence and dynamic bass pressure to the sounds.It can be accessed in the 'sound mode' selector.
- New analog pulse oscillator types : Pulse 1/2, Pulse 2/5, Pulse 1/3, Pulse 1/4, Pulse 1/5, Pulse 1/6, Pulse 1/8.
- New analog oscillator types with inverted phase : Saw invert, Pulse invert.
- New analog oscillator types : Impulse, Sine Flip, Comb 2, Comb 3.
- New reverb-types : Cold, Theater and Hangar.
- 40 new waveforms for the custom-wave/wavetable oscillators.
- New bipolar modulation source : "Step LFO/Envelope +-".
- Monophonic LFOs that re-trigger only with the first pressed key (set the LFO mode to 'Mono').
- Monophonic STEP LFOs (set the trigger mode to 'Mono loop').
- Enhancements - synthesis:
- The audio-engine now uses 64-bit precision instead of 32-bit, which results in a higher sound-quality.
- CPU useage has been lowered.
- Maximum Delay-time has been extended.
- Enhanced sound of the automatic micro-tuning : A wide range of chords are detected.
- Replaced 'Reverb Hall' with a better sounding algorithm.
- Slightly enhanced sound of the Reverb types 'Cathedral', 'Room', 'Infinity', 'Big', 'Glass', 'Plate'.
- The arpeggiator's Stack-mode has been enhanced and can handle polyphonic input and duplicate notes.
- Enhanced sound of Unison.
- Unused matrix slots are cleaned-up automatically after saving patches.
- New Multistep-Envelope / LFO (available for each one of the 4 synth-layers):
- The STEP LFO has been completely rewritten.
- It can be used as a Multistep Envelope by changing trigger-mode to Envelope.
- The modulation capabilities of the synth have been extended drastically.
- Editing and sound-design is more intuitive.
- A realtime-display visualizes the current shape.
- The current play-position is shown.
- Unused parts of the LFO are faded-out.
- The STEP LFO shape and values are not longer only updated after NoteOn.
- It offers higher precision timing.
- It is able to interpolate and sounds a lot smoother.
- New Multistep-Envelope / LFO waveforms:
- Linear to left : Interpoles smoothly to the step located to the left.
- Cubic to left : Interpolates with a cubic spline.
- Analog slow : Analog envelope smoothing with low cutoff.
- Analog medium : Analog envelope smoothing with medium cutoff.
- Analog fast : Analog envelope smoothing with high cutoff.
- Analog reverse : Inverted analog envelope.
- Saw down : The step ramp downwards.
- Saw up : The step ramps upwards.
- Triangle : The step ramps upwards and downwards.
- Triangle 25 % : Sloped triangle.
- Triangle 75 % : Sloped triangle.
- Pulse 0 % : The second part of the step is 0.
- Pulse 50 % : The first part of the step is 0.
- Decay 1 : Slow analog decay envelope.
- Decay 2 : Fast analog decay envelope.
- Attack 1 : Slow analog attack envelope.
- Attack 2 : Fast analog attack envelope.
- Sine / 2 : Sine with half frequency.
- Cosine / 2 : Cosing with half frequency.
- Sine + -: Bipolar sine.
- FM Sine : The FM modulated sine is useful for wobbles.
- FM Square : FM modulated square-wave.
- FM Saw down : The FM modulated saw is useful for wobbles.
- FM Saw up : The FM modulated saw is useful for wobbles.
- Noise : A step with noise.
- Diffusion : Noisy diffusion between steps.
- Enhancements - interface:
- Completely rewritten GUI code.
- More beautiful graphics for the LCD displays.
- The animations of the filter, LFO, waveform and envelope-displays are drastically faster and smoother.
- More contrast for the knob-handles.
- Reworked many graphics.
- LFO waveform display is bigger.
- Keyboard in patch browser is hidden when editor or effects are hidden.
- Fine-tuned many coordinates in the interface.
- Fine-tuned some colors.
- More immediate control of filter cutoff and parameters.
- More tooltips with better descriptions.
- Layers are initialized with a smoothed gate shape.
- Patch browser can now also be opened by clicking on 'BROWSER' or the display on the upper left.
- A finger is shown when hovering over 'BROWSER' to indicate that the control is click - able.
- The interface gets a blue shading when drag & drop modulation is used.
- When a patch uses the STEP Lfo it is show automatically after loading.
- The user is warned if he / she selects a GUI size that is too large for the screen.
- Enhancements - synthesis:
- Enhanced sound quality.
- More precise pitch calculation.
- Higher precision timing of the LFOs.
- Enhanced sound of white noise.
- Enhanced sound of pink noise.
- Analog oscillators are more in-tune and have more beautiful noise.
- Step LFO shape and values are not longer updated only on NoteOn.
- Step LFO is able to interpolate and sounds smoother.
- Other enhancements:
- Enhanced DAW compatibility and stability.
- Performance optimizations.
- Smarter detection of the installation path on PC to avoid duplicate installations.
- All links are now https.
- A huge number of small enhancements.
- Fixes:
- Fixed an unlikely crash that could happen with switching a patch while playing a chord with micro-tuning.
- Fixed a rare issue with VST3 on PC running with a desktop zoom > 100%.
- Fixed a very unlikely crash that could happen when Init is pressed after loading the second patch of a category.
New in Electra 2.11.0 (Sep 8, 2022)
- New features:
- Added a VST3 version for Mac (M1 native and Intel).
- Added a standalone version for Mac (M1 native and Intel).
- Completely new AudioUnit interface.
- AU and VST3 version display the layer of the automation parameter.
- Enhancements:
- Many small enhancements.
- Fixes:
- Workarounds for many DAWs which did not resize the VST3 plugin properly.
- Automation in the VST3 version did not work with parameters that were located behind the 10th slot.
- Workaround for a bug of Ableton and FL Studio which do not properly stick to the AudioUnit2 standard and did not display the AudioUnit.
- Workaround for a bug of Reaper which did display automation parameters incorrectly.
- Compatibility fix for Ableton which did not record the automation of knobs from layer2-4 correctly.
New in Electra 2.8.7 (Feb 15, 2022)
- New features:
- Added a VST3 version.
- You can select from 3 different installation types: Minimal (VST2 only), Default (VST2 + Standalone) and Full (VST2 + VST3 + Standalone).
- HiDPI support for the VST3 version.
- Longer parameter-names with Layer-number for the VST3 version.
- Enhancements:
- Smaller binary and slightly faster loading.
- More linear frequency respone for very high frequencies.
- Enhanced oversampling for 44 and 48kHz.
- More precise timing.
- More detailed tooltips.
- Slightly better performance.
- Further optimisation to prevent denormalisation.
- Smarter detection of VST2 path.
- Several small enhancements.
- Fixes:
- Workaround for some DAWs that did not update the GUI properly after re-sizing it.
- The VST3 plugin (beta v2.8.5) did not properly sync the BPM-rate.
- Recording Automation with the VST3 version (beta v2.8.5) did not work in all DAWs.
- Fixed a possible GUI glitch with the Step-LFO.
- Changes:
- The 32 bit version will not longer be updated. If you still depend on it, you can install Electra 2.8 instead.
New in Electra 2.8 (Jul 2, 2020)
- New features:
- A big interface is available beside of the normal scale now.
- It is possible to select from 6 GUI sizes by clicking on 'SIZE'.
- The plugin detects the screen-resolution and selects the best size automatically.
- The filter-display, the osc-display, the lfo-display and the envelope-display are animated when automation or Midi-learn is used.
- Pitchwheel and Modwheel are animated when the patch-browser is visisble.
- Added Notarisation for the installers on Mac.
- Support for Code-Signing on the Mac, since new hosts may require it to be able to run plugins.
- Compatibility with MacOS Catalina.
- Completely new AudioUnit interface.
- Enhacements:
- The plugin and songs are loading, saving, opening and closing faster
- Better compatibility with other plugins
- More intuitive handling of sample-loops.
- Better descriptions for some tool-tips.
- Many small enhancements for the user-interface.
- Fixed some typos.
- More contrast for the pitch-wheel and mod-wheel in the patch-browser.
- More accurate timing for Midi-events.
- More accurate processing of Midi-pitchwheel.
- Enhanced sound-quality:
- Slighly enhanced sound of PingPong, Delay and Delay-Diffuse by reducing the detuning.
- Enhanced sound and default-settings for Delay-Band and Multitap.
- Enhanced sound and performance of Reverb-Hall and Reverb-Cathedral.
- Enhanced sound-quality of sample-playback in high octaves.
- Changes:
- 32 bit on Mac is not longer supported. If you still use it, install Electra 2.7 instead.
- MacOS 10.7 is the minimum requirement now. If you still use 10.6 or 10.5, install Electra 2.7.
- Fixes:
- Fixed a possible crash.
- Fixed a possible compatibility-problem with Cubase and FL-Studio where the screen was blank.
- Workaround for a well-known bug in Apple's AU-manager: It is not longer necessary to reboot the Mac to detect the plugin.
New in Electra 2.8 Beta (Jun 4, 2020)
- New features:
- A big interface is available beside of the normal scale now.
- It is possible to select from 6 GUI sizes by clicking on 'SIZE'.
- The plugin detects the screen-resolution and selects the best size automatically.
- The filter-display, the osc-display, the lfo-display and the envelope-display are animated when automation or Midi-learn is used.
- Pitchwheel and Modwheel are animated when the patch-browser is visisble.
- Added Notarisation for the installers on Mac.
- Support for Code-Signing on the Mac, since new hosts may require it to be able to run plugins.
- Compatibility with MacOS Catalina.
- Completely new AudioUnit interface.
- Enhacements:
- The plugin and songs are loading, saving, opening and closing faster
- Better compatibility with other plugins
- More intuitive handling of sample-loops.
- Better descriptions for some tool-tips.
- Many small enhancements for the user-interface.
- Fixed some typos.
- More contrast for the pitch-wheel and mod-wheel in the patch-browser.
- More accurate timing for Midi-events.
- More accurate processing of Midi-pitchwheel.
- Enhanced sound-quality:
- Slighly enhanced sound of PingPong, Delay and Delay-Diffuse by reducing the detuning.
- Enhanced sound and default-settings for Delay-Band and Multitap.
- Enhanced sound and performance of Reverb-Hall and Reverb-Cathedral.
- Enhanced sound-quality of sample-playback in high octaves.
- Changes:
- 32 bit on Mac is not longer supported. If you still use it, install Electra 2.7 instead.
- MacOS 10.7 is the minimum requirement now. If you still use 10.6 or 10.5, install Electra 2.7.
- Fixes:
- Fixed a possible crash.
- Fixed a possible compatibility-problem with Cubase and FL-Studio where the screen was blank.
- Workaround for a well-known bug in Apple's AU-manager: It is not longer necessary to reboot the Mac to detect the plugin.
New in Electra 2.7.5 (Jul 4, 2019)
- New features (standalone-version for PC):
- Added a recorder that can export your jam-session to a wav-file
- The BPM-rate can be changed
- Added a soft-clipping-algorithm with low harmonic distortion
- The current patch can be saved on exit and is reloaded automatically on start
- MME-driver support
- Midi-through support with output-routing
- Added Midi-velocity-curves with multipoint-splines
- Optional Midi-transposition with up to +-48 semitones
- Optional Midi-channel-filtering
- The current BPM-rate, CPU-load and volume is shown on the top-panel
- Tooltips are shown on the top-panel
- Enhancements (standalone-version for PC):
- Lower latencies for the soundcard drivers
- More responsive GUI with 120 Hz refresh-rate for smooth knob movements
- Many further small enhancements
- Fixes (PC-version):
- Electra sometimes did not output sound after loading a project in Cubase. It could occur if a patch with mono/legato was used.
- The link to the manual in the start-menu did not work.
New in Electra 2.7 (Apr 5, 2019)
- New features:
- New effect 'Hyper Unison' which stacks 3,5,7 or 9 voices.
- New effect 'Haas Effect' which creates the impression of positioning a sound source.
- New triangular waveshaper 'ShapTri' for the distortion section.
- New asymmetric waveshaper 'ShapAsy' for the distortion section.
- New pulsed waveshaper 'ShapPul' for the distortion section.
- New warping waveshaper 'ShapWar' for the distortion section.
- New asymmetric waveshaper 'ShapHal' for the distortion section.
- New zapping waveshaper 'ShapZap' for the distortion section.
- New symmetric waveshaper 'ShapSym' for the distortion section.
- New distortion type 'Selfsync' which creates a sub-harmonic sound.
- New distortion type 'Degrade' which adds mirror-frequencies to the signal.
- New distortion type 'Noise' which mixes white noise with the signal.
- New distortion type 'NoiseRM' which ring-modulates the signal with noise.
- New distortion type 'Scream' with fractal feedback.
- Added support for *.sfz files. They can be imported with the FILE menu.
- New sample-oscillator-effect: 'Rectify' distorts a sample.
- New sample-oscillator-effect: 'Noisify 2' destroys a sample.
- New sample-oscillator-effect: 'Invert' changes the phase of a sample by 180 degrees.
- New sample-oscillator-effect: 'Fold' flips the negative amplitude of a sample.
- Plugin editor can be minimized permanently by clicking the EDIT button.
- Multi-line tooltips for better readability and more detailed descriptions.
- New microtuning-modes '432Hz -32cent','424Hz -66cent','449Hz +33cent' and '457Hz +66cent'.
- When multilayer-editing is active the knobs show a red line.
- Added drag&drop support for multilayer-editing.
- Quick import sample' does generate a new program name automatically.
- Quick import sample' maps the mod-wheel to vibrato automatically.
- Quick import sample' automatically generates a soft velocity mapping to volume.
- Enhancements:
- Patches are loading up to 10x faster.
- Songs are loading faster.
- Drastically reduced CPU-load after switching through the patches.
- Enhanced sound of the 'Shape' waveshaper (20x oversampling & removed a click).
- Enhanced sound of 'Tube' distortion (10x oversampling).
- Enhanced sound of 'Soft' distortion (10x oversampling).
- Enhanced sound of 'Crush' distortion (10x oversampling).
- Enhanced sound of 'Chorus' and 'Ensemble'. They sound smoother and less detuned.
- Enhanced sound of 'Delay','Delay Band','PingPong','Multitap','Delay Diffuse' and 'Delay Dual'. The echo sounds less detuned.
- Better default values for some effects.
- More linear frequency response above 14 Khz for 'Loudness' and 'Bright' mode.
- Enhanced sound, frequency respone and phase response of EQ low.
- PC version is smarter with selecting directories for saving and loading.
- Useless scroll-bars are not longer shown in the standalone version on PC.
- Drastically enhanced performance if excessive key-splitting for the oscillators is used.
- More detailed descriptions for many tooltips.
- The patch browser does react to midi-program-changes.
- Parallel and serial filter-routing is easier to set-up.
- Fine-tuned the coordinates of some controls.
- Changes:
- ElectraXmidi.cfg is now stored within the ElectraX_data directory.
- ElectraMouse.cfg is now stored within the ElectraX_data directory.
- ElectraTooltips.cfg is now stored within the ElectraX_data directory.
- Electra2.pdf is now stored within the ElectraX_data directory.
- Smart Unison' has been renamed to 'Chorus White'
- Chorus 2' has been renamed to 'Chorus Standard'.
- Sample effect 'Square' has been renamed to 'Quadrature'.
- The sinoid-waveshaper 'Shaper' has been renamed to 'ShapSin'.
- The effect-parameters do not longer contain a '*'.
- Fixes:
- Fixed a compatibility problem with recording automation in some hosts.
- Fixed a bug with list-selectors on Mac 64bit.
- The grid of the step-lfo was displayed incorrectly.
- Workaround for a Cubase-bug which sets the window-size incorrectly after 'save a default preset'.
- A double-click to the matrix-send-level did not update the modulation-depth-sectors for the knobs properly.
- Fixed a possible crash which could happen when the plugin is closed while a tooltip is shown.
- Fixed a bug in the fast-sine-approximation on PC.
- The check-mark for the patch selector was missing in some hosts after closing and opening the GUI.
- Key-range for note-filtering was displayed incorrectly.
- Fixed some typos in the tooltips.
- Initializing a new patch did not always update the program name correctly.