4Pockets have updated MidiStep, currently available for $14.99.
What’s new in version 1.02:
- Added a new Chord Articulation panel on the right of the display. It is only visible when you open the Chord Editor or tap on the column number in the chord pane. This panel allows you to play a chord as a BLOCK CHORD, a STRUM UP or DOWN strum (and complies with TIES), or ARP UP or DOWN with Accent. We can also adjust the note length of each note played which allows us to create muted strums etc.
- You can now set a Complexity between 1 and 8 which works better for the new chord articulation features (divisible by 2). We now allow a complexity of 1 for chords. Normally MidiStep takes additional chord notes away till it gets to the complexity but never removed the root note. If complexity is set to 1 however, it will simply randomize one of the available notes.
- Disabled notes are now ghosted and not removed.
- Rotating of the current pattern (left & right) can be achieved by long pressing the random jump button in a lane.
- Long pressing Chord Editor enables chord follow mode. This automatically selects steps containing chords as they play. This is useful for demonstration purposes and recording videos to help visualise chord changes. If PAUSE is enabled the follow function is also paused.
- Fixed the issue where the popup remains on the param lane after a double tap on a fader.
- Fixed the randomization option on Modulation lanes.
- You can now enable the Chord and Master Lane Step Previews in Settings (OFF, DOUBLE, SINGLE) taps. Chord Lane defaults to DOUBLE TAP, Master Lane to OFF. By default a double tap on the chord step previews the note or chord on that step.
- Added a basic global swing option (long press Note Length). If a column has a Delay assigned, it takes priority over the global swing.
- We now set the default velocity to 100 on the Velocity lane. The default random range is 100 with limits of 80-110. This helps when applying accents to chords using the articulation panel.
- Global Randomize no longer randomizes the Master Pattern Length.
- Added a basic Humanize option (long press root Key button).
- Added some additional checks when setting scales, to ensure nothing goes out-of-range.
- Fixed the issue restoring the Range Min and Range Max settings on the MOD1-8 lanes.
- Removed the aumu version to avoid confusion which also fix issues with Logic Pro on Mac. This app is a AUv3 MIDI plugin so please use it as a MIDI plugin.
- Fixed the display issue with the Next Pattern number being displayed incorrectly.
- Added a STOP option to the Next Pattern menu. Once a playback is stopped, stopping and restarting the host transport or tapping a pattern manually restarts it again. When stopped, MidiStep stops outputting MIDI data.
- Added a Duplicate Instance option to the main menu when multiple instances are detected, allowing you to copy the settings of another instance.
- Added a new option to the Settings called ‘Quantise Pattern Change’. When enabled, manual pattern changes are queued IF the host sequencer is running. The pattern button will flash showing a pattern is queued, and the pattern will be selected after playback of the current pattern completes. This is prioritised over whatever NEXT PATTERN is set to. A queued change is allowed even if PAUSE is enabled. The queued pattern will be removed if the host stops playing.
- If using an external keyboard, pressing the LEFT SHIFT while dragging a fader will snap ALL faders to the current value. Dragging a fader while pressing the RIGHT SHIFT snaps the current fader and following faders.
MidiStep is a powerful and inspirational polyphonic step sequencer, and a dream for lovers of complex rhythms and generative music creation tools. The program uses sophisticated, user-controlled randomization to generate notes with a variety of parameters, including note values, note length, chords, patterns, velocity, gate, dividers, repeats, swing, and many more.
You have complete control over what, when, and how much is randomized on a step-by-step basis. You can easily create patterns that have little to no variation, patterns that maintain a recognizable pattern but have some degree of variations to the notes, velocity, etc., all the way to patterns with extreme randomness with every pass – the degree of randomization is completely under your control for every parameter and for every step of a pattern.
Features include per-step polyphonic chord playback, variable step sequence lengths for all parameters such as pitch, octave, velocity, note duration, beat divisions etc, and the capability to create multiple patterns which can be linked together in various ways.
MidiStep also features 8 additional modulation lanes with independent play speeds. These can be used to automate parameters within your favourite synths.
MidiStep uses sophisticated randomization settings for note values, note lengths, velocity, gate, dividers, repeats, swing, and modulation. In addition, by setting different cycle lengths, step skips, step repeats, jumps, rewinds, cursor positions, pattern jumps, octave shifts, and many other parameters, you can create an infinite number of non-repeating sequences. The degree and types of randomizations for each of these parameters is up to you!
Aleatoric music, also known as chance music, allows you to create patterns and entire compositions with user-controlled randomisation. The word ‘aleatory’ is derived from the Latin word ‘alea’ meaning dice. MidiStep allows you to turn on/off randomisation on a stepwise basis for almost all parameters, set the percent probability that the randomisation will occur, set min/max values, set exactly which parameters will be randomized, etc. The exact realization of the music will vary with each pass of the sequence, resulting in unique and captivating aleatoric renditions. All randomization controls can be modified in real-time.
Features include:
- 9 independent sequencer lanes (Notes, Chords, Octaves, Velocity, Gate, Divider, Repeat, Swing).
- 8 lanes of Modulation with differing play speeds.
- Up to 16 steps per pattern, 16 patterns.
- Chain patterns in any order.
- Independent sequencer length for each of the lanes.
- Independent randomization parameters for each lane.
- Probability, Note Skips, Chord Chance and Complexity per lane.
- 126 scales and 126 chords – in every key.
- Scale and Chord editors.
- 5-octave range for notes and chords.
- Arpeggiator – Mono and Poly using a MIDI input.
- Transposition of sequences using MIDI input.
- Export the generated MIDI to Helium or to the Clipboard.
- Preset Manager to create, load, save, and rename.
Watch Doug’s overview video HERE.
MidiStep is available to iPhone and iPad users (AUv3).
Watch the walkthrough video HERE.
For more information on MidiStep, click here:
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