29 Jul 2016

Blue 2.6.0

Blue 2.6.0 is now available at:

https://github.com/kunstmusik/blue/releases/tag/2.6.0

Release notes are available at that link describing the changes in detail. The big changes in this release are:

  1. Audio Layers - This is a new LayerGroup type within the Score timeline that allows working with audio files much like any DAW software. Users may drag and drop audio files, trim, scissor, and apply cross fades per file. Each layer is associated with a channel in the mixer and users may apply standard Blue effects to audio layer channels as well as automate parameters for effects. The goal with Audio Layers is to provide a well-known paradigm and GUI interface for music organization to Blue that users may use in addition to the more lower-level features of Blue’s Score system. This also represents a shift in Blue providing higher-level tools for common practice work. I have based a lot of the design on the implementation of Ardour (http://ardour.org), including the adoption of its cross-fade system for regions. This is the first release for AudioLayers and this fulfills what I consider the basic features required. I hope to continue developing this feature with the guidance of Blue users.

  2. Sound SoundObject - This has been modified to allow users to create BlueSynthBuilder interfaces for their custom-made soundObjects. Conceptually, this could be understood to have similarities to Kyma’s object system where individual objects on the timeline can be custom sound generation and processing objects that work at the level of sound, rather than the level of events.

  3. Java 8 is now required for running Blue.

  4. A 64-bit Windows blue64.exe is now provided that should be used with the newer Csound 6 releases for Windows.

Additionally, there are a large number of other updates and bug fixes, as described in the change log.

This release was delayed for a long time due to academic work as well as a large rewrite of internal code. I am now actively working on Blue and will be continuing on to issues for 2.6.1. Current plans for 2.7.0 are to rewrite and enhance the BlueSynthBuilder interface as well as redesign the time system for Blue’s score timeline to provide additional views (i.e, beats, time code, real time, etc.). The goals for 3.0.0 are to make Blue’s score system work entirely in realtime so that any changes will be reflects immediately, even while rendering. Further plans are to include a device input and mapping system for MIDI and OSC and to enhance BlueLive and its interaction with the Score.

There are a number of other internal things I will be looking at that will occur in parallel. This includes a rewrite of the manual, a new website, enhancements to BlueShare, researching alternate build systems (e.g., Maven 3), and moving from the Swing UI toolkit to JavaFX. Other features like metering in the Mixer and visualization (waveforms, spectrums, etc.) are also being considered but are not yet scheduled for a specific release.

Many thanks to Jan Jacob and Menno for providing valuable feedback during the testing of 2.6.0!

steven