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The following questions
and answers represent the queries and problems most frequently
confronting the reViSiT user. The questions are largely adapted
from past emails or from the forum.
How
do I get reViSiT Professional?
Will reViSiT ever be available for
Mac OS X?
Why are there two
separate windows, and not one integrated environment?
How does MIDI work in reViSiT?
Does reViSiT support
surround sound or assignable audio ouputs?
Will reViSiT v1.0 be
freeware, shareware or commercial?
What VST hosts are supported
by the current version of reViSiT?
The keyboard doesn't
work. What's all this about "Keyboard Modes"?
reViSiT feels sluggish
when used in Manual modes. Why is this?
Why doesn't the first
row play, when playing from the VST host's transport bar?
How do I access the Help
system?
Why
doesn't my Impulse Tracker module sound right, in reViSIT?
Why does the sound begin
to break up when <X> number of channels are playing?
How do I load my VSTrack
/ reViSiT v0.84.x files in reViSiT v0.85+?
How do I get reViSiT Professional
Edition?
With
the launch of the reViSiT
Experiment, reViSiT Professional was
available to the public from 1st December
2008. Existing professional users can download the most recent version from the experiment website (see http://experiment.nashnet.co.uk).
Since the end of the experiment, new Professional Licences have been
awarded to individuals who donate money
(see here for details)
or otherwise contribute to the project. At somepoint in 2012, reViSiT
will switch to a commercial 'freemium' model, where the Standard Edition remains
free and the Professional Edition is available to the general public to
buy, at a fixed price point that is yet to be announced.
Will reViSiT ever be available for Mac OS X?
Hopefully, yes. Most of the reViSiT code was developed to be
platform-independent, to make it easy to 'port' it to other platforms, notably
including Mac OS X. The current Windows-only version, however, uses several
Win32 tricks to work around UI problems presented by certain VST hosts and the
OS itself. Beginning January 2012, several small projects are underway to move
reViSiT towards an OS X version. These will likely include a basic OS X reViSiT
player application/plugin (porting the audio engine), working up to a
more-complete reViSiT editor (porting the UI). Versions for iOS (and possibly
Android) devices are also being considered, though these will require more work,
to tailor the user experience to touchscreens.
Why are there two separate windows, and not one integrated environment?
reViSiT offers an integrated, single-windowed environment in standalone mode (v1.7+). For plugin mode, I would dearly love there to be only one window, but because different hosts
handle their internal windows differently, this is the only solution to
guarantee both keyboard input (explained below) and the
option to resize the editor (the latter of which is not otherwise supported in
VST2). However, the arrangement is designed so that you can ignore the toolbar
and just focus on the larger editor window. reViSiT 1.5 also improved matters a
little, using some tricks that allow this second window to appear inside the
host and anchor it to the toolbar. Further improvements were also made to
window behaviour in reViSiT 1.6.
How
does MIDI-Out work in reViSiT?
As in Impulse Tracker 2, reViSiT allows composers to trigger MIDI
devices as an alternative to the internal sample engine. reViSiT
uses two methods to send MIDI: through the VST host and/or directly
to a MIDI driver.
The
first method is only fully supported in a limited number of hosts.
Using this mehtod, MIDI-out message will usually depart the reViSiT
plug-in and appear as a MIDI input in the host program, from which
it can be diverted to the appropriate MIDI device or VSTi. This
method is limited to 16 channels of MIDI, although these could
be across 16 different MIDI devices or VSTi's. This may not sound
like many, but bear in mind that the host (viz. sequencer) itself
is still available and sometimes better suited for further exploiting
MIDI and VST instruments. For the applications that trackers excel
in (such as bass lines, synth leads and rhythmic elements), 16
channels should be adequate*.
For
people whose hosts do not support VST MIDI, and those requiring
more channels, the second option enables you to select any of
the system's MIDI drivers to send MIDI to directly. This allows
a almost unlimited number of MIDI channels and devices to be controlled
from reViSiT. Furthermore, it is still possible to send MIDI to
the host (for controlling VSTi's or effects) using this method,
if you use a MIDI Loopback driver (like LoopBe1 or Hubbi's MIDI
Loopback device). Simply select the loopback driver both as the
output in reViSiT and as the input in the host.
After
configuration, MIDI instruments, in reViSiT, behave exactly
like sample-based ones - since v0.86.5, all tracker effects, pitch
slides, vibratos, etc. are all translated into the relevant MIDI
messages. Indeed, the only tracker effect not to have MIDI equivalent
is the Sample Offset command (Oxx). Instead, you can specify up
to 10 extra MIDI commands (aftertouch, pressure, MIDI CC), to
use in your patterns - these are entered as the commands 0xx to
9xx and set up in the MIDI Settings dialog, accessible through
the Instrument List (Pitch page).
*
Saying that, however, plans are already in the works for a seperate
VST plug-in that will extend reViSiT's MIDI timbrality to 256
channels. Note, such a plug-in would be bundled with the pro version
only, should one be warranted (see question, "Will reViSiT
v1.0 be freeware, shareware or commercial?", below).
Does
reViSiT support surround sound or assignable audio ouputs?
These features are the core ingredients of reViSiT Professional
Edition (see below), which is the first tracker to fully
support surround sound spatialisation, including both quadraphonic
and 5.1 sound formats. Extending the tracker notation of Impulse
Tracker 2, reViSiT Pro allows surround panning, directly from
the pattern - discrete fixed point sources, panning in two dimensions
and 360° panoramic panning, including support for Centre and
LFE channels. The Panning Mode in the Pattern Editor has been
extended to account for Front/Back depth panning, as well as the
usual Left/Right. Additional effect commands are also be available
to take advantage of the new possibilities.
reViSiT Pro also supports multiple and assignable
audio outputs, allowing composers to route music to seperate external
effects and avail of other post-processing options. As a plug-in
working independently of hardware, reViSiT supports a high number
of virtual audio channels. For example, reViSiT can feed 32 (or
more) channels to the host, grouped into 16 output busses. Each
output can be a different format: mono, stereo, quad or surround
(5.1), addressable through reViSiT in a variety of ways. As
in other trackers, reViSiT allows the user to assign individual
channels to a specific output. However, reViSiT further extends
this functionality by allowing individual instruments and even
samples to be routed to specific outputs. A new effect, S0x, has
also been introduced to control channel output assignments on-the-fly,
as the music is playing - allowing you to send individual notes
to specific outputs.
Will
reViSiT v1.0 be freeware, shareware or commercial?
It is envisaged that reViSiT development will continue for a
long time past v1.0, but the project will need a modest amount
of money
to make it practicably sustainable. Currently, enthusiasts can
make a voluntary donation, using
Paypal. If this puts enough in the coffers, reViSiT will remain
fully-functional
and free to everyone. Otherwise, reViSiT will be divided into
two products: a
free Standard Edition (basic, but complete feature
set, for non-commercial endeavours) and a Professional Edition (extended functionality, with
a license to use reViSiT commercially). The
features added by the Professional Edition, include surround
sound, advanced
audio bus routing (assignable outputs), MIDI-controlled
playback, and hi-definition (subrow) timing and editing, as detailed here.
What
VST hosts are supported by the current version of reViSiT?
This current version of reViSiT has been developed to support
as many VST hosts as possible. Although v0.84.x originally targetted
the Cubase SX host, more recent versions have been tested, and
adapted to work, on a variety of platforms. The following tables
sumarise the results. If you should come across a host not in
the table, please report your findings to info@revisit.info.
NOTE:
Since v0.87.3 and v0.87.4 the keyboard modes have changed, so
this table might be out-of-date for your host. All previously
supported hosts should still be fine, but the keyboard mode might
be different. More hosts should now have keyboard support by
default. Those that don't will need to use the Manual
mode (click the key icon, bottom right, then use Ctrl-Alt-K
to toggle). Auto and Win32 modes are no longer available.
| |
recommended
hosts |
kbd. |
comments |
|
| 
|
Steinberg
Cubase SX
(v1.0-3.0.2 tested) |
-- |
No
problems. |
|
Mackie
Tracktion
(v1.6-2.1 tested) |
-- |
No
problems. |
| |
supported hosts |
kbd.¹ |
comments |
|
|
Steinberg
Cubase VST
(v3.553 (demo) tested) |
-- |
No
problems. |
|
Steinberg
Nuendo
(v2.01 (demo) tested) |
-- |
No
problems. |
|
Emagic
Logic Audio
(v5.1-5.5 tested) |
-- |
No
problems. |
|
Ploque
Bidule
(v0.6602 tested) |
-- |
No
problems. |
|
VSTHost
(1.37 tested) |
Manual¹ |
No
problems. |
|
SAVIHost
(v1.25 tested) |
Manual¹ |
No
problems. |
|
Image-line
FL Studio
(v4.52 tested) |
Manual |
No
problems. |
|
Ioneo
Aero Studio
(v1.0.11.13 tested) |
-- |
No
problems. |
|
Tonewise
DirectiXer
(v2.5 tested) |
Manual |
No
problems. |
|
Synapse
Audio Orion
(v5.59 tested) |
-- |
No
problems. |
|
energyXT
(v1.2.7 tested) |
Manual |
No
problems. |
|
Buzz
(v1.2 (fixed exe) tested) |
-- |
Use
Polac VST and enable "VST Keys". Otherwise, no
problems. |
|
Cakewalk
VST Adapter
(v4 tested) |
Manual |
No
problems. |
|
Cakewalk
SONAR
(v3-8 tested) |
Manual |
Use
included VST Adapter, or DirectiXer. Otherwise, no problems. |
|
AudioMulch
(v0.9b17 tested) |
Manual |
Some
stability issues reported. (Also, make sure "Enable
Audio" is selected). |
|
Renoise
(v1.5 tested) |
-- |
Select
'Enable Keyboard' in Renoise. Otherwise, no problems. |
|
Ableton
Live
(v4.1.4 tested) |
-- |
No
problems. |
|
Magix
Samplitude
(v7.2 (demo) tested) |
Manual |
Ensure
that whichever track reViSiT is on is set with monitoring
enabled, when playing apart from the host, and set with
monitoring disabled when playing in-sync with the host.
Otherwise, no problems. |
| |
unsupported hosts |
kbd. |
comments |
|
 |
Tobybear
MiniHost
(v1.04-1.64 tested) |
Manual |
Limitations
in host sync communication causes looping of first 16 rows
(fist bar). |
|
Magix
Samplitude
(v9 (demo) tested) |
none |
Not
supported. Host steals specific keys, even in Manual Mode. |
¹
Used to override conflicting shortcut keys in the VST Host application.
The
keyboard doesn't work. What's all this about "Keyboard Modes"?
reViSiT, since v0.87.4, now only has two modes: a default
mode and an option to use Manual override. Most hosts
should work without changing any settings, but some hosts use
keyboard hooks to get the keyboard input and this steals it from
reViSiT. So Manual mode steals it back! Manual mode can also be
used to divert ALL the host's keyboard input to reViSiT, so you
could use be using the keyboard to control reViSiT while using
the mouse to fiddle with the host.
reViSiT
feels sluggish when used in the Manual mode. Why is this?
In Manual mode, reViSiT uses a method of
getting keyboard input called hooking, which effectively
steals the keystrokes from the operating system (i.e. Windows,
itself). It is somewhat less direct than the default mode, and
(perhaps ironically) puts reViSiT at the mercy of the operating
system - sometimes making it wait longer for the keyboard input.
reViSiT itself is still performing at full throttle - playback,
sync, etc. should be unaffected - but some hesitation might appear
when keys are pressed on the keyboard. However, most of the time,
this should only be observable when a key is held down (and repeated)
- such as when you use the cursor to move to the end of a pattern.
Why
does row 0 play (or sound different) when playing from the host's
transport bar?
This is not a problem with reViSiT. Some
VST Hosts, upon rewind, do not return to absolute zero themselves.
reViSiT v0.87+ includes a workaround for this problem, but this
might result in the first row being played ever so slightly late.
Sometimes the problem can be solved or lessened by fiddling with
plug-in delay compensation or pre-roll settings in the host. However,
the only guaranteed solution is to offset your whole song by a
bar or so.
How
do I access the help system?
reViSiT supports a comprehensive built-in support system. In
most parts of the program, you can get help with what you're
working on by pressing F1. To find out the keyboard
shourtcuts for different parts of the program, press Shift-F1.
For more general enquiries, the Help Bar is accessible by pressing
Ctrl-F1. If you still
have questions or need further assistance, drop by the forum,
where the will always be someone who can help.
Why
doesn't my IT/S3M/XM/MOD module sound right, in reViSIT?
The initial goal of reViSiT is to get as close to IT2
compatibility as possible.
There will always be some limitations, though, such as control
over playback speed (Axx, Txx commands) - which is the responsibility
of the host application. Amiga pitch slides are also something
reViSiT does not (and may never) support. Any other anomalies
should be reported on the forum and will be addressed forthwith.
Why
does the sound begin to break up when <X> number of channels
are playing?
reViSiT does a lot more than Impulse Tracker 2 did, and thus uses
quite a bit more CPU. Recent versions have been painstakingly
optimised, so most computers should have no problem running the
current version of reViSiT. However, performance ultimately depends
on the processing power of the host computer. An ASIO driver for
your soundcard is highly recommend. See http://www.asio4all.de
for details on how to obtain a generic low-latency ASIO driver
that will work with most consumer soundcards. Increasing the latency (or buffer) may also improve performance.
How
do I load my VSTrack / reViSiT v0.84.x files in reViSiT v0.85+?
reViSiT's
file architecture stores all logical data (for example, patterns
and settings, etc.) in XML format ("Module.xml"),
and then all sample file data in separate WAVE-compatible
files ("Sample X.wav", where 'X' represents
the sample number). reViSiT v0.85+ automatically compresses all
the files into a single ZIP-compatible archive.
The result is a flexible, portable, extensible, efficient and
accessible format. For example: all files can be unzipped and
independently edited by appropriate editors.
To convert your old (v0.84.x) to the new format,
you can rename the old ".vstr" file as "Module.xml",
and rename the old ".smpX" samples as "Sample X.wav"
and then use WinZIP
(or a zip-compatible compression utility, including Windows XP
itself) to zip them into a single file. This file should then
load directly in reViSiT v0.85+. |