Release of Orinj version 4.0.0 beta

This is a beta release as it has not been fully tested.

The following functionality is new with this version.

• Allowed loop files in the recording session. A loop file created in the Orinj loop building view can be inserted and used in the multitrack session.
• Integrated MIDI and loop files in the recording session. Operations that previously worked only for wave files () in the session will now work also for MIDI and loop files. Examples include setting the precise position of session blocks in time and looping (repeating) session blocks.
• With the integration of MIDI into the recording session, removed the use of wave files in the MIDI roll view. (These files were there to help with the creating of MIDI files that have to follow a certain melody stored in a wave file).
• Incorporated wave and MIDI markers in the wave and MIDI files. Markers are comments. They were previously saved separately from the files. Since they are a part of the file now, they will be available if the same file is inserted in another session or if the same file is opened by some software other than Orinj. (Loop markers were already part of the loop file).
• Changed the way audio files and session audio blocks are managed. Double-clicking on a sound block in the recording session – wave file, MIDI file, or loop file – will open the corresponding Orinj view – single wave, MIDI roll, or loop building. The file can be edited and effects can be applied in that view. Switching back to the session will automatically pull in the edited, new audio file. The original sound file on the disk, however, will be preserved until the user chooses to save edits. Since editing in each view now works better, certain operations that were in the multitrack session are no longer necessary and have been removed or limited.
• Allowed the MIDI roll view and the loop building view to open and work with multiple MIDI files and loop files respectively.
• Added functionality to convert MIDI files to wave files with the help of a Downloadable Sounds (DLS) file. The user can specify the DLS file to be used as the basis of the Orinj synthesizer in the Orinj preferences. A MIDI file can then be converted in the MIDI roll view. This functionality is still experimental and does not use all information in the DLS file (for example, the use of the amplitude envelopes specified in the DLS file is limited).
• Added functionality to replace drum hits in drum tracks. This will help if, for example, the recorded kick drum in a kick drum track is too hollow and needs to be replaced with another kick, where the positions and amplitudes of individual hits must be matched.
• Added a dither to the Orinj effect pack.
• Added popup menus that will show up when right-clicking on session audio blocks and tracks and other Orinj elements. This should make working with Orinj easier.
• Allowed the setting of the copyright message of a MIDI file.
• Allowed the user to select not to show certain warnings again.
• Reduced the number of elements (borders, etc.) used in the Orinj interface to make it lighter.
• Optimized the chorus and bass chorus effects to make them a bit faster.
• Optimized and reduced potential quantization errors in the simple reverb.

The following are bug fixes since version 3.

• Made changes to the compressors, limiter, and noise gate to make sure that the amplitude envelopes on which these react are correctly computed.
• Corrected selections over a wave block in the session when zooming in and out.
• Made sure dry and wet mix controls to the left of tracks in the session are set appropriately on opening a session.
• Fixed the initial choice of folder when inserting a MIDI file in the session (previously, this was going to the folder from which waves were opened).
• Fixed the muting of audio blocks in the session when these are dragged across tracks.
• Set the correct title of wave blocks after effects over these wave blocks are processed.
• Fixed the setting of wave meta data for source, as it was previously setting the meta data for artist.
• Made sure that languages work even if the translation is incomplete (when a specific translation is missing, English will be produced by default).

New known issues.

• In Windows, with Java 9 and 10, Orinj will cover the taskbar at the bottom.
• As above, the conversion of MIDI files to waves does not use all DLS functionality. This is work in progress.