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1. • CommentAuthoradmin
   • CommentTimeApr 8th 2007 edited

    
   8/04/07: beta 2 version is released. This version adds:
   

   
   
   • resize selections, to expand the pitch range or change the tempo of a set of sounds. This is an extension of the select tool
     
   • Add or remove individual points. Extension of the Edit tool.
     
   • Edit and create new time scales. See the View > TimeScale menus.
     
   • jdk 1.4 is now supported.
     
   • many envelopes and waveforms have been added, included a noise waveform.
     
   • some performance improvements.
     
   • new samples are integrated in the documentation and on the website.
     

   
   note: the former "crazy" waveforms are not supported anymore. While they were certainly interesting, they were not really controlable.
2. • CommentAuthorthbb
   • CommentTimeApr 24th 2007

    
   25/04/07: beta 3 is released
   
   

   
   
   • includes a new completely new tutorial: "create your interpretation of the "waves" sample
   
   
   • reads MIDI files. The current reader is a bit coarse, but sufficient to enter a melody or some chords easily.
   
   
   • better handling of move selection
   
   
   • real time playback
   
   
   • added a pure additive waveform "Piano"
   
   
3. • CommentAuthoradmin
   • CommentTimeJul 1st 2007 edited

    
   1/07/07: beta 4 is released
   
   

   
   
   • fixes in time scale dialog
     
   • ability to define your own pitch scale, including non-octave based scales
     
   • Hz pitch scale
     
   • Tooltips (in View>Show Tooltips) give precise information (Hz, s) of the location of the pointer.
     
   • ability to resize block of sounds to create a "mirror" image (reversed image of a part in time and/or pitch)
     
   • edit pure additive sound waveform (specify the relative values of the harmonics of the sound)
     
   • edit "noise band" waveforms (specify the spread and density of noise bands)
     
   • numerous small bug fixes, including visibility filters
     

   
   
   notes: upcoming in the next versions: live import of midi data, tag management, define a waveform with a numerical expression (like cos(x) + cos(2*x)) , envelopes have fixed attack and release times, ability to create and instantiate sound templates...
4. • CommentAuthoradmin
   • CommentTimeOct 2nd 2007 edited

    
   1/10/07: v 1.5 is about to be released. It includes:
   

   
   
   • computation sped up by 20%
     
   • export piece as .wav, .aiff, .snd (or any other format supported by the platform)
     
   • move to front/send to back sounds to help you manage large pieces as multiple layers.
     
   • full tag management: help you structure your piece, organizing it in voices, parts, tracks...
     
   • live MIDI import: play on your keyboard to enter phrases or short sequences in HighC.
     
   • some more fixes in time and pitch scales management
     
   • waveform expressions: specify a mathematical expression to define a waveform. This lets you implement Frequency modulation, Amplitude modulation, and many other weird effects to your sounds. Requires some notion of the mathematical aspects of audio synthesis.
     
   • patterns/sound templates (first draft): select some sounds, turn them into a pattern that you can instantiate at many places in your piece, transpose or scale, and edit, propagating the changes to all
     the instances accross your piece. patterns can embed other patterns.
     Patterns allow some kind of granular synthesis in HighC.
     

   
   
   

   The next release will concentrate on patterns manipulation, better visualization of the waveforms, better ways to define envelopes, and perhaps import audio samples. Then I will be in the position to attack multichannel (stereo or full spatialization) as well as multithreaded audio rendering.

5. • CommentAuthoradmin
   • CommentTimeOct 26th 2007

    
   26/10/07: version 1.52 is essentially a list of fixes and small improvements addressing user feedback.
   
   - compatibility issues with java 1.4 fixed.
   - pitch scale with 0 reference fixed.
   - Error while writing [rissetloop, prop, visualization] fixed.
   - time scale: allow several colors for the bars and bar groups.
   - adjust and warn about bad calibration of the renderer's time.
   - reopen Piece reuses the last view settings.
   - click on '-' in envelope or waveform editor to remove a library.
   - edit FunctionalWaveform now operational.
   - waveforms and envelopes can be edited in a separate full view pane.
6. • CommentAuthoradmin
   • CommentTimeOct 23rd 2008

    
   16/02/08: version 2.0
   
   After 3 months of preparation, version 2 is finally there.
   
   the major technical improvement is a generalized scheme to handle modulation. Both low frequency (vibrato and tremolo) and high frequency (FM synthesis and ring modulation) amplitude and frequency modulations are available with a single unified approach.
   Other improvements include:
   - ability to set precise attack and release times for envelopes
   - patterns are a powerful mean to create rhythms, chord lines or to perform granular synthesis.
   - more guidance when starting highc
   - reworked documentation
   
   This comes at a price: the version 2 is now paying for professional uses. But if you don't want to pay 29.99E, and still enjoy HighC, you can still get a free pro license by submitting your samples in the user's forum...
7. • CommentAuthoradmin
   • CommentTimeOct 23rd 2008

    
   16/03/08
   
   Version 2.05 was released yesterday night.
   
   This version fixes numerous bugs on MacOSX Tiger and Windows. However, on MacOSX Leopard, an Apple bug reduces the usability (due to the envelope editor).
   
   A few small features were added.
8. • CommentAuthoradmin
   • CommentTimeOct 23rd 2008

    
   20/03/08:
   
   Version 2.06 was released tonight.
   
   This time, the Leopard bug should be fixed. If you are on MacOSX and have a license, there is a small possibility that I have to regenerate a license key for you with this version. If suddenly, your programs does not give you the pro features, send me an email. I'll try to reach those of you who are concerned before anyhow.
   
   Among other features, the version 2.05 added: a Pink Noise waveform, much better representation of the modulations, and a "Export as Picture" action.
9. • CommentAuthoradmin
   • CommentTimeOct 23rd 2008

    
   13/04/08: Version 2.1 was released today.
   
   It features mostly an extended default library, with many examples of loops, granular, FM and additive synthesis. Numerous bugs, notably with envelopes, have been fixed.
   
   Performance is about 10% faster
10. • CommentAuthoradmin
    • CommentTimeOct 23rd 2008

     
    16/05/08: Version 2.2 is released
    
    There are a number of bug fixes, notably the View > Show Tooltips function now ensures that you can see the Hz and Time in seconds under the cursor at all times: this is particularly useful to enter curves that require a high precision.
    
    The most important new features are a new set of samples, and the "Make As Waveform" function that lets you turn a set of sounds into a composite waveform... more samples with this feature to come soon...
11. • CommentAuthoradmin
    • CommentTimeOct 23rd 2008

     
    02/07/08: Version 2.25 is released.
    
    - The main new feature is the ability to edit patterns and composite waveform after they have been created.
    - A library of composite waveforms examples has been added.
    - The rendering of glissandi sounds is made more faithful to what is actually heard.
    - Edition of waveshape waveforms and envelopes has been improved, allowing very precise tunings.
    
    There a few other small bug fixes here and there.
12. • CommentAuthoradmin
    • CommentTimeOct 23rd 2008

     
    29/08/08: Version 2.3 is released.
    
    The main new feature are the spectrum and waveshape viewers in the waveform full screen editors.
    
    Misc. bug and small features, in particular when editing patterns and composite waveforms, and when rendering composite waveforms.
13. • CommentAuthoradmin
    • CommentTimeOct 23rd 2008

     
    8/10/08: Version 2.4 is released.
    
    This version focuses on user requests, specially from registered users. Among others:
    
    
    * Piece Overview on multiple lines: see menu Tools - Overview
    * The keyboard view shows the current position (in groups:bars:beats:ms)
    * Snapping to precise time boundaries is much easier, this allows entering rhythms easily.
    (see the Alphabet sample in the forum)
    * Current window configuration and settings are fully preserved from one session to the next.
    
    
    
    Update: 14/10: version 2.41 fixes a few late minute bugs.
14. • CommentAuthoradmin
    • CommentTimeDec 20th 2008

     
    20/12/08: Version 2.5 is released
    
    This version focuses on educational needs:
    
    

    
    
    • View - Show Pitch with Color: maps sound pitch to the hue, repeated for every octave.
      This lets one spot consonances, dissonances, and also find the tune in which you piece is played, as well as chord changes.
      This becomes a great tool to teach tonality changes in classical compositions.
      
    • Allow scale labels to be placed at the left, right, both sides of the score or none:
      go to Tools - View Inspector - Background - Label Position (set it to 0,1,2 or 3).
      
    • Random waveform: an experimental noise waveform whose randomness is tied to the frequency of the sound.
      
    • 3 preferences to let you adjust the calibration of the rendering algorithms to avoid skips on slow machines and setup of the maximal gain.
      
    • Select from Duration..., Select from Level... actions
      
    • Paint tool allows moving backwards to reduce the duration of the drawn sound.
      

    
    
    Known limitations:
    

    
    
    • All platforms: can't assign waveforms when editing a composite waveform
      
    • MacOSX/Intel/Tiger: clicks can be heard during playback at low sampling rates (medium quality rendering); tooltips are lost when leaving and reentering the piece window
      
    • Windows: Java 6 update 10 : poor performance on some graphics cards due to change of the API like for many applications, don't upgrade to 6 update 10...
      
    • Other issues reported but not reproduced: strange issue on 1st time reopen same piece: linked to save preferences; replace with pattern seems to miss some selected elements
      
15. • CommentAuthoradmin
    • CommentTimeMar 2nd 2009 edited

     
    01/03/09: version 2.6 is released
    
    This version offers new noise generation waveforms, and integrates many user requests.
    
    

    
    
    • A wide variety of filtered noise generators, to use as is or with modulations. Check the Waveform/noises library
      
    • French language version. If you want to contribute to a version in your language, please check the forum.
      
    • Time Controls toolbar.
      
    • MIDI instruments are now slightly closer to the MIDI standard bank.
      
    • smart cut and paste: objects are pasted relatively to the location of the current selection, avoiding numerous sequences of move/paste/move/paste...
      
    • start time scale at 0.
      
    • default quality preference.
      
    • color mappings for waveforms follow a new, perceptually consistent, scheme.
      
    • View/Show Lead Sound Attribute. lets you see the name of the waveform and envelope associated with a sound.
      
    • bug fixes, notably clicks heard on MacOSX, and bad redraws during playback on MacOSX Leopard and Windows Vista, ability to edit composite waveforms.
      

    
    
    Known limitations:
    

    
    
    • Windows/Linux: if your machine name contained an accentuated character, you could not obtain a proper key. This issue is resolved: your machine name can contain accents, such as in "Héphaistos". It is possible, though unlikely that some licence keys do not work properly with this version. If this is a case, send an email and I'll answer with a new key.
      
    • Windows Vista 64 bits: untested platform.
      
    • MacOSX/Intel 64 bits Java: tooltips are lost when leaving and reentering the piece window. workaround: insist a little bit: tooltips will come back.
      
16. • CommentAuthoradmin
    • CommentTimeMar 11th 2009

     
    Version 2.61 was released today to fix a problem when inserting a library in a newly created piece.
17. • CommentAuthoradmin
    • CommentTimeMay 14th 2009

     
    Version 2.7 is released today.
    
    Its main feature: import audio samples, to include loops, real-world sounds, or enrich your waveforms.
    
    - A new waveform type lets you import an audio file and use its samples as a waveform. This lets you insert and transform complex sounds intuitively to create
    even richer soundscapes. This is accessible only to registered users.
    - New library of sampled sounds. 35 samples, including classical instruments and drums...
    - Shift + Play plays the viewed area only, not the selection. This lets you work on a section of the piece by zooming on it.
    - Hidden sounds are not exported nor played anymore. This lets you export or here parts of your piece separately. Use in conjunction with tags.
    - Scales are now stored in the library instead of the preferences, making it easier to handle custom scale definitions.
    - Export Selection function
    - Polish localization
18. • CommentAuthoradmin
    • CommentTimeJul 3rd 2009

     
    Version 2.75 is released today:
    
    

    
    
    • Printing functionality, enabling export to PDF file format
    
    
    • Overview shows the cursor in all views during playback.
      
    • Set the default pitch of imported sound samples (to correct potential pitch detection algorithm errors).
      
    • Tune the sampled audio files.
      
    • Audio file import in the FLAC format. FLAC is a lossless audio compression format that saves about 2/3rds of the original file size.
    
    
    • Distribution reduced from 16 to 10Mb.
    
    
19. • CommentAuthorthbb
    • CommentTimeDec 10th 2009

     
    Version 2.8 released:
    

    
    
    • Improved look and feel in the waveform editors
    
    
    • Bug fixes in MIDI capture
    
    
20. • CommentAuthoradmin
    • CommentTimeMar 9th 2010

     
    Version 2.81 released:
    
    View > Set Background... lets you import an image (png, gif, tiff) and use it as a background on your piece. This can be used either in the classroom, or to create guides on which you can show any kinds of marks to draw your sounds over.
    
    Standalone version (http://highc.org/HighCstandalone.exe) for use in shared school computer labs without requiring any installation on the shared computer.