Beatnik Editor version 2.0 was released in September of 2000. Version 2.0 was the first release of
the Beatnik Editor that supported both Windows and Mac OS. There was one maintenance
release, version 2.0.1, to address a problem when Registering with an email address containing
the underscore character (_).
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What's New in Version 2.0
- Summary of Changes
Tips for Version 1 Users
Changed Key Commands
Summary of Changes
The Beatnik Editor software has been completely rewritten for version 2.0, with a new look and
feel, and major improvements in technology and user interface:
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- Cross-Platform - The Beatnik Editor is now available for both Mac OS and Windows.
- Revised Session window now includes tabs for all Songs, Instruments, and Samples in a
project. You can keep multiple Session documents open at once, and you can drag, copy, and
paste your Songs, Instruments, and Samples between Sessions. In fact, you can now copy and
paste multiple objects at once.
- Revised Export RMF command makes RMF creation a single-step process:
- - With multiple Songs selected, Export RMF now creates one RMF file per Song.
- - With Instruments selected, Export RMF automatically creates a Song to trigger them, and
includes it in the RMF file.
- - With Samples selected, Export RMF automatically creates Instruments from the Samples,
per your instructions, and a Song to trigger them, and includes everything in the RMF file.
No more MIDI file import step.
- Now GrooveGram-style RMF files are practically automatic - just load the RMF file, loop
it, and add some JavaScript buttons to Mute and Unmute the Tracks.
- New support for RMFX files - just select the RMFX option in the Export RMF dialog box. No
need for complex template Session files or cumbersome hand operations any more. (An
RMFX file is an RMF file containing one or more Instruments, but no Songs - useful for
sounds that will be triggered interactively with the Music Object but not used in stored Songs.)
- New Sample Editor with visual editing of sample waveforms and loop points. Commands
include Cut, Paste, Clear, Crop, Gain Change, Normalize, Fade In, and Fade Out.
- New JavaScript window to help streamline the Sonification process. It shows the equivalent
JavaScript code for actions that you take in the Beatnik Editor. You can copy the code in this
window, and paste it right into your HTML editor.
- New Make Using... shortcut commands to streamline common operations:
- - Make Instrument Using Samples automatically builds one or more Instruments from one
or more selected Samples, including creating the Keymap and laying the Samples out per
your instructions.
- - Make Song Using Samples goes a step further, and creates not just the Instruments, but a
simple Song that triggers them when the RMF file is played.
- - Make Song Using Instruments does the same thing in cases where you already have an
Instrument built.
- Improved Undo / Redo - Every edit operation is Undo-able and Redo-able. The undo history is
effectively infinite (limited by memory, disk, etc.). Each window has a separate Undo trail.
- Improved MIDI Sequencer Link - The Beatnik Editor is now always responsive to external
MIDI input, so there is no longer a Link to Sequencer command. You can always play from an
external MIDI keyboard instead of the onscreen keyboard, if you prefer. You can always audition
your current Instrument Bank by playing a song from your sequencer (or from any Standard
MIDI File player, such as the Windows Media Player).
- Improved Song Info features (formerly `Copyright') - You can now apply the same Song Info
settings to multiple Songs at once, in a single operation. You can also set up a default set of
values for all the Song Info fields, then in a single step apply them all - or only some of them
- to a Song whenever you want.
- Improved Instrument Editor now combines Keymap, Filter, Volume Envelope, Modulation,
and Output controls into one window with multiple pages and graphic editing. You can now
drag Samples into the Keymap from a Session window, and your Instruments can now use up
to five Modulators (previous limit was three).
- Improved Compression features - A new caching system makes it easier to compare different
compression types for a given Sample. Also, the original, uncompressed version of every sample
is kept, so you can always switch to a different compression type later with no loss in fidelity.
You can also apply the same compression type to any number of Samples at once, in a
single operation.
- Improved Export Audio File feature lets you save linear audio versions of your Songs in WAV,
AIFF, and MP3 formats (in addition to the original Sound Designer II on Mac OS).
- Improved MPEG compression - The new MPEG encoder and decoder run much faster and
sound much better.
- Improved Modulation Editor - Modulation options are now presented as four basic Modulator
Types - LFO, Envelope, LFO with Depth Envelope, and Offset Modulator - and the controls
that are irrelevant for each type are kept from view.
- Improved window behavior - The Sample Editor and Instrument Editor windows are modeless
- that is, you can leave them open while doing work in other windows, and you can keep
as many Sample Editors and Instrument Editors open as the available memory will allow.
Also, when the Beatnik Editor starts up, it now automatically returns to the state it was in just
before the latest shut down. This includes which Session documents were open, selected
items, window positions, MIDI channel Mute and Solo buttons, and so forth.
- Improved documentation - Revised and expanded Beatnik Editor User's Guide, now supplied
both in printable PDF and online HTML formats. Also new onscreen ToolTips (Windows
only).
Tips for Version 1 Users
If you've been working with earlier releases of the Beatnik Editor, you should be aware of a few
significant workflow changes introduced in version 2:
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- Full-Time Live MIDI Input
- The Beatnik Editor's MIDI Input feature now operates all the time - there's no longer any
need for the Link to Sequencer command. Just select the right MIDI Input source in the
Preferences dialog box.
- Whereas the Beatnik Editor version 1 had limited Undo functionality, version 2 offers total
Undo all the way back to your most recent Save or Save As.... Also, there are now multiple
Undo histories. That is, every window you open maintains its own independent Undo history.
This means that while you're in a Sample Editor or Instrument Editor, you can Undo your
changes all the way back to the original, unedited version without affecting any of the work
you're doing at the same time in other windows.
- Important Notes:
- When you close a Sample Editor or Instrument Editor window, all the edits you
made are rolled into one single Undo-able step in the Session document's Undo
history. For example, if immediately after closing a Sample Editor you click in
your Session document and then Undo, you'll get the Sample as it was before you
started editing it - not the Sample as it was before your most recent edit inside
the Sample Editor. The same also holds true for changes to Instruments.
- You can now Revert a Sample Editor or Instrument Editor window, with same
effect.
- Whereas the Beatnik Editor version 1 operated on one Session document at a time, version 2
is able to keep as many Sessions open as the available memory will allow. You can drag,
copy, and paste Custom Songs, Custom Instruments, and Custom Samples between your
open Session documents. Dragging or pasting also offers the option of bringing any dependent
resources along - for a Song, its Custom Instruments and Custom Samples can also be
cloned; and for an Instrument, its Samples can also be cloned.
- Important Note: When dragging or pasting into a Session document would result in
more than one Instrument with the same MIDI program number, the Beatnik Editor
will renumber the colliding Instruments and alert you. If you see this message, you
should carefully verify that any Songs being added still play correctly because the
Beatnik Editor will not update the Song's MIDI Program Change events to use the
altered Instrument numbers. If the Song is now playing with wrong Instruments, you
will need to use your MIDI sequencer program to set the program numbers manually
in your original sequence, then save a revised MIDI file and Re-Import MIDI (see Song
Settings dialog box).
Changed Key Commands
Menu
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Beatnik Editor 1.0 command
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Beatnik Editor 2.0 command
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Description
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I
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Import
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(none)
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Link to Sequencer (P is now Compression)
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(none)
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Minimum, Medium, and Maximum volume commands have been removed
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(none)
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Changed `Copyright' to `Song Info' (Y is now Redo)
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(none)
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Changed to page select buttons in Instrument Editor window
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(none)
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Instrument Settings moved into Instrument Editor window (I is now Import)
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(none)
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Songs, Instruments, and Samples are now tabs in the Session window
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(none)
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Keyboard and Realtime windows are now combined in the Player window
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(none)
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Help window moved to Help menu
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