Sagan Technology has made Metro v6.4 Pre-Release available for registered users. Metro is a fast-operating, easy-to-learn high-powered sequencer for the design of professional audio projects. It stands alone as a complete and integrated MIDI, audio and video production system.
Important notes with this pre-release:
– The official system requirements have changed as of 6.1.
– Metro Documents written with this version will NOT be readable in any version prior to Metro/Metro SE version 6.3.6.
– OS 9 support has been removed.
– This is a pre-release, meaning it has some bug fixes (and possibly features) that were deemed important enough to be released before it could be rigorously tested.
New to this version: 6.4 (over 50 new features!)
• Mastering. A chain of plug-ins can now be placed on the master causing all tracks and aux busses to process through the chain before being sent to the final stereo output. In the full version of Metro there is now a Master track selection from the tracks popup. The master track has a settable duration, can be looped and can be muted. Muting the master track causes the effects chain to be bypasses which can be useful if you want to addition a recently rendered mix to a track. If an effect is placed on the master buss, the master VU now displays the actual audio signal level instead of simulated audio+MIDI level.
• Side Chains. Metro will now send track audio output or aux buss output to multiple plug-in inputs. Plug-in inputs can be specified by control-clicking the title bar in the effects window and specifying the appropriate source audio. If post is selected the data will be send to the plug-in post fader otherwise it will be pre-fader. For aux buss sources the source is pre-fader only if the aux is feeding data to a lowered number aux buss otherwise it is post fader.
• The number of plug-in’s audio inputs can be selected in the effects window (AU only).
• Aux busses can be looped, have a settable duration and can be muted in the graphics editor (full version only). Muting an aux buss will mute the effects chain on that buss.
• The last selected audio sample rate and sample bit size is now saved and restored with the audio device.
• Real-time display of MIDI notes while recording. Since the data is immediately moved directly to the track this feature results in an improved loop recording experience as well.
• Multiple effects in effect chains can now be selected.
• Dragging plug-ins from the plug-ins window to the graphic editor, tracks window or mixer window is now possible. This makes it possible to convert an aux buss plug-in from a track insert and visa versa.
• Strict profiling of plug-ins option in general preferences. This causes Metro to create a report of the timings used by various plug-ins. This report will appear in the system console. This option, when enabled will cause Metro to stop playback if a plug-in uses too much CPU time.
• Effects window GUI rack is complete with new ‘Del’ (delete) buttons. This new GUI is switchable and can be turned off from the effects window contextual menu popup.
• Effect window plug-ins rack color can be specified by control-clicking the name in the effects window. Colors default to the corresponding specified category in the plug-ins window.
• Effects window contextual menu item ‘show in plug-ins’ finds the currently instantiated plug-in in the plug-ins window.
• Effects window now has a down pointing triangle allowing the direct instantiation of a plug-in.
• Effects window now auto resizes when a plug-in is inserted or deleted.
• Remote control has been vastly improved and adds support for Frontier Design’s AlphaTrack device. Among many other improvements, modes have been added for mutually exclusive applications as well as control over the display window. The following are new remote control actions:
Current track’s output volume, Current track’s output pan, Pitchbend for output, convert MIDI to computer keystrokes, Timeline position, Play Automation Enable, Record Automation Enable, Next Window, Set Mode, Set Effects Number, Set Effects Parameter Number, Set Track Effects Parameter, Aux Send Volume, Aux Send Pan, Aux Select, Load Plug-in, Master Volume, Timeline Shuttle.
• Multiple Remote Control presets can now be selected by holding the shift key while selecting a preset.
• Undo restores the size of the effects window.
• The LX version now supports bit rates up to 32.
• Mixing audio tracks now handles master volume automation. When freezing the master volume is set to max and master effects are bypassed.
• The last used tempo is saved and then restored when Metro restarts.
• Audio and Aux Send volume are now displayed in dB within the graphic editor window.
• Outputs are automatically added when expanding by channel.
• Clicking on a drum name in the drum editor now always plays the drum note.
• When recording new material on a track the playback bar follows the track record position.
• Shifting of continuous data with the arrow keys in the graphic editor is now possible.
• Aux send volume and pan views are now selectable for plug-ins in the graphic editor.
• Support for hot-plugging audio and MIDI devices.
• Inserting notes using the vertical keyboard of the graphic editor will use the current playback time during record.
• Markers are now drag-able in the graphic editor.
• If the last selected audio device is no longer available Metro brings up the audio device setup dialog upon start up.
• Metro now correctly saves and restores the currently selected Metronome audio port.
• Copy markers as chapter text from the markers window popup.
• Contextual popup menu in the sections window adds two new options. Clear and add. The add functions provides a way, for the first time, to add sections to the section window beyond the default without having to import multiple MIDI files.
• Plug-in editors are now completely closed when their window is, unless the control-key is held down.
• Add new outputs now assigns the first newly created output to the track.
• The Mixer contextual inputs menu now shows the jukebox output.
• New contextual master fader menu allow simple creation of a master volume fadeout which works on the current selection.
• Sample accurate on-the-fly recording.
• Jukebox meta data (e.g. name, artist, etc.) are extracted from Quicktime audio files.
• Several menu items have been added to the track contextual menu.
• Rescan button added to the digital audio setup dialog box. This will re-scan for devices recently added (e.g. Firewire USB).
• The last selected plug-in parameter displayed in the graphic editor is now remembered for each plug-in instance.
• The shift-page-up, ” keys scroll the graphic editor without the use of a mouse.
• Manufacturer names are now automatically extracted from VST plug-ins after they are instantiated.
• Intel SSE optimizations.
• The maximum number of supported inputs and outputs for VST plug-ins has been increased to 24.
• Ultra Rhythm Explorer has a new popup to specify track type.
• Additional information has been added to effects window contextual menu “get info” command.
• Duration dialog adds the option to scale durations from a starting percent to an ending percent.
• Duration dialog adds the option of trimming overlapped notes leaving a user specified gap.
• Program names for Synapse Hydra plug-in included.
• Drum set definitions for FXpansion GURU and XLN Audio Addictive drums included.