Renoise
Encyclopedia
Renoise is a contemporary digital audio workstation
(DAW) based upon the heritage and development of tracker software. Its primary use is the composition of music using sound samples
, soft synths
, and effects plug-ins. It is also able to interface with MIDI and OSC equipment. The main difference between Renoise and other music software is the characteristic vertical timeline sequencer
used by tracking software.
(Arguru). The then unnamed Renoise project was initiated by Eduard Mueller (Taktik) and Zvonko Tesic (Phazze) during December 2000. The development team planned to take tracking software into a new standard of quality, enabling tracking scene composers to make audio of the same quality as other existing professional packages, while still keeping the proven layout that originated with Soundtracker
in 1987 By early 2002 stable versions (such as 1.27) were available. Over the years the development team has grown to distribute the tasks of testing, administrative, support and web duties among several people.
Renoise 2.7 was officially launched on May 12, 2011. This version focuses on new instruments features (such as multilayering and MIDI routing).
, Mac OS X
and Linux
.
Renoise has a long list of features, including for example full MIDI and MIDI sync support, support for VST
2.0 plugin technology, ASIO
multi I/O
cards support, integrated sampler
and sample editor, internal real-time DSP
effects with unlimited number of effects per track, master and send tracks, full automation of all commands, hi-fi .WAV
rendering (up to 32 bit 96 kHz), Rewire
support, etc.
Supported sample formats
WAV
, AIFF
, FLAC
, Ogg
, MP3
, CAF
Supported effects standards
VSTi
, AU
, LADSPA
, DSSI
Renoise also features a Signal Follower and cross-track routing. The Signal Follower analyses the audio output of a track and automates user-specificed parameters based on the values it generates. Cross-track routing sends the automation of any Meta Device to any track. Computer Music magazine considered the combination of these two features to "open up some incredibly powerful control possibilities", and demonstrated how the signal triggered by a drum loop could control the filter cutoff frequency on a bass sound.
Renoise includes many features such as an arranging tool called the "pattern matrix", full cross track modulation routing, built-in effects including a signal follower metadevice that allows sidechain functionality, automatic softsynth-to-sample instrument rendering and improved midi mapping.
Renoise is available as either a demo or a commercial version. The demo version excludes rendering to .WAV
, ASIO
support in Windows (DirectSound
only) and a few other features. Also, the demo version has nag screens. The commercial version includes high quality WAV rendering (up to 32 bit 96 kHz) and ASIO support.
With the introduction of Lua scripting in version 2.6, users can extend Renoise. Users are encouraged to share their work on the centralized Renoise Tools page.
In August 2007, a functional XRNS2MIDI script was published in version 0.11 by Renoise Team Member Bantai. It enables Renoise users, via an external frontend, to convert native songs into regular MIDI files (.mid) and thus exporting their work for use in conventional piano-roll sequencers such as Cubase or Reason.
Since version 2.6, it is possible to extend Renoise capabilities by writing plugins in LUA programming language. A specific tools site has been created to showcase them. Almost any aspect of the program, except realtime audio data mangling, can be scripted using the native Renoise LUA API.
Digital audio workstation
A digital audio workstation is an electronic system designed solely or primarily for recording, editing and playing back digital audio. DAWs were originally tape-less, microprocessor-based systems such as the Synclavier and Fairlight CMI...
(DAW) based upon the heritage and development of tracker software. Its primary use is the composition of music using sound samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
, soft synths
Software synthesizer
A software synthesizer, also known as a softsynth is a computer program or plug-in for digital audio generation. Computer software which can create sounds or music is not new, but advances in processing speed are allowing softsynths to accomplish the same tasks that previously required dedicated...
, and effects plug-ins. It is also able to interface with MIDI and OSC equipment. The main difference between Renoise and other music software is the characteristic vertical timeline sequencer
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
used by tracking software.
History
Renoise was originally written from the code of another tracker called NoiseTrekker, made by Juan Antonio Arguelles RiusJuan Antonio Arguelles Rius
Juan Antonio Arguelles Rius , also known as Arguru , was a prolific music software programmer and electronic musician, producer and songwriter, responsible for such applications as NoiseTrekker and Directwave...
(Arguru). The then unnamed Renoise project was initiated by Eduard Mueller (Taktik) and Zvonko Tesic (Phazze) during December 2000. The development team planned to take tracking software into a new standard of quality, enabling tracking scene composers to make audio of the same quality as other existing professional packages, while still keeping the proven layout that originated with Soundtracker
Ultimate Soundtracker
Ultimate Soundtracker, or Soundtracker for short, is a music tracker program for the Commodore Amiga. It is the creation of Karsten Obarski, a German software developer and composer at a game development company; sources differ as to the name of the company, recorded it as reLINE, whereas ...
in 1987 By early 2002 stable versions (such as 1.27) were available. Over the years the development team has grown to distribute the tasks of testing, administrative, support and web duties among several people.
Renoise 2.7 was officially launched on May 12, 2011. This version focuses on new instruments features (such as multilayering and MIDI routing).
Features
Renoise currently runs under recent versions of WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
and Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
.
Renoise has a long list of features, including for example full MIDI and MIDI sync support, support for VST
Virtual Studio Technology
Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology is an interface for integrating software audio synthesizer and effect plugins with audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies use digital signal processing to simulate traditional recording studio hardware with software...
2.0 plugin technology, ASIO
Audio stream input output
Audio Stream Input/Output is a computer sound card driver protocol for digital audio specified by Steinberg, providing a low-latency and high fidelity interface between a software application and a computer's sound card...
multi I/O
I/O
I/O may refer to:* Input/output, a system of communication for information processing systems* Input-output model, an economic model of flow prediction between sectors...
cards support, integrated sampler
Sampler (musical instrument)
A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
and sample editor, internal real-time DSP
Digital signal processing
Digital signal processing is concerned with the representation of discrete time signals by a sequence of numbers or symbols and the processing of these signals. Digital signal processing and analog signal processing are subfields of signal processing...
effects with unlimited number of effects per track, master and send tracks, full automation of all commands, hi-fi .WAV
WAV
Waveform Audio File Format , is a Microsoft and IBM audio file format standard for storing an audio bitstream on PCs...
rendering (up to 32 bit 96 kHz), Rewire
ReWire
ReWire is a software protocol, jointly developed by Propellerhead and Steinberg, allowing remote control and data transfer among digital audio editing and related software...
support, etc.
Supported sample formats
WAV
WAV
Waveform Audio File Format , is a Microsoft and IBM audio file format standard for storing an audio bitstream on PCs...
, AIFF
AIFF
Audio Interchange File Format is an audio file format standard used for storing sound data for personal computers and other electronic audio devices...
, FLAC
FLAC
FLAC is a codec which allows digital audio to be losslessly compressed such that file size is reduced without any information being lost...
, Ogg
Ogg
Ogg is a free, open container format maintained by the Xiph.Org Foundation. The creators of the Ogg format state that it is unrestricted by software patents and is designed to provide for efficient streaming and manipulation of high quality digital multimedia.The Ogg container format can multiplex...
, MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
, CAF
Core Audio Format
The Core Audio Format is a container for storing audio, developed by Apple Inc.. It is compatible with Mac OS X 10.4 and higher; Mac OS X 10.3 needs QuickTime 7 to be installed....
Supported effects standards
VSTi
Virtual Studio Technology
Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology is an interface for integrating software audio synthesizer and effect plugins with audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies use digital signal processing to simulate traditional recording studio hardware with software...
, AU
Audio Units
Audio Units are a system-level plug-in architecture provided by Core Audio in Mac OS X developed by Apple Computer. Audio Units are a set of application programming interface services provided by the operating system to generate, process, receive, or otherwise manipulate streams of audio in...
, LADSPA
LADSPA
LADSPA is an acronym for Linux Audio Developers Simple Plugin API. It is a standard for handling filters and effects, licensed under the GNU LGPL. It was originally designed for Linux through consensus on the Linux Audio Developers Mailing List, but works on a variety of other platforms...
, DSSI
DSSI
DSSI is a virtual instrument plugin architecture for use by music sequencer applications. It was designed for applications running under Linux, although there is nothing specific to Linux in the interface itself...
Renoise also features a Signal Follower and cross-track routing. The Signal Follower analyses the audio output of a track and automates user-specificed parameters based on the values it generates. Cross-track routing sends the automation of any Meta Device to any track. Computer Music magazine considered the combination of these two features to "open up some incredibly powerful control possibilities", and demonstrated how the signal triggered by a drum loop could control the filter cutoff frequency on a bass sound.
Renoise includes many features such as an arranging tool called the "pattern matrix", full cross track modulation routing, built-in effects including a signal follower metadevice that allows sidechain functionality, automatic softsynth-to-sample instrument rendering and improved midi mapping.
Renoise is available as either a demo or a commercial version. The demo version excludes rendering to .WAV
WAV
Waveform Audio File Format , is a Microsoft and IBM audio file format standard for storing an audio bitstream on PCs...
, ASIO
Audio stream input output
Audio Stream Input/Output is a computer sound card driver protocol for digital audio specified by Steinberg, providing a low-latency and high fidelity interface between a software application and a computer's sound card...
support in Windows (DirectSound
DirectSound
DirectSound is a software component of the Microsoft DirectX library for the Windows operating system. DirectSound provides a low-latency interface to the sound card driver and can handle the mixing and recording of multiple audio streams....
only) and a few other features. Also, the demo version has nag screens. The commercial version includes high quality WAV rendering (up to 32 bit 96 kHz) and ASIO support.
Development
The Renoise development team works with the Renoise user community online to pool ideas for new features. By registering, a user is permitted to download beta versions of the software and can contribute to the bug testing and feature improvement phase before the final release.With the introduction of Lua scripting in version 2.6, users can extend Renoise. Users are encouraged to share their work on the centralized Renoise Tools page.
XRNS file format
The XRNS file format is native to Renoise. It is based on the XML standard, and is readable in a normal text editor. This open XML-based file format also makes it possible for anyone to develop 3rd party applications and other systems in order to manipulate file content.3rd party tools
A project for creating PHP scripts utilities for needed advanced edit tasks has been set at SourceForge: XRNS-PHP projectIn August 2007, a functional XRNS2MIDI script was published in version 0.11 by Renoise Team Member Bantai. It enables Renoise users, via an external frontend, to convert native songs into regular MIDI files (.mid) and thus exporting their work for use in conventional piano-roll sequencers such as Cubase or Reason.
Since version 2.6, it is possible to extend Renoise capabilities by writing plugins in LUA programming language. A specific tools site has been created to showcase them. Almost any aspect of the program, except realtime audio data mangling, can be scripted using the native Renoise LUA API.