BloXpander
by EaReckon
| Category | Audio Production / Plug-Ins Hosts |
| Version | 1.5 |
| Format |
 |
| Compatibility |  Windows |
| License | Commercial Software |
| Price | $75 / 69€ |
| Rating | |
| Updated On | Nov 17, 2013 |
| Total Downloads | 193 |
| PC Downloads | 193 |
VST host
This VST host has been designed to meet the requirements of musicians and sound engineers in live situations.
As a serious musician, you surely need a complete DAW to record your music, but when you are in front of your audience, it may be easier to use something dedicated to live situations.
And during live situations, the access to your instruments and effects must be fast and intuitive. The adjustment of these must be done efficiently, and the necessary software sub layers running on your computer should not be your concern when it comes to play or produce music.
BloXpander has been designed with in mind, the obsession to provide an easy to use "machine" powered by advanced features. It was important that both the beginner and the professional easily find the features they need,...
As a serious musician, you surely need a complete DAW to record your music, but when you are in front of your audience, it may be easier to use something dedicated to live situations.
And during live situations, the access to your instruments and effects must be fast and intuitive. The adjustment of these must be done efficiently, and the necessary software sub layers running on your computer should not be your concern when it comes to play or produce music.
BloXpander has been designed with in mind, the obsession to provide an easy to use "machine" powered by advanced features. It was important that both the beginner and the professional easily find the features they need,...
more...
This VST host has been designed to meet the requirements of musicians and sound engineers in live situations.
As a serious musician, you surely need a complete DAW to record your music, but when you are in front of your audience, it may be easier to use something dedicated to live situations.
And during live situations, the access to your instruments and effects must be fast and intuitive. The adjustment of these must be done efficiently, and the necessary software sub layers running on your computer should not be your concern when it comes to play or produce music.
BloXpander has been designed with in mind, the obsession to provide an easy to use "machine" powered by advanced features. It was important that both the beginner and the professional easily find the features they need, without being visually swamped with what is unnecessary during a session.
FEATURES :
- ASIO Host for VST plugins (Windows only)
24 channels
4 Auxiliary bus + 1 Master bus
6 inserts per channels (theoretical 174 Instrumetns / FX slots)
- Advanced support for external MIDI controllers (lets you control the mixer and plugins
Control up to 8 plugins (8 parameters each) with just 8 potentiometers + 8 buttons.
Displays the controlled targets names on screen
Lightning fast configuration procedure
Mackie Control protocol supported
- Advanced routing
Global management of MIDI and Audio streams (MIDI VST Fx supported)
Advanced user-defined MIDI Inputs filtering and routing (per channel and per user-defined link settings)
Assign the same MIDI input port to several channels (MIDI Split)
Assign the same Audio inputs to several channels (Audio Split)
Assign any available audio and/or MIDI output or the Master bus to any channel
Pre/Post fader selector (aux sends)
Specific routing solutions for "multi out" and "sidechain capable" plugins
Audio inputs monitoring
Outputs Solo and Mute functions
Inserts Bypass function.
- Full screen friendly and fast interface
Designed as the panel of a hardware unit
Touchscreen friendly (for critical functionalities)
No main menu and no massive amount of overlapping windows
Auto-created visual representation of your plugins (GUI screenshots)
"Drag 'n Drop" your plugins and their states from insert to insert (copy / move)
Supports multi-screens
Netbook friendly
- "Libraries" system
Store and callback a plugin and its state from one double-click on a large zone
Custom management of your favorite plugins and presets.
- "Sets" and "scenes"
Store and callback the complete state of BloXpander ("Scene") from one double-click, keyboard, or MIDI messages
Organize your scenes as "sets" (easy and fast access to what you need during a show)
- Categorized Plugins library ("The Case")
- Optimized and secured operations
Analyze your plugins compatibility from a stand-alone tool
(limits the eventuality of the main application malfunctioning)
Fast launching
- Time Line
Controls : Play/Stop/Next and Previous measures/...
Loop option
Synchronization of external MIDI devices ("MIDI Clock")
Tap Tempo feature
Time signature
- Mini Sysex Librarian
Receive, store, import and send Sysex the easy way
As a serious musician, you surely need a complete DAW to record your music, but when you are in front of your audience, it may be easier to use something dedicated to live situations.
And during live situations, the access to your instruments and effects must be fast and intuitive. The adjustment of these must be done efficiently, and the necessary software sub layers running on your computer should not be your concern when it comes to play or produce music.
BloXpander has been designed with in mind, the obsession to provide an easy to use "machine" powered by advanced features. It was important that both the beginner and the professional easily find the features they need, without being visually swamped with what is unnecessary during a session.
FEATURES :
- ASIO Host for VST plugins (Windows only)
24 channels
4 Auxiliary bus + 1 Master bus
6 inserts per channels (theoretical 174 Instrumetns / FX slots)
- Advanced support for external MIDI controllers (lets you control the mixer and plugins
Control up to 8 plugins (8 parameters each) with just 8 potentiometers + 8 buttons.
Displays the controlled targets names on screen
Lightning fast configuration procedure
Mackie Control protocol supported
- Advanced routing
Global management of MIDI and Audio streams (MIDI VST Fx supported)
Advanced user-defined MIDI Inputs filtering and routing (per channel and per user-defined link settings)
Assign the same MIDI input port to several channels (MIDI Split)
Assign the same Audio inputs to several channels (Audio Split)
Assign any available audio and/or MIDI output or the Master bus to any channel
Pre/Post fader selector (aux sends)
Specific routing solutions for "multi out" and "sidechain capable" plugins
Audio inputs monitoring
Outputs Solo and Mute functions
Inserts Bypass function.
- Full screen friendly and fast interface
Designed as the panel of a hardware unit
Touchscreen friendly (for critical functionalities)
No main menu and no massive amount of overlapping windows
Auto-created visual representation of your plugins (GUI screenshots)
"Drag 'n Drop" your plugins and their states from insert to insert (copy / move)
Supports multi-screens
Netbook friendly
- "Libraries" system
Store and callback a plugin and its state from one double-click on a large zone
Custom management of your favorite plugins and presets.
- "Sets" and "scenes"
Store and callback the complete state of BloXpander ("Scene") from one double-click, keyboard, or MIDI messages
Organize your scenes as "sets" (easy and fast access to what you need during a show)
- Categorized Plugins library ("The Case")
- Optimized and secured operations
Analyze your plugins compatibility from a stand-alone tool
(limits the eventuality of the main application malfunctioning)
Fast launching
- Time Line
Controls : Play/Stop/Next and Previous measures/...
Loop option
Synchronization of external MIDI devices ("MIDI Clock")
Tap Tempo feature
Time signature
- Mini Sysex Librarian
Receive, store, import and send Sysex the easy way
less...
Operating system : Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
Processor speed : 1.5 GHz (minimum)
RAM : 1 Go (minimum)
(the necessary memory amount depends on the loaded plugins)
Screen Resolution : 1024x600 pixels (minimum)
Plugins format : VST only
BloXpander requires an audio interface with ASIO drivers.
An access to the Internet is required to authorize the software.
BloXpander v 1.5
Nov 17, 2013
Windows
Here is the changes list:
˘ New "Live View"
You can now switch from the classic console View to a "Live View" providing essential controls to be used once your scenes prepared. Controls in the Live View are highly contrasted and quite large (touchscreen friendly).
The "Live View" can also be used to manage your scenes and sets the easy way. For example, it is possible to move or copy a scene from a set to another (drag n drop), rename it or change its index in the set from an easy dialog.
˘ Improved user interface
If we look beyond the updated graphics that improve the overall look of the console and the redesigned plug-ins case, some controls have also been added or relocated in order to provide a better workflow. The following details represent a non-exhaustive list of changes.
The automatic layout adaption should work better with small screens (especially when the resolution height is 768).
Should the screen or window width be too small to display the Console View (between 600 and 960 pixels), the Live View will automatically be activated. If you are using a Tablet PC with a screen resolution of 1280x800 (800x1280 in "portrait" mode), it should then be possible to switch from the Console View to the Live View by tilting your device.
Transport controls are now accessible from a "Big Display" panel which includes the LCD emulation. This panel can be hidden and can have a semi-transparent aspect. For your convenience, an extra Play button and a Tempo control have been added to the "Touch Zone".
Side panels can be hidden in order to enlarge the console.
Finally, the background of the console view can be customized and you still have the option to choose between the new console layout and the previous one.
˘ The interface is now available in three languages : English, French and German.
˘ Master Record
It is now possible to record the master bus to a WAV file.
˘ Improved MIDI engine
˘ "Insert Subscene Lock" option
Inserts can now be selectively locked so their state does not change when a subscene is called. For example, this feature can be used to avoid a sampler to reload its content when switching to another scene while allowing effects to be updated.
The "lock" state of each insert is saved with scenes.
˘ Various improvementsâŚ
Channel names can be edited (and saved with scenes).
Improved "MIDI Sync In" option (featuring an offset option).
New per-plug-in "Hot Update" option: will speed up the scene loading process when some specific plug-ins (samplers/romplers mostly) are involved.
New per-plug-in "Force MIDI process" option which should help plug-ins that do not explicitly report their MIDI capabilities to work as expected.
New global "Master Mode" option: can be used to specify whether or not the Master level should be recalled from scenes.
New global transpose option in the MIDI filter: can be used to quickly set a global transpose value that will be applied to all channels.
The previous "subscene store" process has been replaced by a more direct and less confusing "Store/Call" mode switch.
Improved minimizing process and new tray icon.
Hot Keys can be selectively enabled/disabled and are automatically disabled when BloXpander is minimized.
New "Expert" options.
The tempo value is now stored with subscenes.
New "default" scene option (to be loaded on launch).
˘ Updated manuals
˘ Fixed bugs
Improved "MIDI Plug-ins Recall" feature (avoids a potential crash).
Improved handling of some specific resizable plug-ins (these plug-ins were not resized correctly).
Improved inserts drag n drop (copy/move) feature (avoids a potential crash).
Various minor bug fixes.
You can now switch from the classic console View to a "Live View" providing essential controls to be used once your scenes prepared. Controls in the Live View are highly contrasted and quite large (touchscreen friendly).
The "Live View" can also be used to manage your scenes and sets the easy way. For example, it is possible to move or copy a scene from a set to another (drag n drop), rename it or change its index in the set from an easy dialog.
If we look beyond the updated graphics that improve the overall look of the console and the redesigned plug-ins case, some controls have also been added or relocated in order to provide a better workflow. The following details represent a non-exhaustive list of changes.
The automatic layout adaption should work better with small screens (especially when the resolution height is 768).
Should the screen or window width be too small to display the Console View (between 600 and 960 pixels), the Live View will automatically be activated. If you are using a Tablet PC with a screen resolution of 1280x800 (800x1280 in "portrait" mode), it should then be possible to switch from the Console View to the Live View by tilting your device.
Transport controls are now accessible from a "Big Display" panel which includes the LCD emulation. This panel can be hidden and can have a semi-transparent aspect. For your convenience, an extra Play button and a Tempo control have been added to the "Touch Zone".
Side panels can be hidden in order to enlarge the console.
Finally, the background of the console view can be customized and you still have the option to choose between the new console layout and the previous one.
It is now possible to record the master bus to a WAV file.
Inserts can now be selectively locked so their state does not change when a subscene is called. For example, this feature can be used to avoid a sampler to reload its content when switching to another scene while allowing effects to be updated.
The "lock" state of each insert is saved with scenes.
BloXpander v 1.4.2
Mar 21, 2013
Windows
In order to avoid such potential issues, some hardware graphics capabilities are not used anymore (the intro splash screen has then been replaced by a more simple one).
BloXpander v 1.4.0
Dec 14, 2012
Windows
New and Improvements:
64-bit support: both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of BloXpander can be installed concurrently
on a same computer (they do not share the same data folder).
Direct support of jBridge (if available).
Please note that BloXpander does not currently feature its own 32-64 bit wrapper.
jBridge is a third party tool which is not delivered with BloXpander.
âSmooth Mixerâ: all controls of the mixer have been smoothed. BloXpander will do its best
to avoid pops/clicks and artifacts on a modification of the console state. For example, when
an insert is muted, the plug-in it contains is suspended after a short fade out, etc.
The main controller in MC Protocol mode now handles transport related messages and
optionally sends time code and metering information to compatible external MIDI
controllers.
Improved compatibility with various third party plug-ins.
Alternative âHysteria meterâ that gives more information about latency and ASIO
performances.
Better handling of âhotâ sample rate changes.
BloXpander is now resizable as any classic windowed application (the âmaximizeâ button can
be used to switch to full screen mode). It is also possible to hide Aux Returns to get more
visible Channels on smaller screens.
Faster loading of samples in the context of a widely used sampler plug-in.
New âInfoâ box (â?â button on BloXpanderâs system panel).
Updated manuals.
⌠and a lot more things! (replacement of missing plug-ins, improved handling of hot keys,
improved MIDI engine, expert options, per plug-in options, unified operation of library and
scene slots, less âparanoidâ BloXcanner, etc., etc.)âŚ
Ś almost 50% of the code has been changed, actually!
Fixed bugs:
Fixes a bug related to the MIDI tempo tap setting (was not correctly saved in some
situations).
Minor bugs fixed.
on a same computer (they do not share the same data folder).
Please note that BloXpander does not currently feature its own 32-64 bit wrapper.
jBridge is a third party tool which is not delivered with BloXpander.
to avoid pops/clicks and artifacts on a modification of the console state. For example, when
an insert is muted, the plug-in it contains is suspended after a short fade out, etc.
optionally sends time code and metering information to compatible external MIDI
controllers.
performances.
be used to switch to full screen mode). It is also possible to hide Aux Returns to get more
visible Channels on smaller screens.
improved MIDI engine, expert options, per plug-in options, unified operation of library and
scene slots, less âparanoidâ BloXcanner, etc., etc.)âŚ
Fixed bugs:
situations).
BloXpander v 1.3.0
Feb 3, 2012
Windows
MIDI Improvements:
Tempo tap and tempo value can be controlled via MIDI. - Manual edition of MIDI assignments. A control type (switch, knob, ...) can also be selected for a better interpretation of incoming messages.
Insert mutes are now controllable from the âMain Controllerâ in âBasicâ mode.
New âOmniâ MIDI input option (input slots) - New âPrograms mapâ feature (MIDI Input Panel).
This new functionality can be used to send Bank Select and/or Program change and/or All Notes Off MIDI messages to inserts or MIDI output. The programs map is a âper BloXPander channelâ / âper MIDI channelâ / âper target (insert or MIDI out)â feature. Programs map are saved with scenes and subscenes and can be used to quickly manage external MIDI devices or VST samplers/romplers.
Audio Improvements:
New âper channelâ output modes. Four output modes are available on each channel:
. Stereo (default)
. Mono (a mono mix is sent to both left and right channels)
. Mono Mix to One Channel (a mono mix is sent to one of the left and right channels)
. Only One Channel (one of the left and right channels is just muted).
New Option: âProcess Muted Insertsâ At the cost of an increased CPU usage of muted inserts, these latter still process audio while they are muted in order to avoid unwanted residual audio when they are un-muted.
Fixed bugs:
Some plugins provide an option to change the arrangement of their outputs (number of outputs, mono, stereo, ...). When loading a scene featuring assigned âMulti-outputsâ, BloXpander now checks for changes in pluginsâ IO.
New workarounds implemented to improve compatibility with some 3rd party plugins.
Updated manuals
This new functionality can be used to send Bank Select and/or Program change and/or All Notes Off MIDI messages to inserts or MIDI output. The programs map is a âper BloXPander channelâ / âper MIDI channelâ / âper target (insert or MIDI out)â feature. Programs map are saved with scenes and subscenes and can be used to quickly manage external MIDI devices or VST samplers/romplers.
Audio Improvements:
. Stereo (default)
. Mono (a mono mix is sent to both left and right channels)
. Mono Mix to One Channel (a mono mix is sent to one of the left and right channels)
. Only One Channel (one of the left and right channels is just muted).
Fixed bugs:
Updated manuals
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