VLTone

v0.5.0

VLTone 0.5.0 is a major update for building your own sound. Introducing Creator: assemble effects from nodes, write C++ or work with an AI assistant, then use the resulting mini-modules in your project. The update also brings Rack, Gain / Stereo Utility / Reverse, Slicer, a new audio editor, Warp with groove and alignment tools, timeline MIDI steps and arrangement organization tools. Audio processing, plugin workflows, recovery, collaboration and the interface have also been refined.

October 11, 2026

What's new

New in VLTone 0.5.0

Mini-modules

Mini-modules — sound shaping at your fingertips

Compact processing directly on the channel: focused controls, sound modes and a choice of position in the chain. Use ready-made mini-modules or build your own in Creator, with the essential controls visible in Mixer and Rack.

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Select a track or Master and open the MINI section in Mixer or the mini-module column on the left of Rack. Each channel supports up to three modules. Use + to choose a built-in or installed custom module.
Start with Doubler: Width controls stereo spread and Humanize changes the doubling character. For Chorus, adjust modulation amount and rate. Select a sound mode on the card and use its power button to compare processing with the original sound.
Choose Before FX or After FX to place a module before or after the main effect chain. Both positions are before the channel fader. Reorder modules by dragging or with Move up / Move down in the card menu.
Up to two main controls remain visible without opening a large editor. Use a control’s automation command to change it over time. Module settings, selected mode and bypass state are saved with the project.
Open Appearance from the card’s gear menu to choose its theme, control style, colors or background image. The same menu lets you replace, remove or export the module as a .vltmini with its current settings.
Install custom modules with Install module from file or place them in Documents/VLTONE/MiniModules. Creator installs compiled results in this library; the next block explains how to build them.
In this version, mini-modules are for local projects and cannot yet be added to shared projects. Use regular devices in the main FX chain where appropriate.

Doubler and Chorus mini-module cards: controls, sound mode and pre/post-FX placement.

New in 0.5.0

Creator — build your own effect

The headline feature of 0.5.0 is a dedicated environment for building audio mini-modules. Connect nodes, design your processing and expose its controls on a compact card for a track or the Master channel.

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Start with View → Creator and create a project or open Gentle Tremolo. Connect Input to your processing and its output to Output. Gain, LFO and Mix make a useful first effect: the LFO controls gain and Mix blends dry and processed audio.
Ports distinguish audio, numbers, gates and other types. Their colors, shapes and tooltips help you connect compatible signals. Validation explains missing connections and invalid cycles.
The node library includes math, stereo and Mid/Side, generators and modulation, filtering, delay, history and collections. Turn a repeated part of a graph into a subgraph or save a reusable .vltnode for future projects.
Select Interface to configure up to two card controls, including their names, appearance and styling. Modes hold several processing variants within one module and can be selected on its card.
Click Compile, then choose the result in a channel mini-module slot. The .vltmini is installed in Documents/VLTONE/MiniModules; its editable .vltcreator source remains a separate project.
A successful rebuild updates module instances on tracks and Master while retaining controls, automation and chain placement. Failed or cancelled builds preserve the working version. This is the VLTone mini-module format, not a conventional VST export.

Creator: the Gentle Tremolo graph, connections and Interface card controls.

New in 0.5.0

Build modules with AI and C++

Creator has an assistant for the current module’s graph and source. C++ Function nodes, an integrated editor and an SDK take custom algorithms from an idea to a compiled module without a separate development environment.

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Open the AI tab on the right, configure its connection with the gear button and select a model. Try: “Build a gentle saturator with drive and brightness controls. Compile and install it.” You can request a node-only effect or ask for an explanation without edits.
The assistant sees the current module, mode, subgraph and selection. It can add nodes, connect ports, edit C++, validate the result and read compiler errors. Track and clip operations remain in the main DAW assistant.
For manual coding, add Code → C++ Function. The editor includes highlighting, line numbers, Ctrl+F search, Ctrl+Space SDK completion and .cpp import/export. Update node checks the function signature and exposes its ports; double-click a diagnostic to open its line.
Extract functions into nodes and connect them through callable ports. The SDK provides state, timing and prepared buffers. The application packages its compiler and tools; using Creator does not require a separate Visual Studio or Xcode installation.
Stop cancels the request while keeping completed draft edits. Use Creator Undo or Undo AI result to restore the previous result. Chat history stays local and is not bundled with the module. Successful compilation checks the algorithm’s execution; evaluate its sound by listening.

Creator AI beside C++ nodes: progress, port validation and result rollback.

New in 0.5.0

Rack — your whole processing chain in view

A new bottom-panel view brings mini-modules, the instrument, effects and sends together. Adjust built-in devices on their cards and organize related effects into groups.

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Select a track and switch the bottom panel from Mixer to Rack. Mini-modules are on the left, the device chain is in the center and sends are on the right. Selecting another channel shows that channel’s processing.
Use + to add a device and drag devices to change their order. Each card exposes power, key controls and a full-editor button. Switching between Mixer and Rack retains the chain and its settings.
Group related devices to see their structure and control group bypass. A card’s Dry/Wet control blends processed and dry audio; available sidechain inputs are selected beside the device.
Choose a bus in the send section, set its level and select pre/post-fader operation to share an effect across tracks. Mini-modules can run before or after Audio FX, changing the processing order.
Open a third-party plugin’s editor or use its available card parameters. Chains and their layout are saved with the project; compact built-in editors are designed to work directly inside the rack.

The rack panel only: mini-modules, an Equalizer + Compressor group and a send.

New in 0.5.0

Gain, Stereo Utility and Reverse

Three new built-in effects handle everyday jobs: set a level before processing, inspect the stereo image and turn audio into reversed rhythmic slices. All three work in the rack and in compact editor windows.

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Gain: place it before a compressor or saturator and set the level from −60 to +24 dB. Mute silences its output. Click the value for exact entry and automate the level when needed.
Stereo Utility: Width ranges from 0 to 200%, with 100% retaining the original image. Mono/Mid, Side, L and R isolate the center, difference or one channel. Swap L/R exchanges channels; Ø L and Ø R invert their polarity.
Reverse: choose Sync for divisions from 1/16 to one bar, or ms for 50–4000 ms slices. The effect records each slice into a buffer before playing it backwards. Dry/Wet blends that result with the immediate dry signal.
Try Reverse on a drum loop with a 1/4 division and a lower Dry/Wet setting. It is a streaming slice effect; to reverse an entire selected audio region, use Reverse in the audio editor.
All three editors support exact entry, reset and parameter automation. Hold Shift for finer adjustments. Settings are saved with the project and supported in v6 collaborative projects.

Close-up views of the three editors: Gain, Stereo Utility and Reverse.

New in 0.5.0

Slicer — chop a sample and play it again

A new instrument turns a loop or recording into slices mapped to MIDI notes. Chop by transients, grid, random divisions or manually, then build a new rhythm and shape individual slices.

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Add Slicer to a MIDI track and use Load sample or drop an audio file. Choose a slicing method and press Chop. Inspect boundaries with the overview and zoom; double-click to split and merge adjacent slices when needed.
Click a pad to audition it. Shift/Ctrl select multiple slices, and dragging pads exchanges their MIDI assignments. Up to 128 slices are available across pad pages.
Adjust a slice’s boundaries, level, pitch and pan, or enable reverse, looping and mute. Playback and processing settings are available in the inspector; the XY pad changes two effect parameters in one gesture.
Create MIDI clip places a slice sequence on the track. Edit it in Piano Roll or trigger slices with a MIDI keyboard. You can also save MIDI and prepare or export WAV.
Save a preset to retain the mapping and settings. Slicing and heavy preparation run in the background; cancellation preserves the previous result. Select a range on the ruler before focusing on a smaller part of the sample.

Slicer’s own editor: slice boundaries, pads and chopping controls.

New in 0.5.0

Audio editor: precise edits inside a sound

Edit an audio clip or sample with timed selections, splits, fragment movement, fades, gain, normalization and reverse. Editing retains the source material and integrates with Undo history.

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Open the audio clip’s editor and switch to sample editing. Select a waveform region; Start, End and Length provide precise numeric boundaries. Fit shows all content, while selection zoom focuses on the chosen range.
Use Select, Move, Split and Slip tools. Removing or moving a fragment does not ripple neighboring audio: the space remains silent, preserving the timing of the rest of the material.
Set selection gain from −60 to +24 dB, choose fade length and curvature, normalize to a target peak or apply Reverse. Silence selection preserves duration; Trim to selection removes unwanted edges.
View gain changes waveform display amplitude only. Use Listen and Stop to audition actual audio. Result preparation runs in the background, and stale work cannot replace content that has already changed.
Linked copies display a Linked count: editing shared content affects those instances. Choose Make Independent first when a copy should diverge. For a comp recording, create a flattened content version before sample editing.

Audio editor close-up: stereo waveform, selection bounds, gain and fades.

New in 0.5.0

Warp — shape timing without chopping clips

Move individual attacks inside an audio clip while retaining anchor points. The editor combines manual markers with alignment suggestions, swing and groove, with audition before you commit.

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Right-click a regular audio clip and choose Warp Audio. W shows Warp and X returns to Mixer. Enable Warp, double-click to add a marker and drag it to the desired beat; snapping helps align it to the grid.
Lock important anchors to preserve neighboring regions. Scroll with the wheel, use Ctrl+wheel to zoom at the pointer and navigate with the waveform overview. Esc cancels the current gesture.
Select a ruler range and click Suggest alignment. Adjust strength and tolerance, compare Before/After and choose Apply or Cancel. Manual and locked markers are retained; uncertain attacks require explicit inclusion.
Choose a groove and eighth- or sixteenth-note swing. Extract a custom groove from 1, 2 or 4 bars of audio or a project MIDI clip and save it for reuse. Detected tempo includes a confidence indication and never changes project BPM automatically.
Confirmed markers are saved with the project and used for playback and audio rendering. Warp Off bypasses processing while retaining the map. This version supports local mono/stereo clips; incompatible clip types and cloud publication with Warp are restricted.

The Warp panel: attacks, Before/After audition and rhythm settings.

New in 0.5.0

Step sequencing directly on the timeline

Edit a MIDI clip as steps without opening Piano Roll. Both views work on the same notes, making it easy to sketch drums before moving to detailed note editing.

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Switch a MIDI clip’s header to Sequence. Choose the pitch of new steps and a grid from quarter notes to 1/64, including triplets. The step grid is independent of the arrangement grid.
Click an empty step to add a note or an occupied step to remove it. Drag a step’s top edge vertically to change velocity. Changing the selected pitch does not transpose existing notes.
Resize the clip by its edge or enter a step count. Zoom in when steps are too small. Return to MIDI view or double-click the header to open Piano Roll; the underlying notes remain unchanged.
Use Create Linked Copy for repeated phrases. Linked clips share content and show a link indicator. Make Independent detaches an instance when you need a fill or variation.
Patterns, MIDI clips and editors retain their selected source and audible range more consistently. Selection, movement, audition and editing after scrolling have been refined; regular notes remain available for MIDI export.

A MIDI clip in Sequence view: pitch, grid, steps and velocity.

New in 0.5.0

An arrangement that is easier to navigate

Track headers, folders, colors and icons have been refined, with new chord and song-section rows. Larger projects are easier to read and frequent actions stay close to the material.

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Give tracks useful names, colors and icons, organize them in folders and drag them to change order. Nesting and group operations are reflected consistently in the arrangement and mixer.
Use compact track height for an overview and expand a track for editing. Folders show a child-content overview, with track level, pan and switches close to the header.
Enable chord and song-section rows in a local project. Double-click to add a label such as Cmaj7 or Verse, set its start and bar length, then move or resize it. These labels describe structure; they do not automatically change MIDI notes.
Linked clip copies keep repeated passages consistent, while independent copies provide variations. Updated clip information and visual indicators make content and links easier to inspect.
Scrolling and zooming large projects, group dragging and child-track placement have been improved. Numeric controls support precise entry and more predictable mouse adjustment, while hidden editors do less UI work.

An arrangement close-up with nested folders, colors, icons and track controls.

More new features

New audio architecture separates the engine, heavy media preparation and rendering from the interface. Loading, analysis and export interfere less with editing, while background work supports cancellation and rejects stale results.
The notification center shows audio problems and recovery actions. A failed effect can be disabled while its track continues without it; instrument or Master failures use protective muting. Use the offered recovery action after stopping playback or recording.
Audio-device reconnection attempts to restore a lost device and preserves available audio from an interrupted take. The notification offers reconnection and audio settings; recording must be restarted explicitly after recovery.
Collaborative projects use protocol v6 with updated commands and built-in device support, improved change publication, project binding and pending-command recovery after disconnection. Online access is enabled per account; local Warp maps and some newer operations have publication restrictions.
Cloud project names and versions synchronize more consistently. Use current builds for all collaborators and check publication status; unsupported content is not silently sent.
The main AI chat and Creator share connection and model configuration while using separate working contexts. The main assistant works on the DAW project and Creator AI on module graphs and code; module history and model selection do not replace the main conversation.
Browser, clip-library and preset workflows refine file dragging, device search, chain loading and content transfer to editors. Save useful chains and reusable clips to assemble future projects faster.

Other changes

Auxiliary-window placement and behavior have been refined for the rack, device editors, AI chat, notebook and parameter panels across workspace sizes.
Project notebook, transport and contextual controls have received usability refinements. Commands and shortcuts behave more consistently when switching editors and keyboard layouts.
Light and dark themes, contrast, track-color states, meters and scaling have been refined, along with Russian translations, labels, tooltips and accessible control names.
UI frame delivery now updates the necessary editor and meter regions, with hidden panels avoiding redundant painting. Scrolling and parameter editing in large projects are more responsive.
Project and preset saving includes mini-modules, rack groups, shared content and new controls. Previously supported formats remain readable; save a separate project copy before continuing substantial work in the new version.
The website adds a dedicated Creator page, node and SDK documentation, rack screenshots and interactive homepage examples for Creator, automation and mixing, helping you explore the features before installing.

Bug fixes

Plugin failure, hang and recovery scenarios have been corrected; background processing and render errors are reported to the interface instead of silently losing results.
Plugin state saving and restoration are more consistent across project loading, Undo/Redo, chain changes, Freeze and offline rendering.
Rack edge cases have been fixed for device and group movement, reopening editors, selected-channel synchronization and processing-order retention.
Shared and independent clip-copy behavior, link restoration after Undo and editor refresh after content changes have been corrected.
MIDI audition, source-switch note handling and Sequence behavior after scrolling, resizing and view changes have been improved.
Warp calculations and edge cases have been corrected for tempo changes, trimming, splitting and range edits. Alignment previews do not replace the confirmed map until applied.
Selection, zoom and parameter-editing issues at different DPI settings and redundant editor painting have been addressed, with refinements to focus, keyboard input and context menus.