Current News

3.0.6 (21 January 2022)

  • Enhances watchpoint system for waveform views (GSOC michiboo)
  • Add anti-alias mode to add synth oscillator interpolation
  • Add 14 bit NRPN support for automations
  • Add Tanh, Cubic, and square distortions with additional shaping params
  • Add filter parameter smoothing
  • Add filter optional LPF to LFO
  • Add repeatable envelopes
  • Add LFO fade in
  • Add moog ladder filter
  • Add comb filter
  • Add BPM sync
  • Add latched key mode
  • Re-enable classic MIDI learn
  • Increase envelope time parameter resolution
  • Fix excessively loud volume bug in Part XML loader
  • Fix crash with gcc 10.x.x within file manager
  • Fix crash in erroneous patch load
  • Fix OSS/etc detection under cygwin
  • Fix padsynth memory leak
  • Fix weird note-to-note portamento switches
  • Reduce fftw resolution from 64bit to 32bit
  • Remove Cxxtest dependency
  • Fix other bugs

Old news

3.0.5 (15 April 2019)

  • Add Stereo peaks for individual part metering
  • Change LFO frequency units to Hz (from unitless)
  • Enhance LFO delay parameter resolution and units (seconds)
  • Enhance global volume parameter resolution and units (dB)
  • Enhance part volume parameter resolution and units (dB)
  • Enhance sub synth volume parameter resolution and units (dB)
  • Enhance sub synth volume velocity sensing resolution
  • Fix zippering when changing master volume
  • Fix misaligned points in live envelope values
  • Fix possible crash when envelopes are provided invalid live data
  • Fix minor bugs

3.0.4 (10 March 2019)

  • Add scripting to zyn-fusion UI for automated screen capture
  • Add double click to reset sliders
  • Add random LFO to UI
  • Add compatibility with MXML 3.0
  • Enhance modulation volume parameter resolution
  • Enhance global volume parameter resolution
  • Enhance state variable filter interpolation
  • Change filter defaults for easier patch setup
  • Fix pops with note aftertouch
  • Fix pad synth export
  • Fix envelope watchpoint visualization
  • Fix .xlz load/save in fusion UI
  • Fix minor bugs
  • Added support for floating point notes via MIDI SYSEX.

3.0.3 (4 December 2017)

  • Add bank search to FLTK/NTK GUI
  • Add parallel padsynth sample generation
  • Remove X11 dependency for non-GUI builds
  • Fix crash when changing modulation types in running notes
  • Fix NullEngine usleep() on windows
  • Fix loading filter parameters with older xml
  • Fix effect saving when updating with zyn-fusion interface
  • Fix minor bugs
  • The build process is now reproducible

3.0.2 (21 July 2017)

  • Upgrade MIDI learn system to include host automations and macro learned controls
  • Upgrade analog filter parameters to floating point resolution
  • Add default values to OSC metadata
  • Fix exit when closing zyn-fusion subprocess
  • Fix crash with large number of pad synth samples
  • Silence 0 volume effects
  • Silence 0 volume add synth voices
  • Fix minor bugs

3.0.1 (28 November 2016)

  • Add support for zest toolkit via Zyn-Fusion
  • Fixes blank screen when launching 3.0.0 UI
  • Fixes crash on startup for those with opengl versions between 2.1 and 3.1
  • Fixes problems with UI disconnections in plugin mode
  • Add resizing to LV2 Plugin Version
  • Fixes problems receiving MIDI events over ALSA
  • Fixes crash when editing instrument descriptions
  • Fixes crash when visualizing single poles

3.0.0 (17 November 2016)

  • Add support for zest toolkit via Zyn-Fusion
  • Add watchpoints to env/LFO
  • Add Bank searching capabilities
  • Add Windows Midi Support
  • Add --midi-learn option for loading .xlz files
  • Add bank cache file
  • Add DC modulator type
  • Augment Existing 2.5.x OSC API metadata
  • Fix Envelope behavior on pre 2.4.4 patches
  • Fix ALSA hanging after suspend to ram
  • Fix Jack-Multi Crash
  • Fix FreeBSD compilation
  • Fix Windows compilation (via mingw64)
  • Fix unapplied microtonal settings on startup

2.5.4 (17 March 2016)

  • Add realtime automation for subnote parameters
  • Add FLTK UI for LV2 plugins
  • Add support for '~' in bank paths
  • Fix VST crashes
  • Fix VST loading issues
  • Fix Microtonal copy/paste
  • Fix GCC 5.3.0 build issues
  • Fix autosave disable flag
  • Fix license headers
  • Fix plugin library directory
  • Fix uninitialized filter bug in subnote
  • Fix broken instrument send

2.5.3 (8 Feb 2016)

  • Add LV2 and VST support via DPF
  • Add autosave
  • Add realtime filter parameter updates
  • Add LFO random mode
  • Add more controls to DSSI plugin
  • Add fixed frequency modulators
  • Add more reset states to knobs/sliders
  • Add PWM mod
  • Fix Microtonal UI
  • Fix 'Add Bank'
  • Fix sustain bugs in 2.5.x series
  • Fix mem pool exhaustion bug
  • Fix PADnote copy/paste
  • Fix Oscilgen copy/paste
  • Fix Midi unlearn
  • Other misc bug fixes

2.5.2 (13 November 2015)

  • Add MIDI-Learn serialization
  • Add realtime updates for LFOs
  • Add pink noise source
  • Add missing velocity sense to ADvoice filters
  • Support global Q for ADvoice formant filters
  • Fix formant filter response to frequency
  • Add chop pseudo sync BF modifier to oscilgen
  • Add user adjustment for AD/PAD fadein
  • Improve use-as-base so the result works like a built-in
  • Save and restore some missing parameters from oscilgen
  • Restore mousewheel functionality
  • Add window traversal shortcuts
  • Restore bank LSB/MSB MIDI support
  • Improve tip windows
  • Improve oscdoc output
  • Restore Ext Oscil/Mod functionality
  • Remove remaining globals
  • Fix UI connection bugs
  • Add UI title rewrite support
  • Other misc bug fixes

2.5.1 (4 Jul 2015)

  • Add Colorized CMake Configuration
  • Add PID option for jack
  • Add OSC port option
  • Add MIDI unlearn
  • Add External UI Compilation
  • Add Split Pitchbend
  • Fix No Install NTK Build
  • Fix Linker Issues
  • Fix Presets/Copy/Paste
  • Fix JACK Samplerate Check When JACK Isn't Running
  • Remove Dump
  • Remove Some Globals synth/uToB/bToU/etc
  • Adjust BankUI Ascetic
  • Other Misc Bug Fixes

2.5.0 (25 Feb 2015)

  • Add Rtosc
  • Add tlsf RT Memory Allocator
  • Add --dump-oscdoc Flag
  • Add OSC API
  • Add Jack-OSC Support
  • Add MIDI Learn
  • Add Undo/Redo
  • Add Multi-Out JACK Engine
  • Add Multi-Out OSS Engine
  • Add Top Level Window Icon
  • Add OSS env Vars MIDI_DEVICE/DSP_DEVICE
  • Add OSC port/PID file
  • Remove Master::mutex
  • Remove Almost All RT Unsafe Actions
  • Disable (temporarily) DSSI
  • Disable (temporarily) Copy/Paste
  • Massive Internal Refactoring

2.4.4 (28 Jun 2014)

  • Add UI Mousewheel Support
  • Add Spectral Adjust Parameter Rescaling
  • Add Subnote filter smoothing
  • Add Unison derandomization options
  • Add NSM import/export
  • Add NTK UI compatiability
  • (re)Add OSX Support
  • Enhance performance of ADnote and SUBnote
  • Enhance Installer
  • Fix JACK2 specific segfault
  • Fix possible DSSI specific segfaults
  • Fix Unison Regressions
  • Documentation additions
  • Misc bug fixes

Version 2.4.3 (Jul 15, 2012)

  • Non-session manager support
  • Midi aftertouch support
  • More sane IO defaults
  • Misc bug fixes

Version 2.4.2 Release (Feb 26, 2012)

  • New IO backend suport
  • MIDI bank select
  • Spike/Circle waveform
  • Faster subsynth
  • --exec-after-init flag
  • version information compiled in
  • Misc bug fixes

Version 2.4.1 Release (Jun 27, 2010)

  • merging APhaser into Phaser
  • other bugfixes
  • code cleanup

Version 2.4.1 Pre (May 2, 2010)

  • Azerty layout
  • XML bug fixes
  • Vibrato/Unison additions
  • Reverb rewrite
  • DSSI support enabled
  • Adding APhaser
  • other bugfixes
  • code cleanup

Version 2.4.0 (July 16, 2009)

  • extended mono functionality
  • legato mode
  • export functionality on PADsynth
  • inclusion of LASH client
  • inclusion of DSSI audio output
  • enabled tooltips for knobs (both description and value tooltips)
  • added support for newer JACK api
  • added quertz support for virtual keyboard
  • started to encorperate cxxtest for unit testing
  • many bugfixes
  • code cleanup

February 25

  • ZynAddSubFX wiki opened
  • new members added to development team

October 16

  • Added the full description of the PADsynth algorithm
Version 2.2.1
  • Made to work with mxml-2.2 (will NOT work on older versions)
  • It is possible to remove completely the graphical user interface (e.g. it can run without X). For this you need to modify the DISABLE_GUI option from the Makefile.inc
  • Added a command line -L which load a instrument (.xiz) - now it only loads to part 0 (you can use this option with -l to load a master file and after this the option -L to replace the part)
2005 April
  • Participated to LAC2005 as a speaker. Many pictures are here (as 50 MB zip archive of 200+ pictures) Thanks to ZKM and Frank Neumann.
Version 2.2.0
  • The VST version of ZynAddSubFX is removed from the installation until it will be more stable (hope soon :) )
  • Now, the instrument banks contains over 300 high quality instruments
  • Added "Apply" a button from OscilGen window for PADsynth
  • Added another parameter to ADsynth that controls the amount of all detunes of voices
  • Adaptive harmonics post process
  • Improved the VU-meter and added a RMS plot
  • Dvorak support for Virtual Keyboard
  • Many bugs fixed and code cleanups


22 March
Version 2.1.1
  • Corrected a bug that prevented the changing the current part
Version 2.1.0
  • Added a installer for windows (thanks to NSIS installer ( http://nsis.sourceforge.net/ ) ). Both VST and standalone versions are contained in the same installer.
  • Added a new user interface for beginners. You can switch the current user interface with that anytime do you want.
  • All parts, effects, etc. are counted from '1' and not from '0'
  • Added the possibility to compile the OSS and JACK support in the same binary (look in the Makefile.inc)
  • VST host should be able to save all zynaddsubfx parameters into their setups (this is untested)
  • Bugfixes and other

Aug 2004

Version 2.0.0
  • VST version works (there are some issues/bugs but it works)
  • Added a advanced Clipboard and Preset module - now is possible to add user preset LFOs,Envelopes, Effects, Oscillators, Resonances, Filters, etc.
  • Completely removed the *.MAS_ZYN formats (masters, instruments,etc) support; use 2.0.0pre1 and 2.0.0pre2 to convert
  • Corrected a error to pitch bend on VST plugin (thanks to Krzysztof Korpiela)
  • Improved the PADsynth module
  • Because the PADsynth module takes a time to load, the instrument that contains such modules are shown in different colors
  • Bug fixes
  • Other

Aug 2004

  • ZynAddSubFX is available as VST plugin (alpha stage)

Aug 2004

  • ZynAddSubFX got 5 stars (of 5) on SoftPedia and SoftPedia Pick Award. SoftPedia Pick Award (click on image to see more)
Version 2.0.0_pre2
  • Win32 port
  • It works with mxml2.0 library
  • Bug fixes and small improvements
Version 2.0.0_pre1
  • Added a new powerful synth engine which is called PADsynth, you can make very beautiful pads and even some strange sounds
  • Now is used the XML format for all ZynAddSubFX parameters(.XMZ for master parameters, .XIZ for instrument parameters and .XSZ for scale parameters).You can import older parameters. All parameters files are compressed with gzip algorithm.
  • Some parameters has changed and you might encounter different sounds that you saved in the older versions of ZynAddSubFX
  • The instrument banks are no longer single files, but directories that contains instrument .XIZ files (you can organize them even with a file manager). Also, you can use more than 1 banks easily.
  • Added a new effect called DynamicFilter that allows you to do WahWah,AutoWah, VocalMorpher and other effects
  • Speedups
  • Started to write a small sequencer that allows to load and play a midi file from ZynAddSubFX (unfinished)
  • ZynAddSubFX is available from CVS, too. Please look at the sourceforge project page to get more information ( http://sourceforge.net/projects/zynaddsubfx )
  • The waveform generator (OscilGen) has many new parameters :) also if you press the "Shift" key, you can draw the harmonics amplitude/phases
  • Many user interface improvements
  • You can load a file at the start of the program with "-l" command-line parameter and you can run ZynAddSubFX w/o user interface with "-U"
  • It is possible to dump all MIDI notes into a text file
  • The instruments can contain comments and copyright information in order to encourage sharing of them
  • FFT3W library is supported
  • More "randomness" options
  • Other improvements
  • Many, many bug fixes
  • Added the full changelog (since I started to write ZynAddSubFX), most is in Romanian
  • Other things
Version 1.4.3
  • Added state variable filters and other types of analog filters
  • Small UI improvements
  • Bug fixes
Version 1.4.2
  • Added full-featured, advanced formant filters
  • Added mixer panel which lets you to see/change most important part settings, and shows a vu-meters for each part
  • You can choose to process the instrument's kit items only with one Part effect (eg. you can make a instrument kit that contains a reverberated piano and flanged strings)
  • Enabled to launch more instances in Jack
  • When is launched first time, it searches for default.bnk_zyn file into /usr/share/zynaddsubfx and /usr/local/share/zynaddsubfx directories (useful for binary packages for Linux distributions)
  • Bug fixes
Version 1.4.1
  • Added single mode to the instrument kit who allows only one item to be played same time
  • Added "Spectrum Adjust" to the ADsynth oscillator
  • Added "drum mode" to the instrument, where all midi keys are mapped to 12tET
  • Added a parameter to the "440Hz" which make the freq to varies a bit according to the key pressed (very useful to toms and other drums)
  • (for OSS audio out) if it is launched with root privileges, the synth will gain realtime scheduling priority
  • Bug fixes
Version 1.4.0
  • Added instrument's own effect (effects that are loaded/saved with the instrument)
  • FreeMode Envelopes: all Envelopes can have any shape (not only ADSR)
  • Added instrument kits: It is possible to use more than one instruments into one part (used for layered synths or drum kits)
  • Amplitude envelopes can be linear or logarithmic
  • Added interpolation on the Resonance user interface
  • User interface improvements and cleanups of it's code
  • Initiated a mailing list to allow users to share patches for ZynAddSubFX. Please share your ZynAddSubFX patches and look at http://lists.sourceforge.net/mailman/listinfo/zynaddsubfx-user for more information about the mailing list.
Version 1.2.1
  • Improved filter interpolation
  • Bug fixes:
    • Wav header is written correctly
    • NRPN works correctly
  • Added master fine detune (-64..63 cents) and protection of the fundamental frequency against damping (resonance)
  • It is possible to swap effects(change the order) or copy them
  • Started to port it to VST (not functional, yet)
Version 1.2.0
  • ZynAddSubFX is ported to Windows ;-)
  • Added internal Virtual Keyboard
  • Added Configuration window
  • Added frequency tracking to filter
  • Improved the OscilGen (harmonic filter, RMS normalisation, etc..)
  • Improved the recorder (uses the WAV file format and it starts only when a key is pressed)
  • added filter interpolation if the frequency is changed very fast (it removes some annoying clicks)
  • Other improvements, bug fixes, speedups and cleanups of the code
Version 1.0.9
  • added key limit to parts (first note priority)
  • you can use multiple filter stages in order to make very steep filter roll-offs (eg. 48 dB/octave)
  • ADsynth
    • added noise mode and you can make fixed frequencies
    • added the "Punch" parameter
  • added an external program "Controller" which enables you to use the mouse for MIDI controllers
  • other improvements and bug fixes
Version 1.0.8
  • added mono mode and portamento
  • added the EQ effect
  • the output of the system effects can be sent to other system effects
  • minor bug fixes and improvements
Version 1.0.7
  • some settings (like samplerate) are set on runtime (by command line)
  • added distortion effect
  • added controllers (over than a dozen) and NRPNs (with NRPNs you can change all effects parameters by MIDI)
  • bugs removed and other improvements
Version 1.0.6
  • Added JACK support
  • Minor improvements and bug fixes
Version 1.0.5
  • The bug that crashed ZynAddSubFX if you change some effect parameters, it is really removed (I forgot to update the file before upload)
  • Other bug fixes and code clean-ups
  • Added a Global Filter to SubSynth
  • Added key response limits to Part
  • Added presets to Effects
  • The fade is smaller on high frequency content and larger on low frequencies; so you'll don't hear starting clicks on basses and audible fade-ins on higher pitched sounds
  • Added tunings to Reverb: you can choose Random of Freeverb. Freeverb is written by Jezar at Dreampoint; I used the tunings from it.
Version 1.0.4
  • Improved the microtonal settings (added key mapping to scale degree, the Master Keyshift and Part Keyshift keeps the intervals)
  • It is possible to load Scala (scl and kbm) files
  • It is possible to compile/use ZynAddSubFX without ALSA (see the readme.txt)
  • The real detune (cents) is shown
  • The interface looks better, and you have to move the mouse up/down (instead a circular movement) to change most of parameters
  • Minor bugs removed
Version 1.0.3
  • small bug fixes:
    • "Bypass Global Filter" from ADnoteUI disappears sometimes
    • removed the low amplitude noise produced by the reverb
    • if you "acconect" zynaddsubfx with aseqview no note was processed a long time
  • added Notch Filter
  • added the option to randomize the resonance function
  • added VU-Meter
  • Change the Insertion effect modes behaves (it sounds a bit louder)
  • Added to the project an external program called Spliter that splits the keyboard and allows user to play two instruments same time. You can use this program with ZynAddSubFX or any other synthesizer.
Version 1.0.2-1
  • bug found and removed: sometimes when Master/Instrument is saved, the synth crashed
Version 1.0.2
  • added instrument banks. This makes possible to change instruments easy.
  • the Band Pass Filter's output amplitude was increased
  • some fixes to FFTwrapper. This removes the compilation errors related to drfftw.h (please see the docs from to the FFTwrapper.h if there still are compile errors
Version 1.0.1
  • removed a bug that crashed ZynAddSubFX if you disable a part while notes are playing on that part
  • added Resonance to harmonics (ADsynth). This makes possible to make very realistic sounds, and it use small CPU power.
  • added Band Pass Filters
Version 1.0.0 - first release
  • first release 2002, 25. September