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Merik 0.5.0

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@github-actions github-actions released this 15 Oct 20:36
· 29 commits to main since this release
v0.5.0
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Merik 0.5.0

Merik is a live MIDI player built for the stage. Version 0.5.0 adds recorded audio stems next to MIDI, a click track you can send to its own output, and a lot of polish around them.

What's new

  • Audio stems (.merik files). A .merik is a zip with audio stems per family (1-drums.flac, 7-void.mp3, ...), optional song.mid, click.wav, chords.json, lyrics.json and tempo.json. No manifest to write: Merik recognises the files by name. Per family audio wins over MIDI, anything missing falls back to the MIDI file, so MIDI plus a live vocal stem, or a full recorded band, both work. The name after the number is shown on the family button.
  • Fast loading and low memory. Stems stored without compression in the zip (zip -0 -j "song.merik" *.wav song.mid) are streamed from disk: a song is ready in a fraction of a second and uses about 17 MB per stem instead of the whole song. Compressed zips are decoded completely, in parallel, behind a progress screen that only appears when loading takes longer than half a second. docs/merik-format.md and the README explain how to make a .merik on macOS and Windows, and how to convert WAV to FLAC.
  • Click track on family 8. Generated from the tempo and time signature of the song, sample-accurate with the music; or use your own click.wav. Without a MIDI file or tempo there is no internal click and no beat display. Fader = volume, switch = on/off.
  • Separate outputs. Settings → Audio: a main output (stereo pair or one channel), the click on any other channel or pair (or click left / music right), and an output per audio-stem family. Handy with a multichannel interface or mixer, for example the click to the drummer only.
  • Family labels and meters. Every family shows an AUDIO, MIDI or CLICK pill and a level meter, in the app and in the browser mixer. The song list marks files that contain MIDI and/or AUDIO.
  • Update notification as a pill. A newer version shows as a dark-red Update available pill next to the song counter instead of a pop-up. Click it for the download. Skipping a version hides the pill.
  • Memory in the title bar, spacebar = play/pause, Command/Ctrl/Alt-click on Lyrics opens the web page with your control key, and .mid, .kar and .merik files open from the Finder or Explorer.
  • Settings: a separate Soundfont tab, a new tab design and an audio device panel with all outputs of your interface.
  • Families: 7 is now Others (FX and other), 8 is Click.
  • Faster setlists: selecting a setlist is snappy again (saving the settings takes about 12 ms instead of 380 ms). Your existing setlists are converted automatically on first start.
  • Web page: no "4/4" or empty chord bar when there is no tempo or no chords.

Install

macOS (Apple silicon)

  1. Download Merik-0.5.0-arm64.dmg, open it and drag Merik onto Applications.
  2. The app is not notarized, so macOS blocks the first start. Right-click Merik.app, choose Open and confirm. If it is still blocked, run this in Terminal: 
    xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Merik.app

Windows (64-bit)

  1. Download Merik-0.5.0-windows-x64.zip and extract it to a folder.
  2. Run Merik.exe. If SmartScreen warns about an unknown app (the build is not code-signed), click More info, then Run anyway.
  3. Allow Merik on private networks when Windows asks, to use the lyrics and remote control web page.

On both systems, choose a General MIDI SoundFont (.sf2) under Settings → Soundfont. Merik does not include one. MatrixSF_v2.1.5.sf2 is a great free option, but many others exist.

Known limits

  • Audio stems, streaming and the separate outputs are new and mostly tested on macOS. Please report problems on Windows.
  • Streaming works for stems stored without compression. A slow or network drive can cause stutter: copy the file to a local drive.
  • Transpose is not available for songs with stems.
  • MIDI out uses a portable output on Windows, so timing is less tight than on macOS.
  • Intel Macs and Linux are not supported yet.
  • After the first start, setlists are stored in a new format; an older Merik version no longer reads them from the same settings file.

Feedback

Found a bug or have an idea? Please open an issue and include your system (macOS or Windows version), what you did and what you expected.

Merik is free software under the GNU AGPL v3. Source code and third-party licenses are in the repository.

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