Update Software
How to Check Your Software Version
While holding Global Settings, press OS Version (in column 16). The version number will appear in the display.
How to Update Your LinnStrument Software
- Download the LinnStrument Software Updater using the links below under "LinnStrument Software Version History'. If necessary, double-click on the LinnStrument Firmware folder to uncompress the file.
- Mac users only: Download the installer file and double-click it to install the Updater app.
- Windows Users only: You will need to manually install the LinnStrument Updater's Driver for Windows:
1) Navigate to the LinnStrument Firmware folder you just un-compressed, and open the LinnStrument Driver folder.
2) Double-click dpinst-x86.exe (for 32-bit Windows) or dpinst-x64.ex (for 64-bit Windows) to begin installing the LinnStrument Windows Driver for the updater.
3) Follow the on-screen instructions for installing the LinnStrument Windows driver.
4) Navigate to the LinnStrument Firmware folder. - Disconnect other USB devices from your computer, then use a USB cable of 10 feet or less to connect your LinnStrument directly to your computer, not through a USB hub.
- On your LinnStrument, turn on 'Global Settings > Actions column > OS UPDATE'. (Briefly press it to turn the button's light on. Do not hold it.) You're now ready to update your LinnStrument. DON'T DISCONNECT POWER DURING THE UPDATE.
- Double-click the LinnStrument Updater app to open it.
- In the LinnStrument Updater app, Click 'Update Firmware' then 'Go Ahead'. (If the 'Update Firmware' button is not clickable, recheck the above steps.) Your LinnStrument is now being updated, which will take about 2.5 minutes.
(If you're having problems updating, search the LinnStrument FAQ page, "Problems" tab, for "LinnStrument will not accept an OS Update from the LinnStrument Updater app. What's wrong?") - To confirm that the update was successful, check your LinnStrument's version number as explained at the top of this page.
LinnStrument Software Version History
2.3.3 (October 11, 2023, Current version)
Downloads
Feature
- In Per-Split Settings > MIDI Mode, holding ONE CHANNEL now resets all MIDI settings as they are after a Reset command. Similar to holding ChPerNote to quickly change all settings for MPE synths, this is useful for quickly changing all MIDI settings for use with common preset sounds of One Channel synth that are optimized for MIDI piano keyboards:
Main channel: 1
Bend Range: +/- 2
Timbre/Y: CC74
Loudness/Z: Poly Pressure - If MIDI Mode is set to ChPerNote and you change either the Bend Range setting or hold ChPerNote to force MPE settings, LinnStrument sends a MIDI RPN 0 “Pitch Bend range” message, which sets the external synth to the same bend range.
Bug fixes
- When using the Arpeggiator to arpeggiate through a held chord and you lifted one finger of the chord, the arpeggio order would reset to the starting note. Fixed.
- When split was on with CC Faders on in one split and Low Row on in the other, sometimes the Low Row lights would turn on on the other split. Fixed.
- When receiving a Bend Range configuration message through MIDI, LinnStrument would echo it back to the MIDI out, which was unnecessary. Fixed.
- When LinnStrument would receive a MIDI Stop command to stop its Step Sequencer, it would unnecessarily echo it back out to the MIDI out. Fixed.
- When enabling Legato with the Arpeggiator in Channel Per Note mode, playing the same chord repetitively would add a new root note each time. Fixed. (This bug existed in interim version 2.3.2 and all earlier versions, and was fixed in version 2.3.3.)
2.3.0 (May 27, 2021)
Downloads
New Feature
- Custom Light Patterns
You can now create your own custom light patterns for LinnStrument’s note lights, independently setting each note pad to any of 10 colors or off. You can create 3 different custom light patterns, and they remain stored after turning power off.
The Scale Select feature (in Global Settings, column 1) is now used to also select or create the custom light patterns. Until now, there were 12 Scale Select memories, named C through B. (These are merely identifiers, using the 12 printed labels printed below the buttons, with no relation to the musical keys C though B.) The first 9 memories (C through G#) work exactly as before and as described in the Panel Settings page. The upper 3 Scale Select memories (A, A# and B) are now changed to hold the 3 new custom light patterns.
Note: when you update to version 2.3.0 software, any scales you had previously entered into Scale Select memories A, A# or B will be deleted.
Here's how the custom light patterns feature works:
To display one of the 3 custom light patterns, enter Global Settings then:
1) In column 1 (“View”), press Scale Select.
2) In columns 2 through 4, briefly press Scale Select button A, A# or B. By default, Scale Select “A” contains traditional guitar neck dots. Scale Select “A#” is a C major scale with a different color for each scale note. And Scale Select “B” is blank.
3) Press Global Settings to turn it off. Your selected light pattern will appear.
To Edit one of the 3 custom light patterns, enter Global Settings then:
1) In column 1 (“View”), press Scale Select.
2) In columns 2 through 4, HOLD Scale Select memory A, A# or B. You have now entered the light editor screen and the existing contents of the selected memory will appear.
3) To set the color of a pad: repeatedly press the blinking Switch 1 button until it shows your desired color, rotating through the 10 available colors. Then press any note pad to change it to that color.
4) To erase any note pad: hold it.
5) To erase many note pads: press 2 pads that are 2 corners of a rectangle that includes the pads to be erased.
6) To save your changes and exit the editor: press Global Settings to turn it off and return to the normal performance lights.
Note: these 3 custom light patterns are not part of the 6 All Settings presets in the Presets screen, so they are unaffected by loading or saving any of the All Settings presets.
Note: the custom light patterns always use the entire playing surface, even if Split is on. However if Split is on, playing the note pads will still work the same-- divided into left and right splits.
As before, you can still load a light pattern from MIDI by sending MIDI CCs 20, 21 and 22 to LinnStrument, as described in the Panel Settings page, Global Settings tab, Note Lights section, “Setting the note lights remotely via MIDI messages” subsection. As before, any received messages will add to whatever light pattern is displayed. If you wish to save your loaded pattern, load it while the above light editor screen is showing, then exit Global Settings to save it. Also, two more MIDI CC numbers are now accepted by LinnStrument:
CC23: Save loaded light pattern to flash.
After sending a new light pattern to LinnStrument, send a CC23 message with value 0, 1 or 2 to save it to Scale Select memory A, A# or B, respectively.
CC24.: Clear custom light pattern from flash.
Send a CC24 message with value 0, 1 or 2 to clear Scale Select pattern A, A# or B, respectively.
2.2.2 (January 1, 2021)
Downloads
Improvements
- Touch sensitivity of LinnStrument 128 was slightly less than that of the large LinnStrument model. They are now the same.
- The range of the Touch Sensor Prescale parameter in Global Settings (which could adjust the output of the touch sensor) has been increased from the former 50-100%, to the new 50- 200%, permitting the option to increase sensitivity to very light touches even more than before.
Warning: settings above 100 might cause notes within chords to trigger falsely, decrease velocity accuracy, or produce maximum velocity or pressure values with only medium playing force. - When using the “MPE” shortcut to set all MIDI settings for MPE play (in Per-Split Settings > MIDI mode column, hold ChPerNt), Bend Range was formerly set to 24. It is now set to 48, the standard for MPE synths. Also, our downloadable file of LinnStrument sounds for Apple's Logic and MainStage has been updated for an MPE Bend Range of 48 instead of the former 24.
- There was a brief delay after a note pad was physically released before sending the Note Off message. It is now much shorter. Thanks to Connor Golden for implementing this fix.
Bug fixes
- In the Step Sequencer, muting the sequence of the split that was not selected would mute its sequence but not turn on the Mute button’s light. Fixed.
- In the Step Sequencer, if a sequence was set to Drums mode, transposing the sequence would transpose the drum note numbers, which makes no musical sense. Fixed.
- In the Step Sequencer, if transposing a sequence down such that the transposed note numbers would go below 0, this would cause an “underflow” error, resulting in high note numbers of 127 and below. (For example, note number 6 transposed down 8 semitones would result in note number 126.) Fixed.
- If sending an NRPN message to LinnStrument to set colors, magenta would be selected regardless of the value sent. Fixed. And if sending an NRPN message to to set any of the Per-Split Settings, the Per-Setting Settings indicator lights would change but not the internal value. Fixed.
2.2.1 (October 1, 2018)
Downloads
(NOTE to coders: The version 2.2.1 OS update is contained in these Updater apps. However, if a file ending in ".bin" is located in the same directory, the Updater app will assume it is a LinnStrument OS file and load it instead. So it's best to put the Updater app in a directory that contains no other .bin file, of in a separate directory if you're not sure.)
Bug fixes
- After 2.2.0, the Global Settings LED would no longer blink 1/4 notes in sync to received MIDI Clock. Fixed.
- When playing the Step Sequencer from internal tempo by pressing the Play (Switch 2) button, the Global Settings LED's tempo blinking was not in correct sync to the playing tempo. Fixed.
- In version 2.2.0 a new feature was added, "Permit reading of any panel setting from MIDI NRPN messages", but when reading NRPN 243 (the 6 All Settings" memories), only the 4 memories of version 2.1.0 could be read. Fixed.
Note:
To install any of the previous versions (below) on Mac OS Mojave, you must use the version 2.2.1 Updater app (above) but place the ".bin" file from the Mac download (below) in the same folder as the new Updater app.
2.2.0 (July 25, 2018)
Downloads
New Features
- Independent Row Tunings
The tuning for each row can now be independently set. In Global Settings > Row Offset, hold GUITAR to view the Row Tuning screen. Select one of the 8 rows at left, then edit that’s row’s note number by swiping left or right. - Common MPE messages sent over all channels
In Channel Per Note mode, LinnStrument normally sends messages that are common to all touches (like Sustain Pedal or Program Change) over the Main channel. However, many synths implement MPE (Channel Per Note) without such a separate Main channel. For such synths, it is now possible to send these common messages redundantly over all Per Note channels.
To do this, in Per-Split Settings set MIDI Mode to Channel Per Note. Then while View (column 2) is set to Main Channel, press the selected channel button in columns 3-6 to deselect it. Now all common messages will be send redundantly over all Per Note channels. - New Foot/Panel Switch options:
1) “CLK”: Start/Stop sending MIDI Clock
2) “MUTE”: In the Step Sequencer, toggle the Mute status of the selected split’s sequence.
To select either of these, in Global Settings > Assign Switch, hold TAP TEMPO then swipe to select the desired option. - Permit reading of any panel setting from MIDI NRPN messages
It is now possible to remotely read the status of any of LinnStrument’s settings from MIDI. To do so, send the number of the parameter that you want to read to NRPN 299, then the value will be sent back through the parameter's NRPN number. This is useful, for example, in creating a computer application for non-sighted users. - MPE remote activation (MIDI RPN 6) is now supported
This is the new official method of remotely setting a synth to MPE mode, or letting a synth remotely set LinnStrument to MPE mode. Now, when MPE mode is selected in LinnStrument by holding the Channel Per Note button, an RPN 6 message is sent. And if an RPN 6 message is received, LinnStrument enables Channel Per Note (MPE) mode. - Virtual third foot switch
A virtual third foot switch has been added, actuated by pressing both left and right foot switches together. To assign it, in Global Settings > Select Switch column, press both FOOT L and FOOT R together, then select an assignment in the Assign Switch columns. If an assignment is made, then the actions of the Left or Right Foot Switches will occur when releasing the foot switch instead when pressing it. To remove the assignment for the virtual third foot switch, press its selection to deselect it
Improvements
- All Settings memories increased from 4 to 6
The number of All Settings presets (on the right of the Presets screen) has been increased from 4 to 6. The contents of the previous four presets are in the same locations as before, with the two new presets added below them. - If Per-Split Settings > Pitch/x column > On is turned off, a Pitch Bend message with a value of zero is no longer sent before Note On.
- When using the Step Sequencer, if syncing to a sync source that didn’t send Song Position Pointer messages, LinnStrument’s sequencer would not start immediately in response to received Start messages. This is now fixed.
- In the Step Sequencer, the colors used in the 4 note data sliders are reversed so that the Accent color now reflects the slider’s value, and the Main color indicates the unused portion of the slider.
- In the Step Sequencer, when a note is selected (blinking), the blink rate is now synced to the playing tempo.
- In the Step Sequencer screen, the Mute setting can now be remotely set via MIDI NRPN messages, as described in the the file midi.text in the source code.
- In the Step Sequencer, a variety of minor improvements have been made to the user interface.
Bug fixes
- In earlier software versions, a bug existed that could result in the upper one or two note pads in columns 4 and/or 5 to be disabled. We thought we had fixed this in version 2.1.0 but didn’t. It is now fixed.
- In the Preset screen, pressing RIGHT SPLIT was sometimes ignored. This is fixed.
- In the Step Sequencer, touching any of the 4 Note Data sliders to view its status could alter the value. This is fixed.
2.1.0 (May 5, 2017)
Downloads
Changes
- New Feature: You can now turn on light animations that surround and emanate from the played note pads, responding to velocity and pressure. In Per-Split Settings > Color column, hold PLAYED. Swipe L/R to select one of the following options:
Cell (only lights pressed cell)
Same (lights notes of same pitch on other rows, as in previous software versions)
Crosses
Circles
Squares
Diamonds
Stars
Sparkles (Roger's favorite, because its shorter duration is less distracting from the note lights. Try it in white.)
Curtains
Blinds
Targets
Up
Down
Left
Right
Orbits
- New Feature: additional Panel/Foot Switch options have been added. In Global Settings > Assign Switch, hold Tap Tempo then swiping L/R to select one of the following options, independent for the 4 switches:
TAP: Tap Tempo.
LEG: Legato. While switch is on, notes or chords are sustained after release until the next note or chord is played.
LAT: Arpeggiator latch. While switch is on, each pressed & released note will be added to the arpeggiated chord.
PR+: Preset +. The Preset number shown in Preset screen is incremented.
PR-: Preset -. The Preset number shown in Preset screen is decremented.
PCH: Pitch slide on/off. Reverses the selected state of Per-Split Settings > Pitch/X column > On. This is useful, for example, to quickly switch between smooth pitch slides and semitone slides as on a guitar.
Plus the following 3 only for the Foot switches:
PLAY: Start or Stop the internal step sequencer. This can also be controlled by MIDI NRPN messages.
PREV: Previous Sequence, of the 4 sequences in the Step Sequencer. This can also be controlled by MIDI NRPN messages.
NEXT: Next Sequence, of the 4 sequences in the Step Sequencer. This can also be controlled by MIDI NRPN messages.
- New Feature: added support for negative row offsets and inverted guitar tuning.
In Global Settings > Row Offset columns, you could previously hold OCTAVE then swipe L/R to select any row offset from 0 to 16. Now the options include -16 to -1 and -GUI (inverted GuItar tuning). - New Feature: Mirrored split pitch direction. Previously, turning on Left-Handed Mode (Global Settings > Column 1, 4th note pad from bottom) would reverse the pitch direction (R to L instead of L to R). Now you can reverse the pitch direction for one split only, permitting mirrored split tunings.
In Global Settings > column 1 > hold the 4th note pad from the bottom and Swipe L/R to select one of 3 options:
1) REV: reverse pitch direction of both splits (same as previous versions).
2) REVL: reverse pitch direction of left split only.
3) REVR: reverse pitch direction of right split only.
Note that you must turn on the note pad (col 1, row 4) for the selected pitch reversal to be on. - New Feature: The Step Sequencer now responds to MIDI Song Position Pointer messages, thereby maintaining correct sync position if the external DAW is started from a position in the song other than the start.
- New Feature: in Assign Switches, permit SUSTAIN and CC65 to be reassigned to any CC, and independently for the 4 switches.
In Global Settings > Assign Switch columns, hold SUSTAIN or CC65. Swipe L/R to select option. - New Feature: For Low Row's CC1 and XYZ=16-18 options, as well as for the CC Fader options, you can now select Channel Pressure in addition to the CCs 0-127.
In Per-Split Settings > Low Row columns, hold either CC1 or XYZ=16-18, then swipe all the way to the right.
In Per-Split Settings > Special column, hold either CC FADERS, then swipe all the way to the right. - New Feature: added support for a configurable start value for the CC value sent when Per-Split Settings > Timbre/Y column > Relative is turned on. Previously it was always 64. Now it can be any value from 0 to 127. For example, if using Y-axis to add a modulation amount, this now permits the value at first press to be zero, then increased by tilting your finger forward.
In Per-Split Settings > Timbre/Y column, hold Relative. Swipe L/R to adjust value. - New Feature: Channel Per Row mode's channel order can now be reversed, permitting for example the highest row to send on channel one and lowest on channel 8. This is useful when using some guitar synthesizers that prefer the high E string to use channel 1 and the low E string to use channel 6.
In Per-Split Settings > MIDI Mode column, hold ChPerRow. It will light in the accent color to indicate reversed channel order. - New Feature: Previously, if the Arpeggiator was on and LinnStrument was synced to an external source, the Global Settings button would blink 1/4 notes. Now it also blinks if Arpeggiator is on and using internal tempo. This helps by showing you the Arpeggiator tempo before you start playing.
- Improvement: Previously if using One Channel mode and you played two note pads of the same pitch, releasing one of them would terminate both notes, because MIDI only permits one note of the same pitch per channel. Now the heard note is terminated only after releasing both note pads.
- Improvement: When synced to external MIDI clock, LinnStrument no longer also sends MIDI click. This prevents MIDI clock loops with external DAWs.
- Improvement: Incoming MIDI handling and response to external MIDI clock are now more reliable.
- Improvement: The 4 All-Settings Presets (on the right side of the Preset screen) now store and recall the status of the Split button, as well as which split is current selected.
- Improvement: When changing the MIDI Mode (in Per-Split settings), zero values are sent for the X, Y and Z messages, thereby preventing the external synth from adding the last-sent One Channel and Channel Per Note values.
- Improvement: the fourth/highest "All Settings" preset (on the right side of the Preset screen) is now configured by default for playing auto drumbeats on the left split and auto bass lines on the right split, as shown in the LinnStrument Introduction video at 4:36.
- Improvement: the entered tempo value is now saved after disconnecting and reconnecting power.
- Bug Fix: A rare bug existed in version 2.0.0 and later that causes the upper 2 note pads in columns 4 and 5 to stop working. This was due to a bug that caused the calibration values for these pads to be corrupted. We believe we fixed the cause of the bug but in case it happens in future and you notice that these 4 notes pads aren't working, simply remove and reconnect power to make them work again.
- Bug fix: the sequencer's Event Edit sliders (lower right of sequencer screen) would sometimes not return from the numeric display when a touch was released. Now fixed.
- Bug Fix: Previously, there were small inconsistencies in quantized pitch bend ranges. This is now corrected.
- Bug Fix: Previously, if Split was on, and a panel switch was assigned to Arpeggiator, is was sometimes impossible to turn the Arpeggiator on/off using the panel switch. This is fixed.
2.0.2 (December 12, 2016)
Changes:
New setting "Touch Sensor Prescale" permits adjusting the touch sensitivity over a wide range to better fit your personal playing style, so that the 3 fixed settings (low, medium, high) will be more useful to you. In Global Settings, hold Calibration while pressing Pressure Sens > Medium. Swipe left or right to adjust from 50 (most force required to produce velocity/pressure value of 127) to 100 (least force required to produce velocity/pressure value of 127). This does not affect very light touches, which always respond to the lowest possible force. The default value for LinnStrument (large model) is 60 and for LinnStrument 128 is 75 (to produce the same touch sensitivity).
- Strum mode (Per-Split Settings > Special column > Strum) improved to be more guitar-like:
- Only highest note on row (string) is recognized
- Hammer-ons and pull-offs can now be performed
- Fingered notes do not sound until strummed.
- Strumming area is much more sensitive to touch
- New Sleep animation: Snow Falling on Christmas trees. In Global Settings, hold Sleep (column 15, row 3) and swipe right to show “XMS”. Then swipe down to set delay before sleep animation starts.
- Split on/off status is now remembered after power off/on. After changing Split status, press Per-Split Settings or Global Settings once to save it.
- Default USB MIDI data rate (hold Global Settings > USB) is slightly slower (235) to avoid overloading slower computers or synths.
- Bug fix: Sometimes when syncing the Sequencer or Arpeggiator to external MIDI clock, the internal tempo would jump to very fast setting. Fixed.
2.0.1 (November 6, 2016)
Changes:
- Bug fix: Sometimes, pressing the bottom or top of a cell would not always send a Y-axis value at the start. This is fixed.
- Bug fix: If the pressure was very soft, Quantize Hold would sometimes not correct the pitch as it should. This is fixed.
- Bug fix: The lights of the control switches would sometimes be lit incorrectly when a sequencer is active. This is fixed.
- Bug fix: The new colors white, orange, lime and pink could not be set using over MIDI messages CC20-22. This is fixed.
2.0.0 (October 27, 2016)
Changes:
- Feature: Added polyphonic step sequencer for each split. See new Sequencer tab in the Panel Settings page:
http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/ls-sequencer.html (See top of page for information on panel labels with Sequencer parameters.) - Improvement: Significantly better velocity response, range and consistency, tuned for piano play with PianoTeq.
- Feature: Release velocity now supported in Note Off messages. LinnStrument is now “5D” in ROLI-speak. :)
- Feature: Four new LED colors: white, orange, lime and pink. Note that for these four new colors, if you move your eyes quickly across the playing surface, you will briefly see the individual RGB colors that comprise the combined color.
- Feature: Support for 14-bit Loudness CC values. In Per-Split Settings > Loudness/Z column:
1) Hold “On” for large character display. Swipe down three times then swipe right to select “14 Bit”.
2) Hold “CC11” for large charger display. Select any CC from 0 to 31. LSB data will be sent on the CC number that is 32 higher than the selected CC. For example, select CC11 to send MSB on CC11 and LSB on CC43. - Feature: Added support for using the DIN MIDI OUT jack as a MIDI THRU jack. In Global Settngs > MIDI/POWER column ("MIDI I/O" on older units), hold “MIDI JACKS”. Swipe right to select “THRU”. Now the DIN MIDI OUT jack will both send MIDI OUT data and also echo received MIDI IN data.
- Feature: Tap tempo has been added as a new option in the Assign Switch options, located above Octave Up.
- Improvement: Before when a note was played with Quantize on, the tuning would slide to the quantized pitch on initial touch. It now immediately jumps to the quantized pitch.
- Improvement: Removed occasional flicker when switching between LED displays.
- Improvement: The timing of send USB MIDI messages has been optimized so that slower hardware synthesizers are less likely to misinterpret some of LinnStrument’s sent MIDI messages.
- Improvement: The last-loaded "All Settings" preset is now remembered after rebooting.
- Bug fix: If a MIDI "Pitch Bend Sensitivity” RPN message was received, LinnStrument responded by setting the Bend Range incorrectly. Fixed.
- Bug fix: Updater application would sometimes not work correctly on Windows and MacOS Sierra. Fixed.
- Bug fix: The data sent through updater application could be corrupted with slower computers or certain USB connections. Fixed.
1.2.5 (June 9, 2016)
Changes:
- Bug fix: some LEDs could sometimes flash brightly when exiting Per-Split Settings, Global Settings, and Octave/Transpose, and at the end of a OS update. Fixed.
- Bug fix: when a note was released, a MIDI pressure message of zero value was sent after the Note Off message. It should have been sent before the Note Off. Fixed.
- Bug fix: it is possible to start LinnStrument in Low Power mode by holding Octave/Transpose while connecting power, useful when first connecting to an iDevice. Previously, if Update OS mode was on when this was done, Update OS mode mode would not be automatically turned off. Fixed.
- Bug fix: sometimes a MIDI message could be sent with a slight time delay between its individual bytes, causing some receiving devices (particularly Linux systems) to misinterpret the first part of the message as incomplete. Fixed.
- Bug Fix: in low power mode, Polyphonic Pressure with a value of zero would not be sent. Fixed.
- Bug Fix: Switch 1 and Switch 2 would sometimes light after returning from sleep. Fixed.
- Bug Fix: if Sleep mode was set to enter sleep after a period of inactivity, it was possible to enter Sleep even while holding a note for a very long time because the delay timer didn't recognize Note Off messages. Fixed.
- Bug fix: when holding the Octave/Transpose switch to enable low power mode at startup, the Octave/Transpose page was shown instead of the normal Performance Mode lights. Fixed.
1.0.0 (First release, Oct 10, 2014)
