TOMiC 0.6: STEP MATRIX PRO Full-Screen Sequencer, Complete Reverb & DSP Rewrite, Lookahead Groove Engine & Phase Warp STRETCH

Build: cfaa1d01 (October 31, 2026 | Upgraded from Build ce73c393)

Following our recent synthesis and performance matrix update, TOMiC 0.6 has just received its single largest workflow and audio engine overhaul. Over 37 intensive commits culminate in Build cfaa1d01, delivering two massive pillars of advancement:

1. STEP MATRIX PRO: A dedicated, full-screen multi-channel sequencer window featuring polymetric grid navigation, individual pad-style step cells, an interactive one-octave piano-roll chromatic pitch lane, bipolar NUDGE lanes, multi-channel batch inspection, and non-destructive Generate & Transform actions with real-time Ghost Preview.
2. Complete Reverb & DSP Audio Engine Rewrite: An acoustic ground-up rebuilding of internal spatial and dynamics processing, introducing Dattorro’s iconic figure-of-eight Hall reverb, true-stereo 8-line TinCan FDN with per-line RT60 and lossless freeze, HIIR 8-coefficient half-band 4x oversampling, 115 dB Hilbert frequency shifting, Simper trapezoidal SVF EQ filters, log-domain compressors, independent L/R tape delay wow/flutter, a 1.5 ms lookahead master limiter, and a lookahead groove engine that lets negative timing swing ahead of the grid.

Here is the comprehensive breakdown of everything inside Build cfaa1d01:

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🎛️ 1. STEP MATRIX PRO: Full-Screen Multi-Channel Sequencer

The compact step matrix under the modulators has evolved into an expansive, full-featured sequencer workstation. Open it on the fly via the new MATRIX button in the Tools panel, Ctrl + M, or F2:

• One Unified Grid for All Channels: View all 16 drum channels simultaneously in a high-density, polymetric grid where each channel displays its exact loop length (e.g., an 8-step hi-hat alongside a 32-step kick).
• Comprehensive Cell Feedback: Every step cell communicates its complete state at a glance — fill height indicates volume, a top bar marks accents, hatching/fading indicates firing probability, subdivisions indicate rolls ($\times 2$, $\times 3$, $\times 4$), top ticks mark nudge, triangles denote reverse hits, and zoom levels reveal conditional logic and transpose offsets.
• Pad-Style Step Cells & Calmed Visuals: Step rows have been redesigned with individual dark rounded cells separated by clean gaps (widened between beats). Mid-grey step faces alternate lighting per 4-step beat group without harsh top highlights or distracting outlines.
• Channel Cards with Dedicated Level Knobs: The rail expands to 300 px, housing Mute, Solo, channel length, clock rate, randomization dice, and a newly integrated Level knob for instant balancing directly from the matrix.
• Non-Destructive Generate & Transform (Ghost Preview):
  • Generate: Instant generation of Euclidean rhythms, instrument archetype patterns, organic grooves, and subtle variations across selected channels.
  • Transform: Reverse, invert, half/double tempo, ghost-note injection, velocity ramps, crescendo, humanize, and end-of-bar roll bursts.
  • Ghost Preview Engine: Audition algorithmic changes live in loop playback before applying. The grid highlights added, removed, and shifted steps in real time. Tweak parameters, A/B against original takes, and press Apply to commit as a single undo step (or Cancel to leave zero trace).
• Loop Lens — Real-Time Conditional Truth: Visualize the exact probability of notes firing on loop 1, 2, 3, or during FILL passes. Steps dynamically dim based on their calculated trigger conditions (including cross-loop PRE states), showing the true evolving phrase your kit creates.
• Pattern Thumbnails, A/B & Stamp Library:
  • Visual pattern strips for Variations A–L and FILL with drag-to-copy.
  • Instant A/B buffer to compare rhythm variations by ear.
  • Stamps Library: Save custom multi-channel rhythmic grooves ("2-bar kick & snare pocket") and drop them into any project with one click.
  • Drummer Analysis Footer: Displays polyrhythmic alignment intervals and alerts you if a rhythm exceeds the physical limbs of an acoustic drummer.

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🎹 2. One-Octave Piano-Roll Pitch Lane & Bipolar NUDGE

Modulation and micro-timing lanes inside Step Matrix PRO have been completely redesigned as independent recessed panels with 6 px spacing:

• One-Octave Chromatic Piano-Roll Pitch Lane:
  • Replaces abstract integer sliders with a dedicated 13-row chromatic piano roll.
  • Snaps notes cleanly to semitones with solid key bars, displaying the exact note name in the rail.
  • Features octave up/down buttons and directional chevrons when pitch offsets fall outside the current octave window.
• Bipolar NUDGE Lane (-100 to +100):
  • Drawn symmetrically from center like PAN, allowing micro-timing adjustments both ahead of and behind the grid.
  • Displays a live reference line indicating where master Swing, Groove, and channel SHAPE position the hit.
  • Offset vs. Total Modes: In Total mode, bars represent the actual final hit timing; dragging automatically calculates the required channel nudge offset while preserving master groove behavior underneath.
  • Bake to NUDGE: Permanently bake master swing, groove pool dynamics, and channel SHAPE offsets directly into individual step Nudge and Velocity values with one click.

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🏰 3. Reverb Engine Ground-Up Rewrite: Dattorro Hall & True-Stereo FDN

Internal spatial processing has received an extensive acoustic redesign:

• True-Stereo Dattorro Hall Reverb: Replaced legacy Schroeder 4-comb/2-allpass networks with Jon Dattorro’s classic figure-of-eight allpass tank architecture. Delivers rich, dense, diffusion-rich reverberation with natural acoustic decay, zero metallic ringing, and preserved RT60 calibration.
• 8-Line TinCan Feedback Delay Network (FDN) Reverb:
  • Unified Per-Line RT60: Internal loop gains across all 8 delay lines are mathematically derived from a single RT60 target, ensuring all resonant modes decay cohesively.
  • True Stereo Decorrelation: Left and Right channels utilize completely independent delay line sets and orthogonal sign matrices, collapsing previous L/R correlation from 0.91 down to $\sim 0.0$ for expansive, wide stereo imaging.
  • Acoustically Correct HF Damping: High-frequency damp control now acts as an RT60-correct shelving filter per line.
  • Lossless Infinite Freeze: Input gates cleanly while modulation smoothly decays, sustaining lush ambient soundscapes indefinitely without build-up or degradation.
  • Input High-Pass (80 Hz): Eliminates boomy sub-bass buildup from acoustic and 808 kick transients.
  • Master bus reverb upgraded to true stereo operation.

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⚡ 4. Major DSP & FX Audio Engine Overhaul (FX Pass 2)

Crucial audio processing stages across channel strips and the master bus have been upgraded with high-precision DSP:

• HIIR 8-Coefficient Half-Band Oversampling & 4x Mode:
  • Corrected half-band polyphase branch alignment, delivering an ultra-flat passband up to 23.5 kHz with over 65 dB of alias rejection.
  • Added Oversampler4x mode for high-gain processing. Nonlinear waveshapers (such as ArcTan at 0.5) see their alias noise floor drop from -28 dB to -84 dB.
• Distortion & Waveshaper Polishing:
  • Corrected polarity and clipping curves on Tube and Tape algorithms; added DC-blocking filters across Rectify, Tape, and Tube stages.
  • Wavefolder upgraded with 4x oversampling and optimized trigonometric approximations.
  • BitCrush upgraded to full $\pm 1$ LSB TPDF dither.
• Simper Trapezoidal State-Variable Filters (SVF): Biquad filters, Beat Repeat filters, and Dual Delay tone filters converted to Andy Simper's trapezoidally integrated SVF structure, eliminating gain overshoot and instability during rapid modulation.
• True 90° Hilbert Frequency Shifter: Rewritten with second-order allpass structures and branch delay compensation, boosting opposite-sideband suppression from 0 dB (ring mod) to 47–115 dB of clean single-sideband frequency shifting with zipper-free block ramping.
• PolyBLEP Anti-Aliased Ring Modulator: Carrier square, saw, and pulse waves now feature PolyBLEP band-limiting, preventing high-frequency foldover noise at high pitches.
• Independent L/R Wow & Flutter Tape Delay: Left and right delay channels now run independent phase accumulators and detuned transport speeds for authentic analog tape wobble.
• Log-Domain Compressor Smoothing: Channel and master compressors smooth gain reduction in decibels (log domain) with branching attack/release, ensuring release times remain musically consistent regardless of compression depth. Channel compression detects on $\max(|L|, |R|)$ with linked stereo attenuation.
• Master Limiter 1.5 ms Lookahead: Transparent lookahead peak limiting catches inter-sample peaks with zero transient clipping, reporting latency accurately to host DAWs.
• SPL-Style Transient Shaper: Converted to level-independent dB envelope ratios with corrected sustain polarity.

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⏱️ 5. Lookahead Groove Engine & Negative Timing

Traditional digital audio sequencers only allow positive (late) delay offsets, clamping negative swing or rush timing directly onto the grid. TOMiC's live sequencer breaks this barrier:

• Negative Timing Lookahead: The live playback engine now scans one tick ahead. Steps with negative micro-timing (pushed swing, rushed claps, or humanize offsets) fire ahead of the musical grid seamlessly without double-triggering across bar lines.
• Per-Channel Groove Exclude: Isolate specific channels (such as solid anchor kicks) from master swing and groove dynamics while keeping hats and snares deeply swung.
• "From Shape" Grooves: Turn per-channel rubber-band SHAPE curves into master groove templates inside the Groove Pool.
• Beats-to-Grid Extraction: Anchors quarter notes to strict grid positions while preserving the organic push and drag of intervening 16th and 32nd notes.

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🌊 6. Phase Warp STRETCH: Independent Pitch & Duration

The innovative Phase Warp engine on both noise layers receives an all-new STRETCH mode alongside classic Varispeed:

• Varispeed Mode: Traditional tape/sampler behavior (higher playback speed raises pitch).
• STRETCH Mode: Decouples sample playback speed from musical pitch. While the Phase Warp curve sculpts playback speed and timeline direction, a pitch-synchronous overlap-add grain engine reconstructs the audio at the sample's original pitch with zero transient smearing.
• Continuous Length Scaling: Shorten or elongate drum hits by up to $4\times$ without altering pitch or degrading punch.

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Complete Commit Log for Build cfaa1d01

• cfaa1d01 — Step Matrix PRO: level knob next to M/S, wider rail
• dfa3d703 — Sequence modifiers: precise Shape / Shape group / Density sliders
• 9aec7867 — Step Matrix PRO: NUDGE lane bipolar from centre
• 794fa984 — Step Matrix PRO: every lane step its own cell
• dfd33a6d — Step Matrix PRO: no light lines inside lanes
• e7a515e3 — Step Matrix PRO: lighter step keys alternating per beat, no top highlight
• 3be0b309 — NUDGE lane: Master groove toggle + dim line for excluded channels
• 35246ff6 — Groove: From Shape grooves, Bake to NUDGE, beats-anchored extraction
• f77526a4 — Step Matrix PRO: drop light outlines around cards, lanes and step tiles
• ee1357a7 — NUDGE: bipolar lane with groove/shape line and Total edit mode
• 56f49d90 — Step Matrix PRO: one-octave piano-roll pitch lane, lanes as separate panels
• aef2c3e0 — Step Matrix PRO: beat-group gaps, taller lanes, piano-roll pitch lane
• 3ca77083 — Step Matrix PRO: pad-style steps, step tiles, lane wells with gradient bars
• 334fd056 — Master limiter: 1.5 ms lookahead, latency reported while enabled
• b683bb16 — Beat Repeat seams keep attacks; Spectral gate ramps; Res FX Nyquist + CPU
• b9537423 — Tape delay: independent L/R wow/flutter, tone per block
• ee90e8db — Compressors: log-domain gain-reduction smoothing; channel comp stereo-linked
• a2ae2aeb — FX pass 2: oversampler, distortion, EQ, phaser, chorus, transient
• 7e8e4a91 — FX: Freq Shifter was a ring modulator; band-limited Ring Mod carriers
• f5350187 — Reverb rewrite: per-line RT60, true stereo, Dattorro Hall
• 6b83d03d — Groove: negative timing plays ahead of the grid; per-channel groove exclude
• 35a08233 — Step Matrix PRO: rows show only their own steps
• 10fb7134 — Step Matrix PRO phase 6: stamps, remembered layout, row order
• d8453029 — Step Matrix PRO: pattern strip (thumbnails, drag-to-copy) and A/B
• d3064e49 — Step Matrix PRO phase 5a: Loop Lens and polymetry/drummer footer
• 32ca38cb — Step Matrix PRO: lanes keep a fixed height per shape
• 90f620d9 — Step Matrix PRO phase 4: Generate/Transform menus with ghost preview
• 6906d493 — Step Matrix PRO: opening lanes pushes rows down instead of shrinking channels
• d97c835a — Step Matrix PRO: readable lanes — channel cards, lower lanes, per-lane shapes
• f5631258 — Step Matrix PRO: Lanes menu picks lanes, ▸ opens them per channel
• b26216df — Step Matrix PRO phase 3: value lanes, Line/Velocity/Prob tools, range ring, audition
• 5456d1c5 — Step Matrix PRO phase 2: selection, clipboard, keyboard, inspector
• 7d26b528 — Step Matrix PRO: fit grid to window by default, Ctrl+M shortcut
• 2bf5d816 — Step Matrix PRO phase 1: full-screen all-channel step grid
• 13e541ac — Phase Warp: STRETCH engine - time-stretching at the sample's own pitch

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TOMiC 0.6 Build cfaa1d01 delivers unmatched speed in pattern programming, crystal-clear acoustic fidelity, and tactile live-performance control. Download the latest release from the TOMiC Product Page or acquire your license on the Purchase Portal!