Caustic 2.1 for Windows

Submitted by Rej - Dev on

Rej - Dev's picture

[8 Jan: Update for version 2.1.2]

Here's the backstory: I didn't write this especially for release. I've always had a win32 version of Caustic used for debugging (debugging on the Android device is slow and painful so I only debug on device intensively before release). So what you're getting is the exact same app as on your portable device, quirks and all. This is the version I use to make the tutorial videos by the way...more on that in another post. 

Let me answer some questions I know will come up:

Is this the full version, do I need to unlock it? This is the full version, no strings attached. I'm not going to waste time validating people's purchase status. I trust that if you've made it this far, you're legit.

How does it work? I know we all skip README files when installing software but mine is short and explains everything so do have a look please.

Can I transfer work between this version and the mobile one? Yes. Everything the song needs is in the ".caustic" file in your /caustic/songs" directory. There's a data folder in your PC version accessible from the start menu shortcut where you can copy your songs, samples and instruments.

Will there be a version for Mac/Linux/Commodore 64? Probably not. Like I said, I haven't ported an Android app to windows. I happen to use windows as my development environment and so this is my debugging version, made public.

Can you add feature X to the windows version? Please remember that the windows version is not the product. The product is a mobile app. If the feature you have in mind will work on mobile as well, I invite you to submit it to the feature request forum.

 What about MIDI support? There is very basic MIDI input code and it seems to work ok. Basically it will listen for keyboard commands on the first MIDI device it finds at startup and route messages according to what is set in the MIDI option menu. The "stop" button can be used as MIDI panic/mute.

What are the minimum device specs? Pretty low. Considering a typical PC processor is much faster than a mobile one, and that Caustic is made to run on 800MHz phones, it will run on most PCs that are still worth having around these days. I have an old 600MHz laptop running WinXP and it runs fine on that. The only real requirement is some kind of 3D graphics card supporting OpenGL. Make sure to update your graphics drivers if you're getting bad framerate. Most devices can do OpenGL, but a lot of stock drivers (including those in WindowsXP) didn't provide OpenGL support out of the box.

That's it, download the installer here (v2.1.2 - 10Mb)

The application defaults to 800x480 but you can resize the window to whatever you want, even maximize it. If you stretch it out in portrait proportions, it'll automatically switch to multi-machine view so go crazy, but understand that not everything will render well in small size.

 

57 Comments

Orson Arctos's picture

Caustic for Windows ( WOW ! )

Submitted by Orson Arctos on

It is great that Caustic 2 for Windows is here for us to use, not only as a tool to help post videos of Caustic 2 projects on YouTube but also to help the development of the software so that it benefits everyone.

FL Studio for Android release is only around the corner, so now it's more important than ever to make suggestions to make Caustic 2 more streamlined, compact but still usable and friendly.

I have briefly suggested a few improvements to Caustic 2 that I believe would benefit everyone who wishes to use it as a first line pre-production tool and also for people who are more inclined to experiment using it as part of their production arsenal.

Using the Windows version has been extremely helpful in further exposing some pretty major drawbacks to Caustic 2 on Android that, whilst being present in both the Android and Windows versions, to my surprise, are much more apparent in Windows.

I believe that making Caustic 2 for Windows freely available to any registered Android or PlayBook user, is a major contributing factor to it's continued development, evolution and success.

I'll certainly be looking around the forum to see if any of my findings and suggestions have been made and if not, I will continue to post my findings. Caustic 2 good for now but it can be so much better! Let's all help! :-)

I'll be adding Caustic 2 projects to SoundCloud and YouTube for inspiration and to show you what can be achieved even at this early stage.

Now I leave you in peace to immortalise your inspiration with Caustic 2 :-)

Can't wait

Submitted by c210344 on

Amazing news! Can't wait to try this. I like the fact that I'll be able to work on my track on the bus into work on my phone, then stick it on the PC when I get home!

Awesome, you PC guys will

Submitted by Manytone on

Awesome, you PC guys will love this for mixing. Rej let me try a beta a few weeks back and I found it made mixing my mobile creations so much easier. I have my studio monitors hooked up to my comp and all I needed to do was transfer my song files to the caustic folder on my pc and I could then mix on my studio monitors. Also the midi keyboard input was recognized and works, so that makes song creation a bit better. As you said in your announcement, I too hope for some asio driver support if possible, for lower latency on this windows version. No complaints though.... just suggestions. This is a great tool to add to the mobile version ... Thanks! Makes Caustic so much better for those of us that want to bring things to Windows.

Also as mentioned, the windows version does make mapping samples for the pcm a lot easier. I'll have to try the official release but a question for you Rej.... Did you add embedded loop point recognition to this PC version? ;-) I think you got that going ...no ? ;-)

Again... Thanks Rej
Paul

Rej - Dev's picture

I don't think so. I think

Submitted by Rej - Dev on

I don't think so. I think that's just in the Playbook version because you made me sneek it in before release. It will get integrated on the next bugfix release if there is one, if not it'll be in 2.1

mike's picture

> FL Studio for Android

Submitted by mike on

> FL Studio for Android release is only around the corner, so now it's more important than ever to make suggestions to make Caustic 2 more streamlined, compact but still usable and friendly.

I just want to add my opinion here, the fact that another music editing software is going to become available on Android doesn't mean anything. The fact that you buy apps these days for the price of a coffee and donuts just means musicians will buy two coffees and four donuts.

What it really comes down to is how do you like to make music, some use instruments, some use computers.

If you like Caustic, just support it and it will grow. There are millions of people that all like different things and mobile is huge. Just look at how many DAWs there are, if that doesn't tell you competition is good for business than you just don't understand evolution. :)

Mike

Rej - Dev's picture

@geeza: Yeah, I've heard that

Submitted by Rej - Dev on

@geeza: Yeah, I've heard that. Not much I can do about it, AV software doesn't like compressed installers that aren't digitally signed. Many small companies have this problem. I'm not willing to write Norton everytime I publish a new EXE when it's their software that's freaking out and giving false positives.

ImpulseGame's picture

Still having nightmares from

Submitted by ImpulseGame on

Still having nightmares from Norton. It used to crash my Mac in the 90s and almost completely shut me out of my PC a few years ago trying to send a report (which I told it not to). Using security essentials now for over a year and haven't had any problems, also doesn't slow down my laptop.

Thanks for the free windowsrelease, seems to work fine on windows 7. Using the mobile app is more fun though.

Caustic window

Submitted by looneybinjim on

I am a longtime Sony Acid pro 7(ever since Sonic Foundry started acidpro),reason Plus pluggins waffle waffle...I am So into Caustic i havnt put my phone down ....I cant tell you how good this is..I need help with the windows version.,I got windows 7 is that why it just dont work..... help me any advice is welcome

Superb

Submitted by RobRedz on

Tried the free demo version, what can i say, blown away had to but the unlock. Awesome app guys, now to put the windows version on,

Not working on my windows 7

Submitted by booper on

Caustic is such an amazing software/app. I'm glad there is one for windows. However, it doesn't work on my windows 7 laptop. It installs and everything, except it won't open. No problem on my windows XP laptop but that one is slower(older) so I'm hoping to get it to work on windows 7. Any suggestions/help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Rej - Dev's picture

Can you give more detail into

Submitted by Rej - Dev on

Can you give more detail into "it won't open"? Does it give any messages at all, or do you simply select the shortcut and nothing happens? Have you tried re-installing ?

I don't have a Win7 machine, but I know many others have managed to get it on that platform so maybe someone else can chime in as to what the common problems are...

Won't open on my windows 7

Submitted by booper on

It just won't open on my windows 7 when I open either the shortcut or from the programs. I have tried re-installing but it still won't open. It doesn't give any message/warning whatsoever. After clicking the icon or opening, the cursor changes as if trying to load, but then nothing happens. I hope someone can tell me what have I missed.

prufockrenegade's picture

VSTi

Submitted by prufockrenegade on

I know that you said that you don't want to bother with porting this, but a VSTi version would be amazing and really tie in the PC version with the mobile version. I hope you're still looking at this thread, because I think a VSTi/Mobile app with full transference between the two products would be revolutionary!

Rej - Dev's picture

It should work if you

Submitted by Rej - Dev on

It should work if you uninstall-reinstall and point it to the secondary disk when asked about where to put the data files.

If that still doesn't work, you can manually change the location where it assumes you've got your files, the following assumes you're familiar with Windows and editing the registry, if this sounds complicated, then you're probably better off not doing it, you can do a lot of harm in there if you don't know what you're doing.

"Start Menu-->Run...", then type "regedit" and press ok.

From the registry editor, go to "My Computer \ HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SingleCellSoftware \ Caustic" and select it.

Change the "RootPath" value to the desired path on your other drive, don't forget the trailing backslash. ex: "G:\data\caustic\files\"

Candyshaver's picture

Issues with Fitting it on Screen

Submitted by Candyshaver on

Understanding you said there would be a lack of support for the windows version, but I seem to be having issues trying to get the entire thing to fit on screen and so its not clipped within its own window. When I first launch it, the bottom half of the App is below the taskbar. I don't have the option of maximizing/minimizing and changing the size of the window. The mouse won't permit it.

If I play and change around the resolution in windows though (Change it from 1440x900 to 800x600 then back), it crops half the top portion within its window so its not accessible. The only thing I've found to make it so everything is accessible on screen for me is to flip my screen to portrait mode (as opposed to landscape mode). Seeing as though I'm not using a laptop when I play with this, its a little complicated setting my 24 inch screen sideways...

I will say that this App is pretty badass in itself. And I realize you've said that it wasn't meant for Windows, this is a simple port, but I feel as though its still a pretty awesome and highly usable program even while its on windows. Just hope maybe I don't need to flip my screen sideways...

ice-machine's picture

Same problem as Candyshaver

Submitted by ice-machine on

Yes, I have the same problem as Candyshaver. I cannot see the entire machines and only half of the menu. I have messed around but cannot find a solution.

See attached screenshots.

 

 

Anyway...happy new year to you all!!!

/: ice machine

Thankyou.

Submitted by lucav on

I'm the first steps into electronic music. 

I found Caustic1 on android, and was a compulsive buy (first app I bought, ever). I never repented.

Now, if you are making a working version for windows that can share the same files... well. You are doinfg something really serious and really fair.

got it for android

Submitted by evil nick on

bought this for my nexus 7 to make drum beats for me to play my bass with and absolutley love it. I started watching the youtube tuts and really want to delve into some more synth style stuff since Im big into some of the newer style of alt like killers, muse, arctic monkey etc etc and think some of these would go great for that. Also like some add ons that add some rock sound elements.

Great to know this windows versin is here so I can make music at work lol!!!!

Tezza's picture

Thanks

Submitted by Tezza on

I bought this Android app for my kids to explore music making because it is so simple and it uses your typical DAW music creation paradigm.

Now they will be able to use the same methods on their PCs. Great stuff.

Thanks for making the windows version available.

Ran it on Macbook Air using Crossover

Submitted by gopal on

I got it to run on my mba using the crossover program on the 14 day trial.

Unfortunately, it gets the fan running really high, in a way that I haven't seen before, which makes me a bit nervous about using it.

Anyone else here trying to run Caustic on the mac?

Rej - Dev's picture

The link works fine.

Submitted by Rej - Dev on

The link works fine.

If you have an over-zealous anti-virus that stops you from downloading EXEs from the internet, try turning it off temporarily then click the link again. (you may have to restart your browser)

Hi there...I tried to install

Submitted by bgianardo on

Hi there...I tried to install Caustic on a Windows XP Professional Virtualbox virtual machine.

I carried out the installation process flawlessly, but when I try to run the program I get a weird error message box stating that the configuration of the software is wrong and thus it cannot be executed, and that a re-installation would maybe fix that (which I tried, without getting any benefit whatsoever).

Where am I going wrong? Did you ever try it on a virtual machine?

Thanks a lot

Bruno

caustic experience

Submitted by FCSoda on

Hi,

Some feedback. Tried your demo on  Nexus 7 (me noobie).  Nice. Clear interface. Monkeyproof. 

Wanted to see if I can use new Akai LPK25 to play. With USB OTG, yes (set MIDI tab). But quickly it starts to deteriorate. Me scared. Did I blow up/fry something?

So I look for your site. Ah, Windows version.Try Akai on big computer. It works. Make nice compex sound. Then: sounds get messy, rythms no longer in sync. Deteriorate again. Core 2 over 88%. Other coes unusually high. Proces monitor say 28% CPU (i5) for Caustic. No good. Slower and slower. I stop it.

Try Nexus again. Now Caustic say: MIDI still in develoment. I understand. You want to known what happens. I tell you. With me, core 2, 28% CPU, RAM (4GB)>77%.

Me banana?

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