We're excited to announce the release of Discovery Pro 8.9, introducing revolutionary percussion programming capabilities, enhanced PADsynth processing with non-blocking operation, and comprehensive SFZ import improvements. This update transforms Discovery Pro into a complete drum programming workstation while maintaining its exceptional synthesis quality and performance.
What's New in 8.9
Revolutionary Percussion Mode
Complete drum programming workstation transformation with 10 ready-to-use professional drum kits in the new Percussion bank.
Intelligent keyboard mapping across C2-B5 range: white keys trigger percussion sounds, black keys select zones for detailed editing.
Automatic zone detection and program switching allows each percussion element to maintain independent settings and parameters.
Enhanced Disk Mode interaction optimized specifically for percussion workflow and sample management.
Professional drum programming capabilities that rival dedicated drum machines while maintaining Discovery Pro's synthesis power.
PADsynth Processing Revolution
Non-blocking PADsynth processing with real-time animated LCD feedback showing "Rendering..." status during synthesis.
Advanced SIMD optimizations using AVX2, FMA, and NEON instruction sets for dramatically improved rendering performance.
Eliminated UI freezing issues during PAD button processing, allowing continued interaction while synthesis renders in background.
Significantly faster PADsynth generation times on modern processors with SIMD support.
Enhanced SFZ Import and Audio Support
Comprehensive SFZ import system with support for multi-bit depth WAV files and professional sample library formats.
Parallel wave file loading architecture reduces import times for large sample libraries by up to 70%.
Improved compatibility with professional SFZ libraries from major sample developers.
Enhanced file format support for seamless integration with existing sample collections.
Advanced DSP and Performance Optimizations
Optimized distortion, chorus, phaser, and PADsynth DSP algorithms with FMA instruction support for improved CPU efficiency.
Revised voice stealing algorithm delivering superior polyphonic performance and more musical voice allocation.
Enhanced disabled processing algorithms significantly reduce CPU usage when effects are bypassed.
Added standalone frontwall limiter at -0.1 dB to prevent harsh digital clipping while preserving dynamics.
Fixed Moog filter resonance drift issues with oversampling for more stable filter behavior.
Enhanced User Interface and Workflow
Completely redesigned Edit menu system with hierarchical organization and logical grouping of functions.
New Layer and Program submenus provide intuitive access to editing functions and parameter management.
Enhanced Program randomization with direct preset folder access for faster creative exploration.
Restructured copy/paste menus with improved effects management and enhanced workflow efficiency.
Renamed Moog filters to Ladder filters with comprehensive descriptions and improved navigation.
MIDI and Hardware Integration Enhancements
Added comprehensive aftertouch and velocity curve modes for enhanced expressive control and performance dynamics.
New Help > Show MIDI CC feature displays real-time MIDI CC values from XML templates for hardware setup.
Improved MIDI CC template system with cleaned-up logic and enhanced hardware controller integration.
MIDI CC templates relocated to Config folder for better organization and user accessibility.
Platform and Compatibility Improvements
Consolidated AAX integration with fixed MIDI output functionality for Pro Tools users.
Updated macOS SDK to 10.15 for improved compatibility and performance on modern Mac systems.
Enhanced Windows compiler support with fixed aligned memory allocation for better stability.
Improved dynamic licensing system replacing static preprocessor definitions for more flexible activation.
cURL enabled for Linux activation system fixes and improved online license validation.
Discovery Pro 8.9 represents a revolutionary expansion of the instrument's capabilities, introducing professional drum programming alongside the world-class synthesis engine that has made Discovery Pro the choice of professional producers worldwide. The combination of non-blocking PADsynth processing, comprehensive percussion programming, and extensive workflow improvements makes this our most significant update to date.
This update is free for existing 8.x customers and available now in AAX, AU, VST2, VST3, and standalone formats for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Visit our Discovery Pro product page for download information and complete documentation.
