🚀 SynapSeq 3.4.0 - Release Notes

SynapSeq v3.4.0 now available!
This release focuses on practical improvements, better Windows integration, and a smoother workflow for both new and advanced users.

🔧 New Features

Windows Native Integration

SynapSeq now supports full Windows file association for .spsq files.

Using the new flag: -install-file-association

SynapSeq will register the .spsq extension in the Windows system, allowing:

Double-clicking .spsq files to open them directly in SynapSeq
New context menu actions on right-click

Added context menu items:

Test sequence - validate syntax without generating audio
Edit sequence - open the file in Notepad
Extract sequence from WAV - retrieve the embedded sequence from a WAV file

To remove these associations: -uninstall-file-association

✨ Improvements

Background audio now accepts 8-bit and 16-bit WAV files.
SynapSeq now generates output audio using 16-bit WAV, reducing file size significantly.
When no output filename is provided:
- SynapSeq automatically generates a WAV file using the same name as the input file
- This same behavior applies to the -extract parameter, which now defaults to input.spsq when no output is specified.

These enhancements make the workflow simpler, more intuitive, and less verbose.

🗺️ New ROADMAP: SynapSeq 3.5 and Beyond

Alongside this release, we are introducing the new ROADMAP.md, outlining the future direction of SynapSeq now that the V3 Go migration is fully complete.

The next phase focuses on ecosystem growth, interoperability, and making SynapSeq more accessible to all users.

Highlights from the new roadmap:

1. Upgrade to GPLv3 Licensing

Moving from GPLv2 to GPLv3 will unlock compatibility with modern libraries (such as Apache 2.0), enabling new audio and encoding capabilities.

2. Native export to MP3, OGG, and potentially OPUS

This will allow SynapSeq to generate compressed audio formats directly, without requiring external tools.

3. Major expansion of the SynapSeq Hub

Transforming the Hub into a richer platform featuring:

community-driven contributions
curated collections
improved discoverability
versioned metadata
potential future creator marketplace

4. Automatic MP3 distribution via the Hub

Each published session in the Hub will offer ready-to-download MP3 files for users who only want to listen without installing SynapSeq.

5. SynapSeq Playground (Web IDE)

A lightweight browser-based environment for:

editing .spsq sequences
syntax validation
optional audio previews
publishing directly to the Hub

This will allow users to experiment with SynapSeq without installing anything.

6. Cross-format import and conversion

Exploring support for converting legacy formats:

SBaGen (.sbg)
Gnaural (.gnaural / XML)

allowing users to migrate older sessions into the modern SPSQ format.

🎯 Summary

Version 3.4.0 strengthens the foundation of SynapSeq with better Windows integration and streamlined output behavior.
With the new roadmap, the project is shifting toward a full creation and distribution ecosystem, not just a standalone generator.

If you encounter any issues or want to share ideas, feel free to open a discussion or an issue.
Happy sequencing!

🎉 SynapSeq v3.4.0 Released!