Spectrasonics Omnisphere!

[Hewitt Huntwork]

What Eric didn't say is whether or not GrooveLock is itself "locked" to RMX in the sense that Omnisphere requires RMX in order for GrooveLock to function.

My guess would be no - the drag/drop thing from RMX just writes pure midifiles, and the Omnisphere GrooveLock gui widget says "DRAG MIDIFILE HERE", so I'm pretty sure you could use any regular MIDIfiles (though there might be certain restrictions on the size or something).

Great video BTW, really enjoyed it. What's not to like, with Eric, Omnisphere, Moog Modular, JP4, JP8, Juno60, Prophet VS, Virus TI and a JP8000 all in the same room!

I made the same observations and I would guess you can drag any midi file into it.

The thing I wonder is whether the length of the notes has any effect on the groove? Because the midi file for an RMX groove usually represents sliced loops (each note lasts until the next one starts) whereas something like an EZ Drummer midi file has shorter notes.

Oh, and that raises another question! Most RMX grooves only have one note playing at a time, and most midi drum files often have spots where two notes play at a time (and I suppose theoretically up to four). I wonder how that would affect it?

All that being said, I'm excited all over again!

[H.Noury]

I used Spectrasonic samples like Distorded reality, and I did not buy then his instruments : it was the same kind of sounds. (During many years, Eric Piersing was my personal sound designer : I used Roland and Spectrasonic samples for the essential!!)
The video speaks about recordings near the source and far away, and mix between them. This seems to be an interesting research.

[Waker]

It doesn't really makes sense ATM to put polyphonic midi files into the appigiator, since it uses those midi files for rhytmical representation of the grooves...AFAIK

Maybe you can have some kind of midi compressor, which can change a polyphonic midi file into a monophonic midi file?

[Paulie Phonick]

I'd expect that it makes no difference whether the file is poly- or monophonic as the groove lock most likely only checks on what times in the bar notes are played. If there are more notes played at the same time (eg. kick + hihat) it should still detect one 'groove point'. I wonder how would the groove lock react to fills?

[spectrum]

I was sold after the first video..and it only gets better and better.

Thanks!

What Eric didn't say is whether or not GrooveLock is itself "locked" to RMX in the sense that Omnisphere requires RMX in order for GrooveLock to function.

I'm already a user of RMX, so it's not a deal breaker for me, but it does go to the "bundle 'em up/lock the mindshare" marketing strategy. If I were an EZDrummer user, could I drag a MIDI drum file from it (or its library) to Omnisphere and achieve yummy GrooveLock goodness? Same with a third-party beat pattern shop like Groove Monkey and others? How about any patterm - like a guitar chord strum pattern for instance?

Sure, Omnisphere's Groove Lock feature in the Arpeggiator will work with any MIDI File...I probably should have mentioned that in the video.

So yeah, it'll work with anything you've got - EZ Drummer, Groove Monkey and of course your own MIDI tracks!

It follows the timing of the MIDI file, not the pitches, so polyphonic MIDI Files are not a problem either.

spectrum

[DocAtlas]

Sure, Omnisphere's Groove Lock feature in the Arpeggiator will work with any MIDI File...I probably should have mentioned that in the video.

So yeah, it'll work with anything you've got - EZ Drummer, Groove Monkey and of course your own MIDI tracks!

It follows the timing of the MIDI file, not the pitches, so polyphonic MIDI Files are not a problem either.

spectrum

I can see this is going to be VERY useful for me in Sonar; my mind is bubbling over with the possibilities! Sonar's audiosnap feature has the ability to export midi data based on where the markers are in an audio clip, so it should be fairly easy to extract the timing from audio as midi, which could then be dropped into Omnisphere's arpeggiator. I've been using this feature to convert some of my older drum loop libraries to midi, so I can use them with some of my newer drum plugs; it'll be great to have the arpeggios sync up with them. Hmmm, there could be some interesting possiblities syncing up Omnisphere's arpeggiators with a vocal track...

Just curious, though, is there a practical limit to how long of a midi file you could drag and drop into Omnisphere?

[spectrum]

Sure, it's only going to make sense for the 1st 32 beats of the MIDI File (depending on the clock resolution you select before dragging).

That's a really cool idea about the audio to MIDI conversion and using that to Groove Lock the Arpeggiator as a creative workflow thing...I'll probably do that as another video in the future after it ships, to show some different ways of using Omnisphere in music production.

[DocAtlas]

Sure, it's only going to make sense for the 1st 32 beats of the MIDI File (depending on the clock resolution you select before dragging).

That's a really cool idea about the audio to MIDI conversion and using that to Groove Lock the Arpeggiator as a creative workflow thing...I'll probably do that as another video in the future after it ships, to show some different ways of using Omnisphere in music production.

Doh! I didn't even consider the number of steps in the arpeggiators. Still, one could always render things in sections if neccessary. But I don't know that I would want the arpeggiators following the same track for an entire song; that could get a bit boring. But I won't know until I try; just 6 months to go!

[tubiux]

I just had to register and join this discussion.

I tried Atmosphere and found it to be quite nice. I didn't blow me away, but then synthetic sounds do not tend to blow me away. I watched a bunch of Namm videos and I came across the one with Omnisphere and I was hooked.

What it comes down to for me personally is what one guy actually stated in the video, the fact that the instrument inspires you. If you can get continuous inspiration from something, the price tag doesn't really matter. I think and hope this will provide masses of inspiration for me.

I'm currently working on a book about chords and scales and I'm thinking about including a chapter on arpeggios in it for contemporary use. I think arpeggiators have been good in the past but not great. This last episode really showed us all that Spectrasonics is about to take the arpeggiator to the next level.

I have a question which perhaps has been answered elsewhere but nevertheless. Can you export the data from the arpeggiator into a midi-file? I'm not speaking about the long notes you hold down but the actual info from the arpeggiator itself.

I'm also curious about the modes. There's one called "as played" which I'd like to know more about. Will it store the actual way you play the arpeggio so that you can use that particular pattern? An example of a nice pattern would be the one found in bar 1 of JS Bach's Sonata for solo flute which goes like this: (/=up \=down
E/A\G#/A/C\A\E\A

Such a pattern would be nice to be able to move around.


All the best


Tobias

[spectrum]

This last episode really showed us all that Spectrasonics is about to take the arpeggiator to the next level.

Thanks!

I have a question which perhaps has been answered elsewhere but nevertheless. Can you export the data from the arpeggiator into a midi-file? I'm not speaking about the long notes you hold down but the actual info from the arpeggiator itself.

Not initially, but that's a nice idea for the future.

I'm also curious about the modes. There's one called "as played" which I'd like to know more about. Will it store the actual way you play the arpeggio so that you can use that particular pattern? An example of a nice pattern would be the one found in bar 1 of JS Bach's Sonata for solo flute which goes like this: (/=up \=down
E/A\G#/A/C\A\E\A

Yes.

Such a pattern would be nice to be able to move around.

It will play it back in the order you played it, with the dynamic that you played for each note as well. If you want to change it, you can just play something else.

[polyslax]

Although I'm not at all into arpeggiators or the play one key and create an entire song aspect of it, I think this looks like a great tool to generate ideas and generally inspire.

If I do decide to get Omni, my focus will be on synthesis/sound design, getting access to loads of weird samples, and (hopefully!) plugging my own samples into Omni's engine.

[Logic108]

It just keeps getting better and better. Omnisphere will be a big success.
Also with the new melodyne coming in September you can do audio to midi of polyponic material and then load the midi into Omnisphere.

[gnu23]

I was sold after the first video..and it only gets better and better.

Thanks!

What Eric didn't say is whether or not GrooveLock is itself "locked" to RMX in the sense that Omnisphere requires RMX in order for GrooveLock to function.

I'm already a user of RMX, so it's not a deal breaker for me, but it does go to the "bundle 'em up/lock the mindshare" marketing strategy. If I were an EZDrummer user, could I drag a MIDI drum file from it (or its library) to Omnisphere and achieve yummy GrooveLock goodness? Same with a third-party beat pattern shop like Groove Monkey and others? How about any patterm - like a guitar chord strum pattern for instance?

Sure, Omnisphere's Groove Lock feature in the Arpeggiator will work with any MIDI File...I probably should have mentioned that in the video.

So yeah, it'll work with anything you've got - EZ Drummer, Groove Monkey and of course your own MIDI tracks!

It follows the timing of the MIDI file, not the pitches, so polyphonic MIDI Files are not a problem either.

spectrum

Thanks, Eric. I hereby award you a massive for not tying GrooveLock to the Spectrasonics product line. I am already tied to Atmosphere, Trilogy, RMX, and Hans Zimmer Guitars Vol 1, but that was my choice.

[Rod Staples]

I too was sold at the time of the first video. I eagerly await each new video and not only can we see more of omnisphere but they are informative too.
Thanks for taking us through the old synths.

September 15 is going to be here before we know it

So soon, not only will we be remembering Sep 11 but also Sep 15 lol

[christianmusicmaker]

Finally got round to seeing the video...

The history of arps was really well done. I do not have that much knowledge of hardware synths so the step back into history was very interesting. All those classic Roland synths I have heard about and that Virus demo was a surprise! After seeing the Virus I thought OK now I am really excited about Omni's arp

"Omnisphere...

...doesn't have just one arpeggiator but it has eight" (gulp!)

I like the way you can easily click and drag in the Rhythm Programmer. It seems ease of use was very high on the Spectrasonics to do list for Omnisphere...thankfully. Clean clear and simple. The GUI may be larger than some but for me I think that is necessary to keep the GUI clear, easy to use and free from clutter.

The way you lengthen notes is sooooooooooooooooo easy and the shift click option is a nice touch as well. I also like the colours... no green text on a black background or red text on black and...Groove Lock!!!:o Great demo of that, especially the urban patch. You can be really creative with this thing. Impressive.

Best video yet.. The ease with which one can come up with different variations of a track or come up with great ideas for remixes especially if you combine Omni and RMX for Groove locking are just simply off the scale.

Oh and one more thing...

An interview with Eric Persing

"all the patches have images...it's like designing an album cover times 5000"

I noticed that Page 14 of CMM (issue 124) has an interesting interview with Mr. Persing. I found it interesting that he started out as a sound designer and a musician not a software engineer. I think all Spectrasonics products have benefited hugely as a result.

"Enhanced versions of all the Atmosphere sounds"

...that was a surprise, reading that.

I knew all the Atmosphere patches were included with Omni but not enhanced versions. For an Atmosphere owner like me that is like getting a new version of Atmos bundled with Omni...which of course offers far greater possibilities.