Omnisphere - will it be worth the hype ?

[fgimian]

So can you have more than 1 oscillator per Layer (Layer A / Layer B)? Is there anywhere we can see JPEG images of the interface (as opposed to the Quicktime movie provided)?

I just hit pause while watching the video; it's easy to see stuff. Eric has stated that there are 5 oscillators per layer. Plus other oscillators for hard sync, FM, and ring modulation. On the interface, it's easy to see this in the video, after the various patches are shown.

It seems to be arranged as 1 main osc and 4 sub-oscillators. On the synth osc, the other four have seperately adjustable waveform, shape, symmetry, and some other parameters that aren't showing (there is a pair of L/R arrows above the knobs, presumeably for other things like level and pan); on the sample osc, the other four have level, pan, tune, and an octave setting. I'm assuming they all share the same sampled waveform.

Very good...You got it right!

The Harmonia sub-oscillators in Synth mode have both pages and in Sample mode have one page.

Thanks guys, that clears it up, nice! So the unison can be applied to the combination of the 5 oscillators?

[Melodialworks]

I was wondering why there was no sound from the interface video demo. (I had missed the screen at the beginning because I was reaching for my audio interface to adjust the volume!) D'oh!

[yairhol]

At the spectrasonics site in updates it says that the update is for Mac only. Will a PC update be there soon?

[GlennO]

Each layer has a primary oscillator for generating the sound, plus a number of secondary oscillators for things like hard sync, FM, and Ring Mod. You can then apply the voice multiplier to the result. One of the modes of the voice multiplier is unison, but you can do other cool things with it like a harmonizer.

- Glenn

So can you have more than 1 oscillator per Layer (Layer A / Layer B)? Is there anywhere we can see JPEG images of the interface (as opposed to the Quicktime movie provided)?

I just hit pause while watching the video; it's easy to see stuff. Eric has stated that there are 5 oscillators per layer. Plus other oscillators for hard sync, FM, and ring modulation. On the interface, it's easy to see this in the video, after the various patches are shown.

It seems to be arranged as 1 main osc and 4 sub-oscillators. On the synth osc, the other four have seperately adjustable waveform, shape, symmetry, and some other parameters that aren't showing (there is a pair of L/R arrows above the knobs, presumeably for other things like level and pan); on the sample osc, the other four have level, pan, tune, and an octave setting. I'm assuming they all share the same sampled waveform.

Very good...You got it right!

The Harmonia sub-oscillators in Synth mode have both pages and in Sample mode have one page.

Thanks guys, that clears it up, nice! So the unison can be applied to the combination of the 5 oscillators?

[jackmazzotti]

my only hope for omnisphere is user sample importing (so i can get better use out of metasynth) and user definable waveforms for the oscillators and lfos

It would be nice to be able to import single-cycle waveforms (Galbanum has some great collections) for the lfos and waveshapers. I'm sure that would be useful for the oscillators too, especially for doing FM.

I approached and spoke with Eric about this idea very briefly at NAMM in January. We have not spoke about since then, but I would be interested in doing anything needed from my end. What do you think Eric?

Andrew Souter
Galbanum | sonic science aural allusion

www.galbanum.com

lets hope urs agrees too

[ddeez]

Could someone please tell me the total number of lead patches in Omni? Along with the total number of analog poly keys style patches (in atmosphere it was labeled synths-analog?


I would truly appreciate it. thank you.

[topaz]

to reply to myself..

well, I have just about all the classic emulations I could ask for with the wonderful gmedia instruments, so that is sorted.

Logic has some great instruments onboard that I use a lot.

I have a great sampler in K3 and a wicked orchestral library in Play EWQLSO

a great selection of drum options with RMX, BFD V.1 and Guru.

what I hope omni will bring me is an all in one workstation that is my goto workhorse for many sounds that are based on powerful samples with great synthesis options.

ultimately meaning less instruments to thrawl thru.

just out of interest what are people expecting to get from omni ?

[CypherOne]

I was hoping it would be a magic talisman that would make me start making music again, but sadly I authorised my copy of Atmosphere 4 days too early to qualify the upgrade option that would make me buy it....

[topaz]

buzz spectra tech support, they may help in this situation with a friendly approach..

after some of the asshole posts on kvr in the last days they could probably do with some positive feedback.

I was hoping it would be a magic talisman that would make me start making music again, but sadly I authorised my copy of Atmosphere 4 days too early to qualify the upgrade option that would make me buy it....

[DocAtlas]

Each layer has a primary oscillator for generating the sound, plus a number of secondary oscillators for things like hard sync, FM, and Ring Mod. You can then apply the voice multiplier to the result. One of the modes of the voice multiplier is unison, but you can do other cool things with it like a harmonizer.

- Glenn

One thing I wasn't clear on from the video; can the sample oscillator use Harmonia AND granular synthesis at the same time, or do you have to make a choice? I noticed that they're both on the 'Multi' drop down list.

[GlennO]

Those are two options of the same processing module, so you use one or the other.

- Glenn

Each layer has a primary oscillator for generating the sound, plus a number of secondary oscillators for things like hard sync, FM, and Ring Mod. You can then apply the voice multiplier to the result. One of the modes of the voice multiplier is unison, but you can do other cool things with it like a harmonizer.

- Glenn

One thing I wasn't clear on from the video; can the sample oscillator use Harmonia AND granular synthesis at the same time, or do you have to make a choice? I noticed that they're both on the 'Multi' drop down list.

[erid1]

As an owner (and lover) of Atmosphere & Stylus RMX, I do rate Spectrasonics stuff.

But the hype around Omnisphere (mainly from Spectrasonics themselves) is pretty intense.

How many around here are suitably impressed & planning to purchase ?

As an Atmosphere user, I'll probably upgrade if the price is acceptable (to add another huge piece of software to my collection which needs to be learnt )

BC

I own all the other spectrasonics virtual instruments, tons of other soft synths, and nearly two dozen hardware synths. I'll cut to the chase, Spectrasonics has delivered the goods on this one. The sonic quality, features, and massive library of this synth has been worth the wait.
The patches are amazing. Yet you still have the option to tweak everything. Omnisphere is fantastic.

[DocAtlas]

Each layer has a primary oscillator for generating the sound, plus a number of secondary oscillators for things like hard sync, FM, and Ring Mod. You can then apply the voice multiplier to the result. One of the modes of the voice multiplier is unison, but you can do other cool things with it like a harmonizer.

- Glenn

Thanks, I have a few other questions. (Looks like I'll have to wait 'til Oct 3 to order, so I can't explore this stuff myself yet...)

1. Are the various functions (FM, RM, WS, Unison/Harmonia/Granular) applied in that order, as they appear on the interface? Then followed by the filters & amp?

2. I noticed that when using Harmonia, you have separate pan controls for each secondary oscillator. Does this mean that the signal is routed in stereo through the filters?

[gnu23]

I dug into the core library last night, just tossing in random stuff and slamming the parameters around. Omni's deep. Very, very deep. Deep enough to require a decompression chamber after use.

[Meffy]

Very, very deep. Deep enough to require a decompression chamber after use. ;)

It's wise to be careful. You wouldn't want to get the dreaded pitch bends.