NI could learn from Spectrasonics

[Blackinfinity]

The problem with Spectrasonics, is that the interface for many users are too simplified, the more advanced used does not want to flip through million of pages, we want everything on one page if possible...

All the main synthesis stuff is located on the Edit Page. So it is indeed in one place in Omnisphere.

Are you saying that you'd like to have lots of tiny controls on one huge page?

I'd be very interested in this "single page" design idea of Omnisphere. Anyone please feel free to sketch out how to fit 20,000 parameters and all of what Omnisphere is on a single page.

To get a better work flow and overview your synth... Omnisphere really lacks this... I think the interface could had been done bigger,

It's one of the biggest interfaces of any synth on the market. Any bigger and it wouldn't fit on laptop screens.

also lees "free space" on the interface,

On numerous pages, all the space on the interface is used. Look at the Browsers and the Mod Matrix for example. There's no unused space there at all.

I wish that you would be able to choose different interface which suit the user more... But I really like this "zoom in" concept... it could had been done in an better way.

How so?

I also wish that you could expand the interface with a mouseclick to get more controls on the screen.

That could be a mess....how do you mean exactly?

There's always room for improvement and I'm curious to know what users would like to see in the future.

There is many good examples, Alchecmy for instance or Tone 2 Gladitor 2.

As I said earlier I really dislike the zoom in concept, I would rather prefer a "tab" concept, Massive uses tabs for instance...this is a way more flexible way, cause it does not be in the way of rest of the interface, you do not need to go back to the main page etc... Tabs is simply a way better solution.

Everything in the interface are too big in general all the buttons and sliders etc...the space is not used in an effective manner at all... it is made child-friendly where you have big and very and easy to read... it is obvious they have put where little effort to make the interface more effective, and to make as much things as possible to fit on the main interface, they simply prefer idea to that you have to go through a million pages, thank good it exist midi controller though.

Many of us use Dual-screen nowadays, I would not mind a possibility to run Omnisphere in full screen mode, to use the full screen... to get better overview and access to more parameters on the main screen.

[spectrum]

As I said earlier I really dislike the zoom in concept, I would rather prefer a "tab" concept, Massive uses tabs for instance...this is a way more flexible way, cause it does not be in the way of rest of the interface, you do not need to go back to the main page etc... Tabs is simply a way better solution.

We use the tabs concept in Omnisphere too.

Everything in the interface are too big in general all the buttons and sliders etc...

I appreciate your opinion, but the vast majority of feedback is exactly the opposite of what you said. Our customers really appreciate the size and readability of the controls.

If anything, we get complaints about the some of the buttons and text still being too small, like on the Harmonia page.

Many of us use Dual-screen nowadays, I would not mind a possibility to run Omnisphere in full screen mode, to use the full screen... to get better overview and access to more parameters on the main screen.

Yeah that would be great, but it's not possible to do that with plug-ins on all the platforms....so that's a bit of a design limitation at the moment.

[spectrum]

It's important to us though, that Omnisphere establishes it's reputation as a very powerful synth first and foremost.

I know how much you guys like videos, so how about starting with a series of videos demonstrating exactly that. Looking at your video webpage:

http://www.spectrasonics.net/omnisphere ... plore.html

There's nothing there that screams "Omnisphere is a synthesizer!!!" to me.

Just a thought.

Yeah, we never got around to finishing all the Episodes we planned for showing all the Synthesis features that Omnisphere has.

We'll have to do that now that Trilian is out the door.

[Lux Delux]

Yeah the pages really aren't representative enough.

I'd suggest some sort of competition where users submit their videos based on certain segments of the instrument

[kevvvvv]

I've just spent the night playing with Omnisphere.

Beautiful, moving and awesome. I must have started off 20 different musical ideas

Omnisphere is definitely a synth. No question. I'm figuring out some dance supersaws for next week.

And it's a live performer - the multis blow me away (and my 11 year old son, who has great ears)

It's a rompler too, but perhaps multiwaveform synthesiser is more accurate (terminology starts to become outmoded in the face of new advances).

I think the people who misunderstand Omnisphere are the people who don't own it.

I certainly own it and lots of NI gear, and this blows away anything else I have

Yet it's so easy to get to grips with.

Yes ... I sound like a fanboy. But who wouldn't be if they actually had one of these to play with.

Treat yourself for Xmas

[Blackinfinity]

or make an program where we could create our own "skins" or GUI map, where to put what etc. I highly doubt this would happen. But one thing is for sure, the space in the GUI is not used effective. For instance, all the BLUE space in the GUI could had been used for parameters, instead of big logotypes and empty space.

Well this about design philosophy, I have atleast said mine part, I am sure many people agree with me, however, if you as most people who use Omnisphere only uses the Presets I really think the GUI will not matter that much.

[Aleatoriac]

I've just spent the night playing with Omnisphere.

Beautiful, moving and awesome. I must have started off 20 different musical ideas

Sweet. I am having the same experience w/ Alchemy.

Omnisphere is definitely a synth. No question...
I certainly own it and lots of NI gear, and this blows away anything else I have

As a Stylus RMX owner I was able to view the Omnisphere videos. Midi learn is a cinch, just like in Alchemy =

Kriminal doesn't seem too enticed by it, and his presets for Alchemy are SWEET! But he probably has little need for something like Omnisphere.

I suspect it's more like having Eric Persing and team in a box whenever you need them to work with or inspire you. I mean... c'mon, nothing else sounds like Spectrasonics.

Treat yourself for Xmas

I intend to! Alchemy and Kontakt allow me to do what I cannot in Omnisphere (sample import and rape), and Omnisphere would seem to fill the void of fantastic insane sounds I would never come up with on my own. Hell I learned a lot just from the videos that I applied to synths I already own.

Yep sometime around December 10th I shall make Omnisphere mine! BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

[zvenx]

Everything in the interface are too big in general all the buttons and sliders etc...

I appreciate your opinion, but the vast majority of feedback is exactly the opposite of what you said. Our customers really appreciate the size and readability of the controls.

If anything, we get complaints about the some of the buttons and text still being too small, like on the Harmonia page.

Many of us use Dual-screen nowadays, I would not mind a possibility to run Omnisphere in full screen mode, to use the full screen... to get better overview and access to more parameters on the main screen.

Yeah that would be great, but it's not possible to do that with plug-ins on all the platforms....so that's a bit of a design limitation at the moment.

I am one of those who love the big GUI, and wished more instruments including some mentioned on this thread were more that size.

hmmmm..... Eric, many of us have asked for larger screens from the vsti that is named after an animal that starts with the last letter of the alphabet and we were more or less told the same thing... I have one word.... Kontakt4......

they have resizeable, dynamically resizeable gui interface.... I hope all vsti's could do this...all.

rsp

[Brittlestem]

they have resizeable, dynamically resizeable gui interface.... I hope all vsti's could do this...all.
rsp

It would certainly make it a lot easier to use the excellent categorization capabilities of Omni. It's a tad cramped atm.
And certainly resizable GUIs seems to a sensible idea generally as you have the ever increasing size of home DAW screens but increasingly capable, small-screened laptops. Catering for both would make sense.
Plus they could sort out the excessive RAM usage as well.
Don't see it happening, but hey.

[jackmazzotti]

i have owned most of the pro level soft synths and a huge amount of hardware synths too
omisphere has just about made them all obsolete except for the virus ti for me (i still love gladiator and absynth)
omnisphere will sound the way you make it sound
the tutorial videos are great but they are basic
one thing out of many the tutorial vids don't cover is modulating the effects racks
try modulating the various parameters of the different compressors and tape slammers on your next arp patch with some lfos or envelops and hear what happens

another tip is modulate the lfos with each other
and then midi learn them
you can create evolving rhythms that you control that way

i for one love the interface
wacom tablets work very nice with it

that being said user samples are a must in the near future
imagine how good morphestra would be in omnisphere or a massive collection of bowed bells, cymbals, water gongs and thunder sheets
a wavetable osc would be amazing
some more unusual effects racks would be great (grain clouds, bit crushers, downsamplers, freq shifters)
convolution effects please!!!!
and custom morphable lfos and osc waveforms (like absynth) should definitely being included imho

[Hlis93]

[quote="Blackinfinity"]or make an program where we could create our own "skins" or GUI map, where to put what etc. I highly doubt this would happen.quote]

perhaps this will work...?

http://web.tiscali.it/morello/MGui/index.html

[kevvvvv]

jackmazzotti ... I enjoyed reading your intelligent post.

You're opening a lot of doors with your ideas.

I hope Spectrasonics are listening.

user samples are a must in the near future

... but I'd be surprised if this happens.

The money seems to be in selling on new sample pack content, rather than letting users make their own content for free.

the tutorial videos are great but they are basic

These people are selling 3 hours of Omnisphere tutorials for $49

http://www.macprovideo.com/tutorial/omnisphere101

They offer 3 sample vids so you can taste and try. They look professional.

[klagga2]

It could expand the Omni in a way that Spectrasonics naturally never would get around to doing.

Are you suggesting , that "Spectrasonics" hasn't recorded crickets yodeling "Ode to joy", while roller-blading through a four-foot long 3-inch diameter PVC mailing-tube, whilst the recordist is mounted on a unicycle precariously perched atop an inverted 30-gallon tupperware garbage-can hot-glued to the roof of an abandoned '59 VW-bus, during an unanticipated tsunami alert?!!!

Hmmm... m a y b e.

Very funny. Actually, there a lot of sounds that I would like to have in Omni. From more sounds made exclusively made by the synthesis engine to some decent acoustic pianos (nothing too fancy, just dry piano sounds), electric guitars, trombons and other brass, etc. May not suit everybody, but that is the thing with 3rd party offerings, they don't have to make sounds suiting everybody (that's very hard to do anyway).

The financial thing for 3rd party interaction shouldn't have to be a hinderance either. As I suggested, a requirement for cooperation perhaps could ensure Spectrasonics a piece of the $$-action as well as some quality control.

Just some suggestions to consider. I for one would buy it, that's all I'm saying.

[kevvvvv]

klagga2

As I suggested, a requirement for cooperation perhaps could ensure Spectrasonics a piece of the $$-action as well as some quality control.

Exactly

[Fully Loaded Productionz]

Are you suggesting , that "Spectrasonics" hasn't recorded crickets yodeling "Ode to joy", while roller-blading through a four-foot long 3-inch diameter PVC mailing-tube, whilst the recordist is mounted on a unicycle precariously perched atop an inverted 30-gallon tupperware garbage-can hot-glued to the roof of an abandoned '59 VW-bus, during an unanticipated tsunami alert?!!!

Hmmm... m a y b e.

lolololololol!!!
Wow that's very creative thinking.

Native Instruments: Germans

Spectrasonics: Americans

Nuff said.

lol!

What I'm trying to figure out is....
Who is this redhead on the right side of the kvr site, with her finger at her nose telling me shhhhhhhhh???? I haven't been on this site in years, and this new UI on the kvr site is driving me krazy, I wish it looked more like a Spectrasonics or Native Instruments UI with much more buttons and knobs everywhere