UVI Falcon - v4 = 2026 released - rumors, ads, praise, kindergarden, auto-sampling and off-topic inside!

[Stirner]

4. "Select the original program in the Parts tab" and move to the List tab.

5. Select the layer you want to copy from Layers, left-click the wrench icon on the right and select "copy".

This is new for me, I didn't know it's possible. I never used the List tab. I expected to right click a layer in the Tree tab and there should be all the available options, especially "Copy". They should rework that stuff. (Similar is you can't rename a layer directly in the Tree tab, you have to first select it, than go to the bottom panel and there you can double click it to rename. Why not just with a right click menu?)

[IvyBirds]

4. "Select the original program in the Parts tab" and move to the List tab.

5. Select the layer you want to copy from Layers, left-click the wrench icon on the right and select "copy".

This is new for me, I didn't know it's possible. I never used the List tab. I expected to right click a layer in the Tree tab and there should be all the available options, especially "Copy". They should rework that stuff. (Similar is you can't rename a layer directly in the Tree tab, you have to first select it, than go to the bottom panel and there you can double click it to rename. Why not just with a right click menu?)

If they made it to easy you could just rent the entire package for a month or two and grab all the patches and samples you want

[swilow11]

4. "Select the original program in the Parts tab" and move to the List tab.

5. Select the layer you want to copy from Layers, left-click the wrench icon on the right and select "copy".

This is new for me, I didn't know it's possible. I never used the List tab. I expected to right click a layer in the Tree tab and there should be all the available options, especially "Copy". They should rework that stuff. (Similar is you can't rename a layer directly in the Tree tab, you have to first select it, than go to the bottom panel and there you can double click it to rename. Why not just with a right click menu?)

If they made it to easy you could just rent the entire package for a month or two and grab all the patches and samples you want

This is true, it prevents users from basically "stealing" content. But it also makes it much harder for legit users to make full use of the software. Also, how long as Sonic Pass existed? I thought Falcon and it's workflow pre-dated Sonic Pass. Did they cripple their functionality because they anticipated the subscription model?

Many companies have proprietary samples included with their presets but don't make it as hard as Falcon/UVI do to fully exploit that content. In truth, I think the lack of accessible factory content with Falcon makes it a much less appealing synth. I have GBs of samples that I can drag into Falcon...or any other synth I own. UVI making the choice they've made probably pushes users to other synths that are easier to use. It really does feel like Falcon has been made much more arduous to use for reasons that just aren't clear to me at all. For the price, I think it should have a much bigger factory soundbank that is easier to use. Creating hurdles to avoid the soft piracy you describe also creates hurdles for legitimate users. Not a great trade off.

[IvyBirds]

4. "Select the original program in the Parts tab" and move to the List tab.

5. Select the layer you want to copy from Layers, left-click the wrench icon on the right and select "copy".

This is new for me, I didn't know it's possible. I never used the List tab. I expected to right click a layer in the Tree tab and there should be all the available options, especially "Copy". They should rework that stuff. (Similar is you can't rename a layer directly in the Tree tab, you have to first select it, than go to the bottom panel and there you can double click it to rename. Why not just with a right click menu?)

If they made it to easy you could just rent the entire package for a month or two and grab all the patches and samples you want

This is true, it prevents users from basically "stealing" content. But it also makes it much harder for legit users to make full use of the software. Also, how long as Sonic Pass existed? I thought Falcon and it's workflow pre-dated Sonic Pass. Did they cripple their functionality because they anticipated the subscription model?

Many companies have proprietary samples included with their presets but don't make it as hard as Falcon/UVI do to fully exploit that content. In truth, I think the lack of accessible factory content with Falcon makes it a much less appealing synth. I have GBs of samples that I can drag into Falcon...or any other synth I own. UVI making the choice they've made probably pushes users to other synths that are easier to use. It really does feel like Falcon has been made much more arduous to use for reasons that just aren't clear to me at all. For the price, I think it should have a much bigger factory soundbank that is easier to use. Creating hurdles to avoid the soft piracy you describe also creates hurdles for legitimate users. Not a great trade off.

Yeah, it's a real pain and ignores the reality of Autosamplers or just manually doing it, and the reality that Falcon loads samples

For me if I find myself using Gig Performer more and more to host Synth Plugins for sound design sessions. There are many reasons why, but the biggest is when I find or create something I like with a few mouse clicks I can use the built in Autosampler walk away for a few minutes and grab a drink and come back and it's sampled and I have the WAV files and a preset automatically created from it for Decent Sampler

[NoriSato]

4. "Select the original program in the Parts tab" and move to the List tab.

5. Select the layer you want to copy from Layers, left-click the wrench icon on the right and select "copy".

This is new for me, I didn't know it's possible. I never used the List tab. I expected to right click a layer in the Tree tab and there should be all the available options, especially "Copy". They should rework that stuff. (Similar is you can't rename a layer directly in the Tree tab, you have to first select it, than go to the bottom panel and there you can double click it to rename. Why not just with a right click menu?)

If they made it to easy you could just rent the entire package for a month or two and grab all the patches and samples you want

I don't think you can do it. Every UVI library has it's own UVS file and they are protected by iLok. Sample reffers wav file in the uvs file, so perhaps copied program did not work if you don't have proper liscence. But currently, I bought Sonic Bundle and have liscence of all libraries, I can not confirm this.

[Fleer]

And that SonicBundle is fingerlicking good.
Just got it myself. Sale ends April 14 IIRC.

[bmanic]

4. "Select the original program in the Parts tab" and move to the List tab.

5. Select the layer you want to copy from Layers, left-click the wrench icon on the right and select "copy".

This is new for me, I didn't know it's possible. I never used the List tab. I expected to right click a layer in the Tree tab and there should be all the available options, especially "Copy". They should rework that stuff. (Similar is you can't rename a layer directly in the Tree tab, you have to first select it, than go to the bottom panel and there you can double click it to rename. Why not just with a right click menu?)

If they made it to easy you could just rent the entire package for a month or two and grab all the patches and samples you want

This is true, it prevents users from basically "stealing" content. But it also makes it much harder for legit users to make full use of the software. Also, how long as Sonic Pass existed? I thought Falcon and it's workflow pre-dated Sonic Pass. Did they cripple their functionality because they anticipated the subscription model?

Many companies have proprietary samples included with their presets but don't make it as hard as Falcon/UVI do to fully exploit that content. In truth, I think the lack of accessible factory content with Falcon makes it a much less appealing synth. I have GBs of samples that I can drag into Falcon...or any other synth I own. UVI making the choice they've made probably pushes users to other synths that are easier to use. It really does feel like Falcon has been made much more arduous to use for reasons that just aren't clear to me at all. For the price, I think it should have a much bigger factory soundbank that is easier to use. Creating hurdles to avoid the soft piracy you describe also creates hurdles for legitimate users. Not a great trade off.

This is something I've emailed UVI about over half a decade ago. I asked them if they would consider opening up their sampling system in a way like Omnisphere, where you can access ALL sample content of every expansion you own, within every product. It would give tremendous added value to their whole lineup. Especially if it's done the way it's in Omnisphere where you don't actually access the samples themselves, but rather you have full access to all the "sample maps" (multisamples over the whole keyboard with all the velocity layers in a single file).

It's absolutely mind boggling that they don't seem to realize how much of a gold mine they are sitting on if they'd just make all the sample content easy to access.

Imagine being able to swap out the complete sample map for a single "oscillator" with a simple drag & drop or with a single mouse click from a tagged list of all your content from every expansion.

.. but yeah, UVI have never been good at doing things logically nor user friendly. So I'm not surprised there.

[zahush76]

Small "rant".
It's exhausting setting up a controller for preset macros or parameters in general.
Well, parameters in general - i get, since the semi modular nature of this synth.
But as for presets in the Falcon expansions, unlike almost any other company where you have at least a constant number of macros that you can assign some knobs or faders to - on Falcon they keep changing it from preset to preset so you have to assign contrllers from scratch as you move from preset to preset.
In all my other synths such as VPS Avenger, Arturia synths etc - once you map controllers to macros it remembers them and you have them mapped the next time you load up the plugin.

Any workaround?

[abi]

This is something I've emailed UVI about over half a decade ago. I asked them if they would consider opening up their sampling system in a way like Omnisphere, where you can access ALL sample content of every expansion you own, within every product. It would give tremendous added value to their whole lineup. Especially if it's done the way it's in Omnisphere where you don't actually access the samples themselves, but rather you have full access to all the "sample maps" (multisamples over the whole keyboard with all the velocity layers in a single file).

It's absolutely mind boggling that they don't seem to realize how much of a gold mine they are sitting on if they'd just make all the sample content easy to access.

Imagine being able to swap out the complete sample map for a single "oscillator" with a simple drag & drop or with a single mouse click from a tagged list of all your content from every expansion.

.. but yeah, UVI have never been good at doing things logically nor user friendly. So I'm not surprised there.

This is so true! I have been using Falcon much more since I got the SonicBundle. If they "opened up" the sampling content the way you describe, Falcon would become even more valuable.

[RobGee]

4. "Select the original program in the Parts tab" and move to the List tab.

5. Select the layer you want to copy from Layers, left-click the wrench icon on the right and select "copy".

This is new for me, I didn't know it's possible. I never used the List tab. I expected to right click a layer in the Tree tab and there should be all the available options, especially "Copy". They should rework that stuff. (Similar is you can't rename a layer directly in the Tree tab, you have to first select it, than go to the bottom panel and there you can double click it to rename. Why not just with a right click menu?)

If they made it to easy you could just rent the entire package for a month or two and grab all the patches and samples you want

This is true, it prevents users from basically "stealing" content. But it also makes it much harder for legit users to make full use of the software. Also, how long as Sonic Pass existed? I thought Falcon and it's workflow pre-dated Sonic Pass. Did they cripple their functionality because they anticipated the subscription model?

Many companies have proprietary samples included with their presets but don't make it as hard as Falcon/UVI do to fully exploit that content. In truth, I think the lack of accessible factory content with Falcon makes it a much less appealing synth. I have GBs of samples that I can drag into Falcon...or any other synth I own. UVI making the choice they've made probably pushes users to other synths that are easier to use. It really does feel like Falcon has been made much more arduous to use for reasons that just aren't clear to me at all. For the price, I think it should have a much bigger factory soundbank that is easier to use. Creating hurdles to avoid the soft piracy you describe also creates hurdles for legitimate users. Not a great trade off.

This is something I've emailed UVI about over half a decade ago. I asked them if they would consider opening up their sampling system in a way like Omnisphere, where you can access ALL sample content of every expansion you own, within every product. It would give tremendous added value to their whole lineup. Especially if it's done the way it's in Omnisphere where you don't actually access the samples themselves, but rather you have full access to all the "sample maps" (multisamples over the whole keyboard with all the velocity layers in a single file).

It's absolutely mind boggling that they don't seem to realize how much of a gold mine they are sitting on if they'd just make all the sample content easy to access.

Imagine being able to swap out the complete sample map for a single "oscillator" with a simple drag & drop or with a single mouse click from a tagged list of all your content from every expansion.

.. but yeah, UVI have never been good at doing things logically nor user friendly. So I'm not surprised there.

Agreed, this would be brilliant if this was implemented. What was their reply?

[chroma]

Part of the ‘sales pitch’ for something like vintage vault is ‘a huge library of vintage sounds, that you can then use in a really advanced synth’ at least, that’s how I saw it. But it’s really not that easy.

[bmanic]

Agreed, this would be brilliant if this was implemented. What was their reply?

Not even once have I ever received any replies from UVI. It's why I gave up on that company. I sent a HUGE list of usability issues with Falcon and suggestions on how to fix them, since version 1.0. It's just not a company that listens to feedback, at all.

EDIT: Well, to be fair, they have implemented some things that people on forums or in reviews have mentioned but on an individual level, responding to emails, is not something they do.

[IvyBirds]

Small "rant".
It's exhausting setting up a controller for preset macros or parameters in general.
Well, parameters in general - i get, since the semi modular nature of this synth.
But as for presets in the Falcon expansions, unlike almost any other company where you have at least a constant number of macros that you can assign some knobs or faders to - on Falcon they keep changing it from preset to preset so you have to assign contrllers from scratch as you move from preset to preset.
In all my other synths such as VPS Avenger, Arturia synths etc - once you map controllers to macros it remembers them and you have them mapped the next time you load up the plugin.

Any workaround?

Have you tried Gig Performer? With Gig Performer you set up what is called a "rack space". You can then drag and drop knobs, buttons, faders, toggle switches, cross faders amd more onto it. You host your instrument inside of Gig Performer and then you can easily and permanently assign any of those controls to your instrument. Gig Performer works by assigning controls to the DAW Automation controls that instruments make visible. This can be thousands of parameters

You can then assign a physical controller to each knob, fader, button, etc to the onscreen controls

I set them up to mirror the controls of my Launch Control XL so 3 rows of 8 knobs, 8 faders, and two rows of 8 buttons

The advantage to this is that as you switch from preset to preset in the plugin, the controls and how they are mapped in Gig Performer stay the same

You also get the advantage of creating things like attenuation and curves for each control if you want, so you can limit the control to certain values and the speed of how they respond

If you enjoy attaching physical controls there is no better system currently and because it uses DAW Automation it's far more capable than standard MIDI CC. You are also not limited to the macro controls on synth as you can have as many or as few as you want

[enCiphered]

Bitwig Studio does this as well, is insanely more flexible and lets you integrate and manipulate multiple controllers and parameters beyond what traditional setups offer.

[Hyperbole]

I have owned Falcon since v1 and also own several UVI sample libraries for it. However, I have used Falcon sparingly because I have most of my custom sample libraries (including many hardware synth sounds) in Kontakt format. But I want to move away from Kontakt because I have never liked the UI. However, I don't know how much of an improvement Falcon will be. Falcon 3 is very powerful but also a bit convoluted and not terribly fun to use. I prefer HALion 7 to Falcon 3 even even though HALion is also a sprawling mess.

I use the Autosampler plugin in Logic to record my monosynths, especially those without patch storage. But Falcon 3 doesn't seem to load EXS sampler instrument files (and displays a message stating that the samples cannot be found). In contrast, HALion usually reads EXS instruments that I created using the Autosampler plugin without a hitch. That is my main concern with using Flacon more often. I need a way to get my EXS instruments into Falcon.

Any suggestions?

FYI, I have the ConvertWithMoss sample conversion utility. I could conceivably convert the EXS instruments I create using Autosampler to SoundFont 2, which I believe Falcon 3 can read. Thoughts?