Omnisphere 2.5: Hardware Synth Integration and double voice architecture

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

There have been other products doing it previously, in a much less complete way of course, but I don't think Omnisphere is being first.

They may be the first when it comes to having this level of integration between so many different pieces of hardware.

As a System8 owner, they finally managed to sell me on Omhisphere.

[blutronic]

Eric/Spectrasonics et al… I have a couple of questions about Omnisphere 2.5 updates…….

Specrasonics has put a lot of very hard work into creating Profiles in Omnisphere for hardware synthesizers to be used as physical controllers. As I understand it, each hardware control on the physical synth essentially controls a macro capable of multiple routings, modulations, instantiation of effects and possibly much more etc.

Today, Spectrasonics creates the hardware profile’s for synth controllers and will create more in the future. As we heard in some of the Superbooth videos, there is a lot going on under the hood in doing this. Even so, I wonder if it would be possible to expose this to users? it would be a shame if users without the hardware could not take advantage of all of that work and flexibility. So here are a couple of questions / feature requests…. If Spectrasonics folks ever read KVR.

1. Could Spectrasoncs provide the ability to create macros in Omnisphere with the ability to manipulate them in real time inside Omnisphere similar to what is going on with the profile mappings to hardware controllers?

2. Eric said that each profile layout directs you into creating or making different sounds specific to the profile. This is demonstrated very well in the various videos from Superbooth. This is unique and different for each hardware profile. Spectrasonics has also created many patches using each profile, each with the flavor and character of the synth used as the hardware controller. Can Spectrasonics consider creating GUI panels for each hardware profile (avoiding copyright issues of course) so that users without the hardware can take advantage of the profiles in the same way that an owner of the hardware could by manipulating virtual controls? At this point in time, I can load the patches for the Sub37 profile but I don’t have any way to turn the Multi-drive knob for example if I don’t have the hardware. This would add a whole new dimension to Omnisphere beyond words. I know that a GUI/virtual synth panel seems counter to providing physical controls and the stated goal of marrying virtual synths and hardware synths but what Spectrasonics has done here seems like only the start of something BIG for Omnisphere. Deliberately being vague about these GUI’s being inside Omnisphere or outside as a separate interface, leaving that up to Spectrasonics.

[Richard deHove]

What is the most feature-rich cost effective controller available? My guess is one of the tabletop monos. But I hope some company announces an Omni controller project asap!

[noiseboyuk]

Nice post, blutronic, not seen anyone from Spectrasonics here on this thread but would be nice if someone dropped in and replied.

Richard - I think the boutiques are just too fiddly, but the System 1 could be a decent option. They've been praised for their good clear layout, and because they have the plug outs to host, all the basics are there control-wise. I'm a bit challenged for space around the master keyboard, but I could just about squeeze in a 1m.

[DrGonzo]

As a System8 owner, they finally managed to sell me on Omhisphere.

I can totally understand that. This update swings in both directions.
The 2.5 update have made me start looking for a compatible hardware synth.

/C

[Richard deHove]

Richard - I think the boutiques are just too fiddly, but the System 1 could be a decent option. They've been praised for their good clear layout, and because they have the plug outs to host, all the basics are there control-wise. I'm a bit challenged for space around the master keyboard, but I could just about squeeze in a 1m.

I was looking at the SE02 because it has some interesting Xmod functions but as you say, they are just so small. Likewise not much premium studio space so need something tabletop size. Or maybe the Behringer Pro One announced for later this year at $300:


But I think I'll just have to be patient and wait for someone to build a dedicated Omni controller - I'm sure a couple will already be in the works.

[noiseboyuk]

Wow, Behringer are bringing them all back, eh?

I do wonder if Omni 2.5 will really kick start something. I'm old - I lived through synths in the 80s, but I have zero interest really in owning hardware today. Seeing all these efforts to bring back the old classics... they'd make their lives soooo much easier if they just made the damn front panels, connected the pots and forgot about all the audio circuitry. It's all I want. Well, unless we're talking that mythical real dedicated synth controller, of course, but even then i wouldn't want it to make a noise.

[Richard deHove]

Wow, Behringer are bringing them all back, eh?

I do wonder if Omni 2.5 will really kick start something. I'm old - I lived through synths in the 80s, but I have zero interest really in owning hardware today. Seeing all these efforts to bring back the old classics... they'd make their lives soooo much easier if they just made the damn front panels, connected the pots and forgot about all the audio circuitry. It's all I want. Well, unless we're talking that mythical real dedicated synth controller, of course, but even then i wouldn't want it to make a noise.

+1 exactly this! (Am also old and went through loads of 80s hardware classics playing live)

Even a Euro-rack style midi-only modular might work, but then programming the interface file for Omni would be a pain since there'd be no standard config.

[jarnold]

This is a really great idea. And it's not just those with 'expensive' synths who benefit, Roland Boutiques and the Korg Minilogue are in the initial templates and they're pretty common so a fair number of users will get the benefit straight away. Remember, there's none of that head scratching you get with a generic controller as each dedicated control is the same; so cutoff is cutoff, waveform selection is... waveform selection. The label printed on the synth is what that knob/button does.

And it's free! It's like a studio upgrade for no outlay.

[Vectorman]

Wouldn't count on using a Behringer Pro 1 as a controller for Omnisphere. It's most likely like the D, with direct analog control (no digitization of knob values) and therefore not sending knob positions out via MIDI.

[hollo]

Eric just made it again. It was the biggest BUMM in the NAMM.
Everybody is excited and talking about Omnisphere again.
It's really a win - win for everyone. For Spectrasonic, for the hardware manufatures and for
all of us the users.

I'v never tought of having a new hardware synth just to collect the dust, but now I am a bit envy of those who have a new synth with a lot of tweakable pots. Even it is controlling just a few percent of Omni, it's nice to toy around with the basic waveforms, envelopes and filter, then you can finish
all the rest with the mouse.

For me the BIG news is the 4 layer. I always felt limited with the 2 Osc, especially after I spoiled myself with Zebra. Ok I could use the multi for more layer, but that is not the same.
(Just think about: when you have to use a simple noise in a patch, you already loosed one full Osc. )
Really happy also for the SEM filter and for those added wavetables.

Good times for us

[Echoes in the Attic]

Yes the 4 layers is big especially for just wanting a three osc moog type sounds or wanting noise in addition to a couple of oscs or whatever. The only thing is that as cool as it is to have a filter per layer, a dual filter per layer is certainly overkill, I would have been fine if they kept the two dual filters (still effectively 4) and allows readers outing from the osc into them. A lot of time you want 3 or 4 oscs going through a single filter, so I guess for that effect you still link all four? Just seems like in that case you are using 4 times the filters that you actually need, so must be much more resource hungry than necessary.

[noiseboyuk]

Yes the 4 layers is big especially for just wanting a three osc moog type sounds or wanting noise in addition to a couple of oscs or whatever. The only thing is that as cool as it is to have a filter per layer, a dual filter per layer is certainly overkill, I would have been fine if they kept the two dual filters (still effectively 4) and allows readers outing from the osc into them. A lot of time you want 3 or 4 oscs going through a single filter, so I guess for that effect you still link all four? Just seems like in that case you are using 4 times the filters that you actually need, so must be much more resource hungry than necessary.

For this kind of scenario I do tend to use Harmonia, which can have 5 oscs per layer. When everything needs to go through the same signal chain, there's no point in using more than one layer.

While I'm delighted at the new 4 layers, I actually don't think this is nearly as big a deal as many make out. It's been dead easy to make large numbers of Osc patches in Omni since forever. It seems to me that the reason we now have 4 layers is that in terms hardware controllers, having separate layers is the only practical way to do it.

[Sjefke]

It will be fun to see how many software changes in Omnisphere future supported hardware will give omnisphere users.

An example is the upcomming prophet X, which will be supported
It has an option to change sample begin and ending points real time live trough a knob..
Now i haven’t found much to edit the onboard samples in such a basic way
(Unless i missed something)

So will they keep adding more options to the engine to get closer to mimicking hardware functions?


Another question, who will make the perfect “analogue feel” hardware comtroller and then map it to all the best VST synths... the other way around as omnisphere does, but it will be just as exciting..

[Dewdman42]

There is another reality which is all of these hardware synths can only communicate with omnispherea via midi. So when you turn a knob on one of them, it’s sending midi messages to omnispheres, and then if you pull up the right profile in omnispheres it will react like the original synth in complex macro ways.

I can’t think of any reason that any old midi controller couldn’t be used to send the same midi messages, the results would be dependent on which profile is loaded in omnispheres. Lémur and other solutions May also be possible. I suspect we will see a lot of creative things happen once it comes out