Spectrasonics build up to Sonic Extensions....

[LoveEnigma18]

Well I caved and bought Undercurrent, Unclean Machine and Nylon Sky. As expected, they sound great, and I'm having a blast making up new multis and using the various new verbs etc with existing stuff. I've never really categorised Omni as a synth or a sampler, I've always just seen it as a great sounding source of playing fun. I use stack mode a great deal these days, with a workflow similar to my old workstation hardware, layers/splits and so on.

Which one is your favorite overall in your play so far? I am planning to grab Unclean Machine shortly.

If anything, Omni v3 could just tidy up the interface a bit - I'm often stripping FX per part and replacing with the aux busses in a multi - and when there are multiple component patches that's a lot of mouse work.

I am new to Omnisphere 2 but still couldn't agree more with this. I wonder though how they could simplify it while still having the flexibility it has right now.

Good ideas by noiseboyuk in the previous post.

I recently suggested them to add arrow buttons on the directories tab, because I hate menu diving. With multiple Spectrasonics libraries, user libraries and now Sonic Extensions, I think it makes sense. Hope they consider it.

[Gadget Fiend]

Yup, I too strongly doubt we'll see Omni ever become a full-blown sampler.

You've conflated several issues there though. Of course users and do regularly make their own sounds, and the third party scene is enormous at this point. It's just the specifics of actual user or third party full-blown sample libraries, as opposed to synth sounds. Even Spectrasonics' own internal sampler tools - improved though they are - are far short of a sampler like Kontakt, so I'm personally not fussed at all about this, I'm not really interested in Omni trying rival those others.

If Spectrasonics added something like Apple's Auto Sampler to Omnisphere, users would have a super easy way to add their own multisamples (that could include multiple velocity layers and round robin keygroups). Auto Sampler also includes automatic sample looping with a number of powerful crossfade looping algorithms. If Spectrasonics added similar crossfade algorithms, this would take almost all of the work out of creating user sampled content.

By allowing hardware synths to be sampled at multiple velocity levels, Spectrasonics could address one of its fundamental weaknesses. Spectraonics sampled most of its synthesizer waveforms with the filter cutoff almost wide open on the source synth. They then used the built in, digital filters to dynamically control each sound's brightness. But these digital filters don't sound anywhere near as good as the filters on the source synths. It would be better to sample hardware synths at 4 (or more) velocity levels to capture the richness of the hardware filter.

[noiseboyuk]

If Spectrasonics added something like Apple's Auto Sampler to Omnisphere, users would have a super easy way to add their own multisamples (that could include multiple velocity layers and round robin keygroups). Auto Sampler also includes automatic sample looping with a number of powerful crossfade looping algorithms. If Spectrasonics added similar crossfade algorithms, this would take almost all of the work out of creating user sampled content.

By allowing hardware synths to be sampled at multiple velocity levels, Spectrasonics could address one of its fundamental weaknesses. Spectraonics sampled most of its synthesizer waveforms with the filter cutoff almost wide open on the source synth. They then used the built in, digital filters to dynamically control each sound's brightness. But these digital filters don't sound anywhere near as good as the filters on the source synths. It would be better to sample hardware synths at 4 (or more) velocity levels to capture the richness of the hardware filter.

First para - I've been wanting NI to do that for years with Kontakt. I think the problem with Omni is that it's never going to be perfect, it might do most of the heavy lifting but you'd likely have to get forensic then to fix all kinds of things.

Second para - I'd prefer a couple of new filters! Also most (not all) of the synth generated stuff is from wavetables, not samples. I think the Soundpaint route of mutlisampling synths on a vast scale is crazy.

[Dirk Diggler]

But why bother if you need to get tricky to achieve something other tools are better suited for?

Because you can now, and I actually find it much more pleasant to deal with compared to Kontakt. Also you don't have to pay a fee to NI to create sellable instruments.

It's not all that tricky especially if you're already doing things like that to create MPE instruments in Omni.

Just pointing out Omni can actually do multi samples right now.

[Gadget Fiend]

Also most (not all) of the synth generated stuff is from wavetables, not samples. I think the Soundpaint route of mutlisampling synths on a vast scale is crazy.

Unless I am misunderstanding you, I think you are mistaken that wavetables make up most of the synth content in Omnisphere. I believe wavetables were added in Omnisphere 2.0. Up until then the layers in Omnisphere patches were created from multisampled synth instruments. Otherwise how could Omnisphere's sound library be over 50 GB in size? Wavetables wouldn't take up nearly that much disc space.

[gassle]

If anything, Omni v3 could just tidy up the interface a bit - I'm often stripping FX per part and replacing with the aux busses in a multi - and when there are multiple component patches that's a lot of mouse work.

That's an interesting idea. We can copy layers, would be cool to be able to copy strips of effects.

In fact, double cool would be to right click cut / copy / paste on any of the tabs - Orb, Main, A, B, C, D, FX and Arp, then also Aux, A, B, C, D, Common in the effects section. Maybe also FM, RM, WS, Uni, Harm, Grn. I did wonder about dragging and dropping with a modifier, but I like that with a right click you can go between other patches and indeed the multi.

EDIT - very common to have a bunch of effects in Common and decide you want it just on a Part, or vice versa. That would be a great workflow.

I think you can use the Rack Preset menu on the upper left corner of FX pane to move fx strips between racks, using "Copy Rack Preset" and "Paste Rack Preset", if I understand you right.

[Kinh]

How do you authorize sonic extensions? It just tells you you have to authorize, you click OK, nothing happens. Got no authorize instructions, nothing!

[LoveEnigma18]

How do you authorize sonic extensions? It just tells you you have to authorize, you click OK, nothing happens. Got no authorize instructions, nothing!

It is easy. Install SE. Launch Omnisphere 2.8/2.8.1. Click on the "authorize" button and then simply proceed as you did when you authorized Omnisphere. If you don't see that button, close and open Omnisphere again.

Note: I did it in standalone mode and it took a minute to get Unclean Machine authorized.

[Kinh]

How do you authorize sonic extensions? It just tells you you have to authorize, you click OK, nothing happens. Got no authorize instructions, nothing!

It is easy. Install SE. Launch Omnisphere 2.8/2.8.1. Click on the "authorize" button and then simply proceed as you did when you authorized Omnisphere. If you don't see that button, close and open Omnisphere again.

Note: I did it in standalone mode and it took a minute to get Unclean Machine authorized.

I gotst it. Thanks

[noiseboyuk]

I think you can use the Rack Preset menu on the upper left corner of FX pane to move fx strips between racks, using "Copy Rack Preset" and "Paste Rack Preset", if I understand you right.

Thanks! And Spectrasonics support provided a great reply to my query outlining further:

Instead of right clicking on the Layer buttons themselves, right click anywhere else on Omnisphere’s interface or use the Utility Menu, then select Copy Layer (then you can Paste Layer, or Clear).

For the FX page (ie Common, Layers, and AUX), while you won’t be able to use the right click action on your mouse, you can simply click on the Racks Presets drop down and select Copy Rack then go to any other FX page (ie Common, Layers, and AUX), click on the Presets drop down menu and select Paste Rack.

You can even do this per FX unit instead of copying the entire FX Rack.



The same type of process can be done with deeper level synth engines such as Harmonia and Granular and using their prospective Presets drop down menu (found in their Zoom pages):





Of course, I feel like a dummy. Perhaps the wording is perhaps a small excuse on my part - "copy effects preset" says to me that this preset is copied, not the settings I may have modified. Also I guess I assumed (wrongly) that "copy rack" meant all the racks. And while a right click would be perhaps more elegant, this does 90% of what I was after.

I've always found support very helpful - this detailed reply came within 24 hours, complete with images to illustrate.

[noiseboyuk]

Unless I am misunderstanding you, I think you are mistaken that wavetables make up most of the synth content in Omnisphere. I believe wavetables were added in Omnisphere 2.0. Up until then the layers in Omnisphere patches were created from multisampled synth instruments. Otherwise how could Omnisphere's sound library be over 50 GB in size? Wavetables wouldn't take up nearly that much disc space.

Omni 1 did have basic waveforms, before the wavetable era. Omni 1, Trilian and the Moog expansion did all have some sampled synth waveforms and textures, but they have largely moved away from this now - it's a very poor use of resources when they have a highly capable synth engine.

The huge sample library isn't for synths, this would make up a microscopic total amount. It's all their other natural / organic sample content that takes up the space.

[Gadget Fiend]

Omni 1 did have basic waveforms, before the wavetable era. Omni 1, Trilian and the Moog expansion did all have some sampled synth waveforms and textures, but they have largely moved away from this now - it's a very poor use of resources when they have a highly capable synth engine.

The huge sample library isn't for synths, this would make up a microscopic total amount. It's all their other natural / organic sample content that takes up the space.

Spectrasonics isn't moving away from sampled content. Their new multisampled, multi-velocity layered, multiple articulations nylon guitar is proof in point.

Although sampled textures, soundscapes, and acoustic instruments (including multisampled vocal patches) do make up some of the Omnisphere 1's sample library, they do not account for anywhere near the data taken up by the thousands of multisampled synth instruments (and basses if you count Trilogy). I know this because I know some of the people who worked on the v1 core library.

[noiseboyuk]

Oh good lord. I say that they've moved away from sampling synths and focus on sampling acoustic sources , and you quote the Nylon Sky library? Here's the thing - the Nylon Guitar is a Guitar.

It is not a synth.

They do still occasionally sample synths - even in these expansions - for textures, but they're not (nor have ever) been in the business of multi-sampling them to try to re-create the synths themselves.

It's been fun, but lest we back on forth for the next 10 pages on this, I'm leaving this particular tangent at that.

[Gadget Fiend]

Oh good lord. I say that they've moved away from sampling synths and focus on sampling acoustic sources , and you quote the Nylon Sky library? Here's the thing - the Nylon Guitar is a Guitar.

It is not a synth.

They do still occasionally sample synths - even in these expansions - for textures, but they're not (nor have ever) been in the business of multi-sampling them to try to re-create the synths themselves.

It's been fun, but lest we back on forth for the next 10 pages on this, I'm leaving this particular tangent at that.

Ok, sorry for the misunderstanding.

[Muziksculp]

Hi,

I'm experiencing very high CPU usage in Omnisphere 2, I have the latest version, all components are up to date. Also purchased the Undercurrent Extension. But the very high CPU usage is not making me like it.

Does it support multicore processors ? do I need to enable a setting for that to happen ? I checked, but didn't find any thing that I can turn on for multicore support. I tested both VST2, and VST3 versions, and both are problematic with regards to CPU usage.

I'm on Windows 10, using Studio One Pro 5.4.1

Anyone else experiencing the very high-CPU usage ?

Thanks,
Muziksculp