Steinberg HALion 6 – Operation Manual 6.0 OM En
User Manual: Steinberg HALion - 6.0 - Operation Manual Free User Guide for Steinberg HALion Software, Manual
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Operation Manual Matthias Klag, Michael Ruf Cristina Bachmann, Heiko Bischoff, Christina Kaboth, Insa Mingers, Matthias Obrecht, Sabine Pfeifer, Benjamin Schütte, Marita Sladek This PDF provides improved access for vision-impaired users. Please note that due to the complexity and number of images in this document, it is not possible to include text descriptions of images. The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. The software described by this document is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media except as specifically allowed in the License Agreement. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced, or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior written permission by Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. Registered licensees of the product described herein may print one copy of this document for their personal use. All product and company names are ™ or ® trademarks of their respective owners. For more information, please visit www.steinberg.net/trademarks. © Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, 2017. All rights reserved. Table of Contents 6 6 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 Installation and Setup Conventions System Requirements Downloading Program Files Installing the Program Activating Your License Registering Your Software How You Can Reach Us About the Documentation Setting Up 11 11 12 13 15 15 HALion Control Panel Configuring the Control Panel View and Tab Operations Window Handling Setting the Focus Available Editors 18 18 18 19 19 20 20 Common Editing Methods Dials and Sliders Multi Selection and Parameter Controls Buttons Value Fields Using Key Commands Presets 23 23 24 24 26 27 35 41 Global Functions and Settings Plug-in Functions Section Plug-in Name and Steinberg Logo Toolbar Keyboard Editor Quick Controls Options Editor AI Knob Support 42 42 43 44 Automation Automation Parameters Automation Editor Setting Up Automation 46 46 Managing Your Sounds About Programs, Layers, Multis, Macro Pages, and Presets Registering VST Sounds Loading Programs and Layers Load Dialog Slot Rack Managing and Loading Files Working with General MIDI Files 47 48 50 50 53 69 70 70 74 78 78 79 79 79 80 80 81 3 Mapping Zones Mapping Editor Mapping Editor Context Menu Sample Zones and their Root Keys Moving Zones Creating Fades and Crossfades Setting Key Range and Velocity Range Zooming Selecting Zones Importing Single Samples Using Drag And Drop Importing Multiple Samples Using Drag And Drop 82 82 83 85 90 91 91 Editing Programs and Layers Main Section Trigger Section Voice Management Section Variation Groups Section Quick Control Assignments Section Note Expression Section 92 92 92 93 93 94 94 95 99 101 102 106 109 109 116 119 123 125 132 135 137 Editing Zones Adding Zones Zone Types Adding Samples to Empty Zones Absolute and Relative Editing Editing Selected Zones or All Zones Global Zone Settings Voice Control Section Voice Control Section for Organ Zones Pitch Section Oscillator Section Sample Oscillator Section Organ Oscillator Section Wavetable Section AudioWarp Section Filter Section Amplifier Section Envelope Section LFO Section Step Modulator Modulation Matrix 150 150 150 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Loading and Previewing Samples Toolbar Table of Contents 153 155 155 157 163 166 167 167 168 170 171 Info Line Overview Line Waveform Display Parameter Section Sample Editor Context Menu Markers Zooming Editing Samples in an External Editor Creating Loops Creating Slices Automatically Replacing Samples 173 174 186 186 187 188 188 189 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor Creating a Wavetable Pitch Detection Markers Replacing Samples Importing Wavetables Managing Wavetables 190 190 197 Granular Synthesis Grain Oscillator Modulating the Grain Oscillator 198 198 200 MIDI Editing and Controllers MIDI Editor MIDI Controllers 204 204 206 210 Mixing, Routing, and Effect Handling Mixer Window Audio Bus Architecture Insert Effects 213 Loading and Managing Programs via the Program Table Program Table Configuring the Program Table Program Table Context Menu 213 214 215 217 217 218 227 228 233 234 238 244 244 248 249 249 250 251 254 260 261 262 Recording the Output of Another Plug-In Recording Samples in the Standalone Version 263 263 271 279 285 291 294 300 304 308 326 340 341 343 354 Included Instruments Auron Trium Voltage Model C HALiotron B-Box World Instruments World Percussion Anima Skylab Raven Eagle Hot Brass Studio Strings 365 Parameter List 367 367 404 Macro Pages Macro Pages, Templates, Controls, Resources, and Libraries Getting Started Macro Page Designer Editing and Assembling Elements Libraries Connecting Macro Page Controls to HALion Parameters Collaborating on Macro Pages Cleaning Up and Consolidating Your Macro Pages Saving Macro Pages 405 405 409 418 420 Library Creator Libraries Library Creator Editor Unassigned VST Sound Containers Consistency Check 421 421 Library Manager Library Manager Editor 424 424 424 428 429 431 439 443 444 455 465 466 467 468 Effects Reference Introduction Reverb Effects Delay Effects EQ Effects Filter Effects Distortion Effects Pitch Shift Effects Modulation Effects Dynamics Effects Spatial and Panner Effects Surround Effects Tools Effects Legacy Effects 368 370 385 401 402 403 403 Program Tree Program Tree Elements Program Tree Columns and Controls Editing Programs, Zones and Layers Importing Samples Replacing Samples Exporting Samples Exporting Programs and Layers with Samples Exporting Programs and Layers as HALion Sonic SE Layer Presets Importing Sliced Loops Selections in the Program Tree Navigating in the Program Tree Sorting the Program Tree Elements Setting Up the Program in the Program Tree Renaming Elements Sample Recorder Recording From an Audio Track With Multiple Drum Sounds 4 Table of Contents 480 480 483 494 497 502 508 510 512 514 516 522 524 526 527 529 530 531 533 MIDI Modules Reference Common Functions FlexPhraser Trigger Pads MIDI Player Drum Player Mono Envelope Mono LFO Mono Step Modulator True Pedaling MegaTrig Layer Alternate Key Switch Alternate Key Switch Remote MIDI Randomizer CC Mapper Velocity Curve Tuning Scale Lua Script 537 Key Commands Reference 540 540 Note Expression Note Expression Editor 542 542 542 544 544 546 547 547 Using the Standalone Version of the Plug-In Making Preferences Settings Preferences Dialog Selecting the MIDI Input and the Audio Output Scratch Pad Loading a MIDI File Saving a MIDI File Master Volume 548 Index 5 Installation and Setup Conventions In our documentation, we use typographical and markup elements to structure information. Typographical Elements The following typographical elements mark the following purposes. PREREQUISITE Requires you to complete an action or to fulfill a condition before starting a procedure. PROCEDURE Lists the steps that you must take to achieve a specific result. IMPORTANT Informs you about issues that might affect the system, the connected hardware, or that might bring a risk of data loss. NOTE Informs you about issues that you should consider. EXAMPLE Provides you with an example. RESULT Shows the result of the procedure. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Informs you about actions or tasks that you can undertake after completing the procedure. RELATED LINKS Lists related topics that you can find in this documentation. 6 Installation and Setup System Requirements Markup Bold text indicates the name of a menu, option, function, dialog, window, etc. EXAMPLE In the header of the plug-in panel, click the Preset Management button next to the preset name field and select Load Preset. If bold text is separated by a greater-than symbol, this indicates a sequence of different menus to open. EXAMPLE To save a specific layer, right-click it and select Load/Save > Save Layer As. Key Commands Many of the default key commands, also known as keyboard shortcuts, use modifier keys, some of which are different depending on the operating system. For example, the default key command for Undo is Ctrl-Z on Windows and Cmd-Z on Mac OS. When key commands with modifier keys are described in this manual, they are shown with the Windows modifier key first, in the following way: • Windows modifier key/Mac OS modifier key-key EXAMPLE Ctrl/Cmd-Z means: press Ctrl on Windows or Cmd on Mac OS, then press Z. System Requirements Your computer must meet the following minimum requirements: Mac • Mac OS X Version 10.11/macOS 10.12 • VST 3, AAX, or AU compatible host application for using HALion as a plug-in • 64-bit Intel or AMD mutli-core processor (Intel i5 or faster recommended) • 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended) • 40 GB of free hard-disk space • Display resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels (1920 x 1080 recommended) • OS-compatible audio hardware* • Internet connection required for activation, account setup, and personal/ product registration • Downloads are required for the installation *ASIO-compatible audio hardware recommended for low-latency performance 7 Installation and Setup Downloading Program Files Windows • 64-bit Windows 7*/8.x/10 • VST 2, VST 3, or AAX compatible host application for using HALion as a plug-in • 64-bit Intel or AMD mutli-core processor (Intel i5 or faster recommended) • 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended) • 40 GB of free hard-disk space • Display resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels (1920 x 1080 recommended) • OS-compatible audio hardware** • Internet connection required for activation, account setup, and personal/ product registration • Downloads are required for the installation *Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Microsoft.NET Framework 4.0 and Platform Update for Windows **ASIO-compatible audio hardware recommended for low-latency performance Downloading Program Files The Steinberg Download Assistant helps you download the required files to your computer. 1. Start the Steinberg Download Assistant. 2. On the left, select the program that you want to install. 3. On the right, select which version you want to install. You can install a new program, update an existing program, etc. 4. Click Download to download the files. Installing the Program After downloading the required files, you can install HALion on your computer. • On Windows systems, double-click the product installer on screen. and follow the instructions • On a Mac, double-click the file HALion 6.pkg and follow the instructions on screen. Activating Your License HALion uses a software-based copy protection scheme. This Soft-eLicenser is installed automatically with HALion. It can be accessed via the eLicenser Control Center application that is installed automatically with the product. After installation, you must activate your product. If you purchased HALion in a shop, the product package contains a “Download Access Code” that allows you to download both the software and the license of the product. If you purchased the download version of HALion, you receive an e-mail with the activation code and a description of the activation process. 8 Installation and Setup Registering Your Software IMPORTANT The process for license activation is described in detail on the Steinberg web site. Registering Your Software Register your product at the MySteinberg online customer portal. As a registered user, you are entitled to technical support, you gain access to exclusive offers such as software updates and upgrades, and more. PROCEDURE 1. Start your software. 2. Select Help > Register now. An online registration form opens in your web browser. 3. Follow the instructions on screen to register at MySteinberg. How You Can Reach Us Click the Steinberg logo in the top right corner of the control panel to open a pop-up menu containing items for getting additional information and help. • This menu contains links to various Steinberg web pages. Select a link to open the corresponding page. On the web pages, you can find support and compatibility information, answers to frequently asked questions, links for downloading new drivers, etc. • You also find a menu item for the registration of your product. As a registered user, you are entitled to technical support, you gain access to exclusive offers such as software updates and upgrades, and more. About the Documentation The documentation is available online and most of it can be downloaded in PDF format from steinberg.help. • To visit steinberg.help, enter steinberg.help in the address bar of your web browser or open HALion, click the Steinberg logo in the top right corner and select Help > HALion Help. • You can find the documentation for the HALion scripting features, as well as additional parameter descriptions regarding the Macro Page Designer and the Library Creator under http://developer.steinberg.help. Here, you can find tutorials and parameter references, download example files, and much more. 9 Installation and Setup Setting Up Setting Up The following sections describe how to use HALion as a plug-in in different host applications. NOTE HALion can also be used as a standalone application. Selecting Outputs HALion loads with a stereo output configuration by default. However, you can use up to 32 stereo outputs plus one 5.1 output in the Steinberg DAW. This allows you to route all 64 program slots to a dedicated channel in the MixConsole. PROCEDURE 1. To make the outputs available in the VST instrument, open the VST Instruments window. 2. Click the Activate Outputs button for the instrument. 3. Activate the outputs that you want to use. RESULT The Steinberg DAW automatically adds an output channel for each additional output to the MixConsole. You can now route programs or layers to these outputs for further signal processing within the DAW. Using the Instrument in an AU-Compatible Application The AU version of HALion is installed in your AU plug-ins folder and lets HALion work in an AU environment without any performance loss or incompatibilities. For example, to load HALion as an AU instrument for Logic Pro, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Open the Track Mixer and select the instrument channel that you want to use. 2. Click in the I/O field and select AU Instruments > Steinberg > HALion. 3. Select one of the available channel configurations. Using the Instrument as Standalone Application HALion can be used as a standalone application, independently of any host application. In this case, you can connect the instrument directly to your audio hardware. RELATED LINKS Using the Standalone Version of the Plug-In on page 542 10 HALion Control Panel HALion provides flexible and highly customizable window management. You can arrange the available editors in the window, structure the window sections using tabs, and configure several separate windows for your work. The size of each window, and window section, is freely adjustable. This allows you to make the most of the available screen space. Configuring the Control Panel You can set up the control panel by determining the number of different views, that is, window sections, and by further configuring these sections, for example, by adding tabs. For the views and tabs, you can specify the editor that is displayed. Setup Options You can configure the control panel using the setup options. For views, click the Setup Options icon in the header to open the menu that contains the setup options. For tabs, right-click the name of the tab to open the context menu contains the setup options. Split | and Split -You can add a view or tab to the window by splitting an existing view or tab. • To perform a vertical split, select Split |. This adds a new editor to the right of the current editor. • To perform a horizontal split, select Split --. This adds an editor below the current editor. NOTE To create a copy of an existing view or tab, click its upper left corner and drag it to another position in the window. A colored frame indicates the insert position. 11 HALion Control Panel View and Tab Operations Undock Creates a duplicate of the view or tab in a new window. Create Tab Creates a tab. You can also create tabs within tabs. Rename Allows you to rename tabs. Close Removes the view or tab. Select Opens a pane that shows icons for the available editors. To select an editor, click its icon. Editor Allows you to select the editor to be displayed from the list of available editors. View and Tab Operations You can add, move, and resize tabs and views to configure the control panel. Creating Tabs You can create tabs in the following ways: • Select Create Tab from the setup options. • Click in the upper left corner of an existing view or tab and drag it onto another one. • Click the + icon to the right of the rightmost tab and click the icon for the editor that you want to display. NOTE • You can also create tabs within tabs. • If a view contains more tabs than can be displayed, arrow buttons are displayed to navigate between the tabs. Moving Views and Tabs • To move a view or tab, hold down Shift, click in its upper left corner, and drag it to another position. Depending on the drop position, it is added as a tab or as part of a split view. Expanding and Resizing Editor Sections Some editors, such as the Options Editor, contain expandable sections. These sections can be resized or collapsed so that they only show their title bar. This helps you to save space and focus on the edited parameters. 12 HALion Control Panel Window Handling • To expand or collapse a section, click the + or - icon on the left of the title bar, or click the title bar. • To expand or collapse all sections at the same time, hold down Shift and click the + or the - icon or the title bar. • To resize a section, click the dotted line in the middle of its lower border and drag up or down. Adjusting the Size of a Split View • To adjust the size of two split views, point the mouse at the divider between these two, click, and drag. If a view is split into three or more parts, these parts are resized proportionally. To resize an individual part, hold down Ctrl/Cmd and drag. Window Handling Creating Additional Windows You can create new windows from existing views in the following ways: • Click in the upper left corner of an existing view or tab and drag it out of the current window. • Use the Undock command on the tab context menu or the View pop-up menu. Using Window Presets HALion comes with several preconfigured window presets. • To open a window preset, click the Open New Window button in the top bar and select it from the pop-up menu. • To create your own window presets, use the corresponding commands on the pop-up menu. Locking Windows If you open an additional window, HALion shows the settings of the focused program, layer, zone, etc. This way, all editors and separate windows relate to the same material. However, in some cases it might be necessary to show different objects in different windows, for example, to compare the parameter sets of two zones or layers. This can be achieved by locking a window. • To lock a window, click the Lock button in the upper right corner. If this button is activated, the window no longer follows selection and focus changes in the main plugin window. Instead, it displays the settings of the program that was selected when you clicked the Lock button. Screen Sets You can save the configuration of the control panel as a screen set. This way, you can preconfigure HALion for different workflows and editing situations. By default, the following screen sets are available: 13 HALion Control Panel Window Handling Default This screen set is optimized for wide-screen monitors and contains the most important editors. It is suitable for a display resolution of 1440 x 900. Advanced This is the full editor screen set. It is suitable for a resolution of 1440 x 900. Basic This is a minimized single slot player view. It is suitable for a display resolution of 1024 x 768. Extended 1 This screen set is optimized for use on laptops with a display resolution of 1280 x 800. Extended 2 This screen set is also optimized for laptops, but it is slightly larger than Extended 1. It is suitable for a display resolution of 1440 x 900. Minimized This screen set shows the smallest configuration. Minimized + Editors This screen set provides the minimized plug-in window plus an additional floating window that contains all editors. This configuration is intended for use in host applications where you cannot resize the main plug-in window. • To load, save, and delete screen sets, click the Load/Save/Delete Screen Set button on the toolbar in the plug-in functions section and select the corresponding command from the pop-up menu. NOTE Factory presets cannot be deleted. 14 HALion Control Panel Setting the Focus Setting the Focus It is important to know which view, window, or tab has the focus. The focused section of the window is the area to which your actions, such as key commands, are applied. The view that has the focus is indicated by a blue frame. PROCEDURE • To set the focus on a specific view, use one of its controls, edit a parameter, or click on the frame or in an empty background of a view. Available Editors The editors give you access to the parameters of HALion and its programs and modules. Slot Rack Allows you to load and manage the loaded programs. MIDI Allows you to configure the ranges and MIDI parameters of the slots. Program Tree Allows you to create programs by combining samples, layers, busses, and MIDI and audio effects. Sound Editor Gives you access to the parameters of the various program components. It can display the parameters of programs, layers, zones, MIDI modules, busses, and effects. Which parameters are displayed depends on the object that is selected in the Program Tree. Zone Editor Allows you to edit the parameters of all zones of the focused layer simultaneously, including any sublayers. If zones are selected in the Program Tree or the Mapping Editor, only these zones can be modified. MIDI Modules Allows you to edit MIDI modules, such as FlexPhrasers or MegaTrig modules. 15 HALion Control Panel Available Editors Mapping Allows you to specify and visualize how samples are distributed over the keyboard and velocity range. Sample Editor Allows you to define the sample and loop parameters. Wavetable Editor Allows you to make settings for the wavetable synthesizer that is used by wavetable zones. Sample Recorder The Sample Recorder allows you to record samples in HALion. Browser Allows you to browse and import files, including external sampler formats. MediaBay Allows you to load programs and layers. Library Creator Allows you to create your own VST Sound content in HALion. Macro Page VST Sound Instrument Sets provide macro pages. These pages are preconfigured to show the most important parameters for the specific programs. Whether it is possible to edit a program only via its macro page or whether you have access to all underlying zone and layer parameters depends on the instrument set. If a program comes with a macro page, this page is displayed when you open the Macro Editor. If you load a program that contains one or multiple layers with macro pages, all macro pages are shown together in the Macro Editor. For each macro page, HALion inserts a navigation button on the toolbar that allows you to switch between the pages. Macro Page Designer Allows you to create your own macro pages. Mixer Allows you to mix the program slots, access the output and AUX busses, and manage effects. Keyboard Combines a keyboard, two wheels, and the sphere control. You can use these controls to simulate external hardware. Quick Controls Allows you to remote-control any parameter inside the program. 16 HALion Control Panel Available Editors Trigger Pads Allow you to assign and trigger notes and chords. Furthermore, it is possible to use the trigger pads to switch the states of FlexPhraser modules. Program Table Shows all loaded programs. This includes the programs that are used in the Slot Rack as well as those that are loaded via MIDI program change. Parameter List Gives you a detailed overview of the parameters of the selected item in the Program Tree. For example, if you select an effect in the Program Tree, only the parameters of that effect are shown. Automation Lists all assigned automation parameters. With the tabs at the top, you can specify whether you want to show the automation parameters for the slot, the global parameters, or all automation parameters. MIDI Ctrl Lists all assigned MIDI controllers. Undo History Lists all of your actions and allows you to undo changes. Options Contains global plug-in settings regarding the overall performance, global edit functions, and MIDI controllers. RELATED LINKS Slot Rack on page 50 MIDI Editor on page 198 Program Tree on page 217 Editing Programs and Layers on page 82 Editing Zones on page 92 MIDI Modules Reference on page 480 Mapping Editor on page 70 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor on page 150 Wavetable Editor on page 174 Sample Recorder on page 254 Macro Page Designer on page 370 Mixer Window on page 204 Keyboard Editor on page 26 Quick Controls on page 27 Trigger Pads on page 494 Loading and Managing Programs via the Program Table on page 213 Parameter List on page 365 Automation Editor on page 43 MIDI Controllers on page 200 17 Common Editing Methods Dials and Sliders Dials and sliders can be unidirectional or bidirectional. Unidirectional values, for example level values, start at a minimum value and go up to the maximum. Bidirectional controls start from the middle position and go to the left for negative and to the right for positive values. Most of the editing methods are the same for dials and sliders. • To adjust a value, click a dial or a fader and drag up and down, or use the mouse wheel. If you press Alt when clicking a dial, a small fader appears, allowing you to set the parameter. • To make fine adjustments, press Shift and move the dial or use the mouse wheel. • To restore the default value for a parameter, press Ctrl/Cmd and click on the control. Multi Selection and Parameter Controls If several zones are selected and they are not set to the exact same values, most of the controls indicate this by turning red. This is true for encoders, switches, combo boxes, value fields, and text faders. For example, if you have selected 3 zones with cutoff frequency values of 1200, 1400, and 2500 Hz, the corona of the frequency encoders shows a range from 1200 to 2500. The corresponding field shows the value of the focused zone in red. NOTE More complex controls, such as the envelope editors, only show the values of the focused zone. Adjusting Value Ranges You can adjust the value range of a parameter using the corona of the encoder. The values for the zones are distributed within the new range, keeping their relative distances. • To compress or expand the value range, drag the corona. • To adjust the upper limit of the range, hold down Ctrl/Cmd and drag the corona. • To adjust the lower limit of the range, hold down Alt and drag the corona. 18 Common Editing Methods Buttons Buttons On/Off Buttons These buttons have two states: on and off. If you move the mouse over an On/Off button, it changes its appearance to show that you can click it. Push Buttons Push buttons trigger an action and then go back to their inactive state. These buttons open menus or file dialogs. Value Fields To set a value, you have the following possibilities: • Double-click in a value field, enter a new value, and press Enter. If the entered value exceeds the parameter range, it is automatically set to the maximum or the minimum value, respectively. • Click in the value field and drag up or down. • Position the mouse over a value field and use the mouse wheel. • Click the up/down triangles next to the field. • To set the parameter to its default value, Ctrl/Cmd-click the value field. • To use a fader to adjust the value, Alt-click a value field. • To enter musical values, such as key ranges or the root key, with your MIDI keyboard, double-click the value field, press a key on your MIDI keyboard, and press Return. • To navigate to the next parameter, press Tab. To jump backwards to the previous parameter, press Shift-Tab. If no parameter is selected inside the focused view, pressing Tab always jumps to the first parameter. 19 Common Editing Methods Using Key Commands Using Key Commands • To open the Key Commands dialog, open the Options Editor and click the Key Commands button in the Edit section. The commands are arranged in a hierarchical folder structure on the left. When you open a category folder, the items and functions are displayed with any currently assigned key commands. • To set up a key command, select the function in the list, enter the key command in the Type in Key field and click the Assign button to the right of the field. If this key command is already used for another function, this is displayed in the field below. • To delete a key command, select the function in the list, select the key command in the Keys list and click the Delete button. • To search for a specific function, enter its name in the search field at the top of the dialog and click the search button. NOTE You can set up several key commands for the same function. Presets HALion offers two types of presets: section/module presets and VST presets. Section and module presets store and recall the setup of a specific component on the HALion panel. VST presets contain all information necessary to restore the complete state of the plug-in. During setup, the factory presets are installed in a dedicated folder and a user folder is created for your own presets. The handling of presets is the same throughout the program. NOTE Factory presets are write-protected, but may be overwritten when a software update is executed. Presets in your user folder are never changed by the software update. 20 Common Editing Methods Presets For more information on VST presets, see the Operation Manual of your Steinberg DAW. Handling Section and Module Presets The preset controls can be found throughout the program. The handling is always the same. • To save a preset, click Save . NOTE You cannot overwrite factory presets. If you want to save changes made to a factory preset, save the preset under a new name or in a new location. • To load a preset, click the arrow icon and select a preset from the list. • To delete a preset, click Delete . NOTE Factory presets cannot be deleted. Handling VST Presets Loading VST Presets PROCEDURE 1. In the header of the plug-in panel, click the Preset Management button next to the preset name field and select Load Preset. 2. Do one of the following: • Select a preset to load it. • Double-click a preset to load it and close the preset loader. Saving VST Presets PROCEDURE • In the header of the plug-in panel, click the Preset Management button next to the preset name field and select Save Preset. Inserting VST Presets as Layers PROCEDURE 1. Right-click the program or layer for which you want to insert the VST preset and select Load/Save > Load to new Layer. 2. Select a VST preset and click OK. RESULT The program is inserted as an additional layer. • Alternatively, drag the VST preset from the MediaBay or the file browser into the Program Tree, and drop it on a layer. 21 Common Editing Methods Presets Replacing Programs and Layers with VST Presets PROCEDURE 1. Right-click the program or layer that you want to replace. 2. Open the Load/Save submenu and select Replace Program or Replace Layer. 3. Select a VST preset and click OK. RESULT The program or layer is replaced. • Alternatively, drag the VST preset from the MediaBay or the file browser onto the Program Tree, and drop it on a program or layer. 22 Global Functions and Settings Plug-in Functions Section The plug-in functions section at the top of the window gives you access to global functions that affect both the currently loaded programs, and the general working of the plug-in. The plug-in functions section contains the multi slot section, the program slot section, the master section, and the performance displays. The toolbar below the plug-in functions section contains controls for loading multi-programs on the left. To the right of these, you can find two buttons for managing screen sets. And to the right of these, you can find various buttons with useful global functions. Program Slot Section This section contains a copy of the slot that is selected in the Slot Rack, as well as the main parameters of the program. The slot parameters are the same as in the Slot Rack. In addition, the following parameters are available: Slot Number The number of the active slot. You can switch to another slot by clicking the slot number and selecting an entry from the list. RELATED LINKS Slot Controls on page 51 Master Section The master section can be used to set volume and tuning of the plug-in. Master Volume Adjusts the overall volume of the plug-in. Master Tune You can set the Master Tune slider from 415.3 Hz to 466.2 Hz, which equals -100 cents to +100 cents. 23 Global Functions and Settings Plug-in Name and Steinberg Logo Performance Displays The meters and text displays indicate the system load of the plug-in. CPU This meter shows the processor load during playback. The more voices you play, the higher the processor load. If the overload indicator lights up, reduce the Max Voices setting on the Options page. Disk This meter shows the hard disk transfer load during the streaming of samples or when loading presets. If the overload indicator lights up, the hard disk is not supplying data fast enough. In such a case, open the Options page and adjust the Disk vs. RAM slider towards RAM or decrease the Max Voices setting. Polyphony This display indicates the number of samples that are currently played back, to help you trace performance problems. For example, if you have to reduce the Max Voices setting on the Options page, you can verify your settings by monitoring the number of samples that are currently playing. Memory This display indicates the overall amount of RAM that is currently used by the plug-in and the loaded programs. The number refers to the streaming buffer and the preloaded samples. The MEM display helps you trace performance problems. For example, if you need to free up memory for other applications, you can adjust the Disk vs. RAM slider on the Options page toward Disk. You can verify your settings by monitoring the MEM display. Plug-in Name and Steinberg Logo To get information regarding the version and build number of the plug-in, click the plugin logo. This opens the About box. To close the About box, click it or press Esc on your computer keyboard. If you click the Steinberg logo in the top right corner of the plug-in interface, a pop-up menu opens. Select one of the options to navigate to Steinberg web pages containing information on software updates, troubleshooting, etc. Toolbar Missing Busses Opens the Pending Busses dialog, allowing you to resolve any bus connections that could not be established. Find Missing Samples Opens the Find Missing Samples dialog, allowing you to resolve any missing samples for the loaded program. 24 Global Functions and Settings Toolbar Global insert, AUX, and FlexPhraser buttons Use these buttons to switch off all insert effects, AUX effects, and FlexPhrasers for the whole plug-in at once. You can use this to compare sounds with and without effects or to use a preset without the FlexPhrasers, for example. RAM Save The RAM Save function scans the playback of your project and unloads unused samples. 1. Click the RAM Save button and in the dialog, click Yes to start collecting the necessary samples. The RAM Save button starts blinking. 2. Play back the project in your host application from the beginning to the end or to the point where no new notes are played. 3. Click the RAM Save button again. In the dialog, click Yes to unload the unused samples. To deactivate RAM Save and reload the unused samples, click the RAM Save button again. RAM Save mode always keeps samples that are within the range of the highest and lowest note of the played programs. This also applies for unused expression layers that can be controlled via key switches. This allows you to switch between expressions within the valid note range after applying RAM Save mode. IMPORTANT If a program randomly triggers notes, for example, different guitar slide noises, it is possible that these notes are not triggered during the RAM Save analysis process, and that the samples are therefore removed. To prevent this, trigger the highest required note manually during the analysis. Enable MIDI Mapping Selection Options If this button is activated, played MIDI notes can be used to select zones. This also influences the zone parameters that are displayed in the editors. This parameter is linked to the corresponding option in the Mapping Editor, allowing you to remote-control the option even if the Mapping Editor is not visible. MIDI Reset Click this button to stop playback and reset all MIDI controllers to their default values. Undo/Redo To undo or redo a single operation, click the Undo or Redo buttons. To undo or redo multiple operations, click the arrow next to the button to open the history and select the step to which you want to return. 25 Global Functions and Settings Keyboard Editor NOTE How many undo/redo operations are available depends on the Number of Undo Steps setting on the Options page. Keyboard Editor The Keyboard Editor contains the wheel controls, the sphere control and the internal keyboard. Wheel Controls To the left of the internal keyboard, the pitchbend wheel and the modulation wheel are located. The modulation wheel is hardwired to MIDI controller #1, which is normally used as a source in the modulation matrix, but can be used as a quick control as well. Typically, you assign the modulation wheel to a parameter of an insert effect, such as the speed of the Rotary effect. Internal Keyboard The internal keyboard in HALion spans the entire MIDI note range from C-2 to G8. You can use it to trigger notes by playing them, but you can also drop samples onto it to import and map samples, for example. You can resize the internal keyboard horizontally and vertically. A vertical resize changes the size of the individual keys and a horizontal resize defines how many octaves are visible. If the horizontal size is not sufficient to display all octaves, you can use the left/right arrow buttons on both sides of the keys to shift the visible range by octaves. For each key, the keyboard indicates whether a sample is mapped to it. The following color scheme is used for the keys: • Keys to which a key switch is assigned are shown in yellow. • Keys to which a remapped key switch is assigned are shown in beige. • Keys to which an expression in the Layer Alternate MIDI module is assigned are shown in red. • Keys that are assigned to a trigger pad are shown in blue. • Keys to which a loop trigger note is assigned are shown in green. Previewing Notes Using the Keyboard • To preview a note, click the corresponding key on the keyboard. The vertical position where you click a key defines the velocity that is used to trigger the note. Click the lower part of a key to use the highest velocity, and the upper part to use the lowest velocity. 26 Global Functions and Settings Quick Controls • To play a key and all following keys at the same velocity, for as long as you keep the mouse button pressed, hold down Ctrl/Cmd and click the key on the keyboard. • To play each note 10 times at increasing velocities between 1 and 127, hold down Ctrl/ Cmd-Alt and click a key. Keyboard Context Menu Right-click a key to open a context menu that contains information about the key. • The Assigned Zones submenu displays the names of all zones that are mapped to this key, allowing you to select a zone. • The Info submenu shows pitch and velocity information. • Select Clear key to remove all assignments. Sphere Control The sphere is a two-dimensional control. It allows you to adjust two parameters simultaneously, by dragging the mouse horizontally (Sphere H) and vertically (Sphere V). Typically, two parameters that belong together are assigned to the sphere, such as cutoff and resonance. If parameters are assigned to Sphere H and Sphere V, triangles for indicating the horizontal and vertical axis are available. You can reset the sphere to the center position using the corresponding options on the context menu. • If Center Horizontal and/or Center Vertical are activated, the sphere returns to the corresponding center position as soon as you release the mouse button. Quick Controls Quick controls allow you to remote-control any parameter inside the program. Quick controls can be set up for programs and for layers. If a layer has no quick controls, the quick controls of the program are used. If a layer has quick controls, the layer and all its zones use these quick controls. For each program and layer, eight quick controls are available. Furthermore, Sphere H, Sphere V, and the modulation wheel can also serve as quick controls. The quick controls can be accessed via the Quick Controls Editor for a program or layer. Value Tooltips If you use quick controls, the following situations can happen: • The actual value of a parameter and the value that is displayed in its value field differ. • A button on the user interface is deactivated but the corresponding parameter is active. 27 Global Functions and Settings Quick Controls For example, this can happen if the quick control introduces an offset or if a button is controlled by a quick control. Therefore, parameters that are assigned to a quick control show a value tooltip. This value tooltip indicates the resulting parameter value and the name of the assigned quick control. Value tooltips can be activated or deactivated in the Options Editor. RELATED LINKS Edit Section on page 38 Assigning Quick Controls You can assign quick controls to a parameter of the program or one of its layers, to zones inside a program or layer, or to parameters of a MIDI module or an effect. PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, select the element that you want to remote-control via a quick control. 2. Open the Sound Editor. 3. Right-click the control to which you want to assign a quick control and on the Assign Quick Control submenu, select a quick control. You can assign the same quick control to different parameters. This allows you to make complex sound settings with a single control. However, you cannot assign different quick controls to the same parameter. NOTE You can also assign a quick control as modulation source or modulation modifier in the modulation matrix. This allows you to combine the quick control with other modulation sources. RELATED LINKS Modulation Matrix Parameters on page 140 Setting the Minimum/Maximum Range You can set the minimum and maximum range for each assignment separately. This gives you better control over the parameter change. • Right-click a control and define the range using the Set Minimum and Set Maximum commands. • In the Quick Control Assignments editor, enter the values in the Minimum Value and Maximum Value fields or click and drag the handles in the curve display. 28 Global Functions and Settings Quick Controls Trimming the Range The Trim Range function allows you to automatically set the best quick control range, depending on the current parameter value. PROCEDURE • In the Quick Control Assignments editor, right-click the assignment in the list on the right. • To trim the range of a single assignment, select Trim Range. • To trim the range of all quick controls, select Trim Range of All Quick Controls. RESULT The minimum and maximum values are set automatically. NOTE If you change the original parameter, you have to apply the Trim Range function again to guarantee the best control range. Setting the Default Range PROCEDURE • In the Quick Control Assignments editor, right-click the assignment on the right. • To set the default range of a single assignment, select Set Default Range. • To set the default range of all quick controls, select Set Default Range of All Quick Controls. RESULT The quick controls are set to their maximum possible range. NOTE If you change the original parameter, you must apply the Set Default Range function again to guarantee the best control range. Unassigning Quick Controls PROCEDURE • Do one of the following: • To remove a quick control assignment, right-click the parameter in the Quick Control Assignments editor and select Remove Assignment. • To remove all assignments of the selected quick control, open the context menu and select Remove All Assignments. • To remove all quick control assignments of all quick controls that belong to the selected layer in the Program Tree, open the context menu and select Remove All Assignments of All Quick Controls. 29 Global Functions and Settings Quick Controls Single Assignment vs. Multi Assignment You can assign a quick control to a single parameter of a zone or module. This is called a single assignment. And you can assign a quick control to the same parameter of all zones inside a layer. This is called a multi assignment. • Single assignments override multi assignments. For example, if a quick control remote-controls the cutoff of all zones inside a layer and you assign the cutoff of one of these zones to another quick control, the multi assignment is overridden by this single assignment. • If you remove a single assignment from a parameter of a zone that is part of a layer that has a multi assignment on the same parameter of all other zones, the zone becomes part of the multi assignment again. • If you add another zone to a layer that has a multi assignment, the added zone gets the same quick control assignments as the other zones of that layer. Quick Control Assignments Editor • The Quick Control Assignments editor can be found in the Sound Editor for programs or layers. Receive Quick Controls If Receive Quick Controls is deactivated for a layer, its quick controls are not routed any further, that is, any layers, zones, etc., that come after this layer are not affected by the quick controls. You can use this as a filter for quick controls. For example, if you have a guitar sound, and you assign quick controls to the amplifier envelope, you want them to affect the entire instrument, except for the fret noises. In this case, deactivate Receive Quick Controls for the layer that contains the fret noises, so that these are unaffected by the amp envelope. Bypass All Quick Control Assignments Allows you to hear a sound without quick control assignments. Quick Controls List The eight quick controls are listed on the left. The assignments of the selected quick control are listed on the right. You can edit the parameters for each assignment separately. Quick Control Parameter Displays the parameter assignment for the selected quick control. 30 Global Functions and Settings Quick Controls Affected Layers/Modules Displays which program, layer, or module is affected by the quick control. Bypass Single Quick Control Assignment Bypasses the corresponding quick control assignment. For example, if a quick control is assigned to several layers, this option allows you to bypass the quick control assignment for one of the layers only. Mode Determines the mode that is used for changing the parameter values. Minimum Value Sets the minimum value for the quick control assignment. Curvature Sets the curvature. You can also set the curvature by clicking and dragging in the curve display. Maximum Value Sets the maximum value for the quick control assignment. Bypass All Quick Control Assignments Bypasses all assignments for the selected quick control. RELATED LINKS Setting the Mode for the Quick Control Assignment on page 33 Adjusting the Curvature on page 33 Bypassing Quick Controls on page 34 Receiving Quick Controls on page 32 Managing Quick Controls The Quick Control Assignments editor allows you to manage and edit assigned quick controls. • To rename a quick control, click in the Name column and enter a new name. • To duplicate a quick control assignment, open the context menu for the quick control and select Duplicate Assignment. • To change the order of quick control assignments, drag an assignment between two other quick controls. When a line is shown, release the mouse button to insert the quick control assignment. • To replace a quick control assignment, drag it onto another quick control. When a rectangle is shown, release the mouse button to replace the quick control assignment. • To assign a quick control to another parameter, click the parameter name and select a new parameter from the menu. You can only select parameters within the same layer, zone, or module. • To transfer all quick control assignments of a layer to the program, select the layer in the Program Tree, open the context menu of the Quick Control Assignments section, and select Forward All Assignments to Program. 31 Global Functions and Settings Quick Controls Setting the Scope for Quick Control Assignments If quick controls are assigned to a layer, all zones inside this layer respond to the quick controls as well. In the Quick Control Assignments editor, you can change the scope of each quick control, that is, you can specify which layers or modules it affects. The pop-up menu in the middle of each assignment row displays which part of the program is affected by this quick control assignment. If the name of a zone or module is displayed here, only that zone or module is affected by the quick control assignment. If the name of the program or one of its layers is displayed, all zones inside the program or the layer are affected. You can change which part of the program is affected by selecting an option from the pop-up menu. If a quick control is assigned to a parameter of the program or one of its layers, the scope of that assignment is that program or layer only. Any layers from deeper hierarchy levels are not affected by the quick control. Receiving Quick Controls You can specify whether all zones or only selected zones within a layer are affected by the quick controls. PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, select the program or layer that you want to respond to the quick controls. 2. In the Quick Control Assignments editor, activate the Receive Quick Controls button. RESULT Now, zones inside layers respond to quick controls. This includes any single and multi assignment to zones. NOTE Quick control assignments that belong to the layer itself are not affected. This is useful if you have assigned quick controls to the entire program and you want to exclude parts of it, such as the layer containing the instrument noises, for example. 32 Global Functions and Settings Quick Controls Adjusting the Curvature You can adjust the curvature of each assignment in the Quick Controls Assignment editor separately. PROCEDURE • To adjust the curvature, do one of the following: • Select the quick control that you want to edit and specify a value in the Curvature value field. Positive values change the curvature towards logarithmic behavior and negative values towards exponential behavior. • Click and drag the curvature in the display on the right. Setting the Mode for the Quick Control Assignment A quick control behaves either as continuous control or as a switch. In addition, it remotecontrols a parameter either in relative or absolute mode. You can specify a mode for each assignment. You can set the behavior in the context menu for the control itself or via the pop-up menu in the Quick Control Assignments editor. Absolute Remote-controls the parameter values continuously. Absolute mode changes the assigned parameters by overwriting them with the current quick control value, that is, parameter changes are overwritten. Relative Remote-controls the parameter values continuously. Relative mode changes the values of the assigned parameters without losing their relative settings, that is, parameter changes can still be heard. Switch Absolute Switches between the minimum and maximum value. Parameter changes are overwritten. Switch Relative Switches between the minimum and maximum value. Parameter changes can still be heard. Neutral Setting If you adjust the range of a quick control assignment, it can become necessary to change its neutral setting, to prevent the resulting sound from changing. If you adjust the range of a quick control that has a single assignment that uses Absolute or Relative mode, HALion adjusts the setting of the quick control automatically so that the sound does not change. Likewise, if you assign multiple parameters to the same quick control, HALion sets the range of this quick control assignment automatically. 33 Global Functions and Settings Quick Controls However, if a quick control has multiple assignments and you change the range of one or more assignments, the neutral setting cannot be set automatically. In this case, you can specify the neutral setting manually using the Set Quick Control to Neutral Setting command on the context menu for the quick control. Bypassing Quick Controls Bypassing quick controls allows you to hear a sound without quick control assignments. 1. To bypass a single assignment for one quick control, click Bypass Single Quick Control Assignment in the Quick Control Assignments editor. 2. To bypass all assignments for one quick control, select the quick control in the Quick Control Assignments editor, and click Bypass All Quick Control Assignments in the upper right of the parameter section. 3. To bypass all quick control assignments of a program or layer, select the program or layer in the Program Tree and click Bypass All Quick Controls Assignments in the title bar of the Quick Control Assignments editor. Assigning Quick Controls in the Modulation Matrix In addition to assigning the quick controls directly to parameter controls, you can also assign them as source or modifier in the modulation matrix. This way, you can combine the quick control with other modulation sources. PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, select the zones that you want to edit. Make sure that the zones are part of the program or layer containing the quick controls that you want to use. 2. In the Sound Editor, open the Modulation Matrix section. 3. On the pop-up menu in the Source/Modifier column, open the Assign Quick Control submenu and select the quick control. The submenu lists only the quick controls that belong to the same layer or that are on a higher hierarchy level. 34 Global Functions and Settings Options Editor Options Editor The Options Editor contains global settings regarding performance optimization, global functions, and MIDI controllers. Performance Section The Performance section contains settings to optimize the overall CPU performance of the plug-in. Max Voices Determines the total number of voices that a plug-in instance can play back. As soon as this limit is reached, HALion starts stealing voices. 35 Global Functions and Settings Options Editor Max CPU To avoid clicks from CPU overloads, you can specify a maximum limit for the CPU load of the plug-in instance. HALion steals voices automatically when this limit is exceeded. At a setting of 100 %, no voices are stolen and the available CPU is used to its limit. This can lead to audio drop-outs. NOTE Because of the reaction time of the plug-in, it is possible that you get CPU peaks that exceed the set limit. This can lead to artifacts, such as audio drop-outs. Therefore, it is good practice to set the Max CPU setting at a value a bit lower than actually needed. Voice Fade Out Sets the time to fade out voices that need to be stolen because the Max Voices setting or the Max CPU setting have been reached. Osc ECO Mode Activate this option to run the oscillators of synth layers in ECO mode. In ECO mode, the oscillators use less CPU at the cost of producing more aliasing at higher pitches. If this option is activated, you can play more voices with synth layers. Multi Loading Normally, when loading multi-programs, the previous multi is kept in the RAM until the new multi has been completely loaded. Therefore, replacing a large multi by another can lead to RAM overload on 32-bit systems. • To clear a multi before loading a new one, select Clear before on the popup menu. Multi-Core On this pop-up menu, you can specify how many of the available CPU cores of your system can be used by the plug-in. This allows HALion to compute each program on a different core, for example. The best setting here depends on multiple factors, and varies from system to system, and project to project. A good starting point is to set this value to one core less than the available number of cores. NOTE If problems occur, reduce the number of cores, or set the pop-up menu to Off and load multiple instances of HALion instead. This way, the host application distributes the work load across the available cores. Streaming Section Some of the programs come with several gigabytes of samples. That is a large amount of data and your computer cannot load all samples completely into the RAM, especially if you are using all slots. Therefore, HALion loads only the initial milliseconds of each sample into 36 Global Functions and Settings Options Editor RAM. You can specify how much RAM should be used and how much HALion should rely on accessing the hard-disk. Balancing Disk vs. RAM Use the Balance slider to balance the hard disk versus the RAM usage. • If you need more RAM for other applications, drag the slider to the left towards the Disk setting. • If your hard disk is not supplying data fast enough, drag the slider to the right towards the RAM setting. NOTE The Disk vs. RAM setting always applies to all plug-in instances. It is not saved with the project. You set it up only once for your computer system. Used Preload and Available Memory These displays provide information of the memory load in MB according to the current balance slider setting. Max Preload Determines the maximum amount of RAM that HALion uses for preloading samples. In most cases, the default values are sufficient. However, it may become necessary to reduce this value, for example, when working with other applications or plug-ins that require a lot of memory. Expert Mode Activate Expert Mode if you want to adjust the Disk Streaming settings in greater detail. • Preload Time defines how much of the start of the samples is preloaded into the RAM. Larger values allow for more samples to be triggered in a short time. • Prefetch Time determines the read-ahead capacity into the RAM while streaming samples for a voice that is playing. Larger values allow for better transfer rates from disk, and usually for more voices. However, this requires larger streaming cache in RAM. If you increase the Prefetch Time, it is recommended to also increase the Streaming Cache. • Streaming Cache determines the amount of RAM that is reserved for prefetching. The actually needed size depends on the prefetch time, the number of simultaneously streaming voices and the audio format of the samples. For example, higher sample and bit rates need more RAM. 37 Global Functions and Settings Options Editor Edit Section Here, you find common settings of HALion and you can specify an external wave editor that you want to use for editing your samples. NOTE The settings in this section are not saved with a project, but affect the plug-in as a whole. Show Tooltips If this option is activated, a tooltip is shown when you move the mouse over a control. Show Value Tooltips If this option is activated, parameters without a value field display their value in a tooltip when you use the corresponding control. Auto Collapse Sections If this option is activated and you expand a section, all other sections are automatically collapsed. Restore Screen Set Restores the corresponding screen set when you load a multi. NOTE In a VST 2 or AU environment, screen sets and windows are always restored when loading a multi. Solo Mode • In Standard mode, you can solo multiple programs or layers to hear them combined. • In Exclusive mode, only one program or layer can be soloed at a time. Number of Undo Steps Specifies the number of available undo steps. Key Commands Opens the Key Commands dialog, where you can view and assign key commands. Reset Messages If you click this button, all message dialogs that have been suppressed with the Don't Show Again option are displayed again. External Wave Editor HALion allows you to specify an external sample editor application that can be used to perform destructive offline editing on a sample, for example applying EQs, filtering, or denoising. Here, you specify which application to use. You can enter the path manually or click the Browse button to navigate to the corresponding application folder. 38 Global Functions and Settings Options Editor Update Sample Specifies what happens if a sample is saved in the external wave editor. • If Ask is selected and you switch back to HALion from the external editor, you are asked whether you want to replace the current sample with the modified sample. • If Always is selected, HALion accepts the modified sample. • If With Backup is selected, HALion accepts the modified sample and automatically creates a backup of the old sample file. • If Never is selected, modified samples are never accepted automatically. You must import modified samples manually from the temp folder. Temp Folder Allows you to specify a temp folder for exchanging samples between HALion and the external editor. Temp Cleanup After a specific period of time, HALion deletes temporary sample files from the temp folder. The Temp Cleanup option allows you to specify how HALion handles these samples. • If Ask is selected, you are prompted to confirm the cleanup of the temp folder. • If Always is selected, temporary files are deleted without further notice. If a file cannot be deleted, an error message is shown. • If Ignore Error is selected, temporary files are always removed without further notice. If a file cannot be deleted, no error message is shown. • If Never is selected, temporary files are never deleted automatically. You must delete them manually. Scripting Section In this section, you can set up and activate an external script editor and specify where HALion searches for script libraries. Use External Script Editor Activates/Deactivates the use of the external editor. Library Search Paths These paths are used to search for libraries by all script modules. RELATED LINKS Setting Up an External Editor on page 536 39 Global Functions and Settings Options Editor Import Section In this section, you can specify which zone templates to use when importing samples. For example, by specifying different headroom settings for single and multiple samples, you can import single drum loop samples without headroom and multiple instrument samples including their headroom settings, because they are required for polyphonic playback. MIDI Controller Section Controller Assignment With the two buttons in this section, you can save your customized MIDI controller assignments as default or restore the factory MIDI controller assignments. NOTE Save as Default does not include any of the MIDI controller assignments of the AUX FX. The current MIDI controller mapping is also saved with each project. This way, you can transfer your settings to other systems. The project includes the MIDI controller assignments of the AUX FX as well. Receive Program Changes If this option is activated, HALion responds to program change messages. These are used by General MIDI (GM) files, for example. Receive RPNs 0/1/2 GM files can contain information about pitchbend range, coarse tuning, and fine tuning. This information is transmitted as RPNs (Registered Parameter Numbers). Activate this option if you want HALion to respond to RPNs. MIDI Controller Smoothing MIDI controllers have a maximum resolution of 128 steps. Therefore, if you use a MIDI controller as a modulation source in the modulation matrix or to remote-control a quick control, the parameter change may occur in audible steps, causing an effect often referred to as “zipper noise”. To avoid this, HALion provides MIDI controller smoothing, so that parameter changes occur more gradually. • If MIDI controller changes cause audible artifacts, turn the control towards slower settings. This way, MIDI controller changes do not occur immediately, but are spaced over a period of time (in milliseconds). • If you want more immediate MIDI controller changes, turn the control towards faster settings. Note, however, that this may introduce audible artifacts. Velocity Note-On to Note-Off Some keyboards do not transmit note-off velocity messages. If this option is activated, the played note-on velocity value is also used as note-off velocity for the notes. 40 Global Functions and Settings AI Knob Support FlexPhraser Hold Reset sends a global hold reset message to all FlexPhraser modules that are used. The Reset Controller pop-up menu allows you to assign a dedicated MIDI controller to the Hold Reset button for remote-controlling it. Performance Meter Section This section provides performance-relevant information. Each meter displays the current value, the peak value, and a curve showing the changes over time. To reset all peaks, click the Reset button in the title bar of the section. The following values are displayed: Voices The number of played voices. CPU Avg Load The average CPU load. CPU Peak Load The CPU peak load. Streamed MB/s The quantity of sample data that is streamed from the hard disk. Dropout/s The number of dropouts per second. This can be an indicator for hard disks that are too slow. Preload Memory The quantity of samples loaded into the RAM of your computer. AI Knob Support HALion can be controlled with the AI knob of Steinberg’s CC121, CI 2, and CI2+ controller units. • To change a parameter value, move the mouse pointer over the control that you want to change and turn the AI knob to set the value. NOTE • Some parameters cannot be controlled by the AI knob, due to internal differences in parameter resolution. For example, sample marker positions cannot be changed with the ai-knob because their ranges vary too much. • The AI knob only works on parameters that are automatable. This means that you cannot use the AI knob to change the parameters in the Options Editor, for example. 41 Automation You can automate most of the HALion parameters from within your host application, whether these are parameters of a program or global parameters such as AUX effects. HALion provides 512 automation parameters that can be addressed from within the host application. You can assign HALion parameters to one of these automation parameters, and even assign multiple parameters to the same automation parameter, to control these parameters at the same time. NOTE • To automate parameters of multiple zones relatively, use quick controls and automate these instead. • Not all parameters can be automated. Automation Parameters Each slot offers the following pre-assigned automation parameters: Mute Automates the Mute button of the corresponding slot. Solo Automates the Solo button of the corresponding slot. Level Automates the level of the corresponding slot. Pan Automates the panorama position of the corresponding slot. Quick Controls 1-8 Automates the quick controls 1 to 8 of the program that is loaded into the slot. 42 Automation Automation Editor Automation Editor All assigned automation parameters are shown in the Automation editor. With the tabs at the top, you can specify whether you want to show the automation parameters for the slot, the global parameters, or all automation parameters. On the left, the name of the automation parameter is shown, and on the right, the name of the assigned HALion parameter. If multiple HALion parameters are assigned to one automation parameter, these are listed below each other on the right. If you assign an automation parameter for multiple zones, for example, the parameter is displayed in the list in the following way: • If all zones within a layer are selected, the automation list shows one automation parameter for all these zones. • If several zones within a layer are selected, the automation list adds sub-entries for each zone to each automation parameter in the list. NOTE You can assign a HALion parameter to an automation parameter only once. If you try to add a parameter a second time, for example, a zone parameter as part of a selection of zones, the new automation parameter is only applied to those zones in the selection that were not yet assigned to an automation parameter. • To remove an automation parameter, click the trash icon to the right of the parameter name. • To remove all automation parameters, click Delete All Parameters at the top of the page. • To remove all disconnected automation parameters, click Delete Disconnected Parameters on the toolbar. 43 Automation Setting Up Automation Disconnected automation assignments could not be connected properly. This can occur if you make automation settings for a program and then load another program with a different structure into a slot, for example. • To rename an automation parameter, double-click the parameter name and enter the new name. This name is then used in your host application. • To replace the names for all automation parameters with the original parameter names of the program, click Refresh All Parameter Names on the toolbar Setting Up Automation By default, some of the slot parameters are already assigned to automation parameters, for example Mute, Solo, Volume, Pan, and Program Change. When you load a program, it automatically adds its automation parameters for the eight Quick Controls and the Sphere control. Creating Automation Parameters • To assign a parameter to an automation parameter, right-click the parameter control and select Assign to New Automation. The automation parameter is created on the first free automation parameter. • To add a parameter to an existing automation parameter, right-click the control, select Add to Automation and select the automation parameter. • To remove a parameter from the automation, right-click an automated control and select Forget Automation. • To assign a parameter to an automation parameter automatically while working in your host application, activate Automation Read/Write, start playback, and use the controls on the HALion interface. NOTE To create automation parameters only for selected zones, select these zones, or the layer that contains these zones, first. Assigning Parameters to Automation Parameters The selection in the Program Tree determines the scope of the automation parameter, that is, which element it affects. For example, select a zone to automate this zone, and select a layer to automate all zones within this layer, etc. EXAMPLE If you assign an automation parameter to a group of zones within a layer, the incoming automation data affects all zones in the same way and individual settings of zones are overwritten. For example, if the zones of a layer have different cutoff values and you start automating the cutoff parameter, the zones are all set to the same cutoff value. NOTE If you have assigned automation parameters for a program and then load another program into this slot, it can become necessary to verify the automation settings. 44 Automation Setting Up Automation If the new program has the same structure as the previous program, for example if you exchange a Voltage preset with another Voltage preset, HALion reconnects the automation parameters correctly and no manual modifications are necessary. However, if you load a preset with a different structure, for example a Model C preset, the automation parameters cannot be reconnected. In this case, the disconnected automation parameters are still displayed in the automation list. 45 Managing Your Sounds About Programs, Layers, Multis, Macro Pages, and Presets Programs A program is a complex instrument or sound that can consist of up to 4 layers. Often, a program contains a single layer that comes with all necessary components, such as the synthesis part or insert effects. Programs add the possibility of combining different layers to build up more complex sounds or to create combinations of sounds that you want to load as a unit. A typical example is a bass/piano split sound or a piano/string layer sound. Because of the various layer types that come with HALion, these combinations can do a lot more. For example, think of combining a pulsating synthesizer sequence with a sliced loop completed by a bass on the lower keys, and so on. Finally, add some effects to individual layers or to the whole program and you get a unique sound experience. Layers Programs are combinations of up to 4 layers. HALion offers 5 different layer types. You can choose between synth, sample, instrument, drum, and sliced loop layers. Each layer type is based on an individual sound architecture and has a dedicated editor. Synth and Sample Layers For synth and sample layers, you get access to a synthesizer editor with components such as a highly flexible filter section, powerful multi-stage envelopes, LFOs, a step modulator, and a modulation matrix. These layer types differ in their basic sound source. While a synth layer provides an oscillator section with three main oscillators, a sub oscillator, a noise generator, and a ring modulation stage, the sample layer loads a specific multi-sample instead. Drum Layers The drum layers load a multi-sampled drum set, for which you can individually adjust the most important parameters of each drum instrument. Each drum instrument can be set to a specific pan position or an individual output, or it can be filtered, reversed, and so on. Loop Layers Loop layers load a sliced loop, that is, a combination of a loop-specific MIDI phrase and the individual slices mapped across the keyboard. You can either play the original loop or a transposed version of it, or trigger single slices manually. Each slice can be modified with the same parameters as the drum instruments. 46 Managing Your Sounds Registering VST Sounds Instrument Layers Instrument layers contain several multi-samples of an instrument that can be parts of single sounds or different articulations. These sublayers are called expressions. You can modify expression parameters. By switching off an expression, you can shorten the load time of a sound. Multis HALion is a multitimbral plug-in that can load up to 16 sounds (or programs) and combine them. This combination is called a multi-program, or multi for short. You can use multis to layer several programs or to create split sounds by setting several programs to the same MIDI input channel, for example. However, the most common usage is to create sound sets with different instruments set to individual MIDI channels. VST Sound Instrument Sets and Macro Pages VST Sound Instrument Sets from Steinberg provide additional content for VST instruments based on the HALion technology. They come with their own edit pages, called macro pages, that feature a customized look and a collection of controls that match the functions of the VST Sound Instrument Set. When you edit a program or layer of a certain VST Sound Instrument Set, the accompanying macro page opens. For details on the functions and controls of a particular macro page, refer to the documentation that comes with the corresponding VST Sound Instrument Set. Furthermore, you can create your own macro pages with HALion’s Macro Page Designer. Presets You can save and load all types of sounds as presets, that is, you can create presets for single programs, for layers, and for multis. Content Files and Folder Structure HALion comes with a large amount of ready-to-use sound content, made up of hundreds of multis, programs, and layers. This content is write-protected. You can edit files while they are loaded, but you cannot overwrite the factory content files. To save edits to the factory content, save the files under a new name. These files get the file name extension .vstpreset and are referred to as user content. They can be searched and categorized in the same way as factory content. User content is saved in a predefined folder structure on your hard disk. You can create subfolders within this structure to facilitate moving or exchanging content. Registering VST Sounds To be able to use the content from VST Sound containers, these containers must be registered in the MediaBay. Any content that comes with HALion is registered during installation, but if you have created your own VST Sound container and want other users to be able to use it, they must register it first. 47 Managing Your Sounds Loading Programs and Layers NOTE Before registering a VST Sound container, move it to the folder on your system where you want to store it. If you have registered a VST Sound container from the wrong location, for example from your Download folder, you can move it at a later point in time, using the Library Manager. • Double-click the VST Sound container in the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder. This way, the VST Sound container as well as any other VST Sound containers located in the same folder are registered. • Drag one or multiple VST Sound containers from File Explorer/Mac OS Finder onto the MediaBay. The registered files remain in their current location and links to them are created under program data/steinberg/content/VSTsound for Windows and under Library/ Application Support/Steinberg/Content/VSTsound for Mac. If a VST Sound container has already been registered, it will not be registered a second time. RELATED LINKS Library Manager on page 421 Loading Programs and Layers There are several ways to load programs: • Via drag and drop from the MediaBay, the Program Table, the Program Tree, or the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder onto the Slot Rack. To load the program into an empty slot, drag it onto this slot, or, if empty slots are not shown, drag it onto the empty space below the slots in the Slot Rack. To replace the current program, drag the program onto a used slot in the Slot Rack. • Via the slot context menu. • Samples and third-party programs can be loaded into the Slot Rack from a file browser or the Results List using drag and drop. NOTE Programs containing lots of sample data may take some time to load. Inserting Programs in between Slots To add a program or layer in a new slot between two existing slots, drag it between these slots. A red line indicates the insert position. NOTE The slot number is taken from the first available slot and does not necessarily reflect the order in which the slots are listed. Loading Layers into Slots If you load a layer into a slot, HALion creates a new program. 48 Managing Your Sounds Loading Programs and Layers Finding Missing Samples There might be situations where loaded programs cannot find the samples they use. This can happen if the referenced samples are located on a different drive and the drive name has changed, or because the program was created on a different computer system. When this happens, the Find Missing Sample dialog opens, showing a list of all samples that are missing, with additional information about the format, size, and creation date. The list groups all samples that are located in the same subfolder. Entering a Search Path In the Find Missing Sample dialog, below the list of missing samples, you can enter the search path to find the missing samples. NOTE All subdirectories are searched before the results are displayed, therefore the search takes longer if you specify entire drives. Starting the Search Once you have specified the search path, click the Start Search button to start the search process. If the search only finds a single result for each missing sample, the sample path is automatically corrected in the program and the sample disappears from the Missing Files list. If all samples are found, the dialog is closed. Multiple Results If sample files with the same name are found in more than one location, an additional Found File list appears below the Missing File list. This shows the available samples and their file locations. • To select a sample or a complete folder that is to be used to resolve the missing samples, double-click it in the Found Files list. Each sample or folder that is resolved this way disappears from the Missing File list. Once all samples are resolved the dialog closes. Favorite Paths If a path might be helpful for future searches, you can add it to the search path list. The next time the dialog opens, it allows you to select one or multiple predefined paths to specify which places to include in the search. • To add a path, click the + sign. Search Options By default, HALion searches for samples that do not only have the same file name, but also correspond in terms of time, size, and format information. A sample is considered “found” only if all of the information is identical. However, you can exclude this information by activating the Ignore File Time and Size and Ignore Audio Format and Length options. 49 Managing Your Sounds Load Dialog Load Dialog The Load dialog contains many of the MediaBay functions, allowing for very sophisticated search criteria. RELATED LINKS Applying Filters on page 56 Managing Files via the MediaBay on page 55 Results List on page 57 Slot Rack The Slot Rack has 64 slots. Each slot can hold a program, that is, you can work with 64 programs at the same time. Once a program is loaded in the Slot Rack, it can be played and edited. 50 Managing Your Sounds Slot Rack Slot Rack Controls The top section of the Slot Rack contains the controls. Sort Slots Allows you to select the sorting mode. • Custom Sorting – Allows you to define the order by dragging the slots up or down. • Sort Slots by MIDI Port and Channel – The slots are sorted according to their MIDI port and MIDI channel. • Sort Slots by Index – Sorts the slots according to their slot index. Slot Size Buttons Allow you to show large, medium, or small slots. The larger the slot, the more controls are displayed. Remove All Programs Removes all programs that are loaded in the Slot Rack. Show Empty Slots By default, the Slot Rack only shows slots that contain programs. Activate Show Empty Slots to show all 64 slots. Slot Controls For the slots in the Slot Rack, the following controls are available: Program Icon The program icon on the left shows to which sound category a program belongs if a category is set. Mute Deactivates playback of the program. Solo Activate the Solo button of a slot to hear only the corresponding program. Several slots can be soloed at the same time. Level The level fader controls the output level of a program. The parameter has an influence on all outputs that are used by layers and zones inside the program. 51 Managing Your Sounds Slot Rack Pan Controls the stereo position of a program. The parameter has an influence on all outputs that are used by layers and zones inside the program. If the slot bus has a surround configuration, this control is not available. MIDI Port and Channel Determines on which MIDI port and channel the slot receives MIDI messages. MIDI Activity Indicator This green bar next to the slot number and symbol indicates incoming MIDI data. Polyphony Determines how many notes can be triggered simultaneously. NOTE If a note triggers several zones at the same time, the number of resulting voices can be much higher. Output Determines to which output bus the slot sends its signal. NOTE This setting does not affect any output routing that has been set up for individual layers or zones inside the program. Level Meter The level meter on the right indicates the signal level of the slot’s output bus. NOTE If a program contains layers and zones that are routed to individual outputs, these are not reflected in the level meter. Slot Context Menu The context menu provides a number of functions for managing programs. Load Program Opens the program loader. Double-click a program or layer to load it into this slot. Save Program Saves the program. If you try to overwrite write-protected factory content, a dialog opens that allows you to save the edited program under a new name. Save Program As Allows you to save the program under a new name. 52 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files Save All Programs Allows you to save all programs as a VST preset. Remove Program Removes the program from the slot. Init Program Loads the Init program. This contains a neutral synth layer. Revert to Last Saved Program Discards any changes that you made to the program since the last time it was saved. Cut Program Copies the program and removes it from the slot. Copy Program Copies the program. Paste Program Pastes the copied program into the slot. If the slot already contains a program, it is replaced. Rename Program Allows you to rename the program. Reset Slot Resets the slot to the default values. Reset All Slots Resets all slots to the default values. NOTE You can also cut, copy, and paste programs from one plug-in instance to another. Managing and Loading Files You can use the MediaBay and the Browser to manage, navigate to, load, and preview different file types. Managing Multis Multis can load multiple sounds or programs and combine them. You can use multis to layer several programs or to create split sounds by setting several programs to the same MIDI input channel, for example. However, the most common usage is to create sound sets with different instruments set to individual MIDI channels. 53 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files A multi-program contains all plug-in parameters. If you use HALion as a plug-in in a Steinberg DAW, these multis are listed in the Preset Management pop-up menu of the host application. You can drag multis and programs from the MediaBay to a slot in HALion. If you use HALion as a plug-in in a different host application, you can use the preset functionality from the host application or the multi management features provided by HALion. Loading Multis You can load multis in the following ways: • Open the MediaBay and double-click a multi or drag a multi onto the multi slot. • Click the Load Multi-Program button in the multi slot to open the Load Multi-Program dialog, select a multi, and click OK. Renaming Multis PROCEDURE • To rename a multi, click in the name field, enter a new name, and press Return. Removing Multis • To remove all programs of the current multi, click the Remove All Programs button on the toolbar of the Slot Rack. This also resets all slot parameters and removes effects from the slot busses. However, AUX and Master effects are not removed. NOTE Removing the programs from the slots does not remove them from the Program Table. Clearing the Plug-In Instance • To reset the entire plug-in instance to an empty state, right-click the multi loader and select Clear Plug-in Instance from the context menu. Saving Multis PROCEDURE 1. Click the Save Multi-Program button. 2. Enter the name of the multi. 3. Assign any attributes that you want to use and click OK. If the entered name already exists, the Make Unique Name option adds a number suffix to the name of the new multi. Saving a Multi as Default • To specify a default multi to be loaded with HALion, use the Save as Default command on the context menu for the multi loader. 54 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files Creating Subfolders for User-Defined Multis You can create subfolders inside the user preset folder to organize presets. • To create a new folder, click the Create New Folder icon at the top left of the Save Multi-Program dialog. Navigating Through the Folder Hierarchy You can move through the folder hierarchy using the three navigation buttons at the top left of the dialog. These buttons allow you to navigate to the previous or next browse location, or browse the containing folder. Editing Attributes You can edit the attribute values that are assigned to the preset. PROCEDURE 1. Open the Save Multi-Program dialog and navigate to the New Preset Tags section. 2. To edit an attribute, click on a value field and enter the new name or value. 3. Click OK to save the preset. Exporting Multis as VST3 Presets with Samples You can export multi-programs with samples to transfer a complete multi to another computer. Programs that use samples from VST Sound containers cannot be exported. PROCEDURE 1. Click the Export Multi-Program as VST3 Preset with Samples button next to the multi slot. 2. Enter the name of the multi and click OK. The multi is written to the specified location. Additionally, a folder named after the preset that contains all samples is created. Managing Files via the MediaBay The MediaBay gives access to presets, such as multis, programs, and layers. In the top section of the MediaBay, you specify which sounds to look for. The lower section presents the corresponding results. 55 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files • To adjust the size of the two sections, drag the divider at the top of the results list. Applying Filters Category Filter You can filter the results list based on up to 4 filter criteria using the configurable attribute columns. The standard attributes are Category, Sub Category, Style, and Character. Only the files that match the filter are displayed in the results list. • To define the filter, click on specific values in the columns. • To refine the filter, select more values from other columns. • To select different filter criteria, click the column header and select a different attribute from the submenu. Content Set Filter Use the Select Content Set pop-up menu to search a specific content set. By default, the search is performed in all installed content sets. 56 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files Using User Icons for Content Libraries The Select Content Set pop-up menu allows you to filter presets according to their library name. To be able to filter out your user presets, you can set up a custom library name for your user presets in the MediaBay. By default, the pop-up menu displays user libraries with a generic library icon, but you can also set up your own icons for your libraries. PROCEDURE 1. Open the Select Content Set pop-up menu. 2. Right-click the icon for your custom library and select Select Custom Library Icon. 3. Navigate to the file that you want to use, and select it. 4. You can only use .jpeg or .bitmap files. To remove a user icon from a library, right-click it and select Remove Custom Library Icon. RESULT The new icon is shown in the MediaBay and on the Select Content Set pop-up menu. NOTE The standard size for library icons is 60x90 pixels. Images with a different height or width are resized. Results List The results list shows all files that have been found according to the category filter. Text Search In the text search field on the results list toolbar, you can enter text contained in the name or any of the attributes of a preset that you are looking for. The results list is updated immediately and the category search section above shows all categories that contain presets matching the text search. 57 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files To reset the text-based result filter, click Clear Search Text next to the search field. View Filters The toolbar has three filter buttons that allow you to define which preset types to display: multis, programs, or layers. In the results list, the corresponding icon is shown to the left of the preset name. Rating Filter You can limit the results list according to the rating of the presets. Use the rating slider to define the minimum rating. Content Filters The content filter buttons allow you to define whether to show all presets, only the factory presets, or only your user presets. Columns The columns show all the attribute values for the presets that match the filters that you set up in the top section. Set Up Result Columns Allows you to select which attribute columns to display on the toolbar. Results Counter The number of presets that match the filter criteria is displayed at the right of the toolbar. Configuring the Results List • To configure which attributes are shown in the results list, click Set up Result Columns in the upper right corner of the results list and activate the corresponding entries. New attributes are added at the right of the list. • To reorder the columns in the results list, drag the column headers to another position. • To change the sorting of the list entries, click the column header. The triangle in the column header shows the sorting direction. 58 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files Results List Context Menu The context menu of the results list offers additional options for managing the selected presets. Different options are available for factory presets and for user presets. NOTE Programs from the factory content are write-protected and cannot be deleted or renamed. Factory Presets Load Program into selected Slot/Load Multi-Program Loads the highlighted preset. Select All Selects all presets in the results list. Select None Cancels any selection in the results list. User Presets Copy Copies the selected presets to the clipboard. Rename Opens a dialog for renaming the preset. Delete Moves the selected presets to the trash of your operating system. Show in Explorer/Reveal in Finder Shows the preset in the file browser of your operating system. Set/Remove Write Protection Sets/Removes write protection for the selected presets. Assigning General MIDI Program Change Numbers to Sounds PROCEDURE 1. In the MediaBay, click Set up Result Columns on the title bar of the lower section. 2. Select Musical > GM Sound. 3. Select the sound to which you want to apply the GM program change number. 4. In the GM Sound column for the sound, select the General MIDI program change number that you want to use. You can assign the same GM Sound program number several times. If a program number is used more than once, the Rating attribute can be used to decide which program to load. 59 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files RESULT Now, you can use MIDI program change messages to load the assigned sounds into the slot of the corresponding MIDI channel. NOTE Slot 10 ignores any program change messages and keeps the loaded drum set. Loading Programs into Slots To load a program into one of the slots of the Slot Rack, you have the following possibilities: • Select the slot into which you want to load the program, and double-click the program in the results list. • Drag a program from the results list to an empty space in the Slot Rack to create a new slot. If you drag it to an existing slot, the current program is replaced. • Right-click the program and select Load Program into selected Slot from the context menu. Showing the Program Structure You can look inside multis, programs, and layers. This allows you to load only specific components, for example. PROCEDURE 1. Activate Show Program Structure on the toolbar of the results list. An additional window section is displayed. It shows the contents of the selected multi, program, or layer. 2. Navigate through the tree structure and select the items that you want to use, for example, a program within a multi, a single layer of a program, or a single zone. NOTE You cannot open protected layers. These are shown with a lock icon. Importing Presets You can import program presets from any file location using the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder. PROCEDURE 1. Select the preset in the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder. 2. Drag it to the MediaBay. 60 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files RESULT The imported presets are copied to your user folder. Editing Preset Attributes Presets can be described by using a predefined set of attributes. PROCEDURE 1. In the New Preset Attributes section of the Save dialog, click in the field of the attribute value that you want to set. Depending on the attribute, a menu or a dialog opens. 2. Select a value. Attribute values are written into the corresponding preset files. NOTE If you change the attributes for write-protected factory presets, these changes are only saved in the MediaBay database, not in the preset file. Deleting User Presets • To delete a user preset, right-click it and select Delete from the context menu. NOTE Factory presets cannot be deleted. Loading HALion 3 Programs You can load HALion 3 presets from HSB container files, VST Sound files, or FXP/FXB files. To be able to load presets from HALion 3 HSB files or programs that are contained in VST Sound files, the HSB or VST Sound files must be registered in the MediaBay. NOTE The factory content is located in a directory that is automatically scanned when HALion is loaded. However, if you added additional VST Sound files in another directory, you must register these files. Registering HSB/VST Sound Files PROCEDURE 1. Click Import on the right of the category filter toolbar and select Register HSB/VST Sound Files. 2. Navigate to the files, select them, and click OK. Alternatively, HSB/VST Sound files can be registered by dragging them from the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder into the MediaBay. RESULT The MediaBay has access to the presets. 61 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files Importing FXP/FXB Files PROCEDURE 1. Click Import on the right of the category filter and select Import HALion FXP/FXB Files. 2. Navigate to the folder that contains the FXP/FXB file. 3. Select the file that you want to import and click OK. Alternatively, import multiple FXP/FXB files by dragging them from the File Explorer/ Mac OS Finder into the MediaBay. Loading FXP/FXB Files To load FXP/FXB files, do one of the following: • Drag and drop the FXP/FXB files from the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder onto the Slot Rack. • Drag and drop the FXP/FXB files to the Slot Rack or the multi slot. HALion converts the FXP/FXB files into programs or multi-programs. Loading Files Using the Browser In the Browser, you can search and load the following files: • Samples and zones from the file system or from within loaded programs. This also includes program formats from other software and hardware samplers. • Programs, layers, and sublayers. 62 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files Path Section • To step through the recent locations, click the Previous Browse Location/Next Browse Location buttons. • To navigate to the folder one level up in the location tree, click the Browse Containing Folder button. • The path field shows the current location. To specify a new location, enter or copy a new path. • To open the navigation history, click at the very right of the path field. Location Tree The location tree on the left in the Browser allows you to navigate through the programs, layers, or zones in any folder. You can even access files contained in VST Sound containers, HSB files, and ISO files. If you select an entry in the tree, the results list on the right shows the corresponding content. Location Tree Context Menu Batch Import Select this command to import the content of entire folders or ISO image files. Refresh Views Updates the tree. This is useful if you added a new disk to your setup or created a new folder on the hard disk. Rescan Disk Rescans the selected element in the tree. The corresponding files are opened, the information is extracted, and the database file is updated accordingly. 63 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files Quick Rescan Disk Rescans only the folders that have changed since the last scan. Show in Explorer (Win)/Reveal in Finder (Mac) Shows the location of the selected file on your system. Locations Locations are folders or directories on your system that contain media files. By setting up locations, you can organize the files that are available in the results list according to context. The text field above the tree shows the name of the selected folder. If the name is preceded by an asterisk, the folder has not been saved as a location yet. Managing Locations • To open the list of favorite locations, click in the text field. • To add the current folder to the favorite locations, click Add Selected Media Node as Favorite Location. You can keep the folder name or specify a new name for the location. • To delete the current location from the list, click Remove Favorite Location. Results List The results list shows the files found in the selected folder. It displays all files that HALion can read, such as VST presets, samples, or third-party sampler programs. In addition to information like file name and path, the columns in the results list can be configured to show different attributes. The results list also shows any subfolders of the selected folder, but does not include the files contained in the subfolders themselves. To see the content inside subfolders, select the corresponding subfolder. Navigating in the Results List • To open a folder or location, double-click it in the results list. If you double-click a preset, its contents are shown. • To move up one level in the folder hierarchy, click Browse Containing Folder. Performing a Text Search You can limit the number of results in the results list using the text search function. This way, you can search for files with specific names, for example. For presets, the search also takes 64 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files any attributes into account. The value field in the top right corner indicates the number of files that match the search text. • To clear the search text, click Clear Filter Text. Configuring the Results List • To configure which attributes are shown in the results list, click Set up Result Columns in the upper right corner of the results list and activate the corresponding entries. New attributes are added at the right of the list. • To reorder the columns in the results list, drag the column headers to another position. • To change the sorting of the list entries, click the column header. The triangle in the column header shows the sorting direction. Searching for Files on Your System Instead of searching the current results list, you can also use the text search to look for files on your hard disks or in VST Sound containers. PROCEDURE 1. Select the location that you want to use as the starting point for the search. The higher up in the hierarchy the location, the longer the search takes. Therefore, it is not recommended to search entire hard drives. 2. In the top left corner of the results list, click the Search Location Content enter the search text in the text field. 3. Optional: Click the button to the right of the search field to specify whether you want to search for samples, MIDI files layers, programs, multis, or all types. 4. To start the search, press Return or click Search/Stop Search to the right of the search text. The files that match the search criteria are listed in the results list. NOTE The maximum of files that can be displayed in the list is 10,000. 5. Double-click a result to show it in the location tree. 65 button and Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files Preview and File Info Sections The Preview and File Info sections below the results list allow you to play back the focused sample and shows information about the file. File Info Section This section shows information on the focused sample or MIDI file. • For samples, length, channels, bit depth, and sample rate are shown. If available, root key, key, and velocity range are also shown. • For MIDI files, original tempo, signature, and length are shown, as they are saved in the file. Preview Section You can listen to the focused sample or MIDI file using the controls in the Preview section. Level Adjusts the playback level. Play Plays back the focused sample or MIDI file. Stop Stops playback. The play locator jumps back to the start of the file. Pause Pauses playback. Click again to continue. Auto Play Automatically starts playback of the focused sample or MIDI file. Loop Playback If this button is activated, the focused sample or MIDI file is played back repeatedly. Play Position Displays the playback position within the focused sample or MIDI file. To select another position for playback, click on the slider or drag the handle to the new position. Destination Folder When programs are imported, HALion creates a folder for each program. The name of the folder corresponds to the name of the imported program. Inside this folder, a subfolder is created, in which the corresponding samples are saved, if necessary. 66 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files The folder specified in the Destination Folder field is used to save samples from bank or container files, such as GigaSampler files (.gig). You can enter the path manually or click the button to the right to navigate to a specific directory. Adding Files to the MediaBay on Import To automatically create VST presets for each imported program in the user presets folder, activate Automatically Add Preset to MediaBay on Import to the right of the destination folder field. This way, the imported programs are available in the MediaBay and can be used in other projects. Otherwise, imported programs are only available in the current instance of HALion. Missing Samples If you browse the samples of a program and you cannot load them or listen to them, they may have been moved or deleted. In this case, the sample info displays “Sample not found”. To remedy this, load the program again and make sure that no samples are missing. Afterwards, be sure to save the program with the restored sample paths. RELATED LINKS Finding Missing Samples on page 49 Loading Files You can load selected programs, layers, zones, or samples by dragging them from the results list to the Slot Rack, the Program Table, or the Program Tree. Programs, layers, and zones can also be dragged directly from the Browser tree. In all cases, the Import Folder dialog opens, where you can specify how to import the contained subfolders and samples. • To load the file that is focused in the results list into the active slot in the Slot Rack, use the key commands Return or L. Some file types are not supported. In this case, an icon is displayed to indicate that the file format cannot be loaded. Protected programs and layers are shown with a lock icon to indicate that you cannot extract single zones or samples. However, you can load the programs as a whole. NOTE These icons only appear after selecting the programs. RELATED LINKS Importing Samples on page 228 67 Managing Your Sounds Managing and Loading Files Loading Files from HALion 3 You can load FXB and FXP files from HALion 3. These files can be located in a directory on the file system or inside an HSB container file. HSB container files must be registered in the MediaBay before they can be used. When loading FXB files, the multi-program is replaced. If FXB or FXP files are referring to HSB container files, the sample paths always work. For samples that are located on the file system, you might have to reestablish the sample paths. • To register an HSB file, right-click it in the location tree and select Register HSB. • To import FXP and FXB files, right-click the file in the location tree and select Import HALion FXP/FXB-File. Single FXP files from within HSB files cannot be imported. In this case, you must register the HSB file. RELATED LINKS Finding Missing Samples on page 49 Loading Third-Party Sampler Programs The supported third-party sampler programs appear as nodes in the location tree. You can load entire programs, or selected layers or samples. Multis and banks in third-party sampler formats can be dropped on the multi-program slot, the Slot Rack, or the Program Table. • If you drop a multi or bank on the multi-program slot, the current multi is replaced. • If you drop a multi or bank on the Slot Rack, new slots are created and the corresponding programs are added to the Program Table. If the multi or bank contains more programs than slots are available, the remaining programs are added to the Program Table only. The current multi is not replaced. • If you drop a multi or bank on the Program Table, the additional programs are added to the Program Table. The current multi is not replaced. NOTE If the ISO image or bank has partitions or folders, you can drag only that partition or folder to the Slot Rack or the Program Table. Any contained programs are then loaded. This is different to dragging a folder from the file system to HALion. In that case, the Import Samples dialog opens and only the contained samples are imported and mapped. The following formats can be imported: • Emagic EXS24 • NI Kontakt 1.x to 4.1 (except for encrypted files, scripted content, and containers) • Akai* S1000, S2000, S3000, S5000/6000 • EMU* 3, 3X, ESI, 4, 4K, E64, E6400, ESynth, Ultra • Roland S770* • Kurzweil (KRZ, K25, K26) • SoundFonts 2.x • Giga 1, 2, limited Giga 3 support (except for encrypted content, time stretching, and pitch shifting) 68 Managing Your Sounds Working with General MIDI Files * ISO images on HDD only. Working with General MIDI Files HALion can play back files in the General MIDI format. For this, the following preparations must be made: PROCEDURE 1. Load a GM multi from the MediaBay. The first 16 slots are prepared with send effects for chorus and reverb. 2. Open the Options Editor, navigate to the MIDI Controller section, and activate Receive Program Changes and Receive RPNs 0/1/2. 3. Load the GM file that you want to use. RESULT HALion loads the necessary programs and adjusts the chorus and reverb levels. 69 Mapping Zones You can edit the sample mapping manually in the Mapping Editor. The mapping functions are based on information like key range, root key, and velocity range. Mapping Editor The Mapping Editor allows you to view and edit the distribution of the zones within a program. All zones are mapped to the key range on the horizontal axis and the velocity range on the vertical axis. In the upper area, you have access to mapping ranges and sample parameters for the selected zone. If several zones are selected, the parameters of the focused zone are displayed. NOTE Layers and zones that are hidden in the Program Tree are not displayed in the Mapping Editor. 70 Mapping Zones Mapping Editor Zones are displayed as boxes. Overlaying zones are semi transparent, so that overlapping areas can easily be recognized. Selected zones have a red border, and the focused zone has an orange border. To set the focus on a zone, click on it or select it on the Focused Zone popup menu above the toolbar. When you play notes on your MIDI keyboard, these notes are highlighted on the Mapping Editor keyboard. The velocity of the played note is shown on the velocity scale on the left. To test the sample mapping, you have the following possibilities: • Ctrl/Cmd-click a key on the keyboard and keep the mouse button pressed. HALion plays this key and all following keys at the same velocity, for as long as you press the mouse button. • Hold down Ctrl/Cmd-Alt and click a key to play this key and the following keys ten times each, at increasing velocities from 1 to 127. Toolbar MIDI Mapping Selection Options You can select zones using the Mapping Editor keyboard or an external MIDI keyboard. The mapping selection buttons are available if the Enable MIDI Mapping Selection Options button is activated. • Activate Select Zones with the Mapping Editor Keyboard by clicking on the Mapping Editor keyboard. 71 to select zones Mapping Zones Mapping Editor • Activate Select Zones via MIDI MIDI keyboard. • If Select Zones depending on Velocity the incoming velocity are selected. • If Select Zones using a MIDI Controller to set the Velocity is activated, the velocity from the keyboard is replaced by the controller values that are sent by the selected controller. to select zones by playing on an external is activated, only zones that match Right-click the icon to select another controller or use the Learn function. • If Select all Zones between the last two played Notes is activated, any zones that are located between the last 2 triggered zones are selected. To extend the selection, play and hold a note. Any additional notes that you play add the corresponding zones to the selection. If you play a chord, any zones between the lowest and the highest key are selected. Scroll Position follows Tree Selection If the Scroll Position follows Tree Selection button is activated and you select a zone in the Program Tree, the Mapping Editor automatically scrolls the view to keep the selection in the center. This works on both the keyboard and the velocity axes. Crossfade • If this is set to Crossfade: Manual crossfade manually. • If this is set to Crossfade: Auto , the crossfade range is automatically adjusted if you move overlapping zones. • If this is set to Crossfade: Symmetric , you can create symmetric crossfades for zones that have an identical key range and an adjacent velocity range. , you can set up and edit each Move Lock Allows you to lock zones, to prevent you from accidentally moving or resizing them. Move Root Key with Zones If this button is activated, the root key is automatically adapted when you move a sample zone. This way, you can make sure that moved samples play back at the correct pitch. Trigger Zones If this button is activated, you can trigger zones in the Mapping Editor. Zone Range Section Below the toolbar, you can make settings for the zone range. The Tune and Gain parameters are only available for sample zones. 72 Mapping Zones Mapping Editor Key Range With the Low Key and High Key value fields, you can set up the key range for the selected zone. Velocity Range With the Low Velocity and High Velocity value fields, you can set the velocity range for the selected zone. Root Key The root key determines the original pitch of a zone, that is, the key on which the zone is played without being transposed. Tune Sets the tune offset of the zone. This value can be written into the sample file on export and is read on import. Gain Sets the gain offset of the zone. This value can be written into the sample file on export and is read on import. Pan Allows you to specify a pan offset for the sample. Keyboard The keyboard indicates with which keys a zone can be triggered. It can also be used to trigger notes. The vertical position at which you click a key determines the velocity. The context menu for a key contains submenus that show information on pitch and velocity, as well as the zones that are mapped to a key. NOTE Keys to which no zones are assigned are grayed out. 73 Mapping Zones Mapping Editor Context Menu Velocity Scale The velocity scale on the left provides an orientation when you adjust the velocity range of a zone. In the background of the scale, a meter indicates the incoming velocity value. After each note, the meter automatically falls back to zero and leaves a marker on the last velocity value. Mapping Editor Context Menu Selection Opens a submenu where you can select all zones or invert the current selection. • To select all zones, select Select All. • To select all zones that were previously not selected and to deselect all zones that were previously selected, select Invert Selection. Replace Sample Allows you to exchange one or multiple samples that are used to play back one or multiple zones. Any zone-specific settings like Pitch, Filter, or Amplifier are not modified by this. 74 Mapping Zones Mapping Editor Context Menu Delete Deletes the selected zones. Cut Removes the selected zones and saves them to the clipboard. Copy Copies the selected zones to the clipboard. Paste Pastes the zones from the clipboard to the selected program or layer. Visibility The Visibility submenu allows you to control the visibility of zones inside the Mapping Editor. • Hide Selected hides the selected zones. • Hide Non-Selected hides all zones that are not selected. • Show Selected shows all selected zones. • Hide All hides all zones. • Show All shows all zones. • If Auto Visibility is activated, the selected zones and any of their direct siblings that are part of the same layer are automatically shown. Other zones are hidden. Mute/Solo • Mute All Zones mutes all zones. • Solo All Zones solos all zones. • Mute Selected Zones mutes the selected zones. • Solo Selected Zones solos the selected zones. • Make All Zones Audible resets all mute and solo states for all zones. • Solo Follows Selection automatically solos the zones that you select. Crossfades Zones can partially or entirely overlap. You can create fades in the horizontal (key) and the vertical (velocity) direction. This allows you to successively add certain sound components over the key or the velocity range. • On the submenu, select whether you want to create crossfades on the keyboard axis or the velocity axis, or both. Mapping Allows you to set up the mapping for the selected sample. Fill Gaps • Pitch Only fills any gaps between the selected zones on the keyboard axis. • Velocity Only fills any gaps between the selected zones on the velocity axis. 75 Mapping Zones Mapping Editor Context Menu • Pitch and Velocity first fills the gaps on the keyboard axis. Then, the remaining gaps on the velocity axis are filled. • Velocity and Pitch first fills the gaps on the velocity axis. Then, the remaining gaps on the keyboard axis are filled. Set Root Key Allows you to adjust the root keys of the selected zones without changing their key or velocity ranges. • Center of Zone sets the root key to the center of the zone. If the zone has no center because it has an even number of keys, the root key is set to the key in the center that is closest to the previous root key. • High Key of Zone sets the root key to the High Key of the zone. • Low Key of Zone sets the root key to the Low Key of the zone. • Key Text in Sample Name sets the root key to the key that is extracted from the sample file name. The function searches for the name of the key in text form. • Key Number in Sample Name sets the root key to the MIDI note number that is extracted from the sample file name. The function searches for a number. • Root Key in Sample File sets the root key to the key that is stored in the header chunk of the sample file. Transfer Settings to Mapping Zones often have varying Fine Tune and Level settings, while sharing various other settings. To avoid varying Fine Tune and Level settings, transfer these settings to the Tune and Gain parameter in the Mapping Editor. • All transfers the Fine Tune and Level settings at the same time. • Fine Tune and Level allow you to transfer the parameters separately. Afterwards, the zone settings are reset to their default values. Mapping Options Root Key Only Each sample is mapped to its root key only. Root Key Fill Centered The samples are mapped to their root key. The zones expand to the left and right from the root key to fill empty spaces. Root Key Fill Up The samples are mapped to their root key. The zones expand to the right to fill empty spaces. Root Key Fill Down The samples are mapped to their root key. The zones expand to the left to fill empty spaces. 76 Mapping Zones Mapping Editor Context Menu Layered on Root Key The zones are layered on the root key, equally spaced from the lowest to the highest velocity. Layered on Key Range Zones that have exactly the same key range are layered equally spaced from the lowest to the highest velocity. Chromatic from Last Key Starting with the highlighted key of the Mapping Editor keyboard, the zones are mapped chromatically to the white and black keys in ascending order. The root keys are set to the corresponding key. White Keys from Last Key Starting with the highlighted key of the Mapping Editor keyboard, the zones are mapped to the white keys in ascending order. The root keys are set to the corresponding key. Black Keys from Last Key Starting with the highlighted key of the Mapping Editor keyboard, the zones are mapped to the black keys in ascending order. The root keys are set to the corresponding key. Layered on Last Key On the highlighted key of the Mapping Editor keyboard, the zones are layered equally spaced from lowest to highest velocity. The root keys are set to the highlighted key. Stacked on Last Key At the highlighted key of the Mapping Editor keyboard, the zones are stacked on top of each other. The root keys are set to the highlighted key. Key Text in Sample Name The zones are mapped to the key that is extracted from the sample file name. The function searches for the name of the key in text form, for example, C#3. The mapping and root key are set to that key. Key Number in Sample Name The zones are mapped to the MIDI note number that is extracted from the sample file name. The function searches for a number. The mapping and root key are set to that key. Velocity in Layer Name The zones are mapped to the velocity range that is extracted from the layer name. Velocity in Sample Name The zones are mapped to the velocity range that is extracted from the sample file name. 77 Mapping Zones Sample Zones and their Root Keys Velocity in Sample Folder The zones are mapped to the velocity range that is extracted from the name of the sample folder. Ranges in Sample File The zones are mapped to the key and velocity ranges that are stored in the sample file header. NOTE If the header does not contain this information, the samples cannot be mapped. Tuning from Sample File The zones are mapped according to the tuning settings that are stored in the sample file header. NOTE If the header does not contain this information, the samples cannot be mapped. Gain from Sample File The zones are mapped according to the gain settings that are stored in the sample file header. NOTE If the header does not contain this information, the samples cannot be mapped. Sample Zones and their Root Keys The root key determines the original pitch of a zone, that is, the key on which the zone is played without being transposed. Samples can contain root key information embedded in the sample file. When they are loaded, they are automatically mapped to the corresponding keys. The sample collections included with HALion contain both multi-sampled instrument programs and single-shot sample programs. The multi-sampled programs contain samples of a specific instrument, usually containing only one sample zone per key on the keyboard. The single-shot programs contain different sample zones that are mapped across the keyboard, without relationship between key and pitch. For these programs, you might want to move sample zones. After moving the zones, adjust the root key to make the zones play back at the correct pitch. • To set the root key, enter the value in the Root Key value field, or hold down Alt and click the corresponding key on the keyboard. Moving Zones To move a zone, select it, click in the middle of it and drag it to another position. To move several selected zones, click in the middle of one of the zones and drag. 78 Mapping Zones Creating Fades and Crossfades To restrict the movement to the horizontal direction, start dragging the zone and press Ctrl/ Cmd, and to restrict movement to vertical, start dragging and press Alt. When you move sample zones horizontally, they are transposed, therefore, it might be necessary to adjust the root key. Creating Fades and Crossfades PREREQUISITE On the Crossfades submenu of the context menu, Enable Crossfades on Keyboard Axis or Enable Crossfade on Velocity Axis, or both, are activated. PROCEDURE • Drag the fade handles to create a fade. For keyboard axis fades, drag left or right and for velocity axis fades, drag up or down. By default, the fade curve is exponential, but you can change the curvature by dragging the curve up and down. The maximum curve setting represents an equal power curve. This is useful for velocity crossfades. If you want to create symmetric crossfades, activate the corresponding button on the toolbar. RELATED LINKS Crossfade on page 72 Setting Key Range and Velocity Range • To set the key range, move the mouse to one of the borders of a zone and drag to the left or the right, or enter the values manually in the Low Key and High Key value fields. • To set the velocity range, move the mouse to one of the borders of a zone and drag up or down, or enter the values manually in the Low Velocity and High Velocity value fields. NOTE If several zones are selected, the key range or the velocity range is modified for all the zones simultaneously. However, only the values of the focused zone are displayed in the edit fields. Zooming The Mapping Editor can zoom and scroll in two dimensions: the keyboard and the velocity scale. • To zoom in or out, click the + or - buttons on the scrollbars. Once you have zoomed in, you can use the scrollbar to move to a specific velocity or keyboard area. • To zoom in/out on the locator position, press G and H. 79 Mapping Zones Selecting Zones • To zoom in on a specific zone, double-click it. To zoom out, double-click again. • To zoom in on an area where two or more zones are overlapping, double-click the area. To zoom out, double-click again. • To zoom to the selection, activate the S button next to the scrollbar. • To zoom out completely or return to the last zoom state, click the A button next to the scrollbar. Zoom Snapshots Zoom snapshots save the zoom factor and scroll position of the editor. These are restored when you load the snapshot. To the right of the scrollbar, you can find three numbered buttons that allow you to save and load zoom snapshots. • To save the current state of the editor as snapshot, Shift-click one of the numbered buttons to the right of the scrollbar. • To load a zoom snapshot, click the corresponding button. The button color changes if a snapshot is active. NOTE If you perform any manual zooming or scrolling, the zoom snapshot is deactivated. Selecting Zones • Click a zone to select it. • Ctrl/Cmd-click to select several zones. • Hold down Ctrl/Cmd and draw a selection rectangle covering the zones that you want to select. • Press Ctrl/Cmd-A to select all zones. • Click on the velocity scale to select all zones that belong to this velocity. Importing Single Samples Using Drag And Drop PROCEDURE 1. Drag a sample into the mapping section or onto the keyboard and keep the mouse button pressed. An outline representing the sample appears. 2. Move the mouse pointer up and down. The horizontal position of the mouse pointer determines the lowest key of the key range, and the vertical position of the mouse pointer determines the key zone range. 3. Drop the sample to insert it. 80 Mapping Zones Importing Multiple Samples Using Drag And Drop Importing Multiple Samples Using Drag And Drop PROCEDURE 1. Select the samples that you want to import. 2. Drag the samples to the key on the Mapping Editor keyboard where you want the first selected sample to be placed. If you drag samples from a separate browser window, the selection order determines how the samples are mapped, with the first selected sample being mapped to the first key. 3. Move the mouse up and down. The samples are mapped chromatically. Moving the mouse up or down resizes the key range for each zone. 4. • If you move the mouse pointer to the bottom of the Mapping Editor, the samples are distributed to different velocities rather than key ranges.The first selected sample gets the highest velocity and the last selected the lowest velocity • If you press Ctrl/Cmd and move the mouse pointer to the bottom of the mapping view, the samples are layered on the keys that you drop them on. • If you press Ctrl/Cmd and point at a white key, the samples are mapped to the consecutive white keys only, and the key range cannot be extended. Pointing to a black key maps the samples to black keys instead. Release the mouse button to insert the samples. 81 Editing Programs and Layers In the Sound Editor for programs and layers, you can find the parameters that are set globally for an entire program or layer. For example, you can transpose the pitch, adjust level and pan, and limit the playback to a specific area on the keyboard. Programs and layers share the same set of parameters. Main Section The Main section contains basic settings. Octave Transposes the pitch in octave steps. Coarse Transposes the pitch in semitone steps. Fine Detunes the pitch in cents steps (1/100 of a semitone). Level Velocity Curve Defines how incoming MIDI velocity values are re-mapped before they are sent to the program or layer. By default, the incoming and outgoing values are identical. The characteristic of each curve is displayed by a small icon. 82 Editing Programs and Layers Trigger Section Low Key Defines the lowest key on which the program or layer is triggered. High Key Defines the highest key on which the program or layer is triggered. Low Vel Defines the lowest velocity on which the program or layer is triggered. High Vel Defines the highest velocity on which the program or layer is triggered. Sus, FCtrl, FSw, PB, MW, and AT The Filter options allow you to filter incoming MIDI controllers. Level Adjusts the level of the layer. This parameter works as an offset to the zone settings. Pan Defines the position of the layer in the stereo panorama. This parameter works as an offset to the zone settings. Trigger Section The Trigger section allows you to control the trigger and release behavior. Individual MegaTrig Management This button is only available for layers. If you want the key switch assignments across different layers to work individually, activate Ind MegaTrig for these layers. This can be necessary if two layers with different key switches are used together in one program. Transpose Transposes the key switches that you set up for the MegaTrig module. Start Key Defines the key that is used as the lowest key switch. Key Switch Mode Defines how long a key switch is active. • If this parameter is set to Permanent, the key switch stays active until another key switch is used. 83 Editing Programs and Layers Trigger Section • If this parameter is set to Temporary, the key switch is only active for as long as the corresponding key is pressed. Default Switch Specifies the default key switch that is active when you load a program, that means, before you used the first key switch. The default key switch is also used in Temporary mode when no key switch is pressed. NOTE If you set the Default Switch parameter to a note value that is not assigned as a key switch, the lowest key switch is used as the default key switch. Filter Ctrls in Release Filters out MIDI controllers in the release phase. Modulation destinations that are using controllers keep their value after the note-off message. • If this parameter is set to Off, MIDI controllers are processed in the release phase. • If this parameter is set to On, MIDI controllers are filtered out. • If this parameter is set to Inherit, the zones of this layer follow the behavior that is specified for the parent layer. Repedaling On an acoustic piano, you can repedal the sustain after releasing the sustain pedal for as long as the strings vibrate. The effect is that the strings play on. You can achieve a similar effect with the Repedaling option. If you release and press the pedal within the release of the amplitude envelope, the envelope jumps to the decay segment, resuming at the current level of the release. Sustain Enables sustain for the program or layer. When you use the sustain pedal, notes keep playing until you release the pedal. Sostenuto Enables sostenuto for the program or layer. Notes that are held while pressing the sostenuto pedal sustain. Successive notes do not sustain. Ind Velocity Mode Sample-based instruments often use crossfade techniques to optimize the switching between samples with different velocities. Activate this option to apply the Velocity Mode settings to the selected layer and its children. NOTE Crossfades are set up in the Mapping Editor. Velocity Mode The switching or crossfading between zones can be controlled via velocity or MIDI controller. 84 Editing Programs and Layers Voice Management Section • If Note-on is selected, the velocity is used to trigger the zones. • If Controller is selected, a MIDI controller is used to replace the velocity, that is, the controller value is used to select the zones. The note-on message triggers the zones selected by the controller. Only zones that belong to the corresponding velocity are played back. • If Continuous is selected, a MIDI controller is used to replace the velocity. Depending on the Velocity Fade setting, the controller uses fades when switching between zones. Therefore, all zones belonging to a key are played back. Controller Determines which controller is used if Velocity Mode is set to Controller or Continuous. • For the most realistic playback of instruments that use crossfade techniques, activate Velocity Fade and set Velocity Mode to Continuous. • To save voices during playback of instruments that use crossfade techniques, deactivate Velocity Fade and set Velocity Mode to Note-on. NOTE For a good compromise between performance optimization and realistic playback, try setting Velocity Mode to Controller and activating Velocity Fade. Velocity Fade Activate this option to use the velocity crossfades that are specified in the Mapping Editor. If this option is deactivated or if no crossfades are set up, zones switch directly between the different velocities. RELATED LINKS MegaTrig on page 516 Voice Management Section The Voice Management section allows you to control the maximum number of notes that you can play and to set conditions for note stealing and triggering. Voice Manager Determines which Voice Management settings are applied to the selected layer. • If this parameter is set to Off, the layer uses the Voice Management settings of the layer one level up in the hierarchy. If no layer with active Voice Management settings exists at this level, the settings of the program are used. • If this parameter is set to On, you can make individual Voice Management settings for the selected layer. 85 Editing Programs and Layers Voice Management Section • If this parameter is set to Program, the settings of the program are used, regardless of any Voice Management settings made for layers higher up in the hierarchy. Voice Mode Determines which notes are stolen during playback and whether new notes are triggered when the Polyphony setting is exceeded. • Last Note Priority – New notes have playback priority over the notes that were played before them. If you exceed the maximum number of notes, the notes that were played first are stolen in chronological order (First in/First Out) and the new notes are triggered. • First Note Priority – Older notes have playback priority over newer notes. If you exceed the maximum number of notes while older notes are still being held, no notes are stolen. New notes are only triggered if a free voice is available. • Low Note Priority – Low notes have playback priority over higher notes. If you exceed the maximum number of notes by playing a lower note than the ones that are held, the highest note is stolen and the new note is triggered. If you exceed the maximum number of notes by playing a higher note than the ones that are held, no note is stolen and no new note is triggered. • High Note Priority – High notes have playback priority over lower notes. If you exceed the maximum number of notes by playing a higher note than the ones that are held, the lowest note is stolen and the new note is triggered. If you exceed the maximum number of notes by playing a lower note than the ones that are held, no note is stolen and no new note is triggered. • Steal Lowest Amplitude – New notes have playback priority over notes with a low amplitude. If you exceed the maximum number of notes, the note with the lowest amplitude is stolen and the newest note is triggered. • Steal Released Notes – New notes have priority over notes that enter the release phase. If you exceed the maximum number of notes, the oldest note that is in its release phase is stolen and the new note is triggered. If no note is playing in release and you exceed the maximum number of notes, the first played notes are stolen in chronological order and the new notes are triggered. Trigger Mode Defines the trigger behavior for new notes. • Normal triggers a new note when the previous note gets stolen. The sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. To minimize discontinuities, use the Fade Out parameter of the zone. • Resume does not always trigger a new note. 86 Editing Programs and Layers Voice Management Section If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope is retriggered, but resumes at the level of the stolen note. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Legato does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope keeps running. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Resume Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope resumes at the level of the stolen note and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. • Legato Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope keeps running and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. NOTE If Resume or Legato are selected, you might hear an unnatural attack, depending on the sample. To avoid this, activate Use Start Range on the Glide tab in the Voice Control section for the zone. Voice Groups Allows you to create and use voice groups, that is, groups of zones that can be edited together. Poly Tab The Poly tab contains the polyphony settings for programs and layers. Mono Activates monophonic playback. For solo instruments, this usually results in a more naturally sounding performance. Mono can also be used for programs that use dedicated note-off layers. When the played note is released, the note-off layer is triggered. Retrigger This option is only available in Mono mode. If Retrigger is activated, a note that was stolen by another note is retriggered if you still hold the stolen note when you release the new one. This way, you can play trills by holding one note and quickly and repeatedly pressing and releasing another note, for example. 87 Editing Programs and Layers Voice Management Section Polyphony When you play a note, one or multiple zones can be triggered. Each triggered zone equals a voice. The number of voices that you trigger with each note is displayed in the Voices field of the program. Use this parameter to set an upper limit for the number of notes that can be played simultaneously in polyphonic mode. If a program has a lower Polyphony value than its layers, the maximum number of notes that you can play is limited by the Polyphony value of the program. Key Poly With this parameter, you can specify an upper limit for the number of notes that can be played for a key. The notes that were played last have priority. For this parameter to have an effect, the Mono button must be deactivated. NOTE Key Poly is limited by the Polyphony setting. Low Amp By default, the oldest note is removed first when notes are stolen due to a Key Poly limitation. If you want the note with the lowest amplitude to be removed instead, activate Low Amp. Min Low Notes Defines the number of low notes that cannot be stolen, regardless of the Voice Mode setting. Make sure that the polyphony of the program is high enough for your specific Min Low Notes setting and allows to play additional higher notes. Sus/Rel Tab The Sus/Rel tab contains the sustain and release settings for programs and layers. Ind Sustain Activate this parameter to use individual sustain settings for the selected programs or layers. Sustain Mode While you hold the sustain pedal, HALion plays back the notes that you play repeatedly until the Key Polyphony value is reached. When you release the sustain pedal, the notes of the keys that are no longer held enter the release phase. Depending on the selected Sustain Mode, the notes of the keys that are still held either keep playing or also enter the release phase. • If Hold Loudest is selected, the loudest note keeps playing. • If Hold Last is selected, the last note that you played keeps playing. • If Hold First is selected, the first note that you played keeps playing. • If Hold All is selected, all notes keep playing. • If Release All is selected, all notes enter the release phase. 88 Editing Programs and Layers Voice Management Section Play Release By default, the release phase of stolen notes is not played back and the notes fade out in the time specified by the Fade Out parameter of the zone. Activate this option to fade out the notes with their normal release phase instead. RELATED LINKS Fade Out on page 96 Voice Groups By assigning zones to a voice group, you can set their polyphony individually. You can manage the polyphony across zones that are not part of the same layer. Furthermore, zones can steal notes from each other, regardless of whether they are in the same layer. The maximum number of notes that you can play in a voice group is limited by the Polyphony setting of the corresponding program or layer. The parameters of the voice groups are edited using the columns in the table below the Voice Management section. No Shows the number of the voice group. Poly Allows you to set the polyphony for each voice group. Excl If voice groups belong to the same exclusive group, they cannot be played back simultaneously. The voice group that was triggered last has priority over the voice groups that were playing before. Any voice groups of the same exclusive group that were playing are cut off. A typical example for assigning voice groups to an exclusive group is a drum set where the closed hi-hat cuts off the open hi-hat. • To assign a voice group to an exclusive group, select a number from the pop-up menu. Voice Mode Allows you to set the Voice Mode parameter separately for each voice group. RELATED LINKS Voice Management Section on page 85 Assigning Zones to Voice Groups PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, select the zones that you want to add to a voice group. 2. Open the Sound Editor for the zones. 3. In the Voice Control section, on the Trigger tab, select a voice group from the Voice Group pop-up menu. Usually, the voice group numbers relate to the voice groups of the program. If the zone is part of a layer with active voice groups, the numbers relate to the voice groups of the layer instead. 89 Editing Programs and Layers Variation Groups Section Variation Groups Section To avoid the so-called machine gun effect that occurs when the same sample is triggered repeatedly, you can create programs that use several samples for the same key and velocity range. These samples can then be triggered alternately as variations. To define which samples are triggered as variations, you can assign them to variation groups. If no variation groups are activated, all zones play simultaneously. To avoid this, activate the variation groups for the program or layer containing the zones and assign the zones to the different variation groups. Enable Activates the variation group feature. Mode Click the Mode column to open a pop-up menu with the following options: • If this parameter is set to Off, all variations are triggered simultaneously. • If this parameter is set to Round Robin, all variations are triggered alternately in a fixed order. • If this parameter is set to Random, all variations are triggered randomly. Individual variations can be triggered repeatedly. • If this parameter is set to Random Exclusive, all variations are triggered randomly. No variation is directly repeated. Assigning Zones to Variation Groups PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, select the zones that you want to add to the variation group. 2. Open the Sound Editor for the zones. 3. In the Voice Control section, select the Trigger tab. 4. On the Variation Group pop-up menu, select a variation group. NOTE Usually, the variation group numbers relate to the variation groups of the program. If the zone is part of a layer with active variation groups, the numbers relate to the variation groups of the layer instead. 90 Editing Programs and Layers Quick Control Assignments Section Quick Control Assignments Section This section allows you to manage and edit the assigned quick controls. How to work with the quick controls is described in a separate section. RELATED LINKS Quick Controls on page 27 Note Expression Section How to work with the Note Expression parameters is described in a separate section. RELATED LINKS Note Expression on page 540 91 Editing Zones You can edit zones in the Zone Editor or in the Sound Editor. These editors allow you to modify the settings for a single zone, for multiple selected zones, or for all zones at the same time. Adding Zones You can add zones in the Program Tree. Which zone type to add depends on the type of sound that you want to create or work with. PROCEDURE 1. On the toolbar, click Create New Zone . 2. From the pop-up menu, select the zone type that you want to add. Zone Types Synth Zone Uses a combination of oscillators, a ring modulator, and a noise generator as sound source. The synth zone oscillators offer much more than classic subtractive synthesis. Sample Zone Uses a sample as sound source. With the AudioWarp features, sample zones allow for pitch shifting and time stretching, and the Vintage setting emulates the sound quality of the first samplers. In the Sample Editor for a sample zone, you can slice the sample and create a step modulation for each slice, for example. Granular Zone Granular zones use a sophisticated granular synthesis as sound source. This allows you to create complex sounds that can drastically evolve over time from any sample. 92 Editing Zones Adding Samples to Empty Zones Organ Zone Organ zones produce the sound of classic drawbar organs with up to nine drawbars. Wavetable Zone Wavetable zones use wavetable synthesis as sound source. Its high-quality analysis combined with the wavetable envelope allows for resynthesis of a sample, that is, only a few waves are necessary to reproduce the original character of any sample. If not explicitly stated, the functions described in this chapter apply to all zone types. RELATED LINKS Editing Samples in the Sample Editor on page 150 Granular Synthesis on page 190 Wavetable Synthesis on page 173 Adding Samples to Empty Zones Depending on the zone type, it can be necessary to fill the created zone with sample material. This applies to sample zones, granular zones, and wavetable zones. • To add a sample to an empty sample zone, drag it from the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder or the Browser to the sample display in the Sample Osc section of the Zone Editor or onto the waveform area in the Sample Editor or click Load/Replace Sample in the header of the Sample Editor and select a sample. • To add a sample to an empty granular zone, drag it to the sample display in the Grain Osc section of the Zone Editor or onto the waveform area in the Sample Editor. • To add a sample to an empty wavetable zone, drag it to the waveform area in the Wavetable Editor or use the Insert From Sample button on the toolbar of the wavetable overview section. Absolute and Relative Editing When editing multiple zones, you can either change values absolutely for all the zones (ABS) or make relative changes (REL), depending on the setting of the corresponding button on the toolbar. • If you use absolute editing and you change a parameter from 50 % to 60 % for one zone, all other zones are also set to 60 %. • If you use relative editing and you change a parameter from 50 % to 60 % in one zone, another selected zone that was set to 70 % is set to 80 %. NOTE Relative changes can be made for all parameters that can be adjusted continuously. Changes of parameters that select one of multiple modes or switch between two states are always absolute. RELATED LINKS Multi Selection and Parameter Controls on page 18 93 Editing Zones Editing Selected Zones or All Zones Editing Selected Zones or All Zones When working in the Zone Editor or Sound Editor, you can apply your editing either to the selected zones (SEL) or to all zones (ALL), depending on the setting of the corresponding button on the toolbar. Global Zone Settings The global section at the top of the Zone Editor allows you to set up basic zone parameters. Mute Zone Mutes the zone. HALion 3 Compatibility This button lights up if you load an FXP file from HALion 3, to indicate that HALion is in compatibility mode. This way, FXP files sound like they did in HALion 3. If you deactivate the compatibility button, some modulations will sound different. ABS/REL Allows you to switch between absolute and relative editing. SEL/ALL Allows you to select whether the editing is applied to all zones or to the selected zones. Zone Type Allows you to select a zone type. You can change the zone type of existing zones. For example, this allows you to create and set up a sample zone, and then switch the zone type to Granular or Wavetable and use your sample as a basis for further editing in this editor. If you switch between zones, the zone settings are adapted as far as this is possible. A sample oscillator is replaced by a synth oscillator, for example. However, changing the zone type has some limits. When switching from a wavetable to a sample zone, for example, the sample zone will initially be empty. Because there are two oscillators in the wavetable zone that can even refer to multiple samples or work without samples at all, sample data cannot be transferred. The same is true for synth and organ zones that are switched to sample zones. Show All Sections/Show First Section Allows you to switch the display between showing all sections and showing only the first activated section. Section buttons The section buttons allow you to customize the section display and to facilitate navigating between sections. For each section, one button is available. 94 Editing Zones Voice Control Section The buttons can be activated, deactivated, or locked. Low Key/High Key These parameters determine the lowest key and the highest key on which the zone is triggered. Low Velocity/High Velocity These parameters determine the lowest velocity and the highest velocity on which the zone is triggered. Root Key The root key determines the pitch of the zone. Samples can contain root key information embedded in the file, which means that when loaded, they are automatically mapped to the corresponding keys. RELATED LINKS Absolute and Relative Editing on page 93 Managing Sections If you activate a section button, the corresponding section is shown. As soon as you click another button, the section is automatically hidden and the new section is shown. If you lock a section by clicking the button directly to the right of the section button, the section button cannot be deactivated and the corresponding section is always visible in the editor. Clicking another button shows the new section, scrolling the view, if necessary. Click the button to the left of the section buttons to toggle between showing and locking all sections, and showing only the first section. • If only one button is active, but not locked, you can click another button to switch exclusively between the sections. • Having one section locked while showing others dynamically can speed up your work considerably. For example, you can lock the Filter section, and then switch between the different modifying sections, such as Envelope, LFO, Step Modulator, and Modulation Matrix. • You can also use these buttons to set up views for different contexts, showing exactly those sections you need for a given workflow, and save them in a screen set. RELATED LINKS Screen Sets on page 13 Voice Control Section The Voice Control Section contains the same controls for sample, synth, grain, and wavetable zones and a separate set of controls for organ zones. For sample, synth, grain, and wavetable zones, the following parameters are available: 95 Editing Zones Voice Control Section Trigger Tab On the Trigger tab, you can specify the triggering of a zone. Voice Group You can set the polyphony of a zone individually, by assigning it to one of 128 voice groups. The settings of voice groups can be edited in the Voice Management section of the program or layer. Variation Group Specifies the alternation mode for the different variation groups. Priority Each zone that you trigger corresponds to a voice. If the number of played zones exceeds the Maximum Voices setting specified in the Options Editor, zones are cut off and replaced by other zones. This is called “voice stealing”. Use this parameter to specify a priority for this behavior. Zones with higher priority can steal zones with lower priority, but not vice versa. If there are no zones with lower priority, zones of the same priority are stolen. Zones with the priority Hold steal only from lower priorities, but not from zones with the same priority. Fade Out Whenever a voice is stolen because a polyphony limit is reached, it is faded out. You can specify this fade out time for each zone, which allows you to adapt it to different signal types. For example, you might want to cut a stolen crash cymbal zone less abruptly than a stolen hi-hat zone. Key On Delay With this parameter, you can delay the playback of the zone by a specified time or a note value. If Sync is deactivated, the delay is specified in milliseconds. If Sync is activated, the delay is specified in fractions of beats. To synchronize the delay time to the host tempo, activate the Sync button and select a note value from the pop-up menu. To change the selected note value to a triplet, activate the T button. Release Delay With this parameter, you can delay the release event of the zone by a specified time or a note value. If Sync is deactivated, the delay is specified in milliseconds. If Sync is activated, the delay is specified in fractions of beats. To synchronize the delay time to the host tempo, activate the Sync button and select a note value from the pop-up menu. To change the selected note value to a triplet, activate the T button. 96 Editing Zones Voice Control Section Release Mode and Amount These parameters determine how loud the release samples are played back. Release samples play back the sound of an instrument when the note ends. For example, this can be the noise of the damper touching down on the piano string, or the reverb tail of an instrument that was recorded in a concert hall. • Off deactivates the Release Mode. The level of the note-off sample is controlled only by the amplifier section of the zone. • If Note-on Env is selected, the level of the note-off sample is controlled by the amplitude envelope of the associated note-on sample: The note-off sample is played back with the level that the amplitude envelope has at the moment when the note-off sample is triggered. NOTE In order to find the associated note-on sample, the mappings of the noteon and note-off samples must overlap. HALion takes the last running noteon sample as the associated sample. • If Note-off Env is selected, the level of the note-off sample is controlled by the amplitude envelope of the note-off sample: The note-off sample is played back with the level that its amplitude envelope has at the moment when the note-off sample is triggered. • If Note-on Vel is selected, the level of the note-off sample is controlled by the incoming MIDI note-on velocity. • If Note-off Vel is selected, the level of the note-off sample is controlled by the incoming MIDI note-off velocity. • If Current Amplitude is selected, the level of the note-off sample is controlled by the current amplitude of the associated note-on sample. • If Random is selected, the level of the release sample is controlled by a random value. The Amount parameter adjusts how much the selected option affects the level of the note-off samples. Unison Tab Unison allows you to trigger multiple voices simultaneously with each note that you play. Unison On/Off Activates/Deactivates unison. Voices Determines the number of voices that are triggered simultaneously. The maximum is eight. 97 Editing Zones Voice Control Section Detune Detunes the pitch of each unison voice in cents. This produces a fatter sound. Pan Spreads the unison voices across the stereo panorama. The higher the value, the broader the stereo image. Delay Allows you to introduce a small random delay for each unison voice. With a value of 0 ms, all unison voices are triggered at the same time. Values from 1 ms to 100 ms add a random delay to each unison voice. The higher the value, the more random the delay. This is especially useful to avoid comb filter effects with two or more slightly detuned samples. Distribution Allows you to specify how unison voices are spread in pitch. Changing the unison voice distribution will create different modulations between the unison voices. • If this is set to 0, the distribution is linear, that is, all voices have an equal distance in their pitch offset. • Raising the value stretches the distribution using an exponential curve, so that the first unison voices have a smaller pitch offset than the second and third. • Decreasing the value stretches the distribution using a negative exponential curve,so that the first unison voices have a larger pitch offset than the second and third voices. NOTE This parameter is always visible, even if Unison is deactivated. This is because it does not only affect the voice distribution of the zone unison, but also the voice distribution of the wavetable and synth oscillators that have their own independent multi-oscillator settings. Glide Tab Glide allows you to bend the pitch between notes that follow each other. You achieve the best results in Mono mode. Glide On/Off Activates/Deactivates Glide. Fingered Activate this parameter to glide the pitch only between notes that are played legato. 98 Editing Zones Voice Control Section for Organ Zones Glide Time Sets the glide time, that is, the time it takes to bend the pitch from one note to the next. Sync Activate Sync to synchronize the delay time to the host tempo. Select a note value from the pop-up menu. To change the selected note value to a triplet, activate the T button. Mode • Set this parameter to Constant Time to keep the glide time constant and independent from the note interval. • Set this parameter to Constant Speed to change the glide time with the note interval. Larger intervals result in longer glide times. Curve Allows you to select one of three curve types to define the glide behavior. • With the Linear curve, the pitch glides at continuous speed from the start to the end pitch. • With the Exponential curve, the pitch starts gliding at higher speed and decelerates towards the end pitch. This behavior is similar to the natural pitch glide produced by a singer. • With the Quantized curve, the pitch glides in semitones from the start to the end pitch. Glide Group If you assign zones to glide groups, you can set the glide effect independently for the zones. This allows you to set up zones with overlapping key ranges and different settings of Glide Time, for example. Use Start Range If a new note plays in a different zone with a different sample assigned, the new sample is used to glide to the new pitch. Depending on the sample, this can produce an unnatural attack. To avoid this, activate Use Start Range. If this is activated, the sample does not start from the beginning, but from the position you set with the Sample Start Range parameter. RELATED LINKS Voice Groups on page 89 Sample Oscillator Section on page 106 Voice Control Section for Organ Zones 99 Editing Zones Voice Control Section for Organ Zones Voice Group You can set the polyphony of a zone individually, by assigning it to one of 128 voice groups. The settings of voice groups can be edited in the Voice Management section of the program or layer. Priority Each zone that you trigger corresponds to a voice. If the number of played zones exceeds the Maximum Voices setting specified in the Options Editor, zones are cut off and replaced by other zones. This is called “voice stealing”. Use this parameter to specify a priority for this behavior. Zones with higher priority can steal zones with lower priority, but not vice versa. If there are no zones with lower priority, zones of the same priority are stolen. Zones with the priority Hold steal only from lower priorities, but not from zones with the same priority. Variation Group Specifies the alternation mode for the different variation groups. Fade Out Whenever a voice is stolen because a polyphony limit is reached, it is faded out. You can specify this fade out time for each zone, which allows you to adapt it to different signal types. For example, you might want to cut a stolen crash cymbal zone less abruptly than a stolen hi-hat zone. Fine Allows you to fine-tune the pitch in cent steps. Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the pitchbend wheel. Percussion Adds a dedicated percussion envelope to emulate the percussion of vintage organs. The percussion envelope works in addition to the amplifier envelope. • The Percussion button activates/deactivates the percussion envelope. • The Length parameter controls the decay of the percussion. For example, set this to 500 ms for short percussion and to 1000 ms for long percussion. • On the Trigger pop-up menu, select First Note if you want to use monophonic triggering or Each Note if you want to use polyphonic triggering. NOTE For the typical percussion sound of an organ, use only the drawbars 4' or 2 2/3'. RELATED LINKS Voice Management Section on page 85 100 Editing Zones Pitch Section Pitch Section On the Pitch section for synth, sample, grain, and wavetable zones, you can make settings for tuning and pitch modulation. Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the pitchbend wheel. Octave Adjusts the pitch in octave steps. Coarse Adjusts the pitch in semitone steps. Fine Allows you to fine-tune the pitch in cent steps. Pitch Envelope Amount Determines how much the pitch is affected by the pitch envelope. Random Pitch Allows you to randomly offset the pitch with each played note. Higher values cause stronger variations. At a setting of 100 %, the random offsets can vary from -6 to +6 semitones. Pitch Key Follow Allows you to adjust the pitch modulation by MIDI note number. Set this parameter to positive values in order to raise the pitch the higher you play. Use negative values to lower the pitch the higher you play. At a setting of +100 %, the pitch follows the played note exactly. Center Key Specifies the MIDI note that is used as the central position for the Key Follow function. Bypass Pitch Envelope This button in the header of the Pitch section allows you to bypass the Pitch envelope. RELATED LINKS Envelope Section on page 125 101 Editing Zones Oscillator Section Oscillator Section The Oscillator section is available for synth zones. The Oscillator section offers six sound sources: three main oscillators, the sub oscillator, the ring modulation, and the noise generator. To create interesting electronic spectra, you can mix any of these sound sources. The resulting signal is sent to the Filter and Amplifier sections for further sound shaping. The three main oscillators (OSC 1, OSC 2, and OSC 3) offer different wave shapes and algorithms. • To activate an oscillator, click its On/Off button. OSC 1/2/3 Type The oscillator type defines the basic sound character of the oscillator. This popup menu lists the waveforms (sine, triangle, saw, or square), followed by the algorithm (PWM, Sync, CM, or XOR). The combination of waveform and algorithm controls the sound of the oscillator. The following algorithms are available: • PWM (pulse width modulation) is only supported by the square waveform. The Waveform parameter sets the ratio between the high and low value of the square wave. A setting of 50 % produces a pure square wave. With settings below or above 50 %, the oscillator produces rectangular waves. • Sync provides different hard-sync oscillators, where each is a combination of a master and slave oscillator. The wave shape of the slave oscillator (sine, triangle, saw, or square) is reset with each full wave cycle of the master oscillator. This means that a single oscillator can produce a rich sync-sound without using other oscillators as slave or master. The Waveform parameter adjusts the pitch of the slave oscillator, producing the typical sync sound. • CM (cross modulation) provides a combination of two oscillators where a master oscillator is modulating the pitch of a slave oscillator (sine, triangle, saw, or square) at the rate of the audio sample. The Waveform parameter adjusts the pitch ratio between slave and master oscillator, resulting in a sound close to frequency modulation. • XOR (exclusive OR) compares two square waveforms with an XOR operation. Depending on the outcome of the XOR operation, the waveform shape of a third oscillator (sine, triangle, saw, or square) is reset. The Waveform parameter adjusts the pitch ratio of the square oscillators resulting in a sound close to ring modulation of the third oscillator. 102 Editing Zones Oscillator Section Osc 1/2/3 Waveform Modifies the sound of the oscillator algorithm. Its effect depends on the selected oscillator type. NOTE • Except for PWM, all algorithms support the sine, triangle, saw, and square wave shapes. PWM supports only the square wave shape. • The Waveform parameter for the three main oscillators can be assigned as modulation destinations in the modulation matrix. OSC 1/2/3 Octave Adjusts the pitch in octave steps. OSC 1/2/3 Coarse Adjusts the pitch in semitone steps. OSC 1/2/3 Fine Adjusts the pitch in cent steps. This allows you to fine-tune the oscillator sound. OSC 1/2/3 Level Adjusts the output level of the oscillator. NOTE Waveform, pitch, and level of oscillator 1, 2, and 3 can be modulated separately in the modulation matrix. Multi-Oscillator Mode For the three main oscillators, you can activate Multi-Oscillator mode. This allows you to create a richer sound by producing up to eight oscillators simultaneously. The effect is similar to the Unison mode for the zone, but it requires less performance. • To activate Multi-Oscillator mode, activate the MO button. If Multi-Oscillator mode is activated, you can click the edit button corresponding parameters. to show the NOTE If Multi-Oscillator mode is active for an oscillator, you can modulate the corresponding parameters in the modulation matrix. Multi Oscillator Number, Detune, and Pan Each of the main oscillators offers these multi-oscillator functions. They allow you to create a richer sound by producing up to eight oscillators simultaneously. • Number determines the number of oscillators that play back simultaneously. You can also set fractions of numbers. For example, with a setting of 2.5, you hear two oscillators at full level and a third one at half level. 103 Editing Zones Oscillator Section • Detune detunes the oscillators. • Pan narrows or widens the stereo panorama. With a setting of 0 %, you create a mono signal, and with 100 %, you create a stereo signal. NOTE The pitch distribution of the oscillators is determined by the Distribution control in the Voice Control section. Retrigger Mode Allows you to decide whether the oscillator runs freely, with a random phase each time a note is triggered, or with a fixed start phase. • If Free Phase is selected, the behavior of analog synthesizers is emulated. The oscillator is running freely and continuously. • If Random Phase is selected, the start phase is randomly set to a different value each time that you trigger a note. In contrast to Free Phase, there is no continuity in the phase of the waveform. • If Fixed Phase is selected, the oscillator runs with a fixed start phase that can be specified between 0 and 360 degrees. Sub Oscillator The pitch of the sub oscillator is always one octave lower than the overall pitch. The overall pitch is determined by the Octave setting. On/Off Activates/Deactivates the sub oscillator. Type The wave shape of the sub oscillator. You can choose between Sine, Triangle, Saw, Square, Pulse Wide, and Pulse Narrow. Level Adjusts the output level of the sub oscillator. Retrigger Mode Allows you to decide whether the oscillator runs freely, with a random phase each time a note is triggered, or with a fixed start phase. 104 Editing Zones Oscillator Section • If Free Phase is selected, the behavior of analog synthesizers is emulated. The oscillator is running freely and continuously. • If Random Phase is selected, the start phase is randomly set to a different value each time that you trigger a note. In contrast to Free Phase, there is no continuity in the phase of the waveform. • If Fixed Phase is selected, the oscillator runs with a fixed start phase that can be specified between 0 and 360 degrees. Ring Modulator Ring modulation produces sums and differences between the frequencies of two signals. Ring Modulation Source 1/Ring Modulation Source 2 Determines the sources to be ring modulated. You can select OSC 1 or Sub as Source 1, and OSC 2 or OSC 3 as Source 2. NOTE Make sure that the corresponding oscillators are activated when you select them. Otherwise, no sound is heard. Ring Modulation Level Adjusts the output level of the ring modulation. Noise Generator The Noise parameter is used for non-pitched sounds. In addition to standard white and pink noise, there are also band-pass filtered versions of white and pink noise. Noise Type The sound color of the noise. You can choose between standard and band-pass filtered (BPF) versions of white and pink noise. Noise Level Adjusts the output level of the noise generator. RELATED LINKS Modulation Matrix on page 137 105 Editing Zones Sample Oscillator Section Sample Oscillator Section This section is available for sample zones. It contains various playback and loop parameters. Load/Replace Sample This button on the right side of the section header allows you to load an initial sample or to replace the current sample. In the dialog, you can listen to the samples, to select the best match for your working situation. Playback Mode • Normal – The sample is played back from beginning to end. If loops are defined, they are played back according to their loop settings. • Reverse – The sample is played from end to beginning, ignoring any loop settings. • One-Shot – The sample is played back from beginning to end, regardless of any loop settings. • Reverse One-Shot – The sample is played back from end to beginning, regardless of any loop settings. In One-Shot and Reverse One-Shot mode, the zones ignore any MIDI note-off messages. All envelopes and LFOs play until their sustain is reached and then remain on this level for as long as the sample plays back. Any release segments of the envelopes and LFOs are not played. However, if you activate One-Shot mode in the Envelope section, the release nodes of the envelopes are included in the playback. Fixed Pitch If a sample zone is triggered by a MIDI note other than the one defined by the Root Key setting, the sample is normally pitched accordingly. If Fixed Pitch is activated, the relation between played note and root key is disregarded and all keys play the sample just as it was recorded. NOTE You can still apply the usual pitch modulations in the Pitch section and set the sample to follow the keyboard according to the Pitch Key Follow setting. 106 Editing Zones Sample Oscillator Section Preload A sample can either be loaded completely into RAM or it can be streamed from the hard disk. If samples are streamed, HALion needs to preload a portion of these samples to be able to play a voice without having to search for the sample data first. The size of this preload buffer can be set in the Options Editor. The Preload setting allows you to adapt this buffer size for individual sample zones by setting a multiplier from 1 to 16. Increasing the buffer size can be useful if a sample can be transposed in a wide range and HALion needs to read out the sample data faster, for example. If you set Preload to its maximum, the entire sample is preloaded. This is useful for smaller samples. Quality If samples are not played with their original pitch or tempo, HALion calculates the transposed versions in real time using algorithms that require different CPU performance depending on the Quality setting. Changing the quality setting is particularly noticeable in the high frequencies. The higher the setting, the better the suppression of artifacts. For samples with little high-frequency content, you can use the Standard option. For programs that use different samples for every key, you can use the Standard option to save computing power. If Quality is set to Vintage, you can make the following settings: • Rate Reduction allows you to specify a sample frequency, to simulate the lower sample rates of early samplers. • Bit Reduction allows you to select the bit depth that was used by early samplers. • Turntable emulates the memory-optimized workflow of the past, where turntables were sampled at a speed of 45 RPM to record shorter samples, and then tuned down again to correct for the change in pitch. If you set this parameter to 78 RPM, you can increase the vintage artifacts that are produced. Sample Start The start marker of the sample. Start Range Determines the range for sample start offset modulation. If Sample Start is selected as a modulation destination in the modulation matrix, the Start Range parameter controls the sample portion that is affected by the start offset modulation. If this parameter is set to zero, no sample start modulation is performed. For example, if Note-on Velocity is used to modulate the Sample Start parameter, a high key velocity starts playback later in the sample, and the range of this modulation is determined by the Start Range parameter. Link Loop Start and End Links the loop start and end positions. If you edit one of the values, the other is automatically modified. 107 Editing Zones Sample Oscillator Section Sample End The end marker of the sample. Release Start Determines the position to which the cursor jumps when you release a key. For example, if you are playing back a sample in a loop, but you want it to play its original release phase, set the Release Start parameter to this position. Release Offset Allows you to fine-tune the release start for each sample. This allows you to offset the release start for several zones at the same time without losing the original release settings, for example. Crossfade/Fade In/Fade Out Allow you to set the curve and the length of the fade in, the fade out, and the crossfade. Loop Sets A and B Allow you to set up two different sets of loops for the same sample. This is useful to compare different versions of the same loop, for example. Loop Mode Allows you to select a mode for the sustain loop and the release loop. • If this is set to No Loop, the sample is played without loop. • If this is set to Continuous, the loop is played continuously until the end of the amplitude envelope. • If this is set to Alternate, the loop alternates forward and backward even if you release the key. • If this is set to Once, the loop is repeated once. • If this is set to Until Release (sustain loop only), the loop is repeated until you release the key on the keyboard. • If this is set to Alternate Until Release (sustain loop only), the loop alternates forward and backward for as long as the key is held and then continues to the end of the sample. NOTE If Loop Mode is set to Alternate or Alternate Until Release, the loop crossfade is applied to the loop start and the loop end. All other modes on the Loop Mode pop-up menu apply the loop crossfade only to the loop end. Loop Start The loop start for the sustain loop and for the release loop. Loop End The loop end for the sustain loop and for the release loop. 108 Editing Zones Organ Oscillator Section Tuning Sets the tuning of the loop. This is useful to adjust the frequency of the loop. Organ Oscillator Section Organ zones produce the sound of classic drawbar organs with up to nine drawbars. Each drawbar controls the level of a harmonic. The drawbars are named after the length of church organ pipes, ranging from 16' to 1'. 16' is the lowest and 1' the highest harmonic. You can mix the harmonics using the drawbars to create different classic organ timbres. Manual Activates the nine drawbars for the manual. Pedal Activates the two drawbars for the bass pedals. Drawbars 16' to 1' The faders control the level of the corresponding drawbar. Wavetable Section The Wavetable section in the Zone Editor gives access to the oscillator parameters of wavetable zones. The oscillator is a combination of two wavetable oscillators, one sub oscillator, and one noise oscillator that can be mixed with individual settings, such as level, pan, tuning, etc. The Osc 1 and Osc 2 tabs allow you to choose from a set of preconfigured wavetables and to define how to play these. The Sub tab contains the settings for the sub oscillator and the noise oscillator. On the right in the title bar, you can find On/Off buttons for the four oscillators. This allows you to activate/deactivate an oscillator without having to open the corresponding tabs. Osc Tabs The wavetable oscillators 1 and 2 have the same parameters. For each oscillator, a separate tab is available. 109 Editing Zones Wavetable Section Oscillator On/Off Activates/Deactivates the oscillator. Select Wavetable This pop-up menu allows you to select a wavetable for the wavetable oscillator. You can choose between the included wavetables and the wavetables that you created in the Wavetable Editor. Show 3D Wavetable Map/2D Wave Toggles between displaying a single cycle of the current waveform and a topographic map of the entire wavetable. Octave Adjusts the pitch in octave steps. Coarse Adjusts the pitch in semitone steps. Fine Adjusts the pitch in cent steps. This allows you to fine-tune the oscillator sound. Retrigger Mode Determines the initial phase of the oscillator when you play a note. • If Free Phase is selected, the behavior of analog synthesizers is emulated. The oscillator is running freely and continuously. • If Random Phase is selected, the start phase is randomly set to a different value each time that you trigger a note. In contrast to Free Phase, there is no continuity in the phase of the waveform. • If Fixed Phase is selected, the oscillator runs with a fixed start phase that can be specified between 0 and 360 degrees. 110 Editing Zones Wavetable Section Level Adjusts the output level of the oscillator. Pan Adjusts the position of the oscillator in the stereo panorama. At a setting of -100 %, the sound is panned hard left, and at +100 %, it is panned hard right. NOTE The Position, Pitch, Level, and Pan parameters of wavetable oscillators 1 and 2 can be modulated separately in the modulation matrix. Position Determines where the envelope starts. Random Position Adds a random value to the current position when you play a note. For example, if you want the position to vary between 25.0 % and 75.0 %, set Position to 25.0 % and Random Position to 50.0 %. Playback Direction Allows you to set the playback speed in smaller increments. Furthermore, this parameter determines the playback direction. • If you enter negative values, you reverse playback, that is, the playback position moves backward through the wavetable. Random Direction Adds a negative or positive random value to the current direction when you play a note. For example, if you want the direction to vary between -100 % and +100 %, set Direction to 0.0 % and Random Direction to 100.0 %. If you want the direction to vary within the full positive range, set Direction to 50 % and Random Direction to 50 %, for example. Loop Mode • Off: If Playback Direction is set to a positive value, the wavetable plays from the position cursor to the end. If Playback Direction is set to a negative value, the wavetable plays from the position cursor to the start. • On: Depending on the Playback Direction setting, the wavetable plays forward or backward in a loop. • Alt: The wavetable plays in an alternate loop, that is, the loop is alternately played forward and backward. The first direction depends on the Playback Direction setting. Loop Until Release If this button is activated, the loop is repeated until you release the key on the keyboard. 111 Editing Zones Wavetable Section If this button is deactivated, waves outside the loop are not played when you release the key. Legato If Legato is deactivated, each note starts playback from the position cursor. If Legato is activated, the first note starts playback from the position cursor, and any following notes start from the current playback position for as long as the first note is held. Sync to Host Allows you to sync the wavetable to the beats and measures of your host application. Speed Determines the rate at which the envelope plays through the wavetables. At +100 %, the envelope plays back at its original speed. A value of +50 % corresponds to half the original speed, and +200 % to twice the original speed, for example. This parameter is unipolar. Key Follow Adjusts how the speed of the wavetable envelope is affected by the note that you play. Values higher that 0 increase the speed of notes above the center key and decrease the speed of notes below the center key. For example, at a setting of 100 %, the playback is twice as fast for the octave above the center key and is half the speed for the octave below the center key. A setting of 200 % results in an envelope that is four times as fast for the octave above the center key and is a quarter of the current speed for the octave below. NOTE Negative values invert the order, that is, the speed gets lower above the center key, and higher below the center key. Multi-Oscillator For Osc 1 and Osc 2, you can activate Multi-Oscillator mode. This allows you to create a richer sound by producing up to eight oscillators simultaneously. • To activate Multi-Oscillator mode, activate the On/Off button in the Multi-Oscillator section. Multi-Oscillator Number, Detune, Pan, and Spread • Number determines the number of oscillators that play back simultaneously. You can also set fractions of numbers. For example, with 112 Editing Zones Wavetable Section a setting of 2.5, you hear two oscillators at full level and a third one at half level. • Detune detunes the oscillators. • Pan narrows or widens the stereo panorama. With a setting of 0 %, you create a mono signal and with 100 %, you create a stereo signal. • Spread distributes the oscillators so that each oscillator plays from a different position in the wavetable. NOTE • The multi-oscillator settings can be modulated separately in the modulation matrix. • The pitch distribution of the unison voices is determined by the Distribution control in the Voice Control section. Formant Settings Formants are harmonics within the spectrum of a note which are pronounced and help to define the character of an instrument. The positions of the formants in the spectrum mainly depend on the construction of an instrument, such as the body of a guitar, the form of the vocal tract in a human body, the filter settings for electronic instruments, etc. These conditions lead to specific frequency ranges that are emphasized regardless of the pitch of the note. Playing back samples or wavetables with a different pitch than the original is usually done by increasing or decreasing the playback speed. This leads to the well known monster or Mickey Mouse effect, because all harmonics are also affected, that is, the characteristic formants are shifted. To avoid this, you can activate the Formant option. In addition, you can route any available modulation source to the Formant Shift modulation destination in the modulation matrix. This allows you to move the formants through the spectrum with an envelope, creating filter sweep effects, for example. On Activates/Deactivates the formant settings. Formant Allows you to shift the formants of the entire wavetable by a fixed value. Key Follow Allows you to shift the formants depending on the played note. • A value of 100 % means that the formant frequency moves with the played note. • A value of 0 % means that the formants kept the same for all notes. The root key for the key follow function is determined by the pitch of the original sample portion that was used to extract a wave in the wavetable. For waves with no sample origin, such as synthetic sine, saw, or square waves, or waves of freely edited spectrums, the root is set to C3. You can invert the behavior of the formant shift by setting Key Follow to negative values. 113 Editing Zones Wavetable Section Sub Oscillator The pitch of the sub oscillator is always one octave below the overall pitch of the wavetable zone. If you modulate the pitch of the wavetable zone, the pitch of the sub oscillator follows. On/Off Activates/Deactivates the sub oscillator. Type The wave shape of the sub oscillator. You can choose between Sine, Triangle, Saw, Square, Pulse Wide, and Pulse Narrow. Retrigger Mode Allows you to decide whether the sub oscillator runs freely, with a random phase each time a note is triggered, or with an adjustable start phase. • If Free Phase is selected, the behavior of analog synthesizers is emulated. The oscillator is running freely and continuously. • If Random Phase is selected, the start phase is randomly set to a different value each time that you trigger a note. In contrast to Free Phase, there is no continuity in the phase of the waveform. • If Fixed Phase is selected, the oscillator runs with a fixed start phase that can be specified between 0 and 360 degrees. Level Adjusts the output level of the sub oscillator. Pan Adjusts the position of the oscillator in the stereo panorama. At a setting of -100 %, the sound is panned hard left, and at +100 %, it is panned hard right. 114 Editing Zones Wavetable Section Noise The Noise section offers you a large amount of different noise types that can be used to add inharmonic frequencies to the overall spectrum, either for the entire sound, with looped noises or with one-shot noise samples. This allows you to add characteristic transients to percussive instruments based on samples, for example. Noise On/Off Activates/Deactivates the Noise section. Noise Type This pop-up menu offers you a choice of classic noises, attack transients, soundscapes, and ambience noise samples. Sync Activate Sync to synchronize the speed of the noise oscillator to the host tempo. This is particularly useful for rhythmic noises that are based on a tempo of 120 BPM. Loop Activate this button to play the noise sample in a loop. If this button is not activated, the sample is played once. Follow Pitch If Follow Pitch is activated, zone pitch settings like Octave, Coarse, and Fine, as well as modulations like Glide, Pitchbend, or other pitch modulations, affect the duration length. A higher sample pitch leads to a shorter duration. If Follow Pitch is deactivated, the duration is independent of the zone pitch and determined by the Duration settings. Speed Adjusts the playback speed of the noise sample. A setting of 800.0 % equals an increase of three octaves in pitch. Speed Key Follow Allows you to adjust the speed modulation by MIDI note number. At a setting of +100 %, the speed doubles per octave. 115 Editing Zones AudioWarp Section Start Adjusts the start of the noise sample. With a value of 50 %, playback starts in the middle of the sample. Random Start Selects a random playback start within a specific range around the current position. At a setting of 100 %, the playback position jumps to a random position between the specified Start value and the end of the noise sample. Level Adjusts the output level of the Noise section. Pan Determines the position of the noise in the stereo panorama. At a setting of -100 %, the sound is panned hard left, and at +100 %, it is panned hard right. NOTE Speed, Level, and Pan can be modulated in the modulation matrix. AudioWarp Section In this section, you can apply time stretching and formant shifting to the audio in your sample zones. Mode On the Mode pop-up menu, you select the mode that is used for the AudioWarp functions. • Off deactivates the AudioWarp section. • Solo offers parameters for time stretching and formant shifting. This mode is suitable for solo instruments and vocals. It is highly efficient and supports polyphonic playback. • Music offers parameters for time stretching. This mode is suitable for complex material like drum loops and samples with mixed music. It uses considerably more CPU time than Solo mode. Therefore, it is recommended for monophonic playback. The more the sample is stretched, the higher the CPU load. Music mode can only be used with mono and stereo samples. If you process multi-channel samples, only the left and right channels are stretched. The remaining channels are turned off. 116 Editing Zones AudioWarp Section Time Stretching On/Off If this button is activated, you can play back a sample at a different pitch than the root key without changing its tempo and length. In Music mode, transposition is limited to the range between -24 and +24 semitones around the root key of the sample. If you play notes outside this limit, the highest, or lowest, note is used, respectively. The same applies for pitch modulation. Settings outside the -24 to +24 semitones limit lead to clipping in the modulation. Legato You can use this function to turn a vocal sample into a choir, for example. If the Legato button is activated, you can add more voices while the sample is playing. These voices are inserted at the current playback position. All voices play in sync. If you play legato, the sample continues playing and you can change the chord without restarting the sample. Sometimes, the added voices can have audible clicks in the attack, for example, if playback starts somewhere in the middle of the sample. You can compensate for this by increasing the attack time of the amplifier envelope. NOTE Legato only works within a single sample zone, not across separate sample zones. Sync Mode The Sync modes are used to match the playback speed of the sample to the tempo of the host application. • If Off is selected, the playback speed is specified manually, in percent. • If Tempo is selected, the playback speed is calculated using the ratio between the original tempo of the sample and the tempo of the host. • If Beats is selected, the playback speed is calculated using the note length of the beats, the number of beats, and the tempo of the host. For the Sync modes to work properly, the loop of the sample has to be set up correctly. In Tempo mode, the original tempo must be set as exact as possible. If you load a sample that contains tempo information in the file header, HALion uses this information to set up the parameters Original Tempo, Note Length, and Number of Beats. If a sample does not contain any tempo information, HALion estimates these values. NOTE You can always modify the parameter values manually. Speed Adjusts the playback speed of the sample. You can speed up the tempo by up to 800 % of the original. In Music mode, the lower limit of the playback speed adjustment is 12.5 %. Values below this limit have no effect. 117 Editing Zones AudioWarp Section Original BPM If Sync Mode is set to Tempo, you can enter the original tempo of the sample in beats per minute. The playback speed of the sample is adjusted to match the tempo of the host application. Note Length and Number of Beats If Sync Mode is set to Beats, HALion calculates the tempo of the sample, based on the note length and number of beats that you enter. For example, if the sample is a drum loop with four quarter notes, set Note to 1/4 and Beats to 4. The playback speed of the sample is adjusted to match the tempo of the host. AudioWarp Key Follow Adjusts the time stretch modulation using MIDI note numbers. Positive values increase the playback speed of the sample the higher the notes you play. Negative values decrease the playback speed the higher the notes you play. Center Key Specifies the MIDI note that is used as the center position for AudioWarp Key Follow. Formant Shift On/Off Formant shifting allows you to avoid so-called Mickey Mouse effects when pitch shifting a sample. This is especially useful with samples of human voices or acoustic instruments. NOTE The Formant Shift options are only available in Solo mode. Formant Shift Specifies the amount of formant shifting. Formant Shift Key Follow Determines how much the formants follow the pitch. Use positive values to minimize the Mickey Mouse effect caused by pitch shifting. Minimum Grain Size If you use complex material, a larger grain size can sound better. The higher this setting, the less accurate the pitch detection, which helps to avoid misinterpretations of pitch. 118 Editing Zones Filter Section In addition, you can use this parameter to experiment and create interesting effects. NOTE This parameter is only available in Solo mode. Transient Detection Sets a threshold for the transient detection. The higher the value, the more transients are detected. Transients can sound more defined if you adjust this parameter. NOTE This parameter is only available in Solo mode. Modulating AudioWarp Parameters in the Modulation Matrix You can modulate the playback speed and formant shift of the sample in the modulation matrix. PREREQUISITE Make sure that the AudioWarp parameters are activated for the samples that you want to edit. PROCEDURE 1. In the modulation matrix, select a destination. On the Sample submenu of the modulation destinations, the options Speed Factor and Formant Shift are available. 2. Assign a modulation source and set up the modulation depth. NOTE The destination Formant Shift can only be used in Solo mode. RELATED LINKS Modulation Matrix on page 137 Filter Section The Filter section for synth, sample, grain, and wavetable zones allows you to adjust the tone color of the sound. 119 Editing Zones Filter Section Filter Mode The buttons on the left determine the overall filter structure. • Single Filter uses one filter with one selectable filter shape. • Dual Filter Serial uses two separate filters connected in series. You can select the filter shapes for each filter independently. The parameters Cutoff and Resonance control both filters simultaneously. However, you can offset these parameters for the second filter with the parameters CF Offset and Res Offset. • Dual Filter Parallel uses two separate filters connected in parallel. You can select the filter shapes for each filter independently. The parameters Cutoff and Resonance control both filters simultaneously. However, you can offset these parameters for the second filter with the parameters CF Offset and Res Offset. • Morph 2 morphs between filter shape A and B. Adjust the morphing with the Morph Y parameter. • Morph 4 morphs sequentially from filter shape A to D. Adjust the morphing with the Morph Y parameter. • Morph XY morphs freely between the filter shapes A, B, C, and D. Adjust the morphing with the Morph X and Morph Y parameters. NOTE The filter types HALion 3 and Waldorf always use Single filter mode. Filter Type Specifies the basic sound character of the filter. • Off deactivates the filter section. • Classic offers 24 filter shapes with resonance. • Tube Drive adds warm, tube-like distortion. You can set the amount of tube drive with the Distortion parameter. • Hard Clip adds bright, transistor-like distortion. You can set the amount of hard clipping with the Distortion parameter. • Bit Red (Bit Reduction) adds digital distortion by means of quantization noise. You can adjust the bit reduction with the Distortion parameter. • Rate Red adds digital distortion by means of aliasing. You can adjust the rate reduction with the Distortion parameter. • Rate Red KF adds digital distortion by means of aliasing. In addition, Key Follow is used. The rate reduction follows the keyboard, so the higher you play, the higher the sample rate. • HALion 3 offers the five legacy filter shapes from HALion 3. • Waldorf offers 13 filter shapes, including two comb filters. • Eco is a performance-optimized low-pass filter without Resonance or Distortion parameters. It allows you to adapt the brilliance of samples for different velocity layers of the same key, for example. 120 Editing Zones Filter Section NOTE Filters without distortion use less processing power. Filter Shape • LP24, 18, 12, and 6 are low-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12 and BP24 are band-pass filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+LP18 and HP6+LP12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct and a low-pass filter with 18 and 12 dB/oct, respectively (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies above the cutoff. • HP12+LP6 and HP18+LP6 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 12 and 18 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 dB/oct (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies below the cutoff. • HP24, 18, 12, and 6 are high-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies below the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12 and BR24 are band-reject filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12+LP6 and BR12+LP12 are combinations of a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct, respectively. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12+BR12 is a band-pass filter with 12 dB/oct plus a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below, above, and around the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+BR12 and HP12+BR12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct and a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below and around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP+LP6 is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct plus a low-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+AP is a high-pass filter with 6 dB/oct plus an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around and below the cutoff are attenuated. Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. X/Y Control Allows you to adjust two parameters simultaneously. • For the filter types Single, Dual Serial, and Dual Parallel, the X/Y control adjusts the cutoff frequency on the horizontal axis and the resonance on the vertical axis. 121 Editing Zones Filter Section • For the filter types Morph 2 and Morph 4, the X/Y control adjusts the morphing between the filter shapes on the vertical axis. The horizontal axis adjusts the cutoff frequency. • For Morph XY, the X/Y control adjusts the morphing between the filter shapes AD and BC on the horizontal axis, and AB and DC on the vertical axis. Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff. At higher settings, the filter selfoscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Distortion Adds distortion to the signal. The effect depends largely on the selected filter type. At higher settings, it creates a very intense distortion effect. NOTE This parameter is only available for the filter types Tube Drive, Hard Clip, Bit Red, Rate Red, and Rate Red KF. CF Offset For the dual filters, this parameter allows you to offset the cutoff frequency of the second filter, that is, of filter shape B. Res Offset For the dual filters, this parameter allows you to offset the resonance of the second filter, that is, of filter shape B. Cutoff Velocity Controls the cutoff modulation from velocity. Norm Allows you to normalize the velocity values that are used to modulate the filter. This means, that the velocity range for the zone is remapped to a full velocity range. For example, if a zone ranges from 40 to 80 on the mapping velocity scale, an incoming velocity of 40 results in a velocity value of 0 being sent to the cutoff, an incoming velocity of 80 results in 127. This way, you can adapt velocity-layered zones in such a way that each zone starts with a damped filter setting and opens completely towards the zone above. Fatness For the Waldorf and HALion 3 filter types, this his parameter adds a warm, tubelike filter distortion to the signal. Envelope Amount Controls the cutoff modulation from the filter envelope. 122 Editing Zones Amplifier Section Cutoff Key Follow Adjusts the cutoff modulation using the note number. Increase this parameter to raise the cutoff with higher notes. At 100 %, the cutoff follows the played pitch exactly. Center Key Specifies the MIDI note that is used as the central position for the Key Follow function. Bypass Filter Envelope Allows you to listen to the zone without modulation of the filter envelope. Bypass Filter Allows you to listen to the zone without any filtering. Amplifier Section The Amplifier section has two tabs: Main and AUX. The Main tab gives you access to the level and pan settings of the zone. The AUX tab allows you to send the zone to the four global AUX busses and to route the zone to one of the plug-in output busses. Main Tab Level Specifies the loudness of the zone. Headroom Specifies the headroom for polyphonic playback. By default, HALion uses a headroom of 12 dB. For monophonic programs, such as drum loops, set the headroom to 0 dB. If you work with low polyphony values, a headroom of 6 dB is sufficient. Expression If this button is activated, incoming MIDI expression controller and controller #7 data is used to calculate the voice amplitude. This ensures a correct behavior when working with General MIDI files, for example. Level Key Follow Allows you to control the volume depending on the note pitch. Positive values mean that the volume is higher the higher the notes you play. With negative values, the volume decreases the higher the notes you play. Center Key Specifies the MIDI note that is used as the center position for Level Key Follow. 123 Editing Zones Amplifier Section Pan Determines the position of the sound in the stereo panorama. At a setting of -100 %, the sound is panned hard left, and at +100 %, it is panned hard right. Mode With this option you can specify how the loudness changes across the stereo panorama. • If this parameter is set to 0 dB, it works like a balance control. Setting the pan control towards the left fades out the right channel and vice versa. At the center position, the loudness is not cut. • If this parameter is set to -3 dB, the option uses the cosine/sine pan law. The loudness is cut by -3 dB at the center position, but the energy is preserved when moving the source signal across the stereo panorama. The -3 dB option sounds more natural. The transition from hard left to hard right sounds much smoother than with the 0 dB or the -6 dB setting. • If this parameter is set to -6 dB, this option uses the linear pan law. The loudness is cut by -6 dB at the center position, and the energy is not preserved when moving the source signal across the stereo panorama. The -6 dB option sounds more synthetic. The transition from hard left to hard right sounds more abrupt than with the -3 dB setting. • If this parameter is set to Off, no panning is applied. Random Pan Allows you to offset the pan position randomly with each played note. Higher values cause stronger variations. At a setting of 100 %, the random offsets can vary from fully left to fully right. Alternate Pan Allows you to alternate the pan position each time that you play a note. To start panning on the left, use negative values. Use positive values to begin on the right. At a setting of +100 %, the first note plays hard right, the second note hard left, and so on. Reset The initial pan position is set once when HALion is loaded. After that, each note that you play is counted to determine the next pan position. To reset this counter, click the Reset button. Pan Key Follow Allows you to adjust the pan modulation via the MIDI note number. Set this parameter to positive values to offset the pan position towards the right for notes above, and towards the left for notes below the center key. Use negative values to offset the pan position towards the left for notes above, and towards the right for notes below the center key. At the maximum setting of +200 %, the pan position moves from hard left to hard right within two octaves: Fully left is reached one octave below and fully right is reached one octave above the center key. 124 Editing Zones Envelope Section Center Key Specifies the MIDI note that is used as the center position for Pan Key Follow. AUX Tab AUX 1-4 If you send the zone signal to one of the local AUX busses, you can control the signal level that is sent to the busses with the controls AUX 1-4. Output Zones can be routed to the following destinations: • Busses that are higher up in the hierarchy of the program. This includes the plug-in outputs, but not the bus that is set for the program slot or global AUX busses. • Busses that are part of the same layer and that have been inserted after this zone or bus. If you route a zone directly to one of the output busses, it does not pass through the layer, program, and slot busses. Envelope Section The Envelope section gives you access to the envelopes of the zone. For synth, sample, grain, and wavetable zones, the Amp, Filter, Pitch, and User envelopes are available. For organ zones, the Amp envelope is available. Each envelope is a multi-segment envelope with up to 128 nodes. The Amp, Filter, and Pitch envelopes are pre-assigned to the amplitude, the filter cutoff frequency, and the pitch of the zone. The User envelope is freely assignable. All envelopes can be used as sources in the modulation matrix. • Click Amp to display the parameters of the amplifier envelope. The amplifier envelope shapes the volume over time. 125 Editing Zones Envelope Section • Click Filter to display the parameters of the filter envelope. The filter envelope controls the cutoff frequency to shape the harmonic content over time. • Click Pitch to display the parameters of the pitch envelope. The pitch envelope modulates the pitch over time. The pitch envelope is bipolar, which means it allows for negative and positive values to bend the pitch. • Click User to display the parameters of the freely assignable user envelope. The user envelope is bipolar, which means it allows for negative and positive values, for example, to modulate the pan from left to right. Mode Determines how the envelope is played back when it is triggered. • Select Sustain to play the envelope from the first node to the sustain node. The sustain level is held for as long as you play the note. When you release the note, the envelope continues with the stages following the sustain. This mode is ideal for looped samples. • Select Loop to play back the envelope from the first node to the loop nodes. Then, the loop is repeated for as long as the key is held. When you release the note, the envelope continues playing the stages that follow the sustain. This mode is ideal for adding motion to the sustain of the envelope. • Select One Shot to play the envelope from the first to the last node, even if you release the key. The envelope has no sustain stage. This mode is ideal for drum samples. • Select Sample Loop to preserve the natural attack of the sample. The decay of the envelope does not start until the sample has reached the sample loop start. If you set the second node to the maximum level and use the following nodes to shape the decay during the loop phase of the sample, the envelope only affects the loop phase. The attack of the envelope is still executed. NOTE Sample Loop mode is only available for sample zones. Scale Rel (Scale Levels of Release Nodes with Level at Note-Off) Allows you to scale the level of the release node with the level at note-off. This avoids abrupt changes in level as the envelope passes from one phase to the next, for example from sustain to release. NOTE The level of the sustain node is automatically scaled this way. Sync Allows you to synchronize the envelopes to the tempo of your host application. 126 Editing Zones Envelope Section Snap You can select a second envelope to be displayed in the background of the edited envelope. If Snap is activated and you change the position of nodes, they snap to the nodes of the envelope that is shown in the background. • To specify the envelope for the background, open the pop-up menu to the right of the Snap button and select an envelope from the list. Fill Allows you to add multiple envelope nodes after the selected nodes. Fixed • If Fixed is activated and you move selected nodes on the time axis, only the selected nodes are moved. • If Fixed is deactivated, all nodes that follow the edited nodes are also moved. Env Node Displays the focused envelope node. Time Specifies the period of time between two nodes. Depending on the Sync mode, the Time parameter is displayed in milliseconds and seconds, or in fractions of beats. Curve Allows you to adjust the curvature of the envelope curve between two nodes from linear to logarithmic or exponential behavior. Level Specifies the amplitude of the envelope at the position set by the Time parameter. Level Velocity Curve You can select the curve type to specify how the incoming velocity translates to the level of the envelope. The characteristic of each curve is displayed by a small icon. Level Velocity (Vel>Lev) Determines how the velocity affects the level of the envelope. The level of the envelope depends on two factors: the setting of this parameter and how hard you hit a key. Positive values increase the level of the envelope the harder you hit a key. Negative values decrease the level of the envelope the harder you hit a key. Time Velocity (Vel>Time) Adjusts the influence of velocity on the phases of the envelope. Positive values decrease the length of the phases for higher velocity values. Negative values increase the length of the phases for higher velocity values. 127 Editing Zones Envelope Section Segments Here, you can select which phases of the envelope are affected by the Time Velocity parameter. • Attack – The velocity affects the attack only. • Attack + Decay – The velocity affects all phases until the sustain. • Decay – The velocity affects all phases until the sustain but without the attack. • Attack + Release – The velocity affects the attack and the release phases. • All – The velocity affects all phases. Time Key Follow, Center Key, and KeyF Rel (Key Follow Release) With the Time Key Follow and KeyF Rel parameters, you can scale the envelope phases across the keyboard. • Time Key Follow scales all times before the sustain node. • KeyF Rel scales all times after the sustain node, that is, the release phase of the envelope. The value that you specify for Center Key is used as the central position for the Time Key Follow and KeyF Rel functions. The envelope phases depend on the keyboard range in which the note is played and on the corresponding Time Key Follow setting: • Positive values decrease the phase lengths for notes above and increase the phase lengths for notes below the set Center Key, that is, the envelope becomes faster the higher the note you play. • Negative values increase the phase lengths for notes above and decrease the phase lengths for notes below the Center Key, that is, the envelope becomes slower the higher the note you play. RELATED LINKS Scaling the Level of the Release Node with the Level at Note-Off on page 131 Zooming The vertical axis of the graphical envelope editor displays the level. The horizontal axis displays the time. • To zoom in or out, click the + or - buttons to the right of the scrollbar below the graphical editor. • To zoom in or out at the current position, click in the timeline and drag up or down. • To toggle between full zoom and the previous zoom setting, click the A button to the right of the horizontal zoom slider. • To zoom to a specific region, hold Alt, click and drag the mouse over the region. Zoom Snapshots Zoom snapshots save the zoom factor and scroll position of the editor. These are restored when you load the snapshot. 128 Editing Zones Envelope Section To the right of the scrollbar, you can find three numbered buttons that allow you to save and load zoom snapshots. • To save the current state of the editor as snapshot, Shift-click one of the numbered buttons to the right of the scrollbar. • To load a zoom snapshot, click the corresponding button. The button color changes if a snapshot is active. NOTE If you perform any manual zooming or scrolling, the zoom snapshot is deactivated. Selecting Nodes • To select a node, click on it in the graphical editor. The focused node is indicated by a frame. The value fields to the left of the graphical envelope editor display the parameters of the focused node. • If multiple nodes are selected, you can use the Env Node pop-up menu to set the focus to a different node without losing the current selection. • To add a node to a selection, Shift-click the node. Selected nodes are edited together. • You can select multiple nodes by drawing a rectangle around the nodes with the mouse. • To select all envelope nodes, press Ctrl/Cmd-A • If the graphical editor has the focus, you can select the next or the previous node with the left and right arrow keys. Adjusting the Time Parameter The Time parameter specifies the period of time between two nodes. Depending on the Sync mode, the Time parameter is displayed in milliseconds and seconds, or in fractions of beats. • To set the Time parameter, select the nodes that you want to adjust and enter a value in the Time field. • You can also adjust the Time parameter in the graphical envelope editor, by dragging the nodes left or right, to decrease or to increase the time span. For a higher resolution, hold Shift while moving the nodes. To limit the movement to the time axis, that is, to change only the horizontal position of a node, hold down Ctrl/Cmd while dragging. Adjusting the Level Parameter The Level parameter specifies the amplitude of the envelope at the position set by the Time parameter. The Amp and Filter envelopes are unipolar. Therefore, the value range for the level is 0 % to +100 % (positive values only). The Pitch and User envelopes are bipolar. Therefore, the value range for the level is from -100 % to +100 % (negative and positive values) for these envelopes. You can change the polarity of the envelopes in the modulation matrix, to map the range of the amplifier envelope (unipolar) to the Pan parameter (bipolar), for example. However, the envelopes always display their values with their default polarity. 129 Editing Zones Envelope Section • To set the Level parameter, select the nodes that you want to adjust and enter a value in the Level field. • You can also adjust the Level parameter in the graphical envelope editor by dragging the selected nodes up or down, to decrease or increase the levels. For a higher resolution, hold Shift while moving the nodes. To limit the movement to the level axis, that is, to change only the vertical position of a node, hold down Alt while dragging. Adjusting the Curve Parameter The Curve parameter allows you to adjust the curvature of the envelope curve between two nodes from linear to logarithmic or exponential behavior. • To set the Curve parameter, select the nodes that you want to adjust and enter a value in the Curve field. Positive curve values change the curvature towards logarithmic and negative values towards exponential behavior. • You can also adjust the Curve parameter in the graphical envelope editor by dragging the curve between two nodes. Ctrl/Cmd-click a curve to reset it to linear. Adding and Removing Nodes • To add a node, double-click at the position where you want to add the node. • To remove a node, double-click it. • To delete several selected nodes, press Delete. NOTE • You cannot remove the first, the last, or the sustain node. • All nodes added after the sustain node always affect the release phase of the envelope. Adding Nodes Using the Fill Function The Fill function allows you to add multiple envelope nodes after the selected nodes. PROCEDURE 1. On the pop-up menu to the right of the Fill button, select the number of nodes that you want to add. 2. In the graphical envelope editor, select the node after which you want to add nodes. If several nodes are selected, the new nodes are inserted after the last selected node. If Fixed is deactivated, the added nodes are placed with the interval specified by the Time parameter of the selected node. If multiple nodes are selected, the interval is specified by the focused node. By activating Sync, you can specify the interval with the Sync note value. For example, if 1/4 is selected, new nodes are added at exact quarter note intervals. If Fixed is activated, the added nodes fill the space between the last selected node and the following one. 3. Click the Fill button. 130 Editing Zones Envelope Section Scaling the Level of the Release Node with the Level at Note-Off PROCEDURE 1. Set up an amplifier envelope with five nodes, spaced at intervals of 1000 ms. The second, third, and fourth nodes have a level of 100 %. All curve segments are linear. 2. Deactivate Scale Rel and play and release a note in the middle of the attack, halfway between node 1 and 2. The level of node 4 is not altered. However, the sustain level is scaled down and therefore increases when going from the sustain node to node 4. 3. Now, activate Scale Rel and play and release a note in the middle of the attack, halfway between node 1 and 2. The level of node 4 is scaled down by the level at note-off. In this example, the sustain level and the level of node 4 are exactly the same. They have been scaled by the same amount and the level will not change when going from the sustain node to node 4. Using Sync You can synchronize the envelopes to the tempo of your host application. This allows you to set envelope times that relate to musical time intervals, regardless of any tempo changes. PROCEDURE 1. Click Sync to activate sync mode for the envelope. Sync mode is active if the button is highlighted. A grid spaced in fractions of beats is displayed in the graphical envelope editor. 2. On the pop-up menu located to the right of the Sync button, select a note value. This sets the resolution of the grid. NOTE The Time field of a node displays times in fractions of beats. The fraction is always reduced to the smallest possible value. 2/16 is displayed as 1/8, for example. 3. To use triplet note values, activate the T button. NOTE • Envelope nodes that do not exactly match a note value display the closest note value. 131 Editing Zones LFO Section • Nodes that exactly match a note value are indicated by a red dot inside the handle of the node. This is useful if you switch the grid between triplets and normal note values, for example. The triplet nodes still indicate that they match a note value, even if the grid shows normal note values. You can also enter note values and triplets manually in the value field. Setting Up the Loop You can set up the envelope to repeat its playback between the selected nodes. PROCEDURE 1. Set the envelope mode to Loop. 2. The loop is indicated by the green region in the graphical envelope editor. Specify the loop start and end by dragging the borders of the region. The loop region can only be set up in the decay phase of the envelope. LFO Section Synth, sample, grain, and wavetable zones offer two polyphonic LFOs. LFO 1 and LFO 2 Polyphonic means the LFOs are calculated per voice allowing for independent modulations with each triggered note. You can use this to create a richer sound, for example, with an independent pitch modulation per note. The LFOs can be assigned freely in the modulation matrix and they have an additional envelope that allows you to shape the modulation intensity over time. You can also configure monophonic LFOs using the Mono LFO MIDI Module. To access the LFOs, click the corresponding button at the top of the LFO section. You can adjust the times of the envelope in the graphical editor by dragging nodes left or right. NOTE Which nodes are available in the graphical editor depends on the Envelope Mode setting. • The first node adjusts the Delay time. • The second node adjusts the Fade In time. • The third node adjusts the Hold time. 132 Editing Zones LFO Section • The fourth node adjusts the Fade Out time. LFO Waveform and Shape • Sine produces smooth modulation, suitable for vibrato or tremolo. Shape adds additional harmonics to the waveform. • Triangle is similar to Sine. Shape continuously changes the triangle waveform to a trapezoid. • Saw produces a ramp cycle. Shape continuously changes the waveform from ramp down to triangle to ramp up. • Pulse produces stepped modulation, where the modulation switches abruptly between two values. Shape continuously changes the ratio between the high and low state of the waveform. If Shape is set to 50 %, a square wave is produced. • Ramp is similar to the Saw waveform. Shape increasingly puts silence before the sawtooth ramp up begins. • Log produces a logarithmic modulation. Shape continuously changes the logarithmic curvature from negative to positive. • S & H 1 produces randomly stepped modulation, where each step is different. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. • S & H 2 is similar to S & H 1. The steps alternate between random high and low values. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. Sync Mode The Sync Mode is used to match the LFO to the tempo of the host application. • Select Off to adjust the speed of the modulation in Hertz. • Select Tempo + Retrig to adjust the speed of the modulation in fractions of beats. You can also set dotted and triplet note values. The restart behavior of the LFO depends on the Retrigger Mode. • Select Tempo + Beat to adjust the speed of the modulation in fractions of beats. You can also set dotted and triplet note values. The LFO restarts with the transport of the host and lines up to the beats of the song. The Retrigger Mode setting is not taken into account. NOTE The behavior of the Frequency parameter changes with the selected option. Retrigger Mode Determines whether the LFO is restarted when a note is triggered. The waveform restarts at the position set with the Phase parameter. The polyphonic LFOs can switch between On and Off. • If this parameter is set to Off, the LFO runs freely. • If this parameter is set to On, the LFO starts with each triggered note. 133 Editing Zones LFO Section Frequency Controls the frequency of the modulation, that is, the speed of the LFO. Phase Sets the initial phase of the waveform when the LFO is retriggered. Rnd (Random Phase) If this button is activated, each note starts with a randomized start phase. NOTE The Phase control cannot be used if Rnd is activated. Delay Determines the delay time between the moment you play a note and the moment the LFO comes into effect. Fade In Determines how long the LFO takes to fade in after the note was triggered and the Delay time has elapsed. Hold Determines the amount of time the LFO is running before the fade out begins. NOTE Hold is only available for the envelope modes One Shot and Hold + Fade Out. Fade Out Determines how long the LFO takes to fade out after the hold time has elapsed or a note has been released. NOTE To deactivate the fade out, use the envelope modes One Shot + Sustain or Sustain. This ensures that the modulation does not change when a note is released. Inv (Invert Envelope) If this parameter is activated, the behavior of the LFO envelope is inverted, that is, the LFO modulation starts at its maximum level and decreases to zero in the time specified by the Fade In parameter. After the Hold time has elapsed, or when the key is released, the modulation increases to its maximum level in the time specified by the Fade Out parameter. Envelope Mode Allows you to specify how the LFO envelope reacts to your playing on the keyboard. The One Shot modes do not react to note-off events. • Select One Shot to play the envelope from start to end in the time specified by the Delay, Fade In, Hold, and Fade Out parameters. 134 Editing Zones Step Modulator • One Shot + Sustain is similar to One Shot. The Delay and Fade In parameters are always applied when you play a note. The Hold and Fade Out parameters are not available. • If Hold + Fade Out is selected and you play a note, the Delay and Fade In parameters are applied. The envelope fades out after the time specified by the Hold parameter or when a key is released. Releasing a key during the fade in starts the fade out from the current level. • If Sustain + Fade Out is selected and you play a note, the Delay and Fade In parameters are applied. The Hold parameter is not available. The fade out is applied when releasing the key. Releasing a key during the fade in starts the fade out from the current level. • If Sustain is selected and you play a note, the Delay and Fade In parameters are applied. The Hold and Fade Out parameters are not available. Releasing a key during the fade in sustains the current level. This prevents a change in modulation when a key is released. RELATED LINKS Mono LFO on page 510 Step Modulator Synth, sample, grain, and wavetable zones feature a polyphonic step modulator for creating rhythmic control sequences. The step modulator can be freely assigned in the modulation matrix. Steps Sets the number of steps in the sequence. The maximum number of steps is 32. Sync Mode • If Off is selected, you can adjust the speed at which the sequence repeats. Whether the sequence restarts when you play a note depends on the Retrigger mode. • If Tempo + Retrig is selected, you can adjust the length of the steps in fractions of beats. The speed of the modulation depends on the number of steps, the note value, and the tempo you set in your host application. To use triplet note values, activate Triplet. Whether the sequence restarts when you play a note depends on the selected Retrigger Mode. • If Tempo + Beat is selected, you can adjust the length of the steps in fractions of beats. The speed of the modulation depends on the number of 135 Editing Zones Step Modulator steps, the note value, and the tempo you set in your host application. To use triplet note values, activate Triplet. The sequence restarts with the transport of the host application and lines up to the beats of the project. The Retrigger Mode is not taken into account. Frequency If Sync Mode is set to Off, this controls the speed at which the sequence is repeated. Note If Sync Mode is set to one of the Tempo settings, this adjusts the length of the steps in fractions of beats. You can also select triplet values. Triplet Activate this button to use triplet note values. Retrigger Mode Determines whether the sequence restarts when you play a note. This parameter is only available if Sync Mode is set to Off or Tempo + Retrig. • If this parameter is set to Off, the sequence is not restarted. Instead, it resumes playback at the position at which you released the key. • If this parameter is set to First Note, the sequence restarts when a note is triggered and no other notes are held. • If this parameter is set to Each Note, the sequence restarts each time a note is triggered. Slope Determines whether the step modulator jumps from step to step or creates ramps between the steps. • No Slope produces hard steps. • Slope on Rising Edges creates ramps only for rising edges. • Slope on Falling Edges creates ramps only for falling edges. • Slope on All Edges creates ramps for all edges. Amount If Slope is set to Rising, Falling, or All, this parameter determines the time of the ramp between two steps. The higher the setting, the smoother the transitions between steps. Step Allows you to select a specific step. Level Shows the level of the selected step. Snap If Snap is activated, the level of each step can only be adjusted in steps of 1/12th. 136 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix Shift Phrase Right/Shift Phrase Left These commands shift all the steps to the right/left. If you shift the rhythm of the phrase to the left, the first step is moved to the end. If you shift the phrase to the right, the last step is moved to the beginning. Reverse Phrase Reverses the phrase, that is, inverts the order of all steps. Editing Steps • To set the level of a step, click at the corresponding position in the graphical editor. • To change the value of a step, drag the step up or down or enter a new value in the Level value field. • To reset the level of a step to 0 %, Ctrl/Cmd-click the step. • To reset all steps, hold Shift-Ctrl/Cmd and click in the graphical editor. • To adjust all steps at the same time, Shift-click and drag a step. • To draw a ramp with steps, hold down Alt and draw a line. • To draw symmetric ramps at the beginning and the end of the sequence, hold down Shift-Alt and draw a line. • To gradually raise or lower the value of the selected step, use the up and down arrow keys. By default, the value changes in increments of 1 %. Hold Shift to use increments of 0.1 % instead. • If the graphical editor has the keyboard focus, you can use the left and right arrow keys to select the previous or next step. Producing Modulations in Steps of Semitones PROCEDURE 1. Activate Snap. 2. In the modulation matrix, assign the Step Modulator to Pitch. 3. Set the Modulation Depth to +12. Now, the levels of the steps represent semitone intervals. 4. In the Step Modulator, adjust each step to the interval that you want to use. Modulation Matrix The concept of controlling one parameter by another is called modulation. HALion offers many fixed assigned modulations, such as the amplitude and filter envelopes, or pitch key follow. In the modulation matrix, you can assign additional modulations. Assigning modulations means interconnecting modulation sources, like LFOs and envelopes, with modulation destinations, like pitch, cutoff, amplitude, etc. 137 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix The modulation matrix offers you up to 32 freely assignable modulations, each with a source, an offset parameter, a modifier, and a destination with adjustable depth. All modulation sources and destinations can be assigned several times. The polarity of each source can be switched between unipolar and bipolar. An additional modifier and user-definable curves and ranges give you further control over the modulation. The modulation matrix is divided into two sections. On the left, you can assign modulation sources to destinations and adjust the modulation depth. The section on the right contains settings for the curve and range editor, where you can make further settings for the selected modulation source. Creating Modulations PROCEDURE 1. Select the zone that you want to adjust. 2. Select a modulation source and a modulation destination, for example, LFO1 as source and Pitch as destination. 3. Use the horizontal fader below the destination to adjust the modulation depth. 4. Optional: Click the Source 2 field and select a modifier or change the polarity of the source. For example, select Pitch Bend as modifier and set it to unipolar. 5. Optional: Use the curve and range settings on the right to limit the modulation range or to adjust the characteristics of the modulation. 138 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix Modulation Matrix Context Menu Cut Modulation Cuts the modulation data from the current slot. Copy Modulation Copies the modulation data from the current slot to the clipboard. Paste Modulation Pastes the modulation data from the clipboard to the current modulation slot. NOTE You can copy modulation rows between different programs and between different plug-in instances. Insert Modulation Inserts an empty modulation slot. Remove Modulation Removes the modulation slot. Name of the Assigned Source/Modulator/Destination Depending on where you click, the assigned modulation source, the modulator, or the modulation destination is shown on the context menu. Assign to New Automation Assigns this modulation source as automation parameter. Learn CC Allows you to assign a MIDI controller to the modulation slot. 139 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix Forget CC Removes the MIDI controller assignment for the current slot. Set Minimum Allows you to set the minimum value for the MIDI controller that is assigned to the modulation slot. Set Maximum Allows you to set the maximum value for the MIDI controller that is assigned to the modulation slot. Assign Quick Control Allows you to assign a quick control to the modulation slot. Forget Quick Control Removes the quick control assignment of the modulation slot. Set Minimum Allows you to set the minimum value for the quick control that is assigned to the modulation slot. Set Maximum Allows you to set the maximum value for the quick control that is assigned to the modulation slot. Set Type • Absolute remote-controls the parameter values continuously. Absolute mode changes the assigned parameters by overwriting them with the current quick control value, that is, parameter changes are overwritten. • Relative remote-controls the parameter values continuously. Relative mode changes the values of the assigned parameters without losing their relative settings, that is, parameter changes can still be heard. • Switch Absolute switches between the minimum and maximum value. Parameter changes are overwritten. • Switch Relative switches between the minimum and maximum value. Parameter changes can still be heard. RELATED LINKS Setting Up Automation on page 44 Modulation Matrix Parameters Modulation Sources LFO 1/2 The LFOs 1 and 2 produce cyclic modulation signals. These LFOs are polyphonic, that is, a new LFO signal is created with each new note. 140 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix Amp Envelope The amplifier envelope. This modulation source is unipolar. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. Filter Envelope The filter envelope. This modulation source is unipolar. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. Pitch Envelope The pitch envelope. This modulation source is bipolar. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. User Envelope The user envelope. This modulation source is bipolar. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. Step Modulator The step modulator of the zone. This modulation source is bipolar. It produces cyclic, rhythmically stepped modulation signals. Glide The glide signal of the source. This modulation source is unipolar. Key Follow This produces an exponential modulation signal derived from the MIDI note number. Exponential means this source works with destinations such as Pitch or Cutoff. This modulation source is bipolar. Note-on Velocity Note-on velocity can be used as modulation signal. This modulation source is unipolar. Note-on Vel Squared The squared version of Note-on Velocity. The harder you press the key, the higher the modulation values. Note-on Vel Normalized The note-on velocity is normalized according to the velocity range of the corresponding sample zone. At the lowest velocity of the zone, the modulation is 0, at the highest velocity, the modulation is 1. Note-off Velocity Note-off velocity can be used as modulation signal. This modulation source is unipolar. Most MIDI keyboards cannot send note-off velocity messages. However, most sequencer software is able to produce such messages. Pitchbend The position of the pitchbend wheel can be used as modulation signal. This modulation source is bipolar. 141 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix Modulation Wheel The position of the modulation wheel can be used as modulation signal. This modulation source is unipolar. Aftertouch Aftertouch can be used as modulation signal. This modulation source is unipolar. Some MIDI keyboards cannot send aftertouch messages. However, most sequencer software is able to produce such messages. MIDI Controller Any of the 127 available MIDI controllers can be used as modulation signal. You can select the MIDI controller from the corresponding submenu. In addition, you can select the eight global MIDI controllers Contr. A-Contr. H that can be used as placeholders in the modulation matrix. These controllers allow you to remap specific MIDI controllers to the placeholder controllers, for example, using the CC Mapper. This way, you can use the global controllers in several places, and set up the assignment only once. Quick Control The quick controls of the program or layer to which the zone belongs can be used as modulation signal. You can select the quick control from the corresponding submenu. Note Expression This submenu lists the eight Note Expression parameters that can be used as modulation signals. MIDI Modules This submenu lists the available MIDI modules that can be used as modulation signals. A zone can use the MIDI modules that are higher up in the Program Tree hierarchy than the zone. Which parameters are available depends on the selected module. Noise Produces a random modulation signal. This modulation source is bipolar. Output The audio output of the zone can be used as modulation signal. This modulation source is unipolar. Bus 1–16 Modulations that are sent to one of the 16 busses can be reused as sources. This way, you can combine several modulations to produce more complex signals. Modulation Modifiers All modulation sources can also be used as modifiers. A modifier is used to scale the output of the modulation source. A typical example is an LFO as a source and the modulation wheel as the modifier. This allows you to control the intensity of the LFO modulation using the wheel. 142 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix The Sample & Hold modifier is only available on the Source 2 pop-up menu. It takes a sample of the modulation source whenever it receives a trigger signal. It holds the sampled value until it receives a new trigger. This way, you can quantize a continuous modulation signal. The following Sample & Hold options are available: Trigger on Note-on Triggers the Sample & Hold modifier manually each time that you hit a key. Trigger on LFO 1 Triggers the Sample & Hold modifier each time that the waveform of LFO 1 crosses the zero line from below. Trigger on LFO 2 Triggers the Sample & Hold modifier each time that the waveform of LFO 2 crosses the zero line from below. Trigger on Modulation Wheel Triggers the Sample & Hold modifier each time that the modulation wheel passes the center position. Trigger on Sustain Triggers the Sample & Hold modifier each time that you press the sustain pedal. Sample until Release Triggers the Sample & Hold modifier each time that you release a key. Unipolar vs. Bipolar Sources The polarity of a modulation source specifies the value range that it produces. Unipolar sources modulate between 0 and +1. Bipolar sources modulate between -1 and +1. • To change the polarity of a modulation source, click its Polarity button. Modulation Depth The horizontal fader below the destination adjusts the modulation depth. Bypass Modulation Click the Bypass button in front of the depth fader to bypass the modulation. Modulation Destinations Depending on the selected type of zone, the available modulation destinations vary. Pitch Modulates the pitch. For example, assign one of the LFOs to create a vibrato effect. If Pitch is selected, the modulation depth is set in semitones (-60 to +60). Cutoff Modulates the filter cutoff. 143 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix For example, to create rhythmic patterns in the spectral timbre, assign the Step Modulator. Resonance Modulates the filter resonance. Resonance changes the character of the filter. For example, to accent the filter the harder you hit a key, assign Velocity to Resonance. Distortion Modulates the filter distortion. This has no effect on the Classic, HALion 3, and Waldorf filters. Morph X Modulates the x-axis of the filter in Morph XY mode. Use this to morph between the filter shapes AD and BC. Morph Y Modulates the y-axis of the filter in Morph 2, Morph 4, or Morph XY mode. Use this to morph between the filter shapes AB and DC, for example. Cutoff Offset Modulates the cutoff offset of the second filter in Dual Filter Serial or Dual Filter Parallel mode. For example, to lower or raise the cutoff of the second filter while you play, assign the modulation wheel. Resonance Offset Modulates the resonance offset of the second filter in Dual Filter Serial or Dual Filter Parallel mode. For example, to lower or raise the resonance of the second filter while you play, assign the modulation wheel. Level This modulation adds to the level setting. It can be used to create level offsets using the mod wheel, for example. Volume 1 Modulates the gain. The volume modulation multiplies with the level. This modulation is ideal for crossfades between zones. Volume 2 As Volume 1. Volume 1 is multiplied with Volume 2. This way, you can build more complex modulations. Pan Modulates the position of the zone in the panorama. Sample Start Modulates the start position of the sample playback. For example, assign Noteon Velocity to play back more of the attack of a sample the harder you hit a key. 144 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The parameter is updated only when you hit a key. Speed Factor Modulates the speed factor of the sample. Formant Shift Modulates the formant shifting. Grain Position Modulates the playback position. The modulation is not continuous, but it is updated at the start of each grain. Grain Direction Modulates the Direction parameter. For the effect to be heard, the Speed parameter must be set to a value above 0 %. Grain Duration Modulates the grain duration, that is, the frequency at which the grains repeat. The maximum modulation range at a modulation depth of 100 % is -5 to +5 octaves. Grain Length Modulates the grain length. Grain Pitch Modulates the pitch of a grain. The modulation is not continuous, but it is updated at the start of a new grain. For continuous pitch modulation, use Pitch instead of Grain Pitch as destination and make sure that Follow Zone Pitch is activated in the grain oscillator. Grain Formant Grain Level Modulates the grain level. The modulation is not continuous, but it is updated at the start of each new grain. For continuous level modulation, use the destinations Volume 1, Volume 2, or Level. Osc 1/2/3 Pitch Modulates the pitch of the corresponding oscillator. For example, to detune an oscillator cyclically, assign one of the LFOs. Osc 1/2/3 Level Modulates the level of the corresponding oscillator. For example, to fade an oscillator in and out while you play, assign the modulation wheel. Osc 1/2/3 Waveform Modulates the shape and character of the corresponding oscillator. 145 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix For example, to change the character of an oscillator over time, assign one of the envelopes. Osc 1/2/3 Multi Detune Modulates the Detune parameter of the individual oscillator voices that are produced by multi-oscillator mode. Osc 1/2/3 Multi Pan Modulates the pan position of the individual oscillator voices that are produced by multi-oscillator mode. Osc 1/2/3 Multi Voices Modulates the number of oscillator voices that are produced by multi-oscillator mode. Sub Osc Level Modulates the level of the sub oscillator. For example, to fade in the oscillator while you play, assign the modulation wheel. Ring Mod Level Modulates the level of the ring modulation effect. For example, to fade in the ring modulation while you play, assign the modulation wheel. Noise Level Modulates the level of the noise generator. For example, to fade in the noise generator while you play, assign the modulation wheel. LFO 1/2 Frequency Modulates the speed of the corresponding LFO. For example, to control the speed of a vibrato effect while you play, assign Aftertouch. LFO 1/2 Shape Modulates the waveform of the corresponding LFO. For example, to vary the waveform with the playing position on the keyboard, assign Key Follow. Step Mod Frequency Modulates the speed of the step modulator. For example, assign an LFO to increase or decrease the speed cyclically. Step Mod Slope Modulates the shape of the edges of the step modulator if the Slope parameter is active. For example, assign the modulation wheel to blend from hard to smooth edges. Amp Env Attack Time Modulates the attack time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. 146 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix Amp Env Decay Time Modulates the decay time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Sustain Level Modulates the sustain level of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Release Time Modulates the release time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Attack Time Modulates the attack time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Decay Time Modulates the decay time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Sustain Level Modulates the sustain level of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Release Time Modulates the release time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Pitch Env Start Level Modulates the level of the first pitch envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Pitch Env Attack Time Modulates the attack time of the pitch envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Pitch Env Attack Level Modulates the level of the second pitch envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. 147 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix Pitch Env Decay Time Modulates the decay time of the pitch envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Pitch Env Sustain Level Modulates the sustain level of the pitch envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Pitch Env Release Time Modulates the release time of the pitch envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Pitch Env Release Level Modulates the level of the last pitch envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. User Env Start Level Modulates the level of the first user envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. User Env Attack Time Modulates the attack time of the user envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. User Env Attack Level Modulates the level of the second user envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. User Env Decay Time Modulates the decay time of the user envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. User Env Sustain Level Modulates the sustain level of the user envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. User Env Release Time Modulates the release time of the user envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. 148 Editing Zones Modulation Matrix User Env Release Level Modulates the level of the last user envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Bus 1-16 You can send any modulation to one of the 16 busses, for example, to produce more complex modulation signals. Select the bus that you want to send the signals to as a destination. To use the modulation that was sent to a bus, assign the corresponding bus as a modulation source. Curve and Range Editor You can set up a curve and range for each modulation source. • The curve editor allows you to change the characteristics of a modulation. The displayed curve is superimposed on the modulation source. This way, you can change the modulation from linear to exponential or logarithmic, for example. • By setting the minimum and maximum values, you limit the modulation to a specific range only. In addition, you can specify an offset and a range for the modulation. For example, with an offset and range of +50 %, only the second half of the displayed curve is superimposed on the modulation. • If a MIDI or Note Expression controller is selected as modulation source, the Smoothing parameter is available. This allows for parameter changes to occur more gradually. Set this to Default to use the global Smoothing parameter set up in the Options Editor or enter a value in the value field. The curve editor offers different presets that you can select by clicking the corresponding button on the right of the curve editor. To set up your own curve, click CustomCurve. You can edit the custom curve in the following way: • Double-click in the editor to insert a new node. • Double-click on a node to delete it. • Drag the nodes to new positions to adjust the basic shape of the curve. • Drag the lines between the nodes up or down to change the curvature. 149 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor The Sample Editor allows you to view and edit samples. In HALion, samples are associated with sample zones. If a sample zone is selected, the Sample Editor shows the corresponding sample. Loading and Previewing Samples The controls in the Sample Editor header allow you to load a sample and make preview settings. Load/Replace Sample Allows you to load a new sample or replace the current sample. Preview Volume/Output for Preview You can specify the playback volume and output for the Sample Editor with the Preview Volume and Output for Preview controls in the upper right corner of the editor. Toolbar The toolbar contains tools for editing sample markers, loop markers, and slices, for example. Play Sample Activate this button to play back the raw sample. Play Selection Looped Activate this button to play back the selection in a loop. Auto-Scroll If this button is activated, the waveform display is scrolled during playback, keeping the playback cursor visible. Follow Sample Playback Activate this button to see a play locator when triggering a sample via MIDI. 150 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Toolbar Range Selection Tool Click and drag with this tool to create a selection. Zoom Tool If this tool is selected, you can click in the waveform to zoom in on the position where you click. Play Tool If this tool is selected, you can click in the waveform to start playback. The sample is played back from this position until you release the mouse button. Scrub Tool If this tool is selected, you can click in the waveform and drag sideways to play back the audio. The playback direction and speed depend on how far you move the mouse left or right from the position where you clicked. Snap If this button is activated, the selection start and end points and markers snap to other markers. Snap to Zero Crossing If this button is activated, markers and selection start and end points are only placed at zero crossings, that is, at positions in the audio where the amplitude is zero. This helps you avoid pops and clicks that are caused by sudden amplitude changes. Trim Sample Trims the sample, either to the selection, or to the range that is set with the sample start/end markers. Revert to Full Sample Undoes the trimming, so that the entire sample is restored. NOTE After undoing the trimming, make sure to set the start/end markers to their original positions, otherwise these parts are not played back. Normalize Sample Normalizes the sample by detecting the highest peak level in the sample and adjusting the gain to reach a predefined level. Normalize Level Sets the level for the Normalize Sample function. Sustain/Release Loop Switches between the display of the sustain loop and the release loop in the waveform display. 151 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Toolbar Edit Loop If this button is activated, the editor shows the looped region instead of the original sample data. This provides a better overview over the transition between loop end and loop start and allows you to set the loop markers to the best positions. NOTE If Loop Mode is deactivated when you activate Edit Loop, it is automatically set to Continuous and the loop markers are placed at the start and end of the sample. Show Resulting Loop Crossfade Activate this button to see the effect of your crossfade settings in the waveform display. If this button is activated, the resulting waveform is displayed in red. NOTE This button only has an effect if Edit Loop is activated. Find Previous Loop Start/Find Next Loop Start Automatically detects a suitable loop start, either before (previous) or after (next) the current loop start. Find Previous Loop End/Find Next Loop End Automatically detects a suitable loop end, either before (previous) or after (next) the current loop end. Loop Transition Set this to t (transition) to search for short loops or to T (timbre) to search for longer loops. It can be useful to search for longer loops if the sample contains longer sound progressions or beats that need to be included. That way you can prevent the resulting loop from becoming static. If this is set to T, HALion also suggests loop marker positions that might not be optimal regarding the local transition, but best reflect the tonal progression of the sound. In this case, you can use the Crossfade function to smooth out the loop. Threshold HALion detects a large number of possible loop marker positions for the loop. These positions are evaluated internally and attributed a score, according to quality. The Threshold parameter allows you to specify the score value that a marker must have before it can be used. With the highest setting, only a few suitable positions are suggested. Loop Score Each detected loop marker is evaluated and attributed a score that provides additional information about how well loop start and end match. 152 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Info Line NOTE This value is only updated when you search for loop positions using the Find Previous/Next Loop Start/End buttons. Pitch Detection Sensitivity Allows you to adjust the pitch detection curve. For example, if the pitch detection curve changes too fast or if it contains wrong pitches, lower the Pitch Detection Sensitivity. Detected Pitch The detected pitch at the current marker position. If the Slice tab is selected, the following additional tools are available on the toolbar: Play Slice Tool If this tool is selected, you can play slices by clicking on them. Lock Slices Activate this button to prevent slice markers from being accidentally moved. Locked slices are shown with red markers. Auto Zoom Slices If this button is activated and you step through slice zones in the Program Tree, the slices are zoomed automatically so that they are centered in the waveform display. Zoom to Previous Slice/Zoom to Next Slice Click these buttons to zoom in on the previous/next slice. Info Line File Length Shows the length of the sample file. Sample Rate Shows the sample rate of the sample file. File Tempo Shows the tempo of the sample file, in BPM. Playback Position Shows the playback position. To change the playback position, use the arrow buttons or enter a new position in the value field. 153 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Info Line Selection Start Sets the start of the selection. Selection End Sets the end of the selection. Selection Length Sets the length of the selection. Show Selection/Sample Parameters Switches the info line between displaying the parameters for the selection or for the entire sample. Root Key The root key determines the original pitch of a zone, that is, the key on which the zone is played without being transposed. Tune Sets the tune offset of the zone. This value can be written into the sample file on export and is read on import. Gain Sets the gain offset of the zone. This value can be written into the sample file on export and is read on import. Pan Allows you to specify a pan offset for the sample. If the Slice tab is selected, the info line contains the following slice-specific settings: Sample Length Shows the length of the sample. Tempo Shows the tempo of the sample, in BPM. Bars/Beats Shows the length of the sample found by the automatic tempo detection, in bars and beats. NOTE You can adjust these values manually. This has an effect on the grid and the tempo. Grid Allows you to display a grid in the waveform display. Grid Resolution Sets the grid resolution, in note values. 154 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Overview Line Signature Allows you to specify the time signature of the loop. Offset Offsets the grid by the specified value. Overview Line The overview line shows the entire sample. The section that is visible in the waveform display is indicated by a rectangle. The current selection range in the waveform display is shown in brown. • To view a different section of the sample, click in the lower half of the rectangle and drag to the left or right. • To show a larger or a smaller range of the sample in the main waveform display, resize the rectangle by dragging its borders. • To specify a new sample range for the main waveform display, click in the upper half of the overview and drag. Waveform Display The waveform display shows the waveform image of the sample. To the left of the waveform display, a level scale is shown, indicating the amplitude of the audio. • To select whether the level is shown as a percentage or in dB, click the level scale label (dB or %), and select an option from the pop-up menu. • To display the half level axis, right-click in the waveform display and select the corresponding option on the context menu. Ruler The ruler shows the timeline in the specified display format. • To select the format, click the arrow button to the right of the ruler and select an option from the pop-up menu. You can choose to display bars and beats, seconds, or samples. 155 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Waveform Display View Options Channel View Options You can display either all channels, a specific channel, or the sum of all channels by activating the corresponding button to the left of the waveform display. If no selection is made here, all channels are displayed. NOTE Which channel selector buttons are available depends on the sample file. Show Fades in Wave If this button is activated, your fade settings are displayed directly in the waveform. Show Gain in Wave • If this button is activated, the waveform display shows the influence of the Gain parameter on the sample. The gain can either be set manually or by using the Normalize function. • If this button is deactivated, the original raw sample data is shown. Show Pitch Detection Curve If this button is activated, the pitch detection curve is displayed on the waveform. This curve shows you where in a sample the pitch can be detected properly. Show Pitch Envelope/Show Level Envelope You can edit the pitch and the level of a sample using the integrated pitch and level envelopes. This allows you to modify the pitch of the attack portion of a sample or to correct the pitch or the level of a loop end so that it matches the loop start, for example. Both envelopes are applied when you play a sample using your MIDI keyboard. To edit an envelope, click Show Pitch Envelope or Show Level Envelope. • To offset the pitch or level of an entire sample, add a single node and move it up or down from the center position. • To add further to the envelope, double-click the curve. • To remove a node, double-click it. • To reset a node to its neutral position, Ctrl/Cmd-click it. 156 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Parameter Section Zoom Envelope Zooms in on the pitch and level envelopes. This allows you to edit the envelopes in more detail. Bypass Gain, Tuning, Fades, and Envelopes in Editor Playback Bypasses any level and pitch corrections that are performed by changing the gain of the sample, using fade curves, the pitch envelope, and the level envelope. Parameter Section The parameter section below the waveform display contains sample and sample zone parameters. NOTE The Sample Oscillator parameters on the Main and Loop tabs can be edited for multiple samples at the same time. This can be useful to add a fade to a multi-selection or to set loop markers for several samples that contain different microphone signals of the same instrument, for example. Main Tab The Main tab contains the zone parameters, the marker settings, and the fade settings for the sample. Playback Mode • Normal – The sample is played back from beginning to end. If loops are defined, they are played back according to their loop settings. • Reverse – The sample is played from end to beginning, ignoring any loop settings. • One-Shot – The sample is played back from beginning to end, regardless of any loop settings. • Reverse One-Shot – The sample is played back from end to beginning, regardless of any loop settings. In One-Shot and Reverse One-Shot mode, the zones ignore any MIDI note-off messages. All envelopes and LFOs play until their sustain is reached and then remain on this level for as long as the sample plays back. Any release segments of the envelopes and LFOs are not played. However, if you activate One-Shot mode in the Envelope section, the release nodes of the envelopes are included in the playback. Fixed Pitch If a sample zone is triggered by a MIDI note other than the one defined by the Root Key setting, the sample is normally pitched accordingly. If Fixed Pitch is 157 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Parameter Section activated, the relation between played note and root key is disregarded and all keys play the sample just as it was recorded. NOTE You can still apply the usual pitch modulations in the Pitch section and set the sample to follow the keyboard according to the Pitch Key Follow setting. Sample Start The start marker of the sample. Sample End The end marker of the sample. Link Sample Start and End Links the sample start and end positions. If you edit one of the values, the other is automatically modified. NOTE You cannot change the sample start or end positions beyond the limits of the sample file. For example, if the end of the sample is reached and you raise the Sample Start value, the Sample End value is not modified. Start Range Determines the range for sample start offset modulation. If Sample Start is selected as a modulation destination in the modulation matrix, the Start Range parameter controls the sample portion that is affected by the start offset modulation. If this parameter is set to zero, no sample start modulation is performed. For example, if Note-on Velocity is used to modulate the Sample Start parameter, a high key velocity starts playback later in the sample, and the range of this modulation is determined by the Start Range parameter. Release Start Determines the position to which the cursor jumps when you release a key. For example, if you are playing back a sample in a loop, but you want it to play its original release phase, set the Release Start parameter to this position. Release Offset Allows you to fine-tune the release start for each sample. This allows you to offset the release start for several zones at the same time without losing the original release settings, for example. Crossfade/Fade In/Fade Out Allow you to set the curve and the length of the fade in, the fade out, and the crossfade. 158 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Parameter Section Loop Tab This tab contains settings for the sustain loop and the release loop and lets you set up two different loop sets. Loop Sets A and B Allow you to set up two different sets of loops for the same sample. This is useful to compare different versions of the same loop, for example. Loop Mode Allows you to select a mode for the sustain loop and the release loop. • If this is set to No Loop, the sample is played without loop. • If this is set to Continuous, the loop is played continuously until the end of the amplitude envelope. • If this is set to Alternate, the loop alternates forward and backward even if you release the key. • If this is set to Once, the loop is repeated once. • If this is set to Until Release (sustain loop only), the loop is repeated until you release the key on the keyboard. • If this is set to Alternate Until Release (sustain loop only), the loop alternates forward and backward for as long as the key is held and then continues to the end of the sample. NOTE If Loop Mode is set to Alternate or Alternate Until Release, the loop crossfade is applied to the loop start and the loop end. All other modes on the Loop Mode pop-up menu apply the loop crossfade only to the loop end. Loop Start The loop start for the sustain loop and for the release loop. Loop End The loop end for the sustain loop and for the release loop. Link Loop Start and End Links the loop start and end positions. If you edit one of the values, the other is automatically modified. Crossfade Allows you to introduce a crossfade between loop end and loop start. Crossfades allow for smoother transitions. 159 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Parameter Section Curve Allows you to create a linear curve, an equal power curve, or anything in between for the crossfade. Tuning Sets the tuning of the loop. This is useful to adjust the frequency of the loop. Slice Tab The parameter section contains different parameters, depending on whether slices have been created or not. If no slices have been created, the following parameters are available: Slice Detection Mode The slice detection automatically sets slice markers in the waveform. • Transient mode allows you to set the minimum peak level that a transient needs to become a slice marker. • Grid mode sets the slice markers according to a beat grid. • Transient + Grid detects slices that match both conditions. • Manual mode deactivates automatic slice detection. In this mode, you can only set slice markers manually. NOTE You can always add slice markers manually by Alt-clicking in the waveform. Threshold Determines the minimum level that a transient must have to be detected as start of a new slice. Sensitivity The transient detection evaluates all transients and classifies them according to their quality. The Sensitivity control allows you to define the quality that must be matched before a slice marker can be set. Min Length Determines the minimum length of a slice. Use this parameter to avoid creating slices that are too short. Grid Catch In Transient+Grid mode, you can use this control to specify how close to the grid a transient marker must be. 160 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Parameter Section Reset Slice Marker Edits Removes all slice markers that you have edited manually and repositions any moved markers. Apply Click this button to create slices. After clicking Apply, the button reads Revert and allows you to undo the slicing. If slices have been created, the following parameters are available: Playback Mode • Normal – The sample is played back from beginning to end. If loops are defined, they are played back according to their loop settings. • Reverse – The sample is played from end to beginning, ignoring any loop settings. • One-Shot – The sample is played back from beginning to end, regardless of any loop settings. • Reverse One-Shot – The sample is played back from end to beginning, regardless of any loop settings. In One-Shot and Reverse One-Shot mode, the zones ignore any MIDI note-off messages. All envelopes and LFOs play until their sustain is reached and then remain on this level for as long as the sample plays back. Any release segments of the envelopes and LFOs are not played. However, if you activate One-Shot mode in the Envelope section, the release nodes of the envelopes are included in the playback. Filter Type Specifies the basic sound character of the filter. • Off deactivates the filter section. • Classic offers 24 filter shapes with resonance. • Tube Drive adds warm, tube-like distortion. You can set the amount of tube drive with the Distortion parameter. • Hard Clip adds bright, transistor-like distortion. You can set the amount of hard clipping with the Distortion parameter. • Bit Red (Bit Reduction) adds digital distortion by means of quantization noise. You can adjust the bit reduction with the Distortion parameter. • Rate Red adds digital distortion by means of aliasing. You can adjust the rate reduction with the Distortion parameter. • Rate Red KF adds digital distortion by means of aliasing. In addition, Key Follow is used. The rate reduction follows the keyboard, so the higher you play, the higher the sample rate. • HALion 3 offers the five legacy filter shapes from HALion 3. • Waldorf offers 13 filter shapes, including two comb filters. 161 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Parameter Section • Eco is a performance-optimized low-pass filter without Resonance or Distortion parameters. It allows you to adapt the brilliance of samples for different velocity layers of the same key, for example. NOTE Filters without distortion use less processing power. Coarse Tuning Adjusts the tuning in semitone steps. Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff. At higher settings, the filter selfoscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Distortion Adds distortion to the signal. The effect depends largely on the selected filter type. At higher settings, it creates a very intense distortion effect. NOTE This parameter is only available for the filter types Tube Drive, Hard Clip, Bit Red, Rate Red, and Rate Red KF. Morph X/Y These controls are available if the filter types Morph 2, Morph 4, or Morph XY are used in the Filter section in the Zone Editor for the sample zone. With Morph X/Y, you can adjust two parameters simultaneously. • For the filter types Morph 2 and Morph 4, the Y control adjusts the morphing between the filter shapes. • For Morph XY, the Morph X control adjusts the morphing between the filter shapes AD and BC and the Morph Y control adjusts the morphing between the filter shapes AB and DC. Level Sets the level of the selected slice. Pan Sets the panorama position for the selected slice. Drag MIDI Phrase to Host Sequencer To export your slice markers as MIDI phrase, drag the MIDI export field to your host sequencer or another destination that can handle MIDI files. This MIDI file is used to play the sliced loop. 162 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Sample Editor Context Menu Reset Slice Marker Edits Removes all slice markers that you have edited manually and repositions any moved markers. Revert Click this button to remove any modifications to the slice markers, to undo the slicing, and to remove the layer with the sliced zones from the Program Tree. AUX Tab If you have created slices, the AUX tab becomes available. AUX 1-4 You can send the signal of the selected slice to the global, or, if available, the local AUX busses. Use the controls to specify the level that is sent to each AUX bus. Fade In/Fade Out Defines a fade in or a fade out for the selected slices. This can be used to remove unwanted clicks if the audio is difficult to slice. RELATED LINKS Filter Section on page 119 Sample Editor Context Menu Range Selection Tool Click and drag with this tool to create a selection. Zoom Tool If this tool is selected, you can click in the waveform to zoom in on the position where you click. Play Tool If this tool is selected, you can click in the waveform to start playback. The sample is played back from this position until you release the mouse button. 163 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Sample Editor Context Menu Scrub Tool If this tool is selected, you can click in the waveform and drag sideways to play back the audio. The playback direction and speed depend on how far you move the mouse left or right from the position where you clicked. Zoom • Zoom In zooms in one step. • Zoom Out zooms out one step. • Zoom Full displays the entire sample in the waveform display. • Toggle Zoom Full/Last switches between the last zoom setting and the display of the entire sample. • Undo/Redo Zoom allow you to undo/redo the last zoom setting. • Zoom to Selection zooms in on the current selection. • Zoom to Sample Start/End zooms in on the sample start or end marker, depending on which is nearer to the position of the cursor. • Zoom to Sample Start zooms in on the start marker of the sample. • Zoom to Sample Start Range zooms in on the start range. • Zoom to Sample End zooms in on the end marker of the sample. • Zoom to Sustain Loop zooms in on the entire sustain loop. • Zoom to Sustain Loop Start zooms in on the start of the sustain loop. • Zoom to Sustain Loop End zooms in on the end of the sustain loop. • Zoom to Release Start zooms in on the release start. • Zoom to Start zooms in on the start of the sample file. • Zoom to End zooms in on the end of the sample file. • Zoom to Range zooms in on the selection range. Sample • Read Root Key and Tuning From File allows you to set the root key and tuning to the values that are saved in the sample file. The current zone settings are overwritten by the sample file settings. NOTE This option is only available if the corresponding information is available in the sample file. • Show in Explorer/Finder navigates to the file in the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder. • Read Loop from File allows you to set loop markers to the values that are saved in the sample file. The current zone settings are overwritten by the sample file settings. NOTE This option is only available if the corresponding information is available in the sample file. • Open in External Editor allows you to open and edit the sample in an external editor. 164 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Sample Editor Context Menu NOTE This menu entry is only available if an external editor is specified in the Edit section of the Options Editor. • Trim Sample to Start/End trims the sample according to the start and end markers. • Trim Sample to Selection trims the sample according to the current selection range. • Normalize Sample allows you to normalize the sample. • Copy Sustain Loop to Release Loop copies the start/end marker positions of the sustain loop to the release loop. • Copy Release Loop to Sustain Loop copies the start/end marker positions of the release loop to the sustain loop. • Copy Loop A to B copies the settings of loop A to loop B. • Copy Loop B to A copies the settings of loop B to loop A. • Set Sustain Loop to Sample Start/End sets the sustain loop start and end marker positions to those of the sample start and end markers. This is useful for drum loops, for example. • Set Sample Start/End to Sustain Loop sets the sample start and end marker positions to those of the sustain loop start and end markers. This can be used to create sliced loops from longer sample files. Loop Selection • Set Sample Start/End to Selection moves the start and end points of the sample to the start and end points of the selection range. • Set Sustain Loop to Selection moves the sustain loop markers so that they encompass the selection range. • Set Release Loop to Selection moves the release loop markers so that they encompass the selection range. • Create Zone from Selection creates a new sample zone from the selection range. Show Half Level Axis Activate this option to show the half level axes in the waveform display. View Range • Auto uses the view range of the previous sample. • Last restores the view range that is saved with the sample. • Full shows the entire sample. • Sample shows the range between sample start and sample end markers. • Sample Start shows the sample start marker with the current zoom factor. • Sample Start Range shows the sample start range marker with the current zoom factor. • Sample End shows the sample end marker with the current zoom factor. 165 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Markers • Sustain Loop shows the entire sustain loop. • Sustain Loop Start shows the start marker of the sustain loop with the current zoom factor. • Sustain Loop End shows the end marker of the sustain loop with the current zoom factor. • Release Loop shows the entire release loop. • Release Loop Start shows the start marker of the release loop with the current zoom factor. • Release Loop End shows the end marker of the release loop with the current zoom factor. NOTE If the view range cannot be set to the specified loop marker or range because the sample does not contain the required loop, it is set to the last stored settings for that zone. If no such settings are found, the entire sample is displayed. RELATED LINKS Options Editor on page 35 Markers Markers specify important positions or sections in a sample. You can move markers by dragging them in the graphical display. Which markers are shown in the display depend on which tab is selected. Sample Start Defines where the sample starts to play when a zone is triggered. Audio before this marker is skipped. Sample End Defines where the sample stops playing. Audio after this marker is ignored. Sustain Loop Start Defines where the sustain loop starts. 166 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Zooming Sustain Loop End Defines where the sustain loop ends. When this marker is reached, playback jumps back to the sustain loop start. Release Loop Start Defines where the release loop starts. Release Loop End Defines where the release loop ends. When this marker is reached, playback jumps back to the release loop start. Release Start This marker defines the position at which playback starts when a note-off message is received. This allows for a realistic release note-off behavior without the necessity of using extra release samples. To avoid unwanted clicks when jumping to the release marker, you can set a crossfade time and curvature on the Loop tab in the parameter section. Sample Start Range Defines the attack phase of a sample, which can be used for the modulation of the sample start. RELATED LINKS Sample Oscillator Section on page 106 Zooming • To zoom in/out on the time and level axis, use the horizontal and vertical zoom sliders. • The three buttons to the right of the horizontal zoom slider allow you to zoom to the start, the end, and to the full range. Depending on the situation, these options refer to the sample, the selection, or a loop. Click several times to increase the zoom level. • To toggle between full zoom and the previous zoom setting, click the A button to the right of the horizontal zoom slider. • To zoom in/out on the locator position, press G and H. • You can click and drag the ruler to zoom in/out on the position you have clicked. • Resize the rectangle in the overview line to zoom to this range. • Use the options on the Zoom submenu of the context menu. Editing Samples in an External Editor HALion allows you to use an external sample editor to perform destructive offline editing on a sample. 167 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Creating Loops NOTE Not all sample editors provide the same functionality, that is, certain features, like transferring sample loop markers, are not always possible. To get the best results, use Steinberg’s WaveLab. • To load the current sample in an external editor, right-click in the waveform of the sample, and select Sample > Open in External Editor. The external sample editor is launched and the sample is transferred. NOTE This menu entry is only available if an external editor is specified in the Edit section in the Options Editor. HALion creates a copy of the sample and writes it to a temporary folder. This folder is specified in the Options Editor. If no folder is specified, the temporary folder of the operating system is used. Changes in the external editor are made to the copy of the sample. When you save the sample in the external editor, HALion recognizes that the temporary file has changed and lets you update the corresponding sample. NOTE Sample start/end and release markers cannot be transferred to an external editor. If a sample is referenced by several zones, changes to the sample are reflected in all these zones. RELATED LINKS Edit Section on page 38 Creating Loops You can specify two independent loops, one for the sustain phase, and one for the release phase. To set up the sustain and the release loop, you can set the start and end positions manually and/or use the functions to automatically detect suitable loop positions. For a smooth loop, you must find positions at which the loop end can be continued naturally at the loop start. The loop settings can be edited using the toolbar options and the handles in the waveform display, but they are also available on the Loop tab in the parameters section. Setting Up a Loop PROCEDURE 1. On the Loop tab, select a loop mode for the sustain loop and the release loop. The corresponding markers are shown in the waveform display. 2. Activate Edit Loop on the toolbar. 3. Do one of the following: 168 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Creating Loops • Set the start and end markers for the loop by dragging the marker handles or press Shift and drag the audio before or after the loop end marker to adjust the end or start position. • To automatically detect suitable loop start and end positions, click the Find Previous Loop Start/End or Find Next Loop Start/End buttons. The loop markers are set accordingly. NOTE The Loop Transition, Threshold, and Loop Score settings influence the marker detection features. Edit Loop If Edit Loop is activated, the editor shows the looped region instead of the original sample data. This is useful to fine-tune and adjust a loop. The waveform is updated to reflect the result of your loop settings. To better see how loop start and end are correlating, a part of the waveform is displayed in blue on top of the loop. This part is taken from an area around the loop start (+/- the loop length) and then shifted to the loop end. The better both waveforms correspond, the smoother the sound of the loop. Setting Up Loop Crossfades Loop crossfades allow for smoother loops. PROCEDURE 1. Activate Edit Loop on the toolbar. Crossfade handles are displayed in the waveform display. 2. Click Sustain/Release Loop on the toolbar to select whether you want to edit the sustain loop or the release loop. 3. Drag the crossfade handles or enter the crossfade range numerically in the parameter section. 4. To see the effect of the crossfade, activate Show Resulting Loop Crossfade on the toolbar. The resulting waveform is displayed in red. 5. Adjust the crossfade curve by dragging the middle of the fade curve up or down. Creating a Loop from the Selection You can use a selection range as the basis for a loop. PROCEDURE 1. Activate Play Selection Looped on the toolbar. 2. Click the Play Sample button on the toolbar. 3. Adjust the selection until you are satisfied with the loop. 169 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Creating Slices Automatically 4. Right-click in the waveform display, open the Selection submenu, and select Set Sustain Loop to Selection or Set Release Loop to Selection. Creating Slices Automatically You can slice samples in the Sample Editor. This allows you to play them back in sync with the host application, for example. PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, select the sample zone that you want to slice. 2. In the Sample Editor, select the Slice tab. 3. Adjust the Threshold, Sensitivity, Min Length and Grid Catch parameters to set the slice markers automatically. 4. If necessary, move, add, or delete slice markers manually. You can add and delete slice markers by Alt-clicking in the editor. 5. To create slices, click Apply in the upper right corner of the parameter section. RESULT HALion creates zones from the slices. These zones are added to the Program Tree, together with a slice player that contains the MIDI sequence to play back the sliced loop. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK NOTE • After slicing the sample, you can still edit the slice markers manually, but you cannot use the automatic slice detection. • If you change slice markers after creating slices, the sample start and end markers of the affected zones in the Program Tree are modified. If you add slice markers, new zones are added. If you remove slice markers, the corresponding zones are removed. Modifying Start and End of Slices You can shorten a slice without changing the position of the adjacent slice markers. PROCEDURE • Select the Main tab and drag the corresponding marker. If you modify the end marker, the following slice start marker turns blue. If you modify the sample start marker of a slice, this marker turns blue. NOTE Changing the start or end markers does not influence the timing of the note events of the MIDI phrase that triggers the loop. 170 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Replacing Samples Editing Parameter Curves If you click the parameter name above a control, you can view and edit the corresponding parameter in the waveform display. NOTE Only one parameter can be shown at a time. • To change the value of a single step, drag it up/down. • To adjust all steps at once, Shift-drag a step. • To reset a step to a level of 0 dB, Ctrl/Cmd-click the step. • To reset all steps, hold down Shift and Ctrl/Cmd and click in the graphical editor. • To draw a ramp with steps, Alt-click and draw a line. Replacing Samples You can replace samples using the Load/Replace Sample button in the header of the Sample Editor. Furthermore, the Program Tree allows you to exchange samples, for example, to replace the snare drum in a drum loop. This can be done by replacing the sample or the sample zone. If you replace the sample, zone parameters like filter settings, etc. remain unaffected. If you replace the entire zone, the sample and all zone parameters are replaced. • In the Program Tree, drag the new sample or sample zone onto the sample or zone that you want to replace. • Drag the new sample or zone from the Program Tree onto the slice in the slice editor that you want to replace. NOTE If the replacement sample is longer than the original, change the playback mode of the zone to One-Shot, to make sure that the sample is played until the end. If you replace slices in the Sample Editor, the following applies: • In the Sample Editor, samples that were replaced are shown in a different color. 171 Editing Samples in the Sample Editor Replacing Samples • The Sample Editor does not show the waveform of the replaced sample, only the original sample waveform. NOTE If you revert the slicing of a loop, all created zones are deleted and any replacement samples are also discarded. 172 Wavetable Synthesis HALion’s wavetable synthesis offers you a wide range of possibilities, from the re-synthesis of samples to the creation of entirely new sounds. In classic subtractive synthesis, static harmonic oscillator waveforms are sent through filters and amplifiers where the sound is shaped. In wavetable synthesis, you can extract specific portions of samples and align these to make up a wavetable. The waves in the wavetable are played back one after the other to create the sound progression. You can shape the sound as in the subtractive synthesis by using filters, amplifiers, etc. The Wavetable Editor is where you create wavetables, that is, where you load samples, insert wave extraction markers to add the waves, work on the spectrum of the waves, create the wavetable envelope, and specify the order of the waves in the wavetable. HALion allows you to create your own wavetables by extracting single-cycle waves from samples. Single-cycle means that a wave is exactly one period long. The sophisticated sample analysis functions in the Wavetable Editor help you to find good positions for wave extraction. When HALion extracts a wave from a sample, a wavetable envelope is created. You can edit the envelope on the Envelope tab. This envelope is part of the wavetable, which means that you can always use the wavetable as it is, without having to assign and set up a new envelope. The order of the waves in the wavetable determines how the sound evolves when you modulate the position. A wavetable can contain up to 256 waves that can be extracted from different samples. A series of consecutive waves from the same sample is called a sequence. A wavetable can contain multiple sequences from different samples. In the Zone Editor for a wavetable zone, in the Wavetable section, you can find the play parameters for wavetables. This is where you specify which oscillators you want to use and where you make settings for them. You can modulate the wavetable position automatically with the Speed parameter or manually in the modulation matrix. RELATED LINKS Editing Zones on page 92 Wavetable Section on page 109 173 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor Wavetable Editor The Wavetable Editor allows you to create wavetables by extracting waves from samples. The Osc 1 and Osc 2 tabs in the top section of the Wavetable Editor allow you to switch between the settings for the two oscillators. The Wavetable Editor contains a sample display, a Spectrum tab, and an Envelope tab. At the bottom of the window, an overview of the wavetable that contains the extracted waves is displayed. The file path and name of the sample are displayed above the sample display. If more than one sample is loaded, the file path serves as a menu to select the sample to edit and display. If you select a sample, the waves that belong to it are selected in the wavetable. The order of the waves in the wavetable determines how the sound evolves when you modulate the position, either automatically with the Speed parameter or manually in the modulation matrix. 3D Map and 2D Wave Tabs Show 2D Wave Displays a single cycle of the current waveform. The shape of the waveform changes as the sound evolves, reflecting the waveform at the current position in the wavetable. If Multi-Oscillator is activated in the Wavetable section of the Zone Editor, the view displays the waveform of the individual oscillators. Show 3D Wavetable Map Displays a topographic map of the entire wavetable. The current position in the wavetable is indicated by a line. If Multi-Oscillator is activated in the Wavetable section of the Zone Editor, the view indicates the position of the individual oscillators. • To change the viewing angle, drag the 3D map. 174 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor • To zoom in and out, use the scroll wheel of your mouse. Toolbar Play Sample Plays back the original sample. You can specify the playback volume and output with the Preview Volume and Output for Preview controls in the upper right corner of the editor. Play Selection Looped Activate this button to play back the selection in a loop. Auto-Scroll If this button is activated, the waveform display is scrolled during playback, keeping the playback cursor visible. Range Selection Tool Click and drag with this tool to create a selection. Zoom Tool If this tool is selected, you can click in the waveform to zoom in on the position where you click. Play Tool If this tool is selected, you can click in the waveform to start playback. The sample is played back from this position until you release the mouse button. Scrub Tool If this tool is selected, you can click in the waveform and drag sideways to play back the audio. The playback direction and speed depend on how far you move the mouse left or right from the position where you clicked. Marker Creation Mode • If this parameter is set to Equal Distance, the markers are equally distributed over the sample. • If this parameter is set to Exponential, the distances between the markers increase over the length of the sample. • If this parameter is set to Spectral, the entire sample is analyzed and markers are only inserted if the change in the spectrum exceeds the set threshold. • If this parameter is set to Spectral Voiced, the entire sample is analyzed and markers are only inserted if the change in the spectrum exceeds the set threshold and if a pitch is detected at this position. NOTE Markers are created automatically each time that you change the Marker Creation Mode, the Number of Markers, or the Threshold. 175 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor Number of Markers The number of markers in the sample display. You can enter the number of markers that you want to use directly in the value field. Set Markers Analyzes the sample and inserts markers, depending on the Marker Creation Mode setting. Sample Position The position of the selected marker in the sample. Fixed Size Sets the FFT window to a fixed size. This is useful if you want to extract a specific portion of a sample. • If this button is activated, you can enter the size in number of samples in the Window Size value field. NOTE If the window size does not match the fundamental frequency of the sample, the extracted wave has digital artifacts. Detected Pitch The detected pitch at the current marker position. Window Crossfade Sets window crossfade. NOTE This option is only available for the Rectangular window type. Window Size Sets the size of the window. Window Type Allows you to select the window type. Pitch Detection Sensitivity Allows you to adjust the pitch detection curve. For example, if the pitch detection curve changes too fast or if it contains wrong pitches, lower the Pitch Detection Sensitivity. 176 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor Channel View Options On the left of the waveform display, you can find the view options for the waveform. If you use multi-channel samples, the buttons on the left of the sample display let you decide which channel is displayed and used for wave extraction. The channel setting is remembered for each extracted wave. This way, you can extract one wave from the left and another from the right channel, for example. By default, the wave is extracted from the sum of the audio channels. Wavetable Envelope On the Envelope tab, you can set up the wavetable envelope. This envelope determines how the waves in a wavetable play back. An envelope can consist of a number of segments that can be based on different waves. The order of the segments in the wavetable envelope matches the order of the waves in the wavetable. Between these segments, crossfades are inserted to create smooth transitions. The form of the crossfades is shown in the display. The fade-in and fade-out of the selected segment are highlighted. The vertical line in the display marks the position where the wave can be heard alone, that is, without crossfade from adjacent waves. When you play a note, the envelope starts from the position cursor. Time of Segment If you want to adjust an envelope segment to a specific time, enter the value in this field. You can adjust the Time of several selected segments at the same time. Link Envelope Times to Marker Positions If this button is activated, the chronological order of the envelope segments corresponds to the chronological order of the markers in the sample. New markers are added to the wavetable envelope according to their position in the sample. If you change the position of a marker in the sample, the position and time of the corresponding envelope segment also change. If this button is deactivated, you can extract a different spectrum from a different position in the sample without changing the envelope. 177 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor NOTE • If you adjust the envelope or change the order of the waves while Link Envelope Times to Marker Positions is activated, this option is automatically deactivated, because the markers and the envelope are not in sync anymore. • If the wavetable consists of multiple sequences, this option is remembered separately for each sequence. Set Equal Times The duration of the selected envelope segments is adjusted to equal times, that is, to the arithmetic mean of the durations of the segments. NOTE This function can only be used if three or more consecutive segments are selected. Double Envelope Times For the selected envelope segments, the times are doubled. Halve Envelope Times For the selected envelope segments, the times are halved. Speed Determines the rate at which the envelope plays through the wavetables. At +100 %, the envelope plays back at its original speed. A value of +50 % corresponds to half the original speed, and +200 % to twice the original speed, for example. This parameter is unipolar. Position The position of the cursor. Loop Mode • Off: If Playback Direction is set to a positive value, the wavetable plays from the position cursor to the end. If Playback Direction is set to a negative value, the wavetable plays from the position cursor to the start. • On: Depending on the Playback Direction setting, the wavetable plays forward or backward in a loop. • Alt: The wavetable plays in an alternate loop, that is, the loop is alternately played forward and backward. The first direction depends on the Playback Direction setting. Loop Until Release If this button is activated, the loop is repeated until you release the key on the keyboard. If this button is deactivated, waves outside the loop are not played when you release the key. 178 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor Legato If Legato is deactivated, each note starts playback from the position cursor. If Legato is activated, the first note starts playback from the position cursor, and any following notes start from the current playback position for as long as the first note is held. Sync To Host Tempo You can synchronize the envelope to the tempo of your host application. This allows you to set envelope times that relate to musical time intervals. If Sync is activated, a grid appears in the graphical envelope editor. On the Grid pop-up menu to the right of the Sync button, you can select a note value. This sets the resolution of the grid. For example, if you specify a 1/4 note value, the envelope segments snap to 1/4 note steps. If the T button is activated, triplet note values are used. You can also enter note values and triplets manually in the value field. The Time field of a segment displays times in fractions of beats. The fraction is always reduced to the smallest possible value. For example, 2/16 is displayed as 1/8. Envelope segments that do not exactly match a note value show the closest note value. Fixed • If Fixed is activated and you move selected segments on the time axis, only these segments are moved. • If Fixed is deactivated, all segments that follow the edited segments are also moved. NOTE Position, Speed, and Direction of wavetable oscillator 1 and 2 can be modulated in the modulation matrix. Editing the Envelope • To move the cursor, drag the blue handle above the envelope. • To change the length of a segment, drag its right border. • To adjust the shape of the crossfade between two waves, drag the crossfade lines of the segment. This way, you can change the character of the crossfade from linear to exponential/logarithmic behavior. • To reset the crossfade to linear, Ctrl/Cmd-click it. Editing Selections You can change the position and distribution of envelope markers within a multi selection of markers. • To stretch or expand all markers, hold down Ctrl/Cmd and move the first or the last marker of the selection. To modify the distribution of the markers inside the selection, hold down Ctrl/Cmd and move one of the middle markers. 179 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor Moving the marker towards the first or last marker stretches the density of markers at one side and expands it on the other side. Dragging the middle marker within the selection to the left or right has the same effect. Spectrum Tab The Spectrum tab shows the amplitude and phase spectrum of the extracted wave, that is, the amplitude and phase for each harmonic. The lowest harmonic is displayed on the left, the highest harmonic on the right. The overtones in the spectrum are represented through blue and orange bars. The blue bars represent the amplitude of the overtones, that is, the magnitude spectrum. The orange bars represent the phase of the overtones, that is, the phase spectrum. If the magnitude of an overtone is zero, the corresponding phase is grayed out. To get information on a particular overtone, move the mouse over its bar. Draw Tool If the Draw tool is selected, you can change the spectrum by drawing with the mouse. The resulting wave is displayed on the right. • To draw in the magnitude or the phase spectrum, click in the display and drag. • To draw a line, hold down Alt and drag. • To adjust a single overtone, click it, hold down Shift and drag up/down. • To set the magnitude or the phase of an overtone to zero, Ctrl-click it. To set the magnitude or phase of all overtones to zero, hold down Shift-Ctrl and click. NOTE • If Keep Original Phases is activated, only the focused wave is affected. • If Align Phases is activated and you adjust the phase of the focused wave, the following waves are also affected. • If Reset Phases to Zero is activated, the phase spectrum cannot be adjusted with the Draw tool. Selection Tool The Selection tool lets you create range selections in the magnitude spectrum. • Drag the tool to make a selection. 180 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor If a selection is made, you can use the handles of the rectangle to execute the following functions: • To tilt the overtones from left to right, use the handle in the top left corner. Press Ctrl to tilt the overtones using a shelving filter curve instead of the linear curve. • To tilt the overtones from right to left, use the handle in the top right corner. Press Ctrl to tilt the overtones using a shelving filter curve instead of the linear curve. • To scale the overtones, use the handle in the center of the top border. Press Ctrl to scale the overtones with a bell curve. Press Shift to offset the overtones. • To scale the overtones around their relative center, use the handle in the middle or the left and right borders. • To select all overtones of the same pitch in all octaves that are higher than the current octave, double-click an overtone. NOTE This automatically switches to All Harmonics mode. NOTE Only non-zero values can be edited with the Selection tool. Harmonics buttons You can edit all harmonics, or you can choose to apply your editing only to even or to odd harmonics. • Select All Harmonics to edit all overtones. • Select Odd Harmonics to edit only the odd-numbered overtones. • Select Even Harmonics to edit only the even-numbered overtones. Zoom Allows you to choose between six predefined zoom factors. Wavetable Overview At the bottom of the Wavetable Editor, you find the wavetable overview. The selected waves are marked in blue. The focused wave is marked in orange. 181 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor NOTE A wavetable can consist of up to 256 waves. • To select a wave, click on it. • To select multiple waves, Shift-click on them. The corresponding segments in the wavetable envelope are highlighted. NOTE You can only add consecutive waves to a multi-selection. • To select all waves from a sequence, double-click a wave, double-click the marker for a wave, or open the context menu and select Select Sequence. • To copy the selected waves, hold down Alt and drag them to a new position in the wavetable. • To change the order of the waves, drag them to a new position in the wavetable. The insert position is indicated in red. • To replace a wave with another wave, drag the new wave onto the wave that you want to replace. NOTE This operation only works with single waves. Create New Wave Allows you to create a new wave of the selected type and insert it to the right of the selected wave in the wavetable. Duplicate Duplicates the selected waves. Delete Deletes the selected waves. NOTE If you delete all waves from the wavetable, the last sample that was visible in the waveform display is kept, allowing you to restart from scratch. Insert from Sample Opens a file dialog where you can load a new sample. This also adds a new wave to the wavetable. Replace Sample Allows you to replace all waves of the visible markers in the sample. NOTE If other waves of the same sample are used in other wave sequences, these waves are not replaced. 182 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor Solo Solos the focused wave. This bypasses the position and speed settings and you hear only the selected wave. Normalize Mode When samples are loaded, they are automatically normalized to 0 dB. This way, the levels of the extracted waves match more easily. If you extract waves from loud and from quiet parts of the sample, the levels of these extracted waves differ. In this case, you can normalize the waves to match their levels. • Off plays back the waves at their original levels. • Wave normalizes each wave of the wavetable separately. • Sequence normalizes the loudest wave in a sequence. The levels of the other waves in this sequence are adjusted accordingly. If the wavetable contains multiple sequences, each sequence is normalized separately. NOTE The orignial level of the waves in the wavetable is not affected. Only the playback is normalized. Phase Buttons The wavetable envelope uses crossfades between consecutive waves. Depending on the phase of the waves, different amounts of phase cancellation occur during the crossfade. To minimize the effects of phase cancellation, the phases of the waves can be altered during playback. • If Keep Original Phases is activated, the waves play with their original phase. Phase cancellation during the crossfades can occur. • If Align Phases is activated, the phases of the waves are aligned. The effect of phase cancellation is minimized. • If Reset Phases to Zero is activated, the phase of all overtones is set to 0 degrees. There is no phase cancellation, because all overtones of the waves are in phase. However, the sound quality is less natural compared to the other modes. Interpolate Phases If this button is activated, the wavetable envelope creates crossfades for both the levels and the phases of the waves. This can minimize the effects of phase cancellation even more. NOTE • This option is only available for Keep Original Phases and Align Phases. • This option can introduce pitch modulation. 183 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor Fundamental Displays the frequency of the fundamental of a wave in Hz. This value is set automatically when a wave is extracted from a sample and represents the original pitch. If you have created the spectrum manually, either by drawing or by inserting one of the basic waves from the Create New Wave menu, the value is set to 20 Hz. If no extracted pitch information is available, the fundamental allows you to determine which harmonic represents which frequency. For the default value of 20 Hz, the 1st harmonic is at 20 Hz, the second at 40 Hz, the third at 60, and so on. HALion provides 1024 harmonics, which means that you can create frequencies up to 20.480 Hz. NOTE This parameter is only required by the Formant Shift function. If the Formant section is deactivated in the Wavetable section in the Sound Editor or the Zone Editor, the Fundamental parameter has no effect. Context Menu Select All Selects all waves in the wavetable. Select None Deselects all waves in the wavetable. Select Sequence Selects all waves from the current sequence. NOTE In this context, a sequence is defined as a series of consecutive waves from the same sample. Delete Deletes the selected waves. 184 Wavetable Synthesis Wavetable Editor NOTE If you delete all waves from a wavetable, the last sample that was visible in the sample display is kept. This allows you to start over if the wavetable was not to your liking. Cut Cuts the selected waves to the clipboard. Copy Copies the selected waves to the clipboard. Paste Pastes the waves from the clipboard at the current position. Reverse Order Reverses the order of the selected waves, including their envelope times. This command is only available if multiple waves are selected. If several waves are selected, but if they have unselected waves in between, only the selected waves change their order, all others remain unaffected. Init Allows you to replace a wavetable with a precalculated, mathematically perfect, waveform. You can choose between Sine, Triangle, Saw, Square, Pulse 1, Pulse 2, White Noise, and Pink Noise. White Noise and Pink Noise use the spectrum of white and pink noise to fill the wave with random numbers. You get different waves each time that you select White Noise or Pink Noise. Replace Sample Allows you to change the sample that is used by the selected wave. Load Wavetable Allows you to load a wavetable. Save Wavetable Allows you to save the current wavetable. Delete Wavetable Allows you to delete a wavetable. Zooming in the Wavetable Editor • To zoom in/out on the time and level axis, use the horizontal and vertical zoom sliders. • To zoom in or out, click the + or - buttons on the scrollbars. • To toggle between full zoom and the previous zoom setting, click the A button to the right of the horizontal zoom slider. 185 Wavetable Synthesis Creating a Wavetable • To zoom in or out on the current position, click in the timeline and drag up or down. • To zoom to a specific region, hold down Alt, and click and drag over this region. • The three buttons to the right of the horizontal zoom slider allow you to zoom to the start, to the full range or the selection, and to the end. Click several times to increase the zoom level. Creating a Wavetable PROCEDURE 1. Open the Wavetable Editor for a wavetable zone and load a sample using one of the following methods: • Drag and drop a sample to the sample display. • Drag a sample to the wavetable and drop it where you want to insert a new wave or replace an existing one. The insert location is indicated by a red line. The replace location is indicated by a red frame. 2. Enter wave extraction markers in the sample using one of the following methods: • Alt-click the sample at the position where you want to insert a marker. • Enter the number of markers that you want to use in the Markers value field. This adds the corresponding waves to the wavetable. 3. Optional: On the Envelope and Spectrum tabs, adjust the wavetable envelope or edit the spectrum of the wave. 4. Optional: Change the order of the waves in the wavetable. 5. Optional: Click Insert from Sample in the toolbar above the wavetable to add more waves from other samples. Pitch Detection HALion’s Wavetable Editor automatically detects the pitch of samples that are added. Positions in a sample where the pitch is properly detected usually contain a harmonic spectrum that is suitable for wave extraction. In some cases, however, the pitch cannot be detected correctly. This can be the case if a vocal sample contains breath noises, for example. Normally, you would not want to use these positions in samples for wave extraction. Therefore, for visual feedback and orientation, you can display and edit the pitch detection curve in the Wavetable Editor. NOTE The pitch detection is executed only on the selected channel. 186 Wavetable Synthesis Markers Pitch Detection Curve The pitch detection curve shows you where in a sample the pitch can be detected properly. To show the pitch detection curve, click the corresponding button to the left of the Sample display. For example, if you use a sample that has a constant pitch but that shows peaks and troughs at some positions in the pitch detection curve, this means that the detection is incorrect at these positions. This is not unusual if you work with complex audio samples. However, if waves are extracted at these positions, the result of the wave extraction will most probably not have the expected result. You can prevent HALion from using incorrectly detected pitches as extraction positions, either by correcting the pitch detection curve or by setting the extraction markers manually. • To correct the curve, use the Sensitivity control on the toolbar. Set it to a value where fewer or no peaks occur in the curve. NOTE If the pitch detection fails, that is, if the pitch curve has gaps, a neighboring detected pitch is used. If this is not what you want, you can use a fixed window size. Markers Markers in the sample display determine at which position in a sample a wave is extracted. You can enter markers manually or create them automatically. Creating Wave Markers Automatically 1. Select the portion of the sample you want to analyze. If no selection is made, the entire sample is analyzed. 2. Select a Marker Creation Mode. 3. Use the Number of Markers or the Threshold parameters to create the markers. Creating and Removing Wave Markers Manually • To add a marker, Alt-click at the position where you want to insert the marker. For each marker, a wave is added to the wavetable and an envelope segment is added to the wavetable envelope. • To remove a marker, Alt-click it. 187 Wavetable Synthesis Replacing Samples NOTE You can move markers by dragging them in the display. Moving Selected Wave Markers You can change the position and distribution of wave markers within a multi selection of markers. • To stretch or expand all markers, hold down Ctrl/Cmd and move the first or the last marker of the selection. • To modify the distribution of the markers inside the selection, hold down Ctrl/Cmd and move one of the middle markers. Moving the marker towards the first or last marker stretches the density of markers at one side and expands it on the other side. Dragging the middle marker within the selection to the left or right has the same effect. Replacing Samples To replace a sample, you can do one of the following: • Drag a sample from the browser onto the sample display. This replaces all waves for which markers are visible in the sample display. If other waves of the same sample are used in other wave sequences, these waves are not replaced. • Drag a sample from the browser onto a selection of multiple waves in the wavetable. This replaces the selected waves. • Drag a sample from the browser onto a single wave that is not part of a multi-selection of waves. This replaces only the wave on which you drop the sample. • Click Replace Sample on the wavetable toolbar. This replaces all waves for which markers are visible in the sample display. If other waves of the same sample are used in other wave sequences, these waves are not replaced. NOTE When you replace a sample, HALion tries to keep the marker positions. However, if the new sample is shorter, the positions of some wave markers can be beyond the sample end. In this case, these markers are set to the sample end. Importing Wavetables HALion can import wavetables that were saved as .wav files. If the file header of the wave file contains information about the size of the single-cycle waves of the wavetable, HALion will import the wavetable automatically when the wave file is loaded. The waves of the wavetable and the corresponding wavetable envelope will be set up to fit a duration of 2 seconds. 188 Wavetable Synthesis Managing Wavetables If the file header does not contain this information, it can be specified manually. This is done differently for waves that contain one single-cycle wave and waves that contain multiple single-cycle waves. Importing Wave Files That Contain One Single-Cycle Wave 1. Load the wave file. 2. On the toolbar, activate Fixed Size. 3. Set Window Size to the number of samples of the single-cycle wave and Window Crossfade to 0 %. Importing Wave Files That Contain a Sequence of Single-Cycle Waves 1. Load the wave file. 2. Activate Fixed Size. 3. Set Window Size to the number of samples of the single-cycle wave and Window Crossfade to 0 %. 4. Set Marker Creation Mode to Equal Distance. 5. Set Number of Markers to the number of waves. Usually, a readme file or a technical specification that is provided with the wavetable will give you information about the size of the single-cycle waves. To determine the number of waves, divide the length of the sample by the size of the single-cycle waves. RELATED LINKS Managing Wavetables on page 189 Managing Wavetables The Wavetable Editor allows you to load, save, and delete wavetables. The wavetable is always stored with the VST preset. However, you can also save the wavetable to the wavetable library. This allows you to load the wavetable in other presets, for example. NOTE Wavetables do not contain any samples. Instead, each wave contains information on the spectrum and the envelope. • To load, save, and delete wavetables, use the corresponding buttons to the right of the Envelope and Spectrum tabs. 189 Granular Synthesis You can use granular synthesis to extract interesting spectra from all kinds of samples, to create sound effects by completely scrambling a sample, or to perform low-fidelity time stretching, for example. In granular synthesis, it is not an entire sample that is played back, but only short portions of the sample, the so-called grains. These grains can be played back in any order. Each time a grain ends, a new one starts. To avoid discontinuities in the playback and to minimize artifacts, envelopes are applied to the grains. Very short grains produce sounds with an individual pitch. This means that you can also extract pitched spectra from samples without a distinct pitch, such as drum loops or sound effects. Sounds with longer grains usually play back with the pitch of the original sample. If you repeatedly play back the same portion of a sample, the sound may become too static. To compensate for this and bring more liveliness into the sound, you can use the Random, Spread, and Offset parameters. By adding more grain streams, you can increase the grain and sound density to produce a richer sound. Grain Oscillator To show the settings for the granular synthesis, select a granular zone in the Program Tree and open the Zone Editor or the Sound Editor for the zone. For granular zones, the same sections as for sample zones are available, except for the AudioWarp section. The Load/Replace Sample button in the header of the grain oscillator allows you to load another sample. RELATED LINKS Editing Zones on page 92 190 Granular Synthesis Grain Oscillator Grain Tab The Grain tab of the grain oscillator contains the parameters for the granular synthesis. Sample Display The sample display provides an overview of the sample and shows a playback locator for each grain stream. It shows the resulting effects of the grain oscillator parameters and helps you find the sample portions that you want to use as grain sources. The sample start and end markers of the sample are indicated by orange lines. They determine the range that can be used to create grains. If the sample has a defined sustain loop, the grains use the sample range between sample start and loop end. NOTE Release loop settings and release markers are not taken into account. The sustain and the release loop are shown as green and red shades in the sample display. The release marker is shown as a blue line. However, these are only indicators. You can edit the corresponding parameters on the Sample tab. Speed and Direction The Speed and Direction parameters determine how the playback position moves through the sample when you play a note. Speed Determines how fast the playback position progresses through the sample. If this is set to 0 %, the playback position stays fixed. At a setting of 100 %, the playback position moves through the sample at its original speed. At the maximum setting, the playback speed is eight times faster than the original speed. Direction Allows you to set the playback speed in smaller increments. Furthermore, this determines the playback direction. If you enter negative values, the playback position moves backwards through the sample. 191 Granular Synthesis Grain Oscillator Position Settings Position You can set the playback position of the grains manually. For example, at a setting of 50 %, the playback position is in the middle of the sample. The playback position is updated with every new grain. Position Random Determines the range from which a random playback position is chosen. At a setting of 100 %, the playback position jumps to a random position between the start and the end of the sample. The random playback position is calculated separately for each channel of the sample, at the start of a new grain. This can be used to widen the panorama of the sound. Position Spread If Number of Grains is set to a value higher than 1, this parameter spreads the playback positions of the grains, making each grain play back a different portion of the sample. Position Offset Offsets the playback position for each channel of the sample. Positive values modify the playback position of the right channel and negative values modify the playback position of the left channel. In either case, the other channel is not affected. This can be used to widen the panorama of the sound. If you are working with surround files, the center channel and the LFE channel remain unchanged. The left and right surround channels get the maximum offset, and the left and right channels are offset to a value halfway between the center and LFE channels and the surround channels. For example, an offset of 100 % has the following results: • Center channel: 0 % • LFE channel: 0 % • Left surround channel: 100 % • Right surround channel: 100 % • Left channel: 50 % • Right channel: 50 % Pitch Settings In granular synthesis, either the pitch of the original sample or the grain oscillator define the pitch of a sound. • To use the pitch of the original sample, raise the Duration value until you can clearly hear the pitch of the sample. If you change the pitch, the spectrum of the sound changes. You can use the standard pitch settings of the zone, for example, Glide, Pitchbend, Octave, etc. • To define the pitch using the grain oscillator, set the Duration parameter to very low values, preferably 1 or 2. 192 Granular Synthesis Grain Oscillator To set the pitch of the grain oscillator, adjust the Duration, Center Key, and Key Follow parameters. If you want the pitch of the grain oscillator to follow the pitch of the zone, activate Follow Zone Pitch. Pitch Interval Here, you can specify an interval between -12 and +12 semitones. The grains are played randomly at their original pitch, or they are transposed according to the pitch interval. This interval is calculated separately for each channel of the sample, at the start of a new grain. Pitch Random Sets the random pitch range in semitones and cents. At a setting of +12, the random pitch values lie between -12 and +12 semitones. The random pitch is calculated separately for each channel of the sample, at the start of a new grain. This can be used to widen the panorama of the sound. Pitch Spread This parameter is available if Number of Grains is set to a value higher than 1. It detunes the pitch of the grains in semitones and cents. The first grain keeps its pitch, and the other grains are detuned evenly to values within the specified range. The last grain is detuned to the maximum value. NOTE For shorter grains, this is perceived as a change in the spectrum and for longer grains as a detuning of the sample. Pitch Offset Offsets the pitch across the channels of the sample, in semitones and cents. Positive values increase the pitch of the right channel and decrease the pitch of the left channel. Negative values increase the pitch of the left channel and decrease the pitch of the right channel. This can be used to widen the panorama of the sound. NOTE For shorter grains, this is perceived as a change in the spectrum and for longer grains as a detuning of the sample. If you are working with surround files, the center channel and the LFE channel remain unchanged. The left channel and the left surround channel get the same value. The right channel and the right surround channel get the same value. Left and right are distributed symmetrically. For example, an offset of +12 semitones gives the following results: • LFE channel: 0 semitones • Center channel: 0 semitones • Left channel: -12 semitones • Left surround channel: -12 semitones • Right channel: +12 semitones • Right surround channel: +12 semitones 193 Granular Synthesis Grain Oscillator Grain Settings Number of Grains You can specify the number of grains for each channel of the sample. At a setting of 2, the two grains are offset by 180°. Due to this phase offset, the root of the spectrum is canceled out, and the pitch increases by one octave. To compensate for this, adjust the Position Spread, Position Offset, or Duration Spread parameters. Duration Increases the grain period by a factor ranging from 1 to 1000. • For very short grains, the sound gets the pitch of the frequency at which the grains repeat. For example, the grain duration at the center key C3 is 3.82 ms. If you set the grain duration to 2, the grain period is 7.64 ms, and the pitch of the sound is one octave lower. • When longer grains (above 30 ms) are used, the sound gets the pitch of the sample. Duration Random The random grain duration is calculated separately for each channel, at the start of a new grain. This can be used to widen the panorama of the sound. At a setting of 100 %, the grain duration varies between half and twice the grain period. Duration Spread If Number of Grains is set to a value higher than 1, this parameter modifies the grain durations by the factor that you set. This way, each grain is played with a different duration. At a setting of +100 %, the first grain is half as long and the last is twice as long. If you use negative settings, the first grain becomes longer and the last grain becomes shorter. Duration Offset Offsets the grain duration across the sample channels. Positive settings result in shorter grain durations for the right channel and longer grain durations for the left channel. This can be used to widen the panorama of the sound. At a setting of 100 %, the minimum and maximum duration lie between half and twice the grain period. If you are working with surround files, the center channel and the LFE channel remain unchanged. The left and right channels and the left and right surround channels are modified symmetrically. For example, a setting of +100 % results in the following grain duration factors: • Center channel: 1.0 • LFE channel: 1.0 • Left channel: 1.41421 • Right channel: 0.707 • Left surround channel: 2 • Right surround channel: 0.5 194 Granular Synthesis Grain Oscillator Key Follow Determines how the grain duration changes with the notes that you play. At a setting of +100 % and a duration of 1.00, the grain duration corresponds to the pitch of the played note. Center Key In general, the grains repeat at the frequency of the center key. The grain duration corresponds to the wave length of that frequency. If you play C3 with the center key set to C3, the grains repeat at a frequency of 261.626 Hz, that is, at a grain period of 3.82 ms. You can set the center key between A-2 (122.31 ms) and G8 (0.0797 ms). Follow Zone Pitch If Follow Zone Pitch is activated, zone pitch settings like Octave, Coarse, and Fine, as well as modulations like Glide, Pitchbend, or other pitch modulations, affect the duration length. A higher sample pitch leads to a shorter duration. If Follow Zone Pitch is deactivated, the duration is independent from the zone pitch and determined by the grain duration settings. Shape and Length Settings Shape Determines the shape of the grain. The shape strongly influences the spectrum of the sound. • Click the display to open the pop-up menu that contains the available shapes. Length Shortens the length of the grain without changing the grain duration. At a setting of 100 %, the grain length corresponds to the grain duration. By decreasing the grain length, a shorter portion of the sample is played back, which results in a change in the spectrum. The pitch of the sound does not change, because the grain duration stays the same. Length Random Here, you can set a random grain length. At a setting of 100 %, the grain length varies between 0 % and 100 % of the grain duration. The random grain length is calculated for each channel of the sample separately at the start of a new grain. This can be used to widen the panorama of the sound. Length Spread This parameter is available if Number of Grains is set to a value higher than 1. It modifies the length of the grains. With positive values, the first grain has the shortest length and the last grain the longest. With negative values, the first grain has the longest length and the last grain the shortest. Length Offset Offsets the grain length across the sample channels. Positive settings shorten the grain length for the right channel, and the left channel remains unchanged. Negative values shorten the grain length for the left channel, and the right 195 Granular Synthesis Grain Oscillator channel remains unchanged. This parameter can be used to widen the panorama of the sound. If you are working with surround files, the center channel and the LFE channel remain unchanged. The left and right channels and the left and right surround channels are modified symmetrically. Level Settings Grain Level Adjusts the overall level of the grain oscillator. When you increase the number of grains, it might become necessary to lower the oscillator level. If you play back a portion of a sample that is very quiet, you can use this control to raise the level. Random Level Sets a random level for each new grain. At a setting of 100 %, the level varies between a factor of 0 and 2 of the original level. The random level is calculated separately for each channel of the sample, at the start of a new grain. This can be used to widen the panorama of the sound. Stereo Width Narrows the stereo width of the grain oscillator. It is applied after the grain oscillator and does not affect the stereo width of the actual sample. At a setting of 0 %, the output of the grain oscillator is monophonic. If you are working with surround files, the center channel and the LFE channel remain unchanged. The left and right channels and the left and right surround channels are modified symmetrically. Auto Gain and RMS Time • With Auto Gain, you can automatically adjusts the level of grains using quieter sample parts. NOTE • • Auto Gain can only be applied to RMS times of at least 6 ms. • By raising the gain, you can lose the dynamics of the sample. RMS Time defines the time over which the audio levels are averaged. Low values will let the auto gain compensation follow faster, whereas higher values produce a smoother gain compensation. 196 Granular Synthesis Modulating the Grain Oscillator Sample Tab The parameters on the grain oscillator Sample tab are the same as in the Sample Oscillator section for sample zones. RELATED LINKS Sample Oscillator Section on page 106 Modulating the Grain Oscillator You can use the following grain oscillator parameters as modulation destinations in the modulation matrix: Grain Position, Grain Direction, Grain Duration, Grain Length, Grain Pitch, and Grain Level. RELATED LINKS Modulation Matrix on page 137 197 MIDI Editing and Controllers MIDI Editor The MIDI Editor provides access to the MIDI slot parameters. Furthermore, you can specify MIDI controllers to be filtered. MIDI Editor Parameters Channel The slot receives MIDI signals on the MIDI port and channel that are specified here. You can set multiple slots to the same MIDI channel and trigger them simultaneously with the same note events. Polyphony Specifies how many notes can be played at the same time. NOTE Programs can contain various layers, therefore, the resulting number of voices can be much higher than the value that is specified here. Transpose Allows you to shift the incoming MIDI notes by ±64 semitones before they are sent to the loaded program. Key Range (Low Key, High Key) Allows you to limit the key range for a slot. Velocity Range (Low Vel, High Vel) Allows you to limit the velocity range for a slot. 198 MIDI Editing and Controllers MIDI Editor Controller Filter Allows you to filter out the most commonly used MIDI controllers. Show Empty Slots • If this button is activated, the MIDI Editor shows all program slots. • If this button is deactivated, the MIDI Editor shows only the slots that contain programs. Editing the Key Range Each slot can be limited to a specific key range. To show the key range, activate the Key button above the range controls. You can set the key range in the following ways: • Set the range with the Low Key and High Key value fields or by dragging the ends of the keyboard range control. • To move the key range, click in the middle of the range control and drag. • To set the range via MIDI input, double-click in a value field and play the note. Editing the Velocity Range Each slot can be limited to a specific velocity range. To show the velocity range, activate the Vel button above the range controls. • Set the velocity range with the Low Vel and High Vel value fields or by dragging the ends of the velocity range control. To move the velocity range, click in the middle of the range control and drag. Filtering Controllers You can filter out the most commonly used MIDI controllers for each slot separately. For example, if you set up a keyboard split with bass and piano playing on the same MIDI channel, both sounds receive the same MIDI controllers. However, you usually do not want the bass to receive the sustain pedal. To avoid that all sounds on the same MIDI channel receive the same MIDI controllers, use the controller filter. Filtering out control change messages can also be used to avoid unwanted program changes on MIDI channel 10 (drums), for example. PROCEDURE 1. Activate the Ctrl button above the range controls. 2. For each slot, activate the MIDI controllers that you want to filter out. You can filter out the following MIDI controllers: Sustain Pedal #64, Foot Controller #4, Foot Switches #65-69, Pitchbend, Modulation Wheel #1, Aftertouch, and Program Change. 199 MIDI Editing and Controllers MIDI Controllers MIDI Controllers HALion allows you to assign almost any parameter to a MIDI controller. However, you can only assign one parameter of a single zone, layer, effect control, etc. at a time. If you want to use the same MIDI controller for several zones, layers, etc., you have to assign it several times. A more convenient way to control a zone parameter, such as the cutoff frequency for all zones, for example, is to assign a quick control to that parameter and then assign the MIDI controller to that quick control. This allows you to control all zones simultaneously and this way, you can also preserve different cutoff settings per zone and simply control the offset that is added by the quick control. By default, the most common parameters like slot volume and pan, and the quick controls of each slot are already assigned. The AUX FX send modules 1-4 for the slots are also assigned and are controllable as soon as you load one of the AUX FX send modules for an insert effect. To provide more control, you can set the minimum and maximum range for each assignment separately. Assigning MIDI Controllers To assign a MIDI controller to a parameter, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Right-click the control that you want to control remotely and select Learn CC. 2. On your MIDI keyboard or controller, use the potentiometer, fader, or button. The next time you right-click the control, the menu shows the assigned MIDI controller. NOTE You can assign the same MIDI controller several times to different parameters. However, you cannot assign different MIDI controllers to the same parameter. RELATED LINKS MIDI Controller Section on page 40 Unassigning MIDI Controllers PROCEDURE • To remove a MIDI controller assignment, right-click the control and select Forget CC. Restoring the Factory MIDI Controller Assignment To restore the factory MIDI controller assignments, open the Options Editor and click Reset to Factory in the MIDI Controller section. 200 MIDI Editing and Controllers MIDI Controllers Setting the Parameter Range You can set the minimum and maximum values for the parameter for each assignment separately. This gives you more control over the parameter, for example, when you are performing live on stage. PROCEDURE 1. Set the parameter to the minimum value. 2. Right-click the control and select Set Minimum from the context menu. 3. Set the parameter to the maximum value. 4. Right-click the control and select Set Maximum. MIDI Controllers and AUX FX You can assign the parameters of the AUX FX to MIDI controllers. Unlike the slots, the AUX FX do not have a MIDI port and channel of their own. Instead, they listen to any incoming MIDI controller message, regardless of the MIDI channel. Therefore, if you assign a parameter to a MIDI controller, you should use a controller number that is not already in use by any of the assignments that you made for the slots. NOTE If you unload or replace the effect, the MIDI controller assignment of this effect is lost. Saving a MIDI Controller Mapping as Default After customizing the factory MIDI controller assignments, you can save them as default. PROCEDURE • Open the Options Editor and, in the MIDI Controller section, click Save as Default. RESULT Now, each time that you load a new instance of the plug-in, your customized MIDI controller mapping is available as default. NOTE • Saving the controller mapping as default does not include the MIDI controller assignments of the AUX FX. • The MIDI controller mapping is saved with each project. This way, you can transfer your settings to other systems. The project also includes the MIDI controller assignments of the AUX FX. 201 MIDI Editing and Controllers MIDI Controllers MIDI Ctrl Editor In the MIDI Ctrl Editor, all assigned MIDI controllers are shown. With the buttons at the top, you can specify whether you want to show the MIDI controllers that are assigned to the slot, to global parameters, or whether you want to show them all. On the left, the name of the MIDI controller is shown, and on the right, the name of the assigned HALion parameter. If several HALion parameters are assigned to the same MIDI controller, they are listed below each other on the right. • To remove a single MIDI controller assignment, click the trash icon to the right of the parameter name. • To remove all MIDI controller assignments, click the trash icon on the toolbar. Automation and Factory MIDI Controller Assignment Several parameters on the plug-in interface are available for automation from your host software and can be assigned to an external MIDI controller. The table shows the controller numbers and names of the default factory MIDI controller assignment. The assigned MIDI controller numbers are the same for all slots. However, the MIDI controllers listen only to the MIDI channels of the corresponding slot. Parameter Controller Number Name Volume #7 Volume Pan #10 Pan Send FX 1 #91 Effect 1 Depth 202 MIDI Editing and Controllers MIDI Controllers Parameter Controller Number Name Send FX 2 #92 Effect 2 Depth Send FX 3 #93 Effect 3 Depth Send FX 4 #94 Effect 4 Depth Program QC 1 #74 Brightness Program QC 2 #71 Harmonic Content Program QC 3 #73 Attack Time Program QC 4 #72 Release Time Program QC 5 #75 Sound Controller #6 Program QC 6 #76 Sound Controller #7 Program QC 7 #77 Sound Controller #8 Program QC 8 #78 Sound Controller #9 NOTE • Send FX 1-4 are only available if the corresponding AUX send effects are loaded. • You can remotely control any other parameter by assigning the parameter first to a quick control and then to a MIDI controller. • You can use MIDI controllers inside the modulation matrix of a synth or sample layer to control the cutoff, for example. 203 Mixing, Routing, and Effect Handling You perform your mixing operations in the Mixer. The Mixer manages all busses that are available in a HALion instance, that is, the 32 stereo output busses plus one surround bus, the 64 slot busses, the 4 AUX busses, and a dynamic number of program and layer busses depending on the current program architecture. Each bus can be controlled using a dedicated mixer channel, featuring functions like level, pan, mute, solo, and up to eight insert/send effects. You can specify which type of bus you want to see at a given time by using the controls on the toolbar. Mixer Window Toolbar Show Slot Bus Channels Shows all slot channels. Show AUX Bus Channels Shows the AUX channels. Show Output Bus Channels Shows all output channels. Show Child Bus Channels Shows all the busses that can be found inside the selected program or layer hierarchy. Show Depending Bus Channels Shows all busses that are in use for the selected program or layer, including AUX busses. Hide Inactive Outputs If the Show Output Bus Channels button is activated, the Mixer shows all output busses. Deactivated outputs are grayed out. To gain a better overview about which channels are used, activate the Hide Inactive Outputs button. 204 Mixing, Routing, and Effect Handling Mixer Window Show Empty Slots If the Show Slot Bus Channels button is activated, the Mixer only shows channels that are in use by programs loaded into the corresponding slots. To show the empty slot channels as well, activate the Show Empty Slots button. Collapse All Mixer Channels/Expand All Mixer Channels • To expand all mixer channels, click the Expand All Mixer Channels button. Expanded mixer channels provide direct access to the insert/send effects. • To collapse all mixer channels, click the Collapse All Mixer Channels button. Collapsed mixer channels only show the most important controls, that is, level, pan, solo, mute, and a level meter. Channel Strip Controls Mute Mutes the bus. Solo Mutes all other busses and lets you hear the solo bus only. You can put several channels into solo mode to hear all of them. Level The level fader allows you to adjust the volume of the bus. All busses allow an amplification of +12 dB. Pan All stereo mixer channels provide a stereo panner that allows you to define the position of the sound in the stereo field. When working with surround busses, you can insert a surround panner effect to one of the insert slots of a bus and use it to pan the stereo signals in the surround field. The mixer channel shows a small version of the Surround Panner, which can be used to remote-control the inserted surround panner. For more detailed editing, use the Sound Editor of the Surround Panner. Meter The meters of a mixer channel show the output level of the bus. The number of meters depends on the number of audio channels of the bus. Stereo busses have two channel meters, surround channels have six. Peak Level The peak level meter indicates the highest level on the bus in dB. To reset, click the peak level. Output Each channel can be routed to various busses. Click the output pop-up menu and select an output. 205 Mixing, Routing, and Effect Handling Audio Bus Architecture The output busses represent the audio interface to the host application or the audio hardware. Therefore, these channels cannot be routed freely and do not have an output pop-up menu. NOTE You can route the bus of a surround slot to one of the stereo output busses. In this case, only the first 2 channels are connected. You can decide whether to add a downmix effect to the output bus, to reroute the slot to the surround output bus, or to leave it as it is. Audio Bus Architecture The audio signals of zones, layers, programs, and slots are managed via audio busses. You can load insert effects on any of the audio busses, for example, to process the audio of a single layer or an entire program. Slots have one dedicated bus. Programs can have one or more audio busses that mix the audio signals from the layers and zones that they contain. Layers do not have to have an audio bus. However, you can create audio busses for layers, for example, to create a submix of the zones that they contain. AUX busses allow you to use send effects with zones, layers, programs, and slots. Send effects can be shared between zones, layers, programs, and slots, but you can also add local AUX busses to use send effects for individual zones or layers. Zones do not have an audio bus of their own. Instead, their outputs are routed automatically to the next available audio bus. Any zone, audio bus, and AUX bus can be assigned freely to one of the stereo outputs or to the surround output of the plug-in. For example, a zone output can be routed to an output bus, omitting any audio busses and their effects in between. Audio Signal Flow Typically, programs are loaded into slots. Each slot is connected to an output bus. The audio busses from the program send their signals to the audio bus of the slot. A program can contain a single or multiple zones, or one or more layers. Layers can contain other layers, which in turn can contain zones. The output of the zones is mixed to the audio busses of the layers of the next higher level or directly to the program. NOTE If a layer does not have an audio bus, its zones are automatically routed to the next higher audio bus. Audio Busses Audio busses can be compared to channels in a mixer, but with much more flexibility when it comes to mixing and routing possibilities. Each slot has at least one audio bus that mixes the audio signals from its layers and zones. 206 Mixing, Routing, and Effect Handling Audio Bus Architecture Apart from the routing and mixing possibilities, audio busses allow you to load insert effects for processing audio on that bus. Depending on how you set up the audio busses, you can load insert effects on single layers, the whole program, or the slot. For example, you can process only the strings of a piano and strings layer sound with a chorus effect, and keep the piano unprocessed. You load insert effects into the effect slots of the channels in the Mixer. In addition, audio busses allow you to route audio via sends to an AUX bus. This way, you can set up send effects which can be shared among the layers, programs, and slots. You assign sends directly in the zones or with the effect slots of the channels in the Mixer. You can adjust the level for the sends, which allows you to control the amount of the effect that is loaded on the AUX bus. AUX Busses You need an AUX bus to route individual audio signals from zones or audio busses to AUX effects. HALion provides 4 global AUX busses and 4 local AUX busses that you can add for individual layers. By default, the output of an AUX bus is routed to the master output bus, but you can reassign its output to other output busses. • To set up an AUX effect, load an insert effect into one of the effect slots of the AUX bus. • To hear the effect, raise the send level of a zone, route the output of a zone or your audio bus to the AUX bus, or set up a send in the effect rack of your audio bus. The send levels control the amount of the effect that is loaded into the AUX bus. You can set up sends for each zone and audio bus separately. Master Effect Bus The master bus works similar to the AUX busses. The only difference is that the master bus has no bus output selector, because it is hard-wired to the main plugin output (1/2). Multi-Channel Effects HALion comes with a large number of effects that are mainly intended for use on stereo busses. However, most of them can also be used on surround busses. In this case, the effect is processed on all channels. If a bus changes from stereo to surround, the effect follows. For effects with level meters, the number of meters is adapted accordingly. Zones The outputs of zones are routed to the first audio bus of the next higher layer or the program. You can reassign the outputs of the zones to any master output. Layers To save processing power, audio busses for layers are optional. You can create them at any time in the Program Tree. By default, audio busses of layers are routed to the first audio bus of the next higher layer or the program. You can reassign the outputs of the audio busses of the layers to any master output. Programs By default, audio busses of programs are routed to the audio bus of the slot into which the program is loaded. You can create additional audio busses. You can reassign the outputs of the audio busses of the program to any master output. 207 Mixing, Routing, and Effect Handling Audio Bus Architecture Slots A slot outputs its audio busses to the master outputs of the plug-in. Each slot has one audio bus. You can reassign the outputs of the audio busses of the slots to any plug-in output bus. Creating Audio Busses PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, select the program or layer to which you want to add a bus. 2. Click the Create New Bus icon on the toolbar. RESULT The audio bus and a corresponding Mixer channel strip are created. Changing the Output Assignment of an Audio Bus PROCEDURE 1. In the Mixer, activate the Show Depending Bus Channels button. 2. In the Program Tree, select a layer or a program with one or more audio busses. All corresponding channels are shown in the Mixer. Additional audio busses are displayed to the right of the first audio bus. 3. In the Mixer, click on the output of the audio bus that you want to edit and select an output from the pop-up menu. The output busses of the plug-in can be activated in the host sequencer or the Preferences dialog of the standalone version. Changing the Output Assignment of an AUX bus PROCEDURE 1. In the Mixer, activate the Show AUX Bus Channels button on the toolbar. 2. Click on the output selector of the AUX bus that you want to edit and select an output bus from the pop-up menu. Changing the Output Assignments of Zones PROCEDURE 1. Select a zone in the Program Tree. 2. Open the Sound Editor, show the Amplifier section and open the AUX tab. 3. From the Output pop-up menu, select a plug-in output or an AUX bus. 4. Optional: Use the send level controls of the zone to route individual audio signals to insert effects on AUX busses. 208 Mixing, Routing, and Effect Handling Audio Bus Architecture Automatic Bus Width Adaptation HALion is constantly monitoring the width of all busses in the signal path and adapts to the required width automatically. For example, changing the bus width is required when you add a surround sample zone to a layer that only contains stereo samples. In this case, the layer bus and all following busses are set to surround, to allow for a correct routing. Stereo samples are still routed correctly to channels 1 and 2. Another way to change the bus width in the middle of the signal path is to add a surround panner to one of the insert effect slots of a stereo bus. In this case, the output of the bus changes from stereo to surround and forces all following busses to do the same. NOTE AUX busses change their bus width, too, if they receive signals from surround sources. Output busses cannot change their bus width automatically, because they are usually connected to a hardware device. Therefore, the routing to the plug-in output busses has to be changed manually. Make sure that surround slots are routed to the surround output and that stereo busses are routed to one of the stereo outputs. If your routing is not set up correctly, the affected channels show a red warning icon to indicate that 2 or more busses have the wrong width and that you risk losing signals from audio channels that cannot be processed. In this case, you could connect surround busses to stereo outputs, for example, or add the Downmix effect to one of the inserts, thereby reducing the bus width to stereo, for example. Local AUX Busses In addition to the 4 global AUX busses, you can also create local AUX busses for layers. This allows you to integrate typical AUX effects like reverb or delay into a program, for example. If you add a local AUX bus for a layer, the signal routing for the layer automatically changes from the global AUX bus to the new local bus. AUX busses can be distinguished in the Program Tree by their green bus icon. A small number inside the icon indicates the specific AUX bus. AUX send effects that were added to a normal bus show a red effects icon with the same small numbers. This way, you can identify which AUX busses and sends are used, even if their names have been modified. Adding and Removing Local AUX Busses • To add a local AUX bus, select the layer for which you want to add the bus in the Program Tree, click the Add Bus button on the toolbar and select one of the four AUX busses from the menu. • To remove a local AUX bus, select it in the Program Tree and press Delete or Backspace or use the Delete command on the context menu. When you remove a local AUX bus, all sends that were routed to it are sent to the global AUX busses. 209 Mixing, Routing, and Effect Handling Insert Effects Automatic Output Connection If connections to busses cannot be established in HALion, the signals are automatically routed to the master bus. HALion allows you to select outputs in many places. You can find output selectors in zones, layer busses, AUX busses, and slots. Each output can be freely named and the output selectors reflect these names. Different programs on different slots may contain output configurations that are not available, for example, because busses with the required names are not present in a multi. • If connections cannot be established, a dialog opens showing all pending busses. For each missing bus, you can select another bus to be used instead. Pending busses can also occur when loading layers into programs. If a layer does not find the required busses, the same dialog opens. • If an assigned output bus is deactivated in the host, HALion shows a red warning icon on the output channel and the Mixer channels that are connected to it. You will still be able to hear the signal, because all signals are routed to the master bus in the background. However, all output selectors remain as they are, allowing you to reestablish the connections later, by activating the outputs in your host, etc. Output Configurations in Different Hosts Apple Logic 9 HALion provides 32 stereo outputs and one surround output connecting with the host application or a standalone hardware device. In most applications, all these outputs are available. However, Logic 9 only allows for 16 outputs for a single plug-in. When you open HALion, you can choose one of 4 output configurations: Stereo, 5.1-Surround, Multi-Output (1x5.1, 15xStereo), and MultiOutput (16xStereo). Ableton Ableton Live 8 does not support surround busses. Sonar 9 Sonar 9 allows you to activate all outputs either in mono or in stereo. For mono, you get 64 channels for the 32 HALion stereo channels plus six channels for the surround bus. If the stereo outputs are activated, Sonar uses 32 stereo channels plus three stereo channels for the surround bus. Insert Effects Each channel can load up to 8 insert effects. To display the inserts, you must expand the channel strips. 210 Mixing, Routing, and Effect Handling Insert Effects Each insert can either be a classical insert effect like a chorus or a delay, or it can load one of the 4 AUX send effects that allow you to send the signal to the AUX busses. All slot, program, and layer busses, as well as zones, can send signal portions to these busses. If an AUX send effect is loaded, a level fader is available for the insert slot. Use this fader to set the level that is sent to the AUX bus. NOTE You cannot use send effects on AUX and output busses. Pre-Fader Send Effects By default, send levels are influenced by the level of the bus. If you want to adjust the send level independently from the bus level, you can set the send to pre-fader by activating the corresponding button to the left of the level fader. Using the Insert Effect Slots In the Mixer, you can set up insert effects for AUX busses. • To assign an insert effect, click the effect slot and select the effect from the menu. • To remove an insert effect including its current settings, click the effect slot and select None from the menu. • To bypass an effect, activate the Bypass button of the slot. Bypass is active when the button lights up. • To edit an insert effect, click the e button of the corresponding slot. You can edit only one effect at a time. The parameters of the insert effect are displayed in the bottom section. • To change the output assignment of an AUX bus, select a different output from the pop-up menu. • To modify the level, move the fader of the bus or double-click in the value field below the fader and enter a value manually. • To move an effect to another slot, click its drag icon and drag it to another slot. This replaces any effect loaded in this slot. • To change the order of the effects, drag them by their drag icon to a new position between two slots. 211 Mixing, Routing, and Effect Handling Insert Effects • To copy an effect into another slot, Alt-click the drag icon and drag it onto the new slot. This replaces any effect loaded in this slot. NOTE You can also copy effects between the different mixers. First drag an effect to the corresponding mixer tab. Then drag it to the position where you want to insert it. • To copy an effect and insert it between two effect slots, Alt-click its drag icon and drag it between two slots. NOTE You can also copy effects between the different mixers. First drag an effect to the corresponding mixer tab. Then drag it to the position where you want to insert it. 212 Loading and Managing Programs via the Program Table HALion allows you to load a virtually unlimited number of programs into the Program Table. This is useful, because it allows for quick access to these programs and for preloading the program samples for faster changes between programs. NOTE Programs can only be played if they are loaded into the Slot Rack. However, you can perform editing like verifying the settings or copying zones for the focused program in the Program Table. You can load a program into the Program Table without automatically loading it into the Slot Rack. This allows you to configure the Program Table. • Drag the program from the MediaBay to a slot in the Program Table. NOTE If you drag multiple programs on a slot, the programs are loaded into the target slot and the following slots. If the slots already contain programs, these are replaced. • Click Load Program on the Program Table toolbar, select a program, and click OK. You can load a program in the active slot in the Slot Rack and in a slot in the Program Table at the same time. • In the MediaBay, right-click a program and select Load Program into selected Slot. RELATED LINKS Loading Third-Party Sampler Programs on page 68 Program Table The Program Table lists all programs that are loaded in HALion. The Program Table contains the following columns: 213 Loading and Managing Programs via the Program Table Configuring the Program Table Program Number Displays the program number. The first 128 entries of the Program Table correspond to the 128 MIDI program change numbers. You can load these programs into the Slot Rack by sending MIDI program change messages on the slot’s MIDI channel. Programs that are loaded into the Slot Rack are shown with a yellow number. To assign a program to another MIDI program change number, you can drag it to the corresponding list position. If another program already occupies this position, the two programs change places. Program Name Shows the program name. You can edit the name here. Used Displays in how many slots in the Slot Rack the program is loaded. Preload Shows if the samples of a program are preloaded. This allows for faster MIDI program change. • To activate the preload for a program, click the corresponding icon in the Preload column so that it lights up, or right-click in the Preload field and activate Always Preload Program. File Size Displays the size of the program, with all its samples, as it is stored on the hard disk. Configuring the Program Table You can configure the Program Table by showing/hiding and rearranging the columns. You can reorder columns using drag and drop and change the width of a column by dragging its borders. You can show/hide the File Size, Preload, and Used columns. • To hide a column, right-click the column header and use the corresponding Remove command. • To insert a column, select its name on the column header context menu. NOTE All modifications to the columns are saved with the project. 214 Loading and Managing Programs via the Program Table Program Table Context Menu Program Table Context Menu Load Program Allows you to load a program. Save Program Saves the current program. Save Program As Allows you to save a program under a new name and in a different subfolder in the content folder. Save All Programs Saves all programs in the Program Table. Save Selected Programs Saves the selected programs. Export Selected Programs As HALion Sonic SE Layer Presets Allows you to export the selected programs as HALion Sonic SE Layer Presets. Delete Deletes the program from the slot. Cut/Copy Cuts/Copies the program from the current slot. Paste Pastes the cut or copied program to the current slot. Always Preload Program If a program is loaded into the Program Table but is not used in one of the slots, its samples are not preloaded. With this option, you can preload individual unassigned programs, to allow for a faster MIDI program change. Preload Program On Demand Activate this option if you want to preload the program samples only when it is loaded into a slot. 215 Loading and Managing Programs via the Program Table Program Table Context Menu RELATED LINKS Exporting Programs and Layers as HALion Sonic SE Layer Presets on page 244 216 Program Tree The Program Tree is the main area for navigating and making selections. It shows the active program with all its layers, zones, and modules and allows you to add, load, import, or delete elements. The Program Tree represents the signal flow inside the program. The MIDI comes in at the top and passes through the layers and MIDI modules. The processing order of the MIDI modules inside a program or layer is also from top to bottom. The audio is output via busses that can have any number of FX modules. The processing order of the FX modules inside the busses is also from top to bottom. Program Tree Elements The Program Tree shows all elements that make up the program that is selected in the Slot Rack. Programs and Layers Programs are the top-level elements in the Program Tree. Only one program is displayed at a time. Programs are complex instruments or sounds that combine layers, zones, busses, MIDI modules, and FX modules. Often, a program contains a single layer that already comes with all necessary components such as the synthesis part or insert effects. This is because a layer already is a complete sound structure on its own. Layers can be used to structure programs, for example, by grouping a number of zones. This is useful if you want to apply the same settings to a number of zones in one go. Programs add the possibility of combining different layers to build up more complex sounds or to create combinations of sounds that 217 Program Tree Program Tree Columns and Controls you want to load as a unit. A typical example is a bass/piano split sound or a piano/string layer sound. Zones Zones are the elements that create the sounds in HALion. In the Program Tree, the zone is the element on the lowest level. Different types of zones are available: synth, sample, granular, organ, and wavetable. The zone types differ in their basic sound source. • Synth zones provide an oscillator section with three main oscillators, a sub oscillator, a noise generator, and a ring modulation stage. • Sample zones load a specific sample. • Granular zones offer a sophisticated grain oscillator section that contains a page for the grain-specific parameters and another page for the sample-related parameters. • Organ zones produce the sound of classic drawbar organs with up to nine drawbars. • Wavetable zones allow you to create your own wavetables by extracting single-cycle waves from samples. Below the Program Tree, there are 3 numbers that indicate how many zones are selected, how many zones are contained in the focused layer, and how many zones are contained in the program. These numbers are useful when editing or deleting zones. For example, if you have a piano that was recorded with several velocity layers per note, each velocity layer has 88 sample zones. If you now want to edit or delete an entire velocity layer, you can use these 3 numbers to verify whether you selected the right amount of zones before you edit or delete them. Busses Busses allow you to set up the audio routing in HALion and add audio effects. MIDI Modules MIDI modules process the stream of MIDI events inside a program. They can produce monophonic modulation signals, which can be used as sources in the modulation matrix. MIDI modules can be assigned to an entire program or to a single layer. Audio Effects Audio effects can be added for busses. Program Tree Columns and Controls The first three columns in the Program Tree give you access to the Visibility, Mute, and Solo functions. In the section on the right, the selected program and its elements are displayed. They are organized in a hierarchical structure, with the program at the topmost level. 218 Program Tree Program Tree Columns and Controls Columns By default, the Program Tree shows the Visibility, Mute, Solo, and Name columns. You can add further columns that show more information. Key Range Shows the key range of the zones, programs, and layers. Velocity Range Shows the velocity range of the zones, programs, and layers. Root Key Shows the root key of the zones. Tune Shows the tune offset of sample zones. The Tune parameter is set in the Mapping Editor. Gain This shows the gain offset of sample zones. The Gain parameter is set in the Mapping Editor. File Size Shows the size of the samples, as they are saved on the hard disk. Programs and layers show the sum of the samples that they contain. Preload Shows the amount of preload per sample. Mute Contains the Mute buttons for the elements of the Program Tree. Solo Contains the Solo buttons for the elements of the Program Tree. 219 Program Tree Program Tree Columns and Controls Visibility Contains the Visibility icon for the elements of the Program Tree. You can click the icon to change the visibility setting for each element. Learn Zone Parameter To display a zone parameter in a column, use this option. Toolbar Load Program/Layer Allows you to navigate to and load a program or layer. Save Program Saves the program. If you try to overwrite write-protected factory content, a dialog opens that allows you to save the edited program under a new name. Delete Selected Items Deletes the selected items from the Program Tree. NOTE The files themselves are not deleted from the hard disk. Cut Removes the selected elements from the list and saves them to the clipboard. Copy Copies the selected elements to the clipboard. Paste Pastes the elements from the clipboard at the selected position. Create New Zone Allows you to create a new synth, sample, granular, organ, or wavetable zone at the selected position. Create New Layer Creates a new layer at the selected position. Create New MIDI Module Opens a selector where you can choose a MIDI Module that you want to add to the program. Create New Audio Effect Opens a selector where you can choose an audio effect that you want to add to the selected bus. 220 Program Tree Program Tree Columns and Controls Create New Bus Opens a menu from which you can add busses to the program. You can also add up to four AUX busses via the menu. Selection Filter Lets you select a group of elements by double-clicking on a program, layer, or zone. By default, a double-click selects all elements in the Program Tree. The selection filter can be set to select only zones, layers, effects, MIDI modules, or busses. Visibility You can hide zones and layers in the Program Tree by clicking the corresponding eye icon in the Visibility column. The eye icon indicates the visibility status for zones, layers, and programs. Icon Description The element and all its contents are visible. The element and all its contents are hidden. The element is visible, but parts of it are hidden. You can use the following key commands for the visibility functions: • To show a single layer or zone and hide all other layers or zones, Alt-click its eye icon. • To show all selected layers or zones, press Ctrl/Cmd-U. • To show all layers and zones, press Shift-Ctrl/Cmd-U. Mute and Solo • To mute/unmute an element and all of its sub-elements, click the button in the Mute column. For example, if you mute a program or layer that contains zones, these zones are muted as well. Layers and zones that are muted are not played when you hit a key. • To reset all mute settings, click the Mute icon in the column header. • To solo an element and mute all elements that reside on the same hierarchy level, click the button in the Solo column. • To reset all solo settings, click the Solo icon in the column header. • To mute the selected zones, open the context menu of the Program Tree and select Mute/Solo > Mute Selected Zones. • To mute all zones, open the context menu of the Program Tree, and select Mute/Solo > Mute All Zones. The program itself and any of its layers are not affected by this. 221 Program Tree Program Tree Columns and Controls Configuring the Columns • To add a column, right-click the column header and select the element you want to show. • To remove a column, right-click the column header and deselect the element. • To add a particular zone parameter as a column, right-click the column header, select Learn Zone Parameter, open the editor for the zone, and click the parameter that you want to add as a column. Program Tree Context Menu The available options and commands depend on the element for which you open the menu. For example, Copy Zone Settings is only available for zones. Expand All/Collapse All Expands/Collapses all elements of the Program Tree. NOTE These options are only available if no element is selected. Expand Tree/Collapse Tree Expands/Collapses the selected element. Selection • To select the entire content of a program, select Select All. 222 Program Tree Program Tree Columns and Controls • To select all elements that were previously not selected and to deselect all elements that were previously selected, select Invert Selection. NOTE This function applies to elements of the same type that belong to the same hierarchy. For example, layers that are all sub-elements of a program, or busses that are part of the same layer. • To select all sub-entries of an element, select Select Tree. New This submenu allows you to add a new layer, zone, bus, MIDI module, or audio effect. NOTE Some elements can only be added at specific positions. For example, audio effects can only be added to busses. Load/Save Allows you to load/save Program Tree elements. Which options are available depends on the selected element. • Replace Program/Layer allows you to replace the current program/layer. • Load to New Layer allows you to select a new program/layer and add it to the current program at the current hierarchy position. • Save Program saves the current program. NOTE The factory content cannot be overwritten. If you try to save a factory program, the Save Program As dialog opens, allowing you to save the program to your user content folder. • Save Program/Layer As allows you to save the current program or layer to your user content folder. • Save Layer As Program allows you to save the selected layer in the Program Tree as program to your user content folder. • Revert to Last Saved Program discards all the changes that you made since you last saved the program. Import/Export • Import VST 3 Preset opens a dialog where you can select and load a VST 3 preset. • Export Program/Layer as VST 3 Preset allows you to export the selected program or layer as a VST 3 preset. • Export Program/Layer as HALion Sonic SE Layer Preset allows you to export the selected program or layer as HALion Sonic SE layer presets. These presets can then be loaded by HALion Sonic or HALion Sonic SE as layers or as programs. • Export Program/Layer as VST 3 Preset with Samples allows you to export the selected program or layer including all its samples as a VST 3 preset. 223 Program Tree Program Tree Columns and Controls • Export Program/Layer as Protected VST 3 Preset allows you to export the selected program or layer as a protected VST 3 preset. • Export Program/Layer as VST 3 Preset with Files allows you to export the selected program or layer including all its files as a VST 3 preset. • Import Folder allows you to import a folder containing samples or subfolders with samples. • Import Samples allows you to import samples. • Export Samples allows you to export samples. • Replace Samples allows you to exchange one or multiple samples that are used to play back one or multiple zones. Any zone-specific settings like Pitch, Filter, or Amplifier are not modified by this. • Change Sample Folder allows you to relocate samples. This is useful if you processed some samples and saved them in a new location without changing their names. • Find Missing Samples opens a dialog that allows you to search for missing samples. Delete Deletes the selected element in the Program Tree. If a sample is selected, it is only deleted from the tree, not from the hard disk. Rename Allows you to rename the selected element. Cut Removes the selected element from the list and saves it to the clipboard. Copy Copies the selected element to the clipboard. Paste Pastes the element from the clipboard to the selected program or layer. Paste to New Layer Allows you to paste one or several copied elements to a new layer within a zone, to a layer, or to the program, depending on where you click to open the context menu. Copy Zone Settings Copies the settings of the selected zone to the clipboard. Paste Zone Settings to Selection Pastes the zone settings from the clipboard to the selected element in the Program Tree. Search and Rename Allows you to perform a search and rename operation on the selected element or on all elements in the Program Tree. 224 Program Tree Program Tree Columns and Controls Visibility • Hide Selected hides the selected elements. • Hide Non-Selected hides all elements that are not selected. • Show Selected shows all selected elements. • Hide All hides all elements. • Show All shows all elements. • If Auto Visibility is activated, the selected zones and any of their direct siblings that are part of the same layer are automatically shown. Other zones are hidden. If this option is activated, you can still toggle the visibility of zones inside the layers. Mute/Solo • Mute All Zones mutes all zones. The program itself and any of its layers are not muted. • Solo All Zones solos all zones. The program itself and any of its layers are not soloed. • Mute Selected Zones mutes the selected zones. • Solo Selected Zones solos the selected zones. • Make All Zones Audible resets all mute and solo states for all zones. • Solo Follows Selection automatically solos the layers and zones that you select. The other elements of the program are muted. This is useful if you want to switch between layers and zones and only play back the current selection. Streaming Allows you to choose between two streaming settings for the selected sample: • Play from RAM • Remove Completely from RAM Mapping Allows you to set up the mapping for the selected sample. Fill Gaps • Pitch Only fills any gaps between the selected zones on the keyboard axis. • Velocity Only fills any gaps between the selected zones on the velocity axis. • Pitch and Velocity first fills the gaps on the keyboard axis. Then, the remaining gaps on the velocity axis are filled. • Velocity and Pitch first fills the gaps on the velocity axis. Then, the remaining gaps on the keyboard axis are filled. Set Root Key Allows you to adjust the root keys of the selected zones without changing their key or velocity ranges. 225 Program Tree Program Tree Columns and Controls • Center of Zone sets the root key to the center of the zone. If the zone has no center because it has an even number of keys, the root key is set to the key in the center that is closest to the previous root key. • High Key of Zone sets the root key to the High Key of the zone. • Low Key of Zone sets the root key to the Low Key of the zone. • Key Text in Sample Name sets the root key to the key that is extracted from the sample file name. The function searches for the name of the key in text form. • Key Number in Sample Name sets the root key to the MIDI note number that is extracted from the sample file name. The function searches for a number. • Root Key in Sample File sets the root key to the key that is stored in the header chunk of the sample file. Transfer Settings to Mapping Zones often have varying Fine Tune and Level settings, while sharing various other settings. To avoid varying Fine Tune and Level settings, transfer these settings to the Tune and Gain parameter in the Mapping Editor. • Select All transfers the Fine Tune and Level settings at the same time. • Fine Tune and Level allow you to transfer the parameters separately. Afterwards, the zone settings are reset to their default values. Apply Layer Settings to Zones It can be helpful to apply the layer settings to the zones they contain. For example, if a program contains layers that are limited to a specific key range, but that contain zones that use the full key range, all these zones fill the whole key range in the Mapping Editor and it is impossible to see their real limitations. To solve this, select Apply Layer Settings to Zones > Key Range to make the zones inherit the limits of the layers. You can either apply all settings at once or apply the settings for Key Range, Velocity Range, Fine Tune, Level, and Pan separately. Set Bus Type Allows you to change the bus type. You can convert a regular audio bus into an AUX bus and vice versa. This is particularly useful if you have added effects for a bus and want to change the bus type while keeping the effects. MIDI Module Library Allows you to save your script modules as MIDI modules. These modules are then treated just as the other MIDI modules in HALion, that is, they appear on the MIDI modules list on the toolbar, they can be opened in the MIDI Modules Editor, etc. RELATED LINKS Mapping Editor on page 70 Search and Rename Dialog on page 251 226 Program Tree Editing Programs, Zones and Layers Color Scheme The color of the icons for program, layers, and zones offer additional information. • Light gray – Light gray is the standard color for zones. For sample zones, this color means all samples were found and loaded without problems. • Red – If an icon is red, samples could not be found, for example, because a removable hard drive is not connected. • Yellow – If an element is incomplete, for example, if a sample zone is not linked to a sample, this is indicated by a yellow icon. • Light blue – To reduce hard-disk load, HALion can play back samples from RAM only. To indicate this, the icons of the corresponding sample zones turn light blue. • Magenta – To free memory on your computer, you can remove the samples completely from RAM. The samples are played back from the hard disk only. To indicate this, the icons of the corresponding sample zones turn magenta. Editing Programs, Zones and Layers Creating Zones To create a new zone, you have the following options: • Drag and drop samples from the MediaBay or the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder to a program or layer. • Right-click a layer in the Program Tree, select New > Zone and select the type of zone that you want to create. • Click the Create New Zone icon on the toolbar of the Program Tree and select the type of zone that you want to create. NOTE • When creating new zones, HALion uses the default zone preset to set the zone parameters to their default values. This preset contains all zone parameters, but no sample-related parameters like sample start/end, loop start/end, etc. • To use specific zone settings, modify the default preset, and save it as default in your user presets directory. Creating Layers To create new layers you have the following options: • Click the Create New Layer icon on the toolbar. If a layer is selected, the new layer is added within this layer. If a zone is selected, the new layer is added on the same hierarchy level as the zone. • To add several layers on the same level, Shift-click the Create New Layer icon on the toolbar for as many times as you want to add layers. • Right-click a layer, and select New > Layer. This creates a new layer within the selected layer. 227 Program Tree Importing Samples Saving Programs and Layers as VST Presets • To save a program as VST preset, click the Save button on the toolbar, or use the Save Program command on the Load/Save submenu of the context menu. In the dialog, specify a name and click OK. • To save a specific layer, right-click it and select Load/Save > Save Layer As. In the dialog, specify a name and click OK. Importing Samples You can manually select samples to import or you can import complete folders containing samples. • To import samples, right-click the program or one of its layers, and select Import/ Export > Import Samples. • To import a folder containing samples or subfolders with samples, right-click the program or one of its layers, and select Import/Export > Import Folder. Usually, sample collections are organized in folder structures, where each velocity layer or each key group is saved in a separate folder. You can create layers that correspond to the hierarchy of the subfolders on disk, by activating Create Layers from Subfolders. When importing samples, HALion uses a default zone preset. This sets all zone parameters to the default values, but excludes the sample-specific parameters. You can modify this preset in the Sound Editor for a zone and save it as Default to your user preset directory. HALion then uses this preset when importing samples. RELATED LINKS Import Samples Dialog on page 228 Import Samples Dialog • To open the Import Samples dialog, right-click a program or layer in the Program Tree and select Import/Export > Import Samples In the Mapping Options section in the Import Samples dialog, you can specify which samples to import, how to map the samples, and you can also extract mapping information from sample file and folder names. • To listen to the samples before importing them, use the transport controls in the upper right of the Mapping Options section. 228 Program Tree Importing Samples Level Adjusts the playback level. Play Plays back the focused sample or MIDI file. Stop Stops playback. The play locator jumps back to the start of the file. Pause Pauses playback. Click again to continue. Auto Play Automatically starts playback of the focused sample or MIDI file. Loop Playback If this button is activated, the focused sample or MIDI file is played back repeatedly. Play Position Displays the playback position within the focused sample or MIDI file. To select another position for playback, click on the slider or drag the handle to the new position. Key Range From Sample File The samples are mapped to the key range that is saved in the file header of the sample. If the header does not contain any key range information, the Start and End values are used. Text from Sample Name The samples are mapped to the key range that is extracted from the name of the sample. This function searches for a key range that is defined in text form, for example Sample_Name_B2-C#3. Number from Sample Name The samples are mapped to the key range that is extracted from the name of the sample. This function searches for MIDI note numbers, for example Sample_Name_59-61. NOTE Only values between 0 and 127 can be extracted as MIDI note numbers. From Sample Name Pattern The samples are mapped to the key range that is extracted from the name of the sample, according to the specified name pattern. 229 Program Tree Importing Samples Root Key Only Each sample is mapped to its root key only. Root Key Fill Centered The samples are mapped to their root key. The zones expand to the left and right from the root key to fill empty spaces. Root Key Fill Up The samples are mapped to their root key. The zones expand to the right to fill empty spaces. Root Key Fill Down The samples are mapped to their root key. The zones expand to the left to fill empty spaces. Chromatic The samples are mapped chromatically to the white and black keys in ascending order, starting at the key specified with the Start value. White Keys The samples are mapped to white keys in ascending order, starting at the key you set with the Start value. Black Keys The samples are mapped to black keys in ascending order, starting at the key you set with the Start value. Fixed The samples are mapped to the key range that you specify with the Start and End values. NOTE The Chromatic, White Keys and Black Keys options alter the root key. All other options map the root key according to the Root Key settings. Root Key Allows you to specify how the root key for the samples is obtained. From Sample File The root key is read from the file header. Text from Sample Name The root key is extracted from the file name. This function searches for root key information in text form, for example Sample_Name_C#3. Number from Sample Name The root key is extracted from the file name. This function searches for MIDI note numbers, for example Sample_Name_61. 230 Program Tree Importing Samples NOTE Only values between 0 and 127 can be extracted as MIDI note numbers. From Sample Name Pattern The root key is extracted from the sample file name, according to the specified name pattern. Fixed The root key is set to a fixed key, specified in the field to the right. NOTE If no root key information is found, the fixed root key is used. Velocity Range If no information on the velocity range is found, the samples are mapped to the range that you specify with the Start and End values. From Sample File The samples are mapped to the velocity range saved in the file header. From Sample Name The samples are mapped to the velocity range that is extracted from the file name. From Sample Name Pattern The samples are mapped to the velocity range that is extracted from the file name, according to the specified name pattern. From Folder Name The samples are mapped to the velocity range that is extracted from the name of the folder in which the samples reside. Layered The samples are layered, that is, they are distributed evenly over the velocity range. Fixed The samples are mapped to the velocity range that you specify with the Start and End values. Position The Position setting for the key range, the velocity range, and the root key determines the position in the file name at which the program searches for the information. • If this is set to 0, the entire file name is searched. • To start the search after a specific number of characters, select the number from the pop-up menu. 231 Program Tree Importing Samples NOTE Every character is taken into account, including spaces. Name Patterns Depending on the mapping settings, the information for root key, key range, and velocity range is retrieved differently for file and folder names. Usually, names of sample files follow a certain naming scheme, for example, Sample_C3_Key_59-61_Vel_80-100. You can extract all this information from the sample file name by selecting From Sample Name Pattern on the Key Range, Root Key, or Vel Range pop-up menus and defining a pattern in the lower part of the Mapping Options section. You can use the Pattern field to manually edit your pattern and select variables from the pop-up menu on the right. Key Low Number $(KeyLow) The MIDI note number is extracted and is used as the lower limit of the key range. Key High Number $(KeyHigh) The MIDI note number is extracted and is used as the upper limit of the key range. Key Low Text $(KeyLowText) The note name is extracted and is used as the lower limit of the key range. Key High Text $(KeyHighText) The note name is extracted and is used as the upper limit of the key range. Velocity Low $(VelLow) The number for the velocity value is extracted and is used as the lower limit of the velocity range. Velocity High $(VelHigh) The number for the velocity value is extracted and is used as the upper limit of the velocity range. Root Key Number $(RootKey) The MIDI note number is extracted and is used as the root key. Root Key Text $(RootKeyText) The note name is extracted and is used as the root key. NOTE Samples can only be mapped correctly on import if all samples follow the same name pattern. If no matching pattern is found, the samples use the settings for the Root Key, and the Start and End values for the key range and the velocity range instead. 232 Program Tree Replacing Samples Read From Sample File The file header of a sample can contain information on the tuning, the gain, the loop, and start and end of the sample. On import, this information is retrieved as well. To deactivate the reading of this information during import, deactivate the corresponding options in the Read from Sample File section. Zone Template In this section, you can specify which zone template to use. For example, this allows you to import multiple instrument samples including their headroom settings, because they are required for polyphonic playback. Replacing Samples PROCEDURE 1. Select the zones for which you want to replace the samples. 2. Open the context menu for one of the zones, and select Import/Export > Replace Samples. 3. Select a method for replacing samples. • Replace Identical Names replaces the samples by new samples if their names are identical. This is useful if you processed samples and saved them under the same name in a different location. • Replace by Root Key replaces the samples by new samples that have the same root key, regardless of the file name. • Replace by Search Pattern performs a search for the samples to replace the current samples. This method can be used if parts of the sample name have changed, for example, due to processing or saving. 4. Enter the part of the name that has changed in the text field. Samples are replaced if the remaining parts of the sample name are identical. For example, if the name Sample_Mix_1_C3.wav has changed to Sample_Mix_2_C3.aiff, enter *Mix_2*.aiff in the text field. Locate the new samples. The info text in the lower right section shows you how many samples are replaced in how many zones. If no samples are found, you must select another method for finding matching samples. 5. Optional: To listen to the samples before using them to replace the existing samples, activate Prelisten Samples and use your MIDI keyboard. To listen to the samples with the correct pitch, select how to detect the root key of the new sample. • Root Key from Sample File uses the root key that is saved in the file header of the sample file. • Root Key Text from Sample Name extracts the root key from the sample file name. This function searches for the root key in text form. 233 Program Tree Exporting Samples 6. • Root Key Number from Sample Name extracts the root key from the sample file name. This function searches for the root key as a MIDI note number. • Keep Zone Root Key uses the root key of the zone. This option is only available when replacing a single sample. Click OK. Exporting Samples NOTE Samples that are loaded from HSB files or protected VST sound files cannot be exported. PROCEDURE 1. To export individual samples, select them and select Export Samples on the context menu. 2. In the Export Samples dialog, specify the location for the exported samples in the Sample Path field. You can open the pop-up menu and use variables or click the button to the right of the field and navigate to the folder where you want to save the exported samples. 3. Specify the names for the samples in the Sample Name field. You can enter a name manually or use one or more variables from the pop-up menu. In the Example Name and Status Message fields below, the results of your settings are shown. If some samples cannot be exported or if problems occur, a warning message is shown. 4. Specify the file format for the samples in the File Format section. 5. Optional: In the Header Options section, specify the zone settings that you want to include when saving the samples. 6. Optional: Make settings in the Audio Options and Export Options sections. 7. Click OK. 234 Program Tree Exporting Samples Export Samples Dialog File Location Sample Path Allows you to use variables to define the path where the samples are saved. • $(SampleFolder) creates a folder that has the same name as the folder in which the original samples were saved. • $(LayerStructure) creates folders following the structure of the selected program or layer. • $(Layer) creates a folder with the name of the layer. • $(Program) creates a folder with the name of the program. • $(SampleRate) creates folders that are named according to the sample rate of the samples. • $(BitDepth) creates folders that are named according to the bit depth of the samples. • $(Date) creates a folder with the name of the current system date in the format yymmdd. • $(Time) creates a folder with the name of the current system time in the format hhmm. Sample Name Allows you to use variables to define how the exported samples are named. • $(Sample) uses the original file name of the sample. • $(SampleFolder) uses the name of the folder of the original samples. 235 Program Tree Exporting Samples • $(Zone) uses the name of the zone. • $(Layer) uses the name of the layer. • $(Program) uses the name of the program. • $(KeyLow) uses the MIDI note number of the lower limit of the key range. • $(KeyHigh) uses the MIDI note number of the upper limit of the key range. • $(KeyLowText) uses the name of the note of the lower limit of the key range. • $(KeyHighText) uses the name of the note of the upper limit of the key range. • $(VelLow) uses the number of the lower limit of the velocity range. • $(VelHigh) uses the number of the upper limit of the velocity range. • $(RootKey) uses the MIDI note number of the root key. • $(RootKeyText) uses the name of the root key. For example, “$(Sample)_$(RootKeyText)” appends the name of the root key to each sample file name. • $(SampleRate) uses the sample rate of the samples. • $(BitDepth) uses the bit depth of the samples. • $(Date) uses the system date in the format yymmdd. • $(Time) uses the system time in the format hhmm. Example name field Shows the sample path and name resulting from your settings. Status message field The status message field informs you how many samples are saved and whether duplicate names are created. For example, if two zones in the Program Tree have the same name, and you use the variable $(Zone), this results in duplicate file names. In this case, the duplicate file names are automatically numbered. NOTE • Samples loaded from HSB files or protected VST Sound files cannot be exported. The status message informs you if such protected files exist. • Files that are in use cannot be overwritten. In this case, you must select a different location for the samples. NOTE Some systems have problems with file names longer than 32 characters. Therefore, it is best to use file names that do not exceed this number. File Format Type You can export the samples as Wave or AIFF files. 236 Program Tree Exporting Samples Sample Rate Allows you to specify the sample rate of the samples. NOTE Do not change the sample rate of looped samples, because this can cause audible artifacts. Bit Depth Allows you to specify the bit depth of the samples. Channels Allows you to specify the channels for the sample. Header Options You can include zone settings when saving the samples. When you import these samples back into HALion, they automatically get these settings. • Key Range saves the Key Low and Key High settings of each zone with the samples. • Vel Range saves the Velocity Low and Velocity High settings of each zone with the samples. • Root Key saves the Root Key setting of each zone with the samples. • Loop Settings saves the Loop settings of each zone with the samples. • Sample Tune saves the Tune setting of each zone with the samples. • Sample Gain saves the Gain setting of each zone with the samples. Audio Options Trim Samples Trims the samples to their actual length, specified with the Sample Start and Sample End parameters of the zone. Level Envelope If this option is activated, the level envelope specified in the Sample Editor is applied to the samples during export. Pitch Envelope If this option is activated, the pitch envelope specified in the Sample Editor is applied to the samples during export. Fade In/Out If this option is activated, the fade curves specified in the Sample Editor are applied to the samples during export. Loop Crossfade If this option is activated, the loop crossfade is merged into the new sample. For the new sample, the crossfade time is reset to 0. This allows you to slightly reduce the playback performance, because the crossfade does not need to be calculated in real time. 237 Program Tree Exporting Programs and Layers with Samples NOTE • Merging the loop crossfade is best suited for Continuous and Alternate Loop mode, where the sample portion after the loop end is not played. Otherwise, the exported sample might not continue seamlessly after the merge. If you want to merge the loop crossfades for samples that have with Until Release or Alternate Until Release mode, you must use release markers and set the up so that the loop end is not crossed. • In Alternate Loop mode, the loop length in the exported sample is doubled, because it also contains the backward portion. Loop Mode is set to Continuous. Merge Tune Activate this option to merge the Tune value into the new sample. For the new sample, the Tune value is reset to 0. Merge Gain Activate the option to merge Gain value into the new sample. For the new sample, the Gain value is reset to 0. Export Options Use Exported Samples Updates the sample references of the zones to use the exported samples. Avoid Duplicate Audio Prevents samples that are used by several zones from being exported as duplicate audio files. NOTE If a sample has several zones and these zones have different loop settings, HALion creates duplicates of the file. Keep Zone Names If this option is deactivated, zone names are replaced by the sample names. This is useful if you rename the samples during export. If this option is activated, the exported zones keep their names. Exporting Programs and Layers with Samples You can export a program or layer together with the corresponding samples as a VST preset. PROCEDURE 1. Select the program or layer and select Import/Export > Export Samples. 2. In the Export Preset with Samples dialog, specify a preset name in the Preset File field or click the button to the right of the field to open a dialog that allows you to navigate to the folder where you want to save the preset and to specify a name for it. 238 Program Tree Exporting Programs and Layers with Samples 3. Specify the path in the Preset Path field. User presets are always saved in the user presets folder. In this field, you can specify or create a subfolder in which to save the preset. 4. Specify the location for the exported samples in the Sample Path field. You can open the pop-up menu and use variables or click the button to the right of the field and navigate to the folder where you want to save the exported samples. You can automatically create folders using variables for the sample path. Where necessary, complete the file path by typing in a backslash (Win) or a slash (Mac). You can combine several variables, separating them with hyphens, spaces, etc. 5. Specify the names for the samples in the Sample Name field. You can enter a name manually or use one or more variables from the pop-up menu. In the Example Name and Status Message fields below, the results of your settings are shown. If some samples cannot be exported or if problems occur, a warning message is shown. 6. Specify the file format for the samples in the File Format section. 7. Optional: Set up the Header Options, Audio Options, and Export Options sections. 8. Click OK. NOTE Samples that are loaded from HSB files or protected VST sound files cannot be exported. RESULT The VST preset is created at the specified location. NOTE The VST preset also includes all resources, such as the macro page, bitmaps, fonts, scripts etc. This data is written into a folder that is saved in the same folder as the preset file. This way, you can move a preset to another system without losing any of the necessary components. If several presets are exported to the same location and if they share a macro page, the necessary resources are exported only once. RELATED LINKS Export Samples Dialog on page 235 239 Program Tree Exporting Programs and Layers with Samples Export Preset with Samples Dialog File Location Preset File The file name of the preset. Preset Path The path where the preset is saved. Sample Path Allows you to use variables to define the path where the samples are saved. • $(SampleFolder) creates a folder that has the same name as the folder in which the original samples were saved. • $(LayerStructure) creates folders following the structure of the selected program or layer. • $(Layer) creates a folder with the name of the layer. • $(Program) creates a folder with the name of the program. • $(SampleRate) creates folders that are named according to the sample rate of the samples. • $(BitDepth) creates folders that are named according to the bit depth of the samples. • $(Date) creates a folder with the name of the current system date in the format yymmdd. 240 Program Tree Exporting Programs and Layers with Samples • $(Time) creates a folder with the name of the current system time in the format hhmm. Sample Name Allows you to use variables to define how the exported samples are named. • $(Sample) uses the original file name of the sample. • $(SampleFolder) uses the name of the folder of the original samples. • $(Zone) uses the name of the zone. • $(Layer) uses the name of the layer. • $(Program) uses the name of the program. • $(KeyLow) uses the MIDI note number of the lower limit of the key range. • $(KeyHigh) uses the MIDI note number of the upper limit of the key range. • $(KeyLowText) uses the name of the note of the lower limit of the key range. • $(KeyHighText) uses the name of the note of the upper limit of the key range. • $(VelLow) uses the number of the lower limit of the velocity range. • $(VelHigh) uses the number of the upper limit of the velocity range. • $(RootKey) uses the MIDI note number of the root key. • $(RootKeyText) uses the name of the root key. For example, “$(Sample)_$(RootKeyText)” appends the name of the root key to each sample file name. • $(SampleRate) uses the sample rate of the samples. • $(BitDepth) uses the bit depth of the samples. • $(Date) uses the system date in the format yymmdd. • $(Time) uses the system time in the format hhmm. Example name field Shows the sample path and name resulting from your settings. Status message field The status message field informs you how many samples are saved and whether duplicate names are created. For example, if two zones in the Program Tree have the same name, and you use the variable $(Zone), this results in duplicate file names. In this case, the duplicate file names are automatically numbered. NOTE • Samples loaded from HSB files or protected VST Sound files cannot be exported. The status message informs you if such protected files exist. • Files that are in use cannot be overwritten. In this case, you must select a different location for the samples. 241 Program Tree Exporting Programs and Layers with Samples NOTE Some systems have problems with file names longer than 32 characters. Therefore, it is best to use file names that do not exceed this number. File Format Type You can export the samples as Wave or AIFF files. Sample Rate Allows you to specify the sample rate of the samples. NOTE Do not change the sample rate of looped samples, because this can cause audible artifacts. Bit Depth Allows you to specify the bit depth of the samples. Channels Allows you to specify the channels for the sample. Header Options You can include zone settings when saving the samples. When you import these samples back into HALion, they automatically get these settings. • Key Range saves the Key Low and Key High settings of each zone with the samples. • Vel Range saves the Velocity Low and Velocity High settings of each zone with the samples. • Root Key saves the Root Key setting of each zone with the samples. • Loop Settings saves the Loop settings of each zone with the samples. • Sample Tune saves the Tune setting of each zone with the samples. • Sample Gain saves the Gain setting of each zone with the samples. Audio Options Trim Samples Trims the samples to their actual length, specified with the Sample Start and Sample End parameters of the zone. Level Envelope If this option is activated, the level envelope specified in the Sample Editor is applied to the samples during export. Pitch Envelope If this option is activated, the pitch envelope specified in the Sample Editor is applied to the samples during export. 242 Program Tree Exporting Programs and Layers with Samples Fade In/Out If this option is activated, the fade curves specified in the Sample Editor are applied to the samples during export. Loop Crossfade If this option is activated, the loop crossfade is merged into the new sample. For the new sample, the crossfade time is reset to 0. This allows you to slightly reduce the playback performance, because the crossfade does not need to be calculated in real time. NOTE • Merging the loop crossfade is best suited for Continuous and Alternate Loop mode, where the sample portion after the loop end is not played. Otherwise, the exported sample might not continue seamlessly after the merge. If you want to merge the loop crossfades for samples that have with Until Release or Alternate Until Release mode, you must use release markers and set the up so that the loop end is not crossed. • In Alternate Loop mode, the loop length in the exported sample is doubled, because it also contains the backward portion. Loop Mode is set to Continuous. Merge Tune Activate this option to merge the Tune value into the new sample. For the new sample, the Tune value is reset to 0. Merge Gain Activate the option to merge Gain value into the new sample. For the new sample, the Gain value is reset to 0. Export Options Use Exported Samples Updates the sample references of the zones to use the exported samples. Avoid Duplicate Audio Prevents samples that are used by several zones from being exported as duplicate audio files. NOTE If a sample has several zones and these zones have different loop settings, HALion creates duplicates of the file. Keep Zone Names If this option is deactivated, zone names are replaced by the sample names. This is useful if you rename the samples during export. If this option is activated, the exported zones keep their names. 243 Program Tree Exporting Programs and Layers as HALion Sonic SE Layer Presets RELATED LINKS Export Samples Dialog on page 235 Exporting Programs and Layers as HALion Sonic SE Layer Presets By exporting programs or layers as HALion Sonic SE Layer presets, you can make sure that they can be loaded correctly by HALion Sonic or HALion Sonic SE. This is particularly useful if you create content that will be part of a VST Sound container, because it lets you verify whether the preset contains all necessary resources. PREREQUISITE HALion Sonic layers require a macro page to be controllable from within HALion Sonic. Without macro page, the program can be loaded and played, but not edited. The macro page must be attached to the exported layer. Macro pages that are attached to sub layers cannot be accessed in HALion Sonic or HALion Sonic SE. PROCEDURE • Right-click the program or layer and select Import/Export > Export Program as HALion Sonic SE Layer Preset/Export Layer as HALion Sonic SE Layer Preset. RESULT The preset is written into the layer presets folder and can be accessed via the MediaBay. Importing Sliced Loops You can import sliced loops in the REX1 and REX2 formats or drag and drop sliced events directly from Cubase. NOTE Before importing a loop, make sure that the very last event ends with the loop end and not before. Otherwise, the generated loop is too short and will not play in a perfect cycle. Importing REX Loops The import process for REX files includes several steps. First, the slice information is used to create a sample zone for each slice. These sample zones are then mapped to the keyboard. The range starts with C3 and uses as many zones as slices are defined in the loop. The slice information is also used to create a MIDI phrase that is loaded into a Slice Player module. To import REX files, you have the following options: • Drag a REX file from the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder to the Program Tree and drop it on a program or layer. • Open the context menu for a program or layer, select Import/Export > Import Samples, and select the file that you want to import. 244 Program Tree Importing Sliced Loops NOTE HALion can directly play back REX1 audio files. For REX2 files, HALion first extracts a WAV file and saves it in the same folder as the REX file. Importing Sliced Audio Events from Cubase You can import sliced audio events from Cubase using drag and drop. When you drop a sliced audio event in the Program Tree, HALion recognizes that the event contains positional information for the different slices. In the Import Samples dialog, the button Create Sliced Loop becomes available. If you click this button, HALion creates a sample zone for each slice and adds a slice player that contains the required MIDI information. Any further mapping options are ignored. You can also drag selected audio events from a Cubase project to the Program Tree to create a sliced loop. Playing Back Sliced Loops You can play back the loop at its original key or in a transposed version. By default, the original loop is played using C2 (#48), but you can specify another key using the Key Follow and Center Key parameters. Pressing a key below C3 plays transposed versions of the original loop. The keyboard range above C3 provides the slice sample zones that are triggered by the slice player, but can also be triggered manually while the loop is playing. If the REX file or audio event contains more than 128 slices, HALion automatically creates additional layers with MegaTrig modules that are preconfigured to use key switches. This way, you can create up to 1024 zones distributed over up to 32 layers. Slice Player If you have created or imported sliced loops, the Slice Player becomes available in the Program Tree. You can make settings for the Slice Player in the MIDI Modules Editor. Active Activates the slice player. Random If this button is activated, the slices are played back in random order. The timing is not affected by this. 245 Program Tree Importing Sliced Loops • Depth adjusts how much the playing order of the slices is shuffled. Lower this value to keep the playing order of slices on the main beats. Raise this value to vary the playing order of slices on the offbeats as well. • Click the Trigger button to trigger a new shuffle. Note that this changes the pattern number. • The Pattern parameter allows you to use a specific random pattern, by entering its pattern number in the value field. MIDI Drag Icon Drag this icon into the Project window of your Steinberg DAW to export the loop sequence as a MIDI part. Variation Buttons With the parameters Random, Tempo, Tempo Scale, Swing, Gate Scale, Quantize, Amount, Start, and Length, you can set up 8 different variations of phrases and switch between them with the variation buttons. You can remote-control the variation buttons using the trigger pads, which gives you the possibility to switch between variations by playing the trigger keys that are assigned to the trigger pads. NOTE To avoid that the variation switches in the middle of a beat or measure, use the trigger modes Next Beat or Next Measure. Loop If this option is activated, the phrase plays in a loop. Sync Synchronizes the phrase to the tempo of your host application. NOTE In addition, you can set Restart Mode to Sync to Host. This aligns the phrase with the beats and measures of your host application. Hold Allows you to prevent the phrase from stopping or changing when the keys are released. • If Off is selected, the phrase changes as soon as you release a key. The phrase stops immediately when you release all keys. • If On is selected, the phrase plays to the end, even if the keys are released. If Loop is activated, the phrase repeats continuously. • If Gated is selected, the phrase starts to play when the first key is played. It plays silently in the background, even if the keys are released, and resumes playback at the current position when you press any of the keys again. This way, you can gate the playback of the phrase. 246 Program Tree Importing Sliced Loops Trigger Mode Determines at which moment the arpeggiator scans for new notes that you play on the keyboard. • If Immediately is selected, the arpeggiator scans for new notes all the time. The phrase changes immediately in reaction to your playing. • If Next Beat is selected, the arpeggiator scans for new notes at every new beat. The phrase changes in reaction to your playing on each new beat. • If Next Measure is selected, the arpeggiator scans for new notes at the start of new measures. The phrase changes in reaction to your playing on each new measure. Restart Mode • Off plays the loop continuously and does not restart upon note changes. • First Note restarts the loop when a note is triggered and no other notes are already held. • Each Note restarts the loop each time that a note is triggered. • Sync to Host aligns the loop with the beats and measures of your host application each time that you start the transport. RstVar (Restart on Variation Change) If this button is activated, changing a variation restarts the slice player, even if no new notes were triggered. NOTE If Sync is activated, this option is not available. Start Allows you to shift the start of the loop in steps of 1/4 notes. The length of the loop is shortened accordingly. Length Allows you to shorten the length of the loop in steps of 1/4 notes. NOTE The control range of the parameters Start and Length varies, depending on the original length of the loop. Tempo If Sync is deactivated, you can use the Tempo control to set the internal playback speed of the slice player. The playback speed of the phrase is specified in BPM. Tempo Scale Defines the rate at which notes are triggered, that is, the speed at which the phrase is running. In addition to the Tempo parameter, this gives you further control over the playback speed. You can specify a value in fractions of beats. You can also set dotted and triplet note values. 247 Program Tree Selections in the Program Tree Swing Shifts the timing of notes on even-numbered beats. This way, the phrase gets a swing feeling. Negative values shift the timing backward, and the notes are played earlier. Positive values shift the timing forward, and the notes are played later. Gate Scale Allows you to shorten or lengthen the notes of the phrase. At a value of 100 %, the notes play with their original gate length. NOTE Gate Scale has no effect on samples that are played in One Shot mode. They always sound until the end. Quantize Allows you to set up a quantization grid, in fractions of beats. You can also specify dotted and triplet values. This way, you can force the timing of the slices to play back only at the selected note value. Amount Defines how much of the quantization grid is applied. A value of 100 % means the slices play back only at the specified Quantize note value. Lower values move the notes only partially towards the next Quantize note value. With a value of 0 %, no quantization is applied. Key Follow Allows you to adjust the pitch modulation by note number. Set this parameter to positive values to raise the pitch with notes above the center key. Use negative values to lower the pitch with notes above the center key. At +100 %, the pitch follows the played note exactly. NOTE This parameter is limited to the keys that trigger the entire loop. It does not affect the keys that play the single slices. Center Key This parameter determines the MIDI note that is used as the central position for the Key Follow function. Selections in the Program Tree The selection in the Program Tree defines which part of the program can be edited in HALion. All editors in HALion reflect the selection in the Program Tree and display the available parameters. The name of the selected entry is marked in blue. If several elements are selected, the one with the focus is available for editing. It is indicated by an orange frame around its name. • To select an element, click on it. 248 Program Tree Navigating in the Program Tree • To select a range of elements, use Shift or Ctrl/Cmd. • To select all zones within a layer, double-click one of the zones. • To select all elements of a layer, double-click the layer. Navigating in the Program Tree If the Program Tree has the window focus, you can use the arrow keys for navigating between the elements. • If a single entry is selected, use the up and down arrow keys to select the previous or next entry. • To open or close a selected layer, use the right or left arrow key. • To expand the selection, use the up/down arrow keys while holding Shift. • If multiple entries are selected, use the up and down arrow keys to set the focus to the previous or next selected entry. • If the Program Tree does not have the window focus, you can use the keys W, A, D, and X to navigate in it: To select the previous or next element, press W or X, and to open or close the focused layer, press D or A, respectively. • If you are working with several separate windows that contain a Program Tree, the key commands are applied to the window that has the focus, provided that its lock icon is activated. RELATED LINKS Locking Windows on page 13 Sorting the Program Tree Elements You can change the sorting order of layers and zones using the Sorting Options submenu on the column context menu or manually via drag and drop. Sorting the Columns The layers and zones in the Program Tree can be sorted according to columns. The triangle in the header of a column indicates that the sorting via this column is active. • To activate the sorting for a column, click its header. • To change the sorting between ascending and descending order, click the header again. • To deactivate the sorting via the column, click a third time. Sorting the Name Column By default, the Name column is sorted in alphabetical order. However, you can change the sorting according to pitch, velocity, or root key. 249 Program Tree Setting Up the Program in the Program Tree • To change the sorting, open the context menu, select Sorting Options and select an option. Changing the Sorting Order Manually If the column sorting is not activated for a column, you can change the order of elements, for example, of imported samples, manually using drag and drop. Transferring the Current Sorting to the Manual Sorting If sorting by column is activated, you can transfer this sorting order to the manual sorting order of the zones. This can be useful if zones are not displayed in the order that you want to work with, for example, after importing samples. By transferring the current sorting to the manual sorting, you can apply your manual sorting permanently for the zone: 1. Select the program or the layer that contains the zones that you want to sort differently. To change the sorting order of all zones, select the program. 2. Click the header of the column according to which you want to sort. Click again to switch between ascending and descending order. 3. On the context menu of the column header, open the Sorting Options submenu and select Transfer Current to Manual Sorting. 4. To return to the manual sorting order, deactivate the sorting via column. NOTE Transfer Current to Manual Sorting can only be used to change the sorting of the zones inside the selected program or layer. Setting Up the Program in the Program Tree You can set up a program by adding elements such as modules, layers, or zones, and by structuring them in the Program Tree. • To add elements to the program, use the buttons on the toolbar, or open the context menu and select the element that you want to add from the New submenu. • To rearrange the program structure, drag the elements to a new position in the tree. To drag an element to another hierarchical level in the program, drag it onto the topmost element of this level. NOTE The order of MIDI modules and insert effects determines the order of the processing. The topmost element is processed first, the lowest last. • To move or copy elements, open the context menu and use the Cut, Copy, and Paste commands. You can also copy or move the selection from one program to another. NOTE You can move a complete program into another one. In this case the moved program becomes a layer inside the target program. 250 Program Tree Renaming Elements Renaming Elements If you create a new element in the Program Tree, it gets a generic name. You can change this name in the following ways: • Select an element, click it a second time, and enter a new name. • Select an element, press F2 (Win) or Return (Mac), and enter a new name. Search and Rename Dialog You can perform a search and rename operation on selected or all elements in the Program Tree. • To open the Search and Rename dialog, right-click anywhere in the Program Tree and select Search and Rename. Search Text Field Here, you enter the word or phrase that you want to search for. Match Case Activate this option to perform a case-sensitive text search. Search Up If this option is activated, the search is performed on the elements that are higher-up in the Program Tree hierarchy. Search in Selection If this option is activated, the search is performed only on the elements that are selected in the Program Tree. Replace by Here, you enter the word or phrase that you want to replace the searched text with. Renaming Multiple Elements You can search for words and phrases in the Program Tree and rename them. PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, select the element that you want to rename. If nothing is selected, the search is performed on the entire program. 2. Open the context menu and select Search and Rename. 251 Program Tree Renaming Elements 3. Enter the word or phrase that you want to search for. You can enter the entire word or phrase you are searching for, or you can use wildcards. 4. Set up the search options to refine your search. You can specify the search direction or only search the selected elements, for example. 5. Enter the text to replace the found words or phrases. You can also use text variables. 6. Click the Find button to go to the next matching element in the Program Tree. Click the Rename button to rename the current element and to jump to the next match. Click Rename All to automatically rename all matching elements. Variables That Can Be Used for Renaming Instead of entering the text to replace manually, you can also use the variables on the Replace by pop-up menu. Sample File $(Sample) The file name of the original sample. Sample Folder $(SampleFolder) The name of the folder where the sample is located. Zone Name $(Zone) The name of the zone. Layer Name $(Layer) The name of the layer. Program Name $(Program) The name of the program. Key Low Number $(KeyLow) The MIDI note number of the lower limit of the key range. 252 Program Tree Renaming Elements Key High Number $(KeyHigh) The MIDI note number of the upper limit of the key range. Key Low Text $(KeyLowText) The note name of the lower limit of the key range. Key High Text $(KeyHighText) The note name of the upper limit of the key range. Velocity Low $(VelLow) The number of the lower limit of the velocity range. Velocity High $(VelHigh) The number of the upper limit of the velocity range. Root Key Number $(RootKey) The MIDI note number of the root key. Root Key Text $(RootKeyText) The name of the root key. Date $(Date) The system date (in the format yymmdd). Time $(Time) The system time (in the format hhmm). Counter $(Counter) A counter starting at 1, counting up for each replacement. You can also use counter variables with up to 5 digits, where the counter starts with 01, 001, etc. These are not available on the menu. To use them, enter $(Counter2), $(Counter3), etc. IMPORTANT The variables $(Sample), $(SampleFolder), $(Zone), $(KeyLow), $(KeyHigh), $(KeyLowText), $(KeyHighText), $(VelLow), $(VelHigh), $(RootKey), and $(RootKeyText) work only for zones. If you try to use any of these variables for replacing text in a layer name, the matching text is deleted. The variables $(Program), $(Layer), $(Date), $(Time) and $(Counter) always work. 253 Sample Recorder The Sample Recorder allows for live sampling in HALion. You can sample the sounds of another plug-in and map them to the keyboard, reduce CPU load by creating one sample from an audio event that contains fades, processing, etc., or quickly create sounds from events in your sequencer projects and edit them further in HALion, for example. NOTE The Sample Recorder is available once for a HALion instance. Waveform Display During recording, the sample display shows the waveform. When recording is stopped, it shows the sample zone that was created. If nothing has been recorded yet, the waveform display shows the waveform of the sample zone that is selected in the Program Tree. 254 Sample Recorder The ruler above the display can be switched between Beats, Seconds, and Samples. Input Monitoring The Sample Recorder can play back the input signal. The input monitoring controls are located on the right below the waveform display. Activate Enable Input Monitoring to hear the signal at the input of the Sample Recorder and specify the routing and the level for monitoring. This is useful if you have routed an audio track from the DAW to HALion’s side-chain input. In this case, the signal of the track is no longer sent to the master bus of your sequencer and cannot be heard. NOTE When you are routing a send from a track in the DAW to HALion’s side-chain input, the original track remains audible and you can deactivate Monitor Input. Main Tab Record/Record Enable The behavior of this button depends on the Start setting in the Trigger section. • In Manual mode, this button starts/stops recording. • In the Audio Threshold, MIDI Note-On, and MIDI Note-Off modes, this button record-enables the Sample Recorder. This means that recording starts as soon as the audio signal exceeds the threshold or a MIDI note-on or note-off event is received. NOTE The Sample Recorder always records the sample for the selected program or layer. Every recording creates a new sample zone. Play/Stop The behavior of this button depends on the Start setting in the Trigger section. • In Manual mode, the Play/Stop button starts/stops playback of the recorded sample. • In the Audio Threshold, MIDI Note-On, and MIDI Note-Off modes, the Play/ Stop button starts/stops recording. Reset Recording Removes any recorded audio, allowing you to start over. Input Source Allows you to select the source from which to record. You can use HALion’s sidechain input, the output of one of the slots in HALion or one of the plug-in outputs. NOTE Only the available options are shown on the menu, that is, outputs for empty slots or plug-in outputs that have not been activated are not shown. 255 Sample Recorder Input Gain Adjusts the input level for the recording. Sample Mode Determines whether you can make a single recording or record multiple samples. • In Single mode, you can only record one sample. • In Auto-Next mode, you can record multiple samples in a row. This is particularly useful when working with the Audio Threshold, MIDI NoteOn, and MIDI Note-Off modes. Every time that a sample is recorded, the Sample Recorder reverts to its record-enabled state and starts recording again as soon as the condition that triggers recording is met. Destination Layer This field displays the name of the layer into which the sample zone is recorded. Set Allows you to switch the layer, even if Record Enable is active. To switch to another layer, select it in the Program Tree and click Set. Mapping When you record multiple samples, you can specify how they are mapped to the keyboard. • As played can be used when the recording start is triggered by MIDI notes. The played notes determine the root key of the sample. • Fixed maps all samples to the key that is specified in the Key text field. • Chromatic maps the samples chromatically to the keys on the keyboard, starting with the key that is specified in the Key text field. • White Keys maps the samples to the white keys on the keyboard, starting with the key that is specified in the Key text field. • Black Keys maps the samples to the black keys on the keyboard, starting with the key that is specified in the Key text field. Key Specifies the initial key or the fixed key for the sample mapping, depending on the selection you made on the Mapping pop-up menu. Fill Gaps Allows you to automatically map samples so that they are distributed over the keyboard. The available key range is from C-2 to G8. • If Off is selected, the sample zone is mapped only to the root key of the sample. • If Fill Centered is selected, the mapping of the sample zones is extended upwards and downwards halfway towards the adjacent sample zone. The mapping spans the entire keyboard range. • If Fill Up is selected, the mapping of the sample zones is extended upwards until the next sample zone is reached. 256 Sample Recorder • If Fill Down is selected, the mapping of the sample zones is extended downwards until the next sample zone is reached. Pre/Post Record Allows you to start the recording slightly ahead or let it continue for a bit after the recording stop trigger is received. This way, you can capture transients or reverb tails that are slightly lower than the set threshold, or perform fine-adjustments of the start and end regions of the sample at a later stage, for example. • Full Range – If this option is activated, the pre- and post-record portions of the recording span the entire sample range. • Pre sets the time that is recorded before the recording is triggered. The sample start marker of the zone is set to the exact trigger moment. The pre-record time can then be used to adjust the start of the sample. • Post sets the time that is recorded after the trigger event has stopped the recording. The sample end marker of the zone is set to the exact trigger moment. The post-record time can then be used to adjust the end of the sample. NOTE When you record multiple samples, Post-Record is automatically stopped 50 ms after a new sample recording has started, to avoid overlapping recordings. Trigger – Start Determines what starts the recording. • If Manual is selected, recording starts when you click the Record/Record Enable button. • If Audio Threshold is selected, recording starts as soon as the audio signal exceeds the specified threshold. • If MIDI Note-On is selected, recording starts when a MIDI note-on event is received on the specified channel and port. • If MIDI Note-Off is selected, recording starts when a MIDI note-off event is received on the specified channel and port. Trigger – Stop Determines what stops the recording. • If Manual is selected, recording stops when you click the Record/Record Enable button. • If Audio Threshold is selected, recording stops as soon as the audio signal falls below the specified threshold. • If MIDI Note-Off is selected, the following applies: If Trigger – Start is set to MIDI Note-On, recording stops when the corresponding MIDI note-off is received on the specified channel and port. NOTE Only this specific note-off event stops the recording. Any other MIDI notes can be played and the resulting audio will be recorded. 257 Sample Recorder If Trigger – Start is not set to MIDI Note-On, recording stops when a MIDI note-off event is received on the specified port. • If MIDI Note-On is selected, recording stops when a MIDI note-on event is received on the specified channel and port. NOTE Any note that is sent on the specified channel and port stops the recording. • Fixed Duration allows you to specify the duration for the recording, either as absolute recording time or as recording time in beats, in sync to the project tempo. Options Tab On the Options tab, you can specify the sample format and the location for the recorded samples. Furthermore, you can define a naming scheme and make playback settings for the created sample zones. File Settings Channel • As Source adapts the number of channels automatically to the number of channels of the source. • Mono records mono samples. Sample Rate Specifies the sample rate for recorded samples. You can choose between a selection of predefined sample rates or use the sample rate that is used in the project of your host application. Bit Depth Specifies the bit depth for the recorded samples. Format Specifies the file format for the recorded samples. Project Activate this button to record the sample files into the current project folder of the Steinberg DAW. 258 Sample Recorder Record Folder Allows you to specify the destination folder for the recorded sample files. If the Project button is activated, you can define a subfolder or path inside the project folder. Naming Scheme Allows you to set up a naming scheme for the recorded samples. The file name can be a combination of a text and a selection of predefined elements. • You can enter the text for the file name in the text field. • To add one of the predefined elements to the naming scheme, click the triangle to the left and select it from the pop-up menu. • You can modify the naming scheme by cutting, copying, and pasting in the text field. The resulting name is displayed as an example above the text field. NOTE To avoid duplicate file names, a continuous counter is automatically added to the file name. Zone Settings Zone Template Allows you to select a zone template that is used to create new sample zones. Playback Mode Specifies how the zone is played back. • In Normal mode, the sample starts playing when a key is triggered and stops when the key is released. • In One Shot mode, the sample is played back in its entirety, any note-off events are ignored. • In Loop mode, the sample is played back in a loop. The loop is set up so that loop start and end correspond to the start and end of the sample. Auto Trim Zero Crossing moves the sample start and end markers automatically to the nearest zero crossing before the start and after the end of the recording. Silence automatically removes any silence before the audio starts and after it ends. The sample start and end markers are set accordingly. EXAMPLE Manual Recording If you set Auto Trim to Off, manually start recording, and play a note on your instrument, the recording contains silence before and after the recorded audio. This means that you must adjust the sample start and end markers manually. 259 Sample Recorder Recording From an Audio Track With Multiple Drum Sounds If you activate Auto Trim, the sample start and end markers are automatically set to positions directly before the start and after the end of the audio. EXAMPLE Recording With an Audio Threshold and Pre/Post Record Set Auto Trim to Off, specify an audio threshold for both the start and the stop trigger for the recording, and activate and set up Pre/Post Record. Now, click the Record/Record Enable button to enable recording and play a note on your instrument. As soon as the signal exceeds the Start threshold, recording starts and when the audio level falls below the Stop threshold, it ends. The resulting recording contains silence before and after the audio recording. This means that you must adjust the sample start and end markers manually. If you activate Auto Trim, and repeat the same procedure, the sample start and end markers are automatically moved into the pre and post record range to match the effective start and end of the audio when the recording is finished. Auto Trim only affects the sample start and end markers and leaves the audio file as it is, including the pre and post-record time. Auto Normalize Allows you to normalize the audio of the recorded sample to the specified level. NOTE This operation is non-destructive and only affects the Gain parameter of the sample. Recording From an Audio Track With Multiple Drum Sounds Recording audio from a track in the Steinberg DAW allows you to save any processing, fades, etc. directly in the audio event. PROCEDURE 1. In HALion, select the program for which you want to record the samples. 2. Open the Sample Recorder. 3. In the plug-in header of HALion, activate the Activate Side-Chain button. 4. On the Input Source pop-up menu, select Input. 5. In the DAW, route the output of the audio track to the side-chain input of HALion. Alternatively, you can also add a send on the mixer channel of the audio track and route it to the side-chain input of HALion. 6. In the Trigger section of the Sample Recorder, set Start and Stop to Audio Threshold and specify the threshold levels. 7. Set the Sample Mode to Auto Next to create multiple sample recordings. 8. Set Mapping to Chromatic to map the zones automatically to the keys on the keyboard. 9. Click the Record/Record Enable button to enable recording. 260 Sample Recorder Recording the Output of Another Plug-In 10. In the Steinberg DAW, play back the audio track. As soon as the audio signal exceeds the Start threshold, the first sample recording starts. When the audio level falls below the Stop threshold, recording ends and the sample zone is created. The Sample Recorder automatically reverts to its recordenabled state and starts recording again as soon as the signal exceeds the threshold. RESULT HALion creates a sample zone for each audio event on the track. Recording the Output of Another Plug-In Recording the output of another plug-in allows you to save the sounds that you created with other plug-ins, software or hardware, exactly the way that you set them up. This can be particularly useful if a plug-in does not allow you to create presets, for example. PREREQUISITE You have added two tracks in the Steinberg DAW, one for the plug-in from which you want to record, and one for HALion. PROCEDURE 1. In HALion, select the program for which you want to record the samples. 2. Open the Sample Recorder. 3. In the plug-in header of HALion, activate the Activate Side-Chain button. 4. Set the Input Source pop-up menu to Input. 5. Route the output of the instrument track to the side-chain input of HALion. Alternatively, you can also add a send on the mixer channel of the instrument track and route it to the side-chain input of HALion. 6. In HALion, in the Trigger section, set Start to MIDI Note-On and use the Port pop-up menu to specify a MIDI port and channel for the recording. 7. In the Trigger section, set Stop to MIDI Note-Off. 8. Set Sample Mode to Auto Next to create multiple sample recordings. 9. Set Mapping to As Played to map the zones automatically to the keys that correspond to the notes on the instrument track. 10. Copy the note events of the plug-in track to the HALion track, so that they both receive the same MIDI notes. 11. Click the Record/Record Enable button to enable recording. 12. Start playback in the DAW. As soon as the first note-on message is received, recording starts. When the note is released, recording stops. The Sample Recorder automatically reverts to its recordenabled state and starts recording again as soon as the next note is received. NOTE You can also record samples by playing the notes manually. In this case, proceed as described above, activate the Record-Enable and Monitor buttons for the plug-in track 261 Sample Recorder Recording Samples in the Standalone Version and the HALion track, so that you can trigger both tracks at the same time and then play the notes on your keyboard. RESULT HALion creates a sample zone for each MIDI note that is played. Recording Samples in the Standalone Version In the standalone version of HALion, you can create samples by recording the audio input of the plug-in. PROCEDURE 1. Open the Preferences dialog, select the Input Routing tab and select the audio inputs of your hardware for Input 1 and Input 2 and click OK to close the dialog. 2. In the Slot Rack, select the program for which you want to record the samples. 3. Open the Sample Recorder, and make the following settings: • Set the Input Source pop-up menu to Input. • In the Trigger section, set Start and Stop to Audio Threshold and specify the threshold levels. • Set Sample Mode to Auto Next to create multiple sample recordings. • Set Mapping to Chromatic to map the zones automatically to the keys on the keyboard. 4. Click the Record/Record Enable button to enable recording. 5. Now play your guitar, or record various drum sounds, for example. 6. When you are done, click the Record/Record Enable button again to deactivate recordenable. RESULT As soon as the signal exceeds the Start threshold, recording starts and when the audio level falls below the Stop threshold, it ends. NOTE You can also record from an external MIDI keyboard and make use of the MIDI Note-On, MIDI Note-Off, Recording Start Trigger and Recording Stop Trigger functions. In this case, make sure that the MIDI notes that you play on the keyboard are also received by HALion. RELATED LINKS Preferences Dialog on page 542 262 Included Instruments HALion comes with a factory library containing powerful instruments. For each instrument, an intuitive macro page is available, offering a rich palette of presets. Auron The Auron synth uses granular synthesis with up to 8 grain streams to produce oscillator waveforms. With the integrated arpeggiator and step sequencer, you can create anything from sequencer lines to stepped chords. The granular oscillator is followed by a multi-mode filter that offers a large number of different filter shapes. The filter can be modulated by modulation sources like the keyboard, velocity, and LFO, but also by the controller lanes of the step sequencer, for example. Auron includes 2 LFOs for pitch, grain position, formant, and duration as well as filter modulations. The first LFO can be synchronized to the tempo of the host application and allows for modulations of grain position, formant and duration, as well as filter cutoff. The second LFO is controlled by the modulation wheel and is used to create a vibrato. For the grain synthesizer, three pages are available: Osc, Mod, and Voice. To open a page, click the corresponding button in the upper left of the Auron panel. Selecting Samples 263 Included Instruments Auron You can select samples on the sample selector that is opened by clicking the little triangle in the upper left of the page. Osc Page On this page, you can make settings for the grain oscillator. Position You can set the playback position of the grains manually. For example, at a setting of 50 %, the playback position is in the middle of the sample. The playback position is updated with every new grain. Random Position Selects a random playback position within a specific range around the current position. At a setting of 100 %, the playback position jumps to a random position between the start and the end of the sample. Duration Increases the grain period by a factor ranging from 1 to 1000. For very short grains, the sound gets the pitch of the frequency at which the grains repeat. For grains longer than 30 ms, the sound gets the pitch of the original sample. Random Duration Sets the random grain duration. This duration is calculated at the start of a new grain. Duration Key Follow Determines how the grain duration changes with the notes you play. It is mostly used with short durations. Longer durations sound with the original pitch of the sample and therefore do not need to follow the keyboard. Pitch Allows you to specify an interval between -12 and +12 semitones. The grains are played randomly at their original pitch, or are transposed according to the pitch interval. This parameter is suited for longer grain durations. Random Pitch Sets the random pitch range in semitones and cents. At a setting of +12, the random pitch values lie between -12 and +12 semitones. This parameter can be used to enrich the sound. Level Adjusts the overall level of the grain oscillator. When you increase the number of grains, it might become necessary to lower the oscillator level. When you play back a very quiet portion of a sample, you can use this control to raise the level. Random Level Sets a random level for each new grain. At a setting of 100 %, the level varies between a factor of 0 and 2 of the original level. 264 Included Instruments Auron Width Narrows the stereo width of the grain oscillator. It is applied after the grain oscillator and does not affect the stereo width of the actual sample. At a setting of 0 %, the output of the grain oscillator is monophonic. Auto Gain Allows you to automatically adjust the level of grains using quieter sample parts. This way, you get a more homogeneous signal and you can use a quiet part of a sample as source. Grains Allows you to specify the number of grains, from 1 to 8. For example, with a setting of 4, you get 4 grains per period of the grain duration. To hear the effect of this setting, you have to play a new note. Mod Page The Mod page contains the LFO settings in the upper section and the mod wheel, or vibrato, settings in the lower section. LFO Settings LFO Waveform and Shape • Sine produces smooth modulation, suitable for vibrato or tremolo. Shape adds additional harmonics to the waveform. • Triangle is similar to Sine. Shape continuously changes the triangle waveform to a trapezoid. • Saw produces a ramp cycle. Shape continuously changes the waveform from ramp down to triangle to ramp up. • Pulse produces stepped modulation, where the modulation switches abruptly between two values. Shape continuously changes the ratio between the high and low state of the waveform. If Shape is set to 50 %, a square wave is produced. • Ramp is similar to the Saw waveform. Shape increasingly puts silence before the sawtooth ramp up begins. • Log produces a logarithmic modulation. Shape continuously changes the logarithmic curvature from negative to positive. • S & H 1 produces randomly stepped modulation, where each step is different. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. • S & H 2 is similar to S & H 1. The steps alternate between random high and low values. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. 265 Included Instruments Auron Freq Controls the frequency of the modulation, that is, the speed of the LFO. Sync If Sync is activated, the frequency is set in fractions of beats. Position Controls the modulation depth of the grain position modulation. Formant Controls the modulation depth of the grain formant modulation. Duration Controls the modulation depth of the grain duration modulation. Cutoff Controls the modulation depth of the filter cutoff modulation. Mod Wheel Settings Vib Freq Controls the frequency of the second LFO that is used for pitch modulation (vibrato). Vib Depth Controls the depth of the pitch modulation (vibrato). Position Controls the influence of the mod wheel on the grain position. Formant Controls the influence of the mod wheel on the grain formant. Duration Controls the influence of the mod wheel on the grain duration. Cutoff Controls the influence of the mod wheel on the filter cutoff. 266 Included Instruments Auron Voice Page Polyphony If Mono mode is deactivated, you can use this parameter to specify how many notes can be played simultaneously. Octave Adjusts the pitch in octave steps. Coarse Adjusts the pitch in semitone steps. Fine Allows you to fine-tune the pitch in cent steps. Fixed Pitch Activate this option if you do not want the sample to be transposed over the keyboard. If you work with short grain durations and Duration Key Follow is activated on the Osc page, the pitch of the played key still follows the keyboard, and only the frequency response changes. Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the pitchbend wheel. Glide Allows you to bend the pitch between notes that follow each other. You achieve the best results in Mono mode. Glide Time Sets the glide time, that is, the time it takes to bend the pitch from one note to the next. Fingered Activate this parameter to glide the pitch only between notes that are played legato. Mono Activates monophonic playback. Retrigger If this option is activated, a note that was stolen is retriggered if you still hold the stolen note when releasing the newer note. This lets you play trills by holding 267 Included Instruments Auron one note and quickly and repeatedly pressing and releasing another note, for example. Trigger Mode Defines the trigger behavior for new notes. • Normal triggers a new note when the previous note gets stolen. The sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. To minimize discontinuities, use the Fade Out parameter of the zone. • Resume does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope is retriggered, but resumes at the level of the stolen note. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Legato does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope keeps running. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Resume Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope resumes at the level of the stolen note and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. • Legato Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope keeps running and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. NOTE If Resume or Legato are selected, you might hear an unnatural attack, depending on the sample. To avoid this, activate Use Start Range on the Glide tab in the Voice Control section for the zone. Filter Section Filter Shape • LP24, 18, 12, and 6 are low-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12 and BP24 are band-pass filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+LP18 and HP6+LP12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct and a low-pass filter with 18 and 12 dB/oct, respectively (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies above the cutoff. • HP12+LP6 and HP18+LP6 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 12 and 18 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 dB/oct (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies below the cutoff. 268 Included Instruments Auron • HP24, 18, 12, and 6 are high-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies below the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12 and BR24 are band-reject filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12+LP6 and BR12+LP12 are combinations of a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct, respectively. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12+BR12 is a band-pass filter with 12 dB/oct plus a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below, above, and around the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+BR12 and HP12+BR12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct and a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below and around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP+LP6 is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct plus a low-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+AP is a high-pass filter with 6 dB/oct plus an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around and below the cutoff are attenuated. Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff. At higher settings, the filter selfoscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Distortion Adds distortion to the signal. The following distortion types are available: • Tube adds warm, tube-like distortion. • Hard Clip adds bright, transistor-like distortion. • Bit Reduction adds digital distortion by means of quantization noise. • Rate Reduction adds digital distortion by means of aliasing. • Rate Reduction Key Follow adds digital distortion by means of aliasing, but with Key Follow. The rate reduction follows the keyboard, so the higher you play, the higher the sample rate. Envelope Amount Controls the cutoff modulation from the filter envelope. Cutoff Velocity Controls the cutoff modulation from velocity. Cutoff Key Follow Adjusts the cutoff modulation using the note number. Increase this parameter to raise the cutoff with higher notes. At 100 %, the cutoff follows the played pitch exactly. 269 Included Instruments Auron Filter Envelope Section Attack Controls the attack time of the filter envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the filter envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the filter envelope. Release Controls the release time of the filter envelope. Amplifier Section Level Controls the overall volume of the sound. Velocity Controls the level modulation from velocity. At 0, all notes are played with the same level. Amplifier Envelope Section Attack Controls the attack time of the amplifier envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the amplifier envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the amplifier envelope. Release Controls the release time of the amplifier envelope. 270 Included Instruments Trium Arp Page This page contains the same parameters as the FlexPhraser. RELATED LINKS FlexPhraser on page 483 Trium Trium was designed to create modern and rich sounds. It comes with 3 oscillators, a sub oscillator, a ring modulator, and a noise generator. With the integrated arpeggiator and step sequencer, you can create anything from sequencer lines to stepped chords. The oscillators are followed by a multi-mode filter that offers a large number of different filter shapes. The filter can be modulated using modulation sources like the keyboard, velocity, and LFO, but also by the controller lanes of the step sequencer, for example. Trium includes two LFOs for pitch, PWM, and filter modulations. The first LFO can be synchronized to the tempo of the host application and allows for filter cutoff, pitch, and waveform modulation of the three main oscillators. The second LFO is controlled by the modulation wheel and is used to create a vibrato. 271 Included Instruments Trium Osc Page The Osc page contains the parameters for the three main oscillators. • To activate an oscillator, click its On/Off button. OSC 1/2/3 Type The oscillator type defines the basic sound character of the oscillator. This popup menu lists the waveforms (sine, triangle, saw, or square), followed by the algorithm (PWM, Sync, CM, or XOR). The combination of waveform and algorithm controls the sound of the oscillator. The following algorithms are available: • PWM (pulse width modulation) is only supported by the square waveform. The Waveform parameter sets the ratio between the high and low value of the square wave. A setting of 50 % produces a pure square wave. With settings below or above 50 %, the oscillator produces rectangular waves. • Sync provides different hard-sync oscillators, where each is a combination of a master and slave oscillator. The wave shape of the slave oscillator (sine, triangle, saw, or square) is reset with each full wave cycle of the master oscillator. This means that a single oscillator can produce a rich sync-sound without using other oscillators as slave or master. The Waveform parameter adjusts the pitch of the slave oscillator, producing the typical sync sound. • CM (cross modulation) provides a combination of two oscillators where a master oscillator is modulating the pitch of a slave oscillator (sine, triangle, saw, or square) at the rate of the audio sample. The Waveform parameter adjusts the pitch ratio between slave and master oscillator, resulting in a sound close to frequency modulation. • XOR (exclusive OR) compares two square waveforms with an XOR operation. Depending on the outcome of the XOR operation, the waveform shape of a third oscillator (sine, triangle, saw, or square) is reset. The Waveform parameter adjusts the pitch ratio of the square oscillators resulting in a sound close to ring modulation of the third oscillator. Level Adjusts the output level of the oscillator. Waveform Modifies the sound of the oscillator algorithm. Its effect depends on the selected oscillator type. NOTE This parameter is only available for oscillator types that allow waveform modulation. Filter Envelope Determines how much the modulation of the filter envelope influences the oscillator waveform. 272 Included Instruments Trium NOTE This parameter is only available for oscillator types that allow waveform modulation. Tuning These parameters allow you to adjust the pitch in octave, semitone, and cent steps. Multi Oscillator Number, Detune, and Spread Each of the main oscillators offers these multi-oscillator functions. They allow you to create a richer sound by producing up to eight oscillators simultaneously. • Number determines the number of oscillators that play back simultaneously. You can also set fractions of numbers. For example, with a setting of 2.5, you hear two oscillators at full level and a third one at half level. • Detune detunes the oscillators. • Spread narrows or widens the stereo panorama. With a setting of 0 %, you create a mono signal, and with 100 %, you create a stereo signal. Sub Page The Sub page contains the parameters for the sub oscillator, the ring modulator, and the noise generator. Activate the sub oscillator, the ring modulator, and the noise generator by clicking their On/ Off buttons. NOTE Deactivate the sub oscillator, the ring modulator, and the noise generator if they are not needed, because they use CPU cycles even if they are not heard, such as in a situation where the level is set to 0 %. Sub Oscillator The pitch of the sub oscillator is always one octave lower than the overall pitch. The overall pitch is determined by the Octave setting. On/Off Activates/Deactivates the sub oscillator. 273 Included Instruments Trium Type The wave shape of the sub oscillator. You can choose between Sine, Triangle, Saw, Square, Pulse Wide, and Pulse Narrow. Level Adjusts the output level of the sub oscillator. Ring Modulator Ring modulation produces sums and differences between the frequencies of two signals. Ring Modulation Source 1/Ring Modulation Source 2 Determines the sources to be ring modulated. You can select OSC 1 or Sub as Source 1, and OSC 2 or OSC 3 as Source 2. NOTE Make sure that the corresponding oscillators are activated when you select them. Otherwise, no sound is heard. Ring Modulation Level Adjusts the output level of the ring modulation. Noise Generator The Noise parameter is used for non-pitched sounds. In addition to standard white and pink noise, there are also band-pass filtered versions of white and pink noise. Noise Type The sound color of the noise. You can choose between standard and band-pass filtered (BPF) versions of white and pink noise. Noise Level Adjusts the output level of the noise generator. Voice Parameters On the right, the voice parameters are available. Polyphony If Mono mode is deactivated, you can use this parameter to specify how many notes can be played simultaneously. Octave Adjusts the pitch in octave steps. Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the pitchbend wheel. 274 Included Instruments Trium Glide Allows you to bend the pitch between notes that follow each other. You achieve the best results in Mono mode. Glide Time Sets the glide time, that is, the time it takes to bend the pitch from one note to the next. Fingered Activate this parameter to glide the pitch only between notes that are played legato. Mono Activates monophonic playback. Retrigger If this option is activated, a note that was stolen is retriggered if you still hold the stolen note when releasing the newer note. This lets you play trills by holding one note and quickly and repeatedly pressing and releasing another note, for example. Trigger Mode Defines the trigger behavior for new notes. • Normal triggers a new note when the previous note gets stolen. The sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. To minimize discontinuities, use the Fade Out parameter of the zone. • Resume does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope is retriggered, but resumes at the level of the stolen note. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Legato does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope keeps running. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Resume Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope resumes at the level of the stolen note and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. • Legato Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope keeps running and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. 275 Included Instruments Trium NOTE If Resume or Legato are selected, you might hear an unnatural attack, depending on the sample. To avoid this, activate Use Start Range on the Glide tab in the Voice Control section for the zone. Mod Page The Mod page contains the LFO settings in the upper section and the mod wheel, or vibrato, settings in the lower section. LFO Settings Sync If Sync is activated, the frequency is set in fractions of beats. Freq Controls the frequency of the modulation, that is, the speed of the LFO. Pitch Controls the modulation depth of the pitch modulation. Cutoff Controls the modulation depth of the filter cutoff modulation. Osc1/2/3 Wave These parameters control the modulation depth of the waveform modulation of the three main oscillators. NOTE These controls are only available if the selected oscillator type supports waveform modulation. Mod Wheel Settings Vib Freq Controls the frequency of the second LFO that is used for pitch modulation (vibrato). Vib Depth Controls the depth of the pitch modulation (vibrato). 276 Included Instruments Trium Cutoff Controls the influence of the mod wheel on the filter cutoff. Osc1/2/3 Wave These parameters control the influence of the mod wheel on the waveform of the three main oscillators. NOTE These controls are only available if the selected oscillator type supports waveform modulation. Filter Section Filter Shape • LP24, 18, 12, and 6 are low-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12 and BP24 are band-pass filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+LP18 and HP6+LP12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct and a low-pass filter with 18 and 12 dB/oct, respectively (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies above the cutoff. • HP12+LP6 and HP18+LP6 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 12 and 18 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 dB/oct (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies below the cutoff. • HP24, 18, 12, and 6 are high-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies below the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12 and BR24 are band-reject filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12+LP6 and BR12+LP12 are combinations of a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct, respectively. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12+BR12 is a band-pass filter with 12 dB/oct plus a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below, above, and around the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+BR12 and HP12+BR12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct and a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below and around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP+LP6 is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct plus a low-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+AP is a high-pass filter with 6 dB/oct plus an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around and below the cutoff are attenuated. 277 Included Instruments Trium Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. Resonance Sets the filter resonance. Distortion Adds distortion to the signal. The following distortion types are available: • Tube adds warm, tube-like distortion. • Hard Clip adds bright, transistor-like distortion. • Bit Reduction adds digital distortion by means of quantization noise. • Rate Reduction adds digital distortion by means of aliasing. • Rate Reduction Key Follow adds digital distortion by means of aliasing, but with Key Follow. The rate reduction follows the keyboard, so the higher you play, the higher the sample rate. Envelope Amount Controls the cutoff modulation from the filter envelope. Cutoff Velocity Controls the cutoff modulation from velocity. Cutoff Key Follow Adjusts the cutoff modulation using the note number. Increase this parameter to raise the cutoff with higher notes. At 100 %, the cutoff follows the played pitch exactly. Filter Envelope Section Attack Controls the attack time of the filter envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the filter envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the filter envelope. Release Controls the release time of the filter envelope. Amplifier Section Level Controls the overall volume of the sound. 278 Included Instruments Voltage Velocity Controls the level modulation from velocity. At 0, all notes are played with the same level. Amplifier Envelope Section Attack Controls the attack time of the amplifier envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the amplifier envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the amplifier envelope. Release Controls the release time of the amplifier envelope. Arp Page This page contains the same parameters as the FlexPhraser. RELATED LINKS FlexPhraser on page 483 Voltage Voltage is a two-oscillator and noise synthesizer that can be used for synth basses, but it also allows you to create any kind of classic monophonic and polyphonic synth sound. With 279 Included Instruments Voltage the integrated arpeggiator and step sequencer, you can create anything from sequencer lines to stepped chords. The two oscillators and the noise generator are followed by a 24 dB low-pass filter. The filter can be modulated using modulation sources like the keyboard, velocity, and LFO, but also by the controller lanes of the step sequencer, for example. Voltage includes 2 LFOs for pitch, PWM, and filter modulations. The first LFO can be synchronized to the tempo of the host application and allows for filter and pitch modulation. The second LFO is controlled by the modulation wheel and is used to create a vibrato. Oscillator Section Oscillator 1/2 Waveform Sets the waveform for the oscillator. You can choose between saw, triangle, and square. Oscillator 1/2 Level Controls the level of the oscillators. PWM PWM (pulse width modulation) is only available for the square waveform. Activate this option if you want to be able to let the LFO modulate the width of the wave. Osc 2 Coarse Detunes the second oscillator by +/-12 semitones. Osc 2 Fine Detunes the second oscillator by +/- 100 cents. 280 Included Instruments Voltage Noise Type The sound color of the noise. You can choose between standard and band-pass filtered (BPF) versions of white and pink noise. Level Controls the level of the noise generator. Filter Section Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff. At higher settings, the filter selfoscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Distortion Adds tube-like distortion to the signal. Envelope Amount Controls the cutoff modulation from the filter envelope. Cutoff Velocity Controls the cutoff modulation from velocity. Cutoff Key Follow Adjusts the cutoff modulation using the note number. Increase this parameter to raise the cutoff with higher notes. At 100 %, the cutoff follows the played pitch exactly. Amplifier Section Level Controls the overall volume of the sound. 281 Included Instruments Voltage Velocity Controls the level modulation from velocity. At 0, all notes are played with the same level. Voice Section Octave Adjusts the pitch in octave steps. Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the pitchbend wheel. Glide Allows you to bend the pitch between notes that follow each other. You achieve the best results in Mono mode. Fingered Activate this parameter to glide the pitch only between notes that are played legato. Mono Activates monophonic playback. Retrigger This option is only available in Mono mode. If Retrigger is activated, a note that was stolen by another note is retriggered if you still hold the stolen note when you release the new one. This way, you can play trills by holding one note and quickly and repeatedly pressing and releasing another note, for example. Trigger Mode Defines the trigger behavior for new notes. • Normal triggers a new note when the previous note gets stolen. The sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. To minimize discontinuities, use the Fade Out parameter of the zone. • Resume does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope is retriggered, but resumes at the level of the stolen note. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. 282 Included Instruments Voltage If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Legato does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope keeps running. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Resume Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope resumes at the level of the stolen note and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. • Legato Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope keeps running and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. NOTE If Resume or Legato are selected, you might hear an unnatural attack, depending on the sample. To avoid this, activate Use Start Range on the Glide tab in the Voice Control section for the zone. LFO Section Freq Controls the frequency of the modulation, that is, the speed of the LFO. Sync If Sync is activated, the frequency is set in fractions of beats. Cutoff Controls the modulation depth of the filter cutoff modulation. Pitch Controls the modulation depth of the pitch modulation. PWM Controls the modulation depth of the pulse width modulation of the square oscillators. 283 Included Instruments Voltage Mod Wheel Section Vib Freq Controls the frequency of the second LFO that is used for pitch modulation (vibrato). Cutoff Controls the influence of the mod wheel on the filter cutoff. Vib Depth Controls the depth of the pitch modulation (vibrato). Distortion Controls the influence of the mod wheel on the filter distortion. Filter Envelope Section Attack Controls the attack time of the filter envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the filter envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the filter envelope. Release Controls the release time of the filter envelope. 284 Included Instruments Model C Amp Envelope Section Attack Controls the attack time of the amplifier envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the amplifier envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the amplifier envelope. Release Controls the release time of the amplifier envelope. Arp Page This page contains the same parameters as the FlexPhraser. RELATED LINKS FlexPhraser on page 483 Model C Model C is a classic tonewheel organ emulation with 9 drawbars and 3 additional drawbars for the percussion. Model C comes with an integrated and highly configurable rotary effect, as well as an amplifier emulation using VST Amp technology. The effect section provides additional effects, 285 Included Instruments Model C such as phaser, delay, and reverb, and also offers a ring modulator which allows to add nonharmonic tones. Model C contains four pages: Organ, Rotary, Amp, and FX. • To open a page, click the corresponding button in the top section of the window. Organ Page Drawbars The main drawbars on the left adjust the levels of the individual tonewheels. The three drawbars on the right adjust the levels of the tonewheels that are used for percussion. Rotary Allows you to switch from fast to slow speaker rotation. In the middle position, rotation is stopped. On the Rotary page, you can make detailed settings for the effect. Attack Adjusts the attack time of the organ sound. Typically, the attack is very short, but you can set longer times to create pad-like sounds. Release Adjusts the release time of the organ sound. Typically, the release time is very short, but you can set longer times to achieve a slow fade out of the sound when a key is released. Velocity Determines the influence of the velocity on the level of the organ sound. Key On Click/Key Off Click Electromechanical organs produce short noise signals when a note is triggered and when it is released. The level of these clicks is set here. 286 Included Instruments Model C Vibrato Click the pedal button to activate the integrated vibrato effect. If it is activated, you can select a type using the control on the right. Rotary/Amp The organ signal is sent in parallel to the rotary speaker and to the internal amp. This control allows you to specify how the signal is distributed between these two destinations. • If you turn the control all the way to the left, the signal is sent only to the rotary speaker. All the way to the right, it is sent only to the amp. Percussion Click the pedal button to activate the percussion signal. The following percussion parameters are available: • Steal 1' – Typically, on an electromechanical organ, the 1' drawbar is not available when percussion is activated. To prevent this, deactivate the Steal 1' option. • Poly – Typically, percussion in drawbar organs is monophonic, that is, when you play a key, the percussion envelope is triggered for this note. As long as the key is held, no new percussion can be retriggered. If you play a legato section, for example, percussion is only applied to the very first note or chord. Percussion can only be retriggered after all notes are released. To trigger the percussion with every new note, activate Poly. • Level adjusts the loudness of the percussion signal. 287 Included Instruments Model C Rotary Page The settings on this page only have an effect on the sound when signals are sent to the rotary effect using the Rotary/Amp dial on the Organ page. The Rotary effect on this page has the same parameters as the included Rotary effect, except for Input and Color. RELATED LINKS Rotary on page 452 Amp Page The settings on this page only have an effect on the sound if signals are sent to the amp using the Rotary/Amp dial on the Organ page. The parameters correspond to those of the VST Amp effect, with reduced microphone and microphone position options. RELATED LINKS VST Amp on page 441 288 Included Instruments Model C FX Page Ring Modulator On/Off Activates/Deactivates the ring modulator effect. LFO Freq Sets the frequency of the LFO for modulating the frequency of the sine oscillator. LFO Depth Sets the intensity of the LFO modulation of the sine oscillator frequency. Sine Freq Sets the frequency of the sine oscillator. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. Phaser 289 Included Instruments Model C On/Off Activates/Deactivates the Phaser effect. Rate Sets the frequency of the phase modulation in Hertz. Depth Sets the intensity of the phase modulation. Feedback Adds resonances to the effect. Higher settings produce a more pronounced effect. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. Delay On/Off Activates/Deactivates the Delay effect. Delay Mode With this dial, you can switch between the three available delay modes: • St (Stereo) – This mode has two delays in parallel, one for the left and one for the right audio channel, each with a feedback path of its own. • Cross – This mode has two delays with cross feedback. Cross feedback means that the delay of the left channel is fed back into the right delay and vice versa. • PP (Ping-Pong) – This mode mixes the left and right input and sends it to hard-panned left and right delays. This way, the echoes bounce like a pingpong ball between left and right in the stereo panorama. Delay Time Sets the overall time for the left and right delay in milliseconds. Feedback Sets the overall amount of feedback for the left and right delay. Feedback means the output of the delay is fed back to its input. At a setting of 0 %, you hear only one echo. At a setting of 100 %, the echoes repeat endlessly. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. 290 Included Instruments HALiotron Reverb On/Off Activates/Deactivates the Reverb effect. Reverb Type Use this dial to switch between the available reverb types: Spring, Plate, and Hall. Time Allows you to set the reverb time in seconds. Predelay Controls how much time passes before the reverb is applied. This allows you to simulate larger spaces by increasing the time it takes for first reflections to reach the listener. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. HALiotron HALiotron emulates the sound generation of the pre-digital sampling era. Before the introduction of digital samplers, original instrument sounds were created by playing a pre-recorded tape for every key. HALiotron comes with seven different tapes from these days, which can be blended to create sound mixtures. In addition to its classic archetype, HALiotron offers a set of the most important synthesis parameters, allowing you to vary the shape of the sound. Furthermore, you can play sounds dynamically by controlling filter and amp via velocity. 291 Included Instruments HALiotron Main Page Loop On/Off Set this to On if you want the notes to be played using looped versions of the underlying samples and to Off if you want the notes to stop when the tape reaches its end. Volume Adjusts the main volume of the sound. Speed Adjusts the speed of the tape playback. If this is set to Slow, the samples are played back an octave lower. Cutoff Adjusts the cutoff frequency of the built-in low-pass filter. Pitch Adjusts the tuning of the sound. When you combine several HALiotron presets, this can be used to make the sound richer. A, B, C Click here to select one of the included tapes for each dial position. Use the dial to blend seamlessly between the tapes. Attack Adjusts the attack time of the sound. Release Adjusts the release time of the sound. Velocity Controls the influence of the velocity on the level of the sound. 292 Included Instruments HALiotron Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the pitchbend wheel. Coarse Tune Adjusts the sound in semitone steps. This allows you to play intervals with multiple layered HALiotron sounds. Filter Page Resonance Adjusts the resonance of the low-pass filter. Velocity Sets the influence of the velocity on the level of the sound. Env Amount Adjusts the influence of the filter envelope on the cutoff frequency. KYB Adjusts the cutoff modulation from the keyboard, that is, cutoff key follow. Attack Controls the attack time of the filter envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the filter envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the filter envelope. 293 Included Instruments B-Box B-Box B-Box provides you with a veritable drum computer inside HALion. It comes with 13 instrument lanes that can make use of up to 128 different sounds. You can set up your drum patterns, create variations, and modify each drum sound using a low-pass filter and several distortion modes. B-Box contains three pages: Pattern, Mix, and Aux. • To open a page, click the corresponding button in the top section of the window. Pattern Page The Pattern page is where you create and edit the drum patterns. It gives you access to the pattern editor as well as to some of the most important sound parameters. The pattern editor section in the center of the window allows you to create and edit drum patterns. • To specify the number of steps for a pattern, drag the small triangle in the lower part of the pattern display. The maximum length is 16 steps. • To change the drum sound for a lane, set a new value in the Sound column. You can choose between up to 128 drum sounds, depending on the selected drum instrument. • To preview a drum sound, click the trigger button to the right of the instrument name. • To add drum steps to the pattern, click on the step fields in the pattern editor. To add drum steps for all fields on a lane in one go, hold down Shift and click on a field. 294 Included Instruments B-Box • To mute or solo individual lanes, click the corresponding Mute and Solo buttons. • To set up the velocity for a step, click it and drag up or down or use the mouse wheel. A step can be set to low, medium, or high velocity. To change the velocity of all steps in a lane at the same time, hold down Shift and use the mouse. NOTE This function inserts drum steps for every step field on the lane and sets it to the same velocity. If you want to use only several steps of this lane, you must modify the velocity separately for each step. • To remove a step, click it. To remove all steps, hold down Shift-Ctrl/Cmd and click a step. Editing the Entire Pattern • To load a pattern, click in the field below the editor and select it from the pop-up menu. • To move all steps of the pattern one step to the left or right, click Shift Pattern Left or Shift Pattern Right . This is useful if you have created a pattern that sounds the way you want but does not start on the first beat, for example. • To mirror the pattern around its middle step, click Reverse Pattern . • To copy all steps in the current pattern and insert them behind the current steps, click Duplicate Pattern . NOTE The maximum number of steps in a pattern is 16. If you select Duplicate Pattern and the resulting pattern would be longer than 16 steps, new steps are inserted until the maximum length is reached. • To remove all steps in a pattern, click Clear Pattern . Setting Up the Drum Sounds With the controls to the left and right of the pattern editor, you can make settings for the selected drum instrument. Coarse Adjusts the tuning of the instrument in semitone steps. Fine Fine-tunes the instrument in cent steps. Pan Adjusts the panorama position. Cutoff Adjusts the cutoff frequency for the instrument. 295 Included Instruments B-Box Resonance Adjusts the filter resonance for the instrument. Distortion Type Sets the distortion type. You can choose between Tube, Hard Clip, Bit Reduction, and Rate Reduction. Distortion Sets the amount of distortion for the instrument. Level Sets the level of the instrument. Playing Back the Pattern • To play back the pattern, use the play button at the top of the window. An indicator below the step number shows which step is playing. Exporting Patterns • To export a pattern as a MIDI file, drag the MIDI export field into your host application. Variations B-Box offers up to 8 variations that can be used to create different rhythm patterns, such as intros, fills, and endings, for example. • To switch between variations, click the variation buttons above the pattern editor. • You can copy and paste variations using the commands on the context menu. NOTE The parameters Loop, Sync, Hold, Trigger Mode, Restart Mode, and Input Mode are not part of the variations. Variations can be assigned to the trigger pads, allowing you to switch variations on the fly. RELATED LINKS Trigger Pads on page 494 296 Included Instruments B-Box Mix Page On the Mix page, you can add effects to the patterns. Level Adjusts the level of the instrument. Pan Adjusts the panorama position of the instrument. Delay Determines how much of the signal is sent to the delay effect. Reverb Determines how much of the signal is sent to the reverb effect. Output Here, you can select one of the available plug-in outputs. AUX Page On the Aux page, you can make global settings for B-Box and the included effects. The page is divided into two sections. The left section gives you access to the global performance settings, and the right section allows you to edit the integrated delay and reverb effects. 297 Included Instruments B-Box Performance Section Loop If this option is activated, the pattern plays back in a loop. Hold • If this parameter is set to Off, the pattern changes immediately when a key is released. The pattern stops immediately when all keys are released. • If the parameter is set to On, the pattern plays to the end even when the keys are released. If the Loop option is activated, the pattern plays continuously in a cycle. • If the parameter is set to Gated, the pattern starts playback with the first key being played. It plays silently in the background even if the keys are released, and resumes playback at the current position when you press any of the keys again. This way, you can gate the playback of the pattern. Trigger Mode The trigger mode determines at which moment B-Box changes the pattern when you select another variation. • If the parameter is set to Immediately, the pattern changes as soon as you switch to another variation. • If the parameter is set to Next Beat, the pattern changes on the first new beat after switching to another variation. • If the parameter is set to Next Measure, the pattern changes at the first new measure after switching to another variation. Restart Mode Determines whether the pattern playback is restarted when a note is triggered. • Off – Playback is not restarted if it is already running. • First Note – Restarts playback when a note is triggered and no other notes are playing. • Each Note – Restarts playback every time a note is triggered. 298 Included Instruments B-Box • Sync to Host – Aligns playback with the beats and measures of your host application. Playback is synchronized every time you start the transport. • Follow Transport – Playback starts and stops automatically together with the transport controls in your host application. Input Mode Keys that trigger the pattern are shown in green on the HALion keyboard. Keys that are assigned to an instrument sound are shown as regular black and white keys. Depending on the Input Mode, the black and white keys either trigger or mute the assigned instrument. • Off triggers the pattern with any key that you play. • Trigger plays back the sound of the assigned instrument. • Mute mutes the track for as long as you press the key. Sync To synchronize the pattern to the tempo of your host application, activate Sync. For the modes Sync to Host and Follow Transport, synchronization to the host application is established automatically. In these modes, the Sync parameter cannot be edited. Tempo If Sync is deactivated, you can use the Tempo parameter to set the internal playback speed. Tempo Scale Defines the speed at which the pattern is running. You can specify a value in fractions of beats. You can also set dotted and triplet note values. For example, if the Tempo parameter is set to 1/16 and you set this value to 1/8, the speed is cut in half. Groove Quantizing Patterns To adapt the timing of a pattern to an external MIDI file, you can drop this MIDI file on the Groove Quantize drop field. You can quantize the playback of the pattern to the timing of a sliced loop by dragging its MIDI file from the MIDI export drag field to the Groove Quantize drop field. The Groove Quantize Depth parameter to the right of the drop field determines how accurately the pattern follows the timing of the MIDI file. Swing Shifts the timing of notes on even-numbered beats. This way, the pattern gets a swing feeling. Negative values let the notes play earlier, positive values let the notes play later. 299 Included Instruments World Instruments Velocity Scale Allows you to raise or lower the note-on velocities of the pattern. At a value of 100 %, the notes play with their original velocity. Delay and Reverb Section The delay and reverb effect have the same parameters as the Multi Delay and Reverb effects. Delay Adjusts the general amount of delay. Reverb Adjusts the general amount of reverb. Master Adjusts the overall volume of B-Box. RELATED LINKS Multi Delay on page 428 Reverb on page 425 World Instruments World Instruments delivers a great variety of ethnic instruments that can either be played manually or use the integrated arpeggiator. On the Sound page, the instruments can be fine-tuned with filter and amp settings. In addition, you can use the built-in micro-tuning functionality to decrease the pitch of each key by a quarter note, to realize typical oriental scales. Sound Page 300 Included Instruments World Instruments Filter Section Filter Shape • LP24, 18, 12, and 6 are low-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12 and BP24 are band-pass filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+LP18 and HP6+LP12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct and a low-pass filter with 18 and 12 dB/oct, respectively (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies above the cutoff. • HP12+LP6 and HP18+LP6 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 12 and 18 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 dB/oct (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies below the cutoff. • HP24, 18, 12, and 6 are high-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies below the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12 and BR24 are band-reject filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12+LP6 and BR12+LP12 are combinations of a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct, respectively. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12+BR12 is a band-pass filter with 12 dB/oct plus a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below, above, and around the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+BR12 and HP12+BR12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct and a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below and around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP+LP6 is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct plus a low-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+AP is a high-pass filter with 6 dB/oct plus an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around and below the cutoff are attenuated. Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff. At higher settings, the filter selfoscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Envelope Amount Controls the cutoff modulation from the filter envelope. Cutoff Velocity Controls the cutoff modulation from velocity. 301 Included Instruments World Instruments Filter Envelope Attack Controls the attack time of the filter envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the filter envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the filter envelope. Release Controls the release time of the filter envelope. Amp Section Key Delay Delays playback of the notes. This parameter can be used when working with multiple programs or layers. Setting up different key delay values for the different layers allows you to spread the notes, so that they do not all begin at the same time. Level Controls the overall volume of the sound. Velocity Controls the level modulation from velocity. At 0, all notes are played with the same level. Amp Envelope Attack Controls the attack time of the amplifier envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the amplifier envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the amplifier envelope. Release Controls the release time of the amplifier envelope. Pitch Section Coarse Adjusts the tuning in semitones. Fine Adjusts the tuning in cents. 302 Included Instruments World Instruments Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the pitchbend wheel. LFO Section Freq Controls the frequency of the modulation, that is, the speed of the LFO. Sync If Sync is activated, the frequency is set in fractions of beats. Pitch Controls the modulation depth of the pitch modulation. Cutoff Controls the modulation depth of the filter cutoff modulation. MW Section Vib Freq Controls the frequency of the second LFO that is used for pitch modulation (vibrato). Vib Depth Controls the depth of the pitch modulation (vibrato). Cutoff Controls the influence of the mod wheel on the filter cutoff. Oriental Scale Section Scale On/Off Activates/Deactivates the influence of the scale settings on the played notes. Note Switches Activate a switch to decrease the tuning of the corresponding note by a quarter note. 303 Included Instruments World Percussion Arp Page This page contains the same parameters as the FlexPhraser. RELATED LINKS FlexPhraser on page 483 World Percussion World Percussion delivers a great variety of ethnic percussion instruments and associated MIDI phrases. The instruments can be globally fine-tuned with filter and amp settings which in turn can make use of envelope settings. The built-in MIDI player allows you to use the included MIDI phrases or to import your own MIDI phrases. MIDI Player Parameters In the top section of the macro page, the MIDI player parameters are available. 304 Included Instruments World Percussion On/Off button Activates/Deactivates the MIDI player part of World Percussion. Variation buttons You can configure up to eight different variations of your sounds and switch between them with the variation buttons. NOTE To avoid switching variations in the middle of a beat or measure, use the trigger modes Next Beat or Next Measure. Loading Phrases To load a phrase, click in the Phrase field and select a phrase from the selector. Exporting MIDI Phrases You can export your MIDI phrase as a MIDI file using drag and drop. Loop If this button is activated, the phrase plays back in a loop. If this button is deactivated, the phrase is played once. Hold Allows you to prevent the phrase from stopping or changing when the keys are released. • If Off is selected, the phrase changes as soon as you release a key. The phrase stops immediately when you release all keys. • If On is selected, the phrase plays to the end, even if the keys are released. If Loop is activated, the phrase repeats continuously. • If Gated is selected, the phrase starts to play when the first key is played. It plays silently in the background, even if the keys are released, and resumes playback at the current position when you press any of the keys again. This way, you can gate the playback of the phrase. Trigger Mode Determines at which moment the player changes the phrase when you select another variation. • Immediately – The phrase changes as soon as you switch to another variation. • Next Beat – The phrase changes on the first new beat after switching to another variation. • Next Measure – The phrase changes on the first new measure after switching to another variation. Restart Depending on the selected Restart mode and your playing, you can restart playback from the beginning of the loop. • Off – The loop runs continuously and will not restart upon note changes. 305 Included Instruments World Percussion • First Note – The loop restarts when a note is triggered and no other notes are already held. • Each Note – The loop restarts each time a note is triggered. • Sync to Host – Select this to align the loop with the beats and measures of your host application. The loop aligns to the beats and measures each time you start the transport. • Follow Transport – Playback starts and stops automatically together with the transport controls in your host application. Start Shifts the start of the loop in steps of 1/4 notes. The length of the loop is shortened accordingly. Length Allows you to shorten the length of the loop in steps of 1/4 notes. NOTE The control range of Start and Length varies with the original length of the loop. Tempo • If Sync is deactivated, the Tempo control sets the internal playback speed of the loop, in BPM. In addition, Tempo Scale gives you further control over the playback speed. • If Sync is activated, the Tempo control is inactive. Sync To synchronize the loop to the tempo of your host application, activate Sync. NOTE In the Restart modes Sync to Host and Follow Transport, synchronization to the host application is established automatically. In these modes, the Sync parameter cannot be edited. Play/Stop Starts/Stops playback of the phrase. Low Key Defines the lowest key on which the phrase is triggered. High Key Defines the highest key on which the phrase is triggered. Center Key Determines the MIDI note that is used as the central position for the Key Follow function. 306 Included Instruments World Percussion Pitch Activate this option to set the pitch of the drum sounds according to the center key. Performance Section Tempo Scale Defines the rate at which notes are triggered, that is, the speed at which the phrase is running. In addition to the Tempo parameter, this gives you further control over the playback speed. You can specify a value in fractions of beats. You can also set dotted and triplet note values. For example, if you change the Tempo Scale setting from 1/16 to 1/8, the speed is cut in half. If you set it to 1/32, the speed is doubled. Other values increase or decrease the speed accordingly. Swing Shifts the timing of notes on even-numbered beats. This way, the phrase gets a swing feeling. Negative values shift the timing backward, and the notes are played earlier. Positive values shift the timing forward, and the notes are played later. Gate Scale Allows you to shorten or lengthen the notes of the phrase. At a value of 100 %, the notes play with their original gate length. Velocity Scale Raises or lowers the note-on velocities of the phrase. At a value of 100 %, the notes are played with their original velocity. Quantize Note Value This pop-up menu allows you to set up a quantization grid, in fractions of beats. You can also specify dotted and triplet values. This way, you can force the timing of the MIDI note events to play back only at the selected note value. Quantize Amount Defines how much of the quantization grid is applied. A value of 100 % means that the MIDI note events play back only at the specified Quantize note value. Smaller values move the notes only partially towards the next Quantize note value. At a value of 0 %, no quantization is applied. Filter Section Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff. At higher settings, the filter selfoscillates, which results in a ringing tone. 307 Included Instruments Anima Envelope Amount Controls the cutoff modulation from the filter envelope. Cutoff Velocity Controls the cutoff modulation from velocity. Decay Controls the decay time of the filter envelope. Amp Section Level Controls the overall volume of the sound. Velocity Controls the level modulation from velocity. At 0, all notes are played with the same level. Decay Controls the decay time of the amplifier envelope. Anima The Anima synth is a wavetable instrument using HALion’s wavteable synthesis which crossfades the waves smoothly in real time based on an integrated wavetable envelope. This envelope makes it very easy to control the playback of the wavetable, because no further modulation settings are required. All you have to do is set up the Speed parameter. The modulation matrix allows you to control the playback position of the oscillator using one of the integrated LFOs, the velocity, or the modulation wheel, for example. Anima provides two wavetable oscillators that can be used in parallel. Each oscillator features a multi-oscillator that allows you to create up to eight additional voices for each oscillator and then separately detune them and distribute them in the stereo panorama. The sub-oscillator comes with classic oscillator waves like sine, triangle, saw, square and two different pulses, and also features a noise generator. The noise generator delivers a 308 Included Instruments Anima large number of different noise types. These range from classic noises like white and pink noise over drum attacks and rhythmical noises to specifically filtered colored noises and unique circuit noises, recorded from various electronic devices. This powerful collection of noises can be used to add inharmonic frequencies to create atmospheric sound or add transients for rich and percussive attacks, for example. The integrated arpeggiator and step sequencer allows you to play rhythmic patterns and/or add modulations to the synthesis parameters using the three available controller lanes. The oscillator is followed by a multi-mode filter that offers a large number of different filter shapes. The filter can be modulated by modulation sources like the keyboard, velocity, and LFO, but also by the controller lanes of the step sequencer, for example. Anima includes two monophonic LFOs that can be synchronized to the host tempo and allow you to modulate a large number of modulation destinations using the modulation matrix. In addition, a user-defined envelope can be assigned to destinations like Pitch, Pan, or Wavetable parameters in the modulation matrix. Anima contains six pages: Osc1, Osc2, Sub, Mod, Voice, and Arp. To show the settings for a page, click the corresponding page button. If a page button itself contains an On/Off button, which is the case for the Arp page button, for example, you can use this to activate/deactivate the corresponding element without having to open the page first. Oscillator Pages The Osc 1 and Osc 2 pages contain the settings for the two main oscillators. • To show the settings for oscillator 1 or oscillator 2, click the corresponding button. • To activate/deactivate an oscillator, click the On/Off button on the right of the corresponding page button. Select Wavetable This pop-up menu allows you to select one of the included wavetables for the wavetable oscillator. Show 3D Wavetable Map/2D Wave Toggles between displaying a single cycle of the current waveform and a topographic map of the entire wavetable. Retrigger Mode • If Free Phase is selected, the behavior of analog synthesizers is emulated. The oscillator is running freely and continuously. 309 Included Instruments Anima • If Random Phase is selected, the start phase is randomly set to a different value each time that you trigger a note. In contrast to Free Phase, there is no continuity in the phase of the waveform. • If Fixed Phase is selected, the oscillator runs with a fixed start phase that can be specified between 0 and 360 degrees. Octave Adjusts the pitch in octave steps. Coarse Adjusts the pitch in semitone steps. Fine Adjusts the pitch in cent steps. This allows you to fine-tune the oscillator sound. Level Adjusts the output level of the oscillator. Pan Adjusts the position of the oscillator in the stereo panorama. At a setting of -100 %, the sound is panned hard left, and at +100 %, it is panned hard right. Main Tab Legato If Legato is deactivated, each note starts playback from the position cursor. If Legato is activated, the first note starts playback from the position cursor, and any following notes start from the current playback position for as long as the first note is held. Sync to Host Allows you to sync the wavetable to the beats and measures of your host application. Loop Mode • Off: If Playback Direction is set to a positive value, the wavetable plays from the position cursor to the end. If Playback Direction is set to a negative value, the wavetable plays from the position cursor to the start. • On: Depending on the Playback Direction setting, the wavetable plays forward or backward in a loop. 310 Included Instruments Anima • Alt: The wavetable plays in an alternate loop, that is, the loop is alternately played forward and backward. The first direction depends on the Playback Direction setting. Speed Determines the rate at which the envelope plays through the wavetables. At +100 %, the envelope plays back at its original speed. A value of +50 % corresponds to half the original speed, and +200 % to twice the original speed, for example. This parameter is unipolar. Position Determines where the envelope starts. Playback Direction Allows you to set the playback speed in smaller increments. Furthermore, this parameter determines the playback direction. • If you enter negative values, you reverse playback, that is, the playback position moves backward through the wavetable. Random Position Adds a random value to the current position when you play a note. For example, if you want the position to vary between 25.0 % and 75.0 %, set Position to 25.0 % and Random Position to 50.0 %. Random Direction Adds a negative or positive random value to the current direction when you play a note. For example, if you want the direction to vary between -100 % and +100 %, set Direction to 0.0 % and Random Direction to 100.0 %. If you want the direction to vary within the full positive range, set Direction to 50 % and Random Direction to 50 %, for example. Form Tab Formants are harmonics within the spectrum of a note which are pronounced and help to define the character of an instrument. The positions of the formants in the spectrum mainly depend on the construction of an instrument, such as the body of a guitar, the form of the vocal tract in a human body, the filter settings for electronic instruments, etc. These conditions lead to specific frequency ranges that are emphasized regardless of the pitch of the note. Playing back samples or wavetables with a different pitch than the original is usually done by increasing or decreasing the playback speed. This leads to the well known monster or Mickey Mouse effect, because all harmonics are also affected, that is, the characteristic formants are shifted. To avoid this, you can activate the Formant option. 311 Included Instruments Anima On/Off Activates/Deactivates the formant settings. Formant Allows you to shift the formants of the entire wavetable by a fixed value. Key Follow Allows you to shift the formants depending on the played note. • A value of 100 % means that the formant frequency moves with the played note. • A value of 0 % means that the formants kept the same for all notes. You can invert the behavior of the formant shift by setting Key Follow to negative values. Multi Tab The multi-oscillator function allows you to trigger multiple voices simultaneously with each note that you play. If you activate Multi, the following parameters become available: • Number determines the number of oscillators that play back simultaneously. You can also set fractions of numbers. For example, with a setting of 2.5, you hear two oscillators at full level and a third one at half level. • Detune detunes the oscillators. • Pan narrows or widens the stereo panorama. With a setting of 0 %, you create a mono signal and with 100 %, you create a stereo signal. • Spread distributes the oscillators so that each oscillator plays from a different position in the wavetable. Sub Page The Sub page contains the settings for the sub oscillator and the noise oscillator. 312 Included Instruments Anima Sub Oscillator Section Type The wave shape of the sub oscillator. You can choose between Sine, Triangle, Saw, Square, Pulse Wide, and Pulse Narrow. Retrigger Mode • If Free Phase is selected, the behavior of analog synthesizers is emulated. The oscillator is running freely and continuously. • If Random Phase is selected, the start phase is randomly set to a different value each time that you trigger a note. In contrast to Free Phase, there is no continuity in the phase of the waveform. • If Fixed Phase is selected, the oscillator runs with a fixed start phase that can be specified between 0 and 360 degrees. Level Adjusts the output level of the sub oscillator. Pan Adjusts the position of the oscillator in the stereo panorama. At a setting of -100 %, the sound is panned hard left, and at +100 %, it is panned hard right. Noise Oscillator Section The noise oscillator offers you a large amount of different noise types that can be used to add inharmonic frequencies to the overall spectrum, either for the entire sound, with looped noises or with one-shot noise samples. This allows you to add characteristic transients to percussive instruments based on samples, for example. Noise Type This pop-up menu offers you a choice of classic noises, attack transients, soundscapes, and ambience noise samples. Level Adjusts the output level of the Noise section. Sync Activate Sync to synchronize the speed of the noise oscillator to the host tempo. This is particularly useful for rhythmic noises that are based on a tempo of 120 BPM. Pan Determines the position of the noise in the stereo panorama. At a setting of -100 %, the sound is panned hard left, and at +100 %, it is panned hard right. Follow Pitch If Follow Pitch is activated, zone pitch settings like Octave, Coarse, and Fine, as well as modulations like Glide, Pitchbend, or other pitch modulations, affect the duration length. A higher sample pitch leads to a shorter duration. 313 Included Instruments Anima If Follow Pitch is deactivated, the duration is independent of the zone pitch and determined by the Duration settings. Loop Activate this button to play the noise sample in a loop. If this button is not activated, the sample is played once. Speed Adjusts the playback speed of the noise sample. A setting of 800.0 % equals an increase of three octaves in pitch. Speed Key Follow Allows you to adjust the speed modulation by MIDI note number. At a setting of +100 %, the speed doubles per octave. Start Adjusts the start of the noise sample. With a value of 50 %, playback starts in the middle of the sample. Random Start Selects a random playback start within a specific range around the current position. At a setting of 100 %, the playback position jumps to a random position between the specified Start value and the end of the noise sample. Mod Page The Mod page contains the modulation matrix. The modulation matrix offers you up to 16 freely assignable modulations, each with a source, a modifier, and a destination with adjustable depth. The polarity of each source and each modifier can be switched between unipolar and bipolar. Creating Modulations You create modulations by selecting a source, a modifier, and a destination from the pop-up menus in the modulation matrix. PROCEDURE 1. Click the modulation Source field and select the modulation source. 2. Optional: Click in the modulation Modifier field and select the parameter that you want to use to modify the modulation. 314 Included Instruments Anima This modifier is used to scale the output of the modulation source. 3. Optional: Specify whether you want the Source and Modifier parameters to be unipolar or bipolar. 4. Set the modulation intensity with the Depth parameter. 5. Click in the modulation Destination field and select the parameter that you want to modulate. Modulation Matrix Parameters Modulation Sources and Modulation Modifiers The following options are available as modulation sources and as modulation modifiers. LFO A/B The LFOs A and B produce cyclic modulation signals. Amp Envelope The amplifier envelope. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. Filter Envelope The filter envelope. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. Env 3 A freely assignable envelope. It is suited for pan or pitch modulation, for example. Key Follow This produces an exponential modulation signal derived from the MIDI note number. Exponential means this source works with destinations such as Pitch or Cutoff. Note-on Velocity Note-on velocity can be used as modulation signal. Note-on Vel Squared The squared version of Note-on Velocity. The harder you press the key, the higher the modulation values. Pitchbend The position of the pitchbend wheel can be used as modulation signal. Modulation Wheel The position of the modulation wheel can be used as modulation signal. Aftertouch Aftertouch can be used as modulation signal. Some MIDI keyboards cannot send aftertouch messages. However, most sequencer software is able to produce such messages. 315 Included Instruments Anima Arp Controller 1–3 The 3 controllers available on this submenu correspond to the three controller lanes on the Arp page. Bus 1–8 Modulations that are sent to one of the eight busses can be reused as sources. This way, you can combine several modulations to produce more complex signals. Quick Control 1–8 The quick controls can be used as modulation signal. Unipolar vs. Bipolar Sources The polarity of a modulation source specifies the value range that it produces. Unipolar sources modulate between 0 and +1. Bipolar sources modulate between -1 and +1. • To change the polarity of a modulation source or modifier from unipolar to bipolar, activate its Bipolar button. Modulation Destinations Pitch Modulates the pitch. For example, assign one of the LFOs to create a vibrato effect. If Pitch is selected, the modulation depth is set in semitones. Cutoff Modulates the filter cutoff. Resonance Modulates the filter resonance. Resonance changes the character of the filter. For example, to accent the filter the harder you hit a key, assign Velocity to Resonance. Distortion Modulates the filter distortion. Level This modulation adds to the level setting. It can be used to create level offsets using the mod wheel, for example. Volume Modulates the gain. The volume modulation multiplies with the level. Pan Modulates the position of the sound in the panorama. WT 1/2 Pitch Modulates the Pitch parameter of the corresponding wavetable oscillator. 316 Included Instruments Anima WT 1/2 Level Modulates the Level parameter of the corresponding wavetable oscillator. WT 1/2 Pan Modulates the Pan parameter of the corresponding wavetable oscillator. WT 1/2 Multi Detune Modulates the multi-oscillator Detune parameter of the corresponding wavetable oscillator. WT 1/2 Multi Pan Modulates the multi-oscillator Pan parameter of the corresponding wavetable oscillator. WT 1/2 Multi Spread Modulates the multi-oscillator Spread parameter of the corresponding wavetable oscillator. WT 1/2 Multi Voices Modulates the multi-oscillator Voices parameter of the corresponding oscillator. WT 1/2 Position Modulates the Position parameter of the corresponding wavetable oscillator. WT 1/2 Direction Modulates the Direction parameter of the corresponding wavetable oscillator. WT 1/2 Speed Modulates the Speed parameter of the corresponding wavetable oscillator. WT Sub Pitch Modulates the Pitch parameter of the wavetable sub-oscillator. WT Sub Level Modulates the Level parameter of the wavetable sub-oscillator. WT Sub Pan Modulates the Pan parameter of the wavetable sub-oscillator. WT Noise Speed Modulates the Speed parameter of the wavetable noise oscillator. WT Noise Level Modulates the Level parameter of the wavetable noise oscillator. WT Noise Pan Modulates the Pan parameter of the wavetable noise oscillator. 317 Included Instruments Anima Amp Env Attack Modulates the attack time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Decay Modulates the decay time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Release Modulates the release time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Attack Modulates the attack time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Decay Modulates the decay time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Release Modulates the release time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Start Level Modulates the start level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the level of the first envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Attack Modulates the attack time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. 318 Included Instruments Anima Env 3 Attack Level Modulates the attack level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the level of the second envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Decay Modulates the decay time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Release Modulates the release time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Release Level Modulates the release level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the last user envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Bus 1-8 You can send any modulation to one of the 8 busses, for example, to produce more complex modulation signals. Select the bus that you want to send the signals to as a destination. To use the modulation that was sent to a bus, assign the corresponding bus as a modulation source. Voice Page Polyphony If Mono mode is deactivated, you can use this parameter to specify how many notes can be played simultaneously. Mono Activates monophonic playback. 319 Included Instruments Anima Retrigger This option is only available in Mono mode. If Retrigger is activated, a note that was stolen by another note is retriggered if you still hold the stolen note when you release the new one. This way, you can play trills by holding one note and quickly and repeatedly pressing and releasing another note, for example. Trigger Mode Defines the trigger behavior for new notes. • Normal triggers a new note when the previous note gets stolen. The sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. To minimize discontinuities, use the Fade Out parameter of the zone. • Resume does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope is retriggered, but resumes at the level of the stolen note. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Legato does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope keeps running. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Resume Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope resumes at the level of the stolen note and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. • Legato Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope keeps running and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. Glide Allows you to bend the pitch between notes that follow each other. You achieve the best results in Mono mode. Fingered Activate this parameter to glide the pitch only between notes that are played legato. Glide Time Sets the glide time, that is, the time it takes to bend the pitch from one note to the next. Octave Adjusts the pitch in octave steps. Pitch Key Follow Allows you to adjust the pitch modulation by MIDI note number. Set this parameter to positive values in order to raise the pitch the higher you play. Use 320 Included Instruments Anima negative values to lower the pitch the higher you play. At a setting of +100 %, the pitch follows the played note exactly. Distribution Allows you to specify how unison voices are spread in pitch. Changing the unison voice distribution will create different modulations between the unison voices. • If this is set to 0, the distribution is linear, that is, all voices have an equal distance in their pitch offset. • Raising the value stretches the distribution using an exponential curve, so that the first unison voices have a smaller pitch offset than the second and third. • Decreasing the value stretches the distribution using a negative exponential curve,so that the first unison voices have a larger pitch offset than the second and third voices. Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the pitchbend wheel. Filter Section In the filter section in the lower left, you can activate and set up the filter. Filter On/Off Activates/Deactivates the filter. Filter Shape • LP24, 18, 12, and 6 are low-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12 and BP24 are band-pass filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+LP18 and HP6+LP12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct and a low-pass filter with 18 and 12 dB/oct, respectively (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies above the cutoff. • HP12+LP6 and HP18+LP6 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 12 and 18 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 dB/oct (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies below the cutoff. • HP24, 18, 12, and 6 are high-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies below the cutoff are attenuated. 321 Included Instruments Anima • BR12 and BR24 are band-reject filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12+LP6 and BR12+LP12 are combinations of a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct, respectively. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12+BR12 is a band-pass filter with 12 dB/oct plus a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below, above, and around the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+BR12 and HP12+BR12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct and a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below and around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP+LP6 is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct plus a low-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+AP is a high-pass filter with 6 dB/oct plus an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around and below the cutoff are attenuated. Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff. At higher settings, the filter selfoscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Distortion Adds distortion to the signal. The following distortion types are available: • Tube adds warm, tube-like distortion. • Hard Clip adds bright, transistor-like distortion. • Bit Reduction adds digital distortion by means of quantization noise. • Rate Reduction adds digital distortion by means of aliasing. • Rate Reduction Key Follow adds digital distortion by means of aliasing, but with Key Follow. The rate reduction follows the keyboard, so the higher you play, the higher the sample rate. Envelope Amount Controls the cutoff modulation from the filter envelope. Cutoff Velocity Controls the cutoff modulation from velocity. Cutoff Key Follow Adjusts the cutoff modulation using the note number. Increase this parameter to raise the cutoff with higher notes. At 100 %, the cutoff follows the played pitch exactly. 322 Included Instruments Anima Filter Envelope On the left on the Env F/A tab, you can set up the filter envelope. Attack Controls the attack time of the filter envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the filter envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the filter envelope. Release Controls the release time of the filter envelope. Amplifier and Amplifier Envelope On the right of the Env F/A tab, you can make settings for the amplifier and the amplifier envelope. Amplifier Parameters Level Controls the overall volume of the sound. Velocity Controls the level modulation from velocity. At 0, all notes are played with the same level. Amplifier Envelope Parameters Attack Controls the attack time of the amplifier envelope. 323 Included Instruments Anima Decay Controls the decay time of the amplifier envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the amplifier envelope. Release Controls the release time of the amplifier envelope. Env3 Section The Env3 section provides an additional envelope that can be routed freely in the modulation matrix. This envelope is bipolar, therefore, it is particularly suited to modulate destinations like pan or pitch, for example. The faders below the envelope display set the following parameters: • L0 sets the start level. • A sets the attack time. • L1 sets the attack level. • D sets the decay time. • S sets the sustain level. • R sets the release time. • L4 sets the end level. • Vel determines how much the envelope intensity depends on the velocity. If this fader is set to 0, the envelope is fully applied. Higher values reduce the intensity for lower velocities. LFO Section In the LFO section, you can make settings for the two included LFOs. LFO Waveform and Shape • Sine produces smooth modulation, suitable for vibrato or tremolo. Shape adds additional harmonics to the waveform. 324 Included Instruments Anima • Triangle is similar to Sine. Shape continuously changes the triangle waveform to a trapezoid. • Saw produces a ramp cycle. Shape continuously changes the waveform from ramp down to triangle to ramp up. • Pulse produces stepped modulation, where the modulation switches abruptly between two values. Shape continuously changes the ratio between the high and low state of the waveform. If Shape is set to 50 %, a square wave is produced. • Ramp is similar to the Saw waveform. Shape increasingly puts silence before the sawtooth ramp up begins. • Log produces a logarithmic modulation. Shape continuously changes the logarithmic curvature from negative to positive. • S & H 1 produces randomly stepped modulation, where each step is different. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. • S & H 2 is similar to S & H 1. The steps alternate between random high and low values. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. Sync If Sync is activated, the frequency is set in fractions of beats. Freq Controls the frequency of the modulation, that is, the speed of the LFO. Phase Sets the initial phase of the waveform when the LFO is retriggered. Sync If Sync is activated, the frequency is set in fractions of beats. Freq Controls the frequency of the modulation, that is, the speed of the LFO. Phase Sets the initial phase of the waveform when the LFO is retriggered. Rnd (Random Phase) If this button is activated, each note starts with a randomized start phase. NOTE The Phase control cannot be used if Rnd is activated. 325 Included Instruments Skylab Arp Page This page contains the same parameters as the FlexPhraser. RELATED LINKS FlexPhraser on page 483 Skylab The Skylab synth is an instrument that produces a wide range of sounds that are perfectly suited to create cinematic or ambient soundtracks. It comes with a large number of multisamples that provide a variety of evolving pads and soundscapes as well as typical orchestral sounds like strings, brass, and choirs, allowing you to create huge and epic sounds. Furthermore, percussive sample sets of orchestral percussion and taikos are available that can be used with the integrated arpeggiator to create rhythmic patterns, for example. Skylab’s oscillator section can be switched between Sample Mode and Grain Mode. Grain Mode uses granular synthesis with up to eight grain streams, which allows you to produce even more variations of the source samples. The oscillator is followed by a multimode filter that offers a large number of different filter shapes. The filter can be modulated by modulation sources like the keyboard, velocity, and LFO, but also by the controller lanes of the step sequencer, for example. Skylab includes two monophonic LFOs that can be synchronized to the host tempo and allow you to modulate a large number of modulation destinations using the modulation matrix. In addition, a third envelope is included that can be assigned to destinations like Pitch, Pan, or Wavetable parameters in the modulation matrix. 326 Included Instruments Skylab Skylab contains four pages: Osc, Mod, Voice, and Arp. To show the settings for a page, click the corresponding page button. The button for the Arp page also contains an On/Off button for the arpeggiator. Osc Page On this page, you can specify whether you want to use a sample or a grain oscillator and make settings for the oscillator. Sample Mode In Sample Mode, you can load different multi-samples. These samples are played back normally. Grain Mode In Grain Mode, Skylab uses a grain oscillator for playback. 327 Included Instruments Skylab Position You can set the playback position of the grains manually. For example, at a setting of 50 %, the playback position is in the middle of the sample. The playback position is updated with every new grain. Random Position Selects a random playback position within a specific range around the current position. At a setting of 100 %, the playback position jumps to a random position between the start and the end of the sample. Duration Increases the grain period by a factor ranging from 1 to 1000. For very short grains, the sound gets the pitch of the frequency at which the grains repeat. For grains longer than 30 ms, the sound gets the pitch of the original sample. Random Duration Sets the random grain duration. This duration is calculated at the start of a new grain. Duration Key Follow Determines how the grain duration changes with the notes you play. It is mostly used with short durations. Longer durations sound with the original pitch of the sample and therefore do not need to follow the keyboard. Pitch Allows you to specify an interval between -12 and +12 semitones. The grains are played randomly at their original pitch, or are transposed according to the pitch interval. This parameter is suited for longer grain durations. Random Pitch Sets the random pitch range in semitones and cents. At a setting of +12, the random pitch values lie between -12 and +12 semitones. This parameter can be used to enrich the sound. Level Adjusts the overall level of the grain oscillator. When you increase the number of grains, it might become necessary to lower the oscillator level. When you play back a very quiet portion of a sample, you can use this control to raise the level. Random Level Sets a random level for each new grain. At a setting of 100 %, the level varies between a factor of 0 and 2 of the original level. Width Narrows the stereo width of the grain oscillator. It is applied after the grain oscillator and does not affect the stereo width of the actual sample. At a setting of 0 %, the output of the grain oscillator is monophonic. 328 Included Instruments Skylab Auto Gain Allows you to automatically adjust the level of grains using quieter sample parts. This way, you get a more homogeneous signal and you can use a quiet part of a sample as source. Grains Allows you to specify the number of grains, from 1 to 8. For example, with a setting of 4, you get 4 grains per period of the grain duration. To hear the effect of this setting, you have to play a new note. Fixed Pitch Plays the sample at a fixed pitch. • If this button is activated, the sample follows the pitch of the keyboard. The root key is C3. • If this button is deactivated, the sample plays at its original pitch, and any pitch modulations for the zone have no effect. Mod Page The Mod page contains the modulation matrix. The modulation matrix offers you up to 16 freely assignable modulations, each with a source, a modifier, and a destination with adjustable depth. The polarity of each source and each modifier can be switched between unipolar and bipolar. Creating Modulations You create modulations by selecting a source, a modifier, and a destination from the pop-up menus in the modulation matrix. PROCEDURE 1. Click the modulation Source field and select the modulation source. 2. Optional: Click in the modulation Modifier field and select the parameter that you want to use to modify the modulation. This modifier is used to scale the output of the modulation source. 3. Optional: Specify whether you want the Source and Modifier parameters to be unipolar or bipolar. 4. Set the modulation intensity with the Depth parameter. 329 Included Instruments Skylab 5. Click in the modulation Destination field and select the parameter that you want to modulate. Modulation Matrix Parameters Modulation Sources and Modulation Modifiers The following options are available as modulation sources and as modulation modifiers. LFO A/B The LFOs A and B produce cyclic modulation signals. Amp Envelope The amplifier envelope. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. Filter Envelope The filter envelope. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. Env 3 A freely assignable envelope. It is suited for pan or pitch modulation, for example. Key Follow This produces an exponential modulation signal derived from the MIDI note number. Exponential means this source works with destinations such as Pitch or Cutoff. Note-on Velocity Note-on velocity can be used as modulation signal. Note-on Vel Squared The squared version of Note-on Velocity. The harder you press the key, the higher the modulation values. Pitchbend The position of the pitchbend wheel can be used as modulation signal. Modulation Wheel The position of the modulation wheel can be used as modulation signal. Aftertouch Aftertouch can be used as modulation signal. Some MIDI keyboards cannot send aftertouch messages. However, most sequencer software is able to produce such messages. Arp Controller 1–3 The 3 controllers available on this submenu correspond to the three controller lanes on the Arp page. 330 Included Instruments Skylab Bus 1–8 Modulations that are sent to one of the eight busses can be reused as sources. This way, you can combine several modulations to produce more complex signals. Quick Control 1–8 The quick controls can be used as modulation signal. Unipolar vs. Bipolar Sources The polarity of a modulation source specifies the value range that it produces. Unipolar sources modulate between 0 and +1. Bipolar sources modulate between -1 and +1. • To change the polarity of a modulation source or modifier from unipolar to bipolar, activate its Bipolar button. Modulation Destinations Pitch Modulates the pitch. For example, assign one of the LFOs to create a vibrato effect. If Pitch is selected, the modulation depth is set in semitones. Cutoff Modulates the filter cutoff. Resonance Modulates the filter resonance. Resonance changes the character of the filter. For example, to accent the filter the harder you hit a key, assign Velocity to Resonance. Distortion Modulates the filter distortion. Level This modulation adds to the level setting. It can be used to create level offsets using the mod wheel, for example. Volume Modulates the gain. The volume modulation multiplies with the level. Pan Modulates the position of the sound in the panorama. Grain Position Modulates the playback position. The modulation is not continuous, but it is updated at the start of each grain. 331 Included Instruments Skylab Grain Duration Modulates the grain duration, that is, the frequency at which the grains repeat. The maximum modulation range at a modulation depth of 100 % is -5 to +5 octaves. Grain Pitch Modulates the pitch of a grain. The modulation is not continuous, but it is updated at the start of a new grain. For continuous pitch modulation, use Pitch instead of Grain Pitch as destination and make sure that Follow Zone Pitch is activated in the grain oscillator. Grain Formant Modulates the pitch of the source sample independently from the grain duration. This results in formant shifting for short durations. Grain Level Modulates the grain level. The modulation is not continuous, but it is updated at the start of each new grain. Amp Env Attack Modulates the attack time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Decay Modulates the decay time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Release Modulates the release time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Attack Modulates the attack time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Decay Modulates the decay time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. 332 Included Instruments Skylab Filter Env Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Release Modulates the release time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Start Level Modulates the start level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the level of the first envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Attack Modulates the attack time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Attack Level Modulates the attack level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the level of the second envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Decay Modulates the decay time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Release Modulates the release time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Release Level Modulates the release level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the last user envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Bus 1-8 You can send any modulation to one of the 8 busses, for example, to produce more complex modulation signals. Select the bus that you want to send the signals to as a destination. To use the modulation that was sent to a bus, assign the corresponding bus as a modulation source. 333 Included Instruments Skylab Voice Page Voice Section Polyphony If Mono mode is deactivated, you can use this parameter to specify how many notes can be played simultaneously. Mono Activates monophonic playback. Retrigger This option is only available in Mono mode. If Retrigger is activated, a note that was stolen by another note is retriggered if you still hold the stolen note when you release the new one. This way, you can play trills by holding one note and quickly and repeatedly pressing and releasing another note, for example. Trigger Mode Defines the trigger behavior for new notes. • Normal triggers a new note when the previous note gets stolen. The sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. To minimize discontinuities, use the Fade Out parameter of the zone. • Resume does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope is retriggered, but resumes at the level of the stolen note. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Legato does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope keeps running. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Resume Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope resumes at the level of the stolen note and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. 334 Included Instruments Skylab • Legato Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope keeps running and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. Glide Section Glide Allows you to bend the pitch between notes that follow each other. You achieve the best results in Mono mode. Fingered Activate this parameter to glide the pitch only between notes that are played legato. Glide Time Sets the glide time, that is, the time it takes to bend the pitch from one note to the next. Pitch Section Octave Adjusts the pitch in octave steps. Coarse Adjusts the pitch in semitone steps. Fine Adjusts the pitch in cent steps. This allows you to fine-tune the oscillator sound. Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the pitchbend wheel. Filter Section Filter On/Off Activates/Deactivates the filter. Filter Shape • LP24, 18, 12, and 6 are low-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12 and BP24 are band-pass filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. 335 Included Instruments Skylab • HP6+LP18 and HP6+LP12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct and a low-pass filter with 18 and 12 dB/oct, respectively (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies above the cutoff. • HP12+LP6 and HP18+LP6 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 12 and 18 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 dB/oct (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies below the cutoff. • HP24, 18, 12, and 6 are high-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies below the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12 and BR24 are band-reject filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12+LP6 and BR12+LP12 are combinations of a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct, respectively. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12+BR12 is a band-pass filter with 12 dB/oct plus a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below, above, and around the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+BR12 and HP12+BR12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct and a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below and around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP+LP6 is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct plus a low-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+AP is a high-pass filter with 6 dB/oct plus an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around and below the cutoff are attenuated. Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff. At higher settings, the filter selfoscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Distortion Adds distortion to the signal. The following distortion types are available: • Tube adds warm, tube-like distortion. • Hard Clip adds bright, transistor-like distortion. • Bit Reduction adds digital distortion by means of quantization noise. • Rate Reduction adds digital distortion by means of aliasing. • Rate Reduction Key Follow adds digital distortion by means of aliasing, but with Key Follow. The rate reduction follows the keyboard, so the higher you play, the higher the sample rate. Envelope Amount Controls the cutoff modulation from the filter envelope. 336 Included Instruments Skylab Cutoff Velocity Controls the cutoff modulation from velocity. Cutoff Key Follow Adjusts the cutoff modulation using the note number. Increase this parameter to raise the cutoff with higher notes. At 100 %, the cutoff follows the played pitch exactly. Filter Envelope On the left on the Env F/A tab, you can set up the filter envelope. Attack Controls the attack time of the filter envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the filter envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the filter envelope. Release Controls the release time of the filter envelope. Amplifier and Amplifier Envelope On the right of the Env F/A tab, you can make settings for the amplifier and the amplifier envelope. Amplifier Parameters Level Controls the overall volume of the sound. 337 Included Instruments Skylab Velocity Controls the level modulation from velocity. At 0, all notes are played with the same level. Amplifier Envelope Parameters Attack Controls the attack time of the amplifier envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the amplifier envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the amplifier envelope. Release Controls the release time of the amplifier envelope. Env3 Section The faders below the envelope display set the following parameters: • L0 sets the start level. • A sets the attack time. • L1 sets the attack level. • D sets the decay time. • S sets the sustain level. • R sets the release time. • L4 sets the end level. • Vel determines how much the envelope intensity depends on the velocity. If this fader is set to 0, the envelope is fully applied. Higher values reduce the intensity for lower velocities. 338 Included Instruments Skylab LFO Section In the LFO section, you can make settings for LFO A and LFO B. LFO Waveform and Shape • Sine produces smooth modulation, suitable for vibrato or tremolo. Shape adds additional harmonics to the waveform. • Triangle is similar to Sine. Shape continuously changes the triangle waveform to a trapezoid. • Saw produces a ramp cycle. Shape continuously changes the waveform from ramp down to triangle to ramp up. • Pulse produces stepped modulation, where the modulation switches abruptly between two values. Shape continuously changes the ratio between the high and low state of the waveform. If Shape is set to 50 %, a square wave is produced. • Ramp is similar to the Saw waveform. Shape increasingly puts silence before the sawtooth ramp up begins. • Log produces a logarithmic modulation. Shape continuously changes the logarithmic curvature from negative to positive. • S & H 1 produces randomly stepped modulation, where each step is different. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. • S & H 2 is similar to S & H 1. The steps alternate between random high and low values. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. Sync If Sync is activated, the frequency is set in fractions of beats. Freq Controls the frequency of the modulation, that is, the speed of the LFO. Phase Sets the initial phase of the waveform when the LFO is retriggered. Rnd (Random Phase) If this button is activated, each note starts with a randomized start phase. NOTE The Phase control cannot be used if Rnd is activated. 339 Included Instruments Raven Arp Page This page contains the same parameters as the FlexPhraser. RELATED LINKS FlexPhraser on page 483 Raven Raven provides the sound of a classical Italian concert grand with six velocity layers and adjustable sustain resonances. Its Tone control allows you to adapt the tonal range from very soft romantic to more intense colors. In addition, you can modify the character of the note-off behavior by adding a dedicated note-off layer. Tone Raven comes with 6 different velocity layers. The Tone control allows you to specify how these layers are used. • If the Tone control is in middle position, different input velocities trigger all 6 layers. 340 Included Instruments Eagle • If you turn the knob to the left, the number of hard velocity layers that are used in the sound is reduced, that is, the sound becomes softer. • If you turn the knob to the right, the number of soft velocity layers that are used is reduced, that is, the sound becomes harder. NOTE The Tone control is independent from the influence that the velocity has on the level of the piano. That means that you can always play the entire level range, even with the softest or the hardest layer. Dynamics – Curve Allows you to specify how the input velocity is affecting the level of the piano. The curve that is used by this control goes from linear to exponential/negative exponential. The curve display on the right reflects the current setting. Dynamics – Minimum Level Specifies the minimum level for the note that is playing the lowest MIDI velocity. This allows you to simulate the behavior of real pianos where you cannot play a note without a minimum amount of pressure. If you set this control to the lowest setting, you get a behavior that is more common with electronic instruments. Sustain Resonance Allows you to decide whether or not to use the additional sustain resonance layer of the piano. If this option is activated, the sustain resonance layers are played when the sustain pedal is held and notes are played. You can adjust the level of the resonance layer with the dial on the right. NOTE The piano also allows for repedaling, which means that the sustain resonances will also be blended in when the sustain pedal is pressed again shortly after notes have been played. If you do not want to use the sustain resonance layers, deactivate this option to save CPU power. Note Off Allows you to decide whether or not to use an additional note-off layer. If this option is deactivated, the sound of the piano stops faster when a key is released. If this option is activated, the release is slightly longer and smoother. Polyphony Determines the number of notes that can be played before notes are stolen. Eagle Eagle provides the sound of a classical German concert grand with 12 velocity layers and adjustable sustain resonances. Its Tone control allows you to adapt the tonal range from very 341 Included Instruments Eagle soft romantic to more intense colors. In addition, you can modify the character of the note-off behavior by adding a dedicated note-off layer. Tone Eagle comes with 12 different velocity layers. The Tone control allows you to specify how these layers are used. • If the Tone control is in middle position, different input velocities trigger all 12 layers. • If you turn the knob to the left, the number of hard velocity layers that are used in the sound is reduced, that is, the sound becomes softer. • If you turn the knob to the right, the number of soft velocity layers that are used is reduced, that is, the sound becomes harder. NOTE The Tone control is independent from the influence that the velocity has on the level of the piano. That means that you can always play the entire level range, even with the softest or the hardest layer. Dynamics – Curve Allows you to specify how the input velocity is affecting the level of the piano. The curve that is used by this control goes from linear to exponential/negative exponential. The curve display on the right reflects the current setting. Dynamics – Minimum Level Specifies the minimum level for the note that is playing the lowest MIDI velocity. This allows you to simulate the behavior of real pianos where you cannot play a note without a minimum amount of pressure. If you set this control to the lowest setting, you get a behavior that is more common with electronic instruments. Sustain Resonance Allows you to decide whether or not to use the additional sustain resonance layer of the piano. 342 Included Instruments Hot Brass If this option is activated, the sustain resonance layers are played when the sustain pedal is held and notes are played. You can adjust the level of the resonance layer with the dial on the right. NOTE The piano also allows for repedaling, which means that the sustain resonances will also be blended in when the sustain pedal is pressed again shortly after notes have been played. If you do not want to use the sustain resonance layers, deactivate this option to save CPU power. Note Off Allows you to decide whether or not to use an additional note-off layer. If this option is deactivated, the sound of the piano stops faster when a key is released. If this option is activated, the release is slightly longer and smoother. Polyphony Determines the number of notes that can be played before notes are stolen. Hot Brass Hot Brass delivers a broad range of brass sounds and articulations suited for rock, soul, funk, and other music styles that need sharp and accentuated brass tone colors. This instrument is particularly suited to play concise licks and riffs. The instrument’s sample oscillators are followed by a synthesis section with a flexible filter where you can modify the sounds further. With the FlexPhraser functionality on the Arp page, you can play typical brass phrases and licks with a single note on your keyboard. Hot Brass contains four pages: Main, Mod, Voice, and Arp. To show the settings for a page, click the corresponding page button. The button for the Arp page also contains an On/Off button for the arpeggiator. 343 Included Instruments Hot Brass Main Page The Main page allows you to select the sample for Hot Brass and to make basic pitch settings. Select Samples Allows you to choose from a range of included samples. Hot Brass provides three differently mixed sections and a pure saxophone section. You can add additional authenticity to your play using the included falls, growls, doits, shakes, and staccato articulations. Coarse Adjusts the pitch in semitone steps. Fine Allows you to fine-tune the pitch in cent steps. Random Pitch Allows you to randomly offset the pitch with each played note. Higher values cause stronger variations. At the maximum setting, the random offsets can vary from -60 cents to +60 cents. Pan Defines the position of the instrument in the stereo panorama Mod Page The Mod page contains the modulation matrix. The modulation matrix offers you up to 16 freely assignable modulations, each with a source, a modifier, and a destination with adjustable depth. The polarity of each source and each modifier can be switched between unipolar and bipolar. 344 Included Instruments Hot Brass Creating Modulations You create modulations by selecting a source, a modifier, and a destination from the pop-up menus in the modulation matrix. PROCEDURE 1. Click the modulation Source field and select the modulation source. 2. Optional: Click in the modulation Modifier field and select the parameter that you want to use to modify the modulation. This modifier is used to scale the output of the modulation source. 3. Optional: Specify whether you want the Source and Modifier parameters to be unipolar or bipolar. 4. Set the modulation intensity with the Depth parameter. 5. Click in the modulation Destination field and select the parameter that you want to modulate. Modulation Matrix Parameters Modulation Sources and Modulation Modifiers The following options are available as modulation sources and as modulation modifiers. LFO A/B The LFOs A and B produce cyclic modulation signals. Amp Envelope The amplifier envelope. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. Filter Envelope The filter envelope. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. Env 3 A freely assignable envelope. It is suited for pan or pitch modulation, for example. Key Follow This produces an exponential modulation signal derived from the MIDI note number. Exponential means this source works with destinations such as Pitch or Cutoff. Note-on Velocity Note-on velocity can be used as modulation signal. Note-on Vel Squared The squared version of Note-on Velocity. The harder you press the key, the higher the modulation values. Pitchbend The position of the pitchbend wheel can be used as modulation signal. 345 Included Instruments Hot Brass Modulation Wheel The position of the modulation wheel can be used as modulation signal. Aftertouch Aftertouch can be used as modulation signal. Some MIDI keyboards cannot send aftertouch messages. However, most sequencer software is able to produce such messages. Arp Controller 1–3 The 3 controllers available on this submenu correspond to the three controller lanes on the Arp page. Bus 1–8 Modulations that are sent to one of the eight busses can be reused as sources. This way, you can combine several modulations to produce more complex signals. Quick Control 1–8 The quick controls can be used as modulation signal. Unipolar vs. Bipolar Sources The polarity of a modulation source specifies the value range that it produces. Unipolar sources modulate between 0 and +1. Bipolar sources modulate between -1 and +1. • To change the polarity of a modulation source or modifier from unipolar to bipolar, activate its Bipolar button. Modulation Destinations Pitch Modulates the pitch. For example, assign one of the LFOs to create a vibrato effect. If Pitch is selected, the modulation depth is set in semitones. Cutoff Modulates the filter cutoff. Resonance Modulates the filter resonance. Resonance changes the character of the filter. For example, to accent the filter the harder you hit a key, assign Velocity to Resonance. Distortion Modulates the filter distortion. Level This modulation adds to the level setting. It can be used to create level offsets using the mod wheel, for example. 346 Included Instruments Hot Brass Volume Modulates the gain. The volume modulation multiplies with the level. Pan Modulates the position of the sound in the panorama. Amp Env Attack Modulates the attack time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Decay Modulates the decay time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Release Modulates the release time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Attack Modulates the attack time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Decay Modulates the decay time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Release Modulates the release time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Start Level Modulates the start level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the level of the first envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. 347 Included Instruments Hot Brass Env 3 Attack Modulates the attack time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Attack Level Modulates the attack level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the level of the second envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Decay Modulates the decay time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Release Modulates the release time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Release Level Modulates the release level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the last user envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Bus 1-8 You can send any modulation to one of the 8 busses, for example, to produce more complex modulation signals. Select the bus that you want to send the signals to as a destination. To use the modulation that was sent to a bus, assign the corresponding bus as a modulation source. Voice Page Polyphony If Mono mode is deactivated, you can use this parameter to specify how many notes can be played simultaneously. 348 Included Instruments Hot Brass Mono Activates monophonic playback. Retrigger This option is only available in Mono mode. If Retrigger is activated, a note that was stolen by another note is retriggered if you still hold the stolen note when you release the new one. This way, you can play trills by holding one note and quickly and repeatedly pressing and releasing another note, for example. Trigger Mode Defines the trigger behavior for new notes. • Normal triggers a new note when the previous note gets stolen. The sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. To minimize discontinuities, use the Fade Out parameter of the zone. • Resume does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope is retriggered, but resumes at the level of the stolen note. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Legato does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope keeps running. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Resume Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope resumes at the level of the stolen note and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. • Legato Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope keeps running and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. Glide Allows you to bend the pitch between notes that follow each other. You achieve the best results in Mono mode. Fingered Activate this parameter to glide the pitch only between notes that are played legato. Glide Time Sets the glide time, that is, the time it takes to bend the pitch from one note to the next. Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the pitchbend wheel. 349 Included Instruments Hot Brass Filter Section Filter On/Off Activates/Deactivates the filter. Filter Shape • LP24, 18, 12, and 6 are low-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12 and BP24 are band-pass filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+LP18 and HP6+LP12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct and a low-pass filter with 18 and 12 dB/oct, respectively (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies above the cutoff. • HP12+LP6 and HP18+LP6 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 12 and 18 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 dB/oct (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies below the cutoff. • HP24, 18, 12, and 6 are high-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies below the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12 and BR24 are band-reject filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12+LP6 and BR12+LP12 are combinations of a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct, respectively. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12+BR12 is a band-pass filter with 12 dB/oct plus a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below, above, and around the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+BR12 and HP12+BR12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct and a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below and around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP+LP6 is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct plus a low-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+AP is a high-pass filter with 6 dB/oct plus an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around and below the cutoff are attenuated. Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. 350 Included Instruments Hot Brass Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff. At higher settings, the filter selfoscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Distortion Adds distortion to the signal. The following distortion types are available: • Tube adds warm, tube-like distortion. • Hard Clip adds bright, transistor-like distortion. • Bit Reduction adds digital distortion by means of quantization noise. • Rate Reduction adds digital distortion by means of aliasing. • Rate Reduction Key Follow adds digital distortion by means of aliasing, but with Key Follow. The rate reduction follows the keyboard, so the higher you play, the higher the sample rate. Envelope Amount Controls the cutoff modulation from the filter envelope. Cutoff Velocity Controls the cutoff modulation from velocity. Cutoff Key Follow Adjusts the cutoff modulation using the note number. Increase this parameter to raise the cutoff with higher notes. At 100 %, the cutoff follows the played pitch exactly. Filter Envelope On the left on the Env F/A tab, you can set up the filter envelope. Attack Controls the attack time of the filter envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the filter envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the filter envelope. Release Controls the release time of the filter envelope. 351 Included Instruments Hot Brass Amplifier and Amplifier Envelope On the right of the Env F/A tab, you can make settings for the amplifier and the amplifier envelope. Amplifier Parameters Level Controls the overall volume of the sound. Velocity Controls the level modulation from velocity. At 0, all notes are played with the same level. Amplifier Envelope Parameters Attack Controls the attack time of the amplifier envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the amplifier envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the amplifier envelope. Release Controls the release time of the amplifier envelope. Env3 Section The faders below the envelope display set the following parameters: • L0 sets the start level. • A sets the attack time. • L1 sets the attack level. • D sets the decay time. 352 Included Instruments Hot Brass • S sets the sustain level. • R sets the release time. • L4 sets the end level. • Vel determines how much the envelope intensity depends on the velocity. If this fader is set to 0, the envelope is fully applied. Higher values reduce the intensity for lower velocities. LFO Section In the LFO section, you can make settings for LFO A and LFO B. LFO Waveform and Shape • Sine produces smooth modulation, suitable for vibrato or tremolo. Shape adds additional harmonics to the waveform. • Triangle is similar to Sine. Shape continuously changes the triangle waveform to a trapezoid. • Saw produces a ramp cycle. Shape continuously changes the waveform from ramp down to triangle to ramp up. • Pulse produces stepped modulation, where the modulation switches abruptly between two values. Shape continuously changes the ratio between the high and low state of the waveform. If Shape is set to 50 %, a square wave is produced. • Ramp is similar to the Saw waveform. Shape increasingly puts silence before the sawtooth ramp up begins. • Log produces a logarithmic modulation. Shape continuously changes the logarithmic curvature from negative to positive. • S & H 1 produces randomly stepped modulation, where each step is different. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. • S & H 2 is similar to S & H 1. The steps alternate between random high and low values. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. Sync If Sync is activated, the frequency is set in fractions of beats. Freq Controls the frequency of the modulation, that is, the speed of the LFO. Phase Sets the initial phase of the waveform when the LFO is retriggered. 353 Included Instruments Studio Strings Rnd (Random Phase) If this button is activated, each note starts with a randomized start phase. NOTE The Phase control cannot be used if Rnd is activated. Arp Page This page contains the same parameters as the FlexPhraser. RELATED LINKS FlexPhraser on page 483 Studio Strings Studio Strings delivers a broad range of string sounds and articulations comprising solo strings, small chamber, and full orchestra sections. The instrument’s sample oscillators are followed by a synthesis section with a flexible filter where you can modify the sounds further. With the FlexPhraser functionality on the 354 Included Instruments Studio Strings Arp page, you can play typical phrases with a single note on your keyboard. Studio Strings contains four pages: Main, Mod, Voice, and Arp. To show the settings for a page, click the corresponding page button. The button for the Arp page also contains an On/Off button for the arpeggiator. Main Page The Main page allows you to select the sample for Studio Strings and to make basic pitch settings. Select Samples Allows you to choose from a range of included samples. Coarse Adjusts the pitch in semitone steps. Fine Allows you to fine-tune the pitch in cent steps. Random Pitch Allows you to randomly offset the pitch with each played note. Higher values cause stronger variations. At the maximum setting, the random offsets can vary from -60 cents to +60 cents. Pan Defines the position of the instrument in the stereo panorama. Mod Page The Mod page contains the modulation matrix. 355 Included Instruments Studio Strings The modulation matrix offers you up to 16 freely assignable modulations, each with a source, a modifier, and a destination with adjustable depth. The polarity of each source and each modifier can be switched between unipolar and bipolar. Creating Modulations You create modulations by selecting a source, a modifier, and a destination from the pop-up menus in the modulation matrix. PROCEDURE 1. Click the modulation Source field and select the modulation source. 2. Optional: Click in the modulation Modifier field and select the parameter that you want to use to modify the modulation. This modifier is used to scale the output of the modulation source. 3. Optional: Specify whether you want the Source and Modifier parameters to be unipolar or bipolar. 4. Set the modulation intensity with the Depth parameter. 5. Click in the modulation Destination field and select the parameter that you want to modulate. Modulation Matrix Parameters Modulation Sources and Modulation Modifiers The following options are available as modulation sources and as modulation modifiers. LFO A/B The LFOs A and B produce cyclic modulation signals. Amp Envelope The amplifier envelope. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. Filter Envelope The filter envelope. The shape of the envelope determines the modulation signal. Env 3 A freely assignable envelope. It is suited for pan or pitch modulation, for example. Key Follow This produces an exponential modulation signal derived from the MIDI note number. Exponential means this source works with destinations such as Pitch or Cutoff. Note-on Velocity Note-on velocity can be used as modulation signal. Note-on Vel Squared The squared version of Note-on Velocity. The harder you press the key, the higher the modulation values. 356 Included Instruments Studio Strings Pitchbend The position of the pitchbend wheel can be used as modulation signal. Modulation Wheel The position of the modulation wheel can be used as modulation signal. Aftertouch Aftertouch can be used as modulation signal. Some MIDI keyboards cannot send aftertouch messages. However, most sequencer software is able to produce such messages. Arp Controller 1–3 The 3 controllers available on this submenu correspond to the three controller lanes on the Arp page. Bus 1–8 Modulations that are sent to one of the eight busses can be reused as sources. This way, you can combine several modulations to produce more complex signals. Quick Control 1–8 The quick controls can be used as modulation signal. Unipolar vs. Bipolar Sources The polarity of a modulation source specifies the value range that it produces. Unipolar sources modulate between 0 and +1. Bipolar sources modulate between -1 and +1. • To change the polarity of a modulation source or modifier from unipolar to bipolar, activate its Bipolar button. Modulation Destinations Pitch Modulates the pitch. For example, assign one of the LFOs to create a vibrato effect. If Pitch is selected, the modulation depth is set in semitones. Cutoff Modulates the filter cutoff. Resonance Modulates the filter resonance. Resonance changes the character of the filter. For example, to accent the filter the harder you hit a key, assign Velocity to Resonance. Distortion Modulates the filter distortion. 357 Included Instruments Studio Strings Level This modulation adds to the level setting. It can be used to create level offsets using the mod wheel, for example. Volume Modulates the gain. The volume modulation multiplies with the level. Pan Modulates the position of the sound in the panorama. Amp Env Attack Modulates the attack time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Decay Modulates the decay time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Amp Env Release Modulates the release time of the amplitude envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Attack Modulates the attack time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Decay Modulates the decay time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Filter Env Release Modulates the release time of the filter envelope. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. 358 Included Instruments Studio Strings Env 3 Start Level Modulates the start level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the level of the first envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Attack Modulates the attack time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Attack Level Modulates the attack level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the level of the second envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Decay Modulates the decay time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Sustain Modulates the sustain level of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Release Modulates the release time of the user-definable envelope 3. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The time is updated only when the segment starts. Env 3 Release Level Modulates the release level of the user-definable envelope 3, that is, the last user envelope node. This modulation destination cannot be modulated continuously. The level is updated only when the segment starts. Bus 1-8 You can send any modulation to one of the 8 busses, for example, to produce more complex modulation signals. Select the bus that you want to send the signals to as a destination. To use the modulation that was sent to a bus, assign the corresponding bus as a modulation source. 359 Included Instruments Studio Strings Voice Page Polyphony If Mono mode is deactivated, you can use this parameter to specify how many notes can be played simultaneously. Mono Activates monophonic playback. Retrigger This option is only available in Mono mode. If Retrigger is activated, a note that was stolen by another note is retriggered if you still hold the stolen note when you release the new one. This way, you can play trills by holding one note and quickly and repeatedly pressing and releasing another note, for example. Trigger Mode Defines the trigger behavior for new notes. • Normal triggers a new note when the previous note gets stolen. The sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. To minimize discontinuities, use the Fade Out parameter of the zone. • Resume does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope is retriggered, but resumes at the level of the stolen note. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Legato does not always trigger a new note. If the new note stays within the same zone, the envelope keeps running. The pitch of the zone is set to the new note. If the new note plays in a different zone, the sample and the envelope of the new note are triggered from the start. • Resume Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope resumes at the level of the stolen note and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. • Legato Keeps Zone does not trigger a new note upon note stealing. The envelope keeps running and the pitch of the zone is set to the new note, even if the new note plays in a different zone. 360 Included Instruments Studio Strings Glide Allows you to bend the pitch between notes that follow each other. You achieve the best results in Mono mode. Fingered Activate this parameter to glide the pitch only between notes that are played legato. Glide Time Sets the glide time, that is, the time it takes to bend the pitch from one note to the next. Start Range Activate Start Range to use a shorter sample attack for notes that are played legato in Mono mode. This allows for a more realistic transition between notes, especially in combination with the Glide parameter. Use the Attack Time of the amplifier envelope to shape the effective attack of a note. NOTE The Start Range affects only sustained articulations. For staccato, pizzicato, and crescendo articulations, it has no effect. Pitchbend Up/Pitchbend Down Determines the range for the modulation that is applied when you move the pitchbend wheel. Filter Section Filter On/Off Activates/Deactivates the filter. Filter Shape • LP24, 18, 12, and 6 are low-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12 and BP24 are band-pass filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+LP18 and HP6+LP12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct and a low-pass filter with 18 and 12 dB/oct, respectively (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies above the cutoff. 361 Included Instruments Studio Strings • HP12+LP6 and HP18+LP6 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 12 and 18 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 dB/oct (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies below the cutoff. • HP24, 18, 12, and 6 are high-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies below the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12 and BR24 are band-reject filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12+LP6 and BR12+LP12 are combinations of a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct, respectively. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12+BR12 is a band-pass filter with 12 dB/oct plus a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below, above, and around the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+BR12 and HP12+BR12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct and a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below and around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP+LP6 is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct plus a low-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+AP is a high-pass filter with 6 dB/oct plus an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around and below the cutoff are attenuated. Cutoff Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter. Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff. At higher settings, the filter selfoscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Distortion Adds distortion to the signal. The following distortion types are available: • Tube adds warm, tube-like distortion. • Hard Clip adds bright, transistor-like distortion. • Bit Reduction adds digital distortion by means of quantization noise. • Rate Reduction adds digital distortion by means of aliasing. • Rate Reduction Key Follow adds digital distortion by means of aliasing, but with Key Follow. The rate reduction follows the keyboard, so the higher you play, the higher the sample rate. Envelope Amount Controls the cutoff modulation from the filter envelope. Cutoff Velocity Controls the cutoff modulation from velocity. 362 Included Instruments Studio Strings Cutoff Key Follow Adjusts the cutoff modulation using the note number. Increase this parameter to raise the cutoff with higher notes. At 100 %, the cutoff follows the played pitch exactly. Filter Envelope On the left on the Env F/A tab, you can set up the filter envelope. Attack Controls the attack time of the filter envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the filter envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the filter envelope. Release Controls the release time of the filter envelope. Amplifier and Amplifier Envelope On the right of the Env F/A tab, you can make settings for the amplifier and the amplifier envelope. Amplifier Parameters Level Controls the overall volume of the sound. Velocity Controls the level modulation from velocity. At 0, all notes are played with the same level. 363 Included Instruments Studio Strings Amplifier Envelope Parameters Attack Controls the attack time of the amplifier envelope. Decay Controls the decay time of the amplifier envelope. Sustain Controls the sustain level of the amplifier envelope. Release Controls the release time of the amplifier envelope. Arp Page This page contains the same parameters as the FlexPhraser. RELATED LINKS FlexPhraser on page 483 364 Parameter List The Parameter List gives you a detailed overview of the parameters of the element that is selected in the Program Tree. For example, if you select an effect in the Program Tree, only the parameters of that effect are shown. The Parameter List is also useful to get additional information about parameters, which is needed if you want to address parameters from a script, for example. • By default, the Parameter List shows the Parameter and Value columns. To add additional columns to the Parameter List, right-click a column header and select an item from the list. • To expand a folder and view its content, click the plus sign or double-click the folder. To collapse a folder, click the minus sign or double-click the folder. To expand or collapse all folders in the list, use the plus/minus buttons in the top left corner of the Parameter List. If a parameter is connected to a macro page, the icon to the left of the parameter name changes. Additional information is shown at the bottom of the editor. To display only connected parameters in the list, activate Show Only Connected Parameters in the top right corner of the Parameter List. The following columns are available: 365 Parameter List Parameter Displays the names of the parameters. Parameters that belong to a specific section are grouped in folders, for example, the LFOs or the envelopes of a zone. Value Displays the values of the parameters. ID (Dec) Shows the parameter ID as decimal value. ID (Hex) Shows the parameter ID as hexadecimal value. Type Shows the value type, that is, Integer, Float, String, Bool, or Data. Unit Shows the unit of the parameter, that is, %, Hz, dB, deg, cent, spl (sample), ms, BPM, etc. Min Shows the minimum value for the parameter. Max Shows the maximum value for the parameter. Default Shows the default value for the parameter. Long Name Shows the long name for the parameter. 366 Macro Pages HALion allows you to build your own sample and synthesizer instruments and to customize them using the integrated LUA script engine. In the Macro Page Designer, you can create your own user interface for these instruments. The Macro Page Designer allows you to create everything from small user interfaces for custom script modules to complete instrument editors with several pages and a wide range of controls, such as knobs, buttons, sliders, text, labels, menus, etc. In addition to the basic controls, complex graphical editors for multi-stage envelopes, the FlexPhraser, the Step Modulator, and displays for samples and wavetables are available. The controls themselves are highly customizable in how they behave and look. NOTE Macro pages can be created for programs, layers, and LUA script MIDI modules. They are not available for smaller HALion elements, such as zones or effects, for example. Macro Pages, Templates, Controls, Resources, and Libraries The general concept behind macro pages distinguishes between templates, controls, resources, and libraries. Macro Pages A macro page is a user interface document that describes which controls and templates are used, how they are graphically arranged, and how the controls are connected to engine or script parameters. The document is saved as an XML file and can be compared to an HTML page describing a web page. A macro page can be created independently from any HALion program and then be combined with it at a later stage. Macro pages contain a list of resources (bitmaps, fonts) and a list of templates that are referenced on it. Templates A template is a group of control elements. A template can be used multiple times on a macro page, each time with different property values. Templates are organized in the Templates Tree. You can create your own templates, either from scratch in the Templates Tree or by combining controls that are used on a macro page. Controls A control is a basic element, like a text field, menu, switch, knob, etc., that can be added to a macro page. Controls have properties for their behavior and their appearance. Depending on the type of control, they can be directly connected to engine and script parameters or have a display functionality and use resources like bitmaps and fonts. 367 Macro Pages Getting Started Resources Most controls require resources like bitmaps or fonts to display something on the screen. These resources are organized in the Resources Tree. Libraries Libraries are identical to macro pages, except that they do not include a functional user interface. Instead, libraries contain a collection of templates and their resources. Using the Resource/Library Browser, you can drag templates from a library onto a macro page. This adds an instance of the template, as well as all necessary components, to your macro page. Libraries can be edited in the same way as macro pages. You can export them to exchange them with other users or customers. Getting Started To learn how to build your own macro pages, it is best to try it out step by step and get familiar with the system. Once you get the general idea of how macro pages are created, take a look at the instruments that come with HALion, such as Anima, Skylab, etc. All the new instruments are built using the feature set and editors of the Macro Page Designer and you can see every single element on the GUI and check out how it is structured and connected to the engine or scripts. Preparing a Basic Macro Page PROCEDURE 1. Create a program with a single synth zone. 2. Click Open New Window and select Macro Page Designer Extended. This window combines the Macro Page Designer with the Program Tree, the Parameter List, the Sound Editor, and the Macro Page. Those editors can be used in combination to set up and test a macro page. 3. Select the program in the Program Tree. This way, the macro page will be associated with this program. 4. On the toolbar of the Macro Page Designer, click Create New Macro Page and select Create HALion Sonic Macro Page to create a page that corresponds to the size standard used in HALion Sonic and HALion Sonic SE. RESULT An empty macro page with a size of 595 x 390 pixels is created. Size Lock is automatically activated to prevent you from accidentally changing the size of the macro page. The Macro Page Designer shows all the editors that are necessary to build a macro page. Adding a Background Image to a Macro Page PREREQUISITE • You have prepared a basic macro page in the Macro Page Designer. • You have created or selected a bitmap file that you want to use as background. 368 Macro Pages Getting Started PROCEDURE 1. In the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder or the Resource/Library Browser, navigate to the .bmp or .png bitmap file that you want to use and drag it onto the canvas in the Macro Page Editor. A new image control is added to the GUI Tree and the bitmap resource is added to the Resources Tree. This resource is used by the image control on your page. 2. Optional: Adjust the position or size of the image, either in the Properties section or directly on the canvas. RELATED LINKS Editing the Elements on the Canvas on page 390 Scaling Elements on page 393 Loading a Template and Connecting It to the Parameters of Your Program Once you have created a macro page, you can connect the parameters of your program to the macro page controls. PROCEDURE 1. In the Resource/Library Browser, select the Basic Controls library. 2. Select the Knobs folder. 3. Make sure that the GUI Tree has the focus and drag the Knob H6 template from the browser onto the macro page. The knob is added to the macro page. The template already contains several control elements like the knob itself, a text field, and a label. 4. To move the template, drag it to another position. To scale the template, drag its edges. In this example, the template adapts the size of the text field and label accordingly and keeps the knob centered. 5. In the Program Tree, select the zone that you want to use. 6. In the Parameter List, scroll to the Amp folder, expand it, and drag the Level parameter name onto the Value field in the Properties section for the knob template or onto the knob on the canvas. The level of the zone is now connected to the value field. 7. 8. 9. 10. Enter the name for the knob in the Label field, for example, Level. Set the unit to dB to show a value in decibel. For the tooltip, enter Oscillator Level. Now that the connection is established, activate Test Macro Page and use the knob. In the Parameter List and/or the Amp section of the Zone Editor, you can see that the parameter values change as you use the control. 369 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer Saving the Macro Page To save your macro page, click Save Macro Page/Library, specify a name and a location, and click Save. NOTE Macro pages can be created for programs, layers, and LUA script MIDI modules. They are not available for smaller HALion elements, such as effects or zones, for example. Macro Page Designer The Macro Page Designer is where you create and edit macro pages. In the middle of the editor, you find the canvas, that is, the area where you arrange the controls on your interface. The section on the left can show either the GUI Tree, the Templates Tree, or the Resources Tree. These give you access to the macro page and its components. The Properties section in the lower left shows the properties of the selected control, template, or resource. Below the canvas, you can display the Resource/Library Browser that can be used to browse for control templates in libraries or in existing macro pages or for bitmap resources on your system. Toolbar The toolbar provides tools and commands necessary for designing and managing your macro pages. 370 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer Create New Macro Page/Library What happens when you click this button depends on which element is selected in the Program Tree. If a program or layer is selected, you can choose between Create Macro Page and Create HALion Sonic Macro Page. • Create Macro Page allows you to create a macro page that does not have any limitation in size. NOTE With this option, it is possible to create macro pages that cannot be displayed in their entirety in HALion Sonic or in the default screen setup of HALion, for example. • Create HALion Sonic Macro Page creates a macro page that corresponds to the size standard used in HALion Sonic and HALion Sonic SE, that is, 595x390 pixels. If you select this option, Size Lock is automatically activated so that you cannot accidentally modify the size of the macro page during the design process of the page. If a LUA script MIDI Module is selected, a macro page is created that corresponds to the size standard used in HALion’s MIDI modules. Size Lock is automatically activated so that you cannot accidentally modify the size of the macro page during the design process of the page. Load Macro Page Allows you to navigate to a macro page and load it. Save Macro Page/Library Saves the current state of your macro page. Export Macro Page/Library Allows you to export the macro page, complete with all the required resources, such as bitmaps, fonts, and scripts. You can use Export Macro Page/Library to consolidate and relocate all resources for a macro page and to save them under the names defined in the macro page. NOTE • The program, layer, or LUA script MIDI module from which you exported the macro page still uses the original version of the macro page. If you want to use the exported macro page instead, you must load it using the Load Macro Page button on the toolbar. Revert to Last Saved Macro Page/Library Reloads the macro page as it was saved the last time. Any changes made afterwards are discarded. Cut Cuts the selected element. 371 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer Copy Copies the selected element to the clipboard. Paste Pastes the element from the clipboard at the current position. NOTE You can copy and paste elements between macro pages. All related resources are automatically copied as well. Create New Element Click this button to add a new element. Which elements can be added depends on whether you are in the GUI Tree, the Templates Tree, or the Resources Tree. Delete Element Click this button to delete the selected element. Edit Element Click this button to edit the selected element. Show/Hide Resource/Library Browser Shows/Hides the Library Browser below the canvas. Show/Hide Debug Messages Shows/Hides the Debug Messages section below the Resource/Library Browser. Test Macro Page Activates test mode. This allows you to use the macro page controls as you would on the final macro page. Undo Last Command/Redo Last Command Allow you to undo/redo your actions. The undo history of the Macro Page Designer is independent from HALion’s global undo history. This way, parameter changes, or modifications of the program structure, such as adding or removing modules, etc., do not interfere with the changes that you made on the macro page. 372 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer GUI Tree The GUI Tree shows the hierarchical structure of a macro page with all its controls and templates. You can set up and structure the macro page by adding and removing elements, grouping them, etc. If you select an element in the GUI Tree, the element is highlighted on the canvas and you can make adjustments for it in the Properties section. For a better overview, the different element types use different icons. Switch Back to Macro Page/Parent Template This button in the header of the GUI Tree allows you to go back to the last macro page, template, etc. For example, if you have been editing a template within a template, clicking Switch Back to Macro Page/Parent Template switches back to the parent template. Context Menu Edit Allows you to edit the selected element. Cut Cuts the selected element. Group Selection Allows you to group multiple selected elements. Paste Pastes the element from the clipboard at the current position. 373 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer Delete Deletes the selected element. Duplicate Duplicates the selected element. Copy Copies the selected element to the clipboard. Reload All Resources Allows you to reload all resources. This can be necessary if you changed a bitmap resource in an external image application, for example, and you want to see the updated image on the macro page. Without reloading the resources, your changes are only visible when you load the program the next time. Create Opens a submenu containing the elements that can be added. Select a menu entry to add the element to the GUI Tree. Create Template fromAllows you to create a template from the current group or selection. Expand Tree/Collapse Tree These commands expand/collapse the entire tree or one of its substructures, depending on where you click to open the context menu. GUI Tree Elements You can add the components that are used on the macro page via the Create New Element button on the toolbar. 374 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer Animation Allows you to display animations or graphical option menus. Image Allows you to add bitmaps in the formats .png and .bmp. Knob Allows you to create potentiometers by using a bitmap or a section with frames. These frames will be played as an animation when turning the knob. Label Allows you to display text for knobs, text fields, or sections. This text is defined once and cannot be edited on the macro page. To insert editable text, use the Text element instead. You can either use one of the available system fonts or use your own fonts for more decorative text styles. Menu Allows you to create switches that open a menu. This menu is filled with the values that are delivered by the connected parameter. The menu also provides an option to open a tree menu, which is helpful when the element contains a large number of values. Range Slider Allows you to add a range slider. This is similar to the Slider element, but it is used to work on a specific range that is defined by minimum and maximum values. Slider Allows you to create a variety of different slider types. You can choose between horizontal and vertical sliders, let the slider jump or move to the click position, etc. Sliders can use a background bitmap that can also be an animation. Switch Allows you to create different types of switches. By specifying a Mode, you can configure the switch as an on/off switch with two states, as a multi-state switch with an arbitrary number of states, you can create exclusive switches that can act as a radio group, etc. The switch requires several bitmaps, depending on the set Mode and can be set to Scalable, which allows you to resize the switch. In this case, the bitmaps are resized according to the set Scale Mode. Text Allows you to add editable text to your macro page. Disable Allows you to add a special group that can disable all its child controls. Group Allows you to add a group that serves as a container for controls and templates. 375 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer Template Allows you to add an instance of a template to the GUI Tree. Template List Allows you to add a list that can contain multiple instances of a referenced template. Stack A stack allows you to create pages or sections on a macro page between which you can switch. Each child of a stack is shown exclusively, depending on the value of the stack. For example, you can control stacks using radio switches, by providing one switch per stack view. Drop Allows you to add a control that accepts dropped objects and returns information such as the file name and path of a sample file, for example. Meter Allows you to add meters that can display the value of a parameter. NOTE For audio metering, use the “Bus Meter” template instead. Step Modulator Allows you to add a control with up to 32 editable bars. Waveform Allows you to add a waveform display to show sample waveforms. Wavetable Allows you to add a display showing the waveform output of a wavetable oscillator. Wavetable 3D Allows you to add a display that shows a wavetable as a three-dimensional image. XY Allows you to add a two-dimensional control, where the position of a point in a field controls two parameters. Variables Allows you to add a folder in which you can add variables. If a Variables folder was added, you can select the available variables from the Variables submenu. 376 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer Managing the GUI Tree Elements The structure of the GUI Tree has an influence on the order in which overlapping elements are layered on the canvas. Elements that are children of another element are drawn on top of their parent. Elements that are on the same hierarchy level are drawn bottom to top, that is, the highest element in the tree is drawn topmost on the canvas. • To move an element, drag it to another position. If you drag an element on a group, it is added as a child to this group. • To group several selected elements, open the context menu and select Group Selected Elements. Templates Tree The Templates Tree allows you to organize your templates. If a template is selected in the Templates Tree, the Preview section displays the contents of the template. You can add Template or Template Folder elements to the Templates Tree using the Create New Element button on the toolbar. This allows you to structure the template content of your macro page. Editing Templates PROCEDURE 1. In the Templates Tree, select the template and click Edit Element on the toolbar. The GUI Tree opens and shows the template structure, and the canvas displays the content of the template. 2. You can enter values manually in the Properties section, drag elements from the Resource/Library Browser, arrange them on the canvas, etc. 3. When you are done, click Switch Back to Macro Page/Parent Template on the toolbar to return to the macro page. 377 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer Resources Tree The Resources Tree shows the resources that are available within a macro page. You can add or remove resources in the tree and organize them into folders. This allows you to structure your macro page, in order to keep an overview over your files. NOTE The Resources Tree shows all resources that were added to the macro page. The number of resources in the tree can differ greatly from the number of resources that are actually used. Therefore, it is good practice to remove any unused resources before finalizing your macro page. Resources can be added to the tree via the toolbar, the context menu, or by dragging them onto the canvas. For a better overview, the different element types use different icons. If a resource is selected, the canvas switches to the resource editor, displaying the referenced bitmap, section, font, etc. NOTE Only files of the supported file formats can be imported as resources. RELATED LINKS Removing Unused Files on page 403 Resources Tree Elements In the Resources Tree, you can add and edit the resources for your macro pages, that is, bitmaps, sections, and fonts. NOTE For names, do not use the following characters: \/@:.|={}. If you import a bitmap whose file name contains one of these characters, it is automatically replaced by an underscore. Bitmap HALion supports 24-bit .bmp files and 24-bit .png files with alpha channel. A bitmap can either be a single image or consist of a series of subframes. The Properties for a bitmap resource include the path information to the original 378 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer bitmap file and the number of frames that the bitmap consists of. For single images, the frame count is 1. If the bitmap contains a knob animation, for example, the number of frames must be set. When you add a bitmap, HALion evaluates it to find out if the image is in fact an animation and of how many frames it is composed. The number of frames is then set automatically. However, this analysis cannot always deliver the perfect frame count, and it may be that you must set this value manually. Bitmap resources also provide an alpha channel that allows you to specify the degree of overall transparency of the bitmap. A fully opaque bitmap is set to 255. A value of 128 results in a semi-transparent background, for example. Font Allows you to create a font for use in your macro page elements. You can make settings for it in the Properties section. NOTE Make sure that you only use free fonts or fonts that you are allowed to use because you purchased the license. Section A section is a rectangular region within a bitmap. In the Properties section, you can specify the reference bitmap and the coordinates of the section rectangle. This allows you to create multiple images in a single bitmap and then define the necessary sections all referring to that same bitmap. It is recommended to work with sections wherever it is possible, to minimize the number of individual bitmap files that have to be managed by the operating system. A section can also contain multiple frames of an animation and therefore provides the same frame property as a bitmap resource. Resource Folder You can add folders to the Resources Tree to help you structure your macro page and keep an overview over the resources. Importing a Multi-Frame Bitmap When you use animated controls like knobs or switches, the original creation tool is often a 3-D program that generates video files or a series of single frames of the final control animation. However, HALion requires single-frame bitmaps. Once you have generated all the required frames, they must be combined into a single image, where all frames are pasted vertically from top to bottom. PROCEDURE 1. In the Resources Tree, open the context menu and select Multi-Frame Bitmap. 2. Navigate to the folder where the animation frame bitmaps are located. 3. Select all the required bitmap files and click Open. 4. Navigate to the folder where you want to save the bitmap and click Save. A .png file that contains all the selected frames is created and the frame count is set to the corresponding value. 379 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer RESULT You can now use the new bitmap file just as any other bitmap resource. Resource Editor If the Resources Tree is selected, the canvas shows the Resource Editor. The Resource Editor shows the selected bitmap, section, or a preview of the selected font. It allows you to create new sections from bitmaps or to modify existing sections. Toolbar Select Tool Activate this tool if you want to define sections from a bitmap. Zoom Tool This tool allows you to define sections more precisely. If Zoom mode is activated, you can zoom in on a specific area by clicking it. Each click zooms in deeper. Shift-click to zoom out. Zoom In Zooms in one step. Zoom Out Zooms out one step. Zoom to Actual Pixels Displays the bitmap in its original size. Edit Section This button is only available for sections. Click it to switch between showing the section and showing the underlying bitmap that contains the selection rectangle defining the section. 380 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer If this button is activated, you can modify the section rectangle. To update the section, deactivate the button again. Show Ruler Shows/Hides the horizontal and vertical rulers. Zoom Factor Indicates the current zoom factor. Selection Size Indicates the size of the current selection. Mouse Position Indicates the current mouse position. Sections You can combine your bitmaps into a single larger bitmap and then create sections within this bitmap for all the images that you want to use. This helps you keep a better overview over the macro page bitmap resources, for example. Creating a Section from a Bitmap 1. Add a bitmap resource that contains all the regions that you want to address. 2. In the Resources Tree, open the context menu and select Create > Section. 3. Enter the name for the new section. 4. In the Properties section, click Select File next to the Bitmap field and select the bitmap. 5. Use the Position and Size controls to specify the borders of the new section within the bitmap. Creating a Section From a Selection 1. Zoom in on the area where you want to create the section. 2. With the Select Tool, draw a rectangle around the region that represents the section. 3. If necessary, adjust the selection edges by dragging the borders. 4. Right-click to open the context menu and select Create Section from Selection. The section is added to the tree and the editor automatically switches to the new section resource. You can now use the new section in any control that requires a bitmap resource. Creating Sections From Existing Sections Using existing sections to create new sections is particularly useful if you want to create several sections of the same size. 1. Select the section in the tree. 2. Activate Edit Section to display the source bitmap that contains the section rectangle. 3. Right-click the canvas and select Create Section from Selection. 381 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer The section is added to the tree and the editor automatically switches to the new section resource. 4. Move the rectangle so that it encompasses the region that you want to use in the new section. 5. Repeat the last two steps to create all the necessary sections. 6. Deactivate Edit Section. Modifying an Existing Section If a section is not quite accurate or does not contain the content that you wanted it to show, you can modify it. 1. Select the section in the tree. 2. Activate Edit Section to display the source bitmap that contains the section rectangle. 3. Adjust the section rectangle by dragging its edges. 4. Deactivate Edit Section. Resources Tree Context Menu Cut Cuts the selected element. Edit Allows you to edit the selected element. Copy Copies the selected element to the clipboard. Paste Pastes the element from the clipboard at the current position. Delete Deletes the selected element. Duplicate Duplicates the selected element. 382 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer Group Selection Allows you to group multiple selected elements. Create Opens a submenu containing the elements that can be added. Select a menu entry to add the element to the Resources Tree. Multi-Frame Bitmap Allows you to create a multi-frame bitmap. Remove Unused Resources Removes the unused resources from the Resources Tree. This is useful to clean up your macro page. Expand Tree/Collapse Tree These commands expand/collapse the entire tree or one of its substructures, depending on where you click to open the context menu. Properties Section The Properties section below the GUI, Templates, and Resources trees allows you to edit the properties of the selected element. For example, if you select a resource in the Resources Tree, the Properties section allows you to make settings for this specific resource. Which parameters are available in this section depends on the selected element. Canvas The canvas allows you to edit your macro page graphically by adding and arranging elements, etc., and to create and edit the used templates and resources. Depending on which tree and element is selected, the canvas shows the macro page as it will appear in the Macro Editor, the content of the selected template, or the resource editor. 383 Macro Pages Macro Page Designer You can drop controls, templates, and resources directly onto the canvas to add them to your macro page. Toolbar The canvas toolbar is available for the GUI Tree and the Templates Tree. The Resource Editor has its own toolbar. Move Tool If this tool is selected, you can move and resize controls on the canvas. Zoom Tool If this tool is selected, you can zoom in on a specific area by clicking in the center of it. Click multiple times to increase the zoom level. Focus Mode Allows you to select elements on the canvas by clicking them. If Focus Mode is deactivated, you can only set the focus on the canvas by selecting an element in the GUI Tree. If an element is selected, you can move and scale it on the canvas. Disable Attachments Allows you to deactivate the attachment properties of all objects on the canvas. For example, if Disable Attachments is activated, changing the position of a group edge changes the size of the group only, any attached child objects are not resized nor repositioned. Zoom In Zooms in on the macro page. NOTE If the macro page is zoomed in, you cannot use test mode. To test the functionality of your macro page, you must zoom back to the original resolution. Zoom Out Click this button to zoom out. Zoom to Actual Pixels Displays the macro page in its original size. Enable Grid Activating the grid allows you to place controls and other elements on a fixed grid. NOTE If you move an element using a key command, the grid is not used and the element can be placed freely. 384 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements Grid Width Sets the width of the grid, in pixels. Enable Coarse Step If Enable Coarse Step is activated, you can position elements on the canvas grid using a larger step width. Coarse Step Width Sets the coarse step width, in pixels. Show Pixel Grid Shows a grid that represents the actual pixels. This grid is only displayed for high zoom levels, starting with 600 %. Show Guide Lines Activate this option to show/hide guide lines on the canvas. If Show Guide Lines is activated, objects snap to these lines when approaching them. Show Ruler Shows/Hides the horizontal and vertical rulers. The rulers show coordinates in pixels. Reload All Resources Allows you to reload all resources. This can be necessary if you changed a bitmap resource in an external image application, for example, and you want to see the updated image on the macro page. Without reloading the resources, your changes are only visible when you load the program the next time. Zoom Factor Indicates the current zoom factor. Mouse Position Indicates the current mouse position. Editing and Assembling Elements For your macro pages, you will use many elements that need to be placed on the canvas in a specific order, have a specific color and size, etc. You have many possibilities for adding, editing, scaling, and arranging the available elements on the canvas. Using Templates You can create and arrange controls directly on the canvas and then connect them to HALion parameters. This is a very straightforward way of creating a macro page. However, with this workflow, once the page is set up, it becomes very difficult to change the look of some controls globally, because you have to edit every single instance of these controls on the page. Therefore, it is often better practice to work with templates. Templates allow you to combine several controls with a specific look and feel in a single unit that can be used several times on a macro page and that can be connected to different parameters. 385 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements If you use templates and a modification is necessary, you only have to change the template to apply the changes to all controls that use the template. Furthermore, templates can be saved in libraries, which means that you can build your own control template library and use controls from there in your projects. Using templates is a very powerful way to create sophisticated interfaces that still allow for quick changes of the overall look, simply by modifying a few templates. There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to deciding when to create a template and when to use the controls directly on the macro page, but for big projects or projects that are similar in style and/or share a lot of their content, creating templates can save a lot of time and keep a lot of flexibility until a very late stage in your work. Creating Templates You can create a template from scratch by adding a new empty template to the Templates Tree and then assembling and configuring its elements. In addition, you must specify which control values you want to export to the template. Exported properties become template parameters and can then be connected to HALion engine parameters. PREREQUISITE You have created or loaded a macro page in the Macro Page Designer. PROCEDURE 1. Right-click the Templates Tree and select Create > Template. This creates a new empty template. 2. Enter a name for the template and click Edit Element on the toolbar. 3. Specify the size for the template by dragging the borders of the rectangle on the canvas. 4. Right-click the GUI Tree and select Create > Knob. 5. In the Properties section for the knob element, assign a bitmap to it by dragging it from the Resource/Library Browser onto the Bitmap field. 6. Right-click the GUI Tree and select Create > Text. 7. Right-click the Resources Tree and select Create > Font. 8. Set up the font in the Properties section. 9. In the Properties section for the Text element, select the font that you have set up. 10. Arrange the knob and the text controls on the canvas. 11. Select the knob control and activate the Export Property button for the Value parameter. 12. Do the same for the text control. 13. In the Properties section for the template, enter the same name for the two created template parameters, for example Value. This way, they appear as a single template parameter when you use the template on the macro page. 14. When you are done setting up your template, click Switch Back to Macro Page/Parent Template in the top right corner of the GUI Tree. 386 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements RESULT You can now use your template on the macro page. Creating Templates From Groups or Selections In the GUI Tree, you can create templates from a group or a selection. This is useful if you want to use this specific combination of elements as one entity on your macro pages. PROCEDURE 1. In the GUI Tree toolbar, click Create New Element and add a Text and a Knob element. 2. Select the knob element, and specify its bitmap in the Bitmap field in the Properties section. 3. In the Resources Tree, create a Font element and make settings for the font in the Properties section. 4. In the GUI Tree, select the text element, and select the created font in the Font field in the Properties section. 5. Arrange the text and knob elements graphically on the canvas. 6. In the GUI Tree, select the text and knob elements, open the context menu, and select Create Template from Selection. 7. As template name, enter Knob_with_Text. 8. Select the knob element and activate the Export Property button for the Value parameter. 9. Do the same for the text element. 10. Select the template Knob_with_Text in the GUI Tree. The Properties section now contains a Template Parameter section where the two Value parameters are listed. 11. Enter the same name for both Value parameters. 12. When you are done setting up your template, click Switch Back to Macro Page/Parent Template in the top right corner of the GUI Tree. RESULT When you use the template, it will show both controls in a single connection. They appear as a combined template parameter on the parent. You can now connect the template and both the Text and Knob values will react to parameter changes in HALion. 387 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements NOTE You can add default values for exported parameters by typing in a string or a value, even though the Export Property button is activated. As long as this string or value is not overwritten in the template instance, it remains active. For an example, look at the exported label parameters of the library controls. You will see that they are all set to Label. This means that when you add such a template to your macro page, the control will show this default label. Setting the Label parameter of the template will overwrite the default value and show the new name instead. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK You can now name the template and finalize it by exporting the required parameters, adding additional components, or setting up attachments, for example. Creating Nested Templates You can create templates that contain other templates. Combining templates this way allows you to specify separately for each child template whether you want to use its parameter values in the parent template or whether you want to use fixed parameter values. A good example for nested templates is the definition of a group of four knobs as ADSR envelope controls. PROCEDURE 1. 2. Create a new template named ADSR Knobs and click Edit Element on the toolbar. To this template, add four knob templates that each contain a label and a text field. 3. In the Properties section for the knob parameters, you will find the template parameters Value, Unit, and Label. 4. Click the Export Property buttons for the Value parameters of the four knobs and name them ValA, ValD, ValS, and ValR, for example. This creates independent parameters in the template. 5. For the Label parameters, enter A, D, S, and R. RESULT When you use the ADSR Knobs template, the labels will always be A, D, S, and R, but the knobs can be freely connected to any envelope. Using Templates From Libraries or Macro Pages You can use the Resource/Library Browser to browse the content of existing macro pages and use them in the current macro page. The Resource/Library Browser shows the templates that are available in the macro pages and allows you to drag and drop them from there. All the necessary resources are also copied from the source macro page to the current macro page. PROCEDURE 1. Navigate to the library or the macro page that contains the template that you want to use. If the file contains sub-libraries, navigate to the sub-library. 388 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements 2. Drag the template from the Resource/Library Browser to the canvas or to a group on the canvas. The destination lights up to indicate where the control will be placed. Editing Templates To edit a template, click Edit Element on the toolbar or select Edit on the context menu. This opens the GUI Tree for the template, that is, only the template content is shown. You can edit templates in the same way as other macro page elements. When you have finished editing, click Switch Back to Macro Page/Parent Template to leave template editing and return to the editing of the macro page. The modifications are now visible in every occurrence of the template on the macro page. Browsing for Files When creating a macro page, you need a variety of different files. You can work with control libraries, use elements or groups of elements from other macro pages, and even create your own graphical elements in a graphics program and use these in HALion. To browse for all these kinds of files, you use the Resource/Library Browser. The Resource/Library Browser gives you access to factory and user libraries that contain templates. It allows you to search for files that you can use in macro pages and allows you to save your favorite browse locations. Furthermore, you can also browse the contents of existing macro pages, which means that you can reuse templates from other macro pages, for example. To open the Resource/Library Browser, click Show/Hide Resource/Library Browser on the toolbar. To specify the folder that you want to browse for files, click the Select Folder icon on the toolbar and navigate to the folder on your system, or select one of the locations from the Select Location pop-up menu. You navigate through the folders by clicking the folder icons. If you are not on the topmost level of the hierarchy, the leftmost folder lets you move up a level. To browse the content of macro pages and control libraries, click their icons. Browse Locations By specifying browse locations, you can save shortcuts to the folders that contain control libraries, bitmaps, etc. If you have folders on your hard disks that you often need, save them as browse locations. • To define a folder as browse location, open it in the Resource/Library Browser, click Save Location on the toolbar, and save the folder as HALion subpreset. 389 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements Once a location is defined, you can select it from the Select Locations pop-up menu. • To delete a browse location, click Delete Location on the toolbar, select the location that you want to delete, and click Yes. Adding Elements You can either add elements directly to the canvas, or you can add them to the GUI Tree, the Templates Tree, or the Resources Tree first. If you drag an element onto the canvas, a corresponding entry is automatically added to the GUI Tree, the Resources Tree, and/or the Templates Tree. Grouping Elements Grouping elements allows you to structure your macro page content. You can group selected elements in the GUI Tree, the Templates Tree, and the Resources Tree using the context menu command Group Selection. Editing the Elements on the Canvas You can edit the elements on the canvas either with the mouse, using key commands, or by editing their values in the Properties section. Positioning Elements You can position elements in the following ways: • Drag the element to another position on the canvas. To restrict movement to the horizontal/vertical axis, hold down Ctrl/Cmd while dragging in one direction. This restricts movement to the direction in which you move the mouse most, that is, you can switch from horizontal to vertical by moving the mouse in this direction. • Select the element and use the arrow keys. To move an element in the coarse steps set on the toolbar, hold down Shift and use the arrow keys. • Select the element and change the Position values in the Properties section. NOTE If Enable Coarse Step is activated, all move actions use the coarse step width. Resizing Elements You can resize elements in the following ways: • Select the element and change the Size values in the Properties section. • To move the upper border of an element, use Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-Down Arrow/Up Arrow. • To move the lower border of an element, use Ctrl/Cmd-Down Arrow/Up Arrow. • To move the left border of an element, use Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-Left Arrow/Right Arrow. • To move the right border of an element, use Ctrl/Cmd-Left Arrow/Right Arrow. 390 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements • To adjust the height or width of an element, drag its borders. To adjust the width in finer increments, hold down Shift while dragging. To scale height and width with a fixed ratio, point at the border of an element so that the cursor becomes a double arrow, click and hold the mouse, hold down Ctrl/ Cmd-Shift and drag. Copying Elements You can copy elements in the following ways: • Hold down Alt and drag it to another position. • Hold down Alt and use an arrow button. The copy is added with a distance of one pixel. To add a copy at a Coarse Step distance, press Alt-Shift and use an arrow key. Attaching Objects to Parent Objects You can attach one or multiple edges of a child object to its parent. This way, changing the size of the parent will also influence the position or size of the child. This is useful for creating your own templates. If a child object is selected in the GUI Tree, the Attach options are available in the Properties section. Attach Left Activate this button to attach the child to the left side of the parent object. Resizing the parent object to the left will also move the child to the left, to keep its relative position to the left edge of the parent. Attach Right Activate this button to attach the child to the right side of the parent object. Resizing the parent object to the right will also move the child to the right, to keep its relative position to the right edge of the parent. NOTE Attaching the left and right sides resizes the child object horizontally. If the child object provides a Scale option, such as images and sections do, for example, the content is scaled. Attach Top Activate this button to attach the child to the top border of the parent object. Resizing the parent object by adjusting its top border will also move the top border of the child, to keep its relative position to the top border of the parent. Attach Bottom Activate this button to attach the child to the bottom border of the parent object. Resizing the parent object by adjusting its bottom border will also move the bottom border of the child, to keep its relative position to the bottom border of the parent. 391 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements NOTE Attaching the top and bottom borders resizes the child object vertically. If the child object provides a Scale option, such as images and sections do, for example, the shown content is scaled. Setting the Attach Ratio Each Attach option features an additional Ratio parameter that defines the effective change of the corresponding edge in relation to the edge of the template in which the child is used. If this parameter is set to 1/1, the border of the edge follows the template edge exactly. With a value of 1/2, for example, the edge only follows with half the speed, which means that if the template edge is moved by 10 pixels, the attached edge is only moved 5 pixels. To keep a child unchanged in size but horizontally centered in the template, set the values for left and right to 1/2. To keep a child unchanged in size but vertically centered in the template, set the values for top and bottom to 1/2. EXAMPLE Creating a Template With a Centered Element That Fills The Available Space Let’s say you want to create a template containing a text field and a knob, where you want the text field to be resized horizontally when the size of the template is changed and where you want the knob to remain centered and unscaled. For the text field, set Attach Ratio Left to 0/1 and Attach Ratio Right to 1/1. This way, the left edge always sticks to the left side of the template and the right edge follows the right edge of the template exactly. Changing the width of the template equally changes the size of the text field. For the knob, set Attach Ratio Left and Attach Ratio Right to 1/2. This way, resizing the template by 20 pixels will move the left and right borders of the knob by 10 pixels each, keeping the size of the knob unchanged and its position centered. EXAMPLE Creating a Template Containing Several Adjacent Elements That Are Equally Distributed You can also create more complex constructions, where several child objects are arranged horizontally side by side, and where all children are resized relatively to the template size. Let’s say you have four text fields in a row and want them to be resized with the same horizontal ratio when the template is resized in width. 1. Attach the left edge of the first text field with a ratio of 0/1. 2. Attach the right edge with a ratio of 1/4. 3. Attach the left edge of the second text field with a ratio of 1/4. 4. Attach the right edge with a ratio of 2/4. 5. Attach the left edge of the third text field with a ratio of 2/4. 6. Attach the right edge with a ratio of 3/4. 392 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements 7. Attach the left edge of the fourth text field with a ratio of 3/4. 8. Attach the right edge with a ratio of 4/4. Scaling Elements You can scale bitmap resources to make them fit on your macro page. PROCEDURE 1. In the Resources Tree, select the resource. 2. In the Properties section, select a Scale Mode for the image. 3. • Select Stretch to stretch or compress the image to fill the new space. • Select Tile to repeat the image, that is, to insert several instances of the image next to each other, as often as necessary to fill the new space. • Select Tileborder to fill the area outside the margin lines with the bitmap content, the center area of the bitmap remains empty. This allows you to create a resizable border for an element on the macro page, for example. In the GUI Tree, select the element that uses the bitmap property, activate the Scalable button in the Properties section and adjust the Size values for the bitmap. Aligning Elements on the Canvas Guide lines help you align controls and other elements on the canvas. PREREQUISITE Show Guide Lines is activated on the toolbar. PROCEDURE 1. Right-click the canvas at the position where you want to add the guide line and select Add Horizontal Guide Line or Add Vertical Guide Line or click in the ruler and drag the mouse into the canvas. 2. Move the guide line to the exact position. The pixel position is indicated while moving a guideline. Creating Pages on the Macro Page PROCEDURE 1. In the GUI Tree, click Add Element and select Stack. 2. Select the stack element on the canvas and drag its borders so that the stack size matches the size of the macro page. 3. Right-click the stack element in the GUI Tree and select Create > Group. 4. Drag the borders of the group element so that it matches the stack size. 5. Repeat the last two steps, so that you get a stack with two child groups. Those child groups are the pages of your macro page. 6. Add and edit the elements on both pages. 393 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK You can now create variables that allow you to switch between the pages. RELATED LINKS Switching Between Two Pages Using a Single Switch on page 396 Bitmaps Used In Controls Most of the controls use bitmap resources for their graphical representation. The number of required bitmap resources depends on the control and its configuration. For example, a switch requires up to six different bitmap resources, to display its off, on, and hover states and their equivalents when clicked with the mouse. To assign a bitmap resource to a control, do one of the following: • In the Properties section, click the Select File button to the right of the Bitmap field and select one of the available bitmaps. • In the Resource/Library Browser or the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder, navigate to and select the bitmap file that you want to use and drag it onto the Bitmap field in the Properties section for the control. Searching for Elements The GUI Tree, the Templates Tree, and the Resources Tree all feature a search and replace function. This is useful to find content when you work with a lot of content files, for example. To open the search options, click the Search button at the top left of the tree. You can search for elements by entering a portion of the name or property value that you are looking for in the Find text field. With the arrow buttons, you can step through the found elements. Only Visible If this button is activated, the search is limited to the elements that are located in expanded tree branches. Collapsed parts of the tree are not searched. Case Sensitive If this button is activated, the search is case sensitive. Search in All Attributes If this button is activated, the search is extended to all property fields. By default, only the name property is included in the search. You can also replace strings that were found with another string. Replace Current Selection only replaces the selected string. Replace All replaces all found strings in the tree with the replacement text. 394 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements UI Parameters and Variables Not all macro page controls need to be connected to engine or script module parameters. Sometimes, you need so-called UI parameters to perform functions on your macro page, for example, to switch between pages or to activate specific editing features. To be able to connect macro page controls with UI parameters, you must first add variables and then define them in the Properties section. Variables can either be created for templates or for the macro page itself if you want to use them globally. UI Variable Types Which of the available variable types to use depends on the parameter that you want to connect. For example, the Index parameter of a node in an envelope requires an Integer variable, and the Level parameter of the node requires a Float parameter. You can find out the type of a parameter in the Type column in the Parameter List. NOTE If the Type column is not shown, right click a column header and activate Type. Float Uses numbers with a decimal point. The properties are Name, Value, Minimum, Maximum, and Precision. Precision defines the number of digits after the decimal point. Integer Uses positive and negative natural numbers. The properties are Name, Value, Minimum, Maximum. Popup List Uses a list of template name strings. You can open a template that is referenced in the list, that is, show it on top of the other elements in the macro page, by setting the variable to the value that corresponds to the index of the template in the list. The properties are Name and the list entries. You can enter the names of the templates that you want to use in the text fields. Rational Uses a fraction. The nominator and denominator can be set individually. The properties are Name and Value. An example of this variable is the Time Beat text control template within the Envelope template that comes with the “Basic Controls” library. String List Uses a list of strings. These strings are used to fill a menu control. This can be used for Sync Note function in the envelope, for example. The properties are Name and the list entries. You can enter the string that you want to add in the text field. String Uses text. The properties are Name and Value. 395 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements Adding UI Variables Before you can use variables, you must add them to your macro page. PROCEDURE 1. In the GUI Tree, either select the macro page or the template, depending on where you want to use the variable. 2. Right-click and select Create > Variables. This creates the folder in which all variables are saved. NOTE If you use a large number of variables, it might be necessary to organize them by creating further subfolders. To do so, right click the Variables folder and select Create > Variables. 3. Right-click the Variables folder and select the type of variable that you want to add from the Create submenu. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Now you can name the variable and make settings for it in the Properties section. RELATED LINKS UI Variable Types on page 395 Switching Between Two Pages Using a Single Switch You can use variables to switch between the pages of your macro page. PREREQUISITE • You have created a Stack element that contains two groups, one for each page. • You have added a Variables folder to your macro page. PROCEDURE 1. In the GUI Tree, right-click the Variables folder and select Create > Integer. 2. In the Properties section, name it pages. 3. Set Minimum to 0 and Maximum to 1. 4. Add an on/off switch to the macro page. 5. Set the Value property of the switch and the Value property of the stack to @pages. This will connect the two properties. RESULT You can now switch between the two pages using the on/off switch. 396 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements Switching Between Multiple Pages Using Radio Buttons If you have more than two pages on your macro page, you can use radio buttons to switch between the pages, rather than an on/off switch. PREREQUISITE You have created a Stack element that contains four groups, one for each page. You have added a Variables folder to the macro page. PROCEDURE 1. In the GUI Tree, right-click the Variables folder and select Create > Integer. 2. Name the variable pages. 3. In the Properties section, set Minimum to 0 and Maximum to 3. 4. On the macro page level, add a radio switch for each page. 5. Set the Value properties of all the radio buttons to @pages. 6. 7. 8. Set the Onvalue parameters to 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively, so that they match the four pages. Set the Value property of the stack to @pages. Activate Test Macro Page and use the radio buttons to open the different pages. RESULT You can now click one of the radio buttons to display the corresponding page of the stack. Opening an About Box from the Macro Page If you want to present background or related information for the program that is connected to your macro page, you can create an about box, that is, a separate information page, and make it accessible as a pop-up panel. PREREQUISITE • You have created a macro page for your program. • You have added a Variables folder to the macro page. • You have created a bitmap that contains the information that you want to show in the about box. PROCEDURE 1. 2. In the Templates Tree, add a template and name it About. On the toolbar, click Edit Element and set the size of the template to the size of the macro page. 3. Add the about box bitmap by dragging it from the Resource/Library Browser onto the canvas. 4. Position the bitmap where you want the about box to appear. 5. Optional: If necessary, activate Scalable in the Properties section and specify the correct size for the about box. 6. Click Switch Back to Macro Page/Parent Template. 397 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements 7. 8. 9. 10. In the GUI Tree, create a Popup List variable for the macro page and name it aboutbox. In the Properties section for the variable, enter About in the first line. This connects the variable to the About template. Add a switch to the macro page by dragging it from the Resource/Library Browser to the GUI Tree. Click Edit Element on the toolbar, select the switch element, and set the Mode to exclusive. This way, the switch performs one exclusive switching operation. In this case, we want it to open the about box. 11. Set the Onvalue for the switch to 1. 12. Set the Value parameter to @aboutbox to connect it to the Popup List variable. 13. 14. If you now click the switch, it sends a value of 1 to the Popup List variable. This will open the About template that is located at the first line in the variable. Click Switch Back to Macro Page/Parent Template. Activate Test Macro Page on the toolbar and click the switch. This opens the about box at the specified position on the canvas. Now, you need a way to close the about box again. 15. Deactivate Test Macro Page, open the Templates Tree, select the About template and click Edit Element on the toolbar. 16. Click Create New Element and select a switch to the About template. We want to switch back to the macro page by clicking anywhere on the page, therefore, we need a simple switch in the size of the macro page, which does not contain a label. 17. Select the switch and click Edit Element. 18. Adjust the size of the switch so that it spans the entire macro page. 19. Set the Mode to exclusive. 20. Set the Value to @aboutbox to connect the switch with the Popup List variable. 21. Set Onvalue to 0. This way, the About template is removed from the macro page when the switch is pressed. 22. Go back to the GUI Tree for the macro page by clicking Switch Back to Macro Page/ Parent Template and activate Test Macro Page. 23. Click the switch on the macro page to open the about box and click anywhere on the page to close the about box again. 398 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements Edit Scope The edit scope allows you to specify for a group or template on the macro page which module, effect, layer, etc., will be affected by it. The scope is defined with the path to this object. You can either enter the path to the object manually in the Scope value field in the Properties section, or you can drag one of the parameters of the object from the Parameter List onto the Scope value field. NOTE Dragging a parameter onto the Scope value field is a quick and easy way of setting the scope for an element on your macro page. However, note that when you drag a parameter onto the Scope value field, the entire path is inserted, including the parameter ID. Be sure to delete this part from the value field. Otherwise, only this parameter will get the scope, not the entire object. Path Syntax A path always starts with an @, followed by the object, that is, the module, layer, bus, etc. To specify an object, you can either address it by object and counter or by counter and name. Object:Counter • • • • • @bus:n defines the n-th bus @layer:n defines the n-th layer @zone:n defines the n-th zone @matrix defines the modulation matrix within a zone @row:n defines the n-th row within the modulation matrix Counter:Name @n:Name defines the n-th object with this specific name If the object that you want to address is located deeper in the program hierarchy, add a / and continue with the next object. EXAMPLE • @layer:1/@0:Bus2/@0:Chorus1/ defines the first object that is called “Chorus1” in the first object “Bus2” in the second layer. • @0:LayerA/@0:ZoneB/ defines the first object that is called “ZoneB” in the first object that is called “LayerA”. Addressing Multiple Objects at the Same Time With A Single Control You can specify both the path and the type of an object on which a control should work. For example, this allows you to control the Pitch parameter of all zones in a layer with a single knob. In this case, the last part of the path must be @type:Zone. Type:Object The following object types can be set: 399 Macro Pages Editing and Assembling Elements • • • • • Zone for zones Bus for busses Layer for layers for all effects with this name for all MIDI modules of this type, that is, all FlexPhrasers, MIDI Player modules, etc. EXAMPLE • @layer:1/@0:Bus2/@type:Chorus/ defines all chorus effects in the first object that is called “Bus2” in the second layer • @0:LayerA/@type:Zone/ defines all zones in the first object that is called LayerA • @type:Layer/ defines all layers in the program NOTE For programs, no additional path information is required. Every path starts relatively to the program. Using a Single Set of Controls To Control Parameters for Different Layers An edit scope allows you to add a single set of controls and apply it to different objects. For example, if you have a program that contains several layers that all have the parameters Octave, Coarse, Fine, etc., you can create one set of controls for these parameters, and then switch the edit scope between the layers. PROCEDURE 1. 2. Create a program with two layers and name them LayerA and LayerB. Create a macro page for the program. 3. In the GUI Tree, add a group to your macro page. 4. Add a knob control to the group. 5. To connect the engine parameter to the knob, open the Parameter List and drag the Coarse parameter for layer A onto the Value property field of the knob. The field now displays LayerA.Coarse. 6. 7. 8. Click the Value property field of the knob. Now, the entire path to the engine parameter is displayed. In this example @0:LayerA/@id16. Cut the first part of the path information, that is, @0:LayerA/, and paste it to the Scope property of the group. The dynamic Scope only requires the parameter ID, in this case, “@id16”. The first part of the path, that is, @0:LayerA/ is required as Scope information for the group. Copy the path information into the Scope value field for the group. 9. Add a Variables folder to the macro page. 10. Create a String List variable and name it LayerSelect. 11. Copy the path information from the Scope property of the group to the first entry line of the string list variable. 400 Macro Pages Libraries 12. Copy the same path information to the second entry line and change LayerA to LayerB. The variable switches between two path strings. Now, you need a control that switches between these two strings. 13. Add a menu control to the macro page. You can also use other controls like knobs or radio switches to change the scope. 14. 15. 16. In the Value property of the menu, enter @LayerSelect. In the Scope property of the group, enter @LayerSelect as well, so that the menu and the group are both using the same variable. You can now use the menu to switch between the two scopes of the group, that is, you can select the layer that is affected. NOTE Note: If you want the controls to work in a dynamic scope, first add the path information to the Scope property of the group and then connect the engine parameters to the controls. This way, HALion directly detects that there is an edit scope and only adds the subpath, or in the simplest case the parameter name, to the Value property when you drop the engine parameter. Before dragging a parameter from the Parameter List, make sure that the object from which you want to drag the parameter is selected in the Program Tree. Otherwise, HALion cannot retrieve the correct parameter name and will only show the parameter ID instead. Libraries Libraries are identical to macro pages, except that they do not include a functional user interface. Libraries can contain templates and their resources, as well as any further useful content for macro pages. You can open and edit libraries in the Resource/Library Browser. Libraries are visualized with a light bluish background to distinguish them from bitmap resources, for example. When you click a library, its contents are shown. If a library contains folders, these are displayed in a blue color to distinguish them from the folders provided by the operating system. You can edit libraries in the same way as macro pages. For example, you can create new templates, insert templates by dragging them from another macro page or library into the new library, create new folders inside a library file, drag templates from libraries to a macro page, etc. Perform the editing that you want to apply, for example, delete or rename libraries, create new ones, add existing templates from macro pages or other libraries, or copy templates between libraries or macro pages by dragging them from one list to the other. To edit a library, right-click it in the Resource/Library Browser and select Edit Library. NOTE To make editing operations such as copying easier, open two Macro Page Designer windows, so that you can drag elements from one window to the other. 401 Macro Pages Connecting Macro Page Controls to HALion Parameters Icons for Libraries and Macro Pages For macro pages, the Resource/Library Browser shows a preview picture of the macro page. If you want to get such a preview picture for your library files, you can define a small and basic macro page inside the library by adding some of the most representative elements to the canvas and then saving the library. Connecting Macro Page Controls to HALion Parameters To be able to use a macro page control, you must connect it to a parameter in HALion. You can establish the connection between control and parameter by using the context menu or via drag and drop. Connecting Parameters Via the Parameter List You can connect parameters from the Parameter List or from another HALion editor. 1. In the Parameter List, navigate to the parameter that you want to connect, right-click it and select Connect to Macro Page. 2. In the GUI Tree, navigate to the control that you want to connect to the parameter, right-click the value property in the Properties section, and select Connect to Parameter . If you now click the value field, it shows the parameter ID of the connected HALion parameter. Connecting Parameters Via an Editor in HALion 1. Right-click a control in the Sound Editor, Zone Editor, etc. and select Connect to Macro Page. 2. In the GUI Tree, navigate to the control that you want to connect to the parameter, right-click the value property in the Properties section, and select Connect to Parameter . If you now click the value field, it shows the parameter ID of the connected HALion parameter. Connecting Parameters Via Drag and Drop 1. In the GUI Tree, navigate to the macro page control to display its properties in the Properties section. 2. In the Parameter List, navigate to the parameter that you want to connect. 3. Do one of the following: • Drag the parameter name and drop it on the value field of the control in the Properties section. • Drop the parameter name onto the control on the macro page canvas. The value field in the Properties section then shows the parameter ID of the connected HALion parameter. RELATED LINKS Removing a Connection on page 403 402 Macro Pages Collaborating on Macro Pages Removing a Connection If you connected a control to the wrong parameter or if you modified the macro page and want to set up a different connection for a control, you can delete the connection of a control. PROCEDURE 1. Open the GUI Tree. 2. Do one of the following: • In the Properties section, navigate to the macro control and delete its value entry. • Right-click a control and select Disconnect from Parameter . Collaborating on Macro Pages If you want to work on macro pages together with other users, you must make sure that you exchange all the added and required content. For this, HALion allows you to export the macro page together with its resources. RELATED LINKS Exporting Macro Pages with their Resources on page 404 Cleaning Up and Consolidating Your Macro Pages Before finalizing your macro pages, you may want to remove any unused files, or consolidate names and locations of the resource files used in the macro page. HALion offers you several tools for cleaning up the macro page content. Removing Unused Files When you create your macro pages, you will most probably try out different templates from various libraries. You will add various bitmaps that you want to try out as background images, etc. Every time that you add an element or a template to the macro page, the templates and resources are automatically added to the Templates Tree and the Resources Tree. All these will remain in your macro page file, even if they are not used on the macro page. Therefore, the Macro Page Designer allows you to automatically remove any unused template or resource files from the macro page. • To remove unused templates, open the Templates Tree context menu and select Remove Unused Templates. The Macro Page Designer verifies whether the existing templates are referenced by elements on the macro page or by templates that are used on the macro page. The templates that are not used are moved to the Trash folder in the Templates Tree, where you can delete them. • To remove unused resources, open the Resources Tree context menu and select Remove Unused Resources. The Macro Page Designer verifies whether the existing resources are referenced by any controls on the macro page or by a template. The resources that are not used are moved to the Trash folder in the Resources Tree, where you can delete them. 403 Macro Pages Saving Macro Pages NOTE To perform both these cleanup operations at the same time, use the Templates Tree context menu command Remove All Unused Templates And Resources. IMPORTANT These cleanup functions can be performed without any risk if all templates and resources are directly linked to the macro page. However, there are certain limits. For example, when you are using a template that references a string variable that itself is controlled by another parameter, it is not possible for the cleanup function to determine that this template is used and it will be moved to the Trash folder. To prevent this, activate the Protected button in the Properties section for the template. This excludes the template from cleanup. Exporting Macro Pages with their Resources When you assemble a macro page, you will most probably try out and use resources from different folders and libraries, with different naming conventions and different folder structures. HALion imports and references all these files without problems. However, there may be situations where you want to clean up the macro page structure, for example, if you want to share your work or make the setup more understandable to other users. In this case, you can export the macro page with its resources. PROCEDURE • In the Macro Page Designer toolbar, click Export Macro Page/Library. RESULT A macropage.xml file is created, together with a ui_scripts folder (if used) and a resources folder. The structure of the resources folder reflects the tree structure of the contained resources and templates. All resources are renamed according to their names on the macro page and all references are adapted. RELATED LINKS Removing Unused Files on page 403 Saving Macro Pages To save your macro page, click Save Macro Page/Library, specify a name and a location, and click Save. As soon as a macro page is saved, the program references this new macro page file. It can be loaded into the Macro Page Designer and connected to a program, layer, or MIDI module. NOTE If you save the program in HALion, the corresponding macro page file on your hard disk is automatically saved, too. However, note that the macro page is not saved automatically when you save the project in your host application. If you try to open a project that contains a macro page file that is older than the one that is saved on your system, you will get a warning message. 404 Library Creator HALion’s Library Creator allows you to create your own instrument libraries. These libraries are built as VST Sound container files that contain all the necessary components, such as presets, samples, macro pages, MIDI modules, scripts, and sub presets. A library can be created as a single VST Sound container or as a combination of containers and can easily be distributed between computers using Steinberg’s Library Manager. VST Sound is a Steinberg container format that can be compared to ZIP or ISO files, for example. It contains a file structure with folders and files. Once it is registered in the MediaBay, the container is mounted, and all the Steinberg products that contain a MediaBay can access the folders and files within the container. Libraries When working with HALion, all presets are managed by the MediaBay. The MediaBay is the central place where all information about presets is stored. This information is added by tagging the presets with a variety of attributes that describe the preset character, the instrument category it belongs to, the author of the preset, etc. One of those tags is the Library Name. If you set all presets that you want to belong to a particular library to the same Library Name, they become part of this library and the MediaBay allows you to filter your search for content belonging to this library only. This means that if you save a new preset, you can add a specific Library Name to it to assign it to an existing library. There are no restrictions regarding the type of preset that you can assign to a library. However, if you are creating libraries for use in HALion Sonic SE, it is better practice to be more restrictive, that is, to treat a library like an individual instrument with dedicated presets. Often, presets refer to other files, such as samples, macro pages, and Lua scripts. Combining presets with all the referenced files into a library makes it easy to distribute them and to protect them against modification and deletion. Target Users and Creation Process for Libraries Before you create a library, you must decide who your target users or customers are. You could build a library that only HALion users can use, which gives you the freedom to build a macro page that is larger than the size that HALion Sonic supports, for example. However, this limits the number of potential users. Most often, you will probably want to build your library so that it works with HALion Sonic SE, which means that it can be used by everybody. HALion Sonic SE is freely available for download on the Steinberg website. 405 Library Creator Libraries If you want to create a library for all users, you must export your program as a HALion Sonic SE layer preset. You can find the corresponding command on the Program Tree context menu. Prerequisites Here is an exemplary list of main steps that you would usually perform to finalize the content before creating a library. 1. You have sampled all the required sounds and noises. 2. You have cut and processed all the samples. 3. You have mapped the samples to the keyboard. 4. You have structured the samples into layers, for example, for different articulations. 5. You have set up the program so that you can switch between articulations, either using MegaTrig or your own Lua script. 6. You have added the MIDI modules that are to be used by the instrument, for example, a MIDI player. 7. You have added custom script code to realize some special playing features. 8. You have added busses and effects to control the audio routing and deliver the integrated effects that you want to be part of the instrument. 9. You have configured the quick controls to add more control over the sound. 10. You have built a macro page with all the knobs, sliders, and other elements that you need to control the sound of your instrument. 11. You have assigned the macro page to the program. This means, you need a program that can be played and that can be adjusted using the quick controls and the macro page. NOTE For a later use as HALion Sonic SE library, the Program Tree, in the most simple case, should contain a program and a layer. The program will be exported as HALion Sonic SE layer and contains the macro page and the quick control assignments. The layer contains all samples, synth zones, sublayers, MIDI modules, internal busses, and effects. Creating a Simple Library Let us assume that you have inherited a precious and unique acoustic guitar, for example, and you think it is worth building a virtual version of it so that you can play it with your keyboard. You have sampled the guitar sounds and noises, and now you are going to build the library Precious Guitar. PREREQUISITE • You have exported your program under the name Precious Guitar Layer using the Export Program as HALion Sonic SE Layer preset command on the Import/Export submenu of the Program Tree context menu. • If you want to distribute HALion Sonic SE Program presets that combine several layers, you have loaded the preset Precious Guitar Layer.vstpreset into a slot in HALion Sonic. 406 Library Creator Libraries • You have saved the preset under the name Init Precious Guitar and you have set up all the necessary tags, such as Category, Sub Category, Author, Character, etc. NOTE Do not specify the Library Name and Manufacturer attributes at this point, because when building the VST Sound container, these tags are overwritten by the attributes that are defined for the library. • You have created all the required presets for the library. This is best and quickest achieved by creating variations from the first preset. PROCEDURE 1. In the Properties section of the Library Creator, assign icons for the MediaBay and the library selector. 2. Set the Name to Precious Guitar. 3. 4. Set the Long Name to Precious Guitar, too. Set the Family to HALion Sonic SE. 5. Add the name of your company under Manufacturer. 6. Optional: Add a URL to your website. 7. In the Output Path field, specify the location where you want the VST Sound containers to be created. 8. In the VST Sound Containers list, set the file name of the VST Sound container to _001_Precious Guitar. 9. 10. 11. Set the name of the library to Precious Guitar Samples and Presets. Set the Version Number to 1. Optional: Select a compression method and add a comment. You have now defined the basic settings for your library and can start to add presets and other files. 12. Select the VST Sound container in the Structure section and drag all presets into the Content section. A VST 3 Presets folder is added and all presets are placed inside. The Unassigned Samples list now lists all samples that are used in the presets. 13. Select all samples in the list and drag them onto the Content section. A Private Audio Files folder is added to the VST Sound section and all samples are placed inside it. If you do not want to deliver any sub presets for effects or MIDI modules, everything is now in place to build the container. 14. Click the Build Library button on the toolbar. If the preset consistency check discovers any issues, a red warning triangle is shown, allowing you to fix issues, such as missing tags, etc. 15. Click Save Library to save the library to a location on your disk. RESULT You have now built the container and the library is ready to be used. 407 Library Creator Libraries NOTE You can always modify presets and the macro page and build the container afterwards again. The Library Creator always takes the files as they are in the moment of the build process. Verifying Your Libraries After creating a library, the next step is to check whether it is functional. A quick and easy way to check the library is to temporarily mount the container for testing. This method has the advantage that you can rebuild the container if something needs to be fixed, and HALion will instantly see this modified container. PROCEDURE 1. On the toolbar, click Mount VST Sound containers temporarily to HALion MediaBay. This way, the container is temporarily registered and mounted. 2. You can now access the presets using the Load page. Mounting the container only temporarily allows you to rebuild it over and over again while keeping HALion’s MediaBay up-to-date. The only thing you have to ensure when rebuilding the library is that you have to unload all presets and especially samples from this library. Otherwise, you may get a message that the library cannot be written. 3. When you are done, unload HALion to release the container file from being used. As soon as you unload HALion or close the project, the container is unmounted. If you reload the project at a later time, you have to mount the library again. VST Sound containers are added to a location that is also surveyed by HALion Sonic and HALion Sonic SE, which means that you can check the library there. NOTE If you rebuild the container, you must unload HALion Sonic SE, that is, you must quit the host application and open it again before you can see the updated container. 4. Copy the new container to the location of the final library. 5. Reload HALion. RESULT You have checked that the library is functional and you are now ready to distribute it to friends and/or customers. You can also verify the functioning of a library using Steinberg’s Library Manager. RELATED LINKS Library Manager on page 421 Macro Page Resources When building a library, it is necessary to also add the macro pages and scripts that are used by the presets. This includes all bitmap and font resources as well as all scripts and UI 408 Library Creator Library Creator Editor scripts. All these files are included in the VST Sound container that contains the preset files. However, the files are not shown in the Structure section. NOTE Usually, a library only contains one VST Sound container with presets. If you distribute presets over several preset VST Sound containers, the macro page and script resources are automatically added to each container. This means that if you want to update your macro page or scripts, you must rebuild all preset containers and provide them to the user, to guarantee that all presets use the updated macro page. Library Creator Editor The Library Creator is available as a HALion editor and it is part of the Advanced screen set, for example. The editor is divided into three rows, each consisting of two panes. In the topmost row, you can set global properties for the library and define which VST Sound containers are part of it. The second row shows the structure of the selected VST Sound container as a tree view in the Structure section on the left and as a file list in the Content section on the right. The third row shows the list of unassigned samples and VST Sound containers on the right. The Unassigned Filter section on the left allows you to filter the list. NOTE Although the Library Creator is part of the HALion interface, it has no direct relation to the currently loaded multi and its programs and works on its own library document. 409 Library Creator Library Creator Editor You can only edit one library per HALion instance. RELATED LINKS Window Handling on page 13 Toolbar The main toolbar provides the most important functions. Create Library Allows you to create a new library. Load Library Allows you to load a library. Save Library Saves the current library. Revert to Last Saved Library Reloads the last version that was saved. This will discard all changes that have been made. Mount VST Sound containers temporarily to HALion MediaBay Allows you to mount the VST Sound containers that you created for this library temporarily to the MediaBay. This way, you can check the build result without having to register the library. At this state, you can still make changes to the files and rebuild the container, and the MediaBay is automatically updated. If a library is registered and mounted in HALion, HALion Sonic, or HALion Sonic SE and a Steinberg DAW, it cannot be updated on-the-fly. In this case, you must close all applications and plug-ins that have access to the VST Sound container before you can see the changes. VST Sound containers are unmounted automatically when HALion is unloaded. NOTE When you build libraries for HALion Sonic or HALion Sonic SE, these also appear in the MediaBay. However, if you have to rebuild the container, you must unload and reload the plug-ins to reflect the changes. Unmount temporarily mounted VST Sound containers from HALion MediaBay Allows you to unmount the VST Sound containers that were temporarily mounted. Build Library Starts the build process for the library. During the process, a progress bar is shown. Library Path Displays the location and the name of your library. Changing the name here allows you to save the library as a new version. 410 Library Creator Library Creator Editor Undo/Redo The Library Creator provides an independent undo/redo stack with a history. Only the changes in the library file can be undone/redone, other HALion editing actions are not affected. Properties In this section, you can name the library, add icons and further information. All text fields with an * are mandatory. MediaBay Icon Click this field to select the icon that you want to be shown in the MediaBay of the Steinberg DAW. The image must be a .png file and must be 90 x 90 pixels in size. Library Selector Icon Click this field to select the icon that you want to be shown in the library selector. The image must be a .png file and must be 90 x 60 pixels in size. Below the icon, you can see a preview of the library name as it will be shown in the library selector. This indicates whether the library name is too long to be displayed in its entirety. Name Here, you must specify the name of the library. If you change the name after having created VST Sound containers, you will be asked whether you want to rename the library or create a new one. If you create a new library, all VST Sound containers get new unique identifiers. IMPORTANT It is important not to reuse VST Sound containers with the same identifiers for different libraries. Long Name Here, you must specify a longer version of your library name. This will be used in the MediaBay of the Steinberg DAW if it is not too long. Otherwise, the standard name is shown. 411 Library Creator Library Creator Editor Family Allows you to specify for which plug-in you want to build your library. • HALion: These presets cannot be loaded in HALion Sonic and HALion Sonic SE. • HALion Sonic: These presets can be loaded in HALion Sonic and HALion, but not in HALion Sonic SE. • HALion Sonic SE: These presets can be loaded in HALion, HALion Sonic, and HALion Sonic SE. Most often, you will probably want to build your library so that it works with HALion Sonic SE, which means that it can be used by everybody. HALion Sonic SE is freely available for download on the Steinberg website. Manufacturer Here, you must add your name or the name of your company. Website Allows you to add a URL to your website. Output Path Here, you must specify the folder on your system into which the VST Sound files are written. Each container is saved in a separate subfolder. Options Protect Scripts Activate this option if you want to encrypt all script files that are part of the library. This means that users will not be able to see or edit the script code. Strip Wavetable Samples When creating wavetables that are based on samples, the reference paths to the used samples are stored with the presets. This allows you to come back to a wavetable and modify some of the wave markers. As soon as you want to deliver these presets to others, you have the choice to either add all the source samples that you have used to the VST Sound container, so that the user can perform these modifications too, or you can decide to only deliver the presets with the 412 Library Creator Library Creator Editor final wavetables. In this case, you can remove the information about the used samples in the wavetable editor by activating this option. VST Sound Containers This list contains all the VST Sound containers that are part of the library, either because you are building the containers or because they are required as an external dependency by the presets that you are delivering with the library. Search Allows you to search for a specific container, preset, or sample, or to replace strings. • Find: Allows you to enter the text string that you are searching. • Replace: Allows you to specify the text string that you want to use instead. • Find Previous/Next: Allows you to move from one result to the next. • Replace Current Selection: Replaces the text for the current search result. • Replace All: Replaces the text for all search results. • Search for Content in all VST Sound containers: By default, the search is performed only on the list of VST Sound Containers. Activate this option if you want to extend the search to the entire library and the lists of unassigned samples and VST Sounds. • Case Sensitive: Activate this option to make the search case sensitive. • Search in all Attributes: Activate this option if you want to search for text in all attribute columns. Otherwise, only the name column is searched. Add VST Sound Container Allows you to add a new container to your library. Remove VST Sound Container Allows you to remove the selected containers from your library. Attribute Columns The additional attribute columns allow you to specify for each VST Sound container how it should be built. File Name Allows you to specify the name of the VST Sound container. The file name extension is .vstsound. 413 Library Creator Library Creator Editor NOTE To avoid that two VST Sound container files with the same name built by two different people get into conflict, each container has an internal unique identifier, which is created automatically by the Library Creator. However, it is recommended to use a naming scheme for VST Sound containers that makes them easy to identify. This can be a combination of numbers, abbreviations for your company, and the library name, for example. Name Allows you to add an additional name that will be shown in the Library Manager, in the Details view for the library. Version Allows you to specify a version number for the VST Sound container. Every time that you update the container and distribute it to the public, be sure to increase the version number. Comment Allows you to add a comment. Skip In some cases, it can be helpful to skip the creation of some containers while building others, for example, if you have created a library with multiple containers, one for the presets and several others for samples, and you only want to update the preset container to fix some issues. In this case, activate Skip for the sample containers. NOTE • If presets in your library are referring to other VST Sound containers, these must be added to the library as external dependencies. For those containers, Skip is automatically activated, so that these containers are not rebuilt. • You can only rebuild VST Sound containers that you have created yourself. Compress Allows you to compress or convert the samples in the VST Sound container. • As Source: No changes are made to the samples. • Compress: All Samples are compressed. • Truncate 16 Bit: All samples are converted to 16 bit. • Compress 16 Bit: All samples are converted to 16 bit and are compressed. Audio Size This column shows the total size of all uncompressed samples in the container. 414 Library Creator Library Creator Editor NOTE If compression is used, the final size can differ from this value, depending on the sample content. The final size of the container is also influenced by the amount of additional files, such as presets, sub presets, page resources, etc. Structure This section displays the internal file structure of the selected VST Sound container. You can add and remove various folders to organize the elements that you want to be part of the container. Some folders are created automatically, to guarantee that they can be found by HALion, HALion Sonic, or HALion Sonic SE and the MediaBay. The main step when building VST Sound containers is to add VST presets. This can be done using drag and drop, either from the MediaBay or the OS file explorer onto the Content section or the Structure section. When adding presets, a VST 3 Preset Folder is added and all presets are added to it. You can also create a folder for the presets by clicking the Add button and then dropping presets onto the folder. Additionally, you can create multiple VST 3 Preset folders and subfolders and drop presets to the different folders. However, a sophisticated subfolder structure is not required, because all presets are later managed via the MediaBay. When adding presets that make use of samples, all samples are added to the Unassigned Samples list. From here, you can add them, or a selection of them, to a VST Sound container by dragging them onto the Structure or the Content section. If you add samples, the Private Audio Folder is created and the samples are added to it. HALion, HALion Sonic and HALion Sonic SE can then use these samples, but they are not accessible via the MediaBay. You can create further subfolders to structure your samples. Additional Folder Types Sub Preset Folder If your library uses effects, MIDI modules, or Lua modules for which you have created subpresets, you can add a Sub Preset Folder for those presets. 415 Library Creator Library Creator Editor NOTE The folder structure must correspond to the settings that you made for the subpreset selector on your macro page. Otherwise, the subpresets cannot be found. MIDI Module Folder If you have created Lua script modules and saved them as MIDI modules to make them available in the MIDI Module selector, you can add them to your library, too. Add a MIDI Module Folder and place the modules in there. Once the library is built and the container is registered to the MediaBay, they will appear in the MIDI module selector. You can also add subfolders to define in which folder of the MIDI Module selector you want your module to appear. You can add your modules to existing folders, such as the Player or Modulation category, for example, or you can define new categories for your library or company. MIDI Folder If your library makes use of HALion’s MIDI Player module or if you have written a Lua script that can play back MIDI files, add a MIDI Folder. • To add the folder automatically, select the topmost VST Sound node in the Structure section and drag your MIDI files from your OS file explorer onto the Content or Structure section. This adds the MIDI Folder and your MIDI files are placed inside it. If you want to make these MIDI files globally available in the standard HALion MIDI Player module, the MIDI Folder must contain the same subfolder structure that is used in HALion, that is, MIDI Folder/HALion/Sub Presets/MIDI Files/. It is recommended to add a folder that can be associated with the library as a first level subfolder, so that the user can navigate through the MIDI file selector more easily. If you have configured the MIDI file loader on your macro page to load MIDI files from a library-specific folder, you must create the same subfolder structure. NOTE If your MIDI files are located in HALion’s MIDI Files folder in your documents folder (User/Documents/Steinberg/HALion/Sub Presets/MIDI Files), you can drag them from here and the correct structure is automatically added by the Library Creator. Script Folder You can add a Script Folder for your Lua scripts. Normally, it is not necessary to add scripts manually to a VST Sound container, because they are added automatically if they are part of a preset. However, you can create Lua scripts that can be defined as “required” inside other script files. For this case, you can add scripts manually to a VST Sound container. Scripts that require these additional scripts will find them and make use of their functions. 416 Library Creator Library Creator Editor NOTE You can also use Automatically Add Required Files in the editor for the Lua Script MIDI module. However, this only works if VST presets and scripts are put into the same VST Sound container. Scripts can also be added to a completely different VST Sound container, for example, if you want to create a dedicated library for your scripts. In this case, you must specify the search path for the Lua “require” function: package.path = vstsound:// /resources/scripts/.lua;. For more information, please refer to the HALion Scripting documentation under http://developer.steinberg.help. VST 3 Sub Preset Folder You can add a special folder for VST 3 presets and add presets that are used as a sub library for layers. These presets do not appear in the MediaBay and are only used as source layers that can be loaded via script into a program. This method is used for the Hot Brass and Studio Strings libraries, for example. For more information, check the “Custom Params” script that is used in these libraries. Content This section shows the content of the folder that is selected in the Structure section. You can add files here using drag and drop. Search Allows you to search for a specific container, preset, or sample, or to replace strings. • Find: Allows you to enter the text string that you are searching. • Replace: Allows you to specify the text string that you want to use instead. • Find Previous/Next: Allows you to move from one result to the next. • Replace Current Selection: Replaces the text for the current search result. • Replace All: Replaces the text for all search results. • Case Sensitive: Activate this option to make the search case sensitive. • Search in all Attributes: Activate this option if you want to search for text in all attribute columns. Otherwise, only the name column is searched. Add Allows you to add a folder. 417 Library Creator Unassigned VST Sound Containers Remove Removes the selected folders or files. Unassigned Section This section is divided into two tabs: Samples and VST Sound. When dropping preset files into a VST Sound container, the Samples list is filled with all samples that are required. Then, you can decide which VST Sound container you want them to be part of. In the most simple case, your library only consists of a single VST Sound container. In this case, you can drag all samples into the container in the Content section. This adds a Private Audio Folder and the samples are placed inside. A more advanced setup is to add several subfolders to the Private Audio Folder and to distribute the samples into these folders, for example, all brass samples to a brass folder, all string samples to a string folder. This allows for a better overview over the contents of the container. To select only some samples, use the Unassigned Filter section to limit the selection of samples to the selected presets. This filter possibility becomes even more powerful if you want to distribute samples over multiple VST Sound containers. This could be necessary if you want for example to keep the VST Sound containers smaller than 4 GB, so that they can be stored on a FAT32 hard drive or USB stick. In this case, you can drag a part of the samples on one VST Sound container and the rest on another. This will create a Private Audio Folder in each VST Sound container and add the samples. As soon as samples are added to a VST Sound container, the sample path references inside the presets are remapped to the new VST Sound container location. Unassigned VST Sound Containers When adding presets to your library that use samples referring to other VST Sound containers, these containers are added as required VST Sound containers to the Unassigned 418 Library Creator Unassigned VST Sound Containers VST Sound list. This allows you to change the structure of your library if you do not want to reference external content. The following scenarios can help make the decision easier. If your presets contain layers or samples • using HALion/HALion Sonic content, like for example Auron, HALiotron or Voltage, this means that you reduce the number of potential customers to HALion and HALion Sonic users. • using HALion Sonic SE libraries like Basic, Artist or Trip, this means that you reduce the number of potential customers to Cubase Artist or Cubase Pro users. • from other libraries, such as Steinberg’s Triebwerk, Dark Planet, or Hypnotic Dance, this means that you reduce the number of potential customers to users of these libraries. • from another library that you have released earlier, this means that you reduce the number of potential customers to users of your existing library. Since most of the time, you probably want to maximize the number of people that can use your library, for example, with Steinberg’s free HALion Sonic SE, it is not recommended to create dependencies. In any case, if you accept presets with dependencies, be sure to inform potential customers/ users of your library about these requirements, especially if the library is not for free. If you want to remove these dependencies, you can either modify or remove the corresponding presets. NOTE • HSB containers are not supported as external dependencies. • If you build a library for HALion Sonic, for example, external dependencies to HALion Sonic factory VST Sound containers are resolved automatically and are not mentioned in the Unassigned VST Sound list, because these containers are also installed on the computer of the end users. Search Allows you to search for a specific container, preset, or sample, or to replace strings. • Find: Allows you to enter the text string that you are searching. • Replace: Allows you to specify the text string that you want to use instead. • Find Previous/Next: Allows you to move from one result to the next. • Replace Current Selection: Replaces the text for the current search result. 419 Library Creator Consistency Check • Replace All: Replaces the text for all search results. • Case Sensitive: Activate this option to make the search case sensitive. • Search in all Attributes: Activate this option if you want to search for text in all attribute columns. Otherwise, only the name column is searched. Show Issues Click here to open a list of issues that have been detected in the added presets during a consistency check. Click the button to redo the consistency check. This can be useful if the check has detected missing MediaBay tags, for example. Refresh Refreshes the list. Use this if you have added tags to the presets in the MediaBay. Consistency Check To avoid incomplete or nonfunctional libraries, the Library Creator performs several automatic checks when building libraries. As a first step, all presets are checked when they are added to a VST Sound container. If any issues are found, a red warning sign is shown in the Issue column of the corresponding preset and a global warning sign is shown in the list of unassigned samples/VST Sound containers. Existing issues will not prevent the Library Creator from building the VST Sound container, however. They should be understood as an information about what Steinberg would consider an issue to be fixed before releasing the library. Checks are performed for the following: • HALion Sonic and HALion Sonic SE presets for which no macro page is assigned • HALion Sonic and HALion Sonic SE presets for which no quick controls are assigned • the used audio formats (file type, sample rate, bit depth, channels) • Sample markers that exist beyond the sample file end • Sample markers that exist beyond the sample end in a zone • Sample end markers that are placed before the start marker • Empty sample, grain, and wavetable zones • Samples that are not referenced by any presets • Missing information for Author, Category, and Sub-Category • Character tags that are not set • Only one of the parameters Signature and Tempo is set • Presets with the same name (case sensitive) • An incorrect size for the macro page if it is to be used in HALion Sonic and HALion Sonic SE When starting the library build process, the Library Creator may encounter additional issues which can stop the build process. If that happens, a report window opens that informs you why the process could not be executed. The reasons could be that you did not fill out one of the mandatory fields in the library properties, or that required samples, presets, or macro page resources could not be found, because they were removed from your file system after the library file was created, for example. 420 Library Manager HALion’s Library Manager allows you to register and to manage libraries that have been created with HALion 6 and newer. It also displays all libraries that were created earlier and therefore were installed with a classic installer. The Library Manager is installed on your computer as a standalone application and can be run independently from HALion, HALion Sonic, and HALion Sonic SE. For actions such as registering, moving, or deleting libraries, the Library Manager requires full access to all VST Sound libraries. Therefore, you must close HALion, HALion Sonic, HALion Sonic SE, and your Steinberg DAW first, so that they release these files. Library Manager Editor All libraries are displayed in the Library Manager, either on the Managed or the Installed tab. For each library, an icon, the name, the manufacturer, as well as its total file size are shown. 421 Library Manager Library Manager Editor • The libraries in the Managed list were created with HALion 6 and newer and can be moved between hard disks or deleted. • The libraries on the Installed list were installed using an installer. These libraries cannot be moved or deleted, to avoid interference with the original installers. For both library types, a Details button is available, which will extend the list entry and show which VST Sound containers are part of the library and where on your hard disks they are located. Installing VST Sound Libraries To install a new library, you must register the corresponding VST Sound container files. PREREQUISITE You have moved the VST Sound container files to a hard disk and folder where you want to store them and from where you want to register them. NOTE If you have downloaded a library, for example, you most probably do not want to keep it in the Downloads folder. To keep your system clean and uncluttered, you might want to create a dedicated folder for all your libraries and then create subfolders for each new library. You can also create multiple Library folders on different hard disks. PROCEDURE • Navigate to the folder where the new VST Sound container files are located and double-click one of them. The Library Manager opens and registers all VST Sound containers from that folder. This process does not change the location of the library files, but registers them to the MediaBay of HALion, HALion Sonic, and HALion Sonic SE, as well as your Steinberg DAW. NOTE • If the folder contains VST Sound containers that have already been registered, they are ignored. • You can also register user VST Sound containers that were created with versions 4 and 5 of HALion. HSB files from HALion 3 are not supported. RESULT All VST Sound containers in that folder are now registered and can be used the next time that you open HALion. Moving Libraries You can move the file location of a library, for example, to a faster SSD hard disk or because you have accidentally registered it from the wrong folder and you do not want it to remain in this location. PROCEDURE 1. Navigate to the library in the list and click Move. 422 Library Manager Library Manager Editor 2. In the dialog, navigate to the new location and click OK. Removing Libraries You can remove a library if it is no longer needed. PROCEDURE 1. Navigate to the library in the list and click Remove. 2. Do one of the following: • To delete the library from your hard disk, select Move to Trash. • To unregister the library while keeping the corresponding VST Sound container, select Unregister. NOTE • Libraries can have dependencies to other libraries. For example, if a preset library is based on samples that were delivered exclusively with another library. If you try to delete this second library, the Library Manager will warn you that this library is required by another library. 423 Effects Reference Introduction HALion comes with a collection of high-quality studio effects. Many of the insert effects can also be used in surround configurations, that means, they process all channels. However, the legacy HALion 3 effects, Stereo Pan, Chorus, Flanger, Rotary, Vibrato, and Multi Delay only process the front left and right channels. Reverb Effects REVerence REVerence is a convolution tool that allows you to apply room characteristics (reverb) to the audio. By recording an impulse in a room, you capture the characteristics of this room. Convolution superimposes these characteristics to the sound. The result is a very natural sounding reverb. Included with this effect is a collection of high-quality reverb impulse responses. Impulse Response Allows you to select an impulse response. This determines the basic sound character of the reverb. Reverse Reverses the impulse response. Predelay Determines the amount of time between the dry signal and the onset of the reverb. With higher predelay values, you can simulate larger rooms. 424 Effects Reference Reverb Effects Time Controls the reverb time. At a setting of 100 %, the impulse response is applied with its original length. Size Scales the size of the simulated room. At a setting of 100 %, the impulse response is applied as recorded in the original room. Level Adjusts the level of the impulse response. Equalizer Activates the built-in three-band equalizer. ER/Tail Split Sets the split point between the early reflections and the reverb tail. ER/Tail Mix Sets the balance between the early reflections and the reverb tail. At a setting of 50 % the early reflections and the tail have the same volume level. Settings below 50 % raise the early reflections and lower the tail, as a result the sound source moves towards the front of the room. Settings above 50 % raise the tail and lower the early reflections, as a result the sound source moves towards the back of the room. Reverb This effect produces a high-quality algorithmic reverb with early reflections and reverb tail. The early reflections are responsible for the spatial impression in the first milliseconds of the reverb. For emulating different rooms, you can choose between different early reflection patterns and adjust their size. The reverb tail, or late reverberation, offers parameters for controlling the room size and the reverb time. You can adjust the reverb time individually in three frequency bands. Predelay Determines how much time passes before the reverb is applied. This allows you to simulate larger rooms by increasing the time it takes for the first reflections to reach the listener. 425 Effects Reference Reverb Effects Early Reflections Here, you select an early reflections pattern. The early reflections pattern contains the most important delays that deliver the key information for the spatial impression of the room. Show Early Reflections Page/Show Chorusing Page With these two buttons below the Early Reflections pop-up menu, you can choose whether to display the early reflections settings or the chorusing settings in the lower left part of the effect panel. ER/Tail Sets the level balance between the early reflections and the reverb tail. At a setting of 50 %, early reflections and tail have the same volume. Settings below 50 % raise the early reflections and lower the tail, as a result the sound source moves towards the front of the room. Settings above 50 % raise the tail and lower the early reflections, as a result the sound source moves toward the back of the room. Delay Delays the onset of the reverb tail. Room Size Controls the dimensions of the simulated room. At a setting of 100 %, the dimensions correspond to a cathedral or a large concert hall. At a setting of 50 %, the dimensions correspond to a medium-sized room or studio. Settings below 50 % simulate the dimensions of small rooms or a booth. Main Time Controls the overall reverb time of the tail. The higher this value, the longer the reverb tail will decay. At a setting of 100 %, the reverb time is infinitely long. The Main Time parameter also represents the mid band of the reverb tail. High Time Controls the reverb time for the high frequencies of the reverb tail. With positive values, the decay time of the high frequencies is longer. With negative values, it is shorter. Frequencies are affected depending on the High Freq parameter. Low Time Controls the reverb time for the low frequencies of the reverb tail. With positive values, low frequencies decay longer and vice versa. Frequencies will be affected depending on the Low Freq parameter. High Freq Sets the cross-over frequency between the mid and the high band of the reverb tail. You can offset the reverb time for frequencies above this value from the main reverb time with the High Time parameter. Low Freq Sets the cross-over frequency between the low and the mid band of the reverb tail. The reverb time for frequencies below this value can be offset from the main reverb time with the Low Time parameter. 426 Effects Reference Reverb Effects Size Adjusts the length of the early reflections pattern. At a setting of 100 %, the pattern is applied with its original length and the room sounds the most natural. At settings below 100 %, the early reflections pattern is compressed and the room is perceived smaller. ER Low Cut Attenuates the low frequencies of the early reflections. The higher this value, the fewer low frequencies are present in the early reflections. ER High Cut Attenuates the high frequencies of the early reflections. The lower this value, the fewer high frequencies the early reflections will have. Shape Controls the attack of the reverb tail. At a setting of 0 %, the attack is more immediate, which is a good setting for drums. The higher this value, the less immediate the attack. Density Adjusts the echo density of the reverb tail. At a setting of 100 %, single reflections from walls cannot be heard. The lower this value, the more single reflections can be heard. Tail High Cut Attenuates the high frequencies of the reverb tail. The lower this value, the fewer high frequencies the reverb tail will have. Width Adjusts the output of the reverb signal between mono and stereo. At a setting of 0 %, the output of the reverb is mono, at 100 % it is stereo. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. Chorusing Chorusing allows you to enrich the reverb tail through subtle pitch modulations. To access the chorusing parameters, click the Show Chorusing Page button. Chorusing On/Off Activates/Deactivates the chorusing effect. 427 Effects Reference Delay Effects Chorusing Rate Specifies the frequency of the pitch modulation. Chorusing Depth Sets the intensity of the pitch modulation. Delay Effects Multi Delay This effect produces delays, with adjustable time, feedback, and filters. Mode • Stereo has two independent delay lines, one for the left and one for the right audio channel, each with a feedback path of its own. • Cross has two delay lines with cross feedback, where the delay of the left channel is fed back into the delay of the right channel, and vice versa. • Ping-Pong mixes the left and right input channels and sends the mixed signal to hard-panned left and right delays. This way, the echoes bounce like a ping-pong ball between left and right in the stereo panorama. Time Sets the overall time for the left and right delay. Use the Delay L/R parameter to shorten the time for the left or right delay. Sync Activate Sync to synchronize the delay time to the host tempo. If Sync is activated, the time is set as a note value. NOTE The maximum delay time is 5000 ms. If the note length exceeds this value, it is automatically shortened. Delay L/R Offsets the time of the left or right delay from the overall delay time. At a factor of 1, the right or left delay time has the same length as the overall delay time. At a factor of 0.5, the time is half as long as the overall delay time. • To offset the left delay time, turn the control to the left. • To offset the right delay time, turn the control to the right. 428 Effects Reference EQ Effects Feedback Sets the overall amount of feedback for the left and right delay. Feedback means that the output of the delay is fed back to its input. At a setting of 0 %, you hear one echo. At a setting of 100 %, the echoes repeat endlessly. Feedback L/R Offsets the amount of feedback of the left or right delay from the overall feedback. A factor of 1 means that the amount of feedback corresponds to the overall feedback. A factor of 0.5 means that the amount is half the overall feedback. • To offset the left feedback, turn the control to the left. • To offset the right feedback, turn the control to the right. NOTE This parameter is only available in Stereo mode. High Freq Attenuates the high frequencies of the delays. Low Freq Attenuates the low frequencies of the delays. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. EQ Effects Studio EQ Studio EQ is a high-quality 4-band parametric equalizer. With the four frequency bands, you can shape the tone color, to create a brighter or darker sound, for example. The two mid-range bands act as peak filters and the low and high bands act as shelving filters. All bands are fully parametric with adjustable gain, frequency, and Q factor. Each frequency band offers the following controls: On/Off Activates/Deactivates the frequency band. 429 Effects Reference EQ Effects Gain Sets the amount of cut or boost for the corresponding band. Freq Sets the frequency that is cut or boosted with the Gain parameter. Q (Quality) Adjusts the bandwidth of the mid-range peak filters from wide to narrow. By increasing the Q value on the low and high shelving filters, you can add a dip to their shape. • To adjust the parameters Gain and Freq simultaneously, drag the points in the EQ curve display. Graphic EQ Graphic EQ is an equalizer with ten frequency bands that can be cut or boosted by up to 12 dB. In addition, you can specify the overall range and output of the equalizer. Output Controls the overall output level of the equalizer. Mode Allows you to add color or character to the equalized output. The following options are available: • True Response mode uses serial filters with accurate frequency response. • Classic mode uses parallel filters where the resonance depends on the amount of gain. • Constant Q mode uses parallel filters where the resonance is raised when boosting the gain. Range Adjusts the maximum cut or boost for all frequency bands together. Invert Activate this to invert the EQ curve. Flatten Resets all frequency bands to 0 dB. 430 Effects Reference Filter Effects DJ-EQ This plug-in is an easy-to-use 3-band parametric equalizer that resembles the EQs found on typical DJ mixers. This plug-in is designed for quick sound fixes. Low Freq/Mid Freq/High Freq Set the amount of boost or attenuation for the low, mid, and high bands. You can also click and drag in the display to change these values. Low Cut/Mid Cut/ High Cut Cut the low, mid, and high bands. Reset Output Peak Level Resets the peak level that is displayed in the output meter. Filter Effects Auto Filter Auto Filter provides two morphable filter shapes with distortion. The morphing between the two shapes, as well as the cutoff, can be controlled with a manual pedal control, an LFO, or an envelope shaper. Filter Parameters Filter Shape • LP24, 18, 12, and 6 are low-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12 and BP24 are band-pass filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+LP18 and HP6+LP12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct and a low-pass filter with 18 and 12 dB/oct, respectively (asymmetric 431 Effects Reference Filter Effects band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies above the cutoff. • HP12+LP6 and HP18+LP6 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 12 and 18 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 dB/oct (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies below the cutoff. • HP24, 18, 12, and 6 are high-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies below the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12 and BR24 are band-reject filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • BR12+LP6 and BR12+LP12 are combinations of a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct, respectively. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • BP12+BR12 is a band-pass filter with 12 dB/oct plus a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below, above, and around the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+BR12 and HP12+BR12 are combinations of a high-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct and a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below and around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated. • AP+LP6 is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct plus a low-pass filter with 6 dB/ oct. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated. • HP6+AP is a high-pass filter with 6 dB/oct plus an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around and below the cutoff are attenuated. Input Adjusts the gain before the filter and distortion. This parameter only affects the wet signal. Cutoff Specifies the cutoff frequency of the filter. Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff. At higher resonance settings, the filter self-oscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Distortion Type The following options are available: • When this parameter is set to Off, the filter offers no distortion. • Tube Drive offers a lot of character by adding warm, tube-like distortion. • Hard Clip adds bright, transistor-like distortion. • Bit Red adds digital distortion by means of quantization noise. • Rate Red adds digital distortion by means of aliasing. 432 Effects Reference Filter Effects Distortion Adds distortion to the signal. The effect depends on the selected distortion type. At higher settings, it creates a very intense distortion effect. NOTE This parameter is not available if Distortion Type is set to Off. Output Adjusts the gain after the filter and distortion. This parameter only affects the wet signal. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. LFO Section LFO Waveform and Shape Waveform selects the basic type of waveform. Shape changes the characteristic of the waveform. • Sine produces smooth modulation. Shape adds additional harmonics to the waveform. • Triangle is similar in character to Sine. The waveform periodically ramps up and down. Shape continuously changes the triangle waveform to a trapezoid. • Saw produces a ramp cycle. Shape continuously changes the waveform from ramp down to triangle to ramp up. • Pulse produces stepped modulation, where the modulation switches abruptly between two values. Shape continuously changes the ratio between the high and low state of the waveform. At 50 %, it produces a square wave. • Ramp is similar to the Saw waveform. Shape increasingly puts silence before the sawtooth ramps up. • Log is a logarithmic curvature. Shape continuously changes the curvature from negative to positive. • S & H 1 produces random stepped modulation, where each step is different. Shape puts ramps between the steps and produces a smooth random signal when fully turned right. • S & H 2 is similar to S & H 1. The steps alternate between random high and low values. Shape puts ramps between the steps and produces a smooth random signal when fully turned right. Freq Determines the frequency of the cutoff modulation. Sync Activate this to set the Freq parameter in fractions of beats. 433 Effects Reference Filter Effects Depth Determines the output level of the LFO modulation signal. Cutoff Determines the modulation intensity of the LFO on the filter cutoff. Morph Determines the modulation intensity of the LFO on the filter morph. Envelope Follower Section The Envelope Follower traces the input signal with an adjustable attack and release time and delivers a modulation signal representing the level envelope of the signal. Sensitivity All input signals are mixed down to mono before they are sent to the Envelope Follower. This parameter sets the optimum input level for the Envelope Follower. Attack Adjusts the attack time, that is, the time the Envelope Follower needs to approach increasing input levels. Release Adjusts the release time, that is, the time the Envelope Follower needs to approach decreasing input levels. Depth Determines the output level of the modulation signal of the Envelope Follower. Cutoff Determines the modulation intensity of the Envelope Follower on the filter cutoff. Morph Determines the modulation intensity of the Envelope Follower on the filter morph. Pedal Section Pedal Sets the position of the pedal. 434 Effects Reference Filter Effects Depth Determines the output level of the pedal modulation signal. Cutoff Determines the modulation intensity of the pedal on the filter cutoff. Morph Determines the modulation intensity of the pedal on the filter morph. Morph Filter Morph Filter allows you to mix low-pass and high-pass filter effects, allowing for creative morphings between two filters. You can specify the filter shapes independently for filter shape A and B. Filter Shape B Here, you can choose between several high-pass and band-rejection filter shapes. Filter Shape A Here, you can select a low-pass or a band-pass filter shape. Morph Allows you to mix the output between the two selected filters. Cutoff Adjusts the cutoff frequency of the filters. NOTE You can also set the Cutoff and Morph parameters simultaneously by clicking in the display and dragging. Resonance Emphasizes the frequencies around the cutoff frequency. For an electronic sound, increase the resonance. At higher resonance settings, the filter selfoscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Resonator The sound of the human voice or of acoustic instruments can be characterized by their distinctive formant regions, that is, by resonances in the frequency spectrum that are typical for a particular sound. 435 Effects Reference Filter Effects For example, the vowel “ah” (as in father) sung by a male singer has three characteristic formants: F1 = 570 Hz, F2 = 840 Hz, and F3 = 2410 Hz. The Resonator effect allows you to induce such formant regions to a sound by using three filters that are connected in parallel. You can specify the positions and levels of the formant regions by adjusting the Cutoff, Resonance, and Gain parameters of the filters. The Resonator effect comes with 14 predefined filter shapes that determine the basic sound character. In addition, three LFOs can be used to modulate each filter separately, which allows for adding extra motion to the sound. Resonator Shape Defines the basic sound character of the effect. Each shape is a unique combination of different filter types for the low, mid, and high frequency bands. Option Filter Low/Mid/High Low-Pass 1 LP6/LP6/LP6 Low-Pass 2 LP12/LP12/LP12 Band-Pass 1 BP12/(-1)BP12/BP12* Band-Pass 2 BP12/BP12/BP12 High-Pass 1 HP6/HP6/HP6 High-Pass 2 HP12/HP12/HP12 Peak 1 LP6/(-1)BP12/HP6* Peak 2 LP6/BP12/HP6 Bat 1 HP12/BP12/LP12 Bat 2 HP6/BP12/LP6 Wings 1 LP6/BR12/HP6 Wings 2 HP12/BR12/LP12 Wings 3 LP6/(-1)BR12/HP6* Wings 4 HP12/(-1)BR12/LP12* *(-1) means that the phase is inverted Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. 436 Effects Reference Filter Effects Cutoff Spread Spreads the cutoff frequencies between the channels of the effect. For example, if the effect is used in stereo, positive Cutoff Spread values shift the cutoff down on the left channel and up on the right channel. Filter Tab Cutoff Adjusts the cutoff frequency of the filter, that is, the center frequency of the formant region. Resonance Adjusts the resonance of the filter. The resonance determines how much the formant region is emphasized. At higher settings, the filter self-oscillates, which results in a ringing tone. Gain Adjusts the input gain of the filter. The gain determines the level of the formant region. LFO Modulation Source Allows you to select the LFO that modulates the cutoff. LFO Modulation Depth Adjusts the cutoff modulation from the LFO. LFO Tab LFO Waveform and Shape • Sine produces smooth modulation, suitable for vibrato or tremolo. Shape adds additional harmonics to the waveform. • Triangle is similar to Sine. Shape continuously changes the triangle waveform to a trapezoid. 437 Effects Reference Filter Effects • Saw produces a ramp cycle. Shape continuously changes the waveform from ramp down to triangle to ramp up. • Pulse produces stepped modulation, where the modulation switches abruptly between two values. Shape continuously changes the ratio between the high and low state of the waveform. If Shape is set to 50 %, a square wave is produced. • Ramp is similar to the Saw waveform. Shape increasingly puts silence before the sawtooth ramp up begins. • Log produces a logarithmic modulation. Shape continuously changes the logarithmic curvature from negative to positive. • S & H 1 produces randomly stepped modulation, where each step is different. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. • S & H 2 is similar to S & H 1. The steps alternate between random high and low values. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. Spread For each channel of the effect, there is a separate LFO signal. This parameter spreads the phase of the LFO signals across the different channels. For example, if the effect is used in stereo, positive values shift the LFO phase forward on the left channel and backward on the right channel. Sync Activate this to set the Freq parameter in fractions of beats. Freq Determines the frequency of the cutoff modulation. WahWah WahWah is a variable slope band-pass filter modeling the well-known analog pedal effect. You can independently specify the frequency, width, and the gain for the low and high pedal positions. The crossover point between the low and high pedal positions lies at 50. Pedal Controls the filter frequency sweep. Freq Low/Freq High These parameters determine the frequency of the filter for the low and high pedal positions. Width Low/Width High These parameters determine the width (resonance) of the filter for the low and high pedal positions. 438 Effects Reference Distortion Effects Gain Low/Gain High These parameters determine the gain of the filter for the low and high pedal positions. Slope Here, you can choose between two filter slope values: 6 dB or 12 dB. Distortion Effects Amplifier This effect emulates the sound of an amplifier with speakers. There are different amplifiers and speaker models you can combine. Amp Model Determines the type of amplifier. The sound character of the overdrive changes with the amplifier. To bypass the amplifier, select No Amp. Speaker Model Determines the speaker model type. Each model colors the sound uniquely. To bypass the model, select No Speaker. Drive Adjusts the amount of overdrive. Bass Adjusts the tone color of the low frequencies. Middle Adjusts the tone color of the mid frequencies. Treble Adjusts the tone color of the high frequencies. Presence Adds brightness to the sound. Low Damp Attenuates the low frequencies of the speakers. 439 Effects Reference Distortion Effects High Damp Attenuates the high frequencies of the speakers. Channel Mode Defines which output channels of the amplifier deliver a distorted signal. You can set it to L (Left), R (Right) or L/R (Both). When set to L or R, the other channel provides a clean signal. Output Controls the output level of the amplifier. Distortion This effect offers the whole range of distortion, from low fidelity, digital distortion to high fidelity, analog sounding distortion. The available distortion types (Rate Red, Tube Drive, Hard Clip, and Bit Red) can be freely combined. In Gain Adjusts the input level of the sound. Rate Red (Rate Reduction) Rate reduction distorts the sound by means of aliasing. Enable the Rate Red option to activate the control that adjusts the amount of aliasing. The lower the setting, the more aliasing is added. Tube Drive Adds warm, tube-like distortion to the sound. Enable the Tube Drive option to activate the control that adjusts the amount of distortion. The higher the setting, the more distortion is added. Hard Clip Adds bright, transistor-like distortion to the sound. Enable the Hard Clip option to activate the control that adjusts the amount of distortion. The higher the setting, the more distortion is added. Bit Red (Bit Reduction) Bit reduction distorts the sound by means of quantization noise. Enable the Bit Red option to activate the control that adjusts the amount of quantization noise. The lower the setting, the more quantization noise is added. Out Gain Adjusts the output level of the sound. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. 440 Effects Reference Distortion Effects VST Amp This effect emulates the sound of an amplifier with speakers. There are different amplifiers and speaker models you can combine. Amp Model Specifies the amplifier type. The sound character of the overdrive changes with the amplifier. To bypass the amp modeling, select No Amplifier. Speaker Model Specifies the speaker model type. Each model colors the sound uniquely. To bypass the speaker modeling, select No Cabinet. Drive Adjusts the amount of overdrive. Bass Adjusts the tone color of the low frequencies. Middle Adjusts the tone color of the mid frequencies. Treble Adjusts the tone color of the high frequencies. Presence Adjusts the brightness of the sound. Mic Type You can choose between two microphone types. If this control is set to 0 %, a large-diaphragm condenser microphone is used. At 100 %, you get a dynamic microphone. Settings in between allow you to fade between the characteristics of these two microphones. Microphone Position Here, you can choose between seven positions to place the microphone. These positions result from two different angles (center and edge) and three different distances from the speaker, as well as an additional center position at an even greater distance from the speaker. Channel Mode Determines in which way the two input channels are distorted. 441 Effects Reference Distortion Effects • L (Left) only distorts the left input channel. The right channel remains clean and unprocessed. • R (Right) only distorts the right input channel. The left channel remains clean and unprocessed. • L+R (Left + Right) sums the two input channels into a mono signal which is then distorted. • Stereo distorts the two input channels independently. NOTE The L and R modes allow you to cascade two VST Amp effects, that is, to use the first one to processes the left channel and the second one to process the right channel at different settings. Output Controls the output level of the amplifier. Tape Saturator Tape Saturator simulates the behavior of classic tape recorders. These machines produced a specific saturation when recording higher input levels, which led to a compressed signal with light distortion. Mode Here, you can choose between the effect of a single (One Stage) or two cascaded tape machines (Two Stage). Two Stage mode leads to higher saturation and compression. Oversampling Activate this parameter to increase the accuracy of the effect by oversampling. NOTE If this parameter is activated, the effect requires more processing power. Drive Determines the level of the input signal and thus the amount of saturation. Auto Gain Activate this option for an automatic level compensation. Low Filter Here, you can adjust the low frequency range below 1000 Hz by +/- 3 dB. 442 Effects Reference Pitch Shift Effects High Filter Here, you can attenuate the high frequency range. This high-cut filter works with a slope of 24 dB/octave. Output Determines the level of the output signal. Tube Saturator This effect enriches the sound by adding the characteristic harmonics of a saturated tube to the audio signal. Oversampling Increases the accuracy of the effect by oversampling. NOTE If this parameter is activated, the effect requires more processing power. Drive Determines the level of the input signal and thus the amount of saturation. Low Filter Allows you to reduce the low frequency range by up to 6 dB before saturation. High Filter Allows you to adjust the high frequency range by -/+ 6 dB before saturation. Output Determines the level of the output signal. Pitch Shift Effects Octaver Octaver allows you to create two additional voices that follow the original voice an octave below and above. This effect is best suited for monophonic signals. Direct Determines the level of the input signal. 443 Effects Reference Modulation Effects Octave 1 Determines the level of the signal that is produced an octave below the original voice. Octave 2 Determines the level of the signal that is produced an octave above the original voice. Modulation Effects Chorus Chorus thickens and broadens the sound by means of pitch modulation. Rate Determines the frequency of the pitch modulation, in Hertz. Sync Activate this to set the Rate value in fractions of beats. Depth Sets the intensity of the pitch modulation. Phase Widens the sound image of the effect from mono to stereo. Shape Adjusts the characteristics of the modulation. At a setting of 0 %, the pitch changes continuously, producing a steady modulation. At a setting of 100 %, the pitch does not change all the time, producing a less steady modulation. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. Flanger This effect thickens and broadens the sound by means of pitch modulation. Rate Allows you to specify the frequency of the pitch modulation in Hertz. 444 Effects Reference Modulation Effects Sync Activate this to set the Rate value in fractions of beats. Depth Sets the intensity of the pitch modulation. Phase Widens the sound image of the effect from mono to stereo. This parameter also changes the characteristic of the Cross FB parameter. Shape Adjusts the characteristics of the modulation. You hear this best when Feedback is activated. At a setting of 0 %, the sound sweeps linearly up and down. At a setting of 100 %, the sound sweeps exponentially up and down. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. Feedback Adds resonances to the effect. This allows for jet-like sweeps of the sound. Cross FB Mixes the feedback of the left channel with the right channel, and vice versa. The effect of this parameter is influenced by the Phase parameter. NOTE This parameter only takes effect if the Feedback parameter is set to a value above 0 %. Tone Adjusts the tone color of the feedback. At lower values, the feedback is less bright. Step Flanger The Step Flanger expands the Flanger with a Sample and Hold section that divides the modulation signal into a definable number of steps. Rate Allows you to specify the frequency of the pitch modulation in Hertz. 445 Effects Reference Modulation Effects Sync Activate this to set the Rate value in fractions of beats. Depth Sets the intensity of the pitch modulation. Phase Widens the sound image of the effect from mono to stereo. This parameter also changes the characteristic of the Cross FB parameter. Shape Adjusts the characteristics of the modulation. You hear this best when Feedback is activated. At a setting of 0 %, the sound sweeps linearly up and down. At a setting of 100 %, the sound sweeps exponentially up and down. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. Feedback Adds resonances to the effect. This allows for jet-like sweeps of the sound. Cross FB Mixes the feedback of the left channel with the right channel, and vice versa. The effect of this parameter is influenced by the Phase parameter. NOTE This parameter only takes effect if the Feedback parameter is set to a value above 0 %. Tone Adjusts the tone color of the feedback. At lower values, the feedback is less bright. Type Defines the length of the delay line that is modulated. Short produces a sharper and Long a less defined, more blurred flanger sound. S&H Mix Use this parameter to blend the normal modulation signal with the stepped modulation signal. At 100 %, only the stepped modulation is used. Smooth Use this parameter to create ramps between the steps. This way, the stepped modulation signal sounds smoother. Steps Determines into how many steps the modulation signal is divided. You can use up to 32 steps. 446 Effects Reference Modulation Effects Phaser The Phaser effect thickens and broadens the sound by means of phase modulation. Rate Specifies the frequency of the phase modulation. Sync Activate this to set the Rate value in fractions of beats. Depth Sets the intensity of the phase modulation. Shift Shifts the phase modulation upwards to higher frequencies of the spectrum. Phase Widens the sound image of the effect from mono to stereo. Feedback Adds resonances to the effect. Higher settings produce a more pronounced effect. Low Cut Attenuates the low frequencies. High Cut Attenuates the high frequencies. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. Tremolo This effect produces amplitude modulation, that is, cyclic modulation of the level of the sound. Rate Determines the frequency of the amplitude modulation. Sync Activate this to set the Rate value in fractions of beats. 447 Effects Reference Modulation Effects Depth Sets the intensity of the amplitude modulation. Phase Widens the sound image of the effect from mono to stereo. Output Sets the output level of the effect. Ring Modulator The Ring Modulator provides a sine oscillator that is multiplied with the input signal. This creates metallic, or bell-like, frequencies. The integrated LFO modulates the frequency of the sine oscillator to vary the created frequencies over time. In addition, an envelope follower is available, which can be used to modulate the frequency of the sine oscillator depending on the level of the input signal. LFO Waveform and Shape Waveform selects the basic type of waveform. Shape changes the characteristic of the waveform. • Sine produces smooth modulation. Shape adds additional harmonics to the waveform. • Triangle is similar in character to Sine. The waveform periodically ramps up and down. Shape continuously changes the triangle waveform to a trapezoid. • Saw produces a ramp cycle. Shape continuously changes the waveform from ramp down to triangle to ramp up. • Pulse produces stepped modulation, where the modulation switches abruptly between two values. Shape continuously changes the ratio between the high and low state of the waveform. At 50 %, it produces a square wave. • Ramp is similar to the Saw waveform. Shape increasingly puts silence before the sawtooth ramps up. • Log is a logarithmic curvature. Shape continuously changes the curvature from negative to positive. • S & H 1 produces random stepped modulation, where each step is different. Shape puts ramps between the steps and produces a smooth random signal when fully turned right. • S & H 2 is similar to S & H 1. The steps alternate between random high and low values. Shape puts ramps between the steps and produces a smooth random signal when fully turned right. 448 Effects Reference Modulation Effects LFO Freq Use this to specify the frequency of the LFO for modulating the frequency of the sine oscillator. Sync Activate this to set the LFO Freq value in fractions of beats. LFO Depth Sets the intensity of the LFO modulation of the sine oscillator frequency. Frequency Determines the frequency of the sine oscillator. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. Envelope Follower The Envelope Follower traces the input signal with an adjustable attack and release time and delivers a modulation signal representing the level envelope of the signal. Sensitivity All input signals are mixed down to mono before they are sent to the Envelope Follower. The Sensitivity parameter sets the optimum input level for the Envelope Follower. Attack This adjusts the attack time, that is, the time the Envelope Follower needs to approach increasing input levels. Release This adjusts the release time, that is, the time the Envelope Follower needs to approach decreasing input levels. Depth Determines the output level of the modulation signal of the Envelope Follower. Frequency Shifter A frequency shifter shifts each frequency of the input signal by a fixed amount. 449 Effects Reference Modulation Effects Unlike pitch shifters, where the frequencies are shifted by a factor, and where the harmonic relations are kept, a frequency shifter alters the harmonic relations. Therefore, a larger frequency shift usually results in a disharmonic sound. Furthermore, a frequency shifter alters the frequencies by adding an offset, while a pitch shifter multiplies the frequencies by a factor. The frequency shifter alters lower frequencies more than higher frequencies. For example, if the input signal has the frequencies 100 Hz, 1000 Hz, and 10000 Hz, and you shift the frequency by +100 Hz, the resulting frequencies are 200 Hz, 1100 Hz, and 10100 Hz. Freq Coarse Here you set the amount of frequency shift. Freq Fine Here you can fine adjust the amount of frequency shift. L/R Offset Coarse Sets an offset for the left and right channels. Positive values shift the right channel upwards and the left channel downwards, and vice versa. L/R Offset Fine Allows for fine-adjustments of the offset between the left and right channels. Positive values shift the right channel upwards and the left channel downwards, and vice versa. Mod Coarse Sets the maximum amount of frequency shift via modulation from LFO and Envelope Follower. Mod Fine Allows for fine-adjustments to the amount of frequency shift via modulation from LFO and Envelope Follower. Feedback Sets the amount of feedback, that is, the amount of signal that is sent from the output of the effect back to its input. The sound is similar to that of a phaser. You can control the direction and speed of this effect with the Frequency Fine parameter. Notches Here you set the number of notches the phaser effect produces when you use larger amounts of Feedback. LFO Section LFO Waveform and Shape Waveform selects the basic type of waveform. Shape changes the characteristic of the waveform. • Sine produces smooth modulation. Shape adds additional harmonics to the waveform. 450 Effects Reference Modulation Effects • Triangle is similar in character to Sine. The waveform periodically ramps up and down. Shape continuously changes the triangle waveform to a trapezoid. • Saw produces a ramp cycle. Shape continuously changes the waveform from ramp down to triangle to ramp up. • Pulse produces stepped modulation, where the modulation switches abruptly between two values. Shape continuously changes the ratio between the high and low state of the waveform. At 50 %, it produces a square wave. • Ramp is similar to the Saw waveform. Shape increasingly puts silence before the sawtooth ramps up. • Log is a logarithmic curvature. Shape continuously changes the curvature from negative to positive. • S & H 1 produces random stepped modulation, where each step is different. Shape puts ramps between the steps and produces a smooth random signal when fully turned right. • S & H 2 is similar to S & H 1. The steps alternate between random high and low values. Shape puts ramps between the steps and produces a smooth random signal when fully turned right. Freq Specifies the frequency of the LFO in Hertz. Sync Activate this to set the Freq parameter in fractions of beats. Depth Determines the direction and amount of frequency shift from the LFO modulation signal. Envelope Follower The Envelope Follower traces the input signal with an adjustable attack and release time and delivers a modulation signal representing the level envelope of the signal. Sensitivity All input signals are mixed down to mono before they are sent to the Envelope Follower. This parameter sets the optimum input level for the Envelope Follower. Attack Adjusts the attack time, that is, the time the Envelope Follower needs to approach increasing input levels. Release Adjusts the release time, that is, the time the Envelope Follower needs to approach decreasing input levels. Depth Determines the direction and amount of frequency shift from the envelope follower modulation signal. 451 Effects Reference Modulation Effects NOTE The maximum frequency shift via modulation from LFO or the Envelope Follower is determined by the parameters Modulation Range Coarse and Modulation Range Fine. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. Rotary The Rotary effect emulates the sound of a vintage rotary speaker including amplifier, horn, drum, and cabinet. By emitting the sound via a rotating horn and drum, the rotary speaker produces a Doppler effect that thickens the sound. The horn and drum rotate at variable speed producing different amounts of Doppler effect. The amplifier of the rotary speaker adds a warm sounding distortion, and the horn, drum, and cabinet color the sound uniquely. The horn and drum are recorded via (virtual) microphones that can be set to different angles to broaden the sound image. Typically, rotary speakers are used with electric organs. Rotation This parameter changes the rotation speed of the horn and drum. When set to Fast, the Doppler effect is stronger. When set to Stop, there is no Doppler effect because the drum and horn do not rotate. Because the horn and drum accelerate and decelerate at different speeds, the transition from Slow to Fast and vice versa sounds the most interesting. Distance Sets the distance between the microphones and the horn and drum. The amplitude modulation of the sound decreases with the distance of the microphones. Set this to higher values for less amplitude modulation. Cabinet The horn and drum sound different when recorded through the louvers of the cabinet. Use this to color the horn and drum with the sound of the cabinet. At a setting of 100 %, you get the full sound of the cabinet. Balance Here you adjust the balance between the horn and drum microphones. At a setting of 0 %, you hear only the drum. At a setting of 100 %, you hear only the horn. 452 Effects Reference Modulation Effects Slow Adjusts the slow speed of the horn and drum together. Fast Adjusts the fast speed of the horn and drum together. Accel Adjusts the acceleration time for raising and lowering the rotation speed of the horn and drum. Horn Mic Angle This adjusts the stereo spread of the horn microphones. At a setting of 0°, the sound image is monophonic. At a setting of 180°, the sound image is fully stereo. Drum Mic Angle This adjusts the stereo spread of the drum microphones. At a setting of 0°, the sound image is monophonic. At a setting of 180°, the sound image is fully stereo. Input Adjusts the gain before the rotary and drive. Drive Adjusts the distortion of the amplifier. Output Adjusts the gain after the rotary and drive. Color Alters the sound of the Rotary effect by changing the timbre, which leads to the rotation of the horn and the drum being perceived with greater depth. Bass Adjusts the tone color of the low frequencies. Treble Adjusts the tone color of the high frequencies. Vibrato The Vibrato effect emulates the chorus and vibrato effects of vintage organs. It thickens the sound by means of pitch modulation. The effect provides direct access to the classic chorus and vibrato settings (C1, C2 and C3 and V1, V2 and V3). In addition, there is a custom mode that allows you to adjust the amount of chorus or vibrato freely. 453 Effects Reference Modulation Effects Type Here, you can select the classic chorus and vibrato settings. This control is only available if the effect is set to Classic mode. Custom Mode Activate this to adjust the chorus and vibrato settings freely with the Rate, Depth, and Vibr/Chor controls. Rate Sets the frequency of the pitch modulation. Depth Sets the intensity of the pitch modulation. Vibr/Chor Controls the mix between the vibrato and the chorus signal. At 100 %, you only hear the chorus effect. Vintage Ensemble This effect emulates the sound of classic ensemble modulation effects. It is based on a delay with LFO-modulated delay times. A secondary LFO with higher frequencies is used to produce the so-called shimmer. Rate Sets the frequency of the LFO. Sync If Sync is activated, you can set the Rate value in fractions of beats. Depth Sets the intensity of the delay time modulation by the LFO. Shimmer Sets the intensity of a secondary faster delay time modulation. Shimmer Rate Determines the relation between the speed of the primary and the secondary delay modulation. For example, with a value of 10, the secondary modulation is 10 times faster. Low Cut Applies a low-cut filter to the signal. Only frequencies above the set frequency are sent to the effect. 454 Effects Reference Dynamics Effects High Cut Applies a high-cut filter to the signal. Only frequencies below the set frequency are sent to the effect. FX Level Allows you to adapt the effect signal level to compensate for level reductions caused by the low-cut and high-cut filters. Mix Sets the ratio between the dry and the wet signal. Dynamics Effects The effects Compressor, Limiter, Brickwall Limiter, Expander, Gate, and Maximizer work with an internal look-ahead function to guarantee the best possible audio quality. However, this look-ahead function introduces a small amount of latency. Usually, this is not noticeable, but in some cases, it might introduce unwanted side effects. For example, if you work with parallel compression where signals are sent to an AUX bus and being returned to the rest of the mix, this might lead to unwanted flanging effects. If you run into latency issues, you have the following possibilities: • For the effects Compressor, Expander, and Gate, activate the Live button to use the effects without look-ahead functionality. • For the effects Limiter, Brickwall Limiter, and Maximizer, send the signals to one of the plug-in outputs and add the corresponding effect directly in the DAW, to make use of the host’s delay compensation. Compressor The Compressor reduces the dynamic range of a sound. This way, the sound gains headroom. You can use this extra headroom to make the overall sound louder again. The graphical control to the left indicates the compression curve. You can edit the Threshold and Ratio values with the handles of this control. The input and output VU meters indicate the level before and after the compression. The Gain Reduction meter indicates the current attenuation of the level. Threshold Sets the threshold. Sounds that are louder than the threshold are reduced in gain. Sounds below the threshold stay untreated. 455 Effects Reference Dynamics Effects Ratio Sets the amount of gain reduction for sounds that are louder than the threshold. The higher the ratio, the more the output is lowered. For example, if the ratio is set to 2:1 and the amplitude of the sound is 4 dB above the threshold, the output is lowered by 2 dB. If the amplitude is 8 dB above the threshold, the output is lowered by 4 dB. Soft Knee If this button is deactivated, signals above the threshold are compressed instantly according to the set ratio. If Soft Knee is activated, the onset of the compression is more gradual, producing a less drastic result. Make-Up Raises the overall sound. This can become necessary if too much gain reduction is introduced by the Threshold and Ratio parameters. You can see the amount of gain reduction in the Gain Reduction meter. NOTE This parameter is not available if the Auto button is activated. Auto Make-Up Gain Sets the Make-Up value automatically, depending on the current Threshold and Ratio settings. Attack Determines how fast the Compressor reacts to sounds that exceed the threshold. The longer the attack time, the longer the time it takes to reduce the gain. With longer attack times, the onset of sounds exceeding the threshold pass through unprocessed. Hold Sets the time period during which the compression is applied after the sound exceeds the set threshold. Release Determines how fast the Compressor effect reacts to sounds that fall below the set threshold. The longer the release time, the longer it takes to return to the original level. NOTE This parameter is not available if the Auto Release button is activated. Auto Release Activate this to set the release time automatically. The Compressor analyzes the input sound continuously to find the optimal setting. Peak/RMS Determines whether the input signal is analyzed according to peak or RMS values or a mixture of both. At a setting of 0 %, the Compressor uses Peak sensing 456 Effects Reference Dynamics Effects only and at 100 %, RMS sensing only. Peak means that the Compressor directly senses the peak level of the sound. RMS means that the Compressor senses the average power of the sound. Peak sensing responds faster than RMS sensing. Typically, Peak sensing is used for transient and RMS sensing for sustained sounds. Live If this button is activated, the look-ahead feature of the effect is disengaged. Look-ahead produces more accurate processing, but adds a certain amount of latency as a trade-off. If Live mode is activated, there is no latency, which is better for live processing. Vintage Compressor Vintage Compressor is modeled after vintage type compressors. This compressor features separate controls for Input and Output gain, Attack, and Release. In addition, there is a Punch mode which preserves the attack phase of the signal and a program-dependent Auto feature for the Release parameter. In/Out Meters Show the highest peaks of all available input and output channels. GR Meter Shows the amount of gain reduction. Input Determines the compression amount. The higher the input gain, the more compression is applied. Ratio Sets the amount of gain reduction for sounds that are louder than the threshold. The higher the ratio, the more the output is lowered. Attack (0.1 to 100 ms) Determines how fast the compressor responds. If the attack time is long, more of the initial part of the signal passes through unprocessed. Punch If this is activated, the early attack phase of the signal is preserved, retaining the original punch in the audio material, even with short Attack settings. 457 Effects Reference Dynamics Effects Release (10 to 1000 ms or Auto mode) Sets the time after which the gain returns to its original level. If the Auto button is activated, the plug-in automatically finds the best release setting for the audio material. Output (-48 to 24 dB) Sets the output gain. Tube Compressor This versatile compressor with integrated tube-simulation allows you to achieve smooth and warm compression effects. The GR meter shows the amount of gain reduction. Tube Compressor features an internal side-chain section that lets you filter the trigger signal. In/Out Meters Show the highest peaks of all available input and output channels. GR Meter Shows the amount of gain reduction. Input Determines the compression amount. The higher the input gain, the more compression is applied. Limit Increases the ratio of the compressor for a limiting effect. Drive (1.0 to 6.0) Controls the amount of tube saturation. Attack (0.1 to 100 ms) Determines how fast the compressor responds. If the attack time is long, more of the initial part of the signal passes through unprocessed. Release (10 to 1000 ms or Auto mode) Sets the time after which the gain returns to its original level. If the Auto button is activated, the plug-in automatically finds the best release setting for the audio material. Output (-12 to 12 dB) Sets the output gain. 458 Effects Reference Dynamics Effects Mix Adjusts the mix between dry signal and wet signal preserving the transients of the input signal. Side-Chain Activates the internal side-chain filter. The input signal can then be shaped according to the filter parameters. Internal side-chaining is useful for tailoring how the gate operates. Monitor Allows you to monitor the filtered signal. Filter buttons (LP, BP, and HP) If the Side-Chain button is activated, you can use these buttons to set the filter type to low-pass, band-pass, or high-pass. Center (50 to 20000 Hz) If the Side-Chain button is activated, this sets the center frequency of the filter. Q-Factor If the Side-Chain button is activated, this sets the resonance or width of the filter. Limiter The Limiter effect prevents the sound from exceeding the set output level. This can be used to avoid clipping in following effects, for example. The input and output meters indicate the level before and after the Limiter. The Gain Reduction meter in the middle indicates the current attenuation of the level. Input Adjusts the input level of the sound. By increasing the input level, you can drive the sound more and more into limiting. Output Sets the maximum output level of the sound. Release Sets the time that the gain needs to return to its original level. The longer the release time, the longer it takes to return to the original level. NOTE This parameter is not available if the Auto button is activated. 459 Effects Reference Dynamics Effects Auto Activate this to set the release time automatically. The Limiter analyzes the input sound continuously to find the optimal setting. Brickwall Limiter Brickwall Limiter ensures that the output level never exceeds a set limit. Due to its fast attack time, Brickwall Limiter can reduce even short audio level peaks without creating audible artifacts. However, this plug-in creates a latency of 1 ms. Brickwall Limiter features separate meters for input, output, and the amount of limiting. Threshold (-20 to 0 dB) Determines the level where the limiter kicks in. Only signal levels above the set threshold are processed. Release (ms or Auto mode) Sets the time after which the gain returns to the original level when the signal drops below the threshold. If the Auto button is activated, the plug-in automatically finds the best release setting for the audio material. Link If this button is activated, Brickwall Limiter uses the channel with the highest level to analyze the input signal. If the button is deactivated, each channel is analyzed separately. Detect Intersample Clipping If this option is activated, Brickwall Limiter uses oversampling to detect and limit signal levels between two samples to prevent distortion when converting digital signals into analog signals. NOTE Brickwall Limiter is designed for the reduction of occasional peaks in the signal. If the Gain Reduction meter indicates constant limiting, try raising the threshold or lowering the overall level of the input signal. 460 Effects Reference Dynamics Effects Maximizer This plug-in raises the loudness of audio material without the risk of clipping. Optimize Determines the loudness of the signal. Output Sets the maximum output level. Soft Clip If this button is activated, Maximizer starts limiting or clipping the signal softly. At the same time, harmonics are generated, adding a warm, tube-like characteristic to the audio material. Expander The Expander reduces the output level in relation to the input level for signals below the set threshold. This is useful to enhance the dynamic range or reduce the noise in quiet passages. The graphical control to the left shows the expansion curve. You can edit the Threshold and Ratio values with the handles of this control. The input and output meters indicate the level before and after the expansion. The Gain Reduction meter indicates the current attenuation of the level. Threshold Sets the threshold. Sounds that are softer than the threshold are reduced in gain. Sounds above the threshold stay untreated. Ratio Sets the amount of gain reduction for sounds that are softer than the threshold. The higher the ratio, the more the output is lowered. For example, if the ratio is set to 2:1 and the amplitude of the sound is 4 dB below the threshold, the output is lowered by 2 dB. If the amplitude is 8 dB below the threshold, the output is lowered by 4 dB. 461 Effects Reference Dynamics Effects Soft Knee If this button is deactivated, signals above the threshold are compressed instantly according to the set ratio. When Soft Knee is activated, the onset of the expansion is more gradual, producing a less drastic result. Attack Determines how fast the Expander reduces the gain when the sound falls below the set threshold. The longer the attack time, the longer it takes to reduce the gain. Hold Sets the time period during which the expansion is applied after the sound falls below the set threshold. Release Determines how fast the Expander effect raises the gain after the sound exceeds the set threshold. The longer the release time, the longer it takes to raise the gain. NOTE This parameter is not available when the Auto Release button is activated. Auto Activate this to set the release time automatically. The Expander analyzes the input sound continuously to find the optimal setting. Peak/RMS Determines whether the input signal is analyzed according to peak or RMS values or a mixture of both. At a setting of 0 %, the Expander uses Peak sensing only and at 100 %, RMS sensing only. Peak means that the Expander directly senses the peak level of the sound. RMS means that the Expander senses the average power of the sound. Peak sensing responds faster than RMS sensing. Typically, Peak sensing is used for transient and RMS sensing for sustained sounds. Live If this button is activated, the look-ahead feature of the effect is disengaged. Look-ahead produces more accurate processing, but adds a certain amount of latency as a trade-off. If Live mode is activated, there is no latency, which is better for live processing. Gate The Gate effect passes sound only to its output if the input sound exceeds the set threshold. Sounds below the threshold are silenced. An internal side-chain filter allows you to analyze a filtered version of the input sound instead. This way, the gate detects only certain frequencies of the input sound. 462 Effects Reference Dynamics Effects Threshold Determines the level that activates the gate. Signal levels above the set threshold trigger the gate to open, and signal levels below the set threshold close the gate. Filter Activates the internal side-chain filter. If this button is activated, the input sound is filtered before it is analyzed. The gate opens only if the filtered sound exceeds the set threshold. When the Filter button is deactivated, the filter controls are not available. Filter Type Sets the filter type for the side-chain filter. Select high-pass (HP) to detect high frequencies, band-pass (BP) to detect mid frequencies, and low-pass (LP) to detect low frequencies only. Monitor Activate this button to listen to the sound of the side-chain filter. The gate is inactive when the Monitor button is activated. Center Sets the center frequency of the side-chain filter. Q-Factor Adjusts the bandwidth of the filter from wide to narrow. Attack Determines how fast the gate opens when the sound exceeds the set threshold. The longer the attack time, the longer it takes for the sound to fade in. Hold Sets the time period during which the gate is applied after the sound falls below the set threshold. Release Determines how fast the gate closes after the sound falls below the set threshold. The longer the release time, the longer it takes for the sound to fade out. NOTE This parameter is not available when the Auto button is activated. 463 Effects Reference Dynamics Effects Auto Activate this to set the Release time automatically. The Gate analyzes the input sound continuously to find the optimal setting. Peak/RMS Determines whether the input signal is analyzed according to peak or RMS values (or a mixture of both). At a setting of 0 %, the Gate uses Peak sensing only and at 100 %, RMS sensing only. Peak means that the Gate directly senses the peak level of the sound. RMS means that the Gate senses the average power of the sound. Peak sensing responds faster than RMS sensing. Typically, Peak sensing is used for transient and RMS sensing for sustained sounds. Live If this button is activated, the look-ahead feature of the effect is disengaged. Look-ahead produces more accurate processing, but adds a certain amount of latency as a trade-off. If Live mode is activated, there is no latency, which is better for live processing. Envelope Shaper This effect can be used to attenuate or boost the gain of the attack and release phase of audio material. Be careful with levels when boosting the gain and, if needed, reduce the output level to avoid clipping. Attack – Gain Changes the gain of the attack phase of the signal. Attack - Length Determines the length of the attack phase of the signal. Release - Gain Changes the gain of the release phase of the signal. Output Sets the output level. 464 Effects Reference Spatial and Panner Effects Spatial and Panner Effects Stereo Pan This effect allows you to set the stereo position and width of the signal. Input Swap Swaps the stereo channels. Pan Sets the pan position of the signal. The panning is available for mono and stereo input signals. Width Adjusts the stereo width of the signal from stereo to mono. Stereo Enhancer This plug-in expands the stereo width of (stereo) audio material. It cannot be used with mono files. Width Controls the width or depth of the stereo enhancement. Turn clockwise to increase the enhancement. Delay Increases the amount of differences between the left and right channels to further increase the stereo effect. Color Generates additional differences between the channels to increase the stereo enhancement. Mono Switches the output to mono, to check for possible unwanted coloring of the sound which sometimes can occur when enhancing the stereo image. 465 Effects Reference Surround Effects Surround Effects Surround Panner The Surround Panner allows you to position a signal in a two-dimensional surround field. You can either pan the left/right and the front/rear position independently using the corresponding knobs or use the positioning handle in the pan area to control both positions at the same time. To move a sound source, click anywhere in the pan area and drag. To position the handle at a specific position, click at this position. You can limit movement to a specific direction using modifier keys. This way, you can scale down your movements, or have the surround source move along a particular axis. • Press Shift to allow for very fine mouse movements. This is useful when panning in the miniature display in the mixer channel, for example. • To restrict movement to horizontal, press Ctrl/Cmd. • To restrict movement to vertical, press Ctrl/Cmd-Shift. • To restrict movement to diagonal (bottom left to top right), press Alt. • To restrict movement to diagonal (bottom right to top left), press Alt-Shift. • If the positioning handle is located outside the pan area, you can move the mouse pointer to the handle by pressing Shift-Ctrl/Cmd-Alt. Controls Left/Right Adjusts the horizontal (X) position of the audio signal. Front/Rear Adjusts the depth (Y) position of the audio signal. Width Controls the width of the stereo input signal from 0 % (mono) over 100 % (stereo) to 141.4 % (expanded stereo). LFE Controls the level of the low frequency effects channel. Rotate Rotates the source channels around the positioning handle. All input channels circle around the handle – without moving beyond the borders of the surround field. 466 Effects Reference Tools Effects Orbit Center Rotates the complete signal around the center of the surround field. Radius Changes the distance of the signal from the orbit center. By default, the radius is set to 100 %, but you can lower it to get closer to the center or increase it to orbit on a larger circle. Center Distributes part or all of the signal to the left and right front speakers. This can be used to widen the center signal. At 100 %, the center source is provided entirely by the phantom image created by the left and right speakers. This can be useful if you want to rotate the surround signal without using the center speaker at all, for example. A blue line at the top of the surround field indicates the distance up to which a phantom signal is added. If you position the source signal inside this range, the signal is sent to all three channels. Downmix This effect allows you to downmix a surround signal to a stereo signal. NOTE For this effect, no controls are available, because the downmix is performed automatically. Tools Effects Channel Router This effect allows you to change the channel routing of a bus, to adapt the channel format to different multi-channel samples. Each of the six input channels can be routed to a specific output channel. 467 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Legacy Effects HALion 3 Legacy Effects In addition to the standard effects, a number of effects from HALion 3 is also provided. These effects can be selected from the Legacy submenu of the effects menu. Hall Reverb A simple reverb with adjustable pre-delay and damping. PreDelay Delays the wet signal to simulate larger acoustic spaces or to create a slap-back effect. Time Length of reverb tail. Damp Progressive damping of high frequencies. Low EQ Low-cut EQ. High EQ High-cut EQ. Mix Wet/dry mix. Non-Linear Reverb A gated reverb with a sharp cutoff. Time Length of reverb tail. It also allows you to change the sound from dense early reflections to a trashy, grainy 1980’s-type reverb. Low EQ Low-cut EQ. High EQ High-cut EQ. Mix Wet/dry mix. Early Reflections A short, dense reverb for simulating small acoustic spaces and to thicken or blur sounds. 468 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Time Length of reverb tail. It also allows you to change the sound from dense early reflections to a trashy, grainy 80’s-type reverb. Low EQ Low-cut EQ. High EQ High-cut EQ. Mix Wet/dry mix. Delay A simple mono-in/stereo-out delay. Time Delay time. Sync If Sync is activated, you can set the delay time in fractions of beats. Feedback Controls the number of delay repeats. Balance Ratio of left delay time to right delay time. Damp High-cut filter to soften delay repeats. Stereo Delay A stereo-in/stereo-out delay. Time Delay time. Feedback Controls the number of delay repeats. For minimum feedback, set the slider to the mid position. By moving the slider to the left or right, cross delay is applied, where left output feeds back into right input or vice versa. Sync If Sync is activated, you can set the delay time in fractions of beats. Balance Ratio of left delay time to right delay time. 469 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Damp High-cut filter to soften delay repeats. Long Delay This effect provides the same parameter set as the Delay effect, except that longer delays of up to four seconds can be set. Tape Delay Simulation of a vintage 4-head analog tape delay. Time Delay time. Sync If Sync is activated, you can set the delay time in fractions of beats. Feedback Controls the number of delay repeats. Vintage Amount of vintage color and tape flutter. Mix Wet/dry mix. Head 1 Delay level 1 (the output is panned left). Head 2 Delay level 2 (the output is panned right). Head 3 Delay level 3. Head 4 Delay level 4. Pan 3+4 Varies the panning of delays 3 and 4 from center to hard left/right. Vol 3+4 Varies the volume of delay outputs 3 and 4. Chorus A straightforward chorus effect that can be used to widen sounds. Rate The modulation rate. 470 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Depth The amount of pitch modulation. PreDelay The initial delay, to vary the tightness of the chorused voices in relation to the dry signal. Mix Wet/dry mix. Ensemble Chorus with a more complex modulation waveform for a lively thickening effect. Rate The modulation rate. Depth The amount of pitch modulation. Shimmer Creates a more complex modulation effect. Width Stereo width adjustment. Mix Wet/dry mix. Flanger A classic flanger effect. Rate Sweep rate. Depth Sweep depth. Feedback Feedback amount. Increase for a more intense flanging effect. PreDelay Initial delay. Adjusts the minimum delay time/maximum flange frequency. Mix Wet/dry mix. Phaser A four pole phaser for subtle phasing effects. 471 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Rate Sweep rate. Depth Sweep depth. Feedback Feedback amount. Increase for a more pronounced effect. Stereo Offset between left and right modulation. Center Sets the center frequency around which the modulation occurs. Mix Wet/dry mix. Pan & Tremolo Autopan and Tremolo effect as used in vintage electric pianos. Rate Sweep rate. Phase Relative phase of left and right channel amplitude modulation, to vary from tremolo to autopan. Shape Shape of modulation waveform from thin pulse, through sine, to fat pulse. Mix Wet/dry mix. Stereo Width A stereo width enhancer with 4 modes. Mode • Adjust mode adjusts the existing width of the stereo signal. • Swap mode adjusts the existing width of the stereo signal and additionally swaps the left and right channels. • Comb mode applies a stereo comb filter effect. • Haas mode synthesizes the stereo width by delaying one channel. Delay Delay time (not used in Adjust and Swap modes). 472 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Width Overall width adjustment. Low/Mid/High Width adjustment for the low, mid, and high frequencies. Output Output level trim. Rotary Speaker Simulation of a rotary speaker cabinet with high and low rotors. Rate Master speed control: Stop, Slow, Fast. Dirt Amount of overdrive. LoHi Crossover frequency between low and high rotors. Width Stereo width. Tone Adjusts the tone of the overdriven signal. Low/High Speed Speed of the high and low rotors. Low/High Acceleration Acceleration of the high and low rotors. Mix Wet/dry mix. Wah Pedal An auto-wah effect. Rate Modulation rate. Depth Modulation depth. Pedal Adjusts the filter frequency. 473 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Mode • Auto Wah: Envelope controlled wah effect. • Pedal Wah: No modulation. The Pedal parameter sets the frequency. • Mod Wah: LFO modulation. The Rate parameter controls the modulation rate. Resonance Sets the amount of filter resonance. Tracking Adjusts the envelope tracking speed in Auto mode, and the envelope rate modulation in Mod mode. Mix Wet/dry mix. TalkBox Modulated vowel formant filter. Rate LFO modulation rate. Depth LFO modulation depth. Vowel In center setting, vowels are produced when there is no modulation. Env Mod Amount of vowel modulation by input signal level. Env Att Rate of response to a rising input signal level. Env Rel Rate of response to a falling input signal level. Mix Wet/dry mix. Shelf EQ Simple tone control. Output Output level trim. Bass Low frequency cut/boost. 474 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Treble High frequency cut/boost. Parametric EQ Two-band parametric equalizer. Gain 1/2 Cut/boost amount for the two bands. Freq 1/2 Sets the center frequency for the two bands. Width 1/2 Sets the bandwidth for the two bands (Q). Output Output level trim. Enhancer Psycho acoustic spectrum shaping. High Depth High frequency boost, combined with mid cut. High Tune High/mid tune. Low Depth Low frequency boost. Low Tune Low frequency tune. Limiter Hard level limiting. Drive Input signal drive. Attack Attack time. Release Release time. Output Output level trim. 475 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Compressor A simple compressor effect. Threshold Compression threshold. Ratio Compression amount. Attack Attack time. Release Release time. Output Output level trim. Multiband Three-band compressor. Drive Input signal drive (increase for more density). Lo/Hi Balance of low and high frequency bands. Mid Level of mid frequency band. Attack Attack time. Release Release time. Output Output level trim. Gate Simple gate effect. Threshold Gate threshold. Range Level reduction when gate closed. 476 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Attack Attack time. Release Release time. Output Output level trim. Distortion Hard clipping distortion. Drive Distortion amount. Bias Adjusts the balance between even and odd harmonics, that is, the character of the distortion. Tone Distortion tone. Out Output level trim. Mix Wet/dry mix. Overdrive Softer distortion with a gradual onset. Drive Overdrive amount. Bias Overdrive character. Adjusts the balance between even and odd harmonics. Out Output level trim. Mix Wet/dry mix. Bit Reduction Digital, lo-fi, quality degradation. 477 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Mode Determines whether the bit depth is fixed (Linear) or depends on the signal level (Companding). Rate Simulated sample rate. Depth Sample bit depth. Slew Rate Maximum rate of change of output waveform, for a soft, wooly distortion. Mix Wet/dry mix. Amp Simulator Amplifier modeling effect. Model The type of amplifier model. This changes the tone character. Mode Mono/Stereo operation. Mono saves CPU, and in some cases sounds more solid. Drive Overdrive amount. Feedback Feedback amount. The result depends on the input signal. Treble Treble boost. Optionally in or out of phase for different tones. Mix Wet/dry mix. Modulate L/R This effect features three modes of signal distortion, where one side of a stereo signal is used to modulate the other. Mode • Ring Mod: Ring modulation. • Env Mod: The signal level of the right channel is modulated by the level of the left channel. • Duck: The signal level of the right channel is reduced when the level of the left channel increases. 478 Effects Reference Legacy Effects Thru Defines which input signals are used as the dry signal for the Mix. Smooth Smoothing of modulation. Drive Level trim. Mix Wet/dry mix. 479 MIDI Modules Reference The MIDI modules in HALion range from standard arpeggiator modules to more dedicated modules that trigger specific events or deliver specific modulation signals. MIDI modules can be used to control articulations of sampled instruments, for example. They process the stream of MIDI events within a program. In addition, they can produce monophonic modulation signals, which can be used as sources in the modulation matrix. MIDI modules can be assigned to an entire program or to specific layers. This way, you can process the MIDI stream of an entire program, or parts of it. To perform more complex tasks, multiple MIDI modules can be assigned in series. • To add a module, click Create New MIDI Module on the toolbar of the Program Tree and select a MIDI module. Common Functions Some functions and settings are available in several MIDI modules. These are described in the following sections. Inserting MIDI Modules PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, select the program or layer for which you want to insert the MIDI module. 2. Right-click the program or layer and select New > MIDI Module. 3. Select the MIDI module that you want to insert. You can also insert multiple MIDI modules and use them in series. Bypassing MIDI Modules Bypassing a MIDI module can be used to play a layer without the FlexPhrasers or the conditions that are set with the MegaTrig module, for example. PROCEDURE • To bypass a MIDI module, activate Bypass Modules Editor. 480 in the top right of the section of the MIDI MIDI Modules Reference Common Functions MIDI Modules Editor In the MIDI Modules Editor, you can edit the parameters of the MIDI modules. The editor shows the MIDI modules that are selected in the Program Tree. Which modules are affected is specified with the buttons at the top of the editor. Show MIDI Modules Contained in the Corresponding Layer If this button is activated, the MIDI modules that are used in the current layer are displayed. Show MIDI Modules Higher up in the Signal Flow If this button is activated, the MIDI modules that are used in the current layer and those used higher up in the signal flow are displayed. Show MIDI Modules Combined If this button is activated, MIDI modules of the same type are combined, allowing you to modify the selected MIDI modules simultaneously. The number of module instances that are edited together is displayed behind the module name on the title bar. Parameter settings that differ between the MIDI modules are shown in red. On the Show Only Selected Module Type pop-up menu, you can specify which combined MIDI Module type is shown in the editor. ABS/REL button Allows you to select whether you want to make absolute or relative changes to the parameters. 481 MIDI Modules Reference Common Functions SEL/ALL button Allows you to select whether the editing is applied to all or to the selected MIDI modules. RELATED LINKS Absolute and Relative Editing on page 93 Changing the Order of the MIDI Modules MIDI modules are processed in the order in which they are displayed in the Program Tree, from top to bottom. PROCEDURE • To change the order of the MIDI modules, drag them to new positions in the Program Tree. The routing between the MIDI modules changes accordingly. Assigning MIDI Modules in the Modulation Matrix Some MIDI modules, like the FlexPhraser, directly process the MIDI events. Other MIDI modules, like True Pedaling, produce modulation signals that must be assigned as source or modifier in the modulation matrix before they can be used. PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, select the zones that you want to edit. Make sure that the zones are part of a program or layer with a MIDI module that produces modulation signals. 2. Open the Sound Editor and show the Modulation Matrix section. 3. On the pop-up menu of the Source/Modifier column, open the Modulation Module submenu and select a MIDI module. The submenu lists only MIDI modules that belong to the same layer or that are higher up in the hierarchy. Adding and Deleting your own MIDI Modules You can program your own MIDI modules with the script engine of HALion and make them available on the Create New MIDI Module menu. • To add a module to the MIDI module library, right-click it in the Program Tree, select MIDI Module Library > Save Module, enter a name for the module and click Save. NOTE You can also create subfolders within the library folder to organize your own MIDI modules. These subfolders appear as submenus on the Create New MIDI Module menu. • To delete a module from the library, right-click it in the Program Tree, select MIDI Module Library > Delete Module, select the module and click Open, then Yes. 482 MIDI Modules Reference FlexPhraser NOTE Deleted modules cannot be retrieved. They are erased from disk. RELATED LINKS Lua Script on page 533 FlexPhraser The FlexPhraser is an arpeggio and phrase player. You can select from a great variety of phrases that suit a wide range of musical instruments and styles. Depending on the selected phrase, the FlexPhraser uses your live playing to modify the phrase in real-time. This allows you to re-harmonize phrases by playing different chords, for example. Presets FlexPhraser presets contain the selected phrase, as well as the performance settings of the FlexPhraser, such as Tempo, Tempo Scale, Loop, Swing, etc. NOTE Presets can only be saved and loaded for phrases, not for sliced loops. RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 Loading Phrases Phrases are sorted into subfolders, according to the type of instrument. Each instrument subfolder contains phrases of different musical styles. NOTE Some FlexPhrases make extensive use of key switches to switch between multiple playing styles of an instrument while playing. These phrases can be found on the Construction Sets submenu. They work best with the corresponding instrument layers. PROCEDURE 1. At the top of the FlexPhraser, click in the Phrase field. 2. On the pop-up menu, open the submenu for the instrument, and select the phrase that you want to load. In general, you can apply any phrase to any type of instrument. However, a phrase for guitar might not be suitable for use with a piano, for example. 483 MIDI Modules Reference FlexPhraser FlexPhraser Parameters Act Activates the FlexPhraser. User Activates the user phrase and the user phrase editor. Phrase Allows you to select a phrase. KSOff (Key Switches Off) Construction set phrases that make use of key switches and noises, such as fret noises for guitar phrases, for example, usually work only with programs for the same type of instrument. Programs without key switches and noises interpret these events as regular notes and includes them during playback, which yields unexpected results. To avoid the playback of key switches and noises, activate KSOff. NOTE KSOff filters out any note events that do not transpose with your playing. Therefore, it is not recommended for the use with drum phrases. MIDI Record Allows you to record the MIDI output of the FlexPhraser. Variation buttons Allow you to create up to eight variations of your phrase. Loop If this option is activated, the phrase plays in a loop. Sync Synchronizes the phrase to the tempo of your host application. 484 MIDI Modules Reference FlexPhraser NOTE In addition, you can set Restart Mode to Sync to Host. This aligns the phrase with the beats and measures of your host application. Mute Mutes the FlexPhraser. The phrase still plays in the background. If you deactivate Mute, playback resumes immediately. Hold Allows you to prevent the phrase from stopping or changing when the keys are released. • If Off is selected, the phrase changes as soon as you release a key. The phrase stops immediately when you release all keys. • If On is selected, the phrase plays to the end, even if the keys are released. If Loop is activated, the phrase repeats continuously. • If Gated is selected, the phrase starts to play when the first key is played. It plays silently in the background, even if the keys are released, and resumes playback at the current position when you press any of the keys again. This way, you can gate the playback of the phrase. Trigger Mode Determines at which moment the FlexPhraser scans for new notes that you play on the keyboard. • If this is set to Immediately, the FlexPhraser scans for new notes all the time. The phrase changes immediately in reaction to your playing. • If this is set to Next Beat, the FlexPhraser scans for new notes at every new beat. The phrase changes in reaction to your playing on each new beat. • If this is set to Next Measure, the FlexPhraser scans for new notes at the start of new measures. The phrase changes in reaction to your playing on each new measure. Restart Mode • If this is set to Off, the phrase runs continuously and does not restart at chord or note changes. • New Chord restarts the phrase on new chords. NOTE The phrase does not restart upon notes that are played legato. • New Note restarts the phrase with each new note that you play. • Sync to Host aligns the phrase with the beats and measures of your host application each time that you start the transport. RstVar (Restart on Variation Change) This option is available for new chords and new notes. If this button is activated, changing a variation restarts the FlexPhraser, even if no new notes or chords were triggered. 485 MIDI Modules Reference FlexPhraser Key Mode Defines whether the order in which the notes are played on the keyboard affects the playback of the phrase. • If Sort is selected, the notes are played in the order of the selected pattern. The chronological order does not have any influence. • If As Played is selected, the notes are played in the order in which you play them on the keyboard. • If Direct is selected, the phrase creates controller events instead of notes. You hear the notes that you play plus any controller events of the phrase, such as pitch bend, volume, pan, etc. NOTE Not all phrases contain controller data. Vel Mode • If Original is selected, the notes of the phrase play with the velocity that is saved in the phrase. • If Vel Controller is selected, you can choose a velocity controller that is used to generate or modulate the velocities of the notes. • If Original + Vel Controller is selected, the phrase velocity is determined by the combination of the velocity saved in the phrase and the velocity derived from the velocity controller. Vel Controller If the Vel Mode pop-up menu is set to Vel Controller or Original + Vel Ctrl., the Vel Controller pop-up menu is available. It allows you to generate or modulate the velocities of the notes using the incoming controller values. • If Velocity is selected, the triggered notes get the velocity of the note that you play. • Select Controller to open a submenu where you can select a MIDI controller. The value of this MIDI controller is used as velocity for the triggered notes. • If Aftertouch is selected, the triggered notes get their velocity from the aftertouch controller. • If Poly Pressure is selected, the triggered notes get their velocity from the poly pressure controller. This allows you to control the velocity per key. Fetch If the Vel Controller pop-up menu is set to Aftertouch, Poly Pressure, or a MIDI controller, the Fetch option can be used to change the way that the notes are generated. • If Fetch is activated, the first note that you play defines the initial velocity. As soon as the controller value exceeds this velocity, new notes get their velocity from the controller. • If Fetch is deactivated, the generated notes get their velocity from the current controller value. 486 MIDI Modules Reference FlexPhraser NOTE Fetch is not available if the Vel Controller pop-up menu is set to Velocity. Tempo If Sync is deactivated, you can use the Tempo control to set the internal playback speed of the FlexPhraser. The playback speed of the phrase is specified in BPM. If Sync is activated, the Tempo parameter is not available. Tempo Scale Defines the rate at which notes are triggered, that is, the speed at which the phrase is running. In addition to the Tempo parameter, this gives you further control over the playback speed. You can specify a value in fractions of beats. You can also set dotted and triplet note values. For example, if you change the Tempo Scale setting from 1/16 to 1/8, the speed is cut in half. If you set it to 1/32, the speed is doubled. Other values increase or decrease the speed accordingly. Swing Shifts the timing of notes on even-numbered beats. This way, the phrase gets a swing feeling. Negative values shift the timing backward, and the notes are played earlier. Positive values shift the timing forward, and the notes are played later. Gate Scale Allows you to shorten or lengthen the notes of the phrase. At a value of 100 %, the notes play with their original gate length. Vel Scale Allows you to raise or lower the note-on velocities of the phrase. At a value of 100 %, the notes are played with their original velocity. Octaves Extends the phrase playback to include higher or lower octaves. Positive settings extend the playback to higher and negative settings to lower octaves. For example, a value of +1 first plays the phrase in the octave range that you originally played. Then, it repeats the phrase one octave higher. Key Range The Low Key and High Key parameters determine the key range that is used to trigger phrase playback. Velocity Range The Low Vel and High Vel parameters determine the velocity range that is used to trigger phrase playback. 487 MIDI Modules Reference FlexPhraser Recording the MIDI Output of the FlexPhraser The phrases played by the FlexPhraser depend on the notes that are played and can therefore not be exported directly. However, it is possible to generate exportable phrases by recording the MIDI output of the FlexPhraser. PROCEDURE 1. Click Record FlexPhraser MIDI Output. The arrow in the Drag MIDI field starts blinking to indicate record mode. 2. Play some notes. 3. When you are done, click Record FlexPhraser MIDI Output again. Recording stops. In the Drag MIDI field, the arrow remains lit to indicate that a MIDI phrase can be exported. 4. Click the Drag MIDI field and drag the phrase on a MIDI track in your host sequencer application. Phrase Playback Types HALion features a huge amount of phrase types, organized in submenus and categorized according to functional descriptions or musical styles, such as Classic Arp, Synth Seq, Chord Seq, Bass, etc. The Construction Sets submenu contains phrases made for instrument layers. These phrases use key switches to switch between different playing styles, to increase the realism of your performance. The phrases that can be found in the various other categories use a number of different playback types to allow phrase-specific user interaction while playing. For example, with drum patterns, pressing any note triggers the same rhythm pattern. Other phrases are played back using only the played note and its octave notes. And if you play back a programmed sequence according to the played chord, the following applies: • If you press a single key, the phrase is played back using the programmed sequence, which means that notes other than the ones you play are triggered. • If you are adding notes to those already held, the sequence changes accordingly, for example, the phrase plays back according to the chord you play. Variations For each module, you can set up eight different variations of phrases. You can switch between them with the variation buttons at the top right. You can remote-control the variation buttons using the trigger pads, which gives you the possibility to switch between variations by playing the trigger keys that are assigned to the trigger pads. NOTE To avoid that the variation switches in the middle of a beat or measure, use the trigger modes Next Beat or Next Measure. 488 MIDI Modules Reference FlexPhraser Creating FlexPhraser Variations PROCEDURE 1. Click one of the variation buttons at the top right of the FlexPhraser. 2. You can either start from scratch or base the new variation on an existing variation. • To start from scratch, assign a phrase and edit the FlexPhraser settings. • To use an existing variation as base, use the context menu commands Copy FlexPhraser Variation and Paste FlexPhraser Variation. RESULT The variation can now be recalled by clicking the corresponding variation button. NOTE The parameters Loop, Sync, Hold, Trigger Mode, Restart Mode, Key Mode, Vel Mode, Low/ High Key, and Low/High Vel are not part of the variations. You set them up only once for each inserted FlexPhraser module. RELATED LINKS Switching between Variations on page 496 User Phrases The user pattern of the FlexPhraser has up to 32 steps. Each step has an adjustable velocity, gate length, and transpose value. By setting the steps, adjusting their length, or leaving pauses, you define the rhythm of the user pattern. Consecutive steps can be combined to create longer notes. By selecting a mode, you define how the notes play back. In addition, there are three MIDI control sequences, that is, each step can send three modulation signals. To create your own phrases, activate the User button. For user phrases, the regular FlexPhraser parameters are available, except for the KSOff button. User Phrase Editor In the user phrase editor, you can set up your user phrases. You can display the velocity curve or three MIDI controller sequences for the phrase. Phrase To load a phrase, select it from the Phrase pop-up menu. NOTE Saved phrases include the Mode, Key Replace, and Wrap parameters, as well as the steps with their Level, Length, and Legato settings. The selected MIDI controllers or any settings on the main FlexPhraser page are not saved. Mode Determines how the notes are played back. 489 MIDI Modules Reference FlexPhraser • If Step is selected, the last note that is received triggers a monophonic sequence. • If Chord is selected, the notes are triggered as chords. • If Up is selected, the notes are arpeggiated in ascending order. • If Down is selected, the notes are arpeggiated in descending order. • If Up/Down 1 is selected, the notes are arpeggiated first in ascending, then in descending order. • If Up/Down 2 is selected, the notes are arpeggiated first in ascending, then in descending order. This mode depends on the set Key Mode. If Key Mode is set to Sort, the highest and the lowest note are repeated. If Key Mode is set to As Played, the first and the last note are repeated. • If Down/Up 1 is selected, the notes are arpeggiated first in descending, then in ascending order. • If Down/Up 2 is selected, the notes are arpeggiated first in descending, then in ascending order. This mode depends on the set Key Mode. If Key Mode is set to Sort, the highest and the lowest note are repeated. If Key Mode is set to As Played, the first and the last note are repeated. • If Random is selected, the notes are arpeggiated in random order. Groove Q To adapt the timing of a phrase to an external MIDI file, you can drop this MIDI file on the Groove Quantize drop field. You can quantize the playback of the user phrase to the timing of a sliced loop by dragging its MIDI file from the MIDI export drag field to the Groove Quantize drop field. The Groove Quantize Depth parameter to the right of the drop field determines how accurately the phrase follows the timing of the MIDI file. Key Select The FlexPhraser scans the keyboard and writes the keys that are pressed into a note buffer. Depending on the selected Key Mode, this note buffer is sorted either by pitch or in the order in which you play the keys. Key Select allows you to play back a defined key from the note buffer. You can set up Key Select for each step separately, which allows you to create very elaborate phrases. NOTE Key Select cannot be used in Step or Chord mode. • To access the Key Select values of the steps, click Show Key Values editor. • To switch between the available Key Select values for a step, click the value and drag up/down or use the scroll wheel. to the left of the The following options are available: • P (Phrase) plays the note of the user phrase, according to the selected mode, for example, Up, Down, Up/Down 1, etc. 490 MIDI Modules Reference FlexPhraser • The settings 1 - 8 play the corresponding keys from the note list. Which key is played depends on the Key Mode setting. For example, if Key Mode is set to Sort, the setting 1 plays the lowest key. • L (Last) always plays the last key from the note buffer. Depending on the Key Mode, this is the highest note or the last note in the note buffer. • A (All) plays all keys from the note buffer as a chord. Velocity Curve Key Replace With this parameter, you can deactivate the Key Select function or specify how missing keys are replaced. For example, if Key Select is set to 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 and you play a chord with 3 notes, key 4 is considered missing. • Off deactivates Key Replace and Key Select. The selected arpeggio plays back normally. • Arp replaces the missing keys with the note that the arpeggio would normally play. • Rest does not replace any missing keys. The arpeggio plays a rest instead. • 1st replaces the missing keys by the first note in the note buffer. • Last replaces the missing keys with the last note in the note buffer. • All replaces the missing keys with all notes in the note buffer. The notes are played as a chord. NOTE Key Replace can be set separately for each variation. Wrap For all modes except Step and Chord, you can use this parameter to restart the arpeggio after a specified number of steps. NOTE Deactivated steps are taken into account. In Step and Chord mode, this parameter only affects the Octaves setting. If the Octaves parameter is active, the arpeggio traverses the octaves and restarts from the original octave after the specified number of steps. 491 MIDI Modules Reference FlexPhraser Controller Curve To show a controller curve, click one of the controller buttons on the left. MIDI Controller Allows you to select the MIDI controller that you want to use. Editing User Phrases You can make detailed settings for the user phrase in the editor for the user phrases. To set up the phrase, activate the Vel button to the left of the step display. To set up a controller curve for the phrase, activate one of the controller buttons to the left of the step display. • To specify the number of steps for the pattern, drag the pattern length handle to the right or left. Activating Steps A phrase can contain up to 32 steps. Only the steps that are activated are played. • To activate a step, click its On/Off button below the display. This can be necessary if you change the gate length of one step so that it overlaps the following step, thereby deactivating it. NOTE If you activate a step that was inactive because of an overlapping previous step, the previous step is shortened. • To activate all steps, right-click in the step display and select Enable All Steps from the context menu. Editing Steps The height of a step represents its value. You can edit the steps in the following way: • To activate all steps, select Enable All Steps from the context menu. • To adjust a value, click a step and drag up or down. • To adjust multiple steps, click and draw a curve. 492 MIDI Modules Reference FlexPhraser • To adjust the velocity of all steps relatively, Shift-click and drag. • To draw a ramp with steps, hold down Alt and draw a line. • To draw symmetric ramps at the beginning and the end of the sequence, hold down Shift-Alt and draw a line. • To transpose a step, click in the field below it and enter the number of semitones for the transposition. NOTE You can only transpose steps if Show Transpose Values is activated. • To reset the velocity of a step to 127, Ctrl/Cmd-click the step. • To reset the velocity of all steps to 127, hold Shift-Ctrl/Cmd and click a step. • To introduce a legato between 2 steps, click the number below the first of these steps, so that a small arrow is shown. If Legato is activated, the Gate Scale parameter is not taken into account. For velocity steps, the width of a step represents its gate length. • To adjust the gate length of a step, drag its right border. • To adjust the gate length of all steps, hold down Shift and drag the right border of a step. You can only adjust the length this way until a step reaches the next step. If you increase the gate length of a step so that it overlaps the following step, this following step is deactivated. • To reset the length of a step to 1, Ctrl/Cmd-click its highlighted right border. • To reset the length of all steps, hold down Shift-Ctrl/Cmd and click on a highlighted right border. • To fill the gaps between consecutive steps, select Fill Gap or Fill All Gaps from the context menu. Each MIDI controller lane can send a MIDI controller. By selecting the same MIDI controller as source in the Modulation Matrix, you can modulate any of the destinations with the MIDI controller sequence. • To assign a controller, open the MIDI Controller pop-up menu and select the controller or use the corresponding control on your hardware. 493 MIDI Modules Reference Trigger Pads Adjusting the Phrase • To shift the rhythm of the phrase, click Shift Phrase Right or Shift Phrase Left . If you shift the rhythm of the phrase to the left, the first step is moved to the end. If you shift the phrase to the right, the last step is moved to the beginning. • To reverse the phrase, click Reverse Phrase . • To duplicate short phrases, click Duplicate Phrase . NOTE The maximum number of steps is 32. Therefore, phrases that contain more than 16 steps cannot be duplicated entirely. Trigger Pads You can use the trigger pads to trigger single notes or whole chords and to switch between FlexPhraser variations. Many of the programs that come with HALion make use of the trigger pads. If a note or a chord is assigned to a pad, this pad turns blue. If a pad switches between FlexPhraser variations, the line above the pad turns orange. • To trigger a pad, click on it. Presets Pad presets save trigger notes and chord snapshots, but not FlexPhraser snapshots. This means that you can exchange trigger notes and chords by loading presets without loosing your FlexPhraser snapshots. Bypass Bypassing the Trigger Pads module deactivates any functionality assigned to the trigger pads. RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 Assigning Trigger Notes to Pads You can assign a MIDI note to a pad and trigger the pad by playing this note. To define the trigger note, do one of the following: • Right-click a pad, open the Assign Trigger Note submenu, and from the further submenus, select the octave and note that you want to assign. • Open the context menu for a pad, select Learn Trigger Note, and play the note on your MIDI keyboard or click a key on the internal keyboard. The name of the assigned trigger note is displayed in the top left corner of the pad. 494 MIDI Modules Reference Trigger Pads On the internal keyboard, keys that serve as trigger notes are shown in blue. These keys do not play sounds, but trigger the corresponding pads instead. • To remove a trigger note from a pad, right-click the pad and select Forget Trigger Note. Assigning Chords or Notes to Trigger Pads PROCEDURE 1. Right-click a pad and select Snapshot Chord. The pad starts blinking. 2. Do one of the following: • Play a chord or a single note and then click the pad that is blinking to assign the chord or note to the pad. • Drag a chord event from the chord track of your Steinberg DAW onto a trigger pad. This transfers the corresponding MIDI notes to the pad. If you drag a chord event onto the internal keyboard first, the corresponding chord is played back. This is useful to verify whether you selected the correct chord. If you define a chord that contains a key switch, you can trigger the chord with a specific instrument expression. If you add keys to a chord that also work as trigger notes, they trigger the underlying MIDI note instead of the trigger note. RESULT Triggering the pad now plays the chord or note. Default Trigger Note Settings Assigned trigger notes are saved with each program to allow for maximum flexibility. However, you can save a fixed set of default trigger notes to reflect an existing hardware setup, for example. • To specify a default set of trigger notes, set up the trigger notes for all pads, right-click a pad, and select Save Trigger Notes as Default. • To activate the default trigger note settings, right-click a pad and select Use Default Trigger Notes. Now, changing programs or multi-programs does not change the trigger notes anymore. If you deactivate Use Default Trigger Notes, the last set of trigger notes remains active. To return to the trigger notes that were saved with the program, reload the program. 495 MIDI Modules Reference Trigger Pads Assigning Key Switches to Trigger Pads To use the pads for switching between expressions, assign them to the corresponding key switches. PROCEDURE • Right-click a pad, select Snapshot Chord, and play the key switch. Removing Chords or Notes from Trigger Pads PROCEDURE • Right-click the trigger pad and select Clear Chord. Switching between Variations You can switch between variations using the trigger pads. Variations are available for the FlexPhraser and the B-Box, for example. PROCEDURE 1. Right-click the trigger pad that you want to use for switching to the selected FlexPhraser variations. 2. On the menu, select Snapshot Variation. The line above the pad turns orange to indicate that a FlexPhraser snapshot is assigned. RESULT If you trigger the pad, it switches to the variation that was selected when you made the snapshot. NOTE Instead of saving the variation settings themselves, the trigger pad saves only the variations that were selected when you made the snapshot. This allows you to modify variations after creating the snapshot. However, if you replace or add layers, you must first remove the assignment using the Clear FlexPhrasers command on the context menu and then take the FlexPhraser snapshot again. RELATED LINKS Creating FlexPhraser Variations on page 489 B-Box on page 294 Naming Pads Entering names for pads allows you to get a better overview of their functionality, for example. PROCEDURE 1. Right-click the pad to open the context menu and select Rename Pad. 496 MIDI Modules Reference MIDI Player 2. Enter the new name and press Enter. Combining Multiple Trigger Pads Modules You can use multiple Trigger Pads modules inside a layer, in a serial connection. This allows you to memorize and trigger more than eight chords, for example. However, it is not possible to memorize more than eight FlexPhraser snapshots. Only the last Trigger Pads module can be used to switch between FlexPhraser snapshots. MIDI Player The MIDI Player allows you to load up to eight different MIDI files. For example, you can load different variations of a MIDI file and modify these variations by using the performance parameters. You can use the Trigger Pads to switch between variations. NOTE The MIDI Player was developed for use with single track phrases, not multi-track MIDI files. If you use multi-track MIDI files, all tracks are played back. Presets MIDI Player presets contain the selected MIDI phrases, as well as the performance settings of the MIDI Player, such as Tempo, Tempo Scale, Loop, Swing, etc. RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 Loading MIDI Phrases To load a MIDI phrase, do one of the following: • Click in the Phrase field and select a phrase from the pop-up menu. The phrases are sorted into subfolders, according to their musical uses. • Drag a phrase on the Phrase field. • Drag one or more phrases on a variation button. If the MIDI files contain controller data, this is sent to the modulation matrix, where the controllers can be used as modulation sources. If you drag multiple files, they are automatically distributed to different variation buttons. 497 MIDI Modules Reference MIDI Player Playing Back MIDI Phrases • Click the play button next to the Phrase field to play back the MIDI phrase. Click again to stop playback. MIDI Player Parameters Active Activates the MIDI Player. Phrase Allows you to select a phrase. Play/Stop Allows you to play back the phrase. MIDI Export Field Allows you to export the phrase using drag and drop. Variation buttons Allow you to load up to eight MIDI files. Loop If this is activated, the MIDI file plays back in a loop. Sync Synchronizes the MIDI file to the tempo of your host application. NOTE In addition, you can set Restart Mode to Sync to Host. This aligns the phrase with the beats and measures of your host application. Hold Allows you to prevent the phrase from stopping or changing when the keys are released. • If Off is selected, the phrase changes as soon as you release a key. The phrase stops immediately when you release all keys. • If On is selected, the phrase plays to the end, even if the keys are released. If Loop is activated, the phrase repeats continuously. • If Gated is selected, the phrase starts to play when the first key is played. It plays silently in the background, even if the keys are released, and resumes playback at the current position when you press any of the keys again. This way, you can gate the playback of the phrase. Trigger Mode Determines how long it takes for phrases to change when you switch to another variation. 498 MIDI Modules Reference MIDI Player • If this is set to Immediately, the phrase changes as soon as you switch to another variation. • If this is set to Next Beat, the phrase changes on the first new beat after you switch to another variation. • If this is set to Next Measure, the phrase changes on the first new measure after you switch to another variation. Restart Mode Determines when the phrase is restarted. • If this is set to Off, the phrase runs continuously and does not restart at chord or note changes. • New Note restarts the phrase on new notes. NOTE The phrase does not restart upon notes that are played legato. • Each Note restarts the phrase with each new note that you play. • Sync to Host aligns the phrase with the beats and measures of your host application each time that you start the transport. • Follow Transport follows the transport control of your host application. Playback starts and stops automatically as soon as your host application starts and stops playing. RstVar (Restart on Variation Change) This option is available for new chords and new notes. If this button is activated, changing a variation restarts the MIDI Player, even if no new notes or chords were triggered. Start Shifts the start of the loop in steps of 1/4 notes. The end of the loop is not shifted, that is, the loop is shortened. Length Shortens the loop in steps of 1/4 notes. Transpose Allows you to transpose the original MIDI phrase, according to the key that you play. • If this is set to Off, the phrase is not transposed. • If this is set to On, the MIDI phrase is transposed by the specified value. • If this is set to Pitch, the MIDI notes themselves are not modified, but each note is sent with a pitch transpose value instead. For example, if the MIDI phrase is used to trigger a multi-sampled drum kit, this does not change which instrument is triggered, but the pitch at which it is played. 499 MIDI Modules Reference MIDI Player Center Key Determines the MIDI note that is used as the central position for the Transpose function. Sync Synchronizes the phrase to the tempo of your host application. NOTE In addition, you can set Restart Mode to Sync to Host. This aligns the phrase with the beats and measures of your host application. Tempo If Sync is deactivated, you can use the Tempo control to set the internal playback speed of the MIDI Player. Tempo Scale Defines the rate at which notes are triggered, that is, the speed at which the phrase is running. In addition to the Tempo parameter, this gives you further control over the playback speed. You can specify a value in fractions of beats. You can also set dotted and triplet note values. For example, if you change the Tempo Scale setting from 1/16 to 1/8, the speed is cut in half. If you set it to 1/32, the speed is doubled. Other values increase or decrease the speed accordingly. Swing Shifts the timing of notes on even-numbered beats. This way, the phrase gets a swing feeling. Negative values shift the timing backward, and the notes are played earlier. Positive values shift the timing forward, and the notes are played later. Gate Scale Allows you to shorten or lengthen the notes of the phrase. At a value of 100 %, the notes play with their original gate length. Vel Scale Allows you to raise or lower the note-on velocities of the phrase. At a value of 100 %, the notes are played with their original velocity. Quantize Allows you to set up a quantization grid in fractions of beats. You can also specify dotted and triplet values. Amount Determines how much of the quantization grid is applied. For example, a value of 100 % means that the MIDI note events play back only at the specified quantize note values. Lower values move the notes only partially towards the next quantize note value. With a value of 0 %, no quantization is applied. 500 MIDI Modules Reference MIDI Player Key Range The Low Key and High Key parameters determine the key range that is used to trigger phrase playback. Velocity Range The Low Vel and High Vel parameters determine the velocity range that is used to trigger phrase playback. Variations For each module, you can set up eight different variations of phrases. You can switch between them with the variation buttons at the top right. You can remote-control the variation buttons using the trigger pads, which gives you the possibility to switch between variations by playing the trigger keys that are assigned to the trigger pads. NOTE To avoid that the variation switches in the middle of a beat or measure, use the trigger modes Next Beat or Next Measure. Creating Variations PROCEDURE 1. Click one of the eight variation buttons at the top right of the MIDI Player. 2. You can either start from scratch or base the new variation on an existing variation. • To start from scratch, assign a phrase and edit the settings. • To use an existing variation as base, use the context menu commands Copy MIDI Player Variation and Paste MIDI Player Variation. RESULT The variation can now be recalled by clicking the corresponding variation button. NOTE The parameters Loop, Sync, Hold, Trigger Mode, Restart Mode, Low/High Key, and Low/ High Vel are not part of the variations. You set them up only once for each inserted MIDI Player module. 501 MIDI Modules Reference Drum Player Drum Player The Drum Player module allows for classic drum beat programming with up to 64 steps playing on up to 16 tracks. Each track can play a different sound. You can set up eight different patterns using the variation buttons and use the Trigger Pads to switch between variations. Presets Drum Player presets contain the selected MIDI phrases, as well as the performance settings of the Drum Player, such as Tempo, Tempo Scale, Loop, Swing, etc. RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 Loading Patterns Patterns are sorted into subfolders, according to their musical usage. PROCEDURE • To load a pattern, click in the Pattern field and select a pattern from the pop-up menu. 502 MIDI Modules Reference Drum Player Drum Player Parameters Active Activates the Drum Player. Pattern Allows you to select a pattern for the Drum Player. Save and Delete The Save and Delete buttons to the right of the Pattern field allow you to save and delete patterns. Play/Stop Allows you to play back the pattern. Click again to stop playback. MIDI Export Allows you to export the phrase using drag and drop. Variation buttons Allow you to create eight variations of your phrase. Loop If this option is activated, the phrase plays in a loop. Sync Synchronizes the phrase to the tempo of your host application. NOTE In addition, you can set Restart Mode to Sync to Host. This aligns the phrase with the beats and measures of your host application. Tempo If Sync is deactivated, you can use the Tempo control to set the internal playback speed of the Drum Player. The playback speed of the phrase is specified in BPM. If Sync is activated, the Tempo parameter is not available. Tempo Scale Defines the speed at which the pattern is running. You can specify a value in fractions of beats. You can also set dotted and triplet note values. 503 MIDI Modules Reference Drum Player For example, if you change the Tempo Scale setting from 1/16 to 1/8, the speed is cut in half. If you set it to 1/32, the speed is doubled. Other values increase or decrease the speed accordingly. Hold Allows you to prevent the phrase from stopping or changing when the keys are released. • If Off is selected, the phrase changes as soon as you release a key. The phrase stops immediately when you release all keys. • If On is selected, the phrase plays to the end, even if the keys are released. If Loop is activated, the phrase repeats continuously. • If Gated is selected, the phrase starts to play when the first key is played. It plays silently in the background, even if the keys are released, and resumes playback at the current position when you press any of the keys again. This way, you can gate the playback of the phrase. Trigger Mode Determines at which moment the Drum Player changes the pattern when you switch to another variation. • If this is set to Immediately, the pattern changes as soon as you switch to another variation. • If this is set to Next Beat, the pattern changes on the first new beat after you switch to another variation. • If this is set to Next Measure, the pattern changes at the first new measure after switching to another variation. Restart Mode Determines whether the Drum Player is restarted when a note is triggered. • If Off is selected, the player is not restarted if it is already running. • First Note restarts the player if a note is triggered and no other notes are playing. • Each Note restarts playback every time a note is triggered. • Sync to Host aligns the playback with the beats and measures of your host application. Playback is synchronized every time you start the transport. • Follow Transport follows the transport control of your host application. Playback starts and stops automatically as soon as your host application starts and stops playing. RstVar (Restart on Variation Change) This option is available for new chords and new notes. If this button is activated, changing a variation restarts the Drum Player, even if no new notes or chords were triggered. Input Mode Determines whether the black and white keys trigger or mute the assigned instrument. • Off triggers the pattern with any key. 504 MIDI Modules Reference Drum Player • Trigger triggers the note that is defined with the Out Note parameter. Playback uses the sound of the track. Keys that are not assigned to any In Note play back the pattern. • Mute mutes the track for as long as the corresponding In Note key is held. Release the key to unmute the track again. Keys that are not assigned to any In Note play back the pattern. Length Determines the length of the pattern, that is, the number of steps. The maximum number of steps is 64. Swing Shifts the timing of notes on even-numbered beats. This way, the pattern gets a swing feeling. Negative values let the notes play earlier, positive values let the notes play later. Gate Scale Allows you to shorten or lengthen the notes of the pattern. At a value of 100 %, the notes play with their original gate length. NOTE If the triggered samples are in One-shot mode, this parameter has no effect. Vel Scale Allows you to raise or lower the note-on velocities of the pattern. At a value of 100 %, the notes play with their original velocity. Groove Quantize value field Allows you to adapt the timing of a pattern to an external MIDI file by dropping this MIDI file on the Groove Quantize drop field. You can quantize the playback of the pattern to the timing of a sliced loop by dragging its MIDI file from the MIDI export drag field to the Groove Quantize drop field. The Groove Quantize Depth parameter determines how accurately the pattern follows the timing of the MIDI file. Key Range The Low Key and High Key parameters determine the key range that is used to trigger pattern playback. Velocity Range The Low Vel and High Vel parameters determine the velocity range that is used to trigger pattern playback. 505 MIDI Modules Reference Drum Player Variations For each module, you can set up eight different variations of phrases. You can switch between them with the variation buttons at the top right. You can remote-control the variation buttons using the trigger pads, which gives you the possibility to switch between variations by playing the trigger keys that are assigned to the trigger pads. NOTE To avoid that the variation switches in the middle of a beat or measure, use the trigger modes Next Beat or Next Measure. Creating Variations PROCEDURE 1. Click one of the eight variation buttons at the top right of the Drum Player. 2. You can either start from scratch or base the new variation on an existing variation. • To start from scratch, assign a phrase and edit the Drum Player settings. • To use an existing variation as base, use the context menu commands Copy Drum Player Variation and Paste Drum Player Variation. RESULT The variation can now be recalled by clicking the corresponding variation button. NOTE The parameters Loop, Sync, Hold, Trigger Mode, Restart Mode, Input Mode, Low/High Key, and Low/High Vel are not part of the variations. You set them up only once for each inserted module. Drum Player Pattern Editor You can create and edit the patterns in the pattern editor in the lower section. Pattern Editor Parameters Page buttons A pattern can contain up to 64 steps. These are distributed over four pages that you can access with the page buttons on the upper left of the editor. During playback, the pages are switched automatically, so that the playback position is always displayed in the editor. Additionally, an indicator above the step display shows which step is being played. 506 MIDI Modules Reference Drum Player Lock button • To deactivate automatic page switching, activate the Lock the page buttons. button below If the Lock button is activated, you can still use the playback indicator to the right of the page buttons to see which page is currently playing. Pattern functions buttons The function buttons below the page buttons allow you to edit entire patterns. • Click Clear Pattern • Click Reverse Pattern to delete all pattern steps in the editor. to reverse the pattern. This mirrors the pattern around its middle step. • To shift the rhythm of the phrase, click Shift Pattern Left Right . or Shift Pattern If you shift the rhythm of the pattern to the left, the first step is moved to the end. If you shift the pattern to the right, the last step is moved to the beginning. • Click Duplicate Pattern to copy all events between the pattern start and end markers and paste them after the end marker. If any events are located after the end marker, these are deleted. On/Off button To activate a lane, activate its On/Off button. Mute To mute a lane, activate its Mute button. Solo To solo a lane, activate its Solo button. In Note Determines which key is used to play the sound that is triggered by the track. Out Note Determines the note number that is used by the track to trigger notes. Layer Allows you to limit the track output to a specific layer. For this to work, the layer must be on the same level as the Drum Player module. Activity LED The activity LED on the right lights up when an instrument is triggered, either by the playing track, the trigger button, or an incoming MIDI note. Creating and Editing Patterns • To add a step, click on a step field in the editor. • To add all steps for a lane, hold down Shift and click. To remove all steps, hold down Shift and click again. 507 MIDI Modules Reference Mono Envelope • To set the velocity for a step, click the step and drag up or down, or use the mouse wheel. You can set each step to low, medium, or high velocity. • To change the velocity of all steps in a lane, hold down Shift and use the mouse. • To remove a step, click it. • To remove all steps in a pattern, click Clear Pattern. Mono Envelope This MIDI module triggers a monophonic multi-segment envelope that you can use as a modulation source in the modulation matrix of a zone. In this context, monophonic means that the envelope is not played back per zone. Instead, it is played back only once for the program or layer that it belongs to. You can set up conditions for triggering and releasing the envelope. By default, this envelope is bipolar. RELATED LINKS Unipolar vs. Bipolar Sources on page 143 Envelope Section on page 125 Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 Mono Envelope Parameters Mode Determines how the envelope is played back when it is triggered. • Select Sustain to play the envelope from the first node to the sustain node. The sustain level is held for as long as you play the note. When you release the note, the envelope continues with the stages following the sustain. This mode is ideal for looped samples. • Select Loop to play back the envelope from the first node to the loop nodes. Then, the loop is repeated for as long as the key is held. When you release the note, the envelope continues playing the stages that follow the sustain. This mode is ideal for adding motion to the sustain of the envelope. • Select One Shot to play the envelope from the first to the last node, even if you release the key. The envelope has no sustain stage. This mode is ideal for drum samples. 508 MIDI Modules Reference Mono Envelope Sync Allows you to synchronize the envelopes to the tempo of your host application. Fill Allows you to add multiple envelope nodes after the selected nodes. Fixed • If Fixed is activated and you move selected nodes on the time axis, only the selected nodes are moved. • If Fixed is deactivated, all nodes that follow the edited nodes are also moved. Env Node Displays the focused envelope node. Time Specifies the period of time between two nodes. Depending on the Sync mode, the Time parameter is displayed in milliseconds and seconds, or in fractions of beats. Curve Allows you to adjust the curvature of the envelope curve between two nodes from linear to logarithmic or exponential behavior. Level Specifies the amplitude of the envelope at the position set by the Time parameter. Trigger Mode Sets the condition for triggering the envelope. • Select First Note to trigger the envelope with the first note that you play. Any following notes that you play legato do not trigger the envelope. • Select Each Note to trigger the envelope with each note that you play. The envelope plays back from its attack each time you press a key. Release Mode Sets the condition for releasing the envelope. • Select First Note to release the envelope with the first note that you release. • Select Last Note to release the envelope with the last note that you release. Level Velocity (Vel>Lev) Determines how the velocity affects the level of the envelope. The level of the envelope depends on two factors: the setting of this parameter and how hard you hit a key. Positive values increase the level of the envelope the harder you hit a key. Negative values decrease the level of the envelope the harder you hit a key. 509 MIDI Modules Reference Mono LFO Level Velocity Curve You can select a curve to specify how the incoming velocity translates to the level of the envelope. The characteristic of each curve is displayed by a small icon. Time Velocity (Vel>Time) Adjusts the influence of velocity on the phases of the envelope. Positive values decrease the length of the phases for higher velocity values. Negative values increase the length of the phases for higher velocity values. Segments Here, you can select which phases of the envelope are affected by the Time Velocity parameter. • Attack – The velocity affects the attack only. • Attack + Decay – The velocity affects all phases until the sustain. • Decay – The velocity affects all phases until the sustain but without the attack. • Attack + Release – The velocity affects the attack and the release phases. • All – The velocity affects all phases. Time Key Follow, Center Key, and KeyF Rel (Key Follow Release) With the Time Key Follow and KeyF Rel parameters, you can scale the envelope phases across the keyboard. • Time Key Follow scales all times before the sustain node. • KeyF Rel scales all times after the sustain node, that is, the release phase of the envelope. The value that you specify for Center Key is used as the central position for the Time Key Follow and KeyF Rel functions. The envelope phases depend on the keyboard range in which the note is played and on the corresponding Time Key Follow setting: • Positive values decrease the phase lengths for notes above and increase the phase lengths for notes below the set Center Key, that is, the envelope becomes faster the higher the note you play. • Negative values increase the phase lengths for notes above and decrease the phase lengths for notes below the Center Key, that is, the envelope becomes slower the higher the note you play. Mono LFO You can add monophonic LFOs as MIDI modules to the program. An LFO module can be used for an entire program, or for specific layers. 510 MIDI Modules Reference Mono LFO In this context, monophonic means that these LFOs are only calculated once and feed multiple voices at the same time. A pitch modulation controlled by the modulation wheel is a typical example where one LFO controls the vibrato for all voices. Monophonic LFOs appear as sources in the modulation matrix of the zones contained in a layer or program. • To bypass the LFO, click the Bypass button in the title bar. NOTE This deactivates all LFOs. RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 Mono LFO Parameters LFO Waveform and Shape • Sine produces smooth modulation, suitable for vibrato or tremolo. Shape adds additional harmonics to the waveform. • Triangle is similar to Sine. Shape continuously changes the triangle waveform to a trapezoid. • Saw produces a ramp cycle. Shape continuously changes the waveform from ramp down to triangle to ramp up. • Pulse produces stepped modulation, where the modulation switches abruptly between two values. Shape continuously changes the ratio between the high and low state of the waveform. If Shape is set to 50 %, a square wave is produced. • Ramp is similar to the Saw waveform. Shape increasingly puts silence before the sawtooth ramp up begins. • Log produces a logarithmic modulation. Shape continuously changes the logarithmic curvature from negative to positive. • S & H 1 produces randomly stepped modulation, where each step is different. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. • S & H 2 is similar to S & H 1. The steps alternate between random high and low values. Shape puts ramps between the steps and changes the S & H into a smooth random signal when fully turned right. Sync Mode You can sync the LFO either to the tempo of the host application or to the Step Modulator. The behavior of the Frequency parameter depends on which option you select: • Select Off to adjust the speed of the modulation in Hertz. 511 MIDI Modules Reference Mono Step Modulator • Select Tempo + Retrig to adjust the speed of the modulation in fractions of beats. You can also set dotted and triplet note values. The restart behavior of the LFO depends on the Retrigger setting. • Select Tempo + Beat to adjust the speed of the modulation in fractions of beats. You can also set dotted and triplet note values. The LFO restarts with the transport of the host and aligns with the beats of the project. The Retrigger setting is not taken into account. Retrigger Mode Determines whether the LFO is restarted when a note is triggered. If this is set to First Note or Each Note, the waveform starts at the position specified by the Phase parameter. • If this is set to Off, the LFO runs freely. • If this is set to First Note, the LFO restarts when a note is triggered and no other notes are held. • If this is set to Each Note, the LFO restarts each time a note is triggered. Frequency Controls the frequency of the modulation, that is, the speed of the LFO. If Sync Mode is active, the frequency is set in fractions of beats, or number of steps of the Step Modulator. Phase Sets the initial phase of the waveform that is used when the LFO is retriggered. Random If this button is activated, each note starts with a randomized start phase. The Phase control is deactivated. Mono Step Modulator You can add the step modulator as MIDI module to the program and use it as a modulation source in the modulation matrix of a zone. 512 MIDI Modules Reference Mono Step Modulator NOTE The Mono Step Modulator was created using HALion’s scripting features. You can open this script from the step modulator, as an example of how to realize such a module. Mono Step Modulator Parameters Steps Sets the number of steps in the sequence. The maximum number of steps is 32. Sync Mode • If Off is selected, you can adjust the speed at which the sequence repeats. Whether the sequence restarts when you play a note depends on the Retrigger mode. • If Tempo + Retrig is selected, you can adjust the length of the steps in fractions of beats. The speed of the modulation depends on the number of steps, the note value, and the tempo you set in your host application. To use triplet note values, activate Triplet. Whether the sequence restarts when you play a note depends on the selected Retrigger Mode. • If Tempo + Beat is selected, you can adjust the length of the steps in fractions of beats. The speed of the modulation depends on the number of steps, the note value, and the tempo you set in your host application. To use triplet note values, activate Triplet. The sequence restarts with the transport of the host application and lines up to the beats of the project. The Retrigger Mode is not taken into account. Frequency If Sync Mode is set to Off, this controls the speed at which the sequence is repeated. Note If Sync Mode is set to one of the Tempo settings, this adjusts the length of the steps in fractions of beats. You can also select triplet values. Triplet Activate this button to use triplet note values. Retrigger Mode Determines whether the sequence restarts when you play a note. This parameter is only available if Sync Mode is set to Off or Tempo + Retrig. • If this parameter is set to Off, the sequence is not restarted. Instead, it resumes playback at the position at which you released the key. • If this parameter is set to First Note, the sequence restarts when a note is triggered and no other notes are held. • If this parameter is set to Each Note, the sequence restarts each time a note is triggered. 513 MIDI Modules Reference True Pedaling Slope Determines whether the step modulator jumps from step to step or creates ramps between the steps. • No Slope produces hard steps. • Slope on Rising Edges creates ramps only for rising edges. • Slope on Falling Edges creates ramps only for falling edges. • Slope on All Edges creates ramps for all edges. Amount If Slope is set to Rising, Falling, or All, this parameter determines the time of the ramp between two steps. The higher the setting, the smoother the transitions between steps. Step Allows you to select a specific step. Level Shows the level of the selected step. Snap If Snap is activated, the level of each step can only be adjusted in steps of 1/12th. Shift Phrase Right/Shift Phrase Left These commands shift all the steps to the right/left. If you shift the rhythm of the phrase to the left, the first step is moved to the end. If you shift the phrase to the right, the last step is moved to the beginning. Reverse Phrase Reverses the phrase, that is, inverts the order of all steps. True Pedaling This MIDI module produces a modulation signal from the sustain pedal that you can use to simulate true pedaling of grand pianos. Instead of switching between two layers, this module allows you to crossfade between layers when you press or lift the sustain pedal, which produces a more realistic sound. True Pedaling Parameters Fade In Time Specifies the fade in time of the modulation signal. The fade in time is applied when you press the sustain pedal. 514 MIDI Modules Reference True Pedaling Fade In Curve Sets the curvature of the fade in. Use negative values for an outward shaped curve and positive values for an inward shaped curve. Fade Out Time Specifies the fade out time of the modulation signal, when you lift the sustain pedal. Fade Out Curve Sets the curvature of the fade out. Use positive values for an outward shaped curve and negative values for an inward shaped curve. Time Out On acoustic pianos, pressing the sustain pedal after a certain time has little to no effect. You can achieve the same effect by using this parameter: Pressing the sustain pedal after the time that you set here has no effect. Any resonance samples that have been triggered, but were not faded in, are released. Setting up a Crossfade between Two Layers PROCEDURE 1. Set the Level parameter of the zones with the note-on samples to 0 dB. 2. Set the Level parameter of the zones with the sustain resonance samples to the minimum setting. 3. In the modulation matrix, select the True Pedaling module as modulation source and assign it to the Level modulation destination. 4. To bring the crossfade into effect, modulate the level of the note-on samples in negative direction and the level of the sustain resonance samples in positive direction. RESULT The resonance samples are triggered with each note, but they are only heard if you press the sustain pedal. 515 MIDI Modules Reference MegaTrig MegaTrig The MegaTrig module allows you to control playing styles and articulations and to trigger release samples and instrument noises. By setting up conditions, you can determine which zone is triggered. For each condition, you can specify an event and range. RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 Setting Up Conditions PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, insert the MegaTrig module at the position where you want to apply the playback rules. This can be the program or one of its layers. Any zones within the program or layer are affected, too. 2. Open the editor of the MegaTrig module. 3. On the pop-up menu for the first condition, select an event. 4. Activate the condition by clicking the On/Off button to the left of the menu. 5. Use the faders and value fields to the right to adjust the minimum and maximum value of the range. 6. To set up more conditions, repeat these steps for additional rows. 7. Select the logical operations, AND or OR, from the menu to the left of the conditions. To invert a condition, activate the NOT operation. The Expression field displays the set conditions and logical operations. NOTE The operation AND is executed before the operation OR. 8. Set the Trigger option to determine which notes are triggered when the expression becomes TRUE. 516 MIDI Modules Reference MegaTrig Setting Up the Expression Manually Instead of using the AND/OR menus and NOT buttons, you can enter the expression manually. This way, you can also influence the execution order of the expression. PROCEDURE 1. Click the edit button next to the Expression field. 2. Enter the conditions and logical operations, for example A AND B OR C. 3. Instead of AND, OR, and NOT, you can also type &, |and !. Put in parentheses to specify the execution order, for example A AND (B OR C). NOTE If you edit the expression manually, the AND/OR menus and the NOT and On buttons are not available. MegaTrig Parameters You can combine up to eight conditions into an expression using logical operations. For example, the expression “Note-on AND Sustain On” is true if you play notes while holding down the sustain pedal. Any assigned zones only play back if the entire expression is true. NOTE It is possible to set up expressions that can never be true, such as “Note-on AND Note-off”, “Note-on AND Key up”, or “Note-off AND Key up”, for example. The program will not show a warning message. Therefore, be sure to check the expressions that you created. Operator Combines two conditions logically. • If AND is selected, the condition is true if both conditions are true. • OR combines two conditions logically. The expression is true if one of the conditions is true. NOT Activate this to invert the condition. A condition that was previously true becomes false, and vice versa. On Activates the corresponding condition. Condition Sets the event for the condition that you specify. The condition is true if the event is of the correct type and within the specified range. Min The lowest value for a true condition. Use the arrow buttons, the value field, or the range fader to adjust the minimum value of the range. 517 MIDI Modules Reference MegaTrig Range Shows the range for the condition. Max The highest value for a true condition. Use the arrow buttons, the value field, or the range fader to adjust the maximum value of the range. Expression Displays how the logical operators and conditions are executed. Click the edit button to edit the expression manually. Put in parentheses to influence the execution order. Trigger Options New Notes If the expression is true, only new notes trigger the zones. Held Notes If the expression is true, the held notes and any new notes trigger the zones. Fixed Note If the expression is true, a single note is sent. If Fixed Note is selected, the Note and Velocity parameters become available, allowing you to determine which note to send. For example, to trigger the pedal noise of a grand piano, select the condition Sustain On and set Trigger to Fixed Note. Then, adjust the note and velocity of the fixed note that is triggered. The Held Notes and New Notes options trigger the notes as you played them on the keyboard. Note-Off Velocity Below the trigger options, the parameters to control the velocity of note-off samples are located. This includes any sample selection through velocity mapping of the noteoff samples. The velocity may also have an effect on the level of the note-off samples, as programmed in the zone. Source Determines whether the velocity that is sent to the release samples is taken from the note-on or the note-off event. Velocity Amount Adjusts how much the selected option affects the velocity of the note-off sample. This includes any sample selection through the velocity mapping of the release samples. NOTE The velocity can also have an effect on the volume of the sample, as programmed in the zone. 518 MIDI Modules Reference MegaTrig Decay Time Depending on the time you set here, the velocity of the note-off sample is reduced the longer you hold a key. Decay Curve Sets the curvature of the note-off velocity decay. Use positive values for an outward shaped curve and negative values for an inward shaped curve. Without changing the overall decay time, an outward shaped curve reduces the note-off velocity faster and an inward shaped curve reduces it slower. Decay Key Follow Scales the decay time across the keyboard. You can set a center key that is used as the central position for the Key Follow function. For example, set this parameter to positive values to decrease the decay time for notes above and increase it for notes below the center key. Decay Center Key Specifies the note number that is used as a central position for the key follow function of the decay time. Conditions Note-on The condition is true if a key is pressed. You can specify a key range for this event. Note-off The condition is true if a note is released and a matching note-on event has been received. This includes notes that are released by lifting the sustain pedal. You can specify a key range for this event. NOTE This allows you to avoid triggering the wrong release samples after switching between articulations of an instrument. For this to work, the layers of the noteon and note-off samples must reside in the same layer of the corresponding MegaTrig module for the key switch. Forced Note-off The condition is true if a note is released. Forced means that a matching noteon event is not needed. In other words, the note-off event always passes through. This includes notes that are released by lifting the sustain pedal. You can specify a key range for the note-off events. Key Up The condition is true if a note is released, even if the sustain pedal is pressed. This condition uses the full range of the keyboard. Sustain On The condition is true if the sustain pedal is pressed. 519 MIDI Modules Reference MegaTrig Sustain Off The condition is true if the sustain pedal is released. Key Switch The condition is true if a key in the specified key range is pressed. Multiple key switch assignments across different layers of the program work like radio buttons, that is, only one key switch assignment can be active at a time. By default, the key switch assignment with the lowest key is true. NOTE If you want the key switch assignments across different layers to work individually, activate individual MegaTrig management for the corresponding layers. This may be necessary if 2 programs with key switches are copied together into one program, for example. Key Range 1st The condition is true as soon as the 1st note within the specified note range is held. Key Range 2nd The condition is true as soon as the 2nd note within the specified note range is held. Key Toggle This condition toggles between true and false each time that you hit a key within the specified note range. By default, the condition is true. If you toggle the condition starting from 0, the odd numbers are false and the even numbers are true. Velocity The condition is true if the received velocity is within the specified velocity range. Playing Speed The condition is true if the time between successive notes is within the specified range. Legato The condition is true if you play notes legato. You can specify a key range for the legato played notes. Retrigger The condition is true if a note is retriggered. You can specify a key range for the retriggered note. NOTE This condition must be combined with Note-on, and Mono and Retrigger must be activated in the Voice Management section of the corresponding layer or program. 520 MIDI Modules Reference MegaTrig Interval The condition is true if the interval between successively played notes is within the specified range. Note Count The condition is true if the number of played notes is within the specified range. Lowest Note The Range control specifies the order of the notes in a chord from low to high. The condition is true if the played notes match the specified range. For example, a range from 0 to 1 means that the first and second lowest notes play and that all other notes are filtered out. Highest Note The Range control specifies the order of the notes in a chord from high to low. The condition is true if the played notes match the specified range. For example, a range from 0 to 1 means that the first and second highest notes play and that all other notes are filtered out. MIDI Controller The condition is true if the position of the controller is within the specified range. Quick Controls The condition is true if the Quick Control is within the specified range. Random Produces a random value between 0 and 100 for each note that is played. The condition is true if the random value is within the specified range. NOTE If you use several MegaTrig modules, you can use the same random value across all modules by selecting Random for the same MegaTrig row. By setting the ranges so that they do not overlap, you can switch randomly between the corresponding layers. 521 MIDI Modules Reference Layer Alternate Layer Alternate You can use this module to switch between different layers automatically. This is useful for alternating between the up and down bows of a string instrument or the left and right hand of drum strokes, for example. RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 Alternating between Layers PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, insert the Layer Alternate module above the layers between which you want to switch. 2. Open the editor for the module and drag the layers from the Expression Pool into the Alternation List in the order in which you want them to alternate. You can rearrange the order of the list using drag and drop. To remove a layer from the list, use the context menu. 3. Select the alternation mode, make sure that Enable is activated, and start playback. NOTE Depending on the selected Alternation Mode, the layers alternate in the order in which they are listed or randomly. RESULT Playback alternates between the layers. The layer that is played back is highlighted. NOTE Layer Alternate can only be used to switch between layers. For switching between zones, use variation groups. RELATED LINKS Variation Groups Section on page 90 522 MIDI Modules Reference Layer Alternate Using Key Switches Key switches allow you to switch to a particular layer, regardless of the current position in the alternation list. You can specify a key switch for each layer in the alternation list. As soon as the corresponding note is played, the alternation list jumps to the new layer. The alternation then continues from that position. To specify a key switch for a layer, enter the note, as text or as number, in the corresponding key switch column of the alternation list. Layer Alternate Parameters Expression Pool Shows the available layers. Alternation List Shows the layers that are used by Layer Alternate. The layer that is played back is highlighted. You can change the order of the layers by dragging them to a new position. To remove a layer from the Alternation list, use the context menu for the selected key switch. Alternation Mode • Select Cycle Up to cycle through the layers in descending order. • Select Cycle Down to cycle through the layers in ascending order. • Select Random to alternate the layers randomly with each note that you play. • Select Random Exclusive to alternate the layers randomly, but without repetitions. Per Key Activate this option to apply the alternation for each MIDI key separately. If this option is deactivated, the alternation is applied globally across the entire keyboard, so that any key that you play advances the alternation sequence. Enable/Disable The two value fields allow you to specify the MIDI keys that enable/disable the alternation sequence. If no key is specified in the Disable field, the key in the Enable field is used to enable and disable the alternation sequence. NOTE The keys that are specified for Enable and Disable are used exclusively for these functions and cannot trigger any notes. If this is set to Off, playback remains on the selected layer. 523 MIDI Modules Reference Key Switch Alternate You can also use the On/Off button to the left of the value fields to activate/ deactivate the alternation sequence. Reset Specifies the key that resets the alternation sequence. Auto Reset Allows you to reset the layer alternation automatically after a specific time. Previous Specifies the key that switches to the previous entry in the list. Next Specifies the key that switches to the next entry in the list. Grace Time Sets the minimum time between two steps. This allows you to play chords, for example, because otherwise, each note of a chord would play with a different layer. Key Switch Alternate This module allows you to switch automatically between different layers that are using MegaTrig key switches. Key Switch Alternate is provided for compatibility with HALion 3 programs, because in HALion 3, the alternation between layers was realized using key switches. With the current program version, use the Layer Alternate module instead. RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 Alternating Key Switches PROCEDURE 1. In the Program Tree, insert the Key Switch Alternate module above the layers that contain the MegaTrig modules with key switch settings. 2. Open the editor for the module and drag the key switches from the Available Key Switches list to the Alternation List in the order in which you want them to alternate. You can rearrange the order of the list using drag and drop. To remove a key switch from the list, use the context menu. 524 MIDI Modules Reference Key Switch Alternate 3. Select an alternation mode, make sure that Enable is activated, and start playback. NOTE Depending on the selected Alternation Mode, the triggered key switches alternate in the order in which they are listed or randomly. RESULT Playback alternates between the different key switches. The key switch that is triggered is highlighted. Key Switch Alternate Parameters Available Key Switches Shows the available key switches. Alternation List Shows the key switches that are used to control an alternation. You can change the order of the key switches by dragging them to a new position. To remove a key switch from the alternation list, use the context menu for the selected key switch. Alternation Mode • Select Cycle Up to cycle through the key switches in descending order. • Select Cycle Down to cycle through the key switches in ascending order. • Select Random to alternate the key switches randomly with each note that you play. • Select Random Exclusive to alternate the key switches randomly, but without repetitions. Per Key Activate this option to apply the alternation for each MIDI key separately. If this option is deactivated, the alternation is applied globally across the entire keyboard, so that any key that you play advances the alternation sequence. Enable/Disable The two value fields allow you to specify the MIDI keys that enable/disable the alternation sequence. If no key is specified in the Disable field, the key in the Enable field is used to enable and disable the alternation sequence. NOTE The keys that are specified for Enable and Disable are used exclusively for these functions and cannot trigger any notes. If this is set to Off, you can manually trigger a specific key switch by clicking it in the alternation list. 525 MIDI Modules Reference Key Switch Remote You can also use the On/Off button to the left of the value fields to activate/ deactivate the alternation sequence. Reset Specifies the key that resets the alternation sequence. Auto Reset Allows you to reset the key switch alternation automatically after a specific time. Previous Specifies the key that switches to the previous entry in the list. Next Specifies the key that switches to the next entry in the list. Grace Time Sets the minimum time between two steps. This allows you to play chords, for example, because otherwise, each note of a chord would play with a different layer. Manually Adding Alternations PROCEDURE 1. Click the + button above the alternation list. 2. Specify the name of the alternation. 3. Specify the key switch note to be sent. Key Switch Remote The Key Switch Remote module allows you to remote-control key switches that are used within the parent layer. Key Switch Remote Parameters Expression list The expression list shows all available layers. If a layer contains a MegaTrig module that is set to Key Switch, the specified key is displayed in the Key/Active column. 526 MIDI Modules Reference MIDI Randomizer Key Switch Mode Allows you to determine whether the key switches are used as they were set up in the MegaTrig modules, remapped to other keys, or whether you want to use a MIDI controller instead. NOTE Regardless of the selected mode, the original key switch assignments still work. The last key switch that is received always has priority. • If Key Switch is selected, the original key switch assignments are used to switch to an expression. The keys are displayed in the list and cannot be edited. • If Remapped is selected, you can transpose the original key switch assignments to the playable range of your MIDI keyboard. To do so, enter the MIDI note that you want the expression to be reassigned to. You can also transpose multiple key switches at the same time by pressing Shift and dragging one of the faders for the key switch that you want to change. NOTE MIDI notes that are used for key switches can no longer be used to trigger samples. • If Controller is selected, you can select a MIDI controller that remotecontrols the original key switches from the pop-up menu. The list does not show any MIDI note names, but checkboxes that allow you to specify the expressions that you can switch to. Inactive expressions cannot be addressed. Refreshing the Expression List If you add, move, or remove layers with key switches after adding the Key Switch Remote module, it might be necessary to refresh the expression list. To refresh the list, click Refresh . MIDI Randomizer The MIDI Randomizer module allows you to trigger notes randomly. The notes that are used by the MIDI Randomizer can be created by modifying the original notes and/or velocity values using an adjustable deviation amount, or within a completely independent range that can be set for key and/or velocity. You can also limit the input range for incoming MIDI notes to decide on which notes the module reacts. 527 MIDI Modules Reference MIDI Randomizer RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 MIDI Randomizer Parameters Input Section In the Input section on the left, you can make the following settings: Low Key/High Key These values define which incoming notes are used to create random notes. Low Vel/High Vel These values define the velocity range that is used to create random notes. Output Section In the Output section to the right, there are two rows of settings. The upper row contains the key range parameters. Active If this option is activated, the MIDI Randomizer creates notes within the key range that is specified with the Low Key and High Key parameters. Spread If this option is activated, the input values are varied randomly. Use the Amount parameter to define how much the random notes are allowed to diverge from the original keys. The lower row contains the velocity range parameters. Active If this option is activated, the MIDI Randomizer creates notes within the velocity range that is specified with the Low Vel and High Vel parameters. Spread If this option is activated, the input values are varied randomly. Use the Amount parameter to define how much the random notes are allowed to diverge from the original keys. 528 MIDI Modules Reference CC Mapper CC Mapper This MIDI module allows you to map MIDI controllers to other MIDI controllers before they are passed on to the following layers and zones. You can also use it to transform incoming values using curves. MIDI controllers, aftertouch, and pitchbend can be mapped freely to all MIDI controllers, aftertouch, pitchbend, and the eight global controllers, that is, Contr. A to Contr. H. The global controllers allow you to change the MIDI controller assignment via a single setting in the CC Mapper, instead of changing the modulation matrix assignments of the zones separately, for example. This can be achieved by assigning them in the modulation matrix and mapping a MIDI controller or velocity to them using the CC Mapper. RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 CC Mapper Parameters Source Determines the source controller that is to be remapped. Controller This column lists the available destination controllers. Bypass Allows you to deactivate the remapping for a controller. Min Determines the minimum value to be sent. Max Determines the maximum value to be sent. Curve and Range Editor You can set up a curve and a range for each remapped source. The curve and range editor displays the settings of the selected source controller, displayed by an orange frame. To select a different source, click the button to the left of it. 529 MIDI Modules Reference Velocity Curve Curve Types You can use one of the available curve types, or create your own custom curves. Custom curves To set up your own curve, select the Custom preset. • To insert a node, double-click in the editor. • To delete a node, double-click it. • To adjust the shape of the curve, drag the nodes. • To change the curvature, drag the lines between the nodes up or down. Min/Max The minimum and maximum values define the range for the output of the function. The values correspond to the Min and Max columns in the list on the left. Remapping Controllers PROCEDURE 1. To map a MIDI controller to another MIDI controller, aftertouch, or pitchbend, click in the Source column for the MIDI controller and select the controller that you want to remap. Velocity can only be used as source for the global controllers. 2. In the Controller column, select the destination, that is, the controller that you want the controller to be remapped to. NOTE Velocity and the global controllers themselves can only be mapped to the global controllers. Velocity Curve The Velocity Curve module allows you to map incoming velocity values to different output values using an adjustable curve. You can also use this module to limit the output velocity range, or use its side-chain controller input to control the effect of the curve using a MIDI controller. RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 530 MIDI Modules Reference Tuning Scale Velocity Curve Parameters Curve display In the Curve display section to the left, you can use one of ten preconfigured curve types, or create a custom curve. To select a curve type, click on one of the buttons to the right of the curve display. Custom curve To set up your own curve, select the Custom preset. • To insert a node, double-click in the editor. • To delete a node, double-click it. • To adjust the shape of the curve, drag the nodes. • To change the curvature, drag the lines between the nodes up or down. Min/Max With the minimum and maximum values, you can specify the output velocity. The curve is compressed accordingly. Controller Mode This parameter allows you to control the effect of the curve dynamically. • If this is set to Off, the curve is applied at 100 %. The side-chain controller cannot be used. • In Switched mode, the velocity curve is only applied if the side-chain controller sends a value higher than 64. This allows you to use a foot switch to activate or deactivate the influence of the velocity curve, for example. • In Continuous mode, the incoming side-chain controller value is used to scale the influence of the velocity curve. If this is 0, the curve has no effect, if this is set to 127, the curve is applied at 100 %. • In Replace mode, you can use the side-chain controller as a source for the input velocity. In this case, the originally played velocity is ignored. Side-Chain Controller Specifies which MIDI Controller is used to control the effect of the velocity curve. Tuning Scale This MIDI module allows you to create custom tuning scales, or apply one of the tuning scale presets. 531 MIDI Modules Reference Tuning Scale Presets The most commonly used scale in western music is the equal tempered scale, where adjacent notes have an equal distance of 100 cents. Other well-known traditional tuning scales are the well-tempered scale or the Kirnberger scale, for example. You can find examples of these scales in the presets that come with HALion. Scala Files You can import tuning scales in the popular Scala file format via the scale preset pop-up menu. This way, you can make use of the thousands of tuning scale presets that are available on the Internet. Absolute Mode MIDI notes can contain micro-tuning information, that is, tune offsets per note. If Absolute Mode is activated, this information is ignored and only the settings of the tuning scale are applied. If Absolute Mode is deactivated, the tuning scale settings are applied on top of the incoming micro-tuning information. Amount Specifies how the tuning scale is applied. At a setting of 100 %, the tune offsets are applied as specified in the tuning scale. Lower values reduce the tune offsets relatively. At 0 %, the tuning scale is not applied. Notes Mode/Octaves Mode Determines whether your tuning changes are applied equally to all octaves on the keyboard or only to specific notes. RELATED LINKS Handling Section and Module Presets on page 21 Editing Tuning Scales You can create custom tuning scales by editing the notes per octave or by editing the 128 MIDI notes individually. Editing the scale per octave is particularly useful for creating different temperaments. Editing the scale per note is useful for creating stretched tunings. PROCEDURE 1. 2. To the right of the scale editor, specify whether you want to edit the scale per notes or per octaves. • Select Octaves to apply the tune offsets equally to all octaves on the keyboard. • Select Notes to apply the tune offsets only to specific notes. In the scale editor, click the Offset field of the note that you want to adjust and set the tune offset. 532 MIDI Modules Reference Lua Script Lua Script The Lua Script module allows you to create and manage your own scripts. In the following sections, the basic concepts and procedures are described. For more detailed information on all parameters, editing possibilities, advanced features, etc., refer to the online documentation that can be found under http://developer.steinberg.help. Internal Editor vs. External Editor The Lua Script MIDI module comes with an internal, plain text editor. This editor can be used to write, load, and edit scripts. However, it does not offer code highlighting or advanced editing features. If you want to write complex scripts, it is recommended to use an external editor. However, scripts that are written in an external editor are not part of the script module. Only the file path for the script is saved in the VST Preset. Scripts that are written in the internal editor have the following advantages and disadvantages: • You can easily use them on another computer, because they are part of the Lua Script module. • If an internal script is modified, this modification is not automatically applied to all presets in which the script is used. It has to be added manually to each preset. Scripts that are written in an external editor have the following advantages and disadvantages: • They can be easily modified throughout all presets that use them. • If you want to use them on another computer, you must either make sure that the corresponding script file is available on this computer, together with the script module, or you have to manually copy the source code into the internal script editor. Toolbar Load Script Allows you to load a script from disk. The loaded file is referenced by the script module. 533 MIDI Modules Reference Lua Script Save Script Scripts that are created with the internal editor can be saved to disk. After saving the script to disk, it is referenced by the Lua Script module. New Script Clears the current script module. This command removes any internal or referenced script. Edit Script Opens the script editor. • If an external editor is specified in the Options Editor, this editor is used. • If no external editor is specified, the internal editor is used. Script Source File Shows the file path to the script source file on your disk. Reload from File/Script Allows you to reload the script. NOTE • This function does not clear any output messages or remove any parameters that are defined for the script module. Reset from File/Script Resets the current script. NOTE • This function removes any existing output messages, as well as parameters that are defined for the script module. Connect to Debugger Connects the script module to an external debugger. Syntax/Runtime Error If a syntax or runtime error occurs when processing the script, this indicator lights up. In this case, you must fix the error and reset the script. Output Messages In this section, any syntax and execution errors or the output of the print function are displayed. • To show/hide this section, click Show/Hide Output Messages in the top right corner of the editor. Max Lines Sets the maximum number of visible lines. 534 MIDI Modules Reference Lua Script Copy Messages to Clipboard Copies the output messages to the clipboard. This allows you to copy larger output messages to an external editor that offers a text search, for example. NOTE This also includes any older messages that are not visible anymore. Clear Message Display Clears the output messages. Library Path Lua's require function allows you to load and run your own libraries. In the Library Path field, you specify where require searches for libraries. NOTE The path that you specify here only applies to this script module. The global library path for script modules is specified in the Options Editor. Dependent Files This section lists all files that are required by the script module. This list is used to add the script files to a VST Sound archive, for example. • To show/hide this section, click Show Dependent Files in the top right corner of the editor. Add Required Files Automatically Activate this button to automatically add the files that you included using the require function to the list of dependent files. Clear Dependent Files Removes all entries from the list of dependent files. Select File Allows you to change the current entry or to add a new file. Select Folder Allows you to add all files in the specified folder to the list of dependent files. Delete Entry Removes the selected entry from the list of dependent files. Creating a Script With the Internal Editor PREREQUISITE You added a Lua Script midi module. 535 MIDI Modules Reference Lua Script PROCEDURE 1. In the editor for the Lua Script midi module, click Edit Script. 2. In the text editor, enter your script and click OK. Setting Up an External Editor HALion includes a basic text editor for scripts. If you want to use advanced features and code highlighting, you can set up and use an external editor. You set up the external script editor in the Scripting section of the Options Editor. PROCEDURE • On the Options page, in the Scripting section, click Browse for External Editor and select the application that you want to use. RESULT If you now open a script by clicking Edit Script in the editor for the Lua Script module, it is opened in the external editor. NOTE A Lua script must be saved to disk before it can be opened in an external editor. 536 Key Commands Reference Below, the default key commands are listed according to category. Edit Category Option Key Command AutoVisibility V Copy Ctrl/Cmd-C Cut Ctrl/Cmd-X Delete Delete or Backspace Edit Ctrl/Cmd-E Group Selection Ctrl/Cmd-G Hide Non-Selected Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-H Hide Selected Ctrl/Cmd-H Move Down Shift-Down Arrow Move Hi Key Left Alt-Left Arrow Move Hi Key Right Alt-Right Arrow Move Hi Velocity Down Alt-Down Arrow Move Hi Velocity Up Alt-Up Arrow Move Left Shift-Left Arrow Move Low Key Left Ctrl/Cmd-Left Arrow Move Low Key Right Ctrl/Cmd-Right Arrow Move Low Velocity Down Ctrl/Cmd-Down Arrow 537 Key Commands Reference Option Key Command Move Low Velocity Up Ctrl/Cmd-Up Arrow Move Right Shift-Right Arrow Move Up Shift-Up Arrow Mute M Paste Ctrl/Cmd-V Redo Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-Z Rename F2 Replace Samples Ctrl/Cmd-R Select All Ctrl/Cmd-A Select None Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-A Select Tree Ctrl/Cmd-T Show All Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-U Show Selected Ctrl/Cmd-U Solo S Undo Ctrl/Cmd-Z Global Category Option Key Command Down X Enable Mapping Selection Options Ctrl/Cmd-M Import Samples Ctrl/Cmd-I Left A Right D Up W 538 Key Commands Reference Media Category Option Key Command Open Return or L Navigate Category Option Key Command Bottom End (Windows only) Down Down Arrow Left Left Arrow Less Ctrl/Cmd-Num - More Ctrl/Cmd-Num+ Right Right Arrow Toggle Selection Ctrl/Cmd-Space Top Home (Windows only) Up Up Arrow Zoom Category Option Key Command Zoom In H Zoom Out G 539 Note Expression Steinberg’s Note Expression technology was developed for creating realistic instrument performances. Note Expression allows you to create automated modulations for each note. HALion supports Note Expression for volume, pan, and tuning. If you use a Steinberg DAW that supports Note Expression, you can automate the Note Expression parameters for any program in HALion per note. Furthermore, in programs that give you access to the modulation matrix, you can assign up to eight Note Expression controllers to the available modulation destinations. These work in addition to the preassigned pitch, pan, and level modulations. NOTE The Note Expression controllers of a program are shared by all its zones. This means that the controller data affects all zones simultaneously. Depending on how the Note Expression controllers are set up, each zone can react differently. NOTE If you use HALion with host applications that do not support Note Expression, the Note Expression editor page and the Note Expression controllers in the modulation matrix are visible, but they do not have any influence on the program. Note Expression Editor • The Note Expression editor can be found on the Sound Editor for a program. The editor shows the Note Expression controllers on the left and the assigned modulation destinations on the right. This gives you a quick overview of how the Note Expression controllers are routed in the modulation matrix and what their influence on the sound will be. NOTE A Note Expression controller can be assigned to several destinations. 540 Note Expression Note Expression Editor Name If you assign a Note Expression controller for the first time, it gets the name of the modulation destination that it is assigned to. Any further assignments do not change the name. You can specify a name manually by entering it in the Name field. Bypass Note Expression Controller To deactivate the effect of the controller, click the Bypass Note Expression Controller button. It is linked to the Bypass button of the corresponding modulation destination in the modulation matrix. Depth This slider adjusts the intensity of the Note Expression modulation. It is linked to the Depth slider of the corresponding modulation destination in the modulation matrix. 541 Using the Standalone Version of the Plug-In If you use HALion as a standalone application, an additional section is available at the top of the control panel. Here, you can define key commands, set up audio and MIDI interface routings, adjust the master volume, and access the integrated MIDI scratch pad, which allows you to record your musical ideas without having to start a MIDI sequencer application. It can also be used to play multitrack arrangements that trigger the different programs. Making Preferences Settings You can configure the standalone version of HALion in the Plug-In Preferences dialog. • To open the Plug-In Preferences dialog, click the Open Preferences button to the right of the audio output field or right-click in the topmost section of the control panel and select Plug-In Preferences on the context menu. Preferences Dialog The Plug-In Preferences dialog has several pages on which you can make settings. MIDI Page On the MIDI page, you can access the 64 input ports in groups of 16. For each of these groups, you can make separate routing settings. MIDI Input Ports Use this pop-up menu to specify a MIDI input. Channel Filter Determines whether MIDI events are recorded on all MIDI channels, or only on one specific channel. Filter ‘All Notes Off’ Controller Activate this parameter to avoid unwanted “All Notes Off” messages. Such messages are sent by some keyboards when the last key is released. This causes HALion to stop playback, even when the sustain pedal is still in use. Inputs Page Here, you can specify which inputs of the audio interface are connected to HALion’s stereo input. This is the input that can be selected in the Sample Recorder. 542 Using the Standalone Version of the Plug-In Preferences Dialog Outputs Page You can use the Audio Output Ports pop-up menus to assign different audio outputs. HALion supports 64 channels: two Master channels (left and right), 31 additional left and right stereo channels, and one 5.1 surround channel. You can assign different audio outputs for each channel. • To map an output to a channel, select it from the pop-up menu. • To set the front and rear channels to incrementing audio output ports, hold down Shift and select an audio output. • To assign the audio outputs in pairs to the front and rear channels, hold down Alt-Shift and select an audio output. Metronome Page On the Metronome page, a number of settings can be made regarding the use of a metronome. Mode Activates/Deactivates the metronome or sets it to Count In mode. Accent Accentuates the first beat of each bar. Level Adjusts the volume of the metronome. Connections Allows you to select a separate stereo output for the metronome. General Page • If you want the plug-in to close without prompting when you quit the program, activate Don’t prompt for confirmation when quitting HALion. ASIO Driver Page On the ASIO Driver pop-up menu, you can select your audio hardware driver. Release Driver when Application is in Background Activate this option if you plan to use several audio applications simultaneously. Input Latency/Output Latency The input and output latency values for your audio hardware are displayed. Latency is the amount of time it takes for your system to respond to any messages that are sent to it. High latency results in a noticeable delay between when you press a key and when you hear the sound. You can change the latency with the Buffer Size parameter in the control panel for your driver, opened by clicking the Control Panel button on the Advanced tab. 543 Using the Standalone Version of the Plug-In Selecting the MIDI Input and the Audio Output Sample Rate Below the latency values, the sample rate for the connected audio hardware is displayed. Audio Priority Determines which of the HALion processes gets priority when accessing processor resources on your computer. • In Normal mode, non-audio processes and audio playback get roughly equal priorities. • In Boost mode, audio precedes MIDI in priority. Try this mode if audio playback problems occur when playing back MIDI and audio material. Advanced Page Once you have selected the driver, you can specify which inputs and outputs to use and name these on the Advanced page. Click the Control Panel button to open the control panel for the audio hardware and adjust the settings as recommended by the audio hardware manufacturer. Selecting the MIDI Input and the Audio Output The MIDI input pop-up menu lists all MIDI devices that are installed on your system. • Select the MIDI device that you want to use from the MIDI Input pop-up menu. The MIDI activity LED in the top left corner of the control panel indicates incoming MIDI messages via the selected MIDI input. The LED lights up on receiving note-on and controller messages. This way, you can check if HALion and your MIDI keyboard are connected to the same MIDI device input. The Audio output pop-up menu lists all outputs of the selected ASIO device. • To select an audio output for the main stereo channel of the plug-in, open the Audio Output pop-up menu. If you select an audio output, the front and rear channels are set to incrementing audio output ports. To assign the audio outputs in pairs to the front and rear channels instead, hold down Alt-Shift and select an output. RELATED LINKS ASIO Driver Page on page 543 Scratch Pad The scratch pad allows you to record and play back MIDI files in Standard MIDI File format. You can load existing MIDI files and you can record your own files and save them. 544 Using the Standalone Version of the Plug-In Scratch Pad The transport section provides buttons for play, stop, record, and loop. The display shows the song position, the tempo, and the time signature of the MIDI file. In addition, there is a metronome that you can use for recording and practicing. The scratch pad can play back multi-track MIDI files sending notes on all 16 MIDI channels. It also sends MIDI program change messages when a MIDI file is loaded. Transport Controls Play Click Play to start playback of the MIDI file. Playback always starts at the song position. Stop Click Stop to pause the MIDI file at the current position. Click the button twice to reset the song position to the start. Record Click Record to start recording. Loop Activate Loop to play the entire MIDI file in a loop. Info Icon To check which MIDI file is loaded, point the mouse at the info icon in the top left corner of the scratch pad. A tooltip appears, showing the name of the MIDI file. Song Position Indicator The song position indicator shows the position of the transport. Above the song position indicator, the position is displayed numerically. After loading a MIDI file, the display shows the full length of the file. • To move the transport to a different song position, drag the song position indicator to the new position. • To switch the time format between Time and Bars, click Select Time Format in the top right corner of the display. Tempo and Time Signature Below the song position display, the Tempo and Time Signature fields are located. These fields provide HALion with tempo and time signature information. These settings are used by the scratch pad and the metronome. Fixed Tempo/Tempo Track Set this parameter to Track to follow the original tempo of the MIDI file. Set this parameter to Fixed to enter the tempo manually. You can either enter the value directly in the value field or you can enter a tempo by repeatedly clicking the Tap to set Tempo field next to the value field. 545 Using the Standalone Version of the Plug-In Loading a MIDI File Tempo Value Determines the tempo of the MIDI file. Adjust Tempo If the Tempo Track option is selected, this parameter is available, allowing you to scale the playback relatively to the original tempo of the MIDI file. Time Signature Determines the time signature. You can enter the new signature as fractions of beats. Recording Your Performance PROCEDURE 1. 2. Click the record symbol below the Record button to select a record mode. • To start recording immediately when you click the record button, select Direct. • To start recording with the first MIDI note, select MIDI. • To start the recording after a count-in of one bar, select Count In 1. • To start the recording after a count-in of 2 bars, select Count In 2. Click the Record button to start recording. To indicate that the recording is running, the song position indicator moves from left to right. 3. When you are done recording, click the Stop button. RELATED LINKS Saving a MIDI File on page 547 Using the Metronome PROCEDURE • To select the playback mode of the metronome, click Metronome and select one of the options from the pop-up menu: • If On is selected, the metronome is activated and plays continuously. • If Count In is selected, the metronome plays only during the count-in of a recording. • To deactivate the metronome, select Off. Loading a MIDI File You can load MIDI files in Standard MIDI File format (file name extension .mid). PROCEDURE 1. Click the Load MIDI File button below the transport buttons. 2. In the file dialog, select the file that you want to use. 546 Using the Standalone Version of the Plug-In Saving a MIDI File 3. Click Open to load the MIDI file. MIDI Channel Filter If a multitrack MIDI file is loaded, you can play back all MIDI events or only the events of a specific MIDI channel. • To specify which events to play back, click the MIDI Channel Filter field to the right of the info icon and select an option from the pop-up menu. Saving a MIDI File PROCEDURE 1. Click the Save MIDI File button below the transport buttons. 2. In the file dialog, specify a location and a file name. 3. Click Save to save your recorded performance as a MIDI file. Master Volume Use the volume control on the right to set the master volume of the outputs of the standalone version of HALion. This includes the volume of the main outputs, the rear outputs, and the output of the metronome. 547 Index A Expander 461 Flanger 444 Frequency Shifter 449 Gate 462 Graphic EQ 430 Limiter 459 Maximizer 461 MorphFilter 435 Multi Delay 428 Octaver 443 Phaser 447 Resonator 435 Reverb 425 REVerence 424 Ring Modulator 448 Rotary 452 Step Flanger 445 Stereo Pan 465 StereoEnhancer 465 Studio EQ 429 Surround Panner 466 Tape Saturator 442 Tremolo 447 Tube Compressor 458 Tube Saturator 443 Using 211 Vibrato 453 Vintage Compressor 457 Vintage Ensemble 454 VST Amp 441 WahWah 438 Effects Page 211 Envelopes Selecting Nodes 129 Setting up the Loop 132 EQ Effects 429 ABS button 93 Absolute Editing 93 Anima About 308 Audio Busses About 206 Audio Output 544 Auron About 263 B B-Box About 294 Browser Loading Files 62 C Control Panel 11 Configuring 11 Setup Options 11 D Delay Effects 428 Distortion Effects 439 Dynamics Effects 455 E Eagle About 341 Editors Available 15 Effect Slots 211 Effects 204 About 424 Amplifier 439 Auto Filter 431 Brickwall Limiter 460 Channel Router 467 Chorus 444 Compressor 455 Distortion 440 DJ-EQ 431 Downmix 467 Envelope Shaper 464 F Filter Effects 431 Finding Missing Samples 49 G Grain Oscillator 190 Granular Synthesis 190 H HALion 3 Effects 468 548 Index HALiotron About 291 Hot Brass About 343 Changing the Order 482 Drum Player 502 Editor 481 FlexPhraser 483 Inserting 480 Key Switch Alternate 524 Key Switch Remote 526 Layer Alternate 522 MegaTrig 516 MIDI Player 497 MIDI Randomizer 527 Mono Envelope 508 Mono LFO 510 Mono Step Modulator 512 Trigger Pads 494 True Pedaling 514 Tuning Scale 531 Velocity Curve 530 Missing Samples Finding 49 Mixing 204 Model C About 285 Modulation Effects 444 Modulation Matrix About 137 Mono Step Modulator About 512 Multi Selection 18 Multis About 46 I Insert Effects About 210 K Key Commands 537 L Layers Loading 48 Legacy Effects 468 M Macro Page About 367 Adding a background image 368 Connecting the program parameters 369 Controls 367 Creating a template 387 Libraries 367 Loading a template 369 Preparations 368 Resources 367 Saving 370 Templates 367 Macro Page Designer 370 Canvas 383 Macro Pages About 46 Collaborating with Others 403 Creating 367 Exchanging Pages and Content 403 Mapping Editor About 70 Master Section 23 MediaBay About 55 Filters 56 Managing files 55 Results List 57 MIDI Controllers About 200 Assigning 200 Factory Controller Assignment 202 Parameter Range 201 MIDI Editor About 198 MIDI Input 544 MIDI Modules About 480 Assigning in the Modulation Matrix 482 Bypassing 480 CC Mapper 529 N Note Expression About 540 Editor 540 O Options Editor 35 Organ Zones Voice Control Section 99 P Panner Effects 465 Pitch Detection Wavetable Editor 186 Pitch Shift Effects 443 Preferences Dialog 542 Presets About 46 Module Presets 20 VST Presets 20 Program Slot Section 23 Program Table About 213 Parameters 213 Program Tree About 217 Elements 217 549 Index Programs About 46 Loading 48 Trium About 271 V Q Value Ranges Adjusting 18 Voltage About 279 Quick Control Assignments 30 Quick Controls 27 Bypassing 34 Managing 31 W R Wavetable Creating 186 Wavetable Editor 173 2D Wave 174 3D Map 174 About 174 Replacing Samples 188 Wavetable Synthesis 173 Wavetable Zones Editing in the Wavetable Editor 173 World Instruments About 300 World Percussion About 304 Raven About 340 Recording Samples 254 REL button 93 RelativeEditing 93 Reverb Effects 424 S Sample Editor About 150 Creating Loops 168 Creating Slices 170 Zoom 167 Sample Recorder About 254 Samples Editing in an external Editor 167 Exporting 234 Importing 228 Recording 254 Replacing 171, 233 Skylab About 326 Slices Creating 170 Sound Editor About 82 Main Section 82 Note Expression Section 91 Quick Control Assignments Section 91 Trigger Section 83 Variation Groups Section 90 Voice Management Section 85 Spatial Effects 465 Standalone Plug-In Version About 542 Loading MIDI Files 546 Preferences 542 Saving MIDI Files 547 Studio Strings About 354 Surround Effects 466 Z Zone Editor About 92 Amplifier Section 123 AudioWarp Section 116 Envelope Section 125 Filter Section 119 LFO Section 132 Organ Oscillator Section 109 Oscillator Section 102 Pitch Section 101 Sample Oscillator Section 106 Voice Control Section 95 Wavetable Section 109 Zones Editing 92 Fades and Crossfades 79 Mapping 70 T Tools Effects 467 550
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