- Logic Pro X Omnisphere
- How To Use Keyscape In Logic
- How To Use Omnisphere 2 In Logic Pro X 8
- Spectrasonics
- Omnisphere 2 Getintopc
Oct 05, 2018 #LogicProX #Omnisphere #Spectrasonics In this Logic Pro X Tutorial, I will make a multi layered melodie using some of the new sounds in Omnisphere 2.5. Spectrasonics has added an additional 1000. I opened Omnisphere in Logic Pro X and began exploring the new sounds. Omnisphere 2 lets you use your own recordings as source. Dec 14, 2017 In this video I make a beat using omnisphere 2.This beat was made using Ableton Live, but these techniques can be used on any DAW such as FL studio, Logic Pro X, Cubase, Reason, Pro Tools, etc. Jun 25, 2015 If you intend to use Omnisphere in a live setting, Live Mode allows for seamless patch layering on the fly and Stack Mode allows you to do keyboard splits and complex patch layering. I can go on but you get the idea. Omnisphere 2 is special because it brings together many types of synthesis under one clean and easy to use interface.
Logic Pro is a comprehensive software package that delivers everything a musician needs to write, record, edit, mix, and perform in the studio and on the stage.
Streamlined Interface:
- Unified window design consolidates multiple edit and browser areas.
- Library browser makes it easy to find audio files, channel strip settings, and plug-in settings.
- Inspector provides convenient access to region and track parameters as well as primary mix functions via the innovative Dual Channel Strip.
- Assign tools to mouse and view current assignments directly in the Arrange window.
- Simple multiple track creation and setup.
- Customizable tool and transport bars.
- Context-sensitive shortcut menus.
- Definable startup behavior.
- Enhanced plug-in headers for all instruments and effects.
- Global Tracks for graphical editing of key and time signatures, markers, tempo, and transposition.
- Selectable time- and/or beat-based bar ruler for time-linear and/or beat-linear display in the Arrange window.
- Waveform zoom slider for improved visibility of low-level signals.
- Extensive zoom tools and functions.
Ultimate Writing Studio:
- Extensive MIDI composition
- Region-based quantize, transpose, gate, swing, and velocity control.
- MIDI Groove templates.
- Creative MIDI processing and routing in the Environment.
- Caps Lock Keyboard for note entry using computer keyboard.
- Custom and Hermode tuning.
- MIDI step entry.
- Full support for Apple Loops
- Apple Loops browser for finding and previewing loops based on tempo, key, style, and mood.
- Export of MIDI and audio regions as Apple Loops.
- Edit plug-ins and MIDI performances for Software Instrument loops.
- Independent loop transposition.
- Comprehensive loop tagging and editing with Apple Loops Utility.
- Complete music notation
- Real-time transcription.
- Instrument transposition.
- Guitar tablature.
- Drum notation.
- Chord symbols.
- Adaptive lyric input.
- Automatic multibar rests.
- Comprehensive palette of slurs, crescendis, and other ornaments.
- Staff Styles for easy recall of multiple stave attributes.
- Score Sets allow instruments to be combined for editing and print.
- Layout and printing of complete professional scores.
- Robust video playback features
- Embedded or floating video window display.
- Digital Cinema Desktop for display of full-screen video on second monitor.
- External video output via FireWire or DVCPRO HD.
- Global video thumbnail track.
- Scene detect option to mark video transitions automatically.
- Fast and intuitive region looping.
- Global chord track with automatic chord recognition.
Production Powerhouse:
- Over 980 definable key and MIDI commands.
- 90 recallable screen configurations.
- Audio file and I/O resolution up to 24-bit/192kHz.
- Internal audio resolution: 32-bit floating point; 64-bit precision where required.
- Comprehensive surround support up to 7.1, with flexible surround mixing facilities.
- Extended project length: 6 hours at 96kHz; 13 hours at 44.1kHz.
- .Mac backup and sharing of preferences and settings.
- Use of an Apple Remote to control Logic Pro 8 from a distance, with the ability to play, stop, record, rewind, fast-forward, and move to the next or previous track.
- High-end POW-r dithering algorithm.
- Seamless punch-on-the-fly recording.
- Low latency mode to remove plug-in induced latency during recording.
- Graphic beat mapping for creating tempo maps from existing audio.
- Well-designed collection of production-ready templates.
- Multiple documents open at once.
- Bounce to AIFF, WAV (Broadcast Wave), CAF, SDII, MP3, M4A (Apple Lossless, AAC).
- Fast, offline bouncing of single or multiple tracks.
- Burn any bounced audio directly to CD or DVD-A (PCM only).
- Master and author professional, Red Book-standard CDs with WaveBurner, included in Logic Studio.
- Asset management simplifies consolidation and transport of projects and their dependent assets.
- MIDI note extraction from audio for drum replacement and melodic transcription.
- Freeze Tracks feature releases CPU resources by invisibly rendering tracks.
- Distributed audio processing (DAP) aggregates processing power of multiple computers on a network.
- Serial-based copy protection.
- Powerful folders to facilitate organization and streamline various arranging tasks.
Logic Pro X Omnisphere
Extreme Compatibility:
- Open GarageBand songs directly in Logic Pro.
- Support for Apple Core Audio and Digidesign DAE/TDM hardware.
- Support for TDM and AudioSuite plug-ins with DAE/TDM hardware.
- Support for Audio Units plug-ins.
- Support for AAF, OMF, Open TL, and XML (Final Cut Pro).
- Streamlined ReWire support for optimized integration with Reason, Ableton Live, and other ReWire-compatible applications.
Precision Editing:
- Intuitive region-based MIDI and audio editing.
- Comprehensive set of editing tools assignable to left, right, and key-modified mouse buttons.
- Effortless take management:
- Region-based take recording and management in automatically generated take folders.
- Pack existing tracks into take folders.
- Single-click take selection.
- Colorize takes on the fly.
- Intelligent unpacking of take folders onto separate tracks.
- Move and edit entire take folders like any other region.
- Revolutionary Quick Swipe Comping
- Build a comp track from multiple takes.
- Create comps on the fly.
- Audition comps in real time.
- Automatic, customizable crossfades between phrases.
- Flatten function replaces take folder with regions that represent the current comp.
- Flatten and Merge function replaces take folder with newly created audio file.
- Multiple MIDI editors:
- Piano Roll.
- Score.
- Hyper.
- Event List.
- Transform.
- Graphical time stretching and compression in the Arrange window.
- Sample-accurate editing in the Arrange window.
- Definable relative or absolute snap grid.
- Nondestructive graphical fades and crossfades.
- Snap-to-transient selection.
- Shuffle and Auto-Crossfade Arrange Edit modes.
- Destructive sample editing using built-in or external sample editor like Soundtrack Pro 2.
- 10,000-step undo history.
- Time-linear and/or beat-linear display in the Arrange window.
Professional Mixing and Automation:
- Track Mixer views simplify mixer channel navigation.
- Dynamic channel strip creation accelerates mixer setup and configuration.
- Easy setup of multi-output software instruments.
- Signal Flow view option shows all channel strips (e.g., Aux, Output, Master) within the audio signal path of the selected channel strip.
- Save/Load complete plug-in configurations using channel strip settings.
- Sample-accurate, track-based 32-bit automation.
- Track- or region-based solo and mute.
- Track mute/solo in either Fast or CPU-Saving mode.
- Solo safe mode for any channel strip.
- Direct insert patching of external hardware instruments and effects.
- Exponential or dB-linear level meter scaling.
- Busses as sources for recording.
- Inline input monitoring.
- Up to 255 independent mono, stereo, or surround audio channels.
- Up to 255 independent software instrument channels.
- Up to 255 auxiliary channel strips.
- 64 busses.
- 15 inserts, 8 sends per channel.
- 32 multi-assignable channel groups for mix and edit.
- Extensive control surface support with autolearn.
- EuCon protocol support for Euphonix MC and System-5-MC control surface systems.
- Support for Smart AV Smart Console.
- Support for active control surfaces via CS plug-ins.
- Curve tool for refining automation.
- Powerful automation features include:
- Group automation recording.
- Linked editing of grouped automation.
- Automation Quick Access for easy hardware control of currently selected parameter.
- Automate any channel strip parameter or plug-in parameter on the fly or manually input parameter values using a breakpoint interface.
- View multiple automation parameters for a single track at once.
- Simultaneously view and edit automation for single or multiple tracks.
- Read, write, touch, and latch automation modes.
Comprehensive Surround:
- Support for all standard surround configurations, including LCRS, Quad, 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1.
- Support for multichannel interleaved and split surround audio files.
- Play back, record, or process multichannel interleaved audio files.
- Surround level metering.
- Multichannel signal routing via sends, busses, and auxiliaries.
- Graphic Surround Panner to manipulate mono or stereo streams within a surround field.
- Graphic Surround Balancer to simultaneously balance all channels of surround input.
- Support for Logic Studio True Surround plug-ins.
- Built in multi-mono support lets you use any mono or stereo Logic Studio or Audio Units plug-in in a surround project.
- Surround bounce and burn to DVD-A (PCM only) disc.
- Dolby Digital AC-3 encoding and preview with Compressor.
- Easy mixdown to stereo and surround formats using Down Mixer plug-in.
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When the first version of Omnisphere came out in 2008 as Spectrasonics’ flagship software synthesizer, it was well received by the audio community, winning many awards for its sound quality, versatility and power. At that moment Spectrasonics clearly made the transition from releasing sample libraries to designing and releasing instruments. Stylus and Trilian were the other releases that defined this new era for the company.
Omnisphere quickly became an industry standard software synth and its sound could be heard in everything from pop music to film scores. Flash forward to 2015 and it’s a wildly different market now with hundreds of sample-based software synths on the market. I sought to find out if Omnisphere 2 has what it takes to stay on top. Does Spectrasonics keep up with the times and present something new and fresh with this update? I was looking forward to finding out.
Let’s take a look at the new features of this update and review some of the aspects of Omnisphere 2 that set it apart from the competition. There is way more to cover then I was able to in this review, but I will hit some important key points.
Updated Browser
Figure 1—Expanded Browser In Omnisphere 2
Some of the most innovative new features appear in the Browser section. I appreciate the small description of each patch, often including the patches layered or samples used to create it, in addition to any effects or modulation information. This is not a new feature but new users will undoubtly appreciate it. Few software synthesizers provide such useful tips right in the main interface. Omnisphere’s browser does exactly what a Browser should do: allow for quick selection of sounds with the ability to preview them and receive important information about them all in one place.
Figure 2—Patch Description in Browser
The new trademarked features like Sound Match and Sound Lock give users the ability to quickly navigate like sounds and save settings on the go. You can now import custom audio tracks into Omnisphere for truly unique and extensive processing, a feature composers and sound designers have been asking about for quite some time.
Sound Match
Figure 3—Sound Match in the Browser Section
Say you find a patch you like, but would like other choices in the library that are similar to compare it to. This is what Sound Match is all about. Choose a patch, engage the Sound Match button and it will search for similar sounds to audition in the right side browser. I wish all software synth developers incorporated this feature in their patch browsers. I have run into the issue of finding like sounds many times in other instruments, so I find this feature so refreshing. If you tend to create your own patches or import your own audio to make a patch, it’s a good idea to spend time tagging it with keywords so it can work for you within Sound Match.
Sound Lock
Figure 4—Sound Lock Drop-Down Menu
How To Use Keyscape In Logic
Sound Lock allows you to lock various parameters while designing or browsing for sounds. All parameters can be locked while you switch out a sound patch or individual parameters. So, if you spend time designing an Arp pattern and want to audition different patches with that pattern, select Arpeggiator under the Sound Lock menu in the top right corner of the instrument. It’s pretty clear how this can come in handy for sound designers.
How To Use Omnisphere 2 In Logic Pro X 8
Importing Audio
Figure 5—Imported Audio Sample in Part A
The import audio feature is not readily available in the Browser section upon first look. You have to choose ‘User Audio’ in the Utility menu to reveal the ‘drag and drop’ window, or choose the small folder icon in the Sample window in section A or B. New Omnisphere users should be aware of the utility menu in general as it includes saving, loading and clearing custom multis, patches and layers among other important prompts.
Figure 6—Utility Menu in Omnisphere
I was impressed by the granular synthesis technique Eric Persing demonstrated in the Omnisphere 2 promotional video so I wanted to try the same technique with a short sample of a Handpan performance by my friend Stevan Morris. In the promotional video, Eric imported a sample of a full jazz track and immediately morphed it into a textural soundscape with the granular controls. Results with the Handpan sample were similiar. The source audio quickly became unrecognizable from the original, but that’s part of the fun! I changed the position of the sampled piece of audio to modify the tone and texture of the granular output. Within this one feature, there were so many wonderful possibilities I could use as is or further process with the FX section.
Figure 7—Granular Synthesis in Omnisphere
I also opted to run my custom Handpan sample through an effect in the FX section called Innerspace. I was hooked on that effect at first listen. Within Innerspace alone, there are incredible settings to explore. Also, simply reversing the sample in the A section and moving the start slider to different position yielded some usable results. In the demo below, you’ll hear part of the original Handpan performance layered with these new textures.
New Sounds and Samples
Figure 8 – Bowed Ceramic Kalimba
Over 5000 Soundsources and patches were added to the already extensive library totalling more than 12,000 sounds! The degree of custom morphing of the Soundsources and patches available in Omnisphere guarantees that producers and sound designers will create infinite, unique variations. Some of the new Soundsources sampled include Diego Stocco’s custom built instruments played in every conceivable fashion, circuit bending samples, cave stalactites, a ‘Spotlight EDM’ with modern sounds for dance producers and much more. The Spectrasonics team went out of their way to bring the most unique sources to users to keep sound design fresh and interesting.
Figure 9—Recording Stalactites in a Cave
New FX units and Multi Racks
Spectrasonics
Perhaps one of the most substantial upgrades to Omnisphere is additional FX racks, patches and multi racks. There are 25 new FX units including analog modeled effects, filters, cabinets, compressors, EQs and resonators. Users can build their own custom racks or use one of the dozen preset racks as a starting point. I’ve already mentioned Innerspace as one of my new favorite effects. The different compressors are handy and sound great, especially when designing a patch that needs a boost or when taming a loud, distorted patch with a quick limiter inside the instrument.
Figure 10—New ‘Innerspace’ Creative Effect
Many Ways to Mix and Mangle
Once you’ve chosen a sample or a waveform to start with in Part A or B of the interface, it’s time to design and mangle to your heart's content. There are over 400 new DSP Waveforms available so you won’t get bored. Mix two sample patches, two synths or mix and match using the A and B sections. Route your oscillators to an LFO, filter, envelope or controller via the right-click menu on any parameter in that section. Create polyrhythmic movement with your synth patch in seconds via multiple LFOs. Use up to 8 different Arpeggiators in a patch. Move the sound around in space using the Orb interface and record an instance to use on every note you play and hold. If you intend to use Omnisphere in a live setting, Live Mode allows for seamless patch layering on the fly and Stack Mode allows you to do keyboard splits and complex patch layering. I can go on but you get the idea. Omnisphere 2 is special because it brings together many types of synthesis under one clean and easy to use interface. There is something for every type of audio producer here.
Figure 11—Arpeggiator in Omnisphere
Wrap Up
So, has Omnisphere 2 lived up to its previous reputation as the king of software synths? I say without a doubt. Omnisphere 2 is a tool that will live on and provide endless sounds and inspiration for musicians, producers and sound designers for the foreseeable future.
Price: $499, Standard Upgrade $249 Pros: Great sounds and FX. Flexible Modulation routing and limitless sound design capabilities. Cons: Users new to Omnisphere Modulation Matrix and deeper functions will need to research for methods and possibilities. Web: https://www.spectrasonics.net/products/omnisphere/index.php Watch Video Course: http://www.askvideo.com/course/omnisphere-101-omnisphere-2-explored |