Anyone else found a way - other than adding ppp throughout - to reduce the unnaturally loud dynamic of the oboe as supplied with the HALion Sonic SE 2?
I could reduce its decibels in the Mixer. Is that the best/accepted way?
You could could also modify some settings inside the oboe page in the HALion editor — you have access to many settings, among which volume and pitch…
Thank you, Marc - I guess I’ll try that. It is loud, though, isn’t it!
it’s loud all right. Only the most extreme example, as the relative baseline loudness of many of the instruments doesn’t seem to correspond closely to what you’d hear IRL.
Having studied this thread a bit and having tried to use the suggestions given, I’m stumped. I don’t really understand how to use the Halion editing page. The controls are pretty much incomprehensible to me. I have a score for full orchestra, and the oboe marked pp is louder than the strings marked ff. I feel I must be doing something wrong, but don’t have a clue what. It sounds like the oboe is about six inches from my ear, while the string sections are at least a half mile away.
I’m guessing (just guessing) that the real solution has something to do with using Halion Symphony Orchestra rather than Halion Sonic SE, but don’t understand how to access those sounds. Having used Dorico Help to try to resolve this, I can’t make heads or tails or the documentation about this subject. Is there a guide somewhere to learning how to use the Halion editing page? Is there an easy solution to the oboe problem? (Other than strangling the player that is?)
–L3B
As to your last paragraph:
No, the Halion Symphony Orchestra is the same Orchestra you get access to in the Halion Sonic SE. It’s just the name of the included Samples and actually it does not make real sense that it appears in the list of plug ins on its own. You will notice that when you open one instance of the symphonic orchestra the same Halion Sonic SE player will be opened.
But if you did that, you should be able to simply click the “Mix” Tab and adjust the volume of the slot where your oboe is loaded.
You may want to try Noteperformer instead. You’ll get better results with it across the board than the Steinberg provided samples.
eboats: If I could afford it I certainly would do that, but can’t just now.
–L3B
Are you aware NP offers a rent-to-own option? $10.75 a month!
Dan–
No, I was not aware of that. Thanks! That will solve my problem.
–L3B
I had this issue too, and what Marc suggested solved it.
- Select the Play tab in the score.
- Expand the oboe track and click the button to the right of the “HALion Sonic SE” drop down (the tiny button with a keyboard). This opens the HALion Sonic SE window.
- In the list of instruments on the left, select the oboe.
- In the panel to the right, select the Edit tab.
- In the Amplifier section at the lower right, lower the value of the Level dial.
I had tried going to the Mix tab and use the Level sliders there, but they snap back to their original position as soon as you play the music.
HTH