Ok Final Wish List....The time is SOON! Halion 7

Virtual instruments HALion
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Do you guys have any FINAL wish lists for version 7? I know we had a thread…and we didn’t really get any feedback… but here are some of my FINAL wishes!

  1. Lock the Macro Controls to automatically control: Cutoff, Release, Attack etc for ALL synths loaded. Need that piano sound that has like 5 different layers to sound like a pad? No problem! Just ease off the attack knob on 5 knobs and it controls attack of all layers at the same time!

  2. A Universal tone shaping EQ that’s maybe loaded at the top of the plugin. Like a final “sweetenizer” kinda plugin. Easy way to add some high end or take out the low end without having to dive into the mixer.

  3. “Export your Syth” Option. Need to take YOUR presets over to your buddy who also has Halion? Export Your Synth MAAAAAAANE! It just backs up all your presets onto a thumb drive that way you can take your Workstation WHEREVER!

  4. Skins. It’s kinda lame we ALL have to use the same looking thing. This ain’t Henry Ford. We need options.

Ok. I’m done!

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  1. Proper FM synth engine
  2. Custom draw of wavetables
  3. Flex Phraser with graphic overview so you don’t have to guess
  4. Trigger pads that actually work in combination with chord pads
  5. Graphic view of synths parameters like Serum or Phase Plant
  6. Drag and drop to modulate parameters

Simple stuff all modern synths-samplers have…but at this point I am almost positive nothing from my list will make it to HALion 7.

Finally it would be a true miracle if they release HALion 7 before Christmas.

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Custom draw of wavetables already exists in a manner

On the Envelope and Spectrum tabs, adjust the wavetable envelope or edit the spectrum of the wave.

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The bar is presently being set by UVI FALCON for modular synth-sampler based on the LUA script.

Without re-hashing the full feature set, I would like Steinberg engineers to take the competition & come back with their own take as they done so before.

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1.) Easier/quicker multisample to multikey mapping, pitch detection based mapping, same pitch = different velocity layer, velocity detection, etc… make it one button AI intelligent.

2.) VST blocks, 3rd party can adapt their existing VST3 plugins for… both effects or instruments (Eurorack modules)

3.) Custom Impulse Responses, embedded with instrument file

4.) Impulse Response Creator (See Abletons)

5.) Advanced Hardware Modeler via layered convolution… ie, creating a one or two knob effect for the user based on the response. If you send lots of sweeps at different combinations of Amplitude and Time, as well as maybe some noise sweeps and different program material… You could abstract fairly closely the frequency curve, compression and input trigger threshold, saturation, tone, decay, etc. User would need to be able to set capture interval (if there is reverb decay), and depending on user selected detail (how many samples are taken), will affect the amount of time it takes. It could be one sine sweep lasting 10 seconds, or, it could be 1000 sine sweeps. The program will take the result and essentially create an algorithmic vst effect with an “Amount Knob” and “Mix Knob”

This way, people can come up with a certain hardware chain in their studio, and impart it as character onto their Halion instrument creation. A Multiband Tubetech Compressor that compresses high frequencies and lows differently is now in a Marimba halion instrument.

7.) If the above can’t be accomplished and or also… add more beneath the hood options for tone, harmonic distortion, compression, etc, etc… hardware emulations… Users should be able to build almost their own circuit beneath the GUI of the instrument that is “their secret sauce”.

8.) Eventide VSIG/H9000 style effect building, allow users to keep their sauce secret.

9.) GPU power enabled - use graphics card power to run plugin.

10.) Note Expression matrix and features

11.) MIDI 2.0 Tools/assets

12.) Analog hardware and synth modelling assets… ie “Rowland” filters vs “Kord” filters vs “Mouge” filters. circuitry tone, etc, etc. Let us have the input section and circuitry of a Mouge, and the EQ and output of Nieve. Make it like combining different circuit boards together and components together.

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The problem with Flacon is that it’s library doesn’t sound very good. I have a Motif ES and a Yamaha EX5….and I definitely “hear” some of those samples in Halion. They aren’t mixed as good….maybe the “B” session files that didn’t cut it?

I DO like how much material UVI releases. You could have a LOT of sounds if you went to that platform.

SpiderMix

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Yes! Custom defaults! I assume that’s what you meant? If not. Apologies. I wish I could just load up a DEFAULT reverb setting automatically when you load it on. The default setting is awful.

SpiderMix

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no I meant I want to use my own convolution IRs.

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On the contrary… Halion has the original 44.1 kHz versions of those samples. The Motif has always used “fast” lossy compression, sometimes requiring additional dynamic range compression and EQ to be baked into the sample to prevent details from being lost. On top of that, dynamic layers and articulations had to be cut from the real hardware in order for everything to fit into the Motif’s ROM.

If you use Init programs to compare the raw samples while level matching them, you’ll notice that the Halion versions are either pretty much the same or have a little more dynamic range. They’re generally better suited for reprocessing, which will probably be happening a lot when using a DAW.

Do note that a good chunk of the original Halion Sonic 1 library was produced by ex-Wizoo staff, and may sound similar to Motif samples by coincidence.

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YES! But until…the Reverence Reverb default sounds pretty terrible. The bass is turned up all the way and the midrange is boosted in a weird way. I don’t understand why you can’t save a setting as a DEFAULT.

SpiderMix

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Yep, were on the same page Romantique…what I’m referring to is the actual MIX of the samples. Like taking out the boomy low end. Lots of resonance in the 200HZ range on a LOT of the samples. Those are not there on my Motif. Similar. Just “mastered” a little better.

SpiderMix

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Fast sample-based sound preview like in NI Komplete Kontrol (including the sounds of their HALion equivalent KONTAKT) would be great. .
The current pre-listening function in Cubase always requires to load-in each patch/Sound. Thus searching for Sounds is a thing that is still quite time consuming in HALion.

OK… quite late with my feature request :joy:. So if it is not on the to do list for 7 (or HALion Sonic 4) this is my wish for HALion 8 (or HALion Sonic 5) :grinning:

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At least you made it by the bell dynamaltee!

A wee bit more.

  1. Have a universal “Tone” knob. Bass/Treble/Mid. This would sit at the TOP of the interface and allow you to make fast adjustments to all layers.

  2. The “SOUND” tab…with voice management. Why is that called “Sound”. Anyway…why is it so limited? I like that I can make all synths on that zone monophonic…by why no glide control for all groups?

  3. While were at it…why no universal control of ADSR for all zones? Having to manually do it for EVERY single sound can get time consuming.

  4. Why are the controls just all over the place in the zone editor? Why why not issue a simple update to at LEAST allow for color coding of the various parameter areas.

  5. When you click on an item in the program tree…why doesn’t it automatically adjust what you see in the zone area? Sometimes it does…usually it doesn’t. You can get lost REALLY QUICK.

  6. On the rating system…why can’t we maybe “control click” on a number and only see sounds rated with that rating?

  7. Why is the DSP usage so HEAVY when you use the wavetable engine? YIKES.

  8. On the “Load Sound” popup window…WHY WON’T IT REMEMBER THE SIZE I STRETCHED IT TO!!! Ugh. Why not have the option to set a default view for this window. It’s nuts currently.

  9. In Halion…why is the interface so JUMPY! Like using the scroll button on your mouse can get you into BIG trouble if you are over a knob. There should be an option to disable this.

  10. Why is loading sounds so dang slow? Fast previews as mentioned before could help a LOT.

  11. Why are the AMP Sims and Distortions so awful!

  12. Why is the Leslie Awful?

  13. Why have the default reverb set so that it has super boomy bass? Why can’t I have a default setting for every plugin?

  14. Why can’t I lock certain GUI elements so I don’t accidentally drag them?

  15. Why don’t we have ANY of that LEGACY DSP Yamaha has TONS of. Why not do a CS6X Expansion for Halion. Maybe a EX5! ALL the FDSP Glory!. How about a AN1X Engine you could buy for Halion! That would be sweet! How about putting out the older Motif sounds as expansions.

WHY IS TINY LITTLE UVI putting out TONS of sound ware…and we get some really strange and not so high quality choices!

UNIFY THE TROOPS YAMAHA!

Ok. I’m done. This wasn’t meant to be mean or beat up on Steinberg. Halion is a big mess and it’s historically very buggy and follows no logical design to make working with it fun…HOWEVER…it is STILL the most powerful synth I’ve ever worked on.

SpiderMix
Come On Steinberg Type Homies.

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Falcon’s factory library is almost, if not completely synth based and it’s pretty good. The expansions are extremely good, though, and for people who use presets that is where a lot of the value lies. The UVI Soundware is fine. They should sell a bundle like NI, though. And I’m not sure I’m willing to buy another SSD to hold more sample libraries. I think IKM is comparable, outside of the Orchestral Libraries.

I am struggling to find a role for HALion 6 because Steinberg doesn’t release enough content for it, almost no third parties are on board and what does exist is outcompeted with ease by Komplete or SampleTank.

Beyond that, NI, UVI and Arturia are much better at delivering a constant stream of high quality expansion content. Steinberg really does very little of that for HALion. So much of the HALion stuff they offer is for the film scoring market or quite esoteric.

I could probably say the same for Groove Agent, but I think that type of virtual instrument is a lot more broadly useful for more people.

If I’m going to be using a synth workstation to develop my own synth patches, I’d probably prefer to use Falcon. Better UX and licensing, and I don’t see a point in paying to upgrade when I can just drop it and use another solution.

I don’t really have an issue with the factory content. It is like the Kontakt Factory Library to me. It’s a decent starter library, nothing more.

I do think Falcon has far better FX, though, especially when it comes to Reverbs, Delays and Modulation FX. It has better MIDI FX and Sequencer tools, as well.

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Embrace Yamaha!

  1. DX7 or FM-X style synthesis.
  2. CS modeled filter options.
  3. AN1X engine for VA.
  4. SPX effects.
  5. Make it easier to create Macro’s to export.
  6. Complete redo of BeatBox, for that matter just get rid of most of the prefab modules.
  7. Update the step sequencer.
  8. Compatible with 5k screens.
  9. Rev5 emulation.
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Advanced FM engine would be cool.

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An FM engine developed specifically for HALion has already been announced.

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Are you sure? Where?

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Yeah, I have NO IDEA how they are pumping out those SWEET UPDATES for FREE. We NEVER get free features. Just bug fixes. And not many of those. If I had to make the decision TODAY I PROBABLY wouldn’t have invested in Halion since the platform is essentially dead until Steinberg can charge us for more features. Kinda lame.

SpiderMix

1 Like
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2.) VST blocks, 3rd party can adapt their existing VST3 plugins for… both effects or instruments (Eurorack modules)

Super Love This!
SpiderMix