Previewing HSO sounds?

I’m not expecting too much in the way of replies to my query here.
Most posts in “Welcome to …” forums that I’ve experienced, go along the lines of,
"Hi guys, my names Otto and I’ve just started using ???, and I think it’s fab/sucks (delete as appropriate).

Anyway, here’s hoping.

I’m a little way into the Cubase 5 trial of HSO 16bit. I’m liking the sounds and spending a lot of my time trying to figure out how to use it, but I’m getting there…slowly.

The biggest irritation for me, so far though, is trying to preview sounds.

At the moment I have to click the arrow (load program) for the drop box to appear, click on the group and then select the instrument. If, on playing, I don’t like the sound and want to change it I have to go through the same process again. The currently loaded sound isn’t even highlighted making it even more of a pain.

Is there a way of scrolling through the sounds and previewing as I go?


Crazy that I can’t post this in the HSO forum.

It is frustrating the way things are set up here. You almost have to seek out individuals(or take the financial plunge) and PM them for answers. That’s what I would do(PM somebody in the C5 forum) if nobody answers your post here… a bit like hitch hiking on a desert highway, huh? :slight_smile:

Hi, KevetS.
Unfortunately, that’s the way scrolling through instruments works in HSO. Hopefully it is made much easier in the new HalionSonic SE bundled with Cubase 6. If you made up your mind to purchase Cubase, it’s worthwhile getting Cubase 6 when it is finally available.
Meanwhile, you can browse HSO instruments with more elegance and ease if you load the HSO vsti into an instrument track and click on “Load Track Preset” slot in the track inspector. A small variation of the Media Bay window will come up with all the category search goodies, where you’ll be able to locate and browse the instruments,enabling them by just a single click, trying them out etc. Note that those HSO track presets will load only the “Lite” versions of HSO instruments. If you want to have more of them listed, you’ll have to make and save your own track presets manually.

The HSO UI really lets it down. Small, counter-intuitive listings, fields not large enough to display the whole name, etc, etc. It took me a fair while of tinkering to get presets set up and they certainly help.

I loaded up seperate instances with different instruments - eg all violins, all trumpets, or whatever, and different sounds on different midi channels. That made it easier to audition the sounds (by changing MIDI Channel) and with a bit of fine tuning I ended up with different HSO instances for strings , brass, soloists, violin sections, etc. Works for me, but it took a lot of tinkering. I am sure there are more streamlined ways to do it!



But having got through all that, I really like it and think it’s an absolutley great piece of kit, especially at the price. I’m keen to see how much easier it is to operate now you can bang it into Halion Sonic SE in Cubase 6.

Thanks guys, I appreciate your replies.

As you say Ian, the UI lets it down. Seems like a perfect example of how not to design an interface. Great sounds though! Guess I’ll just have to persevere.