Why isn't there a built in macro page/front end for the analog synth engine?

FM lab and x-stream have a front panel/macro that bring all the functionality into one easier to use instrument, why not the analog synth?

Halion actually has the best sounding analog synth engine around imo, can easily compete with u-he stuff but fails on the usability. I can’t keep clicking all these tabs. I really want halion to be my everything sound workstation but getting around it is just so annoying

Please Steinberg???

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Aren’t Anima, Trip, Trium and Voltage the “analogue” synths?

@Googly_Smythe you almost nailed it!
Anima uses the engine from the wave table zone.
You are right on the money with Trium, Trip and of course Voltage.

Trium and Voltage come with HALion 7 or the HALion Sonic Collection.
Trip is included with any, more or less, recent Cubase license.

@jonny.turner487
If you wonder what the differences are, they each have their own preset collection and where influenced by different styles and periods.
I hope that lifts your heart a little and I hope even more that playing with these will inspire you to make a lot of music :slight_smile:

Voltage

Trium

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@Philippe_Bono
In my opinion,
HALion need to dedicated synh UI with modern design.
Those synhs are so cool sounds, but UI is outdated.

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There is no denying it, these macro pages are very dated. They would profit from drag and drop modulation, oscilloscope and other modern UX. On the other hand, there are some cool presets in these old instruments and the parameters are simple enough.

For me, personally, I am happy with the Zone editor.
Since HALion 7, I can jump back and forth, directly, between modulation source and target parameter. This is such a fast workflow. I even prefer it to cable workflow such as VCV Rack or pure data. Simply because I click a knob, and I see immediately any modulation source connected, and can adjust the amount. No cable mess. It also makes the scrolling more manageable, especially if all Zone modules are visible. I just jump straight to the end of the connection. All this, without even going near of the modulation matrix.
For me, that was a game changer.

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@Philippe_Bono
I totally agree with you!
New modulation system is really comfortable.
But I want more modulation destination, especially FX section.

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Yes, I know. Modulation connections are like cowbells, it needs more! :wink:
As usual, no promises when or ever. But it is on the list!

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@Philippe_Bono
Really?
I’m so excited😍
I can’t wait for try it!
by the way, Philip, Are you Steinberg guy?

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Yes, member of HALion Team. Best job ever :slight_smile:

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@Philippe_Bono
Oh…sorry… I misunderstood😭
I love HALion, so I have been using HALion since version 4.

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Philippe, Thanks very much for taking the time to reply. The examples of voltage and trium sort of prove my point though. They don’t cover anything like that vast possibilities of halion. Is that the best we can do? It’s like Steinberg have created the parts to create the worlds fastest sports car and use them to make Fiat Pandas.

If everything was made into a proper fully featured instrument, you’d have an absolute winner. Could easily out shine Zebra, which is at this point is ancient but is still used because workflow. Also its ironic how the Ui of the backend of Halion is actually very high tech but the instruments and macros look like …this?

Don’t mean to rant. I love Steinberg and halion could be so great but its just a wasted opportunity. So much you could achieve with it.

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I agree with you, but I think it’s worth noting that most libraries included with Halion today were made for Halion Sonic, which largely attempts to provide the hardware workstation experience (think Motif, JV…) in a modernized plug-in format. Naturally, most Macro Pages for Halion Sonic libraries are either easy and quick to use or have some gimmick.

Voltage is pretty much “Retrologue-lite”. The Macro Page is clearly designed to make it easy to create 80s-style analog synth patches, like something you might hear coming from a Jupiter-8 or Prophet-5.

Meanwhile, Trium and Anima take more of a “preset box” approach. They’re Dance synths that keep almost every parameter you might want to automate within reach. You can make your own sounds with them, but IMO, they work best when you’re modifying the factory Programs.

The Macro Pages for FM Lab and X-Stream are fantastic, and frankly, I wonder if I would ever use Retrologue again if there there was an analog synth library in this modernized style. At the same time, I still think simpler Macro Pages in the style of Voltage and most acoustic instruments have some value, and I would rather they be given modern Halion features (such as drag and drop, higher resolution…) than replaced entirely. The Trium and Anima style Macros can probably just go though, I think the modern style has outclassed them in every way, being both easy to edit and automate.

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Yeah completely agreed with what you’ve said.

I understand the principle of smaller instrument macros for specific types of sounds or aping a specific instrument i.e. minimoog, but its all so dated, and why would i want to use them when I have Diva, Omni etc etc

I think SB really need to pivot on what halion is about, can’t imagine there is a large user base or it makes much money for them. If they did macro pages for all the sound modules I guess I’d be happier, but even better they could even just make a stand alone instrument for it with all the modules arranged into an instrument. Call it Halion X or whatever. They have the tech for it all already. So much potential to be omni/zebra/serum etc all in one box.

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