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What´s New in HALion Sonic 1.5
December 2010
Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH
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New features
64-bit support for MAC OS X
• HALion Sonic 1.5 is available as a native 64-bit plug-in and
should work in any VST 2.4, VST 3 or VST 3.5 compatible
native 64-bit host, such as Cubase 6. The dramatically
enhanced memory address space gives new possibilities
for really large setups.
New set of brass and reed programs
• With version 1.5, HALion Sonic´s sample library has been
expanded with 1.2 GB of new brass and reed programs
including Baritone Sax, Tenor Sax, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax,
Clarinet, Brass Section, Flugelhorn, Trombone, Trumpet
and Muted Trumpet.
• Multi Expression Instruments and Single Layer Programs
include expressions like straight, vibrato, falls, doits, scoops
and shakes.
General MIDI support with new GM instrument set
• HALion Sonic 1.5 includes a dedicated new GM instrument
set providing General MIDI support including MIDI program
change and preloaded chorus and reverb effect.
FlexPhraser variations
• Each FlexPhraser features up to eight variations that allows
you to set up different phrases or variations of phrases or
loops.
• Variations can be switched using the trigger pads.
Global Latch (Hold) Reset via a user-definable MIDI CC
• All FlexPhrases that are in "Hold" mode can be reset via
user-definable MIDI CC.
Four new Distortion modes for the filter
• The following new distortion modes have been added to the
filter type section: Hard Clipping, Bit Reduction, Sample
Rate Reduction and Sample Rate Reduction Key Follow.
HALion 3 legacy effects library included
• In addition to the standard effects, HALion Sonic 1.5
includes no less than 28 additional legacy effects from
HALion 3.
New distortion insert FX
• HAlion Sonic 1.5 provides a new distortion insert effect
allowing to combine Tube Drive, Hard Clip, Bit Reduction
and Sample Rate Reduction.
Sub presets for the pad section
• Trigger note settings and chord snapshots can be saved
and loaded as presets.
Global trigger notes for trigger pads section
• Trigger note settings can be saved as default setting to be
used globally to reflect a specific hardware environment.
Loading programs or multi programs will not change
assigned trigger notes.
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Locking FlexPhrasers and trigger pads
• FlexPhraser and trigger pad settings can be locked to keep
phrases in combination with other programs or layers.
Cut, copy, paste of programs
• Programs can be copied or moved between slots within a
single instance or across multiple instances of HALion
Sonic.
Controller filter per program and layer
• Most commonly used MIDI Controllers such as Sustain
Pedal, Foot Controller, Foot Switch, Pitchbend Wheel,
Modulation Wheel and Aftertouch can be filtered out per
program and layer.
Assignable key commands
• Key commands can be set for various actions.
Prepared for optional VST Sound Instrument Sets
• HALion Sonic 1.5 supports upcoming VST Sound
Instrument Sets (available from Steinberg in the future)
featuring additional content paired with a customized user
interface that includes the most important controls for
instant sound tweaking.
MediaBay Filter for VST Sound Instrument Sets
• The results list in the MediaBay can now be limited either to
a certain VST Sound Instrument Set or all available
instrument sets.
Enhancements
Enhanced key switch functionality
•
For instrument programs providing multiple expressions, it is
now possible to choose either Key Switch or Temporary KS
mode. In Temporary KS Mode an expression is played as
long as the key switch note is held. On release of the key
switch note, the expression switches back to a definable
default expression.
Enhanced MIDI controller assignment
•
Parameters from the Edit Page that can be controlled by
quick controls, are now directly accessible via MIDI
controllers, too.
Enhanced Glide functionality
•
Glide can now be set to Constant Time or Constant Speed.
•
The glide curve can be set to either Linear, Exponential or
Quantized.
Enhanced standalone support
•
HALion 1.5 supports the Steinberg hardware controllers
CC121 / CI2 / CI2+ in standalone mode.
•
Sample rate can be adjusted for connected audio hardware
in standalone mode.
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Enhanced editing for the Mod Matrix curve
•
When editing curves in the Mod Matrix custom curve the
value tooltip indicates the resulting parameter value.
•
The scaling of the Mod Matrix curve now adapts to
uni/bipolar settings.
Note Expression / Cubase improvements
Requires Cubase 6
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Note Expression support provides 8 freely assignable Note
Expression controllers in the Mod Matrix.
•
Note Expression editor shows all assignments with
destination and depth control.
•
HALion Sonic Quick Controls are automatically assigned to
Cubase Quick Controls.
•
Note Expression assignable as source for the global
controllers in the modulation matrix.
Improved performance
•
Optimized Cross Modulation-, Sync- and XOR-Oscillators
results in up to 30% improved performance.
•
Optimized streaming performance and loading speed.
•
Improved dezipping of MIDI controllers and Note
Expression controllers assigned in the modulation matrix of
HALion Sonic.
Fixes
•
The issue where setting the Compressor to on/off resulted
in unwanted switching noise has been fixed.
•
The issue in the Multi chain section where assigning a multi
to a slot refocused the selected slot has been fixed.
•
The issue where up/down keys passed to host when on
top/bottom slot has been fixed.
•
Highlighted programs in the MediaBay can now be loaded
by pressing the [Enter] button.
•
"Max CPU" settings below 20% now behave correctly.
•
The FlexPhrase phrase “Soul Band” now plays in the
correct octave.
•
Using CC10 (pan) now results in visual response.
•
Ableton Live 8.1.3 no longer crashes if USB-eLicenser Key
is not connected.
•
Mute Solo misbehaviour has been fixed.
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The issue where chords from one trigger pad stealed notes
from another trigger pad has been fixed.
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Automation of QC´s now work for the startup preset.
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Loading a sound via context menu or dropdown arrow on
slot now focus the slot directly.
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Save multi program dialog now shows "Save Multi Program"
in the caption.
•
Mod Matrix: Unintended editing of curvature of another
section has been fixed.
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Custom curve value tooltips are now readable.
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Wrong curvature values have been fixed.
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The issue with Logic 9, where instruments with running
FlexPhraser did not play when jumping to part beginning via
spacebar has been fixed.
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The default sound “Sonic Dancer” now loads with no offset
on the sphere.
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Value tooltip in custom curve is now displayed correctly.
•
Pan of Slot 1 now has the correct value when instantiating
the plug-in.
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Improved Amp Simulator CPU performance.
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The separators now appear between columns in the results
list of the MediaBay.
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Startup preset (Layer 1) now displays the correct phrase.
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Slice layer selection is now possible during playback.
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The key command issue where the Cubase transport
functions could not be controlled via the “Enter” key, due to
the focus on the “Load” page has been fixed.
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When loading a sound via "Load Page" the Program will
now be added to the dedicated HALion Sonic instance.
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Improved slice selection in Key Map editor.
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The MIDI Controller list in the Mod Matrix has been
improved.
HALion Sonic 1.5 - What´s New 5 of 5 Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH – December 2010
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