Omnisphere 2 Explained^®

Chapter 1 : Working with the Library

• 3:49

  Getting Started

  Welcome to Omnisphere 2.0. In this series we'll take a fresh look at the entire instrument from the ground up, starting with an overview of the basic organization and architecture of the plug-in and how it generates sound.

• 4:34

  First Sounds

  Learn about the Header section of Omnisphere, see how to access the three different browsers, and learn how to create new sounds from existing patches by changing the sound sources used in each of the patch's two layers.

• 4:22

  The Mini Browser

  See how this new Omnisphere 2.0 feature is used for either attribute or sound match based browsing.

• 7:39

  Searching in the Full Browser

  Discover how to use and customize the category, attribute and search fields to search for patches and sound sources by key words and metadata. See how Search Lock is useful when searching and loading patches as well as sound sources.

• 5:14

  Boolean Filtering

  Discover how the boolean operators “And”, “Or”, and “Not” are used in conjunction with the search field and attribute columns to generate search results that include or exclude patches with multiple attribute specific tags.

• 6:35

  Loading Sounds

  Learn how to sort patches and sound sources, how to use ratings to sort by favourites, how to use the browser settings to audition samples on loading and how to synchronize attributes when changing parts. Also see how to reduce or thin the number of samples loaded using either scale, velocity, or range criteria; or using pitch thinning based on the notes you need for your current arrangement.

• 6:33

  Match & Lock Browsing

  Explore two of Omnisphere 2.0's new intelligent browsing features. Sound match returns a set of sounds based on similar metadata, and sound lock preserves various aspects of a source sound and applies them to a destination patch.

• 3:30

  Importing User Audio

  Discover how to bring your own audio into the SoundSource browser and process it with some of Omnisphere 2.0's powerful synthesis features.

• 4:21

  Saving & Managing Sounds

  Learn about initializing versus clearing patches multis and layers, how and where to save and delete customized sounds, and how to use the “Save Patch Quick” function to update custom patches.

• 5:41

  Editing Tags

  Learn how to customize the attribute and assignment metadata associated with patches so that they can be searched and sorted more effectively in Omnisphere's patch browser.

• 5:26

  Working With Projects

  Explore the use of Projects as a way or bookmarking, collecting, and organizing sounds into user defined groupings that are meaningful to your own personal workflow. Projects can include multis, patches, and sound sources. It is another tool for organizing Omnisphere's library to suit your needs.

• 6:55

  The Main Page Pt. 1

  See how this page is used as a kind of “dashboard”, to access all the important performance controls necessary to tweak the sound of a patch easily.

• 5:06

  The Main Page Pt. 2

  Hear how the Solo, Glide, and legato modes work, how the alternate sustain pedal modes are used, and how the Main Page filter controls sound.

Chapter 2 : Working with the Synth Engine

• 5:50

  Working with Layers

  Explore the layer pages and see how parameter adjustments can be made either uniquely for each layer or linked together, which parameters remain independent for the two layers, and how the amp, transposition, coarse tuning, fine tuning, and tracking parameters work.

• 2:32

  Oscillators Overview

  Oscillators are the basic DNA of Omnisphere's patches. Learn how to switch between using Soundsources and DSP generated wavetables, and how access the various oscillator functions that are available.

• 4:34

  Sample Mode Controls

  Discover how timbre shifting and timbre crushing are used to vary the harmonic quality of the sound sources by shifting, transposing, filtering, and bit crushing the samples; and how the start slider and reverse button influence playback of the mapped samples.

• 4:54

  The Soundsource Zoom

  See how to work with Trilian based sound sources within Omnisphere 2.0, including using sublayers, special articulations, and sample thinning.

• 5:24

  Basic Synthesis Controls Pt. 1

  Discover who the shape, symmetry, and hard sync sliders are used to create timbral changes to DSP generated wavetables.

• 3:58

  Basic Synthesis Controls Pt. 2

  Hear how the analog and phase controls are used to detune and change the phase relationship between the two oscillators in Layer A and Layer B.

• 8:34

  FM Synthesis

  Explore how the timbral characteristics of the layer's oscillator (carrier) is changed by modulating the frequency of another waveform (Modulator) and how the FM synthesis controls are used to alter the result of this frequency modulation.

• 4:07

  Ring Modulation Synthesis

  Similar to FM synthesis, but the overall amplitude is modulated by multiplying the frequencies of the layer's main oscillator with the modulator oscillator. Hear how it is used to create a nasty synth bass sound by adding some aggressive bite to one of Omnisphere's wavetables.

• 4:08

  Waveshaper Synthesis

  Hear how this section is used to degrade the layer's oscillator by reducing the bit depth, adding wave shaping, and reducing the sample rate.

• 4:15

  Unison Mode

  Hear how this function is used to thicken up a sound by triggering additional oscillators that are slightly detuned.

• 5:00

  Harmonia Mode

  Explore the amp and synth parameters available in this mode. They are used to control up to four automatically generated oscillators per layer which are used to create harmonies with the layer's main oscillator.

• 7:48

  Granular Synthesis

  Discover how this engine is used to break apart audio into fragments called grains, and how it is used to create long evolving sonic textures.

Chapter 3 : Animating the Sound

• 6:37

  Working With Modulation

  Modulation adds motion to a sound by having g a modulation source affect the value of a target parameter in some way. See who modulation routings are set up and managed in Omnisphere 2.0.

• 5:31

  Using the Filter Section

  Explore Omnisphere's powerful filter controls, including cutoff, resonance, filter tracking, and the variant slider which moves the cutoff frequency in opposite directions on the left and right channels of a stereo sound.

• 5:02

  The Filter Envelope

  Hear how the filter envelope is used as a modulation source that modulates the characteristics of the filter's cutoff frequency over time, and how the filter envelope depth knob is used to se the amount the filter envelope influences the filter section.

• 6:11

  Working in Dual Filter Mode

  Explore Omnisphere's Filter Zoom section, and see how to setup, route, and offset two separate filter algorithms together on a single layer in a patch.

• 7:56

  Working With LFOs

  Explore how these waveform shapes are used as sources for cyclical modulation effects. Learn how to sync them to tempo, use the various trigger modes, change shapes, start them at different points in their cycle, delay their onset, and more.

• 5:41

  ADSR Envelopes

  Envelopes are the contours that shape the sound coming from the oscillators and the filters. Learn how to navigate the Envelope section of the Omnisphere interface and how to adjust the four different stages that occur over the duration of a note.

• 6:43

  Multi Stage Envelopes Pt. 1

  Explore the Envelope zoom and see how to work with and create multiple stage modulation envelopes.

• 5:17

  Multi Stage Envelopes Pt. 2

  Discover how the chaos controls are used to randomize envelope curves and levels, and how the speed, depth, looping, sync, and trigger controls are used to control the playback of the envelopes.

• 3:34

  Morphing Modulation

  See how two sources are used to modulate a single target, and how a third component is used to interactively crossfade between the outputs of the two modulation sources.

• 8:59

  The Arpeggiator

  Learn how the arpeggiator is used to take an incoming chord and output a sequenced pattern of notes based on a defined set of rules and parameters.

• 7:29

  The Orb

  Explore this sound manipulation tool and see how its intuitive performance interface is used to introduce and record variations to a patches sound.

• 4:27

  Working With FX

  Learn how to work with Omnisphere's part based and multi based FX units and FX racks.

Chapter 4 : Multis & More

• 5:52

  Working in Multi Timbral Mode

  Explore two different ways of working in multi mode; one where all the processing is done within the plug-in itself, and the other where the individual parts are sent to discreet aux tracks in the host DAW.

• 7:02

  Host Automation & MIDI Learn

  Learn how to use and manage host automation and MIDI Learn to animate parameters either on a per part basis or when working in multi mode.

• 5:16

  Stack Mode Pt. 1

  See how this mode is used to create splits, layers, and crossfades between the various parts set up in the multi.

• 3:21

  Stack Mode Pt. 2

  See how velocity and MIDI continuous controller messages are used as the basis for triggering the patches loaded into the various parts of a multi.

• 3:56

  Latch & Trigger Modes

  See how latch mode is used to have notes function as toggles to stop and start patterns, and how trigger mode is used to quantize incoming MIDI notes in real time.

• 6:35

  Live Mode

  Discover how this mode is used to switch between or layer patches in real time using either the mouse, on screen controls, MIDI notes, CC messages, or program change messages.

• 6:01

  System Performance

  See how the System page is used to optimize streaming and other interface and performance options.

Chapter 5 : 2.1 Update

• 5:22

  Sharing & Adding Sounds

  See how the improved sharing features make it simple to share patches, multis, soundsources, and user audio from either the Mini Browser or full Browser.

• 2:02

  Sharing Projects

  Learn how patches, soundsources, and multis organized into Omnisphere Projects are shared.

• 5:04

  Publishing Libraries Pt. 1

  Discover how and where to create your own Library and Category folders in the Finder, and how to add custom patches or multis to them from within Omnisphere.

• 6:19

  Publishing Libraries Pt. 2

  Learn how to add either default, category specific, or unique images to soundsources, patches, and multis; and finally, how to publish the library.

Chapter 6 : 2.5 Update

• 3:36

  Graphic Enhancements

  The new high resolution interface can be rescaled to hide the browser, there are now four layers per part, a new Granular Synthesis layout with waveform display, Live Mode mixer view, new FX Unit preset steppers, and new layer level meters.

• 5:39

  Synthesis Enhancements

  Hear the new state variable filters in action along with the new unison spread modulation target, constant bipolar modulation source, new LFOs, shared signal path routing, and more.

• 4:55

  Hardware Synth Integration & More

  Explore the new per layer solo and cross linking functions, patch rating entry via the computer keyboard, and the biggest new feature of this update: hardware synth integration.

Chapter 7 : 2.6 Update

• 13:10

  Arpeggiator Update

  Explore the arpeggiator's new exciting and creative features including the new note patterns, octave options, step modifiers, step dividers, and more.

• 6:31

  Bias Modulation, New SoundSources, & More

  Discover how the new Bias modulation target works as a fulcrum based variation of key tracking, with modulation occurring above or below a user chosen position. Hear some of the new sound sources, analog oscillator wavetables, and more.