1. Where is the Spectrasonics program located?
Installation Guide - OmniSphere 2 (Windows Download) Time+Space Help Center. Now it's time to open Omnisphere 2 in your host and authorize it. Related Articles. Installation Guide - OmniSphere 2 (Windows USB) Installation Guide - OmniSphere 2 (Mac Download).
Our instruments operate as both standalone programs/applications and as plugin instruments designed to work inside of a DAW/Sequencer/ Host.
On an Apple computer, you'll find the standalone application in your Applications folder. On Windows, you'll find the standalone shortcut on your desktop or in your STEAM folder. You can also use your DAW/Sequencer/Host to open Spectrasonics instruments.
2. What is a DAW/Sequencer/Host?
A DAW is a Digital Audio Workstation, also referred to as a Sequencer or Host; example: Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Sonar, Ableton Live, etc.
3. I have a DAW/Sequencer/Host. How do I open my Spectrasonics Instrument?
We have made convenient step-by-step tutorials for using our instruments in most major DAW/Sequencer/Hosts.
For Omnisphere and Trilian, go HERE. For Stylus RMX, go HERE.
4. What is a User Account, and why do I need one?
The Spectrasonics User Account system allows quick access to your Spectrasonics products and information. This way, you'll have access to the latest instrument Updates, as well as the Authorization area, where you can authorize your computer to use your new instrument. If you don't have a User Account, start by creating one HERE.
This is not a complete description of all Omnisphere can do. If you want a complete review you better head over to the Sound on Sound website and make sure you read the manual! This is also just a very personal opinion on Omnisphere and the reasons why, for me, it's a great product.
Omnisphere is a rompler. There's an extremely large amount of sampled 'soundsources' available plus a very decent amount of modeled analog waveforms. All go through a subtractive synthesis engine that allows you to sculpt the sound to your liking. A big bunch of effects really put the icing on the cake. I'd don't think I'd buy these effects to mix with, but as a complement to the sound engine I think they're fine.
Omnisphere is not a sampler, meaning you can't use your own samples and create complicated keymaps, switches or round robin setups. I'm fine with that as I never use my own samples to create realistic instruments anyway. You can however import your samples and use them for granular synthesis and that I really love. You can create whole soundscapes from a short field recording or a sample from a record.
Usually I'm not a fan of multi timbral VST's. I'd rather open new instances on new tracks, because that way every instrument has it's own track in my DAW and I can easily sculpt the sound further with other plugins. Spectrasonics warns us that using multiple instances will cause extra overhead, so I was glad to find that setting up a multi in Omnisphere is really very easy. I'm having no trouble at all.
Omnisphere does one thing very well that not many VST's offer nowadays. I've always loved the sound of the Roland D-50 and Korg Wavestations. They offered kinda realistic recreations of real instruments, but really excelled at creating hybrid sounds: subtractive synthesis based on samples. Apart from Absynth I don't know any plugin that does this well, and in fact, Omnisphere does this a lot better, I think, because it's synthesis engine is so much simpler to use.
Omnisphere's huge sound library and synthesis engine becomes even more powerful if you have one of the supported hardware synths. My Nordlead has really gotten a new lease of life with Omnisphere. With the Nordlead acting as a fully integrated controller I'm tweaking away on sounds the Nordlead could never do. Software has suddenly become more hands-on then it has ever been for me.
Omnisphere is definitely the most expensive VST I have. It cost me more than many of the DAW's I've used. But the alternative to buying Omnisphere for me was not another VST. It was buying a hardware synth, because I really need that hands-on control to stay inspired. Suddenly, with the hardware integration and a Nordlead sitting next to me the price made sense. Great sonic possibilities, hands-on control, total recall from within the DAW, it's hard to beat.
If you have something like a Bassstation2 or a Miniloque and are looking for different sounds to complement these instruments Omnisphere is a unique proposition.
I do wish some user interface elements were just a little bigger. The ability to switch on or off layers, effects and the arpeggiator right from the main page is awesome, but why are these LED-like switches so damned tiny? The magnifying glasses that open the detailpages are also a bit too small to my liking. The whole interface of Omnisphere can be scaled, but only 1x will fit my 15' laptop so that does not help me much.
There's one more thing: the arpeggiator is great. It's very flexible and, yes, it's also very easy to use. You can do old fashioned arpeggiated chords and basslines, but it's also possible to choose any of the percussive patches and use the arpeggiator as a stepsequencer to create beats. I've had lot's of fun with it.
ps: I contacted support because Omnisphere was not storing my preferences. I was impressed by their quick, knowledgeable and friendly replies. It turned out the standalone application and Ableton Live were not running with the proper administrative rights on my system and they helped me set it up correctly.
Spectrasonics
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