{"id":1985,"date":"2015-07-07T10:39:33","date_gmt":"2015-07-07T14:39:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/?p=1985"},"modified":"2024-07-16T15:34:52","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T19:34:52","slug":"spectrasonics-omnisphere-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/spectrasonics-omnisphere-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2 – New Features & Amazing Sound Design Capabilities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Spectrasonics<\/a> released their flagship synthesizer Omnisphere<\/em><\/a> back in 2008. Since then it\u2019s become known to professional sound designers and discerning producers as a feature-rich synth that’s capable of creating lush organic and synthetic soundscapes in the studio in addition to being an expressive and fully customizable performance tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The highly anticipated Omnisphere 2 was recently released and boasts many features that expand its sonic palette even further. It now includes a library of more than 12,000 classic and modern sounds that includes the Spotlight EDM<\/em> library<\/strong>, all of which is easily accessible through Omnisphere 2’s intuitive new browser. Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2 is one of the most popular plugins among Splice users \u2013 Sign up for a free Splice account<\/a> to download full Abelton Live<\/a>, FL Studio<\/a>, and Logic<\/a> projects that make use of Omnisphere 2\u2019s features and read on to discover some of the ways that it can contribute to your production toolkit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This blog post mentions Splice Studio, which is no longer active. Learn more about the shutdown here.<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Main Page<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Omnisphere 2’s Main Page<\/em> is where you’ll access most of its primary controls. It’s here that you can adjust global tuning and performance parameters that affect all aspects of Omnisphere 2’s sound and behavioral characteristics. The Main Page is also where you can adjust global parameters such as overall amplitude gain, MIDI channel routing, and audio output routing. The Master Filter<\/em> section at the bottom of the Main Page provides you with a global Highpass<\/em><\/strong> and global Lowpass<\/em><\/strong> filter with adjustable Cutoff<\/em><\/strong> and Resonance<\/em><\/strong> controls.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Notes<\/em> view offers an overview of the currently selected patch, while Layers<\/em> view provides a more detailed look at the various layers that combine to create it. Each patch that you create using Omnisphere 2 can be constructed of components derived from both Waveforms<\/em><\/strong> and Soundsources<\/em><\/strong>, which you can freely explore by cycling through them in this window.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Soundsource Zoom <\/em>gives you further control over the sound and behavior of Soundsources by allowing you to adjust virtual microphone placement, selection of playback algorithms, articulation modes, legato settings, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Oscillator Zoom section provides you with advanced options for sculpting your sounds and is the center of Omnisphere 2\u2019s sound design capabilities. It\u2019s here that you can choose from over 400 available wavetables and access several synthesis modes including FM, RM, Waveshaper, Unison, Harmonia, and Granular. You can use the Shape, Symmetry, and Hard Sync sliders to adjust the shape of the selected wavetable and alter its characteristics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Orb<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Omnisphere 2’s Orb<\/em><\/strong> is one of its most unique and defining features, and functions equally well as both a production and performance tool. The Orb allows you to instantly manipulate a sound in many different ways by introducing dynamic gestures to macro parameter automations in a way that’s far superior to what’s possible with a standard X\/Y controller. Spectrasonics has also developed the Omni TR<\/em><\/strong> controller app for Apple iPad which is the perfect controller for the Orb and is available for free at Apple’s digital App Store. Every single patch in Omnisphere 2 has this capability, and operation of the Orb couldn’t be simpler. The closer to the edges of the circle the cursor is moved, the more dramatic the changes will be – moving the cursor to the center of the Orb or pressing the Clear<\/em> button returns the sound to its original state. The overall intensity of the sound modification is determined with the Depth<\/em> slider. A completely new set of manipulations can be chosen at any time by simply clicking the Dice<\/em><\/strong> button, which instantly creates a brand new group of modifications and effects. The Orb can also be setup manually and used as a modulation source in Omnisphere 2\u2019s Mod Matrix<\/em><\/strong> or automated within your DAW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Audio Import<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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New to Omnisphere’s latest edition is the ability to import your own audio for use as Soundsources<\/strong><\/em>. This feature allows you to process your own audio the same way you would with any of the included Factory Soundsources<\/strong><\/em>. You can manipulate your audio using any of Omnisphere 2’s synthesis capabilities as well as any of the onboard effects modules provided. This means that you can import any audio loop, vocal sample, or even an entire mix to transform the audio into something completely different. See what Spectrasonics founder Eric Persing has to say about some of Omnisphere 2’s latest features in the video below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n