Mega sampler software makes an Akai S2000 look like a typewriter compared to a laptop, not that there's anything wrong with a typewriter but you can do a lot more with a laptop of course. Being able to create your own Halion family compatible software instruments and author them yourself with no fees is a winner for sure.
I've used Kontakt for years, but Halion 6 is *astonishingly* great. It has kind of gone under the radar but is worth your time to check out. I found it much easier to learn than Groove Agent FWIW.
HALion 6 is a monster! Too bad so few people are familiar with all that it can do. Scripting is a very powerful feature among many but time will tell how the market will respond with all the Kontakt over-saturation.
I made my first two releases with just halion 3 and cubase sx 3 plus a couple of synth vsts. If you are into sampling your own sound and layering them with synth tones you could make a record with just this\or at least 80% this and a few other sounds for a different flavor here and there.
Uncanny infact ..... Does anyone know if latest Halion can import E-MU Emulator X3 Banks??, as I've a massive library generated over the years, unsupported for many years now. Cheers! 🎹
I have been going the other way and converting many of my old X3 banks in to .E4B banks to use in my even older but trusty E-MU E4 Ultra sampler, the software allows you to do this. I do not think that even the very format rich Awave Studio will convert from X3 format - but, X3 will allow you to export the banks as .Wav files and that may be a way to get your presets in to the newer soft samplers.
Ahh, okay hadn't checked out Export format options yet, so thanks for that tip .... will have a play later this week on that one. Should thus be able to import those Wav banks to Falcon then too 😎🎹
I would love to make my own interface for my favorite drum samples. Maybe even a BD only interface that only has the most necessary controls. Then one for snares, toms etc...
big thanks for this video, guys. i'm a cubase 8.5/ga4/halion 5 owner, and i was glad to see cubase 9 offers a better integration with external (steinberg...) software, like the option 'export sample to halion', directly from the sampler page in cubase. Though, i would like it to be even better, ex, define an external audio editor(wavelab or others) for deeper audio edition, click on an audio sample->open in editor, the external editor loads the sample, we apply our changes, click on 'save', cubase 'receives' the new version of the file. just like older windows version could handle the 'ole' objects, we could insert a notepad or paint app as an object inside a different app, and modify our notepad/paint file from there. it is a pity the steinberb apps can't communicate with each other more easily. it also blows my mind, that we can't have a 'child' window of halion or wavelab, directly inside Cubase, and have it behave like a plugin window. For sure, a 'top' feature for a future Cubase version. Now, regarding Halion 6 and its exporting/scripting capabilities, once again, because of the elicenser copy protection, Steinberg will prevent Halion 6 from reaching a much wider audience. Ok, Kontakt created libraries also need a NI app to work. But at least, 100% of the world musicians will be able to use that library, by simply installing the free Kontakt version. Now, with Halion 6, if i got it right, one can create several patches, create an interface for it, by using pre-existing controls, scripts, effects, background image, and export the whole thing as a package. and that package will ONLY open in halion6 or Halion Sonic SE3. and that's where the problem is. only a cubase user with Halion Sonic se3 or an halion6 will be able to enjoy playing that library. all the other non-steinberg 'fans', you can go f... ... ! Steinberg could have had a killer rompler/sampler in their hands, if they had also created a simple standalone/free player halion app, that would work everywhere without copy protection, even with very limited edition capabilities, so at least non-steinberg users could preview the sounds with their midi keyboard, on their SO3, Live, Reaper, etc. why no edition capabilities ? to avoid an halion 6 user create a 'user' library, with 256 factory sounds, export it and allow everybody to play with those sounds without halion. But if halion6 or cubase are required to preview or use that user-created library...halion 6 will be like halion 5. nobody will create soubdbanks for it. we can count with our fingers how many 3rd party soundbanks are available, for halion 5. despite its incredible capabilities, nobody wants to spend time creating a bank, just to have only 4 or 5 sales in one year. Long comment, sorry guys. Again, thanks for your presentation.
I own KONTAKT and FALCON and today purchased HALION 6. This interface is closer to Falcon and seems more intuitive than Kontakt. While I am waiting for my Keys to be generated from "Best Service" ? ..... #%$ WTFunk? oxymoron of a name, they take your money and then you wait to have someway to activate it! :) I am checking out all the reviews, by the time my installers download, I might have a similar beard! Nice review, can't believe you are running it of a "Pad"! BTW: I am not even a muso, just a self-confessed tweaker, learning sound design and music production. Film Scores being my passion, the late great John Barry, RIP. ... Roll over Beethoven, Roll over Beethoven, Roll over Beethoven - and just give me the VST's .... POSTSCRIPT: Installed and running; Awesome!!!
used Halion since version 1. I own 6, and I have a cache of old emu, soundfonts, akai, and giga instruments that I've loaded into it. Its sad though. I have a few analog pieces and I end up using halion for almost anything. I feel with halion I really dont need hardware gear. =/
So I've just got sonic 3 which was a 27gb download, if I want to upgrade to h6 does that mean I need to download the whole library again??? As I see h6 is 28gb 😕
Thank you so much. Lastly, can you tell me how I would just simply record a sample into halion through my computers internal mic using Asio4All in Ableton. I've tried multiple routing options but I can't get any input into Halion's sample recorder. Idk if it's because I'm missing the activate sidechain button because I'm not in cubase or what.
Wow ... the possibilities !! Great review of an hugely interesting piece of software . I checked out the free player (HALion Sonic SE ) ,, it comes with NO content , but it look like there is free content in the Steinberg forum (halion, user content ) .
it should work any Cakewalk DAW be it Studio One or Sonar, I recently downloaded Cakewalk by Bandlab during lockdown and it automatically found Halion 6 in my main "shared" VST folder.
Me too, I run complete productions with almost exclusively halion and Groove Agent as sound sources on my old mac mini from 2011. It also depends on the type of Synthzones and fx you are using in halion.
The CPU usage heavily depends on the kind of Zones (of which the presets consist) you are using. When using only Sample Zones, the sounds will come directly from hard disk. The Granular Zone, on the other hand, requires a lot of computing power. Also, there is up to 8 unison voices, plus multi oscillators, so it´s quite easy to create a 30 voice sound without much work...but CPU will notice it surely. If anyone is interested, I can teach on that, I am Certified Steinberg Trainer and use HALion 6 a lot.
You literally can't go wrong with either. I have both and I tend to use HALion more for making deep sample libraries and Falcon for making deep synths. For example, I fully sampled some timbales in HALion but created some custom fx generator synths in Falcon, both with custom front panels for easy tweaking later on.
Why does the camera bother to keep film the 2 fat guys at crucial *"cursor pointer"*. They could have made the whole video with out having to point at the narrators even now and then. I watched up to 10:19 and I could not see or hear anything I did not know about HALion 6
Beardy, come on dude, tidy your self up a bit. Get a haircut and that beard looks like it was around in 1428. Other than that Gaz your fine... BTW, you to Nick. You look like you had a particularly heavy night out on the lash..Other than that your fine to.
Cool, another complicated thing I don't need but want anyway.
Just tried it, created a synth from a crash cymbal.. if you want to make pop synths or nothing original then that's your choice.. :D
@@ThirdFocusMusic I almost believed you but judging by your music, you don't really have anything original either :/
Mega sampler software makes an Akai S2000 look like a typewriter compared to a laptop, not that there's anything wrong with a typewriter but you can do a lot more with a laptop of course. Being able to create your own Halion family compatible software instruments and author them yourself with no fees is a winner for sure.
Best synth purchase I've made this year.
UVI falcon offers more
I was lucky enough to get Halion 6 at 50% off last year.
I've used Kontakt for years, but Halion 6 is *astonishingly* great. It has kind of gone under the radar but is worth your time to check out. I found it much easier to learn than Groove Agent FWIW.
HALion 6 is a monster! Too bad so few people are familiar with all that it can do. Scripting is a very powerful feature among many but time will tell how the market will respond with all the Kontakt over-saturation.
meh
I made my first two releases with just halion 3 and cubase sx 3 plus a couple of synth vsts. If you are into sampling your own sound and layering them with synth tones you could make a record with just this\or at least 80% this and a few other sounds for a different flavor here and there.
Just upgraded from Halion Sonic 2 and am excited to dig in to H6.
I love Gaz. He's a legend. I love the fact that he eats and sleeps music technology as much as I do. Peace !!!
Can you share his email or website please?
goodbye kontant hello halion
Picked this up on sale this week and can't wait to get stuck in!
i have loved halion since version 1, this really is next level for those that are not aware
Gaz is not the type of person who would start WW III.
Be like Gaz!!!
falcon and halion 6 have a deep learning curve
This looks very similar to UVI's Falcon! Would be great with a comparison.
Uncanny infact ..... Does anyone know if latest Halion can import E-MU Emulator X3 Banks??, as I've a massive library generated over the years, unsupported for many years now. Cheers! 🎹
I have been going the other way and converting many of my old X3 banks in to .E4B banks to use in my even older but trusty E-MU E4 Ultra sampler, the software allows you to do this. I do not think that even the very format rich Awave Studio will convert from X3 format - but, X3 will allow you to export the banks as .Wav files and that may be a way to get your presets in to the newer soft samplers.
Ahh, okay hadn't checked out Export format options yet, so thanks for that tip .... will have a play later this week on that one. Should thus be able to import those Wav banks to Falcon then too 😎🎹
Sorry. They only give free advertising to things Gaz uses here.
falcon has some synthesis capability above halion. Halion has some sampler capability above Falcon. Lots of overlap. Both have lots of extra content.
It’s like sample tank I love it 😊
I finally got it and it's ... d e e p ! :D
It's like the Adobe AfterEffects of music!!!
PinkPonyOfPrey me too
So it's not properly cpu utilized? :(
I would love to make my own interface for my favorite drum samples. Maybe even a BD only interface that only has the most necessary controls. Then one for snares, toms etc...
big thanks for this video, guys. i'm a cubase 8.5/ga4/halion 5 owner, and i was glad to see cubase 9 offers a better integration with external (steinberg...) software, like the option 'export sample to halion', directly from the sampler page in cubase. Though, i would like it to be even better, ex, define an external audio editor(wavelab or others) for deeper audio edition, click on an audio sample->open in editor, the external editor loads the sample, we apply our changes, click on 'save', cubase 'receives' the new version of the file. just like older windows version could handle the 'ole' objects, we could insert a notepad or paint app as an object inside a different app, and modify our notepad/paint file from there. it is a pity the steinberb apps can't communicate with each other more easily. it also blows my mind, that we can't have a 'child' window of halion or wavelab, directly inside Cubase, and have it behave like a plugin window. For sure, a 'top' feature for a future Cubase version.
Now, regarding Halion 6 and its exporting/scripting capabilities, once again, because of the elicenser copy protection, Steinberg will prevent Halion 6 from reaching a much wider audience. Ok, Kontakt created libraries also need a NI app to work. But at least, 100% of the world musicians will be able to use that library, by simply installing the free Kontakt version. Now, with Halion 6, if i got it right, one can create several patches, create an interface for it, by using pre-existing controls, scripts, effects, background image, and export the whole thing as a package. and that package will ONLY open in halion6 or Halion Sonic SE3. and that's where the problem is. only a cubase user with Halion Sonic se3 or an halion6 will be able to enjoy playing that library. all the other non-steinberg 'fans', you can go f... ... ! Steinberg could have had a killer rompler/sampler in their hands, if they had also created a simple standalone/free player halion app, that would work everywhere without copy protection, even with very limited edition capabilities, so at least non-steinberg users could preview the sounds with their midi keyboard, on their SO3, Live, Reaper, etc. why no edition capabilities ? to avoid an halion 6 user create a 'user' library, with 256 factory sounds, export it and allow everybody to play with those sounds without halion. But if halion6 or cubase are required to preview or use that user-created library...halion 6 will be like halion 5. nobody will create soubdbanks for it. we can count with our fingers how many 3rd party soundbanks are available, for halion 5. despite its incredible capabilities, nobody wants to spend time creating a bank, just to have only 4 or 5 sales in one year. Long comment, sorry guys. Again, thanks for your presentation.
I don't want to have to go to school to learn a VST! LOL Tweakers delight that's for sure.
I own KONTAKT and FALCON and today purchased HALION 6.
This interface is closer to Falcon and seems more intuitive than Kontakt.
While I am waiting for my Keys to be generated from "Best Service" ? ..... #%$ WTFunk? oxymoron of a name, they take your money and then you wait to have someway to activate it! :)
I am checking out all the reviews, by the time my installers download, I might have a similar beard!
Nice review, can't believe you are running it of a "Pad"!
BTW: I am not even a muso, just a self-confessed tweaker, learning sound design and music production. Film Scores being my passion, the late great John Barry, RIP.
... Roll over Beethoven, Roll over Beethoven, Roll over Beethoven - and just give me the VST's ....
POSTSCRIPT: Installed and running; Awesome!!!
Thanks guys, fantastic review, love it
Gaz. You should demonstrate wavelab 9. I own it and it's great. Integration with Cubase is seamless. Wonderful program.
used Halion since version 1. I own 6, and I have a cache of old emu, soundfonts, akai, and giga instruments that I've loaded into it. Its sad though. I have a few analog pieces and I end up using halion for almost anything. I feel with halion I really dont need hardware gear. =/
Seems like I would always be looking for how to do a certain thing. Even after years of using it. Even after reading the manual
I have this. I'm going to explore very nice maybe an update if there are audio files from Vst stores such as Big fish or others. I really dig this.
Are there already libraries made with the macro editor available for download anywhere?
So I've just got sonic 3 which was a 27gb download, if I want to upgrade to h6 does that mean I need to download the whole library again??? As I see h6 is 28gb 😕
all done on an iPad...it'll be absolute insanity on a full fledged computer
Halion is running on a Mac in this demo. As was said early in the video, the iPad is mirroring the Mac's screen so that Gaz can see what he's doing.
Reminds me a lot of applications like Omnisphere, Kontakt, and Falcon. Gotta give it a look!
Can someone tell me how you would use the audio recorder in ableton with a mic? I can't route it.
Plug your mic into your Audio Interface, route that to the channel you want to record into in AUTO mode (inut monitor, that shoudl do it.
Thank you so much. Lastly, can you tell me how I would just simply record a sample into halion through my computers internal mic using Asio4All in Ableton. I've tried multiple routing options but I can't get any input into Halion's sample recorder. Idk if it's because I'm missing the activate sidechain button because I'm not in cubase or what.
i like the look of this........... needs a link too the free trial tho.
Wow ... the possibilities !! Great review of an hugely interesting piece of software .
I checked out the free player (HALion Sonic SE ) ,, it comes with NO content , but it look like there is free content in the Steinberg forum (halion, user content ) .
Can halion work with studio one or sonar?
I can work with any DAW that accepts VST, AAX or AU as plugins.
it should work any Cakewalk DAW be it Studio One or Sonar, I recently downloaded Cakewalk by Bandlab during lockdown and it automatically
found Halion 6 in my main "shared" VST folder.
The one thing that always bother me about Halion is that it is a CPU hog. Very powerful but very heavy on your computer processor.
HALion supports Multicore. I have an old i7 2600 CPU, even with complex sounds, the consumption is low.
Me too, I run complete productions with almost exclusively halion and Groove Agent as sound sources on my old mac mini from 2011. It also depends on the type of Synthzones and fx you are using in halion.
The CPU usage heavily depends on the kind of Zones (of which the presets consist) you are using. When using only Sample Zones, the sounds will come directly from hard disk. The Granular Zone, on the other hand, requires a lot of computing power. Also, there is up to 8 unison voices, plus multi oscillators, so it´s quite easy to create a 30 voice sound without much work...but CPU will notice it surely. If anyone is interested, I can teach on that, I am Certified Steinberg Trainer and use HALion 6 a lot.
I didn't, indeed. :D I love your Gaz/Nick collabs. You should make a series. :)
What screen capture your using?
HDMI hardware recorder
I would have liked it if the long haired guy was not interrupted so many times :( i know the other guy has knowledge, but, let one person speak
Absolutely. Shame there isn't an edit button on RUclips.
Gaz is looking more and more like Jesus.
Sasquatch (BigFoot from the Bionic Man)
If Billy Connolly impregnated a werewolf.
Oh, so you recognize him, too? So glad, thought I was the only 2000y+ old watching Sonicstate videos.
More like Grizzly Adams.
I think you'll fine Jesus is looking more like Gaz!
Falcon or this?
that is the question ... i have falcon with all the packs which is quite powerful
I’d get both and cross compare
You literally can't go wrong with either. I have both and I tend to use HALion more for making deep sample libraries and Falcon for making deep synths. For example, I fully sampled some timbales in HALion but created some custom fx generator synths in Falcon, both with custom front panels for easy tweaking later on.
that is what Falcon is lacking authoring stuff
Sorry but my eyes just glaze over when I find a product review done by or with Gaz. Nice guy.....but yeah!
you guys are all over the place lol
Why does the camera bother to keep film the 2 fat guys at crucial *"cursor pointer"*.
They could have made the whole video with out having to point at the narrators even now and then.
I watched up to 10:19 and I could not see or hear anything I did not know about HALion 6
It needs "eLicenser" dongle, for me a no go...!
+VTOLKits you don't need a dongle you can also use software elicense
Thanks sonicstate, then its better.
Elvis Costello not looking his best.
Confusing.
How to make 2k worth of kit sound like a commodore 64 sound chip lol nice....
How do you afford this
Johann Ettga either save up money from celebrations (birthday, holidays, etc) or get a career/job 😉
I was lucky to get Halion 6 at 50% off through a Steinberg email. I probably wouldn't have bought it otherwise
but £210 is a reasonable price for it.
ziggauewd
The guy with the glasses, can you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop cutting off the long haired guy :(
too much chatter
The guy in the glasses keeps interrupting the presenter so it is very difficult to follow with all that interruption. Terrible video.
too much extraneous blabbing ... it would be better IMHO to just show and speak about the tasks in a clear, continuous manner
Beardy, come on dude, tidy your self up a bit. Get a haircut and that beard looks like it was around in 1428.
Other than that Gaz your fine...
BTW, you to Nick. You look like you had a particularly heavy night out on the lash..Other than that your fine to.
bla bla bla...