#HALION 6 PLUGIN UPGRADE#

The devil is always in the detail but the understanding was that ‘new’ products would be using the ‘cloud’ licensing - but it seems some are using both/either The depth and design potential really are extraordinary if you are prepared to explore and work with it.You’ll understand that we have to make assumptions because the communication between company/customer sometimes isn’t always as smooth as we (customers!) would like MusicRadar verdict: HALion 7 could well be the only instrument you ever need. The truth is, it’s still one of the most feature-packed ecospheres out there. HALion seems to have been around forever, which could also mean you overlook it as a relevant sound design tool in 2023. And all that for €350 seems like a bargain. It’s like an entire Kontakt library under one roof with exceptional sound design features. Really, what you’re getting for the price is pretty extraordinary. Overall, it’s a pleasure to use and easy to investigate the vast sonic options on offer. Steinberg says that HALion has also had a refresh with its UI, but really this is more about the workflow and the home page allowing more instant access to the instruments and multi setups. There’s a new Tales instrument, an open-tuned guitar which is natural and wonderful (fun to push to extremes too), and now you also get some 70 effects to play with. And there’s moreĪs well as a modulation overhaul there’s a lot more in terms of out-and-out sonic additions.

#HALION 6 PLUGIN UPGRADE#

Modulation often takes second place in instruments like this, with added synths and instruments stealing any version upgrade headlines, but this system is very much an equal to them and it’s one that you will use to great effect. The Modulation system works particularly well in areas of HALion like the all-new Spectral Zone where you can apply velocity, for example, to the Purity or Accelerate parameters for some great real-time changes as you play. Create more lively filtered action in a bass sound, for example, or jittery speed effects depending on LFOs or other sources. HALion also lets you go in and edit Sources to quite a degree and again, it’s super simple to do this. The controls display their modulator sources once you click them, and a drop-down menu allows you to add new ones.

Changing how sounds dynamically morph is easier than ever. The level of modulation in HALion 7 has always been high but Steinberg has given it an overhaul with v7. (Image credit: Steinberg ) More modulation and creation Spectral Zone is certainly a HALion highlight and there’s enough in this section alone to change a single sound beyond all recognition. Other controls include Accelerate and Target which lets you speed up, freeze or slow down the sample as it plays back. These both twist in filter-style editing and a separate Filter tab lets you get even further into the frequency tweaking.

There’s time-stretching and pitch shifting, both of which are among the most natural we have heard – but it goes deeper, with resynthesis options like Purity and Formant. Spectral Zone is another new addition, and we suspect this might take some elements from SpectraLayers, another title that has come into the Steinberg/Yamaha stable.Įither way, it lets you see and manipulate your audio in highly flexible ways. These can easily be changed (with classic DX7 options if you wish), and five main tabs take you into all other main sound tweaking areas so you’ll quickly be experimenting and creating. You get the operator guts of FM synthesis as drop-down menus or displayed graphically as an algorithm. That hardware instrument was, frankly, a pain to use FM Zone isn’t. It’s an obvious addition really, what with parent company Yamaha’s FM heritage via synths like the DX7. Version 7 includes some all-new goodies – of course, it does – the main one being FM Zone, to add to those synthesis options. Similar engines, price, effects and modulation, Falcon is a powerhouse of an instrument Almost industry standard sampling instrument with huge flexibility and option to add new collections

Halion 6 plugin