Steinberg Halion 3 Manual

							Automation
Setting Up Automation 
101Creating Automation Parameters
•To assign a parameter to an automation parameter, right-click the parameter control
and select Assign to New Automation. The automation parameter is created on the
first free automation parameter.
•To add a parameter to an existing automation parameter, right-click the control, select
Add to Automation and select the automation parameter.
•To remove a parameter from the automation, right-click an automated control and
select Forget Automation.
•To assign a parameter to an automation parameter automatically while working in
your host application, activate Automation Read/Write, start playback, and use the
controls on the HALion Sonic interface.
NOTE
If you have assigned automation parameters for a program and then load another program
into this slot, it can become necessary to verify the automation settings.
If the new program has the same structure as the previous program, for example if you
exchange a Voltage preset with another Voltage preset, HALion Sonic reconnects the
automation parameters correctly and no manual modifications are necessary. However, if
you load a preset with a different structure, for example a Model C preset, the automation
parameters cannot be reconnected. In this case, the disconnected automation parameters
are still displayed in the automation list. 
						

							MIDI Editing and Controllers
102
MIDI Page
The MIDI page gives you access to the MIDI slot parameters of HALion Sonic.
Parameters
Channel
The slot receives MIDI signals on the MIDI port and channel that are specified
here. You can set multiple slots to the same MIDI channel and trigger them
simultaneously with the same note events.
Polyphony
Specifies how many notes can be played at the same time.
NOTE
Programs can contain various layers, therefore, the resulting number of voices
can be much higher than the value that is specified here.
Transpose
Allows you to shift the incoming MIDI notes by ±64 semitones before they are sent
to the loaded program. 
						

							MIDI Editing and Controllers
MIDI Controllers 
103Key Range (Low Key, High Key)
Allows you to limit the key range for a slot.
Velocity Range (Low Vel, High Vel)
Allows you to limit the velocity range for a slot.
Controller Filter
Allows you to filter out the most commonly used MIDI controllers.
MIDI Controllers
You can assign the parameters volume, pan, mute, solo, send FX 1–4, and the quick controls
of each slot to a MIDI controller. In addition to the slot parameters, you can also assign the
parameters of the AUX FX and most of the edit parameters.
By default, volume, pan, send FX 1–4, and the program quick controls are already assigned.
You can customize this factory MIDI controller mapping by assigning your own MIDI
controllers. This way, you can adapt the mapping to your MIDI keyboard or controller.
To provide more control, you can set the minimum and maximum range for each assignment
separately.
Assigning MIDI Controllers
To assign a MIDI controller to a parameter, proceed as follows:
PROCEDURE
1.Right-click the control that you want to control remotely and select Learn CC.
2.On your MIDI keyboard or controller, use the potentiometer, fader, or button.
The next time you right-click the control, the menu shows the assigned MIDI
controller.
NOTE
You can assign the same MIDI controller several times to different parameters.
However, you cannot assign different MIDI controllers to the same parameter.
RELATED LINKS
MIDI Controller Section on page 30
Unassigning MIDI Controllers
PROCEDURE
•To remove a MIDI controller assignment, right-click the control and select Forget CC.
Restoring the Factory MIDI Controller Assignment
To restore the factory MIDI controller assignments, open the Options page and click Reset to
Factory in the MIDI Controller section. 
						

							MIDI Editing and Controllers
MIDI Controllers 
104Setting the Parameter Range
You can set the minimum and maximum values for the parameter for each assignment
separately. This gives you more control over the parameter, for example, when you are
performing live on stage.
PROCEDURE
1.Set the parameter to the minimum value.
2.Right-click the control and select Set Minimum from the context menu.
3.Set the parameter to the maximum value.
4.Right-click the control and select Set Maximum.
MIDI Controllers and AUX FX
You can assign the parameters of the AUX FX to MIDI controllers.
Unlike the slots, the AUX FX do not have a MIDI port and channel of their own. Instead, they
listen to any incoming MIDI controller message, regardless of the MIDI channel. Therefore, if
you assign a parameter to a MIDI controller, you should use a controller number that is not
already in use by any of the assignments that you made for the slots.
NOTE
If you unload or replace the effect, the MIDI controller assignment of this effect is lost.
Saving a MIDI Controller Mapping as Default
After customizing the factory MIDI controller assignments, you can save them as default.
PROCEDURE
•Open the Options Editor and, in the MIDI Controller section, click Save as Default.
RESULT
Now, each time that you load a new instance of the plug-in, your customized MIDI controller
mapping is available as default.
NOTE
•Saving the controller mapping as default does not include the MIDI controller
assignments of the AUX FX.
•The MIDI controller mapping is saved with each project. This way, you can transfer your
settings to other systems. The project also includes the MIDI controller assignments of
the AUX FX. 
						

							MIDI Editing and Controllers
MIDI Controllers 
105Automation and Factory MIDI Controller Assignment
Several parameters on the plug-in interface are available for automation from your host
software and can be assigned to an external MIDI controller.
The table shows the controller numbers and names of the default factory MIDI controller
assignment. The assigned MIDI controller numbers are the same for all slots. However, the
MIDI controllers listen only to the MIDI channels of the corresponding slot.
ParameterController NumberNameVolume#7VolumePan#10PanSend FX 1#91Effect 1 DepthSend FX 2#92Effect 2 DepthSend FX 3#93Effect 3 DepthSend FX 4#94Effect 4 DepthProgram QC 1#74BrightnessProgram QC 2#71Harmonic ContentProgram QC 3#73Attack TimeProgram QC 4#72Release TimeProgram QC 5#75Sound Controller #6Program QC 6#76Sound Controller #7Program QC 7#77Sound Controller #8Program QC 8#78Sound Controller #9
NOTE
•Send FX 1-4 are only available if the corresponding AUX send effects are loaded.
•You can remotely control any other parameter by assigning the parameter first to a
quick control and then to a MIDI controller.
•You can use MIDI controllers inside the modulation matrix of a synth or sample layer to
control the cutoff, for example. 
						

							Mixing and Effect Handling
106
Mix Page
The Mix page gives you access to the audio parameters of HALion Sonic. This comprises the
level and pan settings, as well as the AUX effect sends and the output selector. To monitor
the output levels, each slot also features a level meter.
Mix Page Parameters
On
Activates/Deactivates MIDI input of the slot. If you deactivate a slot, its MIDI
communication is interrupted and sounds are no longer processed in the
background.
Level
Sets the output level of the slot.
Pan
Sets the position in the stereo panorama.
Meter
Indicates the output level of the slot. 
						

							Mixing and Effect Handling
Effect Handling 
107FX 1–4
These controls specify the amount of signal that is sent to the four auxiliary
busses that host up to four effects each.
Output
Specifies to which of the 16 plug-in outputs the slot is routed.
Effect Handling
The busses can be routed to the main plug-in output or to one of the individual outputs.
The Effects page also provides access to the main output bus which also features four
inserts. These can be used to add a global EQ or compressor to the signal chain, for
example.
Default Effect Settings
Each effect comes with factory default settings. However, you can save your own default
settings for each effect as a preset.
•Set up the effect.
•Click the Save Preset button in the title bar of the effect section and save the preset
under the name “--Default--”.
The preset is saved in the presets folder of the effect and is loaded each time you load the
effect.
•To return to the factory default settings, delete your default preset.
Using the Insert Effect Slots
On the Effects page, you can set up insert effects for AUX busses.
•To assign an insert effect, click the effect slot and select the effect from the menu.
•To remove an insert effect including its current settings, click the effect slot and select
None from the menu.
•To deactivate an effect without removing it, click its On/Off button above the slot. This
way, you can switch off the effect without losing its settings.
•To bypass an effect, activate the Bypass button of the slot. Bypass is active when the
button lights up. 
						

							Mixing and Effect Handling
Effect Handling 
108•To edit an insert effect, click the e button of the corresponding slot. You can edit only
one effect at a time. The parameters of the insert effect are displayed in the bottom
section.
•To move an effect to another slot, click its drag icon and drag it to another slot. This
replaces any effect loaded in this slot.
•To change the order of the effects, drag them by their drag icon to a new position
between two slots.
•To copy an effect into another slot, Alt-click the drag icon and drag it onto the new slot.
This replaces any effect loaded in this slot.
NOTE
You can also copy effects between the different mixers. First drag an effect to the
corresponding mixer tab. Then drag it to the position where you want to insert it.
•To copy an effect and insert it between two effect slots, Alt-click its drag icon and drag
it between two slots.
NOTE
You can also copy effects between the different mixers. First drag an effect to the
corresponding mixer tab. Then drag it to the position where you want to insert it. 
						

							Included Instruments
109HALion Sonic comes with a factory library containing powerful instruments. For each
instrument, an intuitive macro page is available, offering a rich palette of presets.
Auron
The Auron synth uses granular synthesis with up to 8 grain streams to produce oscillator
waveforms. With the integrated arpeggiator and step sequencer, you can create anything
from sequencer lines to stepped chords.
The granular oscillator is followed by a multi-mode filter that offers a large number of
different filter shapes. The filter can be modulated by modulation sources like the keyboard,
velocity, and LFO, but also by the controller lanes of the step sequencer, for example.
Auron includes 2 LFOs for pitch, grain position, formant, and duration as well as filter
modulations. The first LFO can be synchronized to the tempo of the host application and
allows for modulations of grain position, formant and duration, as well as filter cutoff. The
second LFO is controlled by the modulation wheel and is used to create a vibrato.
For the grain synthesizer, three pages are available: Osc, Mod, and Voice. To open a page,
click the corresponding button in the upper left of the Auron panel.
Selecting Samples 
						

							Included Instruments
Auron 
110You can select samples on the sample selector that is opened by clicking the little triangle in
the upper left of the page.
Osc Page
On this page, you can make settings for the grain oscillator.
Position
You can set the playback position of the grains manually. For example, at a
setting of 50 %, the playback position is in the middle of the sample. The playback
position is updated with every new grain.
Random Position
Selects a random playback position within a specific range around the current
position. At a setting of 100 %, the playback position jumps to a random position
between the start and the end of the sample.
Duration
Increases the grain period by a factor ranging from 1 to 1000.
For very short grains, the sound gets the pitch of the frequency at which the
grains repeat. For grains longer than 30 ms, the sound gets the pitch of the
original sample.
Random Duration
Sets the random grain duration. This duration is calculated at the start of a new
grain.
Duration Key Follow
Determines how the grain duration changes with the notes you play. It is mostly
used with short durations. Longer durations sound with the original pitch of the
sample and therefore do not need to follow the keyboard.
Pitch
Allows you to specify an interval between -12 and +12 semitones. The grains are
played randomly at their original pitch, or are transposed according to the pitch
interval. This parameter is suited for longer grain durations.
Random Pitch
Sets the random pitch range in semitones and cents. At a setting of +12, the
random pitch values lie between -12 and +12 semitones. This parameter can be
used to enrich the sound.
Level
Adjusts the overall level of the grain oscillator. When you increase the number
of grains, it might become necessary to lower the oscillator level. When you play
back a very quiet portion of a sample, you can use this control to raise the level.
Random Level
Sets a random level for each new grain. At a setting of 100 %, the level varies
between a factor of 0 and 2 of the original level.