Steinberg HALion Symphonic Orchestra Operation Manual

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Here you can set tune and volume globally for HALion Symphonic Or-
chestra. You can tune up/down in Hertz, and set the master volume 
from silence up to +6 dB. The Voices field dynamically displays the 
number of voices currently used. The Steinberg logo in the bottom 
right corner of this section provides an Internet link to the Steinberg 
home page. An Internet connection and a suitable browser application 
are required for this to work.
Global Commands context menu
You can open the Global Commands context menu by right-clicking 
(Win)/[Ctrl]-clicking (Mac) on the background of HALion Symphonic 
Orchestra. The Global commands menu provides the following options:
Parameter Description
Clear All… This will remove all loaded programs. A warning message 
will be displayed.
Clear Current Program… This will remove the currently selected Program.
Load Bank… When you select this option, a standard file dialog will open 
where you can select a .fxb file to load.
Save Bank… When you select this option, a standard file dialog will open 
where you can enter a file name for the currently loaded pro-
gram bank.
Save as Default Bank Use this option to save the current bank as the default bank 
to be loaded every time you launch HALion Symphonic Or-
chestra.
Load  Program… Use this option to select a program file (.fxp) to load into one 
of the sixteen program slots.
Save Program… When you select this option, a standard file dialog will open 
where you can enter a file name for the currently loaded pro-
gram.
Reload Samples
(from RAMSave)This option is available only if you previously unloaded sam-
ples from RAM using the RAMSave function (see page 34). 
Use it to reload all samples that were unloaded.
Steinberg on the Web This submenu contains links to Steinberg’s home page, to 
the HALion and HALion Symphonic Orchestra web sites, to 
a product upgrade page and to the user’s forum. 
						

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The Keyboard
The keyboard logically spans the entire range that you can assign sam-
ples to, from C-2 to G8. It is used to quickly audition samples by click-
ing a key to which a sample is assigned. A blue dot indicates the key 
where you last clicked.
 Use the scrollbar below the keyboard to scroll up or down the keyboard 
range.
 You can use the +/- buttons to the right of the scrollbar to zoom the 
visible range of the keyboard.
 You can audition samples with varying velocity values using the mouse.
The further down on a key you click, the higher the velocity value, and vice versa.
Help… This brings up the online help for HALion Symphonic Or-
chestra (in .pdf format). To be able to read it, you need to 
have Acrobat Reader installed, which is included on the pro-
gram DVD.
Version History… This opens a document describing what is new in the cur-
rent version of HALion Symphonic Orchestra.
IMSTA.org An Internet link to the IMSTA anti software-piracy website.
About Content… This opens a window displaying information about the lo-
cated content.
About HALion Symphonic 
Orchestra…This brings up information about the program. Parameter Description
Click here for maximum 
velocity.Click here for minimum 
velocity. 
						

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 The keyboard indicates for each key whether it has a sample mapped 
to it by displaying a green or blue colored strip at the top of the key.
The length of the strip, i.e. the number of keys it touches, indicates the key zone range 
for a particular sample. The color of the strip alternates for each new key zone mapped 
across the keyboard, allowing you to see the start and end of each key zone.
 Right-click (Win)/[Ctrl]-click (Mac) on a key to open a little info view 
displaying pitch and (depending on where on the key you click) veloc-
ity information.
 When you [Ctrl]-click (Win)/[Command]-click (Mac) a key on the key-
board and keep the mouse button pressed, HALion Symphonic Or-
chestra will play this key and all following keys, with the same velocity, 
for as long as you press the mouse button. This serves as a test func-
tion for the sample mapping.
When you also hold down the [Alt]/[Option] key on your computer keyboard while 
clicking, each sample will be played ten times, with increasing velocities (between 1 
and 127).
 In HALion Symphonic Orchestra, so-called key switches are used by 
the different programs to switch between samples during play. On the 
on-screen keyboard, you can see which keys are used as switches.
The different switches are numbered. Note that there are two different kinds of key 
switches: The ones labeled “ks” are activated when you press them once and deacti-
vated when you press them once more. The switches labeled “kr” are active only as 
long as you press them, and deactivated as soon as you let go of the key. Please in-
crease the zoom factor to display the labeling. See the content description for informa-
tion on which programs use key switches.
Key switches for a HALion Symphonic Orchestra combi program. 
						

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The Disk LED
The disk LED to the left of the HALion Symphonic Orchestra on-
screen keyboard will light up green when samples are streamed from 
disk, and red when samples cannot be loaded from disk in time. To in-
dicate that samples could not be streamed, a red circle will be dis-
played around the disk LED until you click on it. In such a case you 
should increase the cache size and/or the preload time of the samples 
in the Player Options dialog.
Disk Activity LED
 The dotted line below the Disk LED is a disk activity indicator, giving 
an indication of the pending disk streaming operations.
The RAM Save button
To the left of the HALion Symphonic Orchestra on-screen keyboard, 
below the Disk LED, you find the RAM Save button.
The RAM Save function saves memory resources. It scans the MIDI 
notes used in the current project and unloads all other samples.
Using RAM Save
1. Click the RAM Save button. When activated, this button will blink. The 
function remains active until you click the button again.
2. Play the project in your host application from start to end (or to the 
point when no new samples will be played).
3. Click the RAM Save button again. The button will stop blinking and a 
dialog will appear, asking if you would like to apply the function.
4. Click Apply to confirm. The unused samples are unloaded.
 If you wish to reload previously unloaded samples, open the context 
menu (by right-clicking (Win) or [Ctrl]-clicking (Mac) anywhere on the 
program background) and select Reload Samples (from RAMSave). 
						

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Performance issues
When handling content as big as that for HALion Symphonic Orches-
tra, making the most of your computer’s system resources is very im-
portant. In the following sections you will find some suggestions that 
should help you to optimize your computer performance.
16-bit vs. 24-bit content
All HALion Symphonic Orchestra content comes in two versions: as 
16-bit files and as 24-bit files. The difference between the two is sim-
ple: the 24-bit programs provide superior sound quality, so on a very 
well-equipped computer, you should always use these programs to 
get the best quality.
Whenever sound quality is not quite as important (e. g. when playing 
live, or when an instrument plays in the background), you may find that 
using the 16-bit content is quite sufficient, not only in terms of sound 
quality, but also in terms of the performance advantages it offers (less 
CPU load, increased polyphony).
Furthermore, for some programs “ECO” versions are also available. 
These have a reduced number of sample layers and require signifi-
cantly less RAM than the normal programs, at the cost of realism and 
dynamic response. Use these programs if the complete programs are 
too much for your computer to handle, or for live performances.
Performance-related settings in the Player Options dialog
The settings in the Disk Streaming – Memory section of the Player 
Options dialog (see page 26) have a direct impact on the perfor-
mance of your computer. Which settings are best depends on the 
configuration of your system (i. e. the amount of RAM and the speed of 
your hard disk), and how you wish to use HALion Symphonic Orches-
tra, so you may want to experiment. Here are some general guidelines 
to follow:
 The values set for Preload into RAM and Cache Size directly affect 
the amount of RAM available on your system.
To find settings suitable for your system, use the voice number indicator in the global 
controls section of HALion Symphonic Orchestra to determine the number of voices 
you will use, and set Preload into RAM and Cache Size to values that will not cause the 
Disk LED to light up red. 
						

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Make sure you increase Preload into RAM in small steps only (not ex-
ceeding 0.1 seconds)! When setting this option to too high a value, you 
may “eat up” all of the RAM available to your system. The less RAM you 
have, the shorter the Preload into RAM time should be.
 The value for Preload into RAM also directly affects the time it takes 
for HALion Symphonic Orchestra to load its programs.
If it is of no importance to you how long it takes to load a program, you can set Preload 
into RAM to as high a value as is possible on your system. However, if you want to load 
your programs quickly, Preload into RAM should not exceed 0.6 seconds.
Optimizing the disk streaming performance
 When you are using a computer system with more than one hard disk, 
you should consider placing the content files for the different instru-
ments on different disks, as this will boost the disk streaming perfor-
mance.
Note that you need multiple hard disks – having multiple partitions on the same hard 
disk won’t do the trick.
 Make sure that you defragment your hard disk regularly. 
Fragmentation can reduce your computer’s performance considerably. We recommend 
to defragment at regular intervalls. You should consider using a high-performance de-
fragmentation tool that allows you to specify which files should be treated as belonging 
together.
Hyperthreading
On a computer with two or more CPUs/cores you may find that en-
abling Hyperthreading actually reduces the audio performance. It is 
therefore recommended to turn Hyperthreading off on multi-core/
multi-CPU computers. Only if you are using a single-core computer, 
Hyperthreading may indeed increase performance.
Energy saving
Modern operating systems provide energy saving options, to extend 
the operating time of battery-powered computers. Energy saving may 
mean to reduce CPU performance. To get the maximum CPU perfor-
mance under OSX, make sure that Processor Performance is set to 
Highest in the OSX System Preferences/Energy Saver.  
						

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Content Description
The following sections describe the general structure of the installed 
content.
Using the content in HALion
You can open the HALion Symphonic Orchestra content files in 
HALion. This lets you take full advantage of the features of Steinberg’s 
modern software sampler when working with this library.
Upgrading from HALion String Edition
If you are a user of HALion String Edition 1 or 2 and purchased 
HALion Symphonic Orchestra using the upgrade offer, and already 
have sequencer projects using the string sections of HALion String 
Edition, you can add to these the orchestra sections provided by 
HALion Symphonic Orchestra. Simply use both VST instruments in 
your projects, or load the same sounds you used in HALion String 
Edition in HALion Symphonic Orchestra and remove HALion String 
Edition from your projects afterwards.
If you wish to remove the HALion String Edition content files from your 
system after an upgrade, make sure that none of these files are used in 
any projects before you remove them.
Expression and control
If HALion Symphonic Orchestra is your first professional orchestra li-
brary, if you are not used to conducting, and if you’ve always used or-
chestral sounds from hardware samplers or keyboard workstations, 
you will have to forget about a couple of “bad” habits – using velocity 
as your main controller for controlling expression and dynamics for ex-
ample. While velocity is appropriate for controlling dynamics for drums, 
keyboards or synthesizers, orchestra sections and especially string in-
struments are a totally different story. 
When playing drums, pianos, guitars or other percussive instruments, 
the volume and intensity is defined by the attack, after that there are 
few options to change anything related to dynamics. 
						

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With bowed instruments, this is totally different. Strings need expres-
sion control all the time, and most of it is happening after the initial at-
tack. 
We have introduced a special Crescendo controller allowing you to 
continuously control the expression while you are working. It not only 
controls the volume, but also the choice of the layer played according 
to the controller value (i.e. the actual pianissimo, piano, … forte, fortis-
simo recording). 
From now on bear in mind: When playing and arranging with HALion 
Symphonic Orchestra, for many instruments the crescendo controller is 
much more important than velocity.
The main program types
In HALion Symphonic Orchestra there are four main program types, 
each with its specific way of controlling volume and layer crossfading/
switching.
In the most demanding and authentic programs, the crescendo con-
troller smoothly blends between up to 4 layers at a time. This gives the 
best expression at the cost of the HALion Symphonic Orchestra hav-
ing to play up to four stereo voices per note.
The following paragraphs describe the different program types related 
to expression control.
Xfade
In the Xfade programs the crescendo controller blends through the 
different layers (e.g. from pianissimo to fortissimo) by crossfading be-
tween the layers. This gives the most authentic sound and behavior, 
however it also puts the highest load on CPU and hard disk since all 
layers have to be played at the same time – audible or not. This means 
that e.g. in the violin programs up to four stereo voices are played for 
each note.
Availability and number of program types depends on the type of instru-
ment. For example there are no xfade programs for the pizzicato or spic-
cato articulations simply because they would not make sense. 
						

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Xswitch
The Xswitch programs are the economical alternative to the Xfade ver-
sions. They behave identically but the expression controller switches 
from layer to layer rather than blending them into each other. Volume, 
however, is controlled continuously. 
The disadvantage of audible transitions yields an unbeatable advan-
tage: Only one stereo voice per note is used, so these programs can 
be used on slower systems.
Velocity (Vel)
In these programs, only velocity controls expression. Technically the 
velocity value selects the corresponding layer, i.e. high velocities play 
fortissimo layers. 
While this is not the way instruments are used normally, keyboard 
players who have been using orchestra sounds from samplers or 
other keyboards are used to this kind of playing orchestra sounds.
Note that in these versions there’s no way of continuous expression 
control.
Velocity plus Pitchbend (VelPB)
These programs are similar to the Vel versions, but are enhanced by 
the pitch bend controller additionally controlling expression (at the 
cost of no pitch bend being available). Velocity controls the “initial” ex-
pression, while the pitch bend controller adds the possibility of con-
trolling volume while notes are held. Needless to say, pitch bending is 
deactivated in those programs.
You may ask why we have made an exception from the rule of using the 
crescendo controller. Here’s the reason: A non-centered controller would 
create abrupt volume changes when you turn it, and it doesn’t offer the 
decrescendo option which is needed when the initial volume is controlled 
by velocity. 
						

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Instrument-specific programs
Violins A and B
For legato as well as spiccato articulations, there are always two pro-
gram versions called A and B. These use completely different samples 
and can be used for both doubling the section size (from 16 to 32) or 
for doubling voices without any typical layering artefacts such as phas-
ing or sterile sound character. Actually you will get the most realistic vi-
olin section sound when you play each violin track twice, with separate 
crescendo control for A and B. Alternately, you can copy the part and 
apply some randomizing on the copy.
If you need more than one line from the same violin section, usually the 
players would divide up into sub sections. That’s also a good oppor-
tunity to use the A and B variants.
Don’t overdo doubling however, too much doubling can sound artificial.
Spiccato special for violins
The two sets of spiccato articulations cover slightly different perfor-
mances. The A section was taken from a played phrase and therefore 
sounds a bit less focussed in the attack, while B uses actual starting 
notes from a spiccato line. The difference is subtle, but worth noting.
Other violin specials
In the violin set you will find special portamento programs allowing you 
to play realistic expressive slides, i.e. where the target note is reached 
by sliding up the string rather than fingering the note. Use these pro-
grams when you need special expressiveness. There are both up and 
down slides as well as additional octave up slides (to the highest reg-
ister only, from C5 upwards) for both violins A and B.
To play slides, press the key switch associated with the slide type.