Steinberg VST Sampler HALion 3 Operation Manual

							 
HALion
 
System Requirements and Installation 2 – 11 
❐
 
If you already have a Steinberg copy protection key (e.g. for Cubase or 
Nuendo), you can load your HALion license onto that one. This way you 
 
need only one USB key for both your host and HALion (see below). 
 
❐
 
The copy protection key must not be plugged in before or during the in-
stallation of HALion if this is the first time you use such a key. Otherwise 
Windows will register it as new USB hardware and try to find drivers that 
 
won’t be present before HALion installation.
 
Before you begin installation
 
• When updating from any previous version of HALion, make sure that the 
old version is properly deinstalled before you begin with the installation 
of HALion 3. Parallel installation of older versions and the new version of 
HALion is untested and unsupported.
 
System Requirements (PC version)
 
To be able to use HALion you will need at least: 
• Windows XP
• Pentium or AMD Athlon 800MHz (1.4 GHz or faster recommended)
• 384 MB RAM (512 MB recommended)
• Fast hard disk for disk streaming
• VST 2.0 or DXi2 compatible host software
• Windows MME compatible audio hardware (ASIO compatible sound card 
recommended)
• USB port
• DVD ROM drive required for installation
• Display resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels (1152 x 864 pixels and dual monitor 
setup recommended)
 
❐
 
Please also observe the system requirements of your host application! 
						

							 
HALion
 
2 – 12 System Requirements and Installation 
Installation (PC version)
 
Proceed as follows to install HALion: 
1. 
Make sure the HALion dongle is NOT plugged in. 
2. 
Insert the HALion DVD into your DVD drive, launch the Explorer or 
open the “My Computer” window and double click on the symbol for 
the DVD drive that holds the HALion DVD. 
If autostart is activated the DVD contents will open in a new window automatically.
 
3. 
Double click on the HALion Installer symbol to launch the installation 
program and follow the instructions on screen. 
4. 
After installation of the dongle drivers, the installation routine may ini-
tiate a restart of your computer. 
The installation routine will continue automatically after this restart.
 
5. 
After the automatic restart, make sure the dongle is plugged into the 
USB port! 
Simply plug the dongle into the USB port while the system is booting up. In case there 
is no restart, simply follow the instructions on screen.
 
6. 
When the installation process is completed, restart your computer. 
❐
 
After installing the HALion software and the dongle drivers, HALion is 
 
ready to use. 
						

							 
HALion
 
System Requirements and Installation 2 – 13 
System Requirements (Mac version)
 
To be able to use HALion you will need at least: 
• Mac OSX 10.2.5 or higher
• Power Mac G4 867 MHz (G4 Dual 1.25 GHz or faster recommended)
• 384 MB RAM (512 MB recommended).
• CoreAudio compatible audio hardware
• Fast hard disk for disk streaming
• VST 2.0 or AU compatible host software (AU plug-in included)
• USB port
• DVD ROM drive required for installation
• Display resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels (1152 x 864 pixels and dual monitor 
setup recommended)
 
❐
 
Please also observe the system requirements of your host application!
 
Installation (Mac version)
 
Proceed as follows to install HALion: 
1. 
Make sure the HALion dongle is NOT plugged in. 
2. 
Quit all other applications so that you return to the Finder. Disable any 
system activity monitoring software or extension, in particular anti-virus 
software. Now, insert the HALion DVD into the computer’s DVD drive. 
3. 
If it doesn’t do so automatically, double-click the HALion icon to open 
the CD window. 
4. 
Double-click on the HALion Installer symbol to load the installation 
software. Follow the instructions on screen. 
❐
 
After installing the HALion software and the dongle drivers, HALion is 
 
ready to use. 
						

							 
HALion
 
2 – 14 System Requirements and Installation 
Using the copy protection key
 
If you wish to use the copy protection key supplied with your version 
of HALion, proceed as follows: 
1. 
After installation and restarting the computer, plug the hardware pro-
tection key into the USB port. 
If you are unsure of which port this is, consult the computer’s documentation.
 
2. 
The first time the copy protection device is plugged in, it will be regis-
tered as a new hardware device, and a dialog will appear asking you 
whether you would like to find drivers for the device manually or auto-
matically.  
3. 
Choose to find drivers automatically. 
The dialog closes.
 
4. 
You may have to reboot your computer.
You are now ready to launch HALion!
If you already own a Steinberg copy protection key (e.g. for Cubase 
SX or Nuendo) you can transfer the license for HALion onto this key 
so that you only require one USB port for copy protection. Proceed as 
follows: 
1. 
After installation and restarting the computer, plug your HALion key 
into the USB port. 
2. 
Make sure that your computer has a working internet connection. 
License transfer is made “online”. If your HALion computer isn’t connected to the inter-
net, it’s possible to use another computer for the online connection – proceed with the 
steps below and see the help for the License Control Center application.
 
3. 
Launch the “License Control Center” application (found in the Win-
dows Start menu under “Syncrosoft” or in the Macintosh Applications 
folder). 
This application allows you to view your USB protection keys and transfer licenses be-
tween them.
 
4. 
Use the License Control Center “Wizard” function to transfer the 
license from one dongle to the other. 
If you are uncertain about how to proceed, consult the help for LCC.
 
When the transfer is complete, you are ready to launch HALion! 
						

							 
HALion
 
System Requirements and Installation 2 – 15 
Installing the HALion content
 
The sound content for HALion is delivered on the installation DVD. 
Please refer to the chapter “Content description” for an overview of 
what sounds are included.
To use the HALion content, it must be available on your hard drive. 
You can either install the files automatically during the installation pro-
cedure for HALion or choose to do this later.  
• 
To copy the content files to your hard drive during the installation of 
HALion, simply make sure the corresponding check box is ticked dur-
ing the installation process (Win) or that you follow the on-screen in-
stallation instructions. 
• 
To copy the content files at a later point in time, insert the DVD in the 
DVD drive of your computer and copy the contents to a location on 
your hard drive. 
❐
 
Don’t change the folder structure inside the program or sample files 
 
folder. Otherwise HALion will not be able to find the samples!
 
Once the content files are available on your hard drive, you need to 
open the Browser page view and instruct HALion where to find the 
files. Refer to page 164 for a detailed description of how to handle the 
HALion content files. 
Register your software!
 
Please fill out and send in the registration card that you have received 
with your software package. By doing so you are entitled to technical 
support and kept aware of updates and other news regarding HALion. 
						

							 
HALion
 
2 – 16 System Requirements and Installation 
						

							 
3
 
Preparations 
						

							 
HALion
 
3 – 18 Preparations 
Setting up HALion as a VST Instrument in 
Cubase 
 
❐
 
The information in this section refers to using HALion within Cubase SX. 
We assume that you have correctly set up both Cubase SX and your 
available MIDI and audio hardware. 
Should you wish to use HALion within another VST host application such 
 
as Nuendo, please refer to its documentation.
 
Proceed as follows to activate HALion: 
1. 
Make sure that Cubase SX receives MIDI data that you generate with 
your external MIDI master keyboard. 
2. 
In Cubase SX, open the “VST Instruments” window from the Devices 
menu, and select “Halion” from the pop-up menu of a free VST Instru-
ment slot. 
3. 
Clicking the “Power” switch in the rack will activate/deactivate HALion. 
By default this is automatically activated when VST Instruments are loaded.  
						

							 
HALion
 
Preparations 3 – 19 
4. 
Click on the “Edit” button (“e”) to open the HALion window. 
By default, the “Macro” page view (“page views” are user interface panels containing 
parameters) is shown. In this page view, the parameters affect all the samples in a Pro-
gram. In addition to this, there are six other page views. See the chapter “HALion over-
view” for a brief description of all the page views.
The HALion “Macro” page view.
 
5. 
In Cubase SX, select a MIDI track and set its Output setting to “Halion”. 
This way, HALion will receive MIDI data from the selected track.
 
• 
HALion 
  
receives MIDI data in 16 channel multi-mode. It is therefore 
not necessary to assign a specific MIDI receive channel in HALion.  
However, you should make sure that the MIDI channel of the currently selected 
Cubase SX track is set to the channel on which HALion is to receive MIDI data.
 
When set, you are ready to load some samples and start using 
HALion! In the next chapter you will learn how to load programs.  
						

							 
HALion
 
3 – 20 Preparations 
Setting up HALion as a DXi2 Synth
 
❐
 
The information in this section refers to using HALion within Cakewalk 
SONAR. We assume that you have correctly set up both SONAR and your 
available MIDI and audio hardware. Should you wish to use HALion within 
another DXi2 compatible host application, please refer to its documenta-
 
tion.
 
Proceed as follows to activate HALion: 
1. 
Make sure that SONAR receives MIDI data that you generate with 
your external MIDI master keyboard. You can check this visually with 
the “MIDI In/Out Activity” tray icon. 
2.In SONAR, open the “Synth Rack” window from the View menu.
3.Click the Insert button (or select the Insert option on the main menu).
The Insert button in the Synth Rack window.
4.Open the DXi Synth submenu and select “HALion” from the pop-up 
menu.