Steinberg VST Sampler HALion 3 Operation Manual

							HALionEditing in the Keyzone page view 7 – 81
3.Without dropping the samples, move the mouse up and down.
As you can see, the samples are mapped chromatically and moving the mouse forward 
extends the keyzone for each sample.
•If you move the mouse pointer to the bottom of the Keyzone window 
the samples will be velocity switched (see page 85), indicated by the 
outline of the samples being placed on top of each other.
The first selected sample will get the highest velocity and the last selected the lowest 
velocity. This only works correctly if samples are selected from the Browser window.    
						

							HALion7 – 82 Editing in the Keyzone page view
•If you press [Ctrl] (Win)/[Command] (Mac) and move the mouse 
pointer to the bottom of the Keyzone window, the samples will be 
layered (see page 84) on the key(s) you drop on.
•If you press [Ctrl] and point to a white key, the samples will be mapped 
to consecutive white keys only, and the keyzone range cannot be ex-
tended.
In the same way, pointing to a black key will map the samples to black keys only.  
						

							HALionEditing in the Keyzone page view 7 – 83
•You can use the same techniques outlined above to map samples di-
rectly onto the keyboard.
The vertical position the mouse pointer points to on the key itself then determines the 
key zone range. The key zones to be created are displayed on the keyboard with an or-
ange outline, in the same manner as when dropping samples in the Keyzone window.
•You can drag and drop samples into any folder in the Program List.
Simply select the file(s), and drag them into the Program List. Remember that the 
mouse pointer determines the ultimate destination. Point at the folder, open or closed, 
that you wish to import the samples to when you “drop”. 
❐You can also import Programs or Program Banks using drag and drop.  
						

							HALion7 – 84 Editing in the Keyzone page view
Overlapping key zones
A key range can contain more than one keyzone, as any number of 
samples (each with its own key zone) can be layered on top of each 
other. This can be done in many different ways: 
Playing several samples from one key
You can simply map two or more samples to the same key range. This 
will play back all samples mapped to this key (or key range) simulta-
neously. When samples are layered, the color of the overlapping part 
becomes various darker shades of blue, and the outline of the overlap-
ping sample(s) will be visible. However, if layered samples have iden-
tical keyzone and velocity ranges, then layering is indicated by the 
darker color shading alone.
These two samples are layered (overlapped). Sometimes only the keyzone currently 
“in front” will be accessible, making it impossible to adjust the handles for a 
underlying keyzone. In such cases you have to use the context menu items “Send 
To Back” and “Bring To Front”. All context menu items available in the Keyzone 
page view are described on page 87.
❐You can also use the MegaTrig function to trigger overlapping samples 
in different ways – e.g. to have Note On trigger one sample and Note Off 
another sample – see page 135.  
						

							HALionEditing in the Keyzone page view 7 – 85
Velocity switching
You can use velocity switching to determine how samples mapped to 
the same key or key range will play back.
By setting different high/low velocity values for several samples, you 
can determine which sample is played by how hard or soft you strike a 
key. 
Four samples that are velocity switched. If you look at the velocity scale to the right, 
the lower sample will play back when triggered by velocities between 1 and 32, the 
middle sample when triggered by velocities between 33 and 64, and the top sample 
when triggered by velocities higher than 96. Note that the velocity ranges set in the 
figure above are exclusive, meaning that only one sample at a time will ever play back. 
But you could also have overlapping velocity ranges in which case two samples would 
be played back in the overlapping range, which can produce a smoother transition 
between two samples.  
						

							HALion7 – 86 Editing in the Keyzone page view
Applying crossfades
❐Crossfades are selected from a context menu. All context menu items 
are described on page 87.
You can apply “crossfades” to overlapping key zones. There are two 
methods:
X-Fade Pitch
Example: Two samples overlap in a key range over one octave. For both 
samples the “X-Fade Pitch” option has been selected. A linear fade-out 
is applied to the sample with a lower value in the “Lo Key” field within 
the overlapping range as the pitch increases (i.e. the higher the note 
played within the key range). The sample that has a higher value in the 
“Lo Key” field is faded in as the pitch increases within the key range.
X-Fade Velocity
This will crossfade samples by velocity in the overlapping range.
If X-Fade Velocity is applied, samples will be crossfaded according to 
how hard or soft you strike a key in the overlapping range. The harder 
the key is struck (in the overlapping range) the more of one of the sam-
ples (determined by which sample is view selected when applying the 
crossfade) and less of the other sample will be heard, and vice versa.
•It is also possible to apply pitch and velocity crossfades together. 
						

							HALionEditing in the Keyzone page view 7 – 87
Context menu items in the Keyzone window
The Keyzone page view features powerful context menus, providing 
many functions and features. Context menus are opened by [Ctrl]-
clicking (Mac) or right-clicking (Win) in the Keyzone window, either di-
rectly on a sample or in an empty area of the Keyzone window. 
Sample specific context menu
Right-clicking (Win) or [Ctrl]-clicking (Mac) on a sample either in the 
Keyzone window or in the Program List brings up the following con-
text menu items, which are mostly applicable to the currently view se-
lected sample:
Menu Item Description
Sample Name The top menu item displays the name of the currently view se-
lected sample. All items on the top half of the menu will apply to 
the currently view selected sample.
Replace… This opens a standard file dialog allowing you to replace the cur-
rently view selected sample with another. The new sample will 
have exactly the same properties (i.e. keyzone/velocity range, pa-
rameter settings etc.) as the original sample. You cannot use the 
Undo function to undo a Replace operation.
Rename… Allows you to rename the currently selected sample. A dialog 
opens in which you can enter a new name. This dialog opens 
also when you double-click the sample. Note that if this sample is 
referenced by another Program, it will have to be re-referenced. 
X-Fade PitchThis applies a pitch crossfade in the overlapping range between the cur-
rently selected sample and one (or several) other sample(s). This function 
can be turned on or off by selecting or deselecting it from the context 
menu. Pitch crossfades are described on page 86.
X-Fade Velocity This applies a velocity crossfade in the overlapping range be-
tween the currently selected sample and one (or several) other 
sample(s). This function can be turned on or off by selecting or 
deselecting it from the context menu. Velocity crossfades are de-
scribed on page 86.
Exclude from 
AutomationBy selecting this item you can exclude the currently view selected 
sample from any recorded parameter automation changes. Auto-
mation is described on page 195. 
						

							HALion7 – 88 Editing in the Keyzone page view
Mute This mutes (silences) the currently view selected sample. Muted 
samples are displayed in grey in the Keyzone window, and are 
listed in italics in the Program List.
Solo/Unmute All This mutes all samples except the currently view selected sam-
ple. Deselecting this unmutes all samples.
Bring To Front/
Send To BackThis allows you to access samples that may be hidden behind 
other overlapping samples. Bring To Front will bring the currently 
view selected sample to the front, Send To Back will send the 
currently view selected sample to the back, and bring any under-
lying sample to the front.
Center in Keyzone This will scroll the view so that the currently view selected sam-
ple will be in the middle of the Keyzone window.
Edit in External
EditorThis will open the currently view selected sample in a wave edi-
tor. HALion will automatically detect an installed editing program 
(e.g. WaveLab) and open the selected sample for editing. Refer 
to the application’s documentation for information about what 
you can do in the wave editor.
Always in RAM If this is ticked, the selected sample(s) will always load into the 
RAM buffer, i.e. no disk streaming.
Unload/Load This will unload the preloaded portion (see page 24) of the cur-
rently view selected sample from RAM. If you open the context 
menu again, you can reload it. Unloaded samples have no veloc-
ity ranges in the Keyzone display and are indicated by purple text 
in the Program List.
Undo This will undo the last performed “destructive” operation in the 
Keyzone window. Undoable operations are Cut/Delete/Paste.
Cut/Copy/Paste/
DeleteThese commands can be used for cut, copy, paste or delete op-
erations for all selected samples. You can use standard key com-
mands for these operations.
Parameters 
submenuOn this submenu there are three items; Reset, Copy, and Paste 
Parameters. Reset will reset sample parameter values to the de-
fault values, and the other two items allow you to copy/paste 
sample parameter settings between samples.
Sample Info/
File InfoAt the bottom of the menu, information about the currently view 
selected sample is shown.  Menu Item Description 
						

							HALionEditing in the Keyzone page view 7 – 89
Program specific context menu
[Ctrl]-clicking (Mac)/right-clicking (Win) either in an empty area of the 
Keyzone window or a Program folder in the Program List brings up the 
following context menu items:
Menu Item Description
New FolderThis will create a new folder inside the currently selected Program 
folder. This can in turn contain samples. In all respects a folder is 
the same as a Program, but you can import whole Programs into 
folders without replacing the Program the folder resides in. Orga-
nizing samples in folders (or subfolders) allows you to load “Pro-
grams into a Program”. Folders can be used to structure samples in 
a Program (for example one folder per octave, or per velocity layer). 
The advantage is that you can handle all the samples in the folder 
as an entity, select them (directly by selecting the folder), mute 
them, load them into another Program, save them as a Program 
(see below) etc. 
Load Folder(s)… Opens a file dialog where you can browse and select “.fxp” Pro-
gram files for import. This will automatically create subfolders in 
the selected Program folder for each imported FXP file. 
Save  Program… This allows you to save and name the currently selected folder as 
a “.fxp” (HALion Effect Program) file. 
Load Program(s)... This will load FXP files directly into the current Program folder. 
ArchiveThe submenu items for this menu item will open a standard file dia-
log where you can name and specify a location for saving Programs 
together with their associated samples, for archiving purposes. 
Import Sample(s) This menu item opens a file dialog where you can audition and se-
lect samples for import. After selecting the samples and clicking 
OK, a new dialog opens, with a number of mapping options. 
These are described on page 78.
Rename… This allows you to rename the currently selected Program. A dia-
log opens in which you can enter a new name. This dialog opens 
also when you double-click the Program.
Preload Samples This allows you to preload all samples for a Program if they have 
been unloaded. All Programs that are assigned to the 16 slots in 
the Global page view are automatically preloaded into RAM, so 
sometimes you may wish to unload them to save memory.  
						

							HALion7 – 90 Editing in the Keyzone page view
Always Preload This allows you to preload a selected Program even when it is 
not assigned to one of the 16 channel slots. This is useful if you 
use program change messages to change Programs, so that the 
samples can be instantly triggered.
Always in RAM If this is ticked, the samples in the selected Program will always 
load into the RAM buffer, i.e. no disk streaming.
Mute  All/Unmute  All This mutes/unmutes all samples in the currently selected Program 
or folder, respectively.
Set as Active 
ProgramIf you [Ctrl]-click (Mac) or right-click (Win) an unselected Program 
name in the Program List, you can use this item to select the Pro-
gram without selecting the samples inside the Program folder.
Undo This will undo the last performed “destructive” operation in the 
Keyzone window. 
Cut/Copy/PasteAllows you to use cut, copy and paste operations for selected sam-
ples, Programs or folders. Programs can be copied and pasted into 
other Programs. 
Select All Selects all samples in the selected Program.
Inverse Selection This option “inverts” the samples selected in the Program list, i.e. 
when one sample is selected and you select Inverse Selection, 
the previously selected sample is deselected and all other sam-
ples of this Program are selected.
Sort by Pitch This will sort all samples in the selected Program folder accord-
ing to which keys they are mapped to.
Sort Alphabetically This will sort all samples in the selected Program folder alphabet-
ically. 
(“Map selected” 
submenu) 
Expand (Pitch)This will expand the selected sample(s) keyzones in the following 
manner. If one sample is selected, its keyzone range will be 
stretched across the entire range overlapping all other samples. If 
several samples are selected, their keyzones will be extended to 
the whole range or to the next adjacent selected sample, without 
overlapping. Samples that are not selected will be overlapped.
(“Map selected” 
submenu) Map 
Chromatic SelectedThis will remap all selected samples chromatically from the 
selected key on the keyboard (marked with a blue dot).
(“Map selected” 
submenu) Map on 
White/Black KeysThis will remap all selected samples from the selected key on the 
Keyboard (marked with a blue dot) to the white/black keys to the 
right. Menu Item Description