Steinberg Announces HALion 6
German software developer Steinberg have announced the arrival of their newest sample software, HALion 6, a worthy successor to HALion 5!
Script support
Even though Steinberg's direct competition Native Instruments have built up quite a reputation over the past few years with their sample software Kontakt, the pendulum could very well swing back in Steinberg's direction with the release of their new sample software HALion 6. It's been completely revamped and modernised to include the same features that made Kontakt so popular, most importantly, its ability to support scripts! Now, you can make your own ideas come to life by programming them yourself. There's also a macro page editor for setting up your own custom layout. Assign a rotary knob to any filter you like, select your preferred encoder, or draw one yourself! Then export the whole thing as a library.
Why HALion?
When it comes to the differences between Kontakt and HALion 6, we suspect that HALion 6 has a lower learning curve than its rival, making it easier to design new virtual instruments from scratch. We assume this, based on the fact that HALion 6 has a more spacious display layout. Hopefully, manufacturers will start producing virtual instruments that are compatible with HALion 6 as well as Kontakt in the future, but meanwhile, sound-designers and tweakers are sure to appreciate it.
Included libraries
As well as two grand pianos, HALion 6 also includes a collection of brass sounds for funk and soul. Studio Strings features string instruments designed for film music and pop music, and includes solo sounds for when you want to strike an emotional chord. Anima and Skylab synths offer a wide array of bread-and-butter sounds, and the comprehensive arpeggiator and granular sound engine are not to be underestimated!
Sampler
It's not only easy to record samples with HALion 6, they're also instantly mapped and ready to go. When you record in varying pitches from an external virtual synth, for instance, you can link it to HALion 6 via MIDI and the software automatically maps your sounds. You've got all kinds of sound-editing capabilities at your fingertips so you can really experiment and let your creativity run wild!
To sum up, HALion 6 is a virtual playground for sound-designers with an intuitive user-friendly interface that allows maximum creative experimentation.
Check out the videos on the product page, and for all the latest news, visit our NAMM overview!
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