Steinberg Updates HALion & HALion Sonic

The updated HALion Sonic versions introduce true multi-core support and now feature the MorphFilter audio effect in the FX section. Plus, HALion Sonic 1.6 comes with a multi-loading option. The HALion 4.5.2 update is said to resolve several user-reported issues.

HALion 4.5.2

Announced Improvements & issues resolved:

• MIDI: NoteOff timing has been improved with larger buffer sizes.
• MIDI: Velo 0 is now interpreted as NoteOff.
• MIDI: An issue has been resolved, where sometimes not all necessary notes got triggered after starting a MIDI file.
• MediaBay: “Reset Search” key command function no longer depends on current focus.
• MediaBay: Issue with “reverse order” when dragging programs from the MediaBay to the slot rack has been resolved.
• MediaBay: The cursor now snaps by default to the text box that appears when clicking on the input text field.
• MediaBay: An issue has been resolved, where loading a program via doubleclick in the floating MediaBay window only worked if “Keep Dialog open” was unchecked.
• MediaBay: Return key functionality in program structure has been improved.
• Export: The option to “cancel” the export of a multi/VST Sound while exporting has been added.
• Export: “Export Samples” option is now available even if no layer is selected. “Export Layer with Samples” is allowed only if a layer is selected.
• GUI: Drawing errors (gray areas) that appeared after loading programs no longer occur.
• Import: Issues that appeared in the “Find Missing Samples” dialog have been resolved.
• Import: Search for hyphenated items has been improved.
• Import: REX import issues have been resolved by adding a postfix “halimported” to the newly created file.
• Mapping editor: An issue has been resolved that appeared when using [CTRL]+ [Cursor keys] in the mapping editor on the Mac version of HALion.
• Slot rack: An issue has been resolved, where the slot rack was empty the next time the previously saved project got loaded.
• Slot rack: “Rename” has been added in context menu to avoid entering text edit accidentally.
• Slot rack: An issue has been solved where occasionally the pan control in Slot Rack grayed out after loading a program.
• Standalone: An issue has been resolved where the metronome-click was not audible after loading a MIDI file.
• Effects: An issue has been resolved where the surround panner remained in memory after the application was closed.
• Pitch-bend wheel: An issue has been resolved where the pitch-bend wheel was not in middle position after loading a preset (Windows 32-bit only).
• FlexPhraser: An issue has been resolved that appeared when a phrase was changed during playback to an arp sequence.
• Trigger pads: An issue has been resolved where NoteOff signals were missing due to retriggered events.
• Quick Controls: An issue has been resolved that appeared on moving the first Quick Control while playing the “Hihat Select” program.
• MIDI: An issue has been resolved where the sustain pedal was still working even though the filter was active.
• Note Expression: Automatic naming when combining multiple Note Expression parameters has been improved.
• Zone editor: Issues with the connection of the parameters when switching the zone type have been resolved.
• MIDI modules: An issue has been resolved where the combined editing was deactivated when closing and re-opening the HALion 4 panel.
• MIDI modules: Fixed Multi-editing of MIDI Modules. Layer names now update correctly.
• Sample editor: An issue has been resolved, where the audio was played in the wrong tempo when pre-listening to 96 kHz WAV files in the sample editor.
• Slice player: A single slices can now be selected and edited after “Revert to Last Saved” has been executed.
• Slice player: An issue has been resolved where wrong event order could cause triggered notes to be cut off.
• Slice player: “Drag MIDI Phrase to Host Sequencer” has been fixed for the slice player.
• Quick controls: Now Quick Control names directly show up after loading in the Inspector in Cubase.
• Program tree: “Load to New Layer” for the case that a MIDI Module, Program Bus or effect is selected has been improved.
• Multi-OSC: Improved Multi-OSC-edit button in the zone editor. It’s now disabled when multi-OSC is inactive.
• Logic: An issue has been resolved where sudden noise appeared.
• Ableton Live 8.2.6: An issue has been resolved, where only the first loaded HAL-Plugin GUI got displayed.
• Ableton Live: Issues with missing AU outputs are resolved. All 16 outputs are now available.

HALion Sonic 1.6

Announced Improvements:

• Multi-core support: This update introduces true multi-core support. A single HALion Sonic instance can now access all CPU cores and make perfect use of the power available inside your computer. A new preference on the options page allows you to choose how many cores can be employed by HALion Sonic. This is helpful to control the performance available to HALion Sonic in order to properly share cores with other applications, such as Cubase and Nuendo.
• Multi-loading option:The new multi-program loading option lets you specify whether a multi-program is to be cleared before loading a new multi-program or if it is to be kept in RAM.
• Slot numbers are now available for automation channels.
• A new key command window has been added.
• Phrase selector dialog in FlexPhraser has been improved.
• Morph Filter audio effect has been added.
• A customized “Start-up” program can be saved.

Issues resolved:

• MIDI: NoteOff timing has been improved with larger buffer sizes.
• MIDI: Velo 0 is now interpreted as NoteOff.
• MIDI: An issue has been resolved where sometimes not all necessary notes got triggered after starting a MIDI file.
• Layer: “Save as Layer” issue has been resolved.
• MediaBay: “Reset Search” key command function no longer depends on current focus.
• MediaBay: The cursor now snaps by default to the text box that appears when clicking on the input text field.
• MediaBay: An issue has been resolved that appeared after canceling the load process in the floating MediaBay window.
• MediaBay: An issue has been resolved where loading a program via double-click in the floating MediaBay window only worked if “Keep Dialog open” was unchecked.
• Program: Issue with enabling (multi-)progam after loading has been resolved.
• GUI: Drawing errors (gray areas) that appeared after loading programs no longer occur.
• Slot rack: An issue has been solved where occasionally the pan control in Slot Rack grayed out after loading a program.
• Slot rack: An issue has been resolved where the slot rack was empty the next time the previously saved project was loaded.
• Standalone: An issue has been resolved where the metronome-click was not audible after loading a MIDI file.
• Pitch-bend wheel: An issue has been resolved where the pitch-bend wheel was not in middle position after loading a preset (Windows 32-bit only).
• Ableton Live 8.2.6: An issue has been resolved where only the first loaded HAL plug-in GUI was displayed.
• Import: Search for hyphenated items has been improved.
• Trigger pads: An issue has been resolved where NoteOff signals were missing due to retriggered events.
• Quick Controls: An issue has been resolved that appeared on moving the first Quick Control while playing the “Hihat Select” program.
• Quick Controls: Now Quick Control names directly show up after loading in the Inspector in Cubase.
• Note Expression: Automatic naming when combining multiple Note Expression parameters has been improved.
• Logic: An issue has been resolved where sudden noise appeared.
• FlexPhraser: An issue has been resolved that appeared when a phrase was changed during playback to an arp sequence.