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Forums - Computer music & technology
Subject: ORION
Viewing all 45 messages - View by pages of 10: 1 2 3 4 5
Original Message 1/45 15-Nov-00 @ 01:13 PM - ORION
hey, they just sent me a review copy! - anyone interested ???
Message 2/45 15-Nov-00 @ 07:53 PM - RE: ORION
nice drums, great synths, wierd sequencing though.. havent touched the smapler
Message 3/45 15-Nov-00 @ 09:37 PM - RE: ORION
i had a few minutes with it this morning - the drums are great, the 909 pisses on rebirth, and you can add two custom samples to the 909 kit, or choose the custom-sample only kit where you define all the sounds
the timing is spot on - really rock-clock so far... the fx are weirding me out a bit, but you get VST instruments AND FX !!!... well, fuck me.. there's 100 free VST effex in the DT file library alone... so you get lots of fx, and you CAN still use your fave vst-instruments !!...
anyways... thats a 10 minute review... i need way more time... you can play the synths from a keyboard, but i dont think this old pc will do it.. i need to test orion with a P3... soon, i gotta get this p3 running by the weekend..
the timing is spot on - really rock-clock so far... the fx are weirding me out a bit, but you get VST instruments AND FX !!!... well, fuck me.. there's 100 free VST effex in the DT file library alone... so you get lots of fx, and you CAN still use your fave vst-instruments !!...
anyways... thats a 10 minute review... i need way more time... you can play the synths from a keyboard, but i dont think this old pc will do it.. i need to test orion with a P3... soon, i gotta get this p3 running by the weekend..
Message 4/45 15-Nov-00 @ 09:40 PM - RE: ORION
It looks mad cool... I'm d/l'ing the
demo now to have a play myself
-Craig
demo now to have a play myself
-Craig
Message 5/45 16-Nov-00 @ 03:18 AM - RE: ORION
i mean it pisses on rebirth in that you dont need a fuckin' magnifying glass to adjust the controls or write a pattern - very simple to create beats... if you can drag yourself away from traditional big 3 midi sequencers this is great ... IT DOES HAVE A PIANO ROLL THOUGH to edit and draw in patterns!.... pattern based simplicity... the meters could do with indicators tho. i want to see the moving peaks to help me easily identify tracks fast without reading names... plus visually it makes a mixer - although i guess it saves resources not having channel meters.
Actually it ideal for a starter and way more... meaning it can be mastered in seconds to a level where the user hears real original beats & dancemusic they have created bustin out of the speakers... it allows you access to ALL the vst synths plugins and FX, AND direct-x plugins too !!!!.... so really all you are loosing by using this as opposed to vst or logic is most of the stuff you probably DON'T need or would never use in those programmes anyways.... i think it's perfect in that respect it takes all the bits you REALLY need and dumps the rest...
when you buy it you get absolutely EVERYTHING you need to start making music just add a PC... It is 100% geared to dance & electronic music, and as you progress in skills and upgrade your pc/cash, you can just more add more & more complexed synths as your pc power and pocket affords !!...
the vst compatibility is a great bonus i think cos you can run a waldorf synth if you like !! and you are tapping in to probably the biggest s/w synth & fx development scene...
so far so good...
if it all goes well i can see this becoming a VERY important s/w, - ORION was born to make clubsounds basicaly !!...
Actually it ideal for a starter and way more... meaning it can be mastered in seconds to a level where the user hears real original beats & dancemusic they have created bustin out of the speakers... it allows you access to ALL the vst synths plugins and FX, AND direct-x plugins too !!!!.... so really all you are loosing by using this as opposed to vst or logic is most of the stuff you probably DON'T need or would never use in those programmes anyways.... i think it's perfect in that respect it takes all the bits you REALLY need and dumps the rest...
when you buy it you get absolutely EVERYTHING you need to start making music just add a PC... It is 100% geared to dance & electronic music, and as you progress in skills and upgrade your pc/cash, you can just more add more & more complexed synths as your pc power and pocket affords !!...
the vst compatibility is a great bonus i think cos you can run a waldorf synth if you like !! and you are tapping in to probably the biggest s/w synth & fx development scene...
so far so good...
if it all goes well i can see this becoming a VERY important s/w, - ORION was born to make clubsounds basicaly !!...
Message 6/45 16-Nov-00 @ 01:31 PM - RE: ORION
Played about with the demo...the wasp synth is fucking excellent! The TS404 gone bad. Only problem is that it clicks and pops like a bastard on my (p3500)EMU APS card at home to the point that I can't use it. I have a SB live at work and it's fine on that though. Got some nice pads out of the wavedream as well.
Would definately buy it for the price ($49?) if it worked with my card.
Would definately buy it for the price ($49?) if it worked with my card.
Message 7/45 17-Nov-00 @ 09:03 AM - RE: ORION
yeah I like orion too, it seems like a fruity clone with different options and vst instrument support i like it, I can only run one instance of wavdream and some drums, before getting a cpu overload and it shuts down (and this is on a k62 400!) so I havnt really been able to crack it at all, the 909 emulation does rock too, Id give it a 9 if it didnt die on me 1/4 into a song :-(
Message 8/45 17-Nov-00 @ 10:52 AM - RE: ORION
what !!!! $49 bucks is that all it is !!?
well thats rediculous - spent another hour with it last night and found a few interesting things - Each synth (& sampler) has a switch to select either 'DRAFT' or like a 'PRODUCTION' version - so you can compose at a lower bandwidth or something, then when ready switch over to full bandwidth and stream to audio...
each synth has two buttons one for SEQuence and one for STEP one is for inputting notes and the other is for setting length and fine tuning position... so you set a note (default 16ths) then click the button and set the length and then notes default to the last length - so i like that, the way it works is each synth has it's own dedicated piano-roll screen, each module has all the edit buttons on it handily... you have a lower controller area like with the big-3 and you can adjust stuff like velocity, filter etc, the basslines have a lower area for slide & accent input - everything is sorta immeadiate with no messing about - still being impressed - tried the sampler last night and it played a loop fine with the 909 drums, 2 basslines, wasp & a reverb & a delay plus eq... on a 200mmx with 64mb ram at 'DRAFT' setting which sounded fine
also i'm learning but sorta compiling a wish-list at the same time... I'm not too keen on the mixer eq' but it works and as each channel can accept 2 VST or DX insert's you could sling in any type of Eq' you like if the channel eq's dont go far enuff -
any judgements i make like that are also baring in mind this is developed by two guys without huge funding - and for that (if you think how far say Fruity-Loops has travelled in two years) ORION so far as the authors have got is pretty damned amazing for two guys on a budget !!...
i cant get any midi input tho ... it's showing my midi OUT ports as available Inputs.. not sure what that is about... aint had time to see or try it...
the delay is good, the reverb is not too hot, but again you can use VST or DX FX so who cares these are included get-you-going FX and they work, delay is more important and that is fine, you could use wunderverb on it which is better... i gotta try VST fx next which i didnt get to do yet
so far so good... to go further i need to sort out the midi... it reads midifiles too !!... the timing is TIGHTER than Logic or VST to my ears - it's clubsound dream s/w if i was stuck on a desert island with Only ORION and couldnt sit around deciding wether to use it or use something different else, I could make release quality music with ORION i think it's fair to say... still.. i need to see the midi side too not that it is too important for a newbie with no outboard but... i dunno if you could route hardware outboard into the mix tho... never looked to see if that is an option...
well thats rediculous - spent another hour with it last night and found a few interesting things - Each synth (& sampler) has a switch to select either 'DRAFT' or like a 'PRODUCTION' version - so you can compose at a lower bandwidth or something, then when ready switch over to full bandwidth and stream to audio...
each synth has two buttons one for SEQuence and one for STEP one is for inputting notes and the other is for setting length and fine tuning position... so you set a note (default 16ths) then click the button and set the length and then notes default to the last length - so i like that, the way it works is each synth has it's own dedicated piano-roll screen, each module has all the edit buttons on it handily... you have a lower controller area like with the big-3 and you can adjust stuff like velocity, filter etc, the basslines have a lower area for slide & accent input - everything is sorta immeadiate with no messing about - still being impressed - tried the sampler last night and it played a loop fine with the 909 drums, 2 basslines, wasp & a reverb & a delay plus eq... on a 200mmx with 64mb ram at 'DRAFT' setting which sounded fine
also i'm learning but sorta compiling a wish-list at the same time... I'm not too keen on the mixer eq' but it works and as each channel can accept 2 VST or DX insert's you could sling in any type of Eq' you like if the channel eq's dont go far enuff -
any judgements i make like that are also baring in mind this is developed by two guys without huge funding - and for that (if you think how far say Fruity-Loops has travelled in two years) ORION so far as the authors have got is pretty damned amazing for two guys on a budget !!...
i cant get any midi input tho ... it's showing my midi OUT ports as available Inputs.. not sure what that is about... aint had time to see or try it...
the delay is good, the reverb is not too hot, but again you can use VST or DX FX so who cares these are included get-you-going FX and they work, delay is more important and that is fine, you could use wunderverb on it which is better... i gotta try VST fx next which i didnt get to do yet
so far so good... to go further i need to sort out the midi... it reads midifiles too !!... the timing is TIGHTER than Logic or VST to my ears - it's clubsound dream s/w if i was stuck on a desert island with Only ORION and couldnt sit around deciding wether to use it or use something different else, I could make release quality music with ORION i think it's fair to say... still.. i need to see the midi side too not that it is too important for a newbie with no outboard but... i dunno if you could route hardware outboard into the mix tho... never looked to see if that is an option...
Message 9/45 18-Nov-00 @ 04:37 AM - RE: ORION
it reads midi files? how so? do you just assign an instrument to each track or what, that sounds cool, also thanx for the tip about draft quality, it may allow me to get deeper into this progie
Message 10/45 18-Nov-00 @ 11:01 AM - RE: ORION
i dunno yet, but, if you can create toons, and save 'em as midifiles then in the future if you like, other people or you yourself can remix the tracks with different synths or mix internal streamed audio & midi etc in another programme - that's a good idea... as i say, i gotta setup & get it working with midi still, i assume it sequences external kit too, i'm gonna try creating a groove and exporting it as a midifile then re-creating the ORION track with vst & logic to see if it loads all ok...
it's odd, like a cross between pattern-based old-style analog (you select the actual sound-module and sequence patterns to it's bank/pattern buttons, like rebirth & old analogs... BUT each pattern can be sequenced on a piano-style sequencer grid liuke Logic/Cake/VST.. !! - patterns can be copied and pasted - then you put the whole thing together on a track area by adding in patterns - each instrument has a track - it's really simple...
assuming it saves midfiles reliably this'd also be an awesome s/w to take on the road on a lappy if you already have a big-3 sequencer studio at home... You could create idea's on the road with this self contained ORION system, it'll run on a cheap lappy due to the 'Draft' working mode it can be switched to - then save the stuff, then remix it at home on your main sequencer from the midifiles, and if you can pull out any part from the ORION composition as a streamed audio-file to paste into an audio track on your main sequencer....
if you dont have a sequencer already fine, this could also do that for you, and if you have no gear AT ALL, and just a PC... well, everything you need to make toons is here with loads of upgradeability due to it's VST & DX plugin's & VST-instrument Capability
oh, and so far it hasnt crashed ONCE :-)
even so far as i have got learning it i can see that for certain styles this is ALL you need and actually PREFERABLE if i'm honest to Logic or VST !!
it's odd, like a cross between pattern-based old-style analog (you select the actual sound-module and sequence patterns to it's bank/pattern buttons, like rebirth & old analogs... BUT each pattern can be sequenced on a piano-style sequencer grid liuke Logic/Cake/VST.. !! - patterns can be copied and pasted - then you put the whole thing together on a track area by adding in patterns - each instrument has a track - it's really simple...
assuming it saves midfiles reliably this'd also be an awesome s/w to take on the road on a lappy if you already have a big-3 sequencer studio at home... You could create idea's on the road with this self contained ORION system, it'll run on a cheap lappy due to the 'Draft' working mode it can be switched to - then save the stuff, then remix it at home on your main sequencer from the midifiles, and if you can pull out any part from the ORION composition as a streamed audio-file to paste into an audio track on your main sequencer....
if you dont have a sequencer already fine, this could also do that for you, and if you have no gear AT ALL, and just a PC... well, everything you need to make toons is here with loads of upgradeability due to it's VST & DX plugin's & VST-instrument Capability
oh, and so far it hasnt crashed ONCE :-)
even so far as i have got learning it i can see that for certain styles this is ALL you need and actually PREFERABLE if i'm honest to Logic or VST !!
Message 12/45 20-Nov-00 @ 02:28 PM - RE: ORION
I heard that Chop Shop does his tracks with Orion... It has to be good then.
Message 13/45 20-Nov-00 @ 04:36 PM - RE: ORION
"Can it give Dynamo (Reactor) a run for its money? "
For $49 it can!
For $49 it can!
Message 14/45 22-Nov-00 @ 11:43 PM - RE: ORION
Yeh
I've been using orion for a few months. Dumped Cubase, overbloated software features, who needs them!!!
Their been a new version each months with new mods. Pro Version out at Christmas. Cool new features inc arp, quality reverb audio tracks ASIO support, beat cutting.
Even use my fav VST instrument Pro-52
I can run shits loads of synth on my machine. P111 500, 256mb Ram
I've been using orion for a few months. Dumped Cubase, overbloated software features, who needs them!!!
Their been a new version each months with new mods. Pro Version out at Christmas. Cool new features inc arp, quality reverb audio tracks ASIO support, beat cutting.
Even use my fav VST instrument Pro-52
I can run shits loads of synth on my machine. P111 500, 256mb Ram
Message 15/45 23-Nov-00 @ 04:52 AM - RE: ORION
damnit what the hell is wrong with my shitty machine then! i cant even get like 2 of those freebie neon plugs going and some drums off for like 8 bars before *choke*choke*cpu overload*sorry*!
computers suck my nuts, u think u have thier evil ways down, u think that you can control them, but........
computers suck my nuts, u think u have thier evil ways down, u think that you can control them, but........
Message 16/45 23-Nov-00 @ 05:59 AM - RE: ORION
so what you running a p75 with 16mb ? - man even dell are doing like pIII's at celeron prices, pentiums have gone fown the plughole due to the athalons it's open season on fast p3 chips, they cant give 'em away, no-one wants them when they can get an athalon or t-bird.
Message 17/45 24-Nov-00 @ 06:41 AM - RE: ORION
nope im running a k62 400 with 128 megs of ram, and I have no idea y it starts to choke, maybe ill download the new 1.6 demo and try that out, I joined the egroup list too, some helpful stuff on there
Message 18/45 24-Nov-00 @ 10:56 AM - RE: ORION
Someone suggested using APS mme drivers instead of the directx ones to solve my pops and crackles problem with Orion. This sounds kinda shit to me though. I spend £300 on a soundcard and have to resort to crap latency mme! I've thought about installing directx8 but don't know if this would fix it or not. Maybe I should reinstall my APS drivers or maybe I should just chuck it in the bin and buy a SB live value!
Message 19/45 24-Nov-00 @ 05:05 PM - RE: ORION
hmm.. a k6... ???????????.. er... with the notorious hell-ridden 'doesnt work' chipset???.. mebbe get a new box ? no offense but those k6's are scrap items now, you cant really sell them as they are worthless
Message 20/45 24-Nov-00 @ 07:06 PM - RE: ORION
Pops and crackles problems are not usually caused by the sound card or drivers in many music aps. Usually caused my CPU overload. K62 chips are pretty shite at floating point calculations. That's what soft synths do loads of! Best get yourself a Athalon or P111 and let the fun begin!
Message 21/45 25-Nov-00 @ 12:16 AM - RE: ORION
whoah!!!!!... man it works in realtime !!.. and records the midi playing SPOT-ON!!!!.. i dont beleive it...
been getting more into orion today and it's really rockin', in fact seriously i wrote the authors and suggested they put UP the price to 200 bucks... the low price might make people overlook it as some semi-serious little app'... wrongo!... i been discovering some new amazing stuff today...
1. it plays in realtime from my keyboard ! and also records those patterns as i play & listen
2. it flips on the fly between pattern & song mode to adjust controllers locally to patterns or song-based across a long peice of the whole song
3. the synths sound fucking amazingly realistic as old analogs crisp as anything...
4. when i right click on ANY controller for the synth panel (on a per-pattern basis) it opens the contrller edit window which looks like just the lower CC edit window in vst/logic/cake
5. I can access the WHOLE list of contrllers and parameters for each synth while in piano edit...
6. it's got this nifty way to show velocity as 'transparency'... the more a note is loud in velocity, the lighter or more opaque the note becomes... SUPERB!!!.. it's the ONLY sequencer that shows CLEARLY note velocity IN THE PATTERN ITSELF!!!... awesome..
7. there is also a fixed always-on 'slide' row under the piano grid to add 303-slide type control to the pattern on a step basis the resolution of which is set in the grid quantise setup !
8. 'Patterns' can be any length and carry unique controller & synth setting parameters... you can have a synth patterns say 4 bars long with synth parameters changing within the pattern, then over record some synth controller moves accorss 32 bars (the pattern x 8) !!!... double layer control !!
9. the clock is spot on.. very hardware sounding...
oh well.. i made a really nice bass-line arp today and it sounds like something from an old Human league album, nice sound... the streaming worked 100% and DID add all fx & control moves to the audio file
next tests are to export & import midifiles and see how they play, and to also play outboard from the sequencer with internal sounds to make a mix... also gotta see if there is any way to route audio outboard into the mix, cos if it had that and you could add realtime fx then this programme would actually be probably preferable to the big 3 sequencers for most dance music usage.. remember it is supposed to also take dx & vst fx & instruments which i'm gonnna try next...
it did occur to me that orion is mebbe an alternative to 'Reason' and so far it's looking bloody good
interestingly now that 'Reason' is out, steinberg are co-incidently NO longer handling propellorheads distribution... hmm.... it's a good time for alternative programmes not laden down with bloatware.. score edit anyone??...
been getting more into orion today and it's really rockin', in fact seriously i wrote the authors and suggested they put UP the price to 200 bucks... the low price might make people overlook it as some semi-serious little app'... wrongo!... i been discovering some new amazing stuff today...
1. it plays in realtime from my keyboard ! and also records those patterns as i play & listen
2. it flips on the fly between pattern & song mode to adjust controllers locally to patterns or song-based across a long peice of the whole song
3. the synths sound fucking amazingly realistic as old analogs crisp as anything...
4. when i right click on ANY controller for the synth panel (on a per-pattern basis) it opens the contrller edit window which looks like just the lower CC edit window in vst/logic/cake
5. I can access the WHOLE list of contrllers and parameters for each synth while in piano edit...
6. it's got this nifty way to show velocity as 'transparency'... the more a note is loud in velocity, the lighter or more opaque the note becomes... SUPERB!!!.. it's the ONLY sequencer that shows CLEARLY note velocity IN THE PATTERN ITSELF!!!... awesome..
7. there is also a fixed always-on 'slide' row under the piano grid to add 303-slide type control to the pattern on a step basis the resolution of which is set in the grid quantise setup !
8. 'Patterns' can be any length and carry unique controller & synth setting parameters... you can have a synth patterns say 4 bars long with synth parameters changing within the pattern, then over record some synth controller moves accorss 32 bars (the pattern x 8) !!!... double layer control !!
9. the clock is spot on.. very hardware sounding...
oh well.. i made a really nice bass-line arp today and it sounds like something from an old Human league album, nice sound... the streaming worked 100% and DID add all fx & control moves to the audio file
next tests are to export & import midifiles and see how they play, and to also play outboard from the sequencer with internal sounds to make a mix... also gotta see if there is any way to route audio outboard into the mix, cos if it had that and you could add realtime fx then this programme would actually be probably preferable to the big 3 sequencers for most dance music usage.. remember it is supposed to also take dx & vst fx & instruments which i'm gonnna try next...
it did occur to me that orion is mebbe an alternative to 'Reason' and so far it's looking bloody good
interestingly now that 'Reason' is out, steinberg are co-incidently NO longer handling propellorheads distribution... hmm.... it's a good time for alternative programmes not laden down with bloatware.. score edit anyone??...
Message 22/45 25-Nov-00 @ 03:54 AM - RE: ORION
well it doesnt seem to export (but it imports) midi... and i cant see any out port settings or way to sequence external, so this ones for the soft synths only but with real playability.. i loaded up a vst pro5 synth and it played ok in realtime given the underpowered machine (200mmx).. the pro-5 sequenced and slotted into the special orion interface just fine. also getting some real nice weird sawtooth stuff in the included wavedream synth & the basslines are just as good as rebirth and easyeir to sequence and control... hard house with orion would be a dream it plays breaks fine and you can crossfade tracks etc... it goes deep even with the included free synths & sampler... i actually forgot i was playing s/w for a while, pretty good stuff...
other nice touches are the pattern buttons change on the synths as they play in the track-area... each synth panel has a massive MUTE button to snap it in out quick...
if you want to make s/w synth music and was thinking of having to get vst to get access to the stuff, i dunno if it's worth it with s/w's like this, this rocks very good and the timing is so tight, and you can 'play' stuff over and record over steptime created patterns from a master keyboard... very good.. honestly ive got loads of hardware but this could make just as good music and you can 'play' it with a keyboard if you like just the same... it was wierd.. at one point i was playinh this s/w synth over a banging backing just as good as if it was hardware mixed, and thinking.. "a big quiet pc and a master keyboard.. with two lcd screens & a matrox dual head card mebbe?... er...". man it'd be so compact & cool...
other nice touches are the pattern buttons change on the synths as they play in the track-area... each synth panel has a massive MUTE button to snap it in out quick...
if you want to make s/w synth music and was thinking of having to get vst to get access to the stuff, i dunno if it's worth it with s/w's like this, this rocks very good and the timing is so tight, and you can 'play' stuff over and record over steptime created patterns from a master keyboard... very good.. honestly ive got loads of hardware but this could make just as good music and you can 'play' it with a keyboard if you like just the same... it was wierd.. at one point i was playinh this s/w synth over a banging backing just as good as if it was hardware mixed, and thinking.. "a big quiet pc and a master keyboard.. with two lcd screens & a matrox dual head card mebbe?... er...". man it'd be so compact & cool...
Message 23/45 25-Nov-00 @ 11:20 AM - RE: ORION
Midi out port option wil be in Orion Pro, out in December
Message 24/45 25-Nov-00 @ 07:03 PM - RE: ORION
really!!!... man.. i might just use Orion and scrap vst & logic as Orions timing is ROCK... sounds just like hardware
what i want on my wishlist is this:
I want a button that i can press, and it STACKS all the modules vertically.. like you know or /also when you grab a panel wether a synth, fx or whetever panel, and move it under another panel, it 'Locks' itself to the bottom of the upper panel, like when you move windows taskbar... what i want is the WHOLE stack of panels bolted together in any order vertically and then i want the ability to scroll the WHOLE screen up or down to access whichever part of the vertical 'Rack' i want.... now THAT would make it superb!!! - i can then have my Orion mixer full screen-width at all times, and bolt the items in whatever vertical stack order i like....
i also have a problem with text on the mixer spilling over onto the next channel... must be somehing to do with my system font settings?.. i didnt ask the guys yet about that...
also if they can make the VST fx also available as SEND fx and setup some returns for those so you can balance the returns that'd be a next-step & having the ability to add say a VST Wunderverb as my send/return reverb would be awesome.. at the moment vst & DX fx are INSERT only......
i'd also like similar to vst a drop-down selector to show whichever mixer channels you like... so i can view ONLY drum channels, vst instrument channels, orion instruments etc on the mixer and quickly flip between whichever channels i want to see (mebbe, but thats not so important) -- but the stacking ability would really make it superbly easy to navigate, and the vst & DX send fx addition would put the icing on the cake.. even as it stands now i'd recommend this no prob's to a newbie who wanted to make music and had NO equipment at all.. it's bargain of the century and you can remix old or other peoples midifiles.. i've got a feeling if i remember right at streaming time you can opt to stream to a wav file or a CD file !!! - i'll have to check it again for that.
anyways, straight-up... 100% this Orion is very good and for most people PREFERABLE to VST or cake or Logic if you dont have an investment in hardware yet.. the drums etc are just as good as a hardware drum unit the basslines & synths are also good, the included 'wavedream' synth has a 'JP-Sawtooth' bank included that does wicked sawtooth sounds and has a 'double-saw' button to instantly turn it into a double sawtooth with full pan spread etc...
what is best about ORION is it allows you the protocol to work with piano-roll style sequencing if you are used to it (and let's face it, it works real well).. BUT, it also allows the simple creating of songs using 'Patterns' like an old-style sequencer, BUT with easy visual ability to see what is happening.... so it is WAY easier for a newbie to get to grips making quality material, BUT also allows an expoerienced user to get in deep as deep can be... BUT it is EASIER to access the controller & synth realtime control parameters than ANY other music sequencer i've used... super-quick & instant, no messing about....
as they tweak the s/w and upgrade little bits of the interface it can only get better & better... this totally pisses on anything else i've tried once they get outboard midi sequening intergrated & audio IN routing to the mixer to 'add-in' your outboard sounds to the mix, then this will be 100% up there with vst/logic/cakewalk for a dance sequencer it is in most ways BETTER already than the big 2... and that is a 100% honest un-influenced opinion.
If you DONT have outboard then already this sequencer is BETTER than vst, logic or cake imo !!!... you gotta hear the quality of the drums etc... easily as good as my drumstation mixed on outboard, and you can add custom samples even to the Roland TR drumbox, plus there is a second 'custom .wav sample-only' drumbox included and you can run both at once in tandem... then add loops etc to the sampler !!!!!... BIG sound options.. literaly EVERYTHING you need to make pressing-quality music... also if your pc has enuff power (and with upgrades as you move on) you can add-in Waldorf PPg synths, pro-5, B3, etc etc... so many VST synmths are out there with many many more to come !! - remember, you can play those synths/drums/samples in realtime & record the playing as MIDI notes as they trigger the s/w sound generators, then edit those played patterns/parts like a standard editor piano-roll style !!!.... simple, quick, sounds great... what more do you want for 49 bucks !!!!!!... there is 100 free vst plugins in the DT file library alone and many more on the www, and you can define your VST & DX FX & VST-instrument directories when you start in 'Preferences' !! - yummy
oh yes... wishlist: - it doesn't seem to have a quantise swing setting... you can use a swing hat sample loop for example to do garage or Ibiza swing trance patterns style etc, but it'd be better if swing quantises were available & i didnt see them so far... still, this is a new programme with lots of updates due... mebbe swing quantise will do it, or mebbe i misswed it in the grid setting prefernces, in fact now i think about it, i think it might be in there... oh, and the 'quantise' button works good too... you do the command 'quantise' and see the patterns notes move on the screen... great!!.... i'm falling in love with Orion i think!... wire this into a p3 with a good low latency card fitted, add a cheap midi master keyboard and a decent monitor system and start making tunes to a high standard immeadiatly!
what i want on my wishlist is this:
I want a button that i can press, and it STACKS all the modules vertically.. like you know or /also when you grab a panel wether a synth, fx or whetever panel, and move it under another panel, it 'Locks' itself to the bottom of the upper panel, like when you move windows taskbar... what i want is the WHOLE stack of panels bolted together in any order vertically and then i want the ability to scroll the WHOLE screen up or down to access whichever part of the vertical 'Rack' i want.... now THAT would make it superb!!! - i can then have my Orion mixer full screen-width at all times, and bolt the items in whatever vertical stack order i like....
i also have a problem with text on the mixer spilling over onto the next channel... must be somehing to do with my system font settings?.. i didnt ask the guys yet about that...
also if they can make the VST fx also available as SEND fx and setup some returns for those so you can balance the returns that'd be a next-step & having the ability to add say a VST Wunderverb as my send/return reverb would be awesome.. at the moment vst & DX fx are INSERT only......
i'd also like similar to vst a drop-down selector to show whichever mixer channels you like... so i can view ONLY drum channels, vst instrument channels, orion instruments etc on the mixer and quickly flip between whichever channels i want to see (mebbe, but thats not so important) -- but the stacking ability would really make it superbly easy to navigate, and the vst & DX send fx addition would put the icing on the cake.. even as it stands now i'd recommend this no prob's to a newbie who wanted to make music and had NO equipment at all.. it's bargain of the century and you can remix old or other peoples midifiles.. i've got a feeling if i remember right at streaming time you can opt to stream to a wav file or a CD file !!! - i'll have to check it again for that.
anyways, straight-up... 100% this Orion is very good and for most people PREFERABLE to VST or cake or Logic if you dont have an investment in hardware yet.. the drums etc are just as good as a hardware drum unit the basslines & synths are also good, the included 'wavedream' synth has a 'JP-Sawtooth' bank included that does wicked sawtooth sounds and has a 'double-saw' button to instantly turn it into a double sawtooth with full pan spread etc...
what is best about ORION is it allows you the protocol to work with piano-roll style sequencing if you are used to it (and let's face it, it works real well).. BUT, it also allows the simple creating of songs using 'Patterns' like an old-style sequencer, BUT with easy visual ability to see what is happening.... so it is WAY easier for a newbie to get to grips making quality material, BUT also allows an expoerienced user to get in deep as deep can be... BUT it is EASIER to access the controller & synth realtime control parameters than ANY other music sequencer i've used... super-quick & instant, no messing about....
as they tweak the s/w and upgrade little bits of the interface it can only get better & better... this totally pisses on anything else i've tried once they get outboard midi sequening intergrated & audio IN routing to the mixer to 'add-in' your outboard sounds to the mix, then this will be 100% up there with vst/logic/cakewalk for a dance sequencer it is in most ways BETTER already than the big 2... and that is a 100% honest un-influenced opinion.
If you DONT have outboard then already this sequencer is BETTER than vst, logic or cake imo !!!... you gotta hear the quality of the drums etc... easily as good as my drumstation mixed on outboard, and you can add custom samples even to the Roland TR drumbox, plus there is a second 'custom .wav sample-only' drumbox included and you can run both at once in tandem... then add loops etc to the sampler !!!!!... BIG sound options.. literaly EVERYTHING you need to make pressing-quality music... also if your pc has enuff power (and with upgrades as you move on) you can add-in Waldorf PPg synths, pro-5, B3, etc etc... so many VST synmths are out there with many many more to come !! - remember, you can play those synths/drums/samples in realtime & record the playing as MIDI notes as they trigger the s/w sound generators, then edit those played patterns/parts like a standard editor piano-roll style !!!.... simple, quick, sounds great... what more do you want for 49 bucks !!!!!!... there is 100 free vst plugins in the DT file library alone and many more on the www, and you can define your VST & DX FX & VST-instrument directories when you start in 'Preferences' !! - yummy
oh yes... wishlist: - it doesn't seem to have a quantise swing setting... you can use a swing hat sample loop for example to do garage or Ibiza swing trance patterns style etc, but it'd be better if swing quantises were available & i didnt see them so far... still, this is a new programme with lots of updates due... mebbe swing quantise will do it, or mebbe i misswed it in the grid setting prefernces, in fact now i think about it, i think it might be in there... oh, and the 'quantise' button works good too... you do the command 'quantise' and see the patterns notes move on the screen... great!!.... i'm falling in love with Orion i think!... wire this into a p3 with a good low latency card fitted, add a cheap midi master keyboard and a decent monitor system and start making tunes to a high standard immeadiatly!
Message 25/45 26-Nov-00 @ 01:54 AM - RE: ORION
aha... ok in basic pattern edit the drums can be controlled by activating lights like rebirth etc.. but to get further in depth and when editing patterns played in from a keyboard you can go into piano roll edit type grid, and there you can set a higher resolution and get swing grooves and garage styles etc... perfect!!
hey check out this feature... you play the synth with the master keys... want to work some control in the pattern?... go to the screen to the synth you are playing, right click the synth control knob/parameter you want to control & select 'Learn'... wove the controller on your keyboard or controller device... it's set !!!.. ha ha... that works man i swear... so you can have the controller edit window open, click a parameter and just do a pass with the hardware controller... switch to a new control parameter?.. no probs, just right click the new control knob, move the hardware controller... sorted... start creating...
the new version due soon will sequence external gear apparently..
it also has UN-limited undo/redo !
also, with ACM (Audio Compression Manager) supported it now accepts any WAV files, even WAV MP3s !!! - load em straight up !!... songs can be saved with all samples or drum samples bundled... hmmm
hey check out this feature... you play the synth with the master keys... want to work some control in the pattern?... go to the screen to the synth you are playing, right click the synth control knob/parameter you want to control & select 'Learn'... wove the controller on your keyboard or controller device... it's set !!!.. ha ha... that works man i swear... so you can have the controller edit window open, click a parameter and just do a pass with the hardware controller... switch to a new control parameter?.. no probs, just right click the new control knob, move the hardware controller... sorted... start creating...
the new version due soon will sequence external gear apparently..
it also has UN-limited undo/redo !
also, with ACM (Audio Compression Manager) supported it now accepts any WAV files, even WAV MP3s !!! - load em straight up !!... songs can be saved with all samples or drum samples bundled... hmmm
Message 26/45 26-Nov-00 @ 01:14 PM - RE: ORION
K, If you haven't already, then I think you should send your gripes and wishes to Richard Hoffman the developer of orion. I think he'd be interested in your findings and he seems to listen to peoples ideas and implement them if possible.
Message 27/45 26-Nov-00 @ 02:45 PM - RE: ORION
i am !... he sent me the proggie :-) - and man, it's cool... it just needs a few more things to make it 100% perfect, what with the release of this, and now Reason we really are entering the era of the s/w workstation, and it's a really viable way to go !!
anyways, i've added a FULL review page of ORION, you can get to it from the site frontpage, or via the PCWARE section (search 'model' for ORION) - it's a BIG load, about 300kb but loads of images and full explanation of how all the ediuting etc works... check it out.
anyways, i've added a FULL review page of ORION, you can get to it from the site frontpage, or via the PCWARE section (search 'model' for ORION) - it's a BIG load, about 300kb but loads of images and full explanation of how all the ediuting etc works... check it out.
Message 29/45 27-Nov-00 @ 01:05 PM - RE: ORION
I registered Orion 1.1 some time ago after stumbling upon the page and I've been getting free upgrades ever since - I'd agree with just about everything said in the massive DT review, best of all the price! How refreshing to have a genuinely QUALITY product at a genuinely affordable price, compare ORION to REASON for value for money, I rest my case.
My only gripes at present would be 1) the lack of send effect flexability, you can use the reverb/delay or change these for your own DX/VST but you're restricted to using the same two send effects for all channels (or you were on 1.5, I've not tried 1.6 yet) and 2) the sequencer layout screen was a bit fiddly - it would be nice to be able to name patterns rather than always refer to them as A1, A2 rebirth style etc... Apart from that, an excellent buy. Respect.
Also, friendly next-day response from the support team, excellent!
My only gripes at present would be 1) the lack of send effect flexability, you can use the reverb/delay or change these for your own DX/VST but you're restricted to using the same two send effects for all channels (or you were on 1.5, I've not tried 1.6 yet) and 2) the sequencer layout screen was a bit fiddly - it would be nice to be able to name patterns rather than always refer to them as A1, A2 rebirth style etc... Apart from that, an excellent buy. Respect.
Also, friendly next-day response from the support team, excellent!
Message 30/45 27-Nov-00 @ 06:29 PM - RE: ORION
Hi
I have to say Orion has changed my music making life.
Yes Orion has its restrictions but all in all it makes me want to make music! No playing around with patch leads, trying to sync your soft synth. Who needs hundreds of sequencer functions of Cubase?
And to top it off, when you get bored of your synths. Well get yourself a new VST instrument or plugin! You can't do that with Reason.
Shit I bought P-52 this weekend This little badboy rocks!!!
I have to say Orion has changed my music making life.
Yes Orion has its restrictions but all in all it makes me want to make music! No playing around with patch leads, trying to sync your soft synth. Who needs hundreds of sequencer functions of Cubase?
And to top it off, when you get bored of your synths. Well get yourself a new VST instrument or plugin! You can't do that with Reason.
Shit I bought P-52 this weekend This little badboy rocks!!!
Message 31/45 27-Nov-00 @ 06:30 PM - RE: ORION
yes, i want VST & Direct-x SEND fx too, i already asked them about adding that, i'm sure they will add it tho - i find the sequencer layout screen easier myself tho. also for now, like with the big-3 you can process a sound thru a insert fx then reload it as a sampler loop ! - AND IT LOADS AND PLAYS ALL FORMAT WAV FILES INCLUDING MPG... direct loading of mpeg audio into sampler & drumboxes !!
last night i tried the SC-Developments sc-drums & the sc-monopoly & the sc-sh101 - wow !! - that sh101 is amazingly good... genuine sounding fat pumping sh101 sub-bass patterns... you'd know the sound i mean if you heard it... (and it's a red sh101 ha ha!!)
last night i tried the SC-Developments sc-drums & the sc-monopoly & the sc-sh101 - wow !! - that sh101 is amazingly good... genuine sounding fat pumping sh101 sub-bass patterns... you'd know the sound i mean if you heard it... (and it's a red sh101 ha ha!!)
Message 32/45 28-Nov-00 @ 04:43 AM - RE: ORION
waldorf plugin works great and is less hungry than the other plugins ive tried, also Im waiting (rather impatiently) for SimSynth to become a vst plugin or at least polyphonic, because you just cant get those glassy yummy sounds from anywhere else
Message 33/45 28-Nov-00 @ 01:50 PM - RE: ORION
i'm currently saving up for a new computer and i've been leaning towards a mac because i want to go the digi 001 route. any plans for a mac version of ORION? anyone know of any similar s/w for mac other than Koblo?
Message 34/45 28-Nov-00 @ 06:59 PM - RE: ORION
i'm rather interested to try one of those new compaq prolinea rack mount slimline servers - 1U rack depth !!!!!!! - it MUST be quiet.. now imgine that !!! - a rack with your prolinea server, patchbay, aidio i/o rack.... sorted with an LCD screen !!! - wow !!!
Message 36/45 29-Nov-00 @ 11:16 PM - RE: ORION
I'm sure the PRO version, which is said to ship next month, will have all the features on everybody's wish list. I think the mixer should have some groups and a seperate sub mixer window like vst.
It does sound amazing...
It does sound amazing...
Message 37/45 30-Nov-00 @ 09:36 AM - RE: ORION
Where can I get info on the Pro version?
I've tried everywhere...
I've tried everywhere...
Message 38/45 30-Nov-00 @ 11:12 AM - RE: ORION
found this about Orion Pro:
"The full version will be below $100, haven't yet decided whether the
MultiOut/ASIO thing (if implemented) will go separately. If yes,
then the upgrade would be cheaper.
here's the feature-list (subject to change!)
- MIDI generator
- Audio tracks in playlist
- Groove Slicing in sampler (maps slices to keys)
- Arpeggiator for all modules (except drums, but including VST2)
- new high-quality Reverb effect
- new high-quality distortion effect (includes a gain control, Bones
- X-Delay effect
and maybe:
- more sends
- multi-outs/ASIO
- extended drum module, possibly later (might go into 1.6/1.7 as well)
One thing the pro version will NOT do is deliver great performance-
if you want that, gotta wait for 1.7, or get a new CPU
The goal of the pro version(s) is really to get it pro, not fast.
Just mentioning it, in case people get over-excited)
Note that this affects the Reverb/Distortion effects alone, the
rest works just as fast as Orion, also the multiout shouldn't cause
major performance penalty."
"The full version will be below $100, haven't yet decided whether the
MultiOut/ASIO thing (if implemented) will go separately. If yes,
then the upgrade would be cheaper.
here's the feature-list (subject to change!)
- MIDI generator
- Audio tracks in playlist
- Groove Slicing in sampler (maps slices to keys)
- Arpeggiator for all modules (except drums, but including VST2)
- new high-quality Reverb effect
- new high-quality distortion effect (includes a gain control, Bones
- X-Delay effect
and maybe:
- more sends
- multi-outs/ASIO
- extended drum module, possibly later (might go into 1.6/1.7 as well)
One thing the pro version will NOT do is deliver great performance-
if you want that, gotta wait for 1.7, or get a new CPU
The goal of the pro version(s) is really to get it pro, not fast.
Just mentioning it, in case people get over-excited
)Note that this affects the Reverb/Distortion effects alone, the
rest works just as fast as Orion, also the multiout shouldn't cause
major performance penalty."
Message 39/45 30-Nov-00 @ 04:46 PM - RE: ORION
wicked !!... seperate outs !!!!.. heh heh - that really does take it into 'workstation' competition with the hardware workstations...
Message 40/45 30-Nov-00 @ 06:55 PM - RE: ORION
Hell yes! Now if they just add real hard disk recording, it will be the only program I need! I still havn't been able to get REASON to work yet (rewire problems, their 'fix' program didn't work for me). Do you guys have that too? I would like to know how the sounds compare. Seem like they would make a pretty good team...
Message 41/45 30-Nov-00 @ 09:03 PM - RE: ORION
k - wicked? you sure you're not from Boston? And you want to Bulldoze? ;-)
Orion is very cool. I'm gonna throw it on my work laptop so I can play while on the road. No Rebirth cd to much with, an infinite number of sounds at my beck and call, and if I smaple the plane noise... heh-heh... cool ambient conversation. I've got the demo on it now - I think I'll need to save the choons, though. I've already got cool things going.
Orion is very cool. I'm gonna throw it on my work laptop so I can play while on the road. No Rebirth cd to much with, an infinite number of sounds at my beck and call, and if I smaple the plane noise... heh-heh... cool ambient conversation. I've got the demo on it now - I think I'll need to save the choons, though. I've already got cool things going.
Message 42/45 30-Nov-00 @ 11:18 PM - RE: ORION
"Cool" ??!!! .... "cool!!!"... how passe!!... my granny used to say that even!... so you're totally rinsed on that D.
well the author who is on the mailing list says it WILL have audio record on pro version ORION.
well the author who is on the mailing list says it WILL have audio record on pro version ORION.
Message 43/45 03-Dec-00 @ 12:18 AM - RE: ORION
likin the look of it...what it needs is for the mixer mutes to be assignable to keys on your midi keyboard to punch in and punch out.
Message 45/45 03-Dec-00 @ 02:13 AM - RE: ORION
there's the detailed mpg wav version - 800k, buyt the detail is great
thats done with just one layer (3 osc) & 3 note poly
thats done with just one layer (3 osc) & 3 note poly
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