# Omnisphere hardware integration



## thereus (Jul 28, 2020)

Is anybody using this much? Which hardware synths do you use it with? How does it work for you?
I was wondering if it would be worth buying a whole bunch of controllers with knobs switches and sliders and seeing if I could map them to make my own mega-Omnisphere controller along these lines somehow. Anyone tried it?


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## iobaaboi (Jul 28, 2020)

I use it from time to time with my Prophet 6 Module. 

It’s worth noting that you can only load one hardware profile at a time. 

The profiles vary just as much as the synths themselves, from meh to wow. 

Some of my favorites are DSI Rev2, Novation Peak, and Moog Sub 37.


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## ashh (Jul 29, 2020)

I've just joined this forum to ask about this feature. I was wondering if it would be possible to use my Behringer K2 with the MS20ic profile? I am a lot of a noob when it comes to this stuff, so please reply accordingly.


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## iobaaboi (Jul 30, 2020)

For that to be possible, your K2 would have to have the exact same MIDI Implementation as the MS20ic, which is unlikely. 

I’m not even sure the knobs of the K2 send MIDI data at all.


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## jonathanparham (Jul 30, 2020)




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## vitocorleone123 (Jul 30, 2020)

P6/OB6 are among the best for it. The SE-02 is also recommended in terms of controls... but I don't like as much what Omnisphere does, myself, for the SE-02.

Synths with lots of knobs and/or sliders are best.


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## ashh (Jul 31, 2020)

iobaaboi said:


> For that to be possible, your K2 would have to have the exact same MIDI Implementation as the MS20ic, which is unlikely.
> 
> I’m not even sure the knobs of the K2 send MIDI data at all.



Appreciate your reply. I've been thinking about selling the K2 and buying the MS20ic and the Korg software. I think that's the last piece of information that I needed to make a decision.


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## thereus (Jul 31, 2020)

It seems like a really strange feature for them to have put so much energy into.


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## Guy Rowland (Jul 31, 2020)

I have an MS20iC and it works well. I also designed a few front ends for anyone with Midi Designer 2 for iPad (just look on their website - https://mididesigner.com/qa/ ). So even if you don't have the hardware, it's a fun way to program some Omni patches, limiting it in ways that particular synths do. And you can always then do an additional tweak in Omni to go beyond that.

There's loads of great patches in the Hardware library that have benefitted from being programmed using the hardware synths. So while, yes, it is a bit of an esoteric feature, it's kinda cool I think.


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## thereus (Jul 31, 2020)

Guy Rowland said:


> I have an MS20iC and it works well. I also designed a few front ends for anyone with Midi Designer 2 for iPad (just look on their website - https://mididesigner.com/qa/ ). So even if you don't have the hardware, it's a fun way to program some Omni patches, limiting it in ways that particular synths do. And you can always then do an additional tweak in Omni to go beyond that.
> 
> There's loads of great patches in the Hardware library that have benefitted from being programmed using the hardware synths. So while, yes, it is a bit of an esoteric feature, it's kinda cool I think.



That's a great idea.


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## Keith Theodosiou (Jul 31, 2020)

thereus said:


> Is anybody using this much? Which hardware synths do you use it with? How does it work for you?
> I was wondering if it would be worth buying a whole bunch of controllers with knobs switches and sliders and seeing if I could map them to make my own mega-Omnisphere controller along these lines somehow. Anyone tried it?


I didn't know about this till i read this post just now, so i looked on Spectrasonics website to see what synths where supported.

YES, it supports my Access Virus b so i went and plugged it in and tried it.

WOW! it works fantastic!


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## ashh (Aug 3, 2020)

Keith Theodosiou said:


> I didn't know about this till i read this post just now, so i looked on Spectrasonics website to see what synths where supported.
> 
> YES, it supports my Access Virus b so i went and plugged it in and tried it.
> 
> WOW! it works fantastic!



You are so lucky!


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## ashh (Aug 3, 2020)

Guy Rowland said:


> I have an MS20iC and it works well. I also designed a few front ends for anyone with Midi Designer 2 for iPad (just look on their website - https://mididesigner.com/qa/ ). So even if you don't have the hardware, it's a fun way to program some Omni patches, limiting it in ways that particular synths do. And you can always then do an additional tweak in Omni to go beyond that.
> 
> There's loads of great patches in the Hardware library that have benefitted from being programmed using the hardware synths. So while, yes, it is a bit of an esoteric feature, it's kinda cool I think.



How often have you used the HW synth integration feature with your MS20ic? It looks like you are a fan?


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## Guy Rowland (Aug 3, 2020)

ashh said:


> How often have you used the HW synth integration feature with your MS20ic? It looks like you are a fan?



Truthfully - not a lot! Which is dumb of me cos it's pretty clever. IIRC even some of the jacks do things. I really must remember to play around with it more, it is fun.


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## shponglefan (Aug 18, 2020)

I use it with my Prophet 08 (which is also my main MIDI keyboard, so it works out). I've been impressed at the sheer number of hardware profiles they've set up so far.

I hope more virtual synth developers take this approach in the future.


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## Thudinthenight (Aug 18, 2020)

thereus said:


> It seems like a really strange feature for them to have put so much energy into.



I think it’s a nice competitive advantage though... but I wish they’d put as much energy into updating the iPad app, which hasn’t been touched in 4 years.


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## vitocorleone123 (Aug 18, 2020)

I kind of don’t (yet) like the hardware integration because it changes the sounds to “match” the hardware.

I don’t want to change filter types when I move the filter knob on my synth.


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## lydian91 (Apr 16, 2022)

My synth work has always been with plugins and a mouse (I primarily use Omnisphere these days). I've been thinking that a more tactile experience would be a big improvement. A versatile desktop synth with good hardware integration might be the way to go. It seems like the DSI Rev2 desktop has the best balance between analog versatility, hardware integration (especially FX, mod, etc.), and build quality.

I'm considering the Novation peak as well, though it is larger and seems less capable with Omni's mod and FX functions. The Virus TI2 desktop also looks very capable.


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## dunamisstudio (Apr 16, 2022)

I have a Virus TI. It worked good with Omnisphere but I have to disable the plugin part of the Virus to use it with Omnisphere. Plan to one day get another hardware synth to use and use as a controller for Omnisphere. In the mean time, I used a midi controller or ipad app.


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## Saxer (Apr 16, 2022)

I have a Novation Peak, Roland SE-02 and the MS-20 MIDI controller. All work well and sound very different with Omnisphere... which is fun as it's all Omnisphere. Peak has the most controls but doesn't work with the modulation part (it's all menu-diving in Peak which doesn't translate to Omni).

I don't make a lot of presets from scratch but it's fun to use the hardware. Easy to forget that it's not the hardware synth that you are listening to.


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## vitocorleone123 (Jun 4, 2022)

So I'm trying Omnisphere again, except I'm stymied by getting the hardware integration to work in Studio One. This is probably a Studio One issue, since the way it handles MIDI is sub-optimal.

Is using HW mode possible in S1, and, if so, how?

EDIT: I really dislike how complicated S1 makes MIDI controllers vs. a DAW like Waveform. I had to add the synth as a Keyboard and then use All Inputs on the track (because you can't just specify 2 inputs).


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## JasonSchoepfer (Jul 7, 2022)

vitocorleone123 said:


> So I'm trying Omnisphere again, except I'm stymied by getting the hardware integration to work in Studio One. This is probably a Studio One issue, since the way it handles MIDI is sub-optimal.
> 
> Is using HW mode possible in S1, and, if so, how?
> 
> EDIT: I really dislike how complicated S1 makes MIDI controllers vs. a DAW like Waveform. I had to add the synth as a Keyboard and then use All Inputs on the track (because you can't just specify 2 inputs).


Have you tried standalone first to make sure integration is running properly? Also what hardware synth are you trying to use?


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## vitocorleone123 (Jul 7, 2022)

JasonSchoepfer said:


> Have you tried standalone first to make sure integration is running properly? Also what hardware synth are you trying to use?


Yes, it's just the horrible way this stuff is implemented in Studio One.

I was clearly spoiled by Tracktion, thinking this sort of stuff was easy and straightforward. It really is easy in that DAW to add up to 3 or 4 inputs per track with a few clicks on the input object for the track, so I assumed a DAW that costs more and is more popular would at least be equally usable... ha!

I can use either my OB-6 or SE-02 for control.


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