Essential Software: Omnisphere

A year since it was released, Spectrasonics' Omnisphere has become essential studio software. Let's take a look at this modern classic's path to the heavens.

 

It all started with this in 2004:

 

 

Spectrasonics Atmosphere [discontinued] was a simple synthesiser with a difference: it was the brainchild of sound-designer extraordinaire Eric Persing.

 

Next up was...

 

 

Trilogy is to this day a staple in dance music studios around the world. Simple and powerful, Trilogy sampled real analogue basses, and didn't try to emulate them. This meant the true fatness of the original synthesisers could be accessed easily in music productions.

 

Next came Stylus, and its successor Stylus RMX:

 

 

RMX set new standards in drum loop editing and playback, and can be found in most music producer's studios today.

 

Finally, arrived Omnisphere. With a new interface and engine called S.T.E.A.M., this product took the best bits of all its predecessors (hence the name) and created something more powerful, deep and expansive than the classic Atmosphere ever was. Just look at the extreme effort that went into creating it:

 

 

Now let's have a look as some Omnisphere presets:

 

 

Here is a professional composer displaying the melodic possibilities of Atmosphere:

 

 

In 2010, Omnisphere has an impressive range of achievements to its name:

 

• Omnisphere was named Software Synthesiser of the Year in Future Music and Electronic Music magazines.
• Omnisphere 1.0.3 update added 2000+ new patches across every category [total: 4000].
• Omnisphere won prestigious Musikmesse International Press Award [MIPA], chosen by the editors of over 100 music industry magazines from more than a dozen countries:

Episode 10: "Diego Stocco Masterclass from Spectrasonics on Vimeo.

 

If you're interested in picking up Omnisphere, you can do so at the official distributor here.

 

Check back soon for our review of the latest Spectrasonics gem - the sequel to the classic bass machine Trilogy - known as Trillian:

 

 

Related Links:

• 200 New Sounds From The Creator Of Massive
• Apple releases Logic Pro 9
• Free Samples: Full Cycle
• Native Instruments Announce Komplete 7
• Free Samples: Voyager

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