Marianne Martinez
In music production, panning is a crucial technique for creating a sense of space and depth in a mix. It involves adjusting the distribution of sound across the stereo field, allowing producers to position sounds in the left, right, or center channels. This guide will explore how to pan sounds in Omnisphere, a popular software synthesizer known for its extensive sound-shaping capabilities. By utilizing the Layer Pan knob and other modulation tools, users can achieve precise control over the stereo positioning of their sounds, adding depth and dimension to their musical creations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Layer controls | Level, Pan, and AMP |
| Layer levels | Range from -inf dB (silence) to +9.54 dB |
| Layer ON/OFF | Can be used to mute any layer |
| Layer PAN knob | Provides independent PAN control for each layer |
| Unison | Can cause random pan and volume sweep |
| Unison Phase Control | Needs to be set to in-phase |
| Analog setting | Needs to be 0.5 |
| Pan notes | Can be automated/modulated to have up to 8 notes playing in unique pan positions |
| Pan positions | 8 |
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What You'll Learn
Using the pan knob to control panning
Panning a sound in Omnisphere involves adjusting the pan knob to control the sound's position in the stereo field. This means you can make a sound appear to come from the left, right, or centre of a stereo image.
Each layer in Omnisphere has a dedicated pan knob, allowing for independent pan control for each layer. This gives you the ability to create complex soundscapes by panning different layers accordingly. To quickly return the pan value to the centre, you can Command/Control-click the pan knob.
The pan knob can also be automated and modulated to create dynamic panning effects. For example, you can automate the pan positions for each patch to have multiple notes playing in unique pan positions simultaneously. This adds movement and depth to your music.
Additionally, you can load the same patch into multiple channels in your DAW, panning each channel differently to achieve the desired effect. This method provides more flexibility in panning, especially if you want to have notes playing in different pan positions.
It's important to note that the pan knob is typically blue in colour, as indicated in one source.
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Modulating the pan knob
Understanding the Pan Knob
The pan knob in Omnisphere provides independent pan control for each layer. This means that you can adjust the panning for each element of your sound individually, creating a wider and more complex soundscape. A subtle change in the pan setting can dramatically affect the overall sound.
Modulation Techniques
To modulate the pan knob, you can utilise the following techniques:
- Right-Click and Remove Modulation: If you notice unwanted panning movement, such as sound moving from left to right, right-click on the pan knob and remove the modulation. This will stop the left and right panning effect.
- Modulation Targets: Each layer's pan knob can be modulated independently. This allows for dynamic sound design, where different elements of your composition can be positioned in the stereo field as desired.
- Automation: Automating the pan positions for each patch allows for round-robin playback. This means you can have multiple notes playing simultaneously, each with its unique pan position.
- Load Multiple Patches: Omnisphere can load up to eight patches at once. By loading the same patch into multiple patches and panning them differently, you can create a wider and more immersive soundscape.
- Utilise a Modular Synth: If you require more advanced panning techniques, consider using a modular synth like MUX. This allows for note splitting and individual routing of each note's panning, giving you even more precise control over the stereo positioning of your sounds.
Best Practices
When modulating the pan knob, it is essential to keep the following in mind:
- Monitor Other Layers: Ensure that other layers are not modulated in the same way as the one you are adjusting. This will help maintain control over the overall sound balance.
- Layer Levels: Even slight adjustments to layer levels can significantly impact the sound. Ensure that you carefully adjust the layer levels to blend the layers effectively and create the desired sound.
- Experimentation: Don't be afraid to experiment with different pan settings and layer combinations. Omnisphere provides a versatile platform for sound design, and exploring various modulation options can lead to unique and captivating results.
By following these instructions and tips, you can effectively modulate the pan knob in Omnisphere, adding depth and dimension to your sound design and music production.
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Using the AMP control
The AMP control in Omnisphere is an important tool for sound modulation. Each layer in Omnisphere has its own set of Level and Pan controls, as well as an AMP control, which are commonly used as modulation targets. The AMP control is used to adjust the amplitude or volume of a sound.
The VELO control, or Velocity knob, is also associated with the AMP control. It determines how much MIDI velocity affects the output signal of the Envelope. Turning the knob clockwise increases the dynamic sensitivity of the envelope, while turning it counter-clockwise decreases sensitivity. This control is duplicated as a fader in the AMP tab of the FILTER ZOOM.
The AMP control can be used to create a panning effect, where the sound moves from one side to the other. This can be achieved by setting one oscillator to pan left and another to pan right, with the amplitude oscillating between them. This can be adjusted in the FX tab, and the modulation can be removed by right-clicking on the "pan" knob, which should be blue.
Additionally, the AMP control can be used in conjunction with the Layer PAN knob to provide independent pan control for each layer. This allows for more precise adjustments to the panning and modulation of the sound. By Command/Control-clicking the PAN knob, the PAN value can be quickly returned to the centre.
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Using the Unison function
Unison was used in vintage analog polyphonic synthesizers to trigger all the voice cards simultaneously, resulting in a rich, detuned, monophonic sound. Omnisphere's Unison feature takes it a step further by offering polyphonic Unison with more controls and enhancements. You can add a few or many Unison voices, and each note played will trigger multiple voices with different detuning, spread, and octave settings.
The DEPTH slider controls the number of Unison voices added. Increasing the DEPTH setting will add more Unison voices, resulting in a richer sound but also increasing the CPU demand. The maximum number of Unison voices is eight. The DEPTH parameter is modulatable, and you can pan the Unison voices across the stereo image.
The SPREAD control determines the stereo imaging extent. When the mini-slider is at its minimum setting, the Unison voices are centred in the stereo image. Setting the mini-slider to its maximum value pans the Unison voices across the stereo field. The SPREAD parameter is also modulatable.
The OCTAVE menu specifies the octave at which the Unison notes will sound, up to two octaves above or below the main Oscillator. This setting does not affect the pitch of the Oscillator but only the Unison voices. The DETUNE parameter is modulatable, and you can select between FINE and COARSE modes to control the range of the DETUNE slider. FINE mode detunes the Unison voices by up to a half-step, while COARSE mode increases the range to a fifth or an octave above the note.
The DRIFT slider, unique to the SYNTH mode, controls the pitch deviation of the Unison voices from the main Oscillator. The ANALOG control, also unique to the SYNTH mode, introduces inconsistency into the pitch and phase of the Oscillator, making Omnisphere behave more like a vintage analog instrument. The PHASE control option in the SYNTH mode allows the initial phases of the Unison voices to be randomly spread across a range.
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Using MUX to set different panning for each note
To set different panning for each note in Omnisphere, you can use a modular synth like MUX. MUX is a modular synth that can load other synths and has multiple operators, including a 'note splitter'.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use MUX to set different panning for each note in Omnisphere:
Step 1: Route Your MIDI Input
First, route your MIDI input to the note splitter device in MUX. This will allow you to separate each note and route them to different outputs.
Step 2: Route Each Note Output
Once you have your MIDI input routed to the note splitter, you can now route each note output to your desired destination. For example, you can route notes C, D, and E to one instance of your VSTi, and then route the rest of the notes to another instance.
Step 3: Pan Each Output
After routing each note output, you can now pan each group of notes independently. Route the audio output of one group of notes to a mixer panned left, and the audio output of the other group to a mixer panned right.
Step 4: Modulate with LFO Operator
MUX also offers a built-in LFO operator that you can use to modulate your sounds. You can add this operator anywhere in your signal chain to create more complex movements and modulation in your panning.
Step 5: Create a Multi-Output Instance in Omnisphere
In Omnisphere, create a multitimbral instance by clicking the "+" sign in the Arrange->Instrument section and ticking the multitimbral box. This will allow you to have multiple outputs and channels for panning.
Step 6: Assign Separate Outputs
Within Omnisphere, assign separate outputs for each sound. This will give each sound its own MIDI channel and Aux track, allowing you to freely pan and automate each sound independently.
By following these steps, you can use MUX to set different panning for each note in Omnisphere, creating dynamic and unique sound movements in your productions.
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Frequently asked questions
This is likely due to LFO modulation of the panning. Right-click the "pan" knob and remove the modulation. Ensure that the other layers are not being modulated in the same way.
You can load the same patch into a multi, panning them differently. In your DAW, change the note channel to target the specific patch panning. Omnisphere can load up to 8 patches at once, so that's how many unique pan positions you can use with this method.
Duplicate the track you are working on and pan the new duplicate to the left. Delete all the "right" notes from this duplicate. Then, pan the original track to the right. You will now have two tracks, one with all the "right" notes and one with all the "left" notes.
