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Synapse Audio Software ORION

29-Mar-2024

Info-line:   [synths]    [sampler]    [drumbox]    [effects]    [mixers]     [mics]     [monitors]    [pc-h/ware]    [pc-s/ware]    [plugins]    -    [links]    [tips]

Synapse Audio Software ORION



Category:  Products / music software / daw software

Added: 26-Nov-00  |  Author: admin

New price: $49.00 bucks !!!  |   S/H price: Not listed


Synapse Audio Software ORION

ORION... is it a sequencer ?.. is it a suite of s/w synths ??... is it a sampler & drumbox software ????.... Orion is ALL these... a total production suite software in fact !!... It's been out for about 8 months or so I think, but I finally got to install Orion on the old 200mmx box a few days ago, and I've been using it ever since... After just a few days of working with it, I would say, (given the prevailing circumstances with the PC market), that Orion is one of the most important software releases in recent years for dance music !!... and it ties in beautifuly with the OTHER big s/ware development for dance in recent years, VST-Instruments... I think that with sequencers being released like ORION and now 'Reason', we might start to see the beginning of a split between 'traditional' sequencers and a new breed of streamlined 'dance/electronic-music' sequencers now that realtime software synths are a reality and only getting stronger....

You might be wondering: "How can a cheap-assed $49.00 software like this make anyone give up their hardware synths, or start down a software-only road to dance production?"... mebbe the price and the fact it comes from a small s/w house might have made you overlook ORION when it was released.. I know I did... Ok, now i've got it, better late than never.... soooo... is it good ??

First, before we get into this amazing s/ware let's just take stock of where we are right now and the prevailing culture & technology... what do we have as we approach 2001 ?... Well, we have VERY fast pc's at really low prices, soundcards with REAL low latency drivers and with high-quality 24/96 converters... we have cheap ram prices at about £55 quid per 128mb for 100/133mhz ram !!... we also have processors with built in specialist co-processors offering blistering processing... - All these combine to allow realtime playing of software synths and the composition of full songs/tracks, complete finished productions in fact, all in house in a PC workstation. It really is a reality now and the quality of software synths available is VERY high... along comes 'VST-Instruments' protocol, and due to the popularity of VST it becomes quite a common standard with many s/ware houses writing software synths for it, or availing their filters or oscillators etc to be integrated into software synths for VST... Great!!.... but what if you don't have VST?.. or don't want to lash out 300 quid to get the ability to run all these great synths & vst effects...

All VST & DX instruments & plugin FX require a host software to house & sequence them to create tunes... currently that means Logic or VST... both £300 plus pounds to buy before you even lash out on any VST-Instruments like the 'Model-E' or the PPG or smaller synths outside of the freebies available... also, if you have a PC and want to start making QUALITY music you might also be sitting there thinking: "shit!.. I just want to make tunes with all this s/w in my powerful pc, not sequence outboard equipment and have scoring facilities etc" - You might also NOT want to have to get into big-time complicated bullshit to setup control of your synths etc... You want to make some music, BUT also have quality synths & hi-quality sequencing & editing ability to match the big traditional sequencers without taking on-board all the extra bloatware with those big sequencers you dont need at all... what is the options ??...

ok.. Now, this Missing 'spot' is the spot ORION fills 100% !!... it is PERFECT, as I said, with pc power REALLY there now, you DON'T need hardware except for a master-keyboard to 'play' your synths... (yup!.. You can play them really!!)..

When you get ORION you get a fantastic 'Host' sequencer software with a full compliment of ORION 'Instruments?Generators' to make toons up to a pressing standard no problems, BUT the beauty is you also get to run VST-Instruments & VST & Direct-X FX plugin software, and all that is tied together with a PERFECT dance sequencer, MASSIVE but EASY control ability and direct to disk mastering... I have got alot of synths & equipment, and I'm telling you straight-up, this ORION can do it just as good!!... and here's why it scores HIGHER for me for this software synth-based useage than Logic or VST...

For me it scores higher because it runs SO light !!... they have worked ORION so that it uses minimum resouces compared to VST & Logic, meaning you can use LOTS of synths, and create full compositions cos the power get's dedicated to the software synths !!

on a 200mmx i can run 2 basslines, a wavetable synths/sawtooth-twin, a TRX0X drumbox with 2 custom samples, a sampler playing one full-bar loop, a wasp synth playing an arp, reverb and delay & eq.. on a 200mmx with 64mb ram !!!... I'm upgrading to a PIII 800 next week, but the thing about ORION is it really gives your PC room to breath and makes realtime playing of synths from a keyboard within a multi-timbrel composition a perfect reality !!...

Ok... you might think.. "yeah, but it's probably a little pissy amateurish sequencer cos it's cheap, & I want 'power' in my sequencer so i'm going for VST or Logic.." -- nope !!... NOT true, in fact, for dance the ORION sequencer imo is in many ways BETTER, and the the clock timing is 100% rock-solid too !! - now that is important for dance, and ORION's clock is very solid.. The authors do claim to have worked extensively on streamlining the resources to get maximum stability & to give more chance to create full compositions on lesser powered PC's... and they've done it !!!... it's like rock... and as we'll see, the sequencer section & the whole protocol for the sequencing obeys the time-honoured 'piano-roll' we are all so used to, BUT with certain twists that to me makes the controller protocol for VST & Logic look frankly like an overblown joke !!.... lemme tell you seriously, this software READS/LEARNS which controller on your master keyboard you want to use by clicking on ANY parameter or controller of a synth panel !!... trust me.. setting up and sequencing controllers is so easy on ORION yet can go as in-depth as you like... The authors have taken some brave steps here and I think it's the most perfect sequencer for dance i've ever seen... if it just keep adding more touches with upgrades it's going to be awesome.... I've started a 'wish-list' already...

So, all in all in the context of dance music/club-music, AND in the context of the brave new world of totally 'in-PC' music, and in the context of super-cheap VERY powerful PC's, this ORION completely is the best to me i've seen, and if it get's it's just rewards, it SHOULD be rated and spoken about in the same sentences as Logic & VST... it should become a well know respected sequencer in the dance-music world....



Oh... they aint payin' me by the way :) - and i dont have any interests in their company or business... that is just how impressed I am with this s/w... and if they add my 'wish-list' features i will give up my hardware and sell the whole blasted studio cos i am so fed up with 8 ft high racks and huge keyboard stands filling up my house....

When i'm playing the synths in ORION from my k2000 master key's along to the ORION backing, if i close my eye's, i'm playing hardware, aftertouch the lot !!... i could 'go there' i think, and cos of the way ORION works, you can switch on the fly between synths and play them live or CC controller them live and drop it in and out of record on the fly... just select a synth panel and it becomes 'active'... That also means you can select & play ANY of the synths LIVE from a keyboard over the backing at a live-gig, so no compromises for live work either... you can have ONE synth reserved for different songs or patches and just switch 'em over on-screen and play them live over the sequenced backing... it is 'as legitimate' as playing a synth over a sampler & rack backing from a hardware sequencer or atari etc at a 'live show' to my mind... so even live it can work... If you had a rack-pc you could use it live as a synth-loader and sequencer-recorder, even on a tour, let's face it, you can get the pc spares in ANY city world-wide WAY MORE easily than getting music hardware parts eh!!... that's worth a thought...

So... I'm impressed as you may have gathered... Let's take a look at what you get with ORION when you open the box....




Main features

Ok, ORION is broken up into the following parts:

  • Mixer - channels are added to the mixer automatically for each 'opened' instrument' depending how many 'channels/outs' it has. (the drumbox has multichannels for example)
  • Song Arrange window - where you place the patterns on tracks to create a song.
  • Built-in 'Send FX' panels - for delay & reverb currently.
  • Built-in 'Insert FX' - including a 'trance' rythmic auto 'gate' & compressor.
  • Panel for any added/opened Direct-X or VST FX complete with controller section with ALL controllers 'ready-mapped' & listed
  • The Instruments/Generators panels.


For the 'Instruments/Generators', you get INCLUDED the following ORION modules/panels:

  • Bassline Synth - a faithful 303 reproduction. it sounds MORE like a 303 than rebirth trust me on that !!- they've got that hollow 303 square 'twang' just right !!
  • Wasp - a 3 osc' modelling poly synth
  • Wavedream - a 'PPG' type wavetable polysynth that loads small waveforms to create sounds.
  • XR-909 analog drumbox - your 'Roland TR' style drums - also allows 2 'user-samples' per kit
  • Multi-sample drums - a drumbox with all sample sounds that you choose & load
  • A sampler !! - yup!.. you get a sampler with it to !!!
  • Multiple examples of these synths can be opened alomng with any VST-Instruments & FX up to the limit of your PC's power.


DRAF & PRODUCTION 'modes' - yup, ORION let's you run it's synths, sampler etc in 'Hi' or 'Lo' res mode, switch 'em over to 'PRODUCTION' quality for streaming the final mix to file, but work faster in the 'DRAFT' mode which sounds almost as good for creating - great power saver feature that one !!

ok... that is all what you get INCLUDED.... and alone it is enuff to make quality toones as good as if you bought hardware items... now, add on top the FREE VST plugins on the internet and the FREE VST small instruments that are also on the www and then look at adding any of the available dedicated 3rd party VST-Synths & Instruments in to ORION on top of the great included stuff.... we'll, as you can see, your potential sound armoury is absolutely MASSIVE... for a MINIMUM outlay !!.... man you could get a DAT machine with the money you'd save on even ONE decent hardware synth and run a digital OUT to DAT for mastering/storage, or invest in a CD-Burner and mastering s/w or a twin PCU machine for bigger power !!.. whatever...

I tried to figure out the best way to do this page, so i thought first we show each 'bit' of ORION, and what it'll do... here we go...



Mixer



There is ORION's mixer at full screen... In practice I find it is best to run it like that, I can quickly flip it IN and OUT of screen to my prefered 'Minimise' position when I lay-out my screen for working on a track. As you can see, the Transport, and Bar-Marker is all visible up the top while in mixer full-screen mode... ALL parameters/controls when 'Right-Clicked' open and edit window to draw in moves !! - FULL automation !!





bassline XT synth - monosynth




This is the basic but excellent Bassline synth playable over all octave ranges.. and it is very good faithfull 303 rendition... one of the best I've heard.

  • 1 VCO (Saw, Pulse)
  • Pitch, Cutoff, Resonance, Decay, Envelope Amount and Accent controls
  • Slide & Accent programmable inside step sequencer

Note the Bank A-H & Pattern 1-8 Buttons and the other edit, step, cfg, bank/pat## & the speaker-icon buttons up on the top... each Instrument/Generator 'panel' has these buttons... more on those later... just remember, each synth panel has those buttons.

This Bassline-XT will do honking fat Garage basslines, fierce drum&bass basslines or fantastic 303 renditions, techno, trance whatever... when you add this sound quality to the 'double-layer' controller feature of ORION sequencer, you are in real monosynth heaven with this one !!





WASP synth - polysynth



Yup.. it's called WASP, and it's a 3 osc' polysnth... good synth you can get deep with it...

  • Multimode Filter with 6 Filter types, Cutoff, Resonance and Keytrack controls
  • 3 Oscillators (1 Sub-Osc), Ring Modulator, Pulse Width, FM
  • 2 LFOs with Reset and Sync-To-Tempo options
  • Filter and Amplitude ADSR, can be linked for editing convenience
  • Distortion Unit

The WASP is an analogue-style, three-operator FM synthesizer with ring modulation and variable pulse-width. The two LFO's can be used to oscillate various different parameters of the synthesizers, such as filter cutoff, pulse width, amplitude, and oscillator frequencies. The multimode filter (with 6 different modes) has cutoff setting, resonance and envelope amount settings, and keyboard tracking (velocity sensitivity). Two ADSR envelopes control the amplitude and filter cutoff, and the built-in distortion module with drive and tone settings further add to the number of different sounds you can make; the possibilities are virtually endless: with this highly versatile synthesizer, you will create anything from rich and full strings, pads, and booming sub basses, to sci-fi effects, weird noises and horrible hardcore dischords







Wavedream - Wavetable synth - polysynth



The WaveDream is a wavetable synthesizer in the Waldorf (PPG, MicroWave) sense. This means the sound generation is performed by a set of 256 waveforms, which can be blended in realtime by one or more of the LFOs. In the simpliest case, waveform ##1 could be a square and waveform ##256 a sawtooth. Applying an LFO on the wave position would then blend between those 2 waveforms. Since the wavetable synth has 3 oscillators, more complexity is added quickly be detuning the oscillators and adjusting the waveform start position, which can be done for each oscillator individually. You can create your own wavetables easily too, they're just plain text files pointing to normal .wav files of 256 samples size. You can provide between 2 and 256 waveforms, the program will handle all the necessary interpolation and blending on its own.



A special feature of 'Wavedream according to the authors, is the "double dose" mode !!... and it works trust me... here the Wave spits out twice as many voices, detuned on the left & right channel. This means 6-oscillator sounds plus a free stereo image... In effect it is great, you hit the 'Double-dose' button and the sound pans out wide and real fat across the mix, sound huge !!... I got some amazing filtered percussive sounds with this, banging for house with a harder edge... good little synth, LOADS of potential power - this synth features a 'Draft' mode setting to allow for 1/2 cpu usage with a slight trade-off in sound quality whilst you compose - When you are ready to create a mix file you can switch it over to 'PRODUCTION' mode for top quality sound when streaming to wav file... Here's Wavedream's basic parameters..

  • 3 oscillators with coarse tune -12/+12 semitones, fine tune, wave start
  • Pitch envelope with Attack/Decay/Amount
  • Amplitude envelope (ADSR)
  • Filter envelope (ADSR)
  • 3 LFOs with Pitch, Wave Pos, X-Mod, Cutoff, Reso & Amp targets
  • sources are sine, sawtooth, square, s&h noise
  • Multi-Mode Filter with 24 dB Lowpass, Bandpass, Highpass
  • cutoff, resonance & filter envelope amount
  • double dose mode.







Professional Sampler Module - polyphonic



Orion's sampling synthesizer module supports SF2 (SoundFont), KRZ (Kurzweil K2000) multi-sampled instrument formats, and of course WAV sample format. This instrument features three ADSR envelopes: pitch, filter and amplitude - and two LFO's with 4 waveforms (sine, sawtooth, square and noise) assignable to pitch, filter, amplitude and panning. Choose from three filter modes: 12 dB low-pass, 24 dB low-pass and 24 dB high-pass, all with variable cutoff and resonance.

You can change the velocity response for amplitude, filter cutoff and LFO amount. The sampler can run in draft or production mode, meaning that it's either very fast (although still fairly high quality, compared to most software samplers) or extremely precise, the latter of which is mostly useful when exporting your song as a WAV file - although there is nothing stopping you from running in production mode in real-time, if your computer has the necessary horsepower.

The sampler also can be opened as either:

  • a 'Stereo-Out' sampler, or...
  • a 'Seperate-Outs' sampler !!...


  • Reads WAV, Kurzweil (.KRZ) and SoundFont2 (.sf2) files
  • Supports multiple layers, key- and velocity ranges
  • 2 LFOs
  • Multimode Filter
  • 3 ADSRs: Pitch, Filter and Amplitude
  • Velocity can be routed on Amplitude, Filter & LFO Amount







Multisample Drum module with step grid sequencer



Well, what can you say, you want drums right !! - but you also want drum creativity & the ability to access MASSIVE drumsound library??... well this ORION drumbox offers a 6 to 12-track Sample-based drum synthesizer with four-channel output on the mixer, (assignable per drum track). Drum samples can be reversed, and individual amounts of "shuffle" can be applied to the tempo, on each drum track. Drum tracks can be set to cut each other, so for example, a closed hi-hat can stop an open hihat. You can use this instrument's built-in 16-step sequencer for quick composition, or go into the details of each drum track with Orion's piano-grid sequencer - This drumbox is simplicity itself.. Click on a row's 'File-Folder' icon browse for your samples and sequence !!... you can use it like a TRX0X panel-based sequencer, or for finer beats drop into the grid-based piano style edit to make beats with swings, shuffles etc etc... every beat is velocity sensitive and like all edit windows and for all controllers this is scalable... Ok, so you got drums, any style... and access to endless drumsounds... here's the basic spec's for the sample-drumbox:

  • Shuffle per Track
  • Level per Track
  • Stretch Drumloop to match current tempo
  • Reverse Sample







XR-909 - Vintage Drum Computer Emulation



A Dance setup needs a real good thumping TR style drumbox... and this one is great... First TR style softdrums I could get a decent garage style 909 kik from ever... plus you can add two custom drum samples to the kit... Again, you can sequence with the panel-based traditional TRX0X sequencer or get in-depth with the grid edit accesed with the STEP/EDIT buttons, the choice is yours, but you can set the resolution inside the grid real fine like with all the other synth, sampler & drum editors to get any type of off-beats up to 64th grid resolution on this Drumbox... For analog drum sounds this'll do the lot and two added USER samples allows you to add in some custom sounds!!... huge drum choices basically when you put the two drumboxes together, and all mixed on the mixer with Direct-X or VST effects & the built in effects & mixer eq... Here's the drum spec's for this box... oh !.. by the way, you can choose to open one of two versions for this drumbox... a stereo version for less channel clutter where stereo mixing is fine... or a 'seperate' channels version to have dedicated mixer channels... great !!... You can open a 10 output version for your main beats, and a stereo version just for all your rolls & breaks & crashes etc !!

  • 4 virtual analog instruments (Bassdrum, Snare, Clap, Rimshot)
  • 6 sample-based instruments (Hihats, Cymbals, 2 User samples)


With the two drumboxes, both of which can have multiple instances open up to the power handling of your pc, any type of grooves & drum sounds are possible as you can mix & match both boxes and utilise each ones characteristics & feel... All in all it's a good compromise, cos the TR style drums sticks to a straight beat format, and the sample based drums which would be used more for 'non 4 on the floor' beat styles like Garage allows 'Shuffle' on a 'Per-drum' basis as well as the fine 64th grid resolution... so EACH drum can have a different shuffle quantise if required !!

So... make banging house & trance with straight beats, or make swinging thumping garage with a custom sample kits & swing a-plenty... and mix and match sounds grooves & feels! .. lot's of drums basically !!





VST Instruments - Full integration !!



And there's the proof it works !.... yup Model-E playable in realtime on a 200mmx.. great !!... take a look at the massive list of VST-Instruments, you are buying into a thriving popular format with ORION's VST compatability, there's loads of new VST synths being released every year !! - Remember, when it comes to mixing these synths & the ORION synths & samplers etc, ORION's mixer also takes up to 2 DX or VST insert plug-in's per-channel to add your favourite processor FX to sounds !!... and your PC will just gain more and more power as each year passes giving you more polyphony and more powerful synthesisers !!






ORION Instruments - general points

  • They are playable & controllable in realtime from a keyboard, including drums.
  • The 'heavier' ones option to work in 'draft' mode to save 50% cpu power whilst composing !
  • Each Instrument has 8 banks & 8 patches per bank making a total of 64 patterns per instrument.
  • Patterns can be any length of steps. Make long & short patterns.
  • Create un-regular length 'cross-patterns' in a classic acid/trance style that resolve every 16 or 32 or 64 bars etc.
  • Multiple examples of instruments can be opened.
  • Each pattern has dedicated controller moves which can be played & recorded in realtime.




All 'Instruments/Generators' have this settings box when you click the CFG button.







ORION Insert Effects

  • Distortion - 2-Band distortion with adjustable breakpoint frequency, individual drive settings + tone control.

  • Chorus/Flanger - Low-noise design with Delay, ModAmount, LFO frequency, Dry/Wet parameters.

  • Phaser - Vintage quality phaser with adjustable LFO Speed + resonance.

  • Gate - Employs a rhythmic pattern, auto-synced to current tempo. Floor, Attack & Release time are adjustable. In the Pro version, the gate can be driven via sidechain inputs, thus allowing rhythmic & dynamic modifications of any kind.

  • Compressor - Standard compressor with Attack, Release, Threshold and Ratio knobs. In the pro version, the compressor can also be driven via sidechain inputs.

  • Stereo Delay - The insert version of the delay effect with individual delay taps for left & right, plus Color parameter.



Also there is the 2 dedicated Send Effects... Reverb & Delay - and you can add up to 2 Insert VST or Direct-X effect Plugins to each channel as well ! .... All the FX send have automation. Just right click on the send pot in the mixer and sequence the moves or hit record and move the pot with the mouse... Also the effects themselves i think can have their parameters' sequenced in Song mode.









Working with ORION

Ok.. a typical way to work with ORION... and here on i'm reducing the images to low-res' so as to try save page-loading times, so don't think the panels look that rough !! .. they look nice & smooth.



Ok, let's say we are working on a basic drumbeat & bassline, then we want to work that into a sequence say 32 bars long looping round... ok...



here's a typical screen layout, the TR drumbox on the left, and WASP synth on the right... Notice below the two instruments/generators is the 'Track/Arrange/Song' area with it's left-handed Track-Headers featuring the track names, and working across from that, the patterns added to the tracks as blue 'blocks' working across left to right.. all very familiar !! -

For the editing i'm adding the basic beat into the drums using the front-panel Roland TRX0X style interface & playing notes in to the grid in realtime to the beat to get my basic Synthline pattern, then editing the notes on the grid with the PENCIL tool to fine tune my pattern...

Ok, let's look at the synth pattern... I am at the interface for the ORION WASP 'generator/instrument'... Remember how each Instrument/Generator has those Buttons on the top ??





OK...then i click on the STEP or EDIT button at the top....

Here's the edit window....



Study this screen shot for a while.. these are notes played into the grid by a keyboard with midi and we are now in 'edit' mode.. Just look at the ease to grab the options you need !!... The controller list is UNIQUE to each synth, so ONLY relevent controllers appear, and THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE DEFINED like in the other sequencers... ORION knows which synth is being sequenced and the controls all are ready and waiting... just select the Evt button, and there is the TOTAL list of synth, drum or sampler parameters & controls you can adjust with control data in the lower Controller area, just like in Logic or VST... So it takes the best bit's of the traditional 'piano' grid layout and makes it better still.... Ok, checkout the image... absorb it a bit...

Is that simplicity or what ??!... superb, the resolution on the grid goes as fine as you like and the whole thing has a good chunky feel to it, things snap into place nice.... Other key things are:

  • You can switch patterns on the fly using the Bank/Pat## Buttons at the top of each 'Generators/Instrument' and the grid changes while it plays to the new pattern.
  • You can copy and paste patterns whilst playing.
  • ALL 'Instrument/Generator' parameters are controllable
  • Controller lists are automatically selected for each synths edit window as you switch synths.
  • Patterns can be ANY length and odd lengths & time signatures.
  • Once drawn in, all controllers are 'scaleable' with a simple right-click !!










Working with ORION - Controller moves !!

Now... You think THAT is good... ok.. what REALLY brings dance music alive??.. YUP!!.. the movement of sounds, the builds and crescendo's... the filters creeping and sweeping and those smooth transitions and evolvements.... Now what is the biggest pain in the arse to creating those?.. Yup!!.. the setting it all up and getting it to actually work!!

ORION scores SUPREMELY in this department, without doubt the easiest to setup & control & add controller moves to your tracks.... you'll be making music in no time... check it out.. Above already you've seen how easy it is in the EDIT grid to access the controllers to add Control and automated synth adjustments into your patterns... well now we also want to add controller moves across the song too - well, ORION can record controllers whilst in SONG mode.... here's how you do it...

The track/Song grid has headers, each header is an 'Instrument/Generator' name as many as you have created in the OBJECTS list...

Ok, when working, access to synths is simple.. Just click a Track-Header....



....and the synth opens... You create a pattern by drawing in with the pencil or playing it in from a midi keyboard. - you can drop it In and OUT of record as it loops when you want to record something.... Now you want to adjust a controller in realtime for that synth as it plays it's arranged sequence of patterns over say a 32 bar passage of the Song, like say a nice filter sweep over 32 bars !!???... fine... arrange 32 bars of patterns and Put ORION into Song mode as set the Song loop to 32 bars length... now we are ready to add some controller moves !

OK, you've selected the synth you want to control... simply right-click on the Instrument control pot you want to control in realtime with your keyboard, and a menu appears... See this circular image below ... I just clicked on the Cutoff Control-Pot on the synth screen image with a right mouse click... the menu appears...



Now, two menu choices as to how to add control are available -

Option_1 select: Link to next MIDI controller

now, go to your master-keyboard or controller hardware interface and move ANY midi transmitting controller... THE SOFTWARE SYNTH CONTROL STARTS MOVING !!.. amazing!!.. I tell you, I burst out laughing it was so damned good !!!.. and it is SPOT-ON, no delay at all !!... drop the thing into record and record your controller move!!...

Option_2 select: Edit Song events



Yup.. 'Controller edit window' appears - It is basically just the lower 'Controller' area of the edit grid screen but without the attached NOTES/grid section -- If you are in PATTERN MODE it opens warning you that changes you make won't be visible/audible unless you go into SONG mode....

So you can record realtime controllers and see them in song-mode when you are looking at the linear controller moves for the Song - If you are in SONG MODE then you are editing/creating controller moves in time across the song length for that selected 'Instrument/Generator'...

In practice it works well, you get Localised Controller automation on a 'Per-Pattern' basis, then over the top you get a second 'layer' of controller moves allowing you to create long evolving Control changes over sections of the compiled patterns.. GOOD thinking !!...

So, you can have a pattern playing which features a particular controller-move inside it's pattern to create an emphasis within the pattern, then you can arrange 32 of those patterns in a row in the SONG arrange grid, and create a Loooooong extended filter move for example over the whole 32 bars of the repeating pattern !!... you can flip in and out of SONG or PATTERN mode on the fly as you work, it's amazingly well thought out !!

Notice also in the above Controller edit window on the Bottom-Left there is the drop-down select list to quickly change to a different controller...

You can drop In and OUT of record on the fly and work your controller moves with superb ease and creativity.. layering controllers for example is soo easy it makes the other sequencers seem excessivly over-complicated & fiddly !!... Great stuff ! - Also when you are in the main grid-edit screen with the lower Controller-area visible, you can still record in controllers using the allocated hardware controller... selecting hardware controllers is so simple you don't even have to think about it.. and remember, each grid-edit is dedicated to the 'Instrument/Generator' it is controlling so ALL it's controllers are pre-loaded with the grid !!...

You might think that with a unique Grid-Edit is dedicated to each 'Instrument/Generator' then you can't create a pattern on one synth, and then have another synth play it ??..... No prob's !!... simply copy the pattern from one synth Bank/Pat## location to another 'Instrument/Generator' Bank/Pat## location... sorted !!...

Oh yes.. one other great feature in the Song-Arrange screen is that when you copy patterns or a 'Block' of patterns, it asks do you want to move the song controller data moves too or just the patterns !..





Working with ORION - Summing up

Well, does it look easy or what !!?.. The quality of software synths is now equal to hardware, and ORION really works, and it works way more efficiently with your PC than the traditional big 3 sequencers which will consume vast amounts of processing resources from your PC in comparison to ORION. ORION gives you MORE of your PC's power for making synths sounds, yet you get the same level of editing and creative control with the familiar grid/piano edit as you do with the big 3 sequencers, but you get way SUPERIOR control and working ability to any of them when it comes to ease of working and learning how to make Tracks...

ORION is still young, i think it's only been out for like 8 months or so, but already there has been so many great updates apparently, and news reaches me that ORION will soon include the ability to sequence external midi kit as well... I don't often go to this much trouble with a review page for an item of kit, but ORION to me is such a cool s/w release it inspired me to make some real decent page for it to show people just how amazing this s/w is !!

So... if you get a nice new shiney PC from Santa for Christmas this year, and you only have an old midi keyboard & a hi-fi fear not !!... You are the luckiest bastard alive right now cos if you get this ORION fitted into your pc with a decent low latency sound card, you can IMMEADIATLY begin to make quality original dance music to any level as long as you dont need to record vocals and other audio parts...

if you want to 'Play' synths with a keyboard & record real 'playing' but also record midi & compose & edit in the traditional grid/piano edit way, and have lot's of cool synth variety without having to spend loads on hardware gear, and you want to compose great dance/club tracks and have everything in one, this is the s/w i'd recommend over ANY other right now cos it emphasises & enhances the realtime aspect of using softsynths !!... It REALLY is like having hardware in a rack & working with a hardware sequencer !!

No need to get VST or Logic just to get proper sequencing facilities with VST-Instruments & Plugins... ORION does the lot !... There is ober 100 FREE VST Effects in the dancetech File Section already, and tons more on the WWW... so download them demo of ORION, grab a few Free VST Instruments & FX and get busy !!

The other HUGE advantage of taking this route of s/ware accessed with hardware control is that your PC will get faster every year, and your synth & FX collection will keep expanding, so your system actualy increases in power and resources annualy if you upgrade sensibly... and ORION itself will update to add more great features... all it needed was a great sequencer to appear that facilitated VST protocol but didnt crap-out the PC loading tons of overblown features & placing all it's emphasis on sync'ing audio & midi... Who knows, they might add some audio tracks in a future update.

For synth & sample based Dance & Club music production, this software has winner written all over it, i'm so impressed at how clever the design is, and haven't touched my hardware gear since i installed it on my PC it's so much fun to work with and so easy to be creative!!... If Dancetech was a big magazine, i'd award ORION with: 'DANCE SOFTWARE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR'

what do you think of ORION ?... comments, links, resources please...













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User Comments

Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: KKu
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.k4web.net
Activity: part-timer
Date: 27-Nov-00

Yeah, totally awesome software! I've used this baby nearly 6 months now and IT ROCKS! Bye for Logic's "samplerate *blahblahblah*" messages, I can do this same thing with ORION!

Well, I still use Logic for finishing and adding some MIDI parts to my songs, but ORION has given me _SO_ much more to do, I wouldn't give away this program, NO WAY!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: BONES
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.novakill.com
Activity: part-timer
Date: 29-Nov-00

Makes my KORG TRINTY look and sound rather sad, i'm afraid.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Funkatronik
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 29-Nov-00

Where's the catch?

Something like this needs dozens of people to make, programmers, musicians, sound engineers, everything. Selling a few thousands copies like programs like this do won't keep the manufacturers alive...

So where's the catch? The sound quality sucks? The synths are out of tune? The user interface is horrible? 50 bucks for something like this sounds amazing unless the reviewer was exaggerating a lot.

Better than Trinity? Eh...

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Michael
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 30-Nov-00

The catch is that in order to find and buy the product, you have to be able to think for yourself instead of waiting aroud for the next spoonful of glossy music magazine propeller-rehash-hype.

But seriously, Orion is a great piece of software and if you have doubts, just download the demo and check the sound quality for yourself.

As for the lone programmer versus the corporate monster, I'll bet on the lone programmer any day.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Chop Shop
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 30-Nov-00

K -

You finally got around to reviewing this sucka! I've been spouting off about it here on DT for the last 8 months, but alas... nobody would listen.

You did a great job wih the review, BTW. Cheers!!!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: alien_brain
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 30-Nov-00

this program has the serious potential of changing the face of electronic music production. somehow it sticks out among the other well knowns. its not just the interface, i guess id have to say that it adds up to more than its parts. before this, i considered my vstis and vst effects 'useless' because i hated cubase so much. not any more, by golly!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: chroma
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 01-Dec-00

yep this thing f***in rocks...BUT; it has a tendency to crash...mebbe just on my (underpowered) system, i dunno. MORE IMPORTANTLY: you can't use VST instruments and fx without CUBASE installed?!? wat's up with that??? i don't want cubase hogging up disk space when orion is all i need!!! does anyone know how to get around this? i just spent half the night uninstalling/reinstalling cubase, orion, and all the plugins...

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: alien_brain
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.sonic-syndicate.com/
Activity: part-timer
Date: 01-Dec-00

you dont need to have cubase installed on your hard drive in order to use vstis and vst fx. read the help file!

orion is SO easy to use, you shouldnt have any broblems other than the occasional crash. and thats getting better and better... (not bad enough to discourage you from using it)

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: yellowbike
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 03-Dec-00

believe the hype !!!

There have been a lot of complaints about Orion crashes. Well I can tell you that the proggie has never ever crashed on my system, and no I am not the programmer, ha ha !
Just sick of all these people complaining about crashes
For info :
using athlon 650, 256 mb ram,
guillemot home studio 64 pro and yamaha db50XG soundcard.

bye

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: ME
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 04-Dec-00

sorry everyone but the crashes come from people using cracked versions no doubt ;-) I believe the ones who cracked it may have done a shitty job on purpose so you would go out and buy the real thing, think about it, everyone here spends 50$ on dinner and a movie a couple of times a month, and this proggie is well worth it so theres no excuse go support a good cause!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Brutal Chud
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 04-Dec-00

This program is definetly awesome, but it crashes on my PC too, and I'm not using a cracked version. It's not the programmer's fault though, Because I am trying to run it on a p166 with 32 mb, which I know is stupid but I love it so much it's worth the fact that it crashes after five minutes just to get a taste of this wonderful program. I think most of the people that orion crashes on is because of their pc's, not any fault of the program.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Derek Fellowes
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://mp3.com/supercode
Activity: Professional
Date: 04-Dec-00

I was lucky to spot Orion at the start of it all, and we(supercode) have done an masive amount of work in a short time
hear the fat sound of Orion on.HTTP://mp3.com/supercode

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Matty J
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mattj.eurobell.co.uk
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 04-Dec-00

Hmmmm seems to good to be true, kind of i havge tried the demo of it and its very good, its has not crashed for me (p3 600) i dunno if to buy this as its so cheap OR save my money and buy Reason hmmmmmm or maybe theres something else even better, anyone got any ideas ???

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: alien_brain
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 04-Dec-00

yeah, you just do that. if you cant recognize a good thing when you see/hear it, then nobody can help you here...

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: mike g
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/mikegao
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 04-Dec-00

i dont think the bazzline sounds much like the 303, so i sampled in a whole bar of 303 at full cutoff etc and put it in mysong with the sampler, then using the sampler's filter on the 303 (the filter doesnt recreate the exact same 303 sound but oh well)

u can hear it on my song Lunar Sands:
http://www.mp3.com/mikegao

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: alien_brain
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 05-Dec-00

ehough with the steinberg smear tactics!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Pseudo Random
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 07-Dec-00

I have to say that Sonic Syndicate have done a great job with Orion. It does almost (MIDI sync anyone?) everything I need to produce banging tracks without the pointless bells or whistles you get with other proggies, especially for dance heads like me.

Cubase - good for degenerate boy-band music, bad for dance.

With regards the Reason Vs Orion debate, I've just downloaded the demo and I have to say that even though Reason is good, Orion beats it in many areas. Ease of use, value for money, the ability to load VST instruments and Effects, Reason is a processor hog, and I think the sound quality is marginally better in Orion too.

Don't bother spending the money Reason and get Orion instead.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: nobo
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/eastonearth
Activity: part-timer
Date: 11-Dec-00

Orion makes us good job in short time and real time.
note:To make a save many time.
My real time job with Orion.
http://www.mp3.com/EastOnEarth

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: NoWay
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.notthisway.com
Activity: part-timer
Date: 11-Dec-00

It's the first time I'm according to any review on the Net. But I found a big weakness in Orion : I've been looking for a whole month before finding it on a warez site ;-)

49$ is too expensive for it, I'll keep my money.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Defector Z
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.defectorz.com
Activity: part-timer
Date: 12-Dec-00

Another twit thinking he/she's entitled to the hard work of others. $49 is too much? What you need is a JOB!! Aw fuck it - I hope you get what's coming to you. What comes around goes around.

Oh - Orion has a few glitches, but as it's still 1.x, I can handle it. And $49 for what you get is a small price to pay. Super easy to use, immediately rewarding, and fun.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: random wanderer
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 14-Dec-00

hmmm well I d/l'ed the demo version on to my work machine (PIII 733 w/ 128 Mb RDRAM)and found that it crashed rather frequently, often enough to make it not worth the $50.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: haksu
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 16-Dec-00

Orion really kicks some hairy butt, definitely worth of $49 bucks.

Of course, allways real synths are better, but even with software you can get really unique sound !

Just made a song for fun with Orion
http://wwnet.fi/users/haksu/beyond_the_line.mp3

Cheers!

-haksu

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Mike G.
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/goatman
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 17-Dec-00

What's the big catch? Well, I think I could tell you. Orion has no audio tracks, and you can't sync audio with it unless you use the sampler. The editing functions are very simplistic, I could only make 64th notes in the sequncer. And the only machines that can be syncopated (swing) are the drum sample machines. When you switch into draft mode there is a VERY noticable difference in sound quality. Finally, you have to set a high response time for the weighty generators or it will crash (I use a 400mhz,64mb ram, and SBLive.) I still think that Orion is a very fine piece of software despite these problems, but when the person reviewing it said it was better than the big 3 sequnecers that was a definite "No WAY." I speak from the perspective of a CakeWalk user. The sequencing just isn't as intricate as the big seq's.
Orion synths are very good sounding but since the sequencer is lacking in sophistication it won't do much for me. The best improvement that this s/w could make, I think, is to render all the synths so they could be used as midi sound modules, that way I could use a better sequencer AND take advantage of the nice synths.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Pseudo Random
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Dec-00

I've just been looking at Orion Pro V2 Beta, and the improvements are looking great. First off you can now have audio tracks in the sequencer, there is a MIDI out instrument for controlling external synths, still no MIDI Sync though. There's an arpeggiator for each instrument. The ability to have sidechains on some effects, especially useful with the trance gate i.e. you can use a drum machine to control the gate. Some new effects like a high quality reverb. Finally the sampler has ReCycle like functions built in.

The future's looking bright.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: k
Email: Email supplied but hidden
here
Activity: Professional
Date: 20-Dec-00

to mike-g, but 70% of dance club music makers dont use audio tracks, just samples & loops which orion handles fine with it's sampler. and you CAN use orion as a synth/sampler/module/vsti loader and sequence it from another sequencer !

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Dave
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 22-Dec-00

Has the company gone out of business?
I have been trying to access the site for days now and can't. No download available either.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Bobby Brown
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional,part-timer
Date: 26-Dec-00

Orion is by far the best peice of music software I have ever used. The possibilties are endless.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Gian Paolo
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/gianpaolo
Activity: part-timer
Date: 27-Dec-00

what i have view its fantastic, but when i can buy it?

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Vincent Geddes
Email: Email supplied but hidden
-
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 01-Jan-01

Are some people complaining about the cost of orion? $49 is nothing when you compare it to it's closest competitor, Propellerhead's Reason. Reason sells for $399! No jokes

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Flash Mofo
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 02-Jan-01

After messing with the reason demo for a week, I checked out Orion. I have to say, I really don't think they're in the same leage. $49 for orion is a great deal, but I don't think it sounds or looks anywhere near as good as reason. Not as intuitive to use either. One of the coolest features of Reason, to me, is that I can assign every knob and fader to a midi cc#. I did not see this implemented in Orion... Also lots of the controls have pretty bad stepping...And finally the legit Orion demo crashes quite a bit on my computer, and does not support ASIO drivers. If you have a card that supports asio, then all your software should too! It's open-source after all.
The list goes on: Reason comes with 500mb of compressed .wavs, sounds 10x better, and is actually selling as low as $249- Sure I wish it at least supported midi out, but for cubase users like me this is not a big deal thanks to rewire (so reason -will- work with VST Instruments and plug-ins thanx to rewire) Anyway, I just think the comparisons are a little off- like saying that a honda and a ferrari both have power windows...My jury is in and I'm ordering Reason!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Flash Mofo
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 02-Jan-01

What's up with no Reason section at D/T? it's like Orion and D/T are affiliated or something- Just curious, I mean given the amount of hype about reason you'd think there would be a reason page- Plus Orion seems to have some kind of spell over D/T... Don't get me wrong, I think Orions pretty cool, I just come here for unbiased info- and given how these programs are being compared, I don't think both sides are being represented, that's all. Or is this www.Orion.com?

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Mike G.
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/goatman
Activity: part-timer
Date: 02-Jan-01

Well said Flash Mofo!. Orion is cool but isn't comparable to giants like Proppellerheads Reason. I also tryed out the demo of Reason and it rocks. The synths are a whole lot nicer sounding than Orions. And they can be played with perfect 0 sec latency (I have no idea how they pull this off but it works great) you get a lot of latency with Orion, however.
If any doesn't like me saying that Reason is better Orion (on Orions review page), then just keep in mind that there is no review page on DT for Reason yet and it IS a big deal, definetly worth a review.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Espoo2
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 03-Jan-01

Whatever.
The price of the damn synths does not matter. One is made by a talented money-hungry company who has good marketers who know that with their name alone they can charge $250 and get away with it, and the other is made by talented small business guys who like what they do and cant get by on their name alone.
The synths in Reason are in no way BETTER than those in Orion.
With a legit demo of Reason, it lasted about 5 minutes before crashing my whole system, every time I've used it...and I've got a 450 w/128 ram.
Orion, on the other hand, ran great with Sound Forge, fruityloops, and a few other small progs just fine, no glitches (except when adding new syths, but thats no big deal when you arent recording).
I am going to wait until the version that allows external sequencing is released before purchasing it though.
But the ferrari/honda comparisons are just plain ridiculous.
Its more of a toyota/lexus comparison, same damn car, ones just overpriced and marketed differently.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: cjmonkey
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 03-Jan-01

Personally, I cannot understand why anyone would want to shell out an extra $350 for reason and it's virtual hardware. That is the difference that most people miss about Orion/Reason, Reason is created to be like hardware (it even has f***ing patch cables that can only be viewed by looking at the "back" of the devices for crapsakes)Where as Orion looks, and behaves like software. This allows a huge advantage in versatality and ease of use that Reason doesn't have. Meybe somebody would buy reason over orion because they have used hardware all their life, and find reason a much more familiar interface. To each his own I guess... but if you have used hardware your whole life, and need a hardware like environment, why would you buy into softsynths?

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: flash mofo
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 03-Jan-01

to each his own... however if it does not support remote control via midicc#'s then it does not interest me. As for the money, both programs are cheap compared to a nord lead, etc. The money is not an issue to me, it has to sound good and I want a hands-on interface. Omitting support for ASIO drivers and midi CC#'s- These are things I already have in my studio. With Reason I can turn Physical knobs to control parameters and have each separate instrument come through it's own channel in my hardware mixer, if I so choose. This makes it hardware as far as I'm concerned. Why anyone would prefer to use a mouse is beyond me...

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Matty J
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.music.eurobell.co.uk/
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 03-Jan-01

Hello again people, Orion is good for the price, well i think so anyway, also i just tried out reason WOOW its mental !!! i was thinking about getting a supernova 2 or something like that (yes i know they cost lots !!) anyway i am gonna buy reason as soon as i have the money its good enough for what i need to do, i have already brought Orion and use it for some things, and i think as long it does what u need then thats cool, and i make hard bangin house music and hard-trance and its just fine for that so i'll some how use all my programs together blah blah yeah ok BYE u can check my music soon at my website http://www.music.eurobell.co.uk/ and my main site at http://www.mattj.eurobell.co.uk/ none of which are finished ahhh well EACH TO THERE OWN as u people say !!!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: DJ RaY
Email: Email supplied but hidden
www.propellerheads.se
Activity: Professional
Date: 03-Jan-01

Just wanna congratulate the author of the orion review,on a wicked piece of writing!do submit this to Future Music!It deserves to be read by a broader audience!great review!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Espoo2
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 04-Jan-01

Mofo:
You can assign a knob on your synth QUITE EASILY with Orion. There's your physical knob problem solved. As for each module going to a seperate channel on the mixer, I dont think it does that, but is that worth an extra 300 bones? Maybe for you, but not me... just a poor college student trying to scrape up whatever I dont blow on booze to use towards gear.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: East on Earth
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/eastonearth
Activity: part-timer
Date: 04-Jan-01

Anyway,
New song "Bird of Passage"uploaded with
only orion too.
Check it out.
I'll buy orion pro too.
it's cheap and good performance.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: SEAN
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 05-Jan-01

i'm have two questions about orion pro version 2:
1)can i import an audio track into it(not using the sampler)?how can this be done?
2)how do i record the output of the midi machine to audio?i use the 'export loops to audio command' but nothing happens!
any replies will be appreciated!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Martin
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 06-Jan-01

Having used the Orion demo for a while along with using the recent release of the Reason demo I can only say that you get what you pay for with these two pieces of software.
Sure, Orion is great value for money and does have some advantages over Reason (VST, etc), but Reason is only on release 1 and in the most important area i.e. sound quality it is far superior.
It also looks a lot better too!!
Well I'm off down to the Bank to arrange an overdraft so I can buy Reason!!!;)

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: A C Burke
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 08-Jan-01

I am a composer and I have some definite
financial limitations. I had been
looking at a Triton but could not get
past the price. Two weeks ago I
downloaded the DreamStation which linked
me to you and I read the article on
Orion. Wow! I couldn't believe it.
Thanks for the great review. Now all I
need is the Creamware Pulse II and I am
set.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: sebastian anonymus
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional,part-timer,Hobby-ist
Date: 10-Jan-01

i agree totaly with the rewiever here, on this orin matter. it is truly a DREAM to work with. the best (most direct) interface i have seen, with a "edit" button on for instance a soft-hammondb3(!!!)witch leads you right into the (piano)roller, for notes to be punched in. very intuitive package (i had total control in 15 minutes!!!). support for (live controlled)dx-plugins, vst instruments etc. GREAT STUFF :D thanx for reading: Sebastian Bjornerud

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Stasis
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 21-Jan-01

I personally love ORION, and am going to stick with it. The interface IS direct, and easy to work with. One question, though it may seem a very unimportant one. Where can you get skins for it? You can add skins, but where to get them?

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Boomtrooper
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 21-Jan-01

Funkatronic - asshole.....If you let your prejudices stop you from checking out this gizmo, you're more stupid than you seem. I used to think rebirth was good, but seriously...
I nickes a cracked copy, and thought it was so good, I bought the original so the author got his well-earned $50
Nothing comes close as yet (though I haven't played with Reason yet....)

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: JB
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 22-Jan-01

Hey Kilo, any reviews on Reason soon ?
Have u tested it, and what do you think of Reason vs Orion (soundquality etc.) ?

This is what ex-Propellerhead webmaster had to say about it:
"Orion is an entry-level toy. It's right down there with Fruity Loops, Hammerhead, Rubber Duck. Talk about "looking dated"..?? It looks like a Windows 3.1 relic. I've gotten pretty used to comparing apples and oranges around here, but you're comparing apples and breadcrumbs. If Reason was a girl, Orion would be an inflatable doll. And whatever "Pro" refers to, I doubt that it's more than the deluxe doll with extra lubricant."

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: olafmol
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 23-Jan-01

jeez people..can't you make your own decisions? just download the Reason demo, and download the Orion demo...and compare the two...and see what suits you best

Olaf

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Dexterity
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 23-Jan-01

Okey since you guys all are talking price you all kind shoot over heads!!! ORION is very nice and maybe it's not as good as reason and maybe it lacks some things, but if so sit your a**es down and do a program that does it all.... And what is this about Cubase not being able to make Dance music on....Jesus... You ain't got a clue of what your talking about! i have used cubase to make 2 CD´s in just 1 year and they are on the market in Denmark!! Including Dance/house/trance music all made pre my Orion stage!!! meaning only Cubase using soundfonts. Sure if i had better equipment i would be able to make better sound music. But then again you learn to live with the things you have. And can afford. Orion is a reasonable buy for 49$ even though it's only 2,1 mb atm. That also a thing that makes the difference between ORION and Reason. Reason's soundliberary is WAAAYYY bigger than Orions. The samples in orion are no larger than 100kb. (Very interesting) This means that you get a more real feeling of playing analogue synth than you do on just samples of bigger lengths. How do you guys suspect they made the first JUNO-106 or MOOG for that matter you think the processor in those where 500 Mb harddrives and 600 Mhz processors with 256 Mb Ram?? I doubt it....


I almost forgot... How the *BIP* do i get my midi input device to sync in Orion?? the delay on my computer is around 0,5 sec and that makes my realtime recording really useless. Any clues answers??

(Not to offend anyone this is just my 2 cents)

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: divine radiance
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 23-Jan-01

hmm... I think you all are, fucked.. let's see here... I've tried both reason and orion, worked whit both, and made some traxx whit both.. now, Orion isn't really bad, no, it's a nice and good development in software music, really neat to see, yes.. but.. in no way can you compare it to reason.. Reason is a professional music toy, whilst orion is.. mere.. yes.. mere not.. reason is everything orion want's to be.. and that's it.. AND WFT IS this i read about "ease to use??" hell, it's a pain in the got damn arse to use, it's fucking annoyoing, that alone makes me pucke, it's a really retared interface. and the seqencer ? lol, it's as goffy as you.. compare the synth in reason, the subtracktor, whit thosse in orion, ohh gezz.. worked whit the pulse thing for 5 min's.. boring... the subtractor alone offers wayy more soundcreation possiblites than sucky orion.. Redrum is far more versatile than the sucky drumstation in orion.. same goes whit the sampler.... also, forget the power hungry part, I compared them both (p2 350, 128 ram) and reason uses wayyyyy less cpu than orion.. reason: better coding.. also, reason looks better, tastes better, smell better.... and roxx better.. fuck orion...

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: ChimChim
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 23-Jan-01

Devine radiance Why the hell would you find it necessary to write a such a long paragraph about Reason on an ORION review page? The facts are orion is tool made by a few hobbyists not unlike many of us here and Reason product is developed by a professional company in the business of making software of this type. Why would you bother to go out of your way to say "fuck orion". I'm willing to bet good money that had you been in the computer industry in the 1970's and 1980's you would have been one of the first in an arrogant mass of people to say "Fuck Apple". I believe that similar to the above mentioned scenario you are just jealous that a group of amatuers can release a $49 software that compares and competes with a large company financed program that costs hundreds. Get a Life!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Jay Flaherty
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/jayflaherty
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 23-Jan-01

You want to hear Orion in action? Check out my song "Thirteen" on mp3.com... this program is sick! SICK I TELL YOU!!! You will not only give up your hardware, but your job, house and family as well =b

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: TripapHoniC
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 24-Jan-01

I will stick with Cubase VST 5.0 and my plugins.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: JT
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 24-Jan-01

jesus dudes, get a life. it doesn't matter what you use, your talent is much more important. you could do a great song with just a pan flute or whatever if you got the talent. spend more time making more music and less trashin some piece of software. I think orion is ok and can become very good(orion pro sounds promising) VST support is a definite bonus. Reason is good too. Propellorheads have more resources to make a fancy piece of software but I the cost is high too. It's very easy and fast to use so it's easy to make some results with it without bothering your head too much if you got any experience of synths and music making in general. So anyway get what suits your needs. It's great to boost your ego by justifying the software you've just bought but remember that there are many opinions and one software doesn't work for all.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Jon
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 25-Jan-01

Don't turn every f***ing inch of space on this site into a pointless arguement about irrelevant subjects. This is supposed to a users review for Orion. Which, BTW, is fantastic value for money

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: JH
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 25-Jan-01

CAN ANYONE IN THE U.S. GIVE ME A WEB ADDRESS THAT SELLS REASON FOR $250?
IN THE UK IT'S GOING TO COST £299 WHICH IS ABOUT $450! CAN I RUN IT WITH CUBASE AS THE MASTER?

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Acid
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 26-Jan-01

JH email me acidmusic2000@supanet.com

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: DraXX
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/draxx
Activity: part-timer
Date: 26-Jan-01

Like REASON from Props...only much
cheaper and VST support...
But, I've already bought Reason for 399
$..I've already made some tunes in
it...I'm not sure I wouldn't took Orion
if I knew what it is.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: East on Earth
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/eastonearth
Activity: part-timer
Date: 27-Jan-01

I'll still keep on using Orion,so i don't need other music soft.
My new song gPoem of Dolphinh uploaded with only orion.
This song is intelligent break beat techno including like a keyboard
sound through the rotary speaker in 70's and original drum beat.

Please check it out.

Thanks.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: counterfeit
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 31-Jan-01

i've just bought orion pro 2.1
and it really kick ass......

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Mark
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 31-Jan-01

I've downloaded the Orion Pro 2.1 demo and was expecting to find a midi generator for controlling my external synths. Is this missing?

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: JT
Email: Email supplied but hidden
-
Activity: part-timer
Date: 05-Feb-01

Hey Jon sorry 'bout your f****n space gotta agree with the point that not many real reviews (including my last post) on this site, but hey that's life people like to argue.. so anyway I downloaded the OrionPro 2.1 demo. must say the program starts to look pretty good for the price. The new FX are better plus some other addons like grooveslicing for the smapler similar to reason. I was hoping to see improvement in the built-in machines since they are the weakest link in my opinion. The VST support is brilliant anyway and will cover most areas but I really miss a good tweakable drumcomputer like redrum in reason. The stability of the program has improved and 2.1 didn't crash once while I tested it. ASIO drivers worked great (finally!). There's still some things about the GUI and the sequencer that keep me away from this program but I'll look forward for new releases.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Arp
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 05-Feb-01

Is the sound buzzy for anyone else? Granted, I'm using a crack but I would be more than happy to buy it if I knew it worked without buzzing.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: olafmol
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 06-Feb-01

buzzing? you probably have to adjust your latency-settings..or you're having some kind of ground-loop...do you also have the buzzing with other audio-programs? if yes, unplug all your other hardware, if no, play with the latency settings in the audio drivers.

Olaf

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: MarJoh
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer,Hobby-ist
Date: 07-Feb-01

People... while everyone is pissing and moaning about which is better (Orion or Reason) guys like "East on Earth"
(Website: http://www.mp3.com/EastOnEarth) are putting together min-numbing, wicked ass tracks. Go listen to "Bird of Passage" This is a slammin cut.. particularly towards the end. NICE GOING DUDE. You spoke volumes about Orion's worthiness in this song :)

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: ((büG))
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 07-Feb-01

orion kick asses,but i really need the orion pro crack!!!!!!!!!!!! please someeone send me

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: rich
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 07-Feb-01

I found that east of earth stuff laughable to say the least.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: KB
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 08-Feb-01

Orion is a superb package ideal for learning the ropes and it offers U the opportunity to get ideas down quickly due to its ease of use, which is great for creativity. Sound quality..mmm. I'm paying $49. Hell its a great tool, like a notebook for music & with VST plugins, wowww!!!
I feel that Reason is also a great tool but different in the sense that I would use this more favourably for production, I was very impressed with the sound and quality i could squeeze from it, only comment is the effects units were very average in performance, but rewire with cubase, HOT.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: NUMLOK
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.numlok.com
Activity: part-timer
Date: 08-Feb-01

IT'S ALL TRUE! Orion is a GREAT piece of software. With the PRO release, the stability is there, the sound and functionality are rockin', and the support (via Orion users group) is lighting quick... all combining to make Orion SECOND TO NONE! Well worth 3X the price!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Bob McBob
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 12-Feb-01

Any thoughts as to how Orion compares to FruityLoops (Full) 3.0 ?? I've been playing with the demo of FL for a couple of days now, and find it far more intuitive than Orion, and it seems to provide the same functionality (although WASP costs extra). Just suprised there's no mention of FL 3 here, as it's very similarly priced, and much closer comparison than Reason.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: TrewDoss
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 14-Feb-01

Orion just goes to show how most of the other audio software developers out there are ripping us off with extortionate prices.
SAVE YER PENNIES, go & get Orion. It does more than it says on the tag :)

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: phil sea
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 14-Mar-01

#HELP!#ORION PRO SEEMS TO B THE BUSNESS, BUT I RAN INTO A FEW PROBLEMS RUNNING THE DEMO.
I CAN ONLY SELECT DRAFT/ PRODUCTION MODES ON A FEW OF THE GENERATORS, MOST R DISABLED. IS THIS JUST AN ANOYING DEMO
REDUCTION? ALSO I NOTICIED ORION(1.8) USES CONSIDERABLY LESS CPU THAN ORION PRO. I CHECKED THIS LOADING A DEMOSONG ON BOTH PROGRAMS.IM USING A CELLERON 333 , 64MEG RAM, WITH VERY LITTLE HARD DISK SPACE. MAYBEE I'LL GO FOR THE 1.8 RELEASE AS CPU IS IN NEED INDEED. THE PRO FEATURES ARENT ALL THAT EITHER, OK AUDIO TRACKS WOULD B NICE, BUT U CAN ALWAYS USE THE SAMPLER, THEN U CAN APPLY THOSE WIKID FILTERS+ MAP THE CHANGES 2 THE SEQUENCER. GROOVE SLICIING ISNT IMPORTANT, AS I HAVE RECYCLE.+ AN ARPIGGITOR AINT ESSENTIAL.
N E ONE TRIED OUT FRUITYLOOPS V3? HOW DOES IT COMPARE 2 REASON/ORION?

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Fire Works
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/fireworks
Activity: part-timer
Date: 15-Mar-01

I've made my songs all from Orion pro.
My PC has poor cel 433, but I could make
5 dance techno tune.
though it's often freeze.
Orion may be great tool for me.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Andreas Chatzakis
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/reanimator
Activity: part-timer
Date: 23-Apr-01

I am going for a PC setup with Orion as my sequencer. I was wandering which sound card will produce better results (especially lower latency) :
Creamware Luna II or Midiman Delta 66?

Also does Orion let you route specific samples/VST synths to individual outputs on your soundcard? f.e will i be able to route different sounds to different channels on a Luna II mixer?

thank you

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Peter
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.orion-central.com
Activity: Professional
Date: 30-Apr-01

Hey Orion users,

A new (premier) Orion user support site is up at http://www.orion-central.com and we have an online user forum with dedicated areas for use, problems and evrything else regarding Orion :)

Peter.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Spacecake
Email: Email supplied but hidden
www.exact.org.uk
Activity: part-timer
Date: 07-Jun-01

Why feck around comparing advantages/disadvantages of Orion and reason, use both together.... and have all the advantages. having said that, I can't believe a few people have put orion's sound quality above reasons, you lot must be deaf to anything above 10,000hz. reason+rewire+logic oooooooh its the mutts nuts.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Vincent Geddes
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.cia.gov
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 07-Jun-01

What's all this nonsense! Orion is way better than Reason, at least v2.4 is. It's got VST support, more synths, better midi control.

I think you ignorant people should actually TRY it and get over the "amateurish interface" which i admit is true.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: funkdollar
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 21-Jun-01

Do you imagine this tiny piece of software being hardware?How much would it cost?I've used it so much that fell
in love.I personally think cubase sucks.CUBASE IS NOT DANCE-ORIENTED even though STEINBoRG(hehehe)tell us bulls**t. And stop complaining about the orion synth quality buy yourself a VST-i. I use software workstations so much that consider seriously selling ALL my hardware.I make dance music and use only
software.The abilities i have now are
10000000000 times more.The only hardware
worth buying today is a midi controller.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Rasmus Schultz
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.sonic-syndicate.com
Activity: Professional
Date: 21-Jul-01

Hello, people

Thank you for all the kind words about our software! :) ... I thought I'd address something which seems to worry a lot of you: how come it's so cheap? there must be some kind of catch, right? developing something like this takes a huge team of programmers and a heap of time, right? :) ... well, no, not really. Actually, one guy (Richard) did most of the programming. Me, I make graphics, programmed the website, made a reverb effect, and do marketing related stuff. It's just the two of us. It started out as a spare time project, about 2-3 years ago - we weren't happy with any of the software available at the time, so we decided to make our own. And basically, the thing is still a spare time project, at least for me - I don't get paid (much), and Richard hasn't made much to show for it. I'm in it for the love of music, and that's the honest truth. So if you're asking, who's paying for this huge, amazing, dirt cheap, super music making program, then your answer is: we are. We're paying with blood, sweat and tears, and we're doing it for the love - did that sound dramatic enough or what? :) ... seriously though, I really hope we'll get more exposure soon, so that the whole project can sort of "take off" for real, and Richard can start pulling in some real sales, so that he can afford to hire me, and I can go work for him full time - so that we can work more closely together (Richard lives in Germany, I live in Denmark) and reach our common goal: making Orion into an even better virtual studio! and THEN I can make great tunes, get signed, make shitloads of money and live on Ibiza! ;)

Yes, I am somewhat visionary, perhaps even idealist.

And yes, we are quite mad! :)

Any questions? If so, send them by e-mail to me, personally: mindplay@mindplay.dk - I can across this page at random, and I'm not likely to come back - too busy, too distracted, and so on.

Keep composing, people! :)

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: [[büG]]
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 01-Aug-01

i need the crack!!!!!!!!!!!!! please

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: bollocks
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 02-Aug-01

get stuffed - buy it!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: FunkBox
Email: Email supplied but hidden
www.mp3.com/funkbox
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 03-Aug-01

Orion is incredible and has changed the way I make music. I would highly recommend it to anyone. You would have a lot of difficulty in finding a better and more complete audio package...at any price! Let me also add that the programmers are constantly putting out new updates and improvements to Orion...at least once a month. What's Reason up to? 1.1?! Weak.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: CJ-TedRiot
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 18-Aug-01

Simply the best!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: barakus
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 18-Sep-01

Orion is really powerful!
but the best thing is that composing with it it's so easy and streamlined... and at the same time you have lots of features so that creativity is not stopped...
check the new version is coming with Rewire support!
ORION RULES!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: tre
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 06-Nov-01

i need the crack or full version Reason 1.01 Or something to make this demo allow mw to save and alll the cool stuff.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: courtney
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 14-Jan-02

I find the software QUITE unstable. I am using the demo version from the site, and several times ive had to close and reopen the program, reboot the computer, etc. This is quite disturbing no matter how good the program is. The fact of the matter is, if you cant rely on the software to be stable, then its hard to really sit down and use it IMHO. Especially if (like the review suggests) you use the program in a live show, just imagine your embarrassment if in the middle of a live performance orion just died. Ill take less powerfull and more reliable any day. Cubase also is kind of flaky but downgrading to directx7 seems to help alot. and Reason is like a rock, I have NEVER had any problems with it being unstable. a couple more things, it seems the ASIO implementation in orion is what causes me problems. There seems to be some funny behavior when it comes to that aspect. I also have not seen any real cpu benifit of orion. It seems to use as much if not more (especially when utilizing ASIO) then reason. I am running 1.7ghz P4 processor, and I can set my latency much lower in reason then I can with Orion. Its simply too heavy somewhere. I dont understand where this streamlined, fast talk comes from. It seems a much heavier application, with too much emphasis on its interface, or something. Its better then alot thats out there, and the price nullifies all the concerns. If its value your after, Orion is it. If its quality, Orion definetely is not it.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: CJ Smoov
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/orion-users/surveys?id=867206
Activity: part-timer
Date: 13-Feb-02

if you are a member of orion-users at yahoo groups, please take a minute to vote in my poll at the link above.

thanks!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: TD
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.dtdmedia.com/convergence.html
Activity: Professional
Date: 01-Mar-02

My new CD was done only with Orion. Who needs anything more? Hear some tracks at the link above.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Joseph
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://www.mp3.com/joseph_farrish
Activity: Professional
Date: 20-Apr-02

Hi I am purchaseing a Alesis MMT8 (hardware seq) for live seq , I originaly thought I could load up sonar and trigger a bunch of vsts with it but seeing you can only trigger one MIDI channel at a time sonar will not be good for live mixxing . I think i read this on the description but Can I trigger multiple vsts from a single external seq useing seprate MIDI channels useign ORION ? Can I load up external vsts such as NI-FM7 ?

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: tom
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity:
Date: 20-Apr-02

hi joseph

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Mark
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 20-Apr-02

Joseph - yes to both. Give the demo a go, the only restriction is the save is disabled.

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Xage
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 23-Apr-02

to all you suckers asking for cracks... don't be so pathetic, get a life. you are the reason why we have to pay $300 for a $50 program to begin with, to make up the losses. if you can't save your pennies and buy the stuff like the rest of us then get yourself one of those toy metal xylophones and bang away on that!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: jason
Email: Email supplied but hidden
j
Activity:
Date: 29-Apr-02

i have been doing this stuff since the scream-tracker days and to see how this has evolved into products like orion and reason simply amazes me. orion works and sounds like a 1000 dollar app,,, i can see this going up in price as soon as more people find out,, i bet they are waiting for the right moment to put it up there in the price range. the best hundred dollars i have ever spent on any studio gear (well beside a tuner) bonus** all of my sonic foundry/pro tools plugins work with ease,, very cool -j

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: breezo
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 28-Oct-02

try orion platinum its awesome, better than reason , cause of vstis, and has better audio quality now

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Mike
Email: Email supplied but hidden
none
Activity: Professional
Date: 17-Nov-02

Orion is a great proggy, but Orion Platinum is much much better, it
blows away all other software studios
and gets updates and new features nearly
every month ..

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Nathan
Email: Email supplied but hidden
http://dogbone.ptgamer.org
Activity: Professional
Date: 19-Apr-03

Well I"ve used Orion Pro before and it's a real good program. From what I've seen of the demo of orion platinum it seems to be awesome. Wish I had the cash for it. If you wanna be a professional artist, this is the program to get. :).

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: SteveB
Email: No email added
Activity: Hobby-ist
Date: 14-Jan-04

I guess everyone knows by now that the "Music Tech" magazine gave away a FULL and UNRESTRICTED Orion basic.

A free VST Host, as well as all the nice stuff of Orion.

Get it now!

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: ocelot
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: Professional
Date: 23-Mar-04

orion rawks.
i make everything with orion. i use the built in synths for nearly everything.
with version 5.2 you have a drum sampler that says "forget about battery"
you simply don't need it. the wasp can do anything.
i hardly use vst synths anymore except the vb-1 bassline.
i go the opposite route from Native Instruments- i use a simple synth or sampler programmed well, run through insert fx, channel strip eq, and bussed accordingly.
i like to render audio with it. the new orion 5.2 kicks audio editing ass.
its audio tracks are what every audio track should be. you can do it all with only this peice of software. fuck logic and its bloated confusing illogical layout. (well, i AM on pc now, and no plans to get a mac so thats more of a default thing...)
but seriously seriously good kit...
ocelot

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Product:  Synapse Audio Software - ORION
Name: Thomas
Email: Email supplied but hidden
Activity: part-timer
Date: 19-Jul-07

I've been using Orion for about 2 years now,and i must say i'm also very impresed about it!
After reading your WHOLE page dedecated 2 Orion,i must say: YES...i realy agree whit you,that Orion is about the best home producing s/w you can get!
On top of that,i think that the Platinum version(s) there are released,are the best you can get!
I work whit Orion Platinum v.5,and i'am very pleased whit it!
And aspecialy the vst/vsti ability,so you can use about any vst instrument or fx-plugin you can get your hands on,whit it.
I'm thinking on upgrading it to v.7,but i'm not in a rush...as long as it's giving me the almost unlimited musical creating acces i need,it's ok whit me!
On a scale 1/10 i would give the s/w Orion (Platinum)...a wel deserved 9.5!

KEEP ROLLIN'...

Gretings,
Thomas
alias: Spindeck
Spinit Productions NL

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