I've just updated to Cubase 13. I had EW Virtual Instruments Composer Cloud rented for -silly things I do-. Far too expensive and for my intented use much too complex. So thank you Steinberg for giving as this wonderful library and thank YOU for this wonderful demonstration. By the way: I laughed my ass off, when it came to the GM part.......

I LOLed when the GM came in. OMG.

The demo project is awesome✨️

I got this a few days ago. Your presentation was excellent so many thanks. Just what I needed. It seems to work in Cakewalk too by the way!

This really sounds amazing. I'm not much of a symphonic type of a guy. So this takes care of my needs for sure

Helpful overview!

That sounds amazing for a stock orchestral library! Cubase 13 is awesome!

Very helpful. Thank you.

General midi 😅 sounds fantastic

Ha ha the comparison with General MIDI made my day 🙂

The gm is giving me flash backs

Hilarious demo

I dont know why everyone is seemingly sleeping on iconica. To me, this is a fantastic orchestral library in general and especially as a free one, it beats similar libraries like BBC SO Discovery any day.

Awwww. I miss GM 🧡

GM Demo -> Back to the 90´s and Dos Games on the Sound Blaster card 🙂

Thanks Darren. I chuckled at the TG reference. I started with the MU100R and Pro24 on the Atari ST.

Cheers for that. From a fellow old git.

Nice update, but would be great if we could get, instant audition of presets sound, like in Komplete Kontrol.. Loading sounds in Halion is too slow, killing the workflow.

Very useful info in this good video. Would like to know if the sounds are dry, or with reverb that can't be removed.

I have several third-party sample libraries. However, this included library sells the upgrade for me. I like the direction Steinberg is going. My first DAW was Reason by Propellerhead. Their library was/is expansive using low CPU. If Cubase were to continue improving upon this proprietary library, I'm all for it:) Perhaps, ever so-slowly will other libraries become less and less needed.

Friendly reminder that Orchestral Tools Organic Samples line has some fantastic solo strings for a decent price

Just updated to Cubase 13 Pro. I'm just wondering now which other products are part of the update. I had no idea about Halion Sonic (had the SE version). Now it's got me wondering what else I'm missing.

Blackadder...yeah!

I think it's worth pointing out that Legato and Sustain are not just the same thing but Sustain allows you to play more than one note at a time. The reason Legatto only plays one note at a time is because it's for playing melodies (typically) and it will play very short transitions between the notes you play, there by more accurately simulating the way a real player would sound. How important that is to anyone is up for a lot of debate but it does serve a purpose. I would also point out that you can switch articulations using Articulation Maps within Cubase and because this library is in Halion, you shouldn't have to build your own settings in articulation maps in order to use it, like you would with most 3rd partly libraries. That can be a huge time saver. How much that's worth to anyone is also up for debate.

I suppose there is no round robin implemented on this free version, right?

GM rulez! Ah, the good old days.. when we also had Roland's GS and Yamaha's XG... The good things? A bass clarinet would not eat half your hard drive :)))

How do you visually know which articulations are velocity sensitive and which ones are modulation sensitive? Or is it always the 2 on the left and the 2 on the right?

I wanted to buy a DAW for audio post-production for films, and I bought Cubase 13 Pro. I was not aware of Nuendo, which is designed for post-production. Am I out of luck now? Can't afford the upgrade now. Any advice??

I am using this with my SWAM solo strings solos which I think is a better use of my cash than the expensive orchestral libraries.

Cubase should update expression maps rather. than throw in this stuff. This would be far better for composers most of which have many many orchestral and strings libraries.

So now the full Halion Sonic comes as standard with Cubase? That's good to know if and when I ever have to buy a new computer. It would mean I no longer have to shell out on the flagship version of Halion, I could probably cope without the Halion 4 Factory library as many of the Halion Sonic sounds are very similar. Even though I have Halion 7 I do still also use the SE version that came with Cubase 12, I made do with Halion Sonic SE until 2019 when I finally got Halion 6 at discount because before then the paid versions of Halion/Halion Sonic were more expensive at the time. I'm going to be sticking with Cubase Artist 12 as I only bought it a year ago but if I ever have to replace my current computer it's good to know I will no longer have to shell out for the flagship Halion, I could live without the editing capibilities and FM Lab as I tend to mainly use Halion as a rompler. Even though I'm sticking with Cubase Artist 12 I think it's fantastic there is now a cut down version of Iconica that comes as standard with Cubase. I also still use midi sound modules like my Roland SC-88 Pro, I hope all future versions of Cubase will keep the full general midi compatibility but Cubase 13 has still kept things familier and the basic layout that's been used since SX, I still have SX 3 on my old laptop and Artist 7 on my Windows 7 computer although I don't use it anymore. But I would certainly be more than happy with Iconica Sketch and see that as a bonus considering Halion Sonic now comes as standard, having a harp that actually sounds like a harp is the cherry on the cake as the Halion Sonic SE Basic harp doesn't really sound like a harp but as I also have the full version of Kontakt and BBCSO Discover I would either use BBCSO Discover or the Kontakt Factory Library if I need a harp. When it comes to general midi I prefer my gm sound modules like my Roland SC-88 Pro.

Some of the GM sounds are ok.

Nice! I wonder how it compares to the free BBCSO Discovery

As far as I can tell, the paid version is now simply called HALion, without "Sonic", which indicates the free version included with CB.

Seems to me that from now, "Halion Sonic" is the free version of "Halion" (the full product).

Which editions of Cubase have this reduced function orchestral library ?

there is a full version of Halion. It's just called Halion. I thought the full verison of Halion was always called Halion, but who knows...

The f...I've been using Cub years and why i havent discovered this!!?

Iconica full version doesn't have solo instruments either. Which, for the price, is ridiculous.

I'm all for the GM as it really stands out. The Halion sounds like the usual suspects. The GM is just amusing. With proper care, it would be fun LOL The GM set sounds like the worst ever made tho. I'm sure that with, for example, Purity and a bit of care it would sound less like it was trying to sound like a 2 Cent Rapper. :-)