Presence XT

 

Presence XT is a virtual sample-player instrument that enables you to play an endless variety of sounds. Presence XT uses a generic multisample format (also supported by Bitwig Studio) packaged into Sound Sets, and can also load and play presets in EXS, Giga, Kontakt (version 4 and below), and SoundFont formats. The bundled Sound Sets include a variety of high-quality instruments. You can shape your sounds with the provided filter, LFOs, envelopes, mod matrix, and effects.

While Presence XT is, by default, limited to playing sounds from existing libraries, by purchasing the Presence XT Editor Option, you can upgrade it to a full-featured sampler. With this option installed, you can create your own sample-based instruments, with powerful layering and scripting features. For more information, see Presence XT Editor.

Presence XT employs a high-performance disk-streaming sample playback system, enabling the use of presets that use very long samples. Up to 128 sample voices can play simultaneously. One voice is often equivalent to one note. However, some sounds have elements (such as layers and articulations) that can consume more than one voice per note played.

The central preset display shows the number of sample voices being used at any moment, as well as the name and size of the loaded preset. The Voice Limit parameter lets you set the level of polyphony you want (1-128, 64 by default).

Loading and Playing Sounds

 

You can locate and load presets from Studio One Sound Sets in the following ways:

  • Click the Preset menu in Presence XT, browse to your preset of choice, and click the preset to load.
  • With the Presence XT window open, choose a Presence XT preset in the Instruments section of the Browser, and double-click the preset to load.
  • Drag a preset from the Sounds section of the Browser onto the Presence XT plug-in window or the Track on which Presence XT resides.
  • Create a new Instrument Track with Presence XT and your choice of preset already loaded, by dragging the preset between two Tracks (or next to the top or bottom Track) in the Arrange view.

Once loaded, the preset is immediately playable with your MIDI controller, or by clicking the virtual keyboard at the bottom of the plug-in window.

Working with Presence Content

Presence XT takes the place of the Presence sample playback instrument, featured in previous versions of Studio One. Songs that use the Presence instrument open as expected in Studio One 6.1, with Presence XT replacing any instances of Presence.

However, Presence XT features an improved Reverb effect algorithm, so songs created using Presence (and its built-in reverb) show a difference in sound when played with Presence XT in place. This difference can be minimized by adjusting the settings of the new Reverb effect.

You may still notice some slight sound differences between presets played through Presence and the same presets played through Presence XT. You can always open affected songs in a previous version of Studio One and transform the affected tracks to audio. Songs saved in this state sound exactly the same when opened in Studio One 6.1.

Find More Sounds in the PreSonus Shop

Sample libraries created especially for Presence XT are available in the PreSonus Shop. For more info on purchasing content from the Shop, see PreSonus Shop.

Using 3rd-Party Sample Formats

Sounds in EXS, Giga, Kontakt (version 4 and below), and SoundFont formats can be loaded directly, with no conversion required. You can load these presets by dragging from the Windows Explorer or macOS Finder onto the plug-in window, or onto a Track with Presence XT loaded. You can create a new Instrument Track with Presence XT and your choice of preset already loaded, by dragging the preset between two Tracks (or next to the top or bottom Track) in Arrange view.

You can also locate and access 3rd-party presets using the Files tab in the Browser. If you have an established directory for sampler content, you can create a new Browser tab pointing to that directory, for quick access. For more on setting up new tabs in the Browser, see Make Finding Your Favorite Files Easy.

We recommend storing your sampler presets and any needed sample collections together, in the same directory. If needed samples cannot be found when loading a preset, you are given the chance to locate them in your file system.

Relative Parameter Control

Multiple samples are used to create sounds in a single instrument, and presets can potentially comprise multiple instruments. Each sample in any given preset can have different absolute settings. Expressive control of such complex presets is achieved by the use of relative controls, that can modify all samples simultaneously. Changes are made relative to the absolute settings within the loaded preset.

Script Controls

Some sounds offer additional controls that interact with a control script built into the sound. When Script Controls are available in a loaded sound, they appear in the central display. You can tweak and automate these special controls just as you would the built-in controls in Presence XT.

In some cases, Script Controls can replace the functionality of one or more of the standard controls (such as envelope settings). When working with sounds such as these, use the provided Script Controls to affect those parameters.

Articulation Key Switches

Some sound libraries are built with a special area of the keyboard that acts as a set of switches between different versions of the sound. For example, a guitar sound might offer open notes, muted notes, slides, and so on. These different articulations are instantly available as you play or program a part, by pressing a key (or programming a MIDI note) in that special range.

When Articulation Key Switches are available in a sound, the name of the currently selected articulation is shown at the upper-right corner of the central display of Presence XT. Click this name to toggle a list of available articulation switches and their places on the keyboard. These keys are also marked with red bars on the virtual keyboard.

When you play one of these keys, the new articulation is shown in the central display, and the character of the sound changes according to the way the sound was designed.

Controls Overview

The main control panel lets you control the Filter, LFOs, Envelope Generators, and sample playback parameters. These are the primary controls you'll use to sculpt your sound. To the right of these controls are the Global parameters: Volume, Velocity, and key mode (Poly, Mono & Glide).

Along the bottom of the window, you'll see the Mod/FX section (which gives you access to the modulation matrix and effects) and the virtual keyboard. You can hide or show each of these elements by pressing the [MOD/FX] and Keyboard Icon buttons.

LFO 1 and LFO 2

LFO stands for Low Frequency Oscillator, and Presence XT has two of them. LFOs create slow-moving regular cycles of control signal that are useful for modulating other parameters over time. One common example is the way many keyboard patches respond when you move the Mod Wheel up from zero; the pitch of the oscillators wavers up and down in an expressive manner, much like the sound of vocal vibrato. This is simply an LFO modulating oscillator pitch to a degree set by the position of the mod wheel.

LFO 1 and 2 have identical controls, so the following explanations apply to both:

  • Bypass Click the [LFO 1] or [LFO 2] button to turn the selected LFO on or off.
  • LFO Type Choose between Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth, Square, and Random shapes for the oscillation of the LFO.
  • Rate Sets the rate at which the LFO oscillates, from inaudibly low (0.01 Hz) for long, sweeping changes, all the way to higher ranges (up to 8 kHz) useful for FM and AM techniques. When the LFO's [Sync] button is engaged, Rate can be set in terms of rhythmic values relative to Song tempo, such 1/8th-note and 1/4-note.
  • Sync Engage this option to enable setting LFO Rate to a rhythmic value (such as 1/8th-note or 1/4-note) relative to Song tempo. Disengage to set Rate by Hz.
  • Key Engage this option to bind LFO speed to incoming note pitch. Higher notes result in higher LFO speeds, while lower notes result in lower LFO speeds.
  • Free Engage this option to let the LFO run continuously, resulting in a differing LFO start point for each note played. Disengage to restart the LFO waveform at the start of each note.
  • Delay This control lets you specify an amount of time (in milliseconds) for the LFO to wait before becoming active after a note is played. This lets you do things like adding a bit of expression to held notes, or creating layers of modulation that start at different points in each note by setting distinct Delay values for each LFO.

Sample Playback Parameters

This set of controls lets you manipulate the way that Presence XT plays the samples in the currently loaded preset.

  • Sample Start Mod Lets you specify an amount of negative or positive velocity-controlled offset, applied to the point in the sample at which playback begins. At settings above and below the default of 0, lower-velocity notes trigger a smaller amount of sample offset, and higher-velocity notes trigger a larger amount of offset.
  • Pitch Fine Tune Lets you tune sample pitch in a range of -100 to +100 cents (equaling one semitone up or down).
  • Sample Shift Lets you manipulate sample playback speed with no change in pitch. While pitch is not affected, the range of Sample Shift is -36 to +36 semitones, which references the amount of transposition that would normally be needed to shift a sample's speed the specified amount. When playing one-shot (non-looping) samples, this control varies the length of the sample. When playing looped samples, this control enables useful textural and harmonic changes.
  • Transpose Lets you transpose incoming note pitch in a range of -12 to +12 semitones.

Filter

Presence XT offers a versatile multi-mode Filter, which lets you shape and enhance your sounds. The filter is often one of the most important defining elements to the sound of an analog synthesizer, and likewise, this filter's unique characteristics have much to do with the sound of Presence XT. The Filter offers the following controls:

  • Bypass Click the [Filter] button to turn the filter on or off.
  • Filter Mode Choose from the following filter modes, each with its own sound-shaping characteristics.
    • LP 24 dB Ladder This mode emulates a classic 24-dB-per-octave low-pass filter based on a transistor-ladder configuration, as found in many classic synthesizers. This type of filter allows frequencies below the chosen Cutoff frequency to pass through, which cutting frequencies above Cutoff at a rate of 24 decibels per octave—a fairly aggressive slope.
    • LP 24 dB Zero This is a 24-dB-per-octave low-pass filter, based on a zero-delay-feedback architecture that closely models the tone and modulation behavior of analog filters.
    • LP 12 dB Ladder This is a low-pass filter with a 12-dB-per-octave curve, which cuts frequencies less aggressively than the 24 dB filters.
    • BP 12 dB Ladder This is a high-pass and low-pass filter in series, known collectively as a band-pass filter. It allows a selected band of frequencies to pass through, then cuts frequencies above and below that band at a rate of 12 decibels per octave.
    • HP 12 dB Ladder This is a high-pass filter with a 12-dB-per-octave slope. This lets frequencies above the chosen Cutoff frequency pass through, while cutting frequencies below Cutoff at a rate of 12 decibels per octave.
    • LP 12 State, BP 12 State, HP 12 State, Eco Filter These are a set of simple, clean digital filter models, in low-pass, band-pass, high-pass, and eco (low-CPU low-pass) modes. You can access these filter types in the drop-down menu at the end of the row of Filter Mode switches.
  • Cutoff This lets you set the corner frequency of the filter—the point in the slope of the filter at which the filter cuts incoming audio by 3 dB. In the case of the Band-Pass filter, this sets the center frequency of the passed frequency band.
  • Soft This control lets you switch between two differing analog-modeled processing circuits within the filter. Engage Soft for a mellower, darker tone. Disengage it for a brighter, more aggressive sound.
  • Drive This lets you specify an amount of filter overdrive, to add fullness and saturation artifacts to your sound.
  • Punch This control lets you add a range of percussive attack to the start of each note. At the lowest setting, dynamics are unchanged. At higher settings, the sound becomes more aggressive and more readily pops through the mix.
  • Resonance (Res)This lets you set the amount of resonance in the filter, which is an emphasis centered on the chosen cutoff frequency. At lower settings, the filter cuts frequencies smoothly. As you increase Res, the emphasis at the cutoff frequency becomes more pronounced, able to mimic resonances such as those in voices or acoustic instruments, as well as many classic synthesis effects. At the highest settings, the filter can self-oscillate, emitting a pitched tone at the current cutoff frequency. This filter oscillation can be treated somewhat like an extra oscillator, especially in conjunction with the Key parameter.
  • Velocity (Vel) This control sets the relationship between incoming note Velocity and filter Cutoff. When set at the center, velocity does not affect cutoff. When moved to the right, cutoff rises as note velocity increases. When moved to the left, cutoff lowers as note velocity increases.
  • Key This control sets the relationship between incoming note Pitch and filter Cutoff. In physical instruments, higher notes tend to produce higher harmonics, brightening slightly as you go up the scale. On a synthesized instrument, if the filter stays static, setting the proper tone in the lower note ranges may cause inappropriate dullness in the higher notes. So, with the Key parameter, we can compensate for this, and create a more natural-sounding range of timbres up and down the keyboard.
    • When Key is set all the way to the left, the filter is unaffected by note pitch. In the middle, cutoff follows note pitch subtly, allowing high notes to shine. When set all the way right, filter cutoff follows note pitch closely in a relative fashion, moving upward and downward in semitone values as notes are received. This lets you use the filter as an additional pitched oscillator or resonator when filter Res is set high.

Envelopes

Envelope generators are a vital part of sound synthesis, giving us the ability to shape the amplitude and timbre of our sounds within the time-scale of each note. Presence XT has two envelope generators, labeled Amp Env (so named because it is hard-wired to amplitude), and Env 2 (which is often routed to filter cutoff, for timbral shaping).

Both Env modules are triggered when a note is played. Each Env then outputs a control signal that follows the shape set by the following controls:

  • Attack (A) This control lets you set the time required for the envelope to go from zero (silence) to full amplitude, in a range from 0 ms to 20 seconds.
  • Decay (D) This control lets you set the time required to drop from full amplitude to the sustain level, in a range from 0 ms to 20 seconds.
  • Sustain (S) This control lets you set the signal level that is maintained from the end of the decay period, until the key is released, in a range from -∞ dB (silence) to 0.0 dB (full amplitude).
  • Release (R) This control lets you set the time required to fall back to silence after the key is released, in a range from 0 ms to 30 seconds.
  • Delay (△ - Env 2 only) This control lets you specify a length of time (in ms) for the Env to pause before starting its attack phase after a note is played. This can assist in creating evolving sounds, where cycles of modulation occur at differing times over the length of a note.
Envelope Graphical Display

Each envelope has a corresponding graphical display that represents the shape created by the settings of its parameters. There are handles on the corners and slopes of each envelope that you can click and drag, letting you shape the ADSR envelope and the curve between its points visually. If you wish to lengthen any phase of the envelope beyond the time limits of the current display, simply drag the point toward the right of the graph, and the time scale adjusts to properly display the new setting.

Global Settings

The following Global parameters let you configure Presence XT's overall behavior and capabilities, to meet your needs.

  • Volume This control lets you set the total output volume, in a range from -∞ dB (silence) to +10.0 dB (ten decibels above unity gain).
  • Velocity This control lets you set the degree to which Presence XT's volume is affected by note velocity, from zero (no velocity sensitivity) to 1.0 (full velocity sensitivity).
  • Poly, Mono, and Glide Enable Poly mode to allow polyphonic playing (more than one note at a time). Enable Mono mode to play just one note at a time. When in Mono mode, you can enable Glide to cause the pitch to sweep smoothly from that of the currently held note to that of the next note, when played legato (one note played while the previous note is held). The Glide knob lets you set the rate of pitch change over time, from 1 ms to 1 second.

Effects

Presence XT offers seven built-in effects processors to add dimension to your sounds. They are arranged in two banks: FX A (Modulation, Delay, and Reverb) and FX B (Gater, EQ, Distortion, and Pan). You can enable or disable each effect by clicking its name. You can show or hide the Mod/FX section of the plug-in window by clicking the [Mod/FX] button.

Modulation

This processor creates time-based modulation effects. Choose from the following modes by clicking the [Chorus], [Flanger], or [Phaser] button:

  • Chorus This processor creates effects similar to that of multiple identical instruments playing the same part simultaneously. The synth signal is fed through a short, modulated delay, which is then mixed with the dry signal. Chorus offers the following controls:
    • Mono Engage this option to sum the wet (effected) signal to mono.
    • Delay This control lets you set the length of the modulated delay. Higher settings create full-bodied chorusing effects, while lower settings create more pronounced harmonics, akin to the effects of a Flanger.
    • Speed This control lets you set the speed at which the delay line is modulated. Lower settings create slow, sweeping effects, while higher settings create faster, more aggressive modulation.
    • Width This control lets you set the degree to which the delay line is modulated. Lower settings produce subtler chorusing effects, while higher settings produce more pronounced changes in timbre over time.
    • Depth This control lets you blend between the dry signal (all the way left) and the chorused signal (all the way right).
  • Flanger This processor creates resonant, hollow-sounding sweeping effects. The synth signal is fed through a short, modulated delay, which is mixed with the dry signal. While similar to the workings of a Chorus effect, Flangers get their signature sound by employing smaller delay times than those used in chorusing, combined with a feedback system that can add extra resonance to the sweep. Flanger offers the following controls:
    • Mono Engage this option to sum the wet (effected) signal to mono.
    • Delay This control lets you set the length of the modulated delay (in ms), which changes the pitch of the resultant resonance. Higher settings create lower-pitched resonance, while lower settings create resonances at a higher pitch.
    • Speed This control lets you set the speed at which the delay line is modulated. Lower settings create slow, sweeping effects, while higher settings create faster, more aggressive modulation.
    • Width This control lets you set the degree to which the delay line is modulated. Lower settings produce subtler flanging effects, while higher settings produce more pronounced changes in timbre over time.
    • Feedback (FB) This control lets you set the amount of output signal to feed back into the Flanger. Higher amounts of Feedback add to the resonance of the sweeping effect.
    • Sync Engage this option to enable setting Flanger modulation speed to a rhythmic value (such as 1/8th-note or 1/4-note) relative to Song tempo. Disengage to set Rate on a continuous scale.
    • Depth This control lets you blend between the dry signal (all the way left) and the flanged signal (all the way right).
  • Phaser This processor creates dreamy, otherworldly sweeping effects. The synth signal is fed through a series of all-pass filters that alter its phase. When mixed with the dry signal, this creates a series of peaks and valleys in the frequency response that changes depending on the degree of phase shift applied. Phaser offers the following controls:
    • Mono Engage this option to sum the wet (effected) signal to mono.
    • Shift This control lets you specify the amount of phase shift to apply. Lower settings focus the phasing effect in the lower frequencies, while higher settings focus the effect in higher frequencies.
    • Speed This control lets you set the speed of modulation applied to the phase shift amount. Lower settings create slow, sweeping effects, while higher settings create faster, more aggressive modulation.
    • Width This control lets you set the degree to which the phase shift amount is modulated. Lower settings produce subtler effects, while higher settings produce more pronounced changes in timbre over time.
    • Feedback (FB) This control lets you set the amount of output signal to feed back into the Phaser. Higher amounts of Feedback add to the resonance of the sweeping effect.
    • Sync Engage this option to enable setting Phaser modulation speed to a rhythmic value (such as 1/8th-note or 1/4-note) relative to Song tempo. Disengage to set Rate on a continuous scale.
    • Depth This control lets you blend between the dry signal (all the way left) and the phase-shifted signal (all the way right).

Delay

This processor creates an echo effect, either as a single delayed repeat of the input signal, or a trailing series of echoes. The Delay effect offers the following controls:

  • Low and High These controls let you set the cutoff frequencies of the provided high-pass and low-pass filters, which effect only the delayed signal.
  • Delay Time This control lets you specify the length of the delay effect, in rhythmic values (such as 1/8th-note or 16th-note) relative to the tempo of the Song.
  • Feedback (FB) This control lets you set the amount of effected signal that is fed back into the Delay effect. At zero, there is just one repeat. As you increase the value, the trail of repeats grows.
  • Mix This control lets you blend between the dry signal (all the way left) and the delayed signal (all the way right).
  • Ping-Pong Mode This menu lets you enable and configure the stereo Ping-Pong delay mode. You can choose from the following modes:
    • Off The delay works as normal, without ping-pong functions.
    • Panned Using a multi-tap delay structure, this mode pans each delay repeat to the right or left, in sequence.
    • Dotted and Double These modes work similarly to Panned mode, but employ staggered spacing of the delay taps to produce a dotted-note or syncopated straight rhythm in the delay repeats.
  • Reverb Enable this option to route the output of the Delay effect to the Reverb effect, enabling further diffusion and abstraction of the delay signal.

Reverb

This effect places the synth signal within a synthesized reverberant physical space, ranging from short reverbs that emulate smaller rooms, to long reverbs that evoke the sounds of large spaces, such as halls and cathedrals. Reverb offers the following controls:

  • Pre-Delay (Pre) This parameter lets you specify an amount of delay applied to the reverb-processed signal, in a range between zero and 500 ms. This emulates the delay inherent in large spaces between the impact of a sound and its audible reverberation. Lower settings are best suited to shorter reverb times, and longer settings with longer reverb times, but let your own taste be the judge.
  • Damping (Damp) This control lets you set an amount of high-frequency attenuation to apply to the reverb signal. Spaces with soft surfaces tend to lose treble quickly as the sound reverberates, resulting in a short bright reverb followed by a progressively darker tail. Spaces with harder surfaces retain high-end more efficiently over time. Set Damp to its lower range to emulate hard surfaces, and to the higher ranges to enable further damping, to emulate softer surfaces.
  • Size This control lets you set the length of reverberation from the moment a sound starts, in a range between 100 ms and 10 seconds. The larger the size, the longer the tail of the reverb, and the larger the emulated space sounds.
  • Low and High These controls let you set the cutoff frequencies of the provided high-pass and low-pass filters, which effect only the reverb signal.
  • Mix This control lets you blend between the dry signal (all the way left) and the reverb signal (all the way right).

Gater

This is a rhythmic gating effect, able to create a series of syncopated breaks in the synth signal. A variety of presets are provided, each with a different rhythmic gating pattern. However, the fun really begins when you create your own. Gater offers the following controls:

  • Beats This control lets you set the length of the gating cycle, in rhythmic values (such as 1 bar or 1/2-note) relative to Song tempo. For example, at a setting of 1 bar, the 16 steps in the cycle repeat every bar, effectively representing 16th-notes. At a 1/2-note setting, the 16 steps repeat each half-bar, representing 32nd-note values.
  • Beat Steps This grid lets you specify which steps in the cycle let signal pass through, and which gate the signal to silence. Click on a step to enable or disable gating for that step.
  • Stereo Engaging this option creates a separate beat grid for each side of the stereo field. When engaged, you'll see two rows of beat steps, the top row specifying gate steps for the left channel, and the bottom row gating the right channel.
  • Depth This control lets you blend between the gated and dry signals, allowing for rhythmic gating effects while retaining the continuity of the synth sound.

EQ

This is a graphic equalizer effect, perfect for quick tonal shaping. Set the EQ bands to emphasize or attenuate bands of frequencies to suit your needs. When a band is in the center of its range, it neither adds nor subtracts. When moved above the center, it emphasizes the chosen frequency. Moved below the center, it attenuates that frequency.

Choose between Lead mode, with frequencies chosen to suit aggressive, up-front sounds, or Bass mode, with wider-ranging frequencies that work better for basses and mellower chordal parts.

Distortion

This is a variable distortion effect, which adds grit and character to your sounds. Choose from a variety of distortion types, from fizzy transistor fuzzes to thick, warm tube overdrives. Set the amount of distortion with the Drive knob.

Pan

This is an auto-pan effect, which pans the synth signal left and right over time. Pan offers the following controls:

  • Speed This control lets you set the speed at which the signal is panned left and right.
  • Sync Enable this option to set pan speed to a rhythmic value (such as 1/4-note or 16th-note) relative to Song tempo. Disable this option to set pan speed along a continuous range.
  • Depth This control lets you set the degree to which the signal is panned. Lower settings give a subtly panned effect, while higher settings pan the signal more radically, all the way to fully left and right in each cycle.

Modulation Matrix

Presence XT provides 16 configurable modulation routings, in two banks of eight (Mod A and Mod B). Modulation signals can be routed from a selection of incoming MIDI controller signals including MPE data (such as Pitch Bend, Mod Wheel, Aftertouch, Poly Pressure, Note Timbre, and Pitch Control), modulation generators (such as the LFOs and envelopes), or the pitch or velocity of played notes.

These modulation signals can be used to vary most of the parameters throughout Presence XT, including modulation sources themselves (such as LFO 2 modulating the rate of LFO 1, or the Decay of Env 2).

Each modulation slot has a bypass button at the top, which lets you enable or disable the flow of modulation signal. Below that are the input selector and modifier selector. If you assign a modulation source to the input selector only, that signal is routed directly to the chosen destination. In some cases, you’ll want to govern the flow of one mod source before it reaches its destination, using the signal from another mod source. For example, you may want to control the output level of LFO 1 (routed to a parameter such as oscillator pitch) with the Mod Wheel. In this case, you'd choose Mod Wheel with the input selector, and LFO 1 with the modifier selector below.

Below that is a slider that controls the amplitude and polarity of the modulation signal. Set at its center, no modulation occurs. Move the handle right of center to send an increasing amount of the modulation signal, at its normal (positive) polarity, to the chosen destination. Move it left of center to send the signal to its destination with a negative value.

If the parameter you wish to modulate is set to a high value, you may want to send a negative modulation signal to it, driving the setting downward and causing more audible effects. Positive-going modulation signals are more efficient when modulating parameters set to low values.

A selector at the bottom of each modulation slot lets you choose the destination of the chosen modulation signals.

Virtual Keyboard

 

The virtual keyboard lets you easily click to play notes or manipulate the Pitch and Mod wheels, while auditioning or editing patches when you're away from a MIDI keyboard. The keyboard display also shows you which notes are currently being played.

Note that for a more playable keyboard experience when away from your MIDI controller, you can also use Studio One's QWERTY Keyboard Device to play notes using your computer's keyboard.

Next to the virtual keyboard is the Bend parameter, which lets you set the pitch bend range of the Pitch wheel, in semitones. The upper value sets up-bend range, and the lower value sets down-bend range.