This article explains how to set up Osmose so its sounds can be edited in-depth with Haken Audio's Haken Editor.

ℹ️: As of now, there is no full bidirectional synchronization between Osmose and Haken Editor. It is expected that the user interface of Osmose will not update when changing macros via the Haken Editor. We are working on improving the synchronization through future updates of the Editor and our firmware.

precaution: firmware update

⚠️: Do not use the Haken Editor if your Osmose still has a factory firmware installed on it. Factory firmwares show a popup asking you to make an update upon startup, and they have the suffix "-factory" in their version name when you look it up in the info tab of the global settings of Osmose. Follow these instructions to update your firmware to a non-factory version before using the Haken Editor.

 

precaution: changes since firmware 2.0

In firmware 2.0, sound presets are no longer stored on the EaganMatrix DSP board but on Osmose’s mainboard. Therefore, a new version of the Haken Editor that supports Osmose firmware 2.0 is required. Until further notice, this Haken Editor version is distributed as part of the ZIP file that contains the Osmose firmware. It includes the following changes:

• The user preset slots and the system library navigation have been removed from the Editor. Sound preset switching and preset saving now have to happen exclusively on Osmose.
• The EaganMatrix permanently and exclusively accesses User Preset Slot 1 on its DSP board. Osmose continuously synchronizes the state of the currently loaded preset with this Slot.
• An “initialize preset” function has been added. Click on “Preset” in the Haken Editor GUI to access it.

☝️ After installing firmware 2.0 or higher on your Osmose, please delete older versions of the Haken Editor from your system to avoid compatibility problems.

 

If for whatever reason you decide to remain on firmware 1.x, you will need to obtain your Haken Editor directly from Haken Audio's website. The Editor delivered with firmware 2.0 won't work correctly with an Osmose that is still on firmware 1.x.

 

1. change global settings

On Osmose, press the Mode button to enter the Mode Selection screen, then press the Value Encoder 4 to open the global settings of Osmose.

Go to the midi i/o tab, then turn the first Value encoder to select the “usb haken mode” line and click to edit. Turn the knob to change the setting to “2/3 note & matrix” and validate by pressing the right-most encoder.

If “haken local control” below is “off”, turn it to “on”.

2. connect your osmose

Use the USB cable provided with your Osmose to connect it to your Mac or PC and turn it on.

3. download and install max/msp

Max by Cycling ‘74 is needed to open Haken Editor. Download and install it from here. Purchasing Max is not required to use the Haken Editor. You will still be able to use the Haken Editor even after the Max MSP trial period is over.

4. move the haken editor folder to a directory you have unlimited access to

Since Osmose firmware 2.0, the Haken Editor is distributed as part of the ZIP file that contains the Osmose firmware. After extraction, move the "Haken Editor 1009 Osmose" folder contained in the firmware download to a directory your operating system user account has full access rights to. A good choice would be your Documents folder or your Desktop.

5. launch the haken editor

Open the "HE" folder that is inside the "Haken Editor 1009 Osmose" directory and double-click on “Haken Editor.maxpat”. If you are launching the Editor for the first time, you may need to wait up to 30 seconds for a small startup window to come up (don’t do more mouse clicks!). Then wait for another max. 30 seconds for the Editor to come up, then wait for another max. 30 seconds for the first one-time synchronization. Startup will be quicker for future launches.

 

6. midi connection

Click on the cog icon in the top-right in the Editor’s main window and open 'Midi and Globals settings'.

On the Midi and Globals settings windows, click on the input port device on the instrument line. For both the Input port and Output port on the instrument line, you must select Port 2 on Osmose. The port is called ‘Osmose Haken/Port 2’ on macOS and ‘MIDIIN2/MIDIOUT2 (Osmose)’ on Windows computers:

ℹ️On a Mac, depending on the language set, these ports could also be called Osmose Anschluss 2 (German) or Osmose Puerto 2 (Spanish) etc.

ℹ️On Windows systems, please ensure that no DAW (or other MIDI application) runs in the background when using the Haken Editor. MIDI ports of devices running as USB MIDI class-compliant without specific drivers (like Osmose) can only ever be used by one application at a time. Having another application open in the background could block the communication between Haken Editor and Osmose.

 

If all went well, a solid blue LED indicator (top-left in the Editor’s main window below “Scale”) indicates your device and the Editor are communicating.