Expressive E’s Osmose: Unlocking MPE Expression in Software Synths

A core feature of Osmose is its ability to switch seamlessly into external MIDI mode, unlocking its full MPE capabilities for software synths. The tutorial walks through the process: a simple click on the ‘M’ in the corner toggles the instrument from its internal sound engine to external MIDI, ready for MPE action. This workflow is refreshingly direct, minimizing menu-diving and making it easy to jump between standalone and controller roles.

Once in MPE mode, Osmose delivers per-key pitch bend, aftertouch, and pressure sensitivity—each assignable to different parameters within compatible plugins. The video demonstrates this with Vital, showing how aftertouch can be mapped to a filter cutoff for nuanced, finger-driven modulation. The mapping process is straightforward: right-click, MIDI learn, and you’re set. This hands-on approach is echoed with Cherry Audio’s DCO-106, where MPE assignments are visually accessible and can be tailored to X (pitch), Y (aftertouch), or Z (pressure) axes.

The workflow is not just about technical flexibility but about immediacy. The host emphasizes how tiny variations in finger pressure translate into expressive filter sweeps and automation, all of which are captured during recording. This per-note expressivity is at the heart of the MPE promise, and Osmose’s implementation appears both robust and intuitive in these demonstrations.

Expressive E’s Expressive Suite is presented as the next evolutionary step, offering custom preset packs for a range of software instruments. These presets are designed specifically to exploit the full range of gestures available on the Osmose, from velocity and pressure to more nuanced MPE controls. The host notes that the Osmose is the most pressure-sensitive electronic instrument available, and the Suite is engineered to take advantage of this sensitivity.

The tutorial spotlights several instruments within the Suite: Myth by Dawson, Phase Plant, and Synapse Audio’s Legend HZ. For each, Expressive E’s sound designers have crafted hundreds of presets—Hybrid Instruments, Lo-Fi Swirl, Mutated for Myth; a wide palette for Phase Plant; and Blur, Horizons, Obsidian for Legend HZ. The demonstrations show how each preset responds to different gestures, with evolving timbres, dynamic filter openings, and cinematic textures that change in real time as the player interacts with the keys.

A key architectural point is that the Suite doesn’t just add presets—it rethinks how these synths handle expression. The video demonstrates how users can adjust sensitivity settings to match their playing style, and how disabling or enabling pitch bend can shift the expressive focus to pressure and aftertouch. This modular approach to expressivity is a hallmark of the Suite, making it a powerful resource for anyone seeking deep, gesture-driven sound design.

Noisy 2 is introduced as the flagship of MPE software synths, purpose-built to leverage every dimension of the Osmose’s capabilities. Unlike other plugins that retrofit MPE support, Noisy 2’s architecture is designed from the ground up for expressive control. The video highlights its unique expression control section, where users can assign gestures to envelopes, effects, and even trigger dynamic responses based on how quickly or slowly a key is pressed or released.

The demonstration covers features like dynamic push, lift, and shake—each offering different ways to trigger envelopes with nuanced finger movement. Layering, aftertouch-driven effects, and real-time modulation are all showcased, with the host emphasizing how approachable and flexible the interface is for programming MPE gestures. The result is a workflow where sound design and performance are deeply intertwined, and where the boundaries between preset and improvisation blur in compelling ways.

The tutorial wraps up by demonstrating how Osmose can inject new life into non-MPE instruments. Using Baby Audio’s BA-1 as an example, the host shows how aftertouch can be mapped to filter and drive parameters via standard MIDI learn, even without full MPE support. While per-key pitch bend is limited in single-channel mode, the video details a creative workaround: running multiple instances of the synth on separate MIDI channels to approximate per-note control.

This segment underscores Osmose’s versatility—not just as an MPE powerhouse, but as a controller that can enhance expression in legacy or simpler plugins. The workflow may be more involved, but the payoff is the ability to bring nuanced, physical performance to a broader range of software instruments.