Osmose Firmware 2.3 Adds DAW Control and Free Ctrl-e

Expressive E has released Osmose firmware 2.3, a free update that turns the expressive synth into a hands-on DAW controller and gives every owner a free Ctrl-e license. It arrived on 24 September 2026 for the original Osmose. Two additions stand out: deep DAW control from the keyboard itself, and instant access to more than 900 expressive presets. This is a first look based on Expressive E's official update page and video.

At a glance: Osmose firmware 2.3 is free for all Osmose owners. It brings the DAW control features from the controller-focused Osmose CE to the original instrument, adds a free Ctrl-e license with 900+ presets across several synth engines, introduces a new action bar for quick access to key functions, and redesigns the USB-MIDI setup. You install it through the usual firmware update process, and it costs nothing.

What is the Osmose?

The Osmose is Expressive E's expressive polyphonic synthesizer, a keyboard where every key responds to pressing deeper, bending side to side, and shaking, on top of normal velocity. Under the hood it runs the EaganMatrix engine developed by Haken Audio, the same sound system behind the Continuum, and it works both as a standalone instrument and as an advanced MPE controller. It ships with 49 full-size gesture-sensitive keys, up to 24 voices, and a library of more than 580 factory presets, at a price of 1,799 euro.

That expressive keybed has always been the draw. Firmware 2.3 addresses the other half of the story: how the Osmose behaves when it sits at the center of a studio full of software.

What is new in Osmose firmware 2.3?

DAW control from the keyboard. This is the change most owners will notice first. The Osmose now offers the advanced DAW Control functions first introduced on its controller sibling, the Osmose CE. You get transport, metronome, playhead, and loop management, plus track, scene, and clip navigation, and you can reach mixing and macro controls for the selected track. Undo, redo, quantization, and tempo control are here too, accessed through the Osmose Mode button, which now doubles as a Shift key. In practice, the Osmose stops being only a sound source and becomes a control surface for your session.

A free Ctrl-e license with 900+ presets. Firmware 2.3 includes a free license for the Ctrl-e software, which gives you a library of more than 900 expressive sounds spread across several synth engines, including Vital, AAS, Kilohearts, Synapse Audio, and Dawesome. Ctrl-e is designed to work with the Osmose out of the box, with no mapping or setup, so the keybed's full expression reaches those plugins immediately. For a 1,799 euro instrument, a free preset library of this size is a meaningful addition rather than a token gesture.

A new action bar. A redesigned bottom action bar can be pulled up from any menu by holding the Mode button. It puts the functions you reach for most within a single gesture: semitone transposition, Pressure Glide, and control over the Expressive Arpeggiator. This is a small change that saves real time in daily use.

A cleaner USB-MIDI setup. The update reworks USB-MIDI handling for a clearer, more reliable path across DAW Control, Ctrl-e, and external instruments. Anyone who has wrestled with multiple MIDI ports and routing on a hardware synth will understand why this matters.

Osmose firmware 2.3 specifications

Osmose vs Osmose CE

The update is really about closing the gap between the two Osmose models, so that is the comparison that matters. The Osmose CE is the controller-focused edition: it leans on Ctrl-e and external software for sound and shipped with the deep DAW control features first. Firmware 2.3 brings that same DAW control to the original Osmose, which keeps its onboard EaganMatrix engine on top.

Which to pick. If you already own an Osmose, there is no buying decision here. Just install the free upgrade. If you are choosing between the two, the original Osmose with 2.3 now does almost everything the CE does while keeping its own sound engine, so the CE mainly makes sense if you work entirely inside software. Our controllers as instruments piece digs into that wider question.

Who this update is for

Install it if you own any Osmose. It is free, it adds real capability, and there is no downside.

It matters most if you produce in a DAW and want to drive transport, mixing, and navigation without reaching for the mouse. The DAW control features change how the instrument fits your workflow.

The Ctrl-e library helps if you like having a large, ready-to-play preset collection. The 900+ sounds pull from strong engines, including Vital, and they are mapped for the keybed with no setup.

How much does the update cost?

Osmose firmware 2.3 is free for all Osmose owners, including the free Ctrl-e license. The instrument itself remains 1,799 euro new. If you are shopping for one, the Expressive E Osmose is stocked at the major retailers, and this update makes the current package more compelling than it was at launch.

FAQ

Is Osmose firmware 2.3 free?

Yes. It is a free update for all Osmose owners, and the Ctrl-e license it includes is free as well.

What does the Ctrl-e software add?

Ctrl-e gives you more than 900 expressive presets across several synth engines, including Vital, AAS, Kilohearts, Synapse Audio, and Dawesome. It is built to work with the Osmose with no mapping or setup, so the keybed's expression reaches those sounds right away.

What DAW control does firmware 2.3 add?

Transport, metronome, playhead, and loop management, track, scene, and clip navigation, mixing and macro controls for the selected track, plus undo, redo, quantization, and tempo, all reached through the Mode button acting as a Shift key.

Does the update work on both the Osmose and the Osmose CE?

Firmware 2.3 brings the CE's DAW control features to the original Osmose. The Osmose CE already shipped with those control functions, so 2.3 is mainly about giving the original instrument the same capability while keeping its onboard EaganMatrix engine.