Assigning samples to tracks

[hornblower99]

I'm new to EWSO and have been used to assigning sounds using programme changes using midi. How do I go about changing sounds on say, 1st vlns arco to pizz ? there is obviously a technique I am not aware of.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
John Dodd. UK.

[jphilpit]

Hello, John,
The answer to your question is that there are several ways to change from one articulation to another. I'll quickly mention a few, but you might want to acquire the free Guide to EWQLSO that's available by requesting it from Doug Rogers. You can send him a "Private Message" at this website; just include your EWQLSO serial number and tell him you want the PDF of the Guide. He'll send you back an e-mail with the link.

Now to answer your question:
If the sounds you want to switch from and to are in the same keyswitch file, the easiest way is to load that file in a slot in Kompakt and then use keyswitches to select which articulation you want to play. A keyswitch is a note outside the audible range of the instrument (usually in the C0 octave, where Middle C is C3). Each note indicates the articulation that would be used until a different keyswitch note is sent. (Again, read the PDF I mention above if you're not familiar with keyswitches.)

If you're using a sequencer, then you might want to put different articulations in separate tracks, and assign different MIDI channels to the different tracks. Suppose, for example, you want to start with a sustained arco violin sound for two measures. Then you want 3 pizzicato notes in the third measure. The fourth measure goes back to arco. In this case you'd use, for example, track 1 for the arco sounds and track 2 for the pizzicato sounds. Only the notes in measure 3 would be in tack 2; all the others in track 1. In Kompakt, you insert an arco patch in the first slot and assign it to MIDI channel 1 (also assigning MIDI channel 1 to the first track in the sequencer). The pizzicato patch goes in the second slot, assigned to MIDI channel 2 (with, you guessed it, MIDI channel 2 also assigned to track 2 in the sequencer). When the sequencer plays your piece, you'll hear 2 measure of arco, then a measure of pizzicato, going back to arco for the fourth measure. (It's a lot easier to do than to explain in writing.)

I use Platinum which has a huge number of 18 Violin articulations, and I may use 5 to 8 different tracks in my sequencer just for the First Violin part in a score, so that I can get all the various sounds a violin section might play.

Anyway, read the Guide I wrote, and you'll get a feel for these two approaches as well as other ways to "play" your new orchestra. It's over 100 pages of useful information.

John Philpit

[hornblower99]

Hello John, thanks very much for the information, I suspected there wouldn't be an easy way out. Thanks for the very quick reply.
Best wishes John.

[sinkd]

Hi John,

Kontakt will allow you to set up instrument multis with different articulations assigned to patch/program numbers. So for instance, a flute multi could contain a regular keyswitch, a flutter tongue, trills, an accent MOD patch-- all accessible as program changes. I do this from Finale to Kontakt and embed prg change info in staff expressions. Works very nicely.

You can get Kontakt2 for less than $300. It really expanded the functionality of Platinum for me.

Best,

Damon

[LEX]

Where can you get Kontakt2 for less than 300?

Need to get 2 more, but have been holding out.
Seen it only for 449.

LEX

[Dave Bourke]

If you are a registered owner of a third party NI sample player (like EWQLSO) you are entitled to crossgrade to Kontakt 2 for €339 at the NI shop.

Kind regards.

[LEX]

wow, didn't know that. thanks.
I've got Choirs, Gold, Gold Pro (on the way), SD, ect.

Is the crossgrade good for one time, or per product?

LEX

[Dave Bourke]

I'm not exactly sure what you mean, LEX. Once you own, and have registered (with NI), ANY third-party NI player, like EWQLSO's Kompakt, or StormDrum's Intakt/Kompakt, you get this crossgrade price for Kontakt 2. There's no time limit.

Kind regards.

[LEX]

That's what I meant. I want to put Kontakt 2 on 3 more machines.
Since Gold and Gold Pro give you a total of 2 licenses each, I can Run Kontakt 2 on my 2 MAC, and my 2 PC's.

If you have used Kontakt 2, how is is with CPU resources compared to the Kompakt usage of CPU?

LEX

[Dave Bourke]

The Kontakt 2 license allows two installs only and the NI online authorisation system won't allow more than two unless manually sanctioned by NI at the server end. If you wanted to install K2 on four machines I'm almost 100% certain you'd have to pay for an additional license. I would imagine that NI will allow you to buy that second license as a crossgrade also, but obviously I can't say for certain. I would advise you to contact NI sales and explain what you wish to do, then take it from there.

CPU-wise, I personally find it to be slightly better than Kompakt. Your mileage may vary. Bear in mind also that it's still a bug-farm, although v2.1 is reputed to be almost ready for release (six to eight weeks).

Good luck.

[LEX]

I have read that it is a bug farm, though I thought 2.02 was suppose to work.
Maybe it doesn't.

Didn't realize you got 2 installs per Kontakt 2 though. I was thinking it was going to cost a small fortune, like Giga3.

Maybe I should wait until 2.1 comes out and get it.

LEX

[LEX]

Well I just found out that if you are using it as a VSTi, in a host program you can only access 16 midi channels.

Only the standalone can access the 64 in the program.

LEX

[Dave Bourke]

Yes, you have to go down the "multiple instantiations" road, I'm afraid. But it's still twice the number of channels you have with Kompakt.

Personally, I have no idea what the point of 64 channels in Kontakt standalone is. How on earth would a person play and control 64 channels live? If it was possible inside a sequencer, yes, bravo and hooray. But as it stands it's just a useless gimmick that's of no use to anyone. IMHO.

Kind regards.

[LEX]

Actually 64 channels is necessary if you are a composer. Live, no.

Being able to write effiecently, you need to be able to have everything loaded.
It would be way to time consuming to want to add a pizz part, and have to go load them up.

Having roughly 250 plus midi tracks, you just click on the pizz channel and there you go.

That is way so many have 3, 4, 5 or even 8 systems.
I currently have 5. And need to have everything loaded.

It is unfortunate that the VST protocol will only allow 16 midi channels.
Looks like Kontakt 2 need to explore the Rewire World.

LEX

[Kaatza_Music]

Personally, I have no idea what the point of 64 channels in Kontakt standalone is. How on earth would a person play and control 64 channels live? If it was possible inside a sequencer, yes, bravo and hooray. But as it stands it's just a useless gimmick that's of no use to anyone. IMHO.

Kind regards.

Actually I have it installed on both my PC and MAC. On the MAC, I use it as a VST in Logic but on the PC I sometimes use it in stand alone or if I need a lot of tracks, I use it as a VST in V-STack. So the stand alone version isn't completely useless, depends on what you're doing.

[Sam Fischmann]

Some people have a computer dedicated to running a sampler. Those people would be able to use all 64 tracks, because they're often running the sampler standalone, getting MIDI data from the other computer which is running the sequencer, and then piping the audio back.

[Dean Krommydas]

Sam the Man! :D I was ready to post a big lengthy confusing thread...and then I stumbled on this older one via google search. My issue is trying to access all 64 channels in Kontakt 2.2 within my sequencer/as VST. So while I read here that only 16 channels are seemingly available via sequencing/VST ... Sam, your last post is not only hopeful but quite intriguing.

Some people have a computer dedicated to running a sampler. Those people would be able to use all 64 tracks, because they're often running the sampler standalone, getting MIDI data from the other computer which is running the sequencer, and then piping the audio back.

I have a Muse receptor and a host computer. I specifically bought this Receptor (and will buy more) for the purposes of having full orchestral/choir realtime playback... however...I can't do this in the fashion I wish if I am restricted to 16 Channels in my sequencer obviously. So firstly...I guess am just looking for further confirmation from you that it is possible for me to access the 64 channels using my receptor and host computer? Second....are you familiar with this process in detail Sam or can you point me in the right direction of how I would go about doing this? You mention piping the audio back....how would I do this? Is it as simple as setting up Virtual Ports (don;t think so). I am currently experimenting with full orchestral work that I am completely maxed out on with 16 channels. While yes...I can use keyswitches and quick channel changing...it still doesn't cut it. :)

Anyway...I'm gonna call Muse Research tomorrow and inquire about this but I figured because I saw it being discussed here I'd ask.

Any/all help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading