Help! Kontact is killing me

Look on the bright side, you are allowed to transfer you Komplete 8 license & software at no cost to you or the buyer.

I really have tried anything obvious but the software has more layers than the average onion.

My work around is to use the Kontact mixer and effects as a drum buss and then recording the stereo output. The only reason I haven't gotten really worked up is because X1 is about to change again and I'm very happy with the the sound quality of both Studio Drummer and Abbey Road 60's.

Regardless, I know that SD3 just won't do it for me anymore.

Somebody out there has the secret, but they aren't talking.

Interesting. Right now all the drums are assigned to a channel in the mixer and I can't find a way to change them. I'll put more attention into the mixer.

Thanks.

Setting up Kontakt for multi-outs is a bit of weird thing at first but when you've done it once you don't have to worry about it again.

First off you need to to make assignments to the Kontakt mixer before you can pick-up the routed outputs from Sonar.

One of the problems with setting up Kontakt is that it doesn't remember certain things until you restart it after making changes.

For something like ARD load up a standard preset then create all the extra outputs you want on Kontakt's mixer (you want something like 8 mono and 4 stereo IIRC) so add channels to the Kontakt mixer 'til you have at least 12 channels.  At this stage resave your ARD preset with the same name but append MO to the end of the filename to remind you this is a multi-out preset next time you load it.

Exit Kontakt and delete its instance from the synth rack in Sonar.

Add Kontakt again as a synth and load your new Multi-Out preset, this time you should see your new output mixer appear with the preset, in those you can now assign the outputs to go where you want so the first 8 you can set the output as single channel (mono) and the last 4 as stereo (the actual track and output counts may vary I'm using these figures as an example).  On the bottom line of the Kontakt mixer after you've made these assignments it should show mixer channels 1-8 reporting the corresponding output channels 1-8, the last mixer four mixer channels should be showing output channels as pairs (9/10) (11/12) and so on.

Resave your multi-out preset from Kontakt again this preset will now serve as a basis for setting up any other multi-output preset for any other library where you'd like to use multi-outs so by this stage you've already done much good work.

There's still more to do though.

From this stage I'd exit Sonar completely and restart with a new blank project.  Insert Kontakt as a softsynth again don't worry about making tracks for it yet a single midi in and audio out track will be fine.  So load up your new ARD preset again this time you want to get to the 'Settings' option from from the 'Mixer' tab in ARD and then click on each channel starting with 'Kick' and set the individual channel assignments so they correspond your newly set up mixer channels.

Once you've done this you can then set-up your tracks in Sonar as you have been doing correctly already but this time the outputs will actually co-respond to the new assignments you've made in Kontakt and everything will work as expected.

Like I say it seems like an awful amount of work but once you've set up a couple of presets in Kontakt it's easy to base further ones from those, and of course all the Track routings you make in Sonar can be saved as templates which will recall Kontakt's settings, the Kontakt presets used and any Bus dependencies you may include in your track setup.

Give yourself a weekend playing with this stuff until the penny drops and you'll have yourself a whole rake of useful setups you can use as goto's in the future, as well as amassing enough knowledge to be able to bend Kontakt into submitting to your will.

Well, not directly but I do feel that heart attack building. I have spent hours/days trying to find a good tutorial for integrating kontact into X1. Stereo or mono is easy but routing drums to individual tracks has me whipped. I followed the NI tutorial and it doesn't work. I can install the plug with 8 outs and X1 created all the tracks. I go into kontact and tell it I want 8 channels and it creates them. That's as far as I can go. I've found no way to get the individual drums to play on discrete tracks in X1. I'm having a major case of buyers remorse with Komplete 8 because it's simply too complicated for an old duffer like me. Should anyone that has figured this out wish to share a secret or two I'd be very grateful.

 
First, take a deep breath and remain calm.  
You can freely route any of Kontakt's output channels to any track in Sonar X1.
Just a matter of getting the hang of it.
I'd start simple.  Load a single multi-channel drum (ie: kick or snare with multiple mics).
Now experiment with opening tracks in Sonar... and setting each track to an indidividual Kontakt output channel.  Keep in mind that the multi-channel outputs you create in Kontakt don't directly correspond to output tracks in Sonar.  That can be confusing... but it's a good thing once you're up-to-speed.
Say the snare or kick sample uses a single 8-channel output in Kontakt.
Add 8 audio tracks in X1... and assign each of these tracks to one of the 8 Kontakt output channels.
Working with a single/simple instrument will allow you to get familiar with the process... without getting overwhelmed/frustrated. 
Once you've tackled a single multi-channel instrument, then move on to a full multi-channel kit.
Get the routing as you desire... and then save the result as a Track Template.  Once you've done that, the Track Template can be loaded into any project (all the routing will be setup). 

http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?high=&m=2481347&mpage=1#2481353

inaheartbeat


Yes I had the exact same sick feeling trying to work with Abbey Road Drums. The direct link to the helpful suggestion that made it all work is this:

http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?high=&m=2481347&mpage=1#2481353

I have no idea why Kontakt packages seem to always have the most arcane output routing imaginable.

You have to make sure you have enough output channels to map your drums to so here is some stuff cut and pasted from a forum topic on exactly how crappy Kontakt output routing is on Gearslutz. The only part I changed in here is the number the guy recommended cause he said to create 28 outputs and that was wrong. Make sure you create enough output channels in Kontakt FIRST before trying to remap the individual drum channels:

1. Press Output button on the main toolbar 2. Click on "Add Channels" 3. Quantity: "however many you need...", Number of channels: 2, Soundcard/Host Output: The first one available, all three checkboxes: CHECK 4. Outputs get created for you (5.) You might need to connect the last 8 plugin outputs for 4 available sends (which you can't delete) manually. No biggie. You do it just once. 6. Go to "Presets/Batch Configuration" -> "Save current output section state as default for" -> "All Formats". Just in case.
Hope this helps.

Ken

Ken and Dean, 


I was going to thank Danny in that thread upstairs for sparing me the expense and confirming that Abbey Road Drummer and Studio Drummer both had that same problem. 

So now I guess I have to thank both of you guys instead for making it possible for me to improve my drums library and to contribute to the industry's economy.

Only 4 more Go to go to that download... 

I'm having lots of fun w/ Studio Drummer today - thanks to the routing tips you guys gave, otherwise I'd probably be pulling my hair. I particularly like that garage kit.

But I'm taking good note - Abbey Road Drums are on my list for the next GAS attack. :)

You guys are the best!

I've been working through all the hints and I'm pretty close. I have created outputs and they all come up as plug-in out 1-8 in contact and I have 8 corresponding X1 tracks. So far no joy and I'm starting to become sus picious of my Roland Quad Capture. Tonight I'll work the problem and resolve it.

Thanks for all the help and time, it's greatly appreciated.

ampfixer


 No more, please.

Until the next FlampressorQ is invented.


Then I'm there!!!!

inaheartbeat


Hey Rain no problem. I think you will like Abbey Road Drums. I was really surprised that Kontakt made such a high quality kit upgrade available for free for existing Kontakt 5 users.

Ken

  I went to the NI web site and I can't seem to find anything about an upgrade to Abbey Road Drums. Was this an email sent out to a selected group maybe? I have not used Kontakt in quite awhile and I'm still trying to get with the program lol.

Starise

inaheartbeat


Hey Rain no problem. I think you will like Abbey Road Drums. I was really surprised that Kontakt made such a high quality kit upgrade available for free for existing Kontakt 5 users.

Ken

I went to the NI web site and I can't seem to find anything about an upgrade to Abbey Road Drums. Was this an email sent out to a selected group maybe? I have not used Kontakt in quite awhile and I'm still trying to get with the program lol.

Yes they sent out an email. I have Komplete 8 so perhaps if you register that sort of package they send you an email since Abbey Road Drums is included in it.


Ken

Glyn Barnes

inaheartbeat

Starise

inaheartbeat


Hey Rain no problem. I think you will like Abbey Road Drums. I was really surprised that Kontakt made such a high quality kit upgrade available for free for existing Kontakt 5 users.

Ken

I went to the NI web site and I can't seem to find anything about an upgrade to Abbey Road Drums. Was this an email sent out to a selected group maybe? I have not used Kontakt in quite awhile and I'm still trying to get with the program lol.

Yes they sent out an email. I have Komplete 8 so perhaps if you register that sort of package they send you an email since Abbey Road Drums is included in it.


Ken

I am pretty sure its for Komplete 8 owners only, not Kontakt 5 owners.

I believe it is for Abbey Road owners. My son has Abbey Road but on K5 and he got the notice.

inaheartbeat


Hey Rain no problem. I think you will like Abbey Road Drums. I was really surprised that Kontakt made such a high quality kit upgrade available for free for existing Kontakt 5 users.

Ken

Well, turns out the GAS attack took place a few short days later. And all I can say is that I've found exactly the drums I was looking for - the Abbey Road 70s drums. 


20 seconds into the audio demo and my wife confirmed that this was it, exactly the type of sound she wanted for our project. And who am I to argue when my lady tells me to just "add to cart"? 

They're simply amazing. The John Bonham/Ian Paice fan in me is finally at peace with his drums sound. A dream come true.