Kontakt - Easiest way to split drum tracks into separate MIDI channels

There is a cal routine for that. Split Notes to tracks.cal is the one I am thinking about.

Tripecac


John, no offense, but sometimes it seems like you post without really trying to understand people's questions.  It's great that you make efforts to help people quickly, but sometimes in your haste [perhaps to up your karma and/or post count] you step on a few toes.

Split Note to Tracks.cal won't help with creating separate instruments within Kontakt or setting up the audio tracks, correct?  So of the 7 steps I listed, your answer only addresses the 1st and maybe 2nd step.  What about the other 5?

A drum module relies on the fact that in MIDI each note is a different sound for drum tracks. Its treated in a different way to other MIDI. A normal MIDI track changes pitch only and not the sound. You are asking for an easy way to disregard the way MIDI works. In Battery this sort of thing is handled within the plugin. Each cell representing a drum can have its own FX. Kontakt is not a drum module for MIDI even though it has drums. In other words this is done all the time with a VST like Battery 3. Not an easy task in Kontakt. The split note to track cal would let you have multiple modules for your drums in Kontakt that you can then treat with individual FX. Thats why I informed you about that cal.  

You want to use the "Split notes to tracks" cal file.

First, clone the drum track and archive the original. You can hide it if you like. It's a good idea to archive it so you can always go back to the original if you have to.

Next, select the drum track and goto: Process/run cal. (make sure you know the number of the track and what that track is output to. ie: 3 kontakt.

The first dialog put in the number for the drum track you want to split. I usually move mine to the last track to make it easier.

The next dialog is the first destination track. The next track after the track you wanted to split if you moved it to the last track.

Next, select the midi channel. It is already set to 10 so I just leave it there.

Next, select the destination port. That is the number that is output to Kontakt. ie: 3 kontakt or whatever it is.

Now each drum will be on it's own track and you can control each individual volume.

Someone here has a cal file that will split the notes and give each note name of the drum. The original cal will give you the note names but the cal I type of will give what drum it is according to standard general midi drums. I have that cal. PM me if you would like it.

Now each drum will be on it's own track and you can control each individual volume.

This does not work if you end up sending both MIDI channels to the same drum kit instrument within Kontakt (Kontakt instruments can listen to multiple MIDI channels); you need separate drum kits in order to have the automation separate. 

Tripecac


Okay, folks...  Perhaps I need to clarify: the "Kontakt" in the topic title is the keyword here.  I already know how to split drum tracks, which I've been doing for 10+ years on the Korg Triton.  What I don't know how to do is make the coordination with Kontakt easier.  It's a pain to have to jump back and forth between Sonar and Kontakt just to move some drums to a new copy of a drum kit.

How can track templates be used to make this process easier?

I think a template wont do anything but a drum map may be what you are looking for. None the less I do recommend you get a drum module like battery.  The Korg had a drum module built in.

Sometimes I find myself wanting to split a drum track into separate MIDI channels, so that I can automate toms, hats, cymbals, etc. independently of the other drums.

I've used Kontakt for the Steve Slate drums and have done exactly what I understand you are trying to do. Have one MIDI track running drums through Kontakt with each drum sound outputting to its own audio track.

Having said that I can't claim that I worked out how to set it up, I just followed this post

Hope that helps you out.