• SONAR
  • SONAR X1 and Kontakt Tutorial NEEDED for 100's of newbies
2011/09/06 23:28:23
timwalk

-- Would someone write a simple straight forward tutorial or explanation on how to have multi instruments in Kontakt and how to point them to different channels for recording purposes? --

I am one of many newbies in Sonar. I have Kontakt. I also just purchased Spitfire Albion Strings (awesome).
I need a simple tutorial on how to open Kontakt and let each string work on a separate track. Currently they only all end up in the same place.

I've searched high and low but to no avail. I suppose it works the same as the instruments that come with Kontakt. So either way. 

--Would someone write a simple straight forward tutorial or explanation on how to have multi instruments in Kontakt and how to point them to different channels for recording purposes?--

Thank you from ALL of us newbies that have been searching for the easy steps.

An appreciative Sonar newbie,

Tim

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2011/09/07 00:43:20
John
First  insert Kontakt in the synth rack. A pop up dialog should appear. Here is where you configure how you want Kontakt to work in your project. Pay attention to multi outs. You will want to select All Synth Outputs.  Click OK and X1 will start making multiple audio tracks.

Now you have Kontakt up and empty. No instruments are loaded. Toward the left top you will see a menu that has Files Libraries Database. Lets go to the database by clicking on it. You should see columns with type bank and timbre. For now select under type Piano/Keys. In the next column select Grand Piano. Look down below the database and you should see 3 pianos there. Select the last one which should be Grand Piano. You do this by double clicking on it. That instrument module will load. Now here is the hard part(not really)You should see the GP module with its name there near the top left. Just below it is output and just below that is the input.

The input should match your MIDI tracks output. I will get to that in a moment.

Be sure that the mixer is shown for Kontakt. There you will see some channel strips You add more if you need to up to the number of audio tracks you have created using that popup dialog that came up when you inserted Kontakt. Now you may need to set up the mixer for other channels. At the bottom the first channel will have 1/2 that is output 1 and 2.  Nest if don't see a output in numbers just plus click on it and a dialog will appear. Here you select another out from the list.  You do this for as many outs as you need.

For the first module it is set up by default most likely the way you will want.  Now lets load another instrument module. Go back to the database and select organ. In the third column select vintage looking below Melotron Organ should be there. Double click on it and it will also load. Although the module is different the area above where the name is is the same as the piano the output will most likely be the first or channel 1. Change that to 2. Click on it and it will give you a drop down window that offers all the mixer channels setup in the mixer.  You want the second one or as above 2.

The MIDI channel should also be changed to 2 if it isn't already.

Now you have Kontakt setup you need to go to your first MIDI track and select its output to Kontakt. The Inspector is a good place to go for this. If using the Inspector Go to the bottom of the inspector and select Kontakt.

Just below the FX bin you have 3 drop down widgets. The first sets the channel for Kontakt. The other 2 don't count with a soft sampler. They do with hardware. 

If there is data in the MIDI track then play X1 by hitting the play button.

For the second MIDI track do everything the same except change the top channel widget to 2.

Repeat as needed.
2011/09/07 07:13:51
BlixYZ
looking forward to trying that out.  thanks john :)
2011/09/07 10:18:24
Jim Roseberry
Not to confuse the matter for the OP... 
But I just wanted to mention that Sonar is particularly flexible in the routing of VSTi outputs.
You can set any track to receive any synth output.
Once you're up-to-speed with the routing, you'll appreciate the flexibility.
2011/09/07 10:24:01
Beagle
Jim Roseberry


Not to confuse the matter for the OP... 
But I just wanted to mention that Sonar is particularly flexible in the routing of VSTi outputs.
You can set any track to receive any synth output.
Once you're up-to-speed with the routing, you'll appreciate the flexibility.


unfortunately, it's Kontakt which is not very user friendly as far as output routing goes, at least IMO. 
2011/09/07 10:30:53
rbowser

Applause to John - Stepping through post #2 should get any newbie up and running.  And Jim's footnote about how slick it is to route any MIDI track to any synth in Sonar is something that will light up like the proverbial Eureka! light bulb, once these basics of MIDI routing in Sonar are grasped.

Props to you both.

Randy B.
2011/09/07 10:31:48
Jim Roseberry
unfortunately, it's Kontakt which is not very user friendly as far as output routing goes, at least IMO.

 
Agreed...
I believe NI are adding "Output section presets" with Kontakt version 5.  If the routing flexibility is enhanced (within Kontakt itself), this might be a significant reason to upgrade.  I need to research this.
I know many folks (including myself) aren't overly excited by the new feature list.
2011/09/07 11:25:07
brammer
God Bless you John!! and timwalk

I have wrestled with this since I got Kontackt - seemed like I could only load one sample per track/instrument

Thanks for the help guys!


2011/09/07 13:50:57
timwalk
Thank you John. Thank you Jim. 
I just downloaded the Kontakt 5. I'll post any changes they may have tweaked that can assist us.
If I get this all neatly mastered maybe I, we, thee, can put together a very clear training video.

Thank you again.

Tim

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2011/09/07 14:48:29
jbraner
I believe NI are adding "Output section presets" with Kontakt version 5.
They already have this in Kontakt 4. I don't think it's that bad setting up Kontakt outputs...
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