I got Kontakt 5 lately and also downloaded a trial version of Cubase 6 Elements. I had no problem to install Kontakt as a plug in insideCubase (I use fususrite Saffire 6 USB as an audio interface)
However, I don’t really see the sense in creating a multi consisting of several instruments when using Kontakt inside Cubase.
a) If I open an instrument track and choose Kontakt as a VST instrument, I have to open a new instance of Kontakt for every instrument track I create. Since an instrument track gives me no option to select a specific Midi channel(which I could then assign to an instrument in the Kontakt multi) there seems to be no sense in creating a multi-instrument multi.
b) If I open an instrument channel (devices/VST instruments) a corresponding midi track is automatically added. However, only ONE. For every instrument channel (with a corresponding midi channel) I create, I would then - like in a) – have to open a new instance in Kontakt as well (which would make a multi-instrument multi unnecessary here as well)
Only If I only create a Midi track I have the possibility to choose a Midi channel at all. However, when opening a Midi track Kontakt does not appear as an option in my output routing window.
So my question is: do I do something wrong (I go under the assumption that opening several instances of Kontakt need quit a bit of CPU ressources compared to only one) or is this the way it works in Cubase. If this is the case, what is the sense of a multi-instrument multi when you use Kontakt as a plug in?
Hope I expressed myself correctly (I have a german version of Cubase and therefore a German manual so I hope my wording is correct)
I would be happy if somebody could give me some advise
thanks in advance
ferion
Multitimbral instruments like Kontakt are usually loaded in to the VST Instruments rack (F11) instead of an instrument channel to benefit from their multiple I/O’s (how to is at page 146 of the Elements Operation_Manual.pdf).
When I create a VST instrument channel (which is associated with a Midi track – my option b) each channels “contains” one instance in Kontakt (i hope the word " instance" is correct in this sense otherwise its probably difficult to understand what I mean). Each instance has only ONE single instrument. What use is it then to create a Multi (=which can contain more than one instrument) in Kontakt, if I can only use one instrument anyway (without the possibility to change it within the multi?
Your option b) is the right way.
Just add another midi track and send the midi data to channel 2.
Add a new instrument in your excisting instance of Kontakt (the one in the rack) and make sure it’s midi channel is set to receive on 2.
And so on…
You should see Kontakt in your Midi output routing, are you shure this is the case?
Do you see other instrument loaded in the rack?
When you add an instance of Kontakt in the VST Instrument Panel (F11) choose the 8 or 16 out version rather than the normal one which is just a L/R stereo out. THEN to the immediate left of the words ‘Kontakt 8/16 outs’ on the VST Instrument Panel is a little grey box with an arrow pointing right (Outs) - you MUST click on this and select ‘Activate All Outputs’ or it will still operate as a L/R stereo out.
Back in Cubase you’ll see a folder under VST Instruments called ‘Kontakt’, if you open that folder you’ll see the individual 8 or 16 outs from Kontakt. Within Kontakt you can route your multis to the different outs and clicking on the big ‘Outputs’ button near the top of Kontakt opens up the mixer which then goes off to those outputs in that VST folder.
Hope that makes sense!
P.S. adding ANY multi-out synth by using ‘Add Instrument Track’ will only give it a L/R stereo out so it’s always best to add them in the VST Instruments Panel (F11) and don’t forget ‘Activate All Outputs’ otherwise Cubase will just sum it’s output to stereo.