Older library expression/technique maps needed

I am hoping that there are still people out there who use Dorico with some of the older libraries.

I have a couple of old Kontakt Player (not full kontakt) libraries, and they had awesome sound, I’d really like to be able to use them in Dorico.
Xsamples Chamber Ensemble (for Kontakt Player)
Stradivari solo Violin (from Garritan)
Gorfiller solo Cello (also Garritan)

I have not the faintest idea how to go about creating an expression map or technique map or whatever it is I need to get Dorico to play back using those instruments.

Dorico recognizes them (I have Kontakt Player 6 installed), so I DO get sounds from them.
However, from there to playing back expressively, or with the various playing techniques, that’s another thing entirely.

Any help would be immensely appreciated.
And I am a total neophyte with this sort of thing. I’m used to just load the library - put the notes on a staff - press “Play” - listen to pretty music.

Hey!
I’m in the process of making an expression map for a simple guitar instrument, so I don’t envy you… :wink:
First step is to get a hand on the documentation with a list of the available articulations and associated keyswitches and other controllers.
You’ll have to bite the bullet and get into programming this library, there’s a nice video about it on YouTube by John of Steinberg.
Good news is that Kontakt is in pretty good shape right now, so that’s one hassle less.

Good luck, I will try to answer your questions here if I can. Like I said, I’m just trying my hands at this myself.

Cheers,
Benji

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I have a few xmaps for Xsample… Will dig them out later today or tomorrow…

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thank-you.

I really am loving Dorico, and if it also allows me to use these older libraries then it will be such a huge boost for me.

Can’t help you with the Garritans, but working on Xsample right now… Stay tuned :blush:

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which version of XSamples is it?
I have the older one that worked in Kontakt Player 2. I don’t know if they changed all the keyswitches when they went to their own player.

Here’s a single Xmap for Strings that you can test with your Xsample Library. Please keep in mind that this is work in progress (rudimentary and incomplete), but if it works with your setup for the basic articuations (arco, pizz, spicc, tremolo…) I can go on. It worked on my old Kontakt edition (files dated 2013) but I also had a newer Kontakt version on another disk, which was dated 2015-2016. There some of the switches were different… The map uses CC0 rather than Keys for switching so it should work on all the solo strings (I only tested on Violin now…)

Let me know…
XSAMPLE-STR.zip (1.9 KB)

Go to this link and then use the search this topic (magnifying glass) for “Garritan”.

(I have that topic pinned at the top of my contents list.)

oh, where do I download that to?
which directory?

The unzipped file can be placed anywhere. Just remember where… You import it into the expression map window in the file you will test it with…

ok, it took me a while to find, but it seems to work.

quick question: any idea how to add a reverb to the instrument? I can’t seem to find that anywhere.

it plays, but the volume is VERY low, and it doesn’t seem to follow dynamics.

Regarding reverb…

are you able to load this test file?
XSAMPLE-test-CC0-feb22.dorico (622.6 KB)
Xsample timbre is very realistic, but the dynamic range is very limited for most articulations. Still it should react to both CC1 (sustains) and Velocity (pizz. spicc etc.) …

PS did you actually apply the Expression map to the Player, using the cog wheel?

I think this is activating for a different version of XSamples.
if I just use the “Kontakt” player it loads up and I can load one of the strings from Xsamples.
But with your file there’s nothing. It doesn’t start up an interface where I can access any instruments.

Normally, when I click on the “E” it starts the Kontakt player and there I choose which library (my two garritans, or Xsamples Chamber Ensemble), and I load one of the string instruments.

but clicking the “E” does nothing with your file.

That may bc I only have Kontakt 5. Just load your own and apply the xmap as above…

I have the free Kontakt Player 6.something-or-other.

let me fiddle with it a bit more, give me a few minutes.

ok, it plays the notes when I load the violin via Kontakt, directly.
however, no expression at all, no dynamics, no slurs. every note the same.

do you think that if I went into Finale and opened up the playback techniques in HumanPlayback, I could copy the various keyswitches?
it would be tedious, I’d have to do it all manually, but hey, it’s better than nothing.

I actually checked against human playback prefs yesterday, so my xmap should be identical…

If possible, could you upload the manual for your xsample version?