Reader JL writes:

The current states of Reaktor sequencers is rather confusing: some output MIDI, some don’t, some output both note and CC data etc.  A “Reaktor sequencers demystified” article would be welcome, and might encourage more builders to do more development in this area.

An excellent idea. JL mentioned that he liked the factory SQ8 sequencer’s random playback modes, but wished that it sent MIDI instead of just gate signals. The SQ8 is a percussion sequencer with 8 rhythm channels and variable loop length as well as shuffle.

Last Spiral post for a while, I promise!

I noticed in the NI forums that user Jedinhopy couldn’t record Spiral’s output in FL Studio. I checked, and found that this was the case… fortunately, there’s a workaround. This is Windows only, but then, FL is also Windows only.

First, get MIDI Yoke installed. This creates virtual MIDI input and output ports. You will find a million uses for this, I guarantee.

Then, in FL Studio’s MIDI settings, make the following adjustments:

Interpol, the superstar, New York-based band (not the international anti-crime organization) have been touring the world with an intensive, live rig, powered by Kore. Our friend Jonathan Adams Leonard aka sleen, a technological superstar himself, put together their current digital setup, and sends along copious notes on the hardware and software rig. Jonathan has plenty more to share as far as how to make Kore work for live players, but first let’s have a look at the details of the rig itself.

And yes, prepare yourself for some serious hardware and software pr0n from one of the world’s best live bands. No DJ sets here.

(For our previous chat with Jonathan, see Free, Modular Power Tools for Kore 2: A Guide to the Reaktor Toolpack, covering his must-download Reaktor ensembles for use with Kore.)

Kontakt 3 has fantastic MIDI transform scripting abilities, and they’re not limited to triggering internal samples. If you take a look at the MIDI dropdown menu on the engine tab of Kontakt 3’s main options, you’ll see settings for what MIDI events will be sent out when triggered or generated.

Kore’s hardware controller is great, but sometimes you want control from another device.

I’m working on a Kore performance and setup that allows the use of a Nintendo Wii Balance Board (as included in Wii Fit) for live performance. I’m having a great fun and can share the results in a few days. But I realized the basic procedure applies to other tasks, as well, and may not be obvious to beginners.

Last week, I covered the way different control pages can be used:

Demystifying Kore Control Pages for Automation and Performance, Pt. I: Different Page Types

MIDI Assignment

In this case, I want to create a user page that covers “macro”-style assignments for my whole performance, so I want a performance-level user page. I can map those eight parameters to whatever I like. (For the Balance Board, I’ll just use the top four, because the hardware has four sensors. If you had an X/Y pad like a Korg KAOSS Pad, you might use just two.)

Then I want to give these MIDI controller assignments, in addition to the usual Kore Control assignments.  From the user page, click “Control.” In the bottom right, you’ll see a “Controller #” assignment. You can type in a controller number directly. (Once it’s typed in, you can drag up or down to change it with the mouse or type a new number.)

Need to control external MIDI gear — or for that matter, more advanced multi-timbral plug-ins — inside Kore? Our friend Jonathan Adams Leonard wrote an extensive micro-tutorial in comments, so it made sense to reproduce it in its entirety in case you missed it.

The basic idea: instead of using channel-level parameters as you might in a DAW, in Kore you’ll add MIDI modules as needed to do what you like. That general strategy could be powerful for plug-in use as well as external gear.

My main interest in Reaktor is implementing lateral thinking and “musical leverage”, you might call it. Like what Steve Jobs called computers - bicycles for the mind. So I built this bicycle for your music.

It’s a step sequencer with a twist. Each step has a probability that it will trigger. This can create never ending variations on a synth line or percussion pattern. Here, I have it sending midi to a simple subtractive synth, the SimpleXore. It has some neat features too, including filter feedback and a set of recordable XY controllers that add some movement and variation to the sound. Plus, it uses the great sounding Core oscillators and filters that were introduced with Reaktor 5.

Introduction to Frankenloop from Create Digital Media on Vimeo.

Have fun with it and stay tuned - coming soon we’re going to look at using Frankenloop to control synths and percussion in Kore, and also continue learning about Reaktor internals by modifying and dissecting it.

Download Frankenloop

Also available at the Reaktor user library. Vote up the instrument if you like it!

Frankenloop by Peter Dines is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.

Derek Bell’s Uzzums is a hacked electric guitar that integrates onboard MIDI controls for manipulating Guitar Rig 3 directly. Result: no food pedals needed; Derek can control Guitar Rig right from his actual guitar, turning it into a kind of hybrid digital instrument.

This video dates to when he first finished the build; he’s been practicing ever since and will be playing on our audiovisual party at the legendary HOPE hacker conference here in New York next month. I expect to get another look at it then, and will definitely share.

Guitar Rig users, how do you control your racks? Do you use the controller from NI, or have you found another solution?

More inspiration from Derek (he created the infamous driver’s license Ableton Live controller):

db3ll @ YouTube

If you’re a Kore user who owns Reaktor, you’ve probably heard of the Kore 2 Reaktor Toolpack. If not, now’s a good time to check out it out – this collection of Reaktor ensembles provides a set of tools useful in the Kore environment. It’s the creation of Reaktor programmer and musician Jonathan Adams Leonard, aka Sleen. (He’s also a composer, a vocalist and keyboardist, and the touring keyboard/MIDI technician for Interpol.) Some of the tools are more specialized, like an ensemble that adds the ability to send MIDI data with the Kore hardware controls, or one that emulates the Guitar Rig 1 Control hardware. But even if you don’t need those, you’re likely to find something that will improve the way you work with Kore.

Jonathan’s impetus for building the toolpack was his sense that Kore 2 was missing some modular MIDI capabilities he felt were essential:

Kore 2 was an ambitious release for any software team, so instead of complaining, I did what any enlightened engineer would do and built something. In some ways, there was no choice. NI created a semi modular matrix into which audio and midi objects can live simultaneously.

… The toolpack represents my preference to communicate where possible with solutions rather than suggestions or complaints.

It’s one heck of a “feature request,” then — a powerful set of MIDI and audio utilities, available for free. Because they’re Reaktor ensembles, you can also modify them for your own purposes — meaning, even if some of this functionality is added to Kore down the road, the Toolpack could remain a powerful custom utility belt.

Note that you do need to have a copy of Reaktor 5 to use the Reaktor Toolpack. (Anyone who owns a recent version of Komplete already has it; the standalone works, as well.) Over the coming weeks, we’ll be looking at ways in which the combination of Reaktor and Kore can be useful. But if you don’t need or want Reaktor, we’ll list a few free/cheap alternatives and complementary tools.

Here’s what’s in the pack: