Splitting 1 multi-instrument plugin to multiple tracks

[Deesnay]

I've just found out there are several ways to insert a new plugin such as Kontakt: 

• either you add the plugin as a single track (the plugin will appear as only one track, regardless of the number of instruments you will load)
• or you add the plugin with a specific track for each instrument (16 tracks are automatically generated, one for each instrument that will be loaded inside Kontakt)

What I'd like to know is:

Is there a way to convert a plugin from single track to multiple tracks?

E.g. I have a Kontakt instance with multiple instruments already loaded, all routed to a single track, and I'd like to have the instruments routed to separate tracks. I couldn't find how to do that, unless inserting a new Kontakt instance with the proper multi-track option, manually loading each instrument again, and re-assigning each midi track to the proper instrument from the new Kontakt instance, and then removing the original single-track Kontakt instance – a process which might be time-consuming I'm afraid.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[reginaldStjohn]

I don't know of a way to automatically make a single kontakt instrument providing several tracks turn into several tracks of individual tracks of kontakt. However, you could duplicate your Kontakt track n times, assuming it is a simple instrument track?, and then delete the appropriate instruments rather than loading them again.

[msmcleod]

@Deesnay - the way to do this is:

1. On the single instrument track, change to the MIDI tab within the inspector, and change the MIDI channel to Channel 1:

2. Within Kontakt, ensure you've given each instrument it's own audio output.  The easiest way to do this is to use one of their batch functions.,..



3. Within Cakewalk, right click on the single Kontakt track and select "Append Instrument Track".   Repeat this for the number of instruments you have loaded within Kontakt.

[fret_man]

Maybe this is the hard way to get what you want, but I assign each instrument in the single instance of Konakt to its own MIDI channel. Then in each track I assign the particular instrument to Kontakt with the particular channel of interest.

[Deesnay]

Thanks @msmcleod ?

Well I somehow worked it out with your help, although I'm not really sure how...

See below:

• 2 midi tracks;
• the original Kontakt track (muted);
• the new instrument tracks created as per your method.

I don't have the exact same icons as you, not sure if it matters...? (probably because of the way Kontakt was inserted)

Maybe it's related to the icon issue, but in the first place, my Kontakt track doesn't seem to have C / B / P selectors. Not sure if it matters either?

Besides, I still have my original Kontakt instance (that I had in the first place): seems it can be muted; not sure if I can completely discard it?

I'm surprised that I didn't have to change the settings of the midi tracks to route the to the new instrument tracks, but that's fine.

But finally, I really get what I needed: separate instrument tracks. Thanks again! ?

 

One more question: This method is Kontakt specific, isn't it? Is there a way I can do the same with, e.g. UVI Workstation? Does it have this batch function also?

Edited January 18, 2022 by Deesnay

[Deesnay]

On 1/17/2022 at 2:15 AM, reginaldStjohn said:

I don't know of a way to automatically make a single kontakt instrument providing several tracks turn into several tracks of individual tracks of kontakt. However, you could duplicate your Kontakt track n times, assuming it is a simple instrument track?, and then delete the appropriate instruments rather than loading them again.

Thanks for the reply @reginaldStjohn

That's an interesting approach indeed. However, I don't see how I can target the different instruments loaded in the plug-in...?

Should I duplicate the plug-in instance itself, from the plug-in view? And how can I do that?

[msmcleod]

53 minutes ago, Deesnay said:

Maybe it's related to the icon issue, but in the first place, my Kontakt track doesn't seem to have C / B / P selectors. Not sure if it matters either?

You need to select the MIDI tab to see these, assuming you've got a Simple Instrument Track - if you're using separate audio / MIDI tracks, then you just need to make sure the MIDI track is routed to a specific channel on Kontakt.
 

55 minutes ago, Deesnay said:

One more question: This method is Kontakt specific, isn't it? Is there a way I can do the same with, e.g. UVI Workstation? Does it have this batch function also?

Kontakt is unusual in that you can dynamically create the audio outputs.

Most other VSTi's, including UVI, have their audio outputs ready to go. The only thing you need to do is ensure that the MIDI channel / Audio Output routing is set correctly within the plugin.  Obviously this is different for each VSTi.  

For UVI, it's set here:

Omnisphere is here:

TTS 1 is here:

 

[Tim Smith]

I have loaded over 20 multiple instances or more of Kontakt, each with multiple instruments for an orchestra into a permanent template. This can be very useful for those larger projects. The cumulative drain on my cpu for those instances if done separately would have probably been too much for the cpu as compared to stacking separate instances of Kontakt.

For smaller projects though, I prefer to simply load an instance for each track since the drain for the Kontakt shell isn't significant in smaller track counts. For me at least, things got occasionally interesting at those higher numbers. Why am I playing an oboe sound when I play the flute?

[user 905133]

Thanks for the question and the replies.  I have used several plug-ins which have multiple outputs and this discussion confirms what I have done and expands some interests I have. I don't have/use Kontakt, but I have used TTS-1 and Proteus X/Emulator X which (1) is multi-timbral [in a single instance] and (2) can be instantiated with a set number of outputs based on a pre-instantiated setting  [from 1 to 39 outputs].

Fascinating that there are plug-ins which can dynamically create outputs!!!

 

[Deesnay]

Thank you so much @msmcleod ?

That's perfect. It's not so complicated in the end. It's going to be a huge time saver for me!

I don't think I would have figured it out by myself.

[John Vere]

I’m not familiar with Kontakt but for the TTS/1 I have a pre set saved with my instruments and outputs selected. Say I have a download Midi file which will automatically load a signal output TTS-1 and I now want multi outputs. I can load a new instance set to Multi output and then simply change the midi tracks in bulk using the Tracks/ select track outputs to this new version.
There’s 2 things involved. If all your Midi track already have all the channels/banks/patches set it will tell the New Multi output TTS-1 what to play and they will go to one of the 4 outputs randomly. If all the tracks are set to none as the patch then the TTS-1 will control the instruments so I do this and use my pre set assignment