Strad help - where's my keyswitches?

[thesoundsmith]

Installed as described, opened in Kontact2, had to point to the IR folder and then the sample folder, but then all the samples load, but no keyswitches. The option to display them is turned on. Neither alternate-colored keys nor keyswitch options are operational. The cc's work, mod wheel and pitch, just only the one layer. What am I doing wrong?
(sorry to be the first problem...)

[Garritan]

Dasher,

I'm not sure what the probelm is. First make sure you have the latest version of Kontakt 2. Perhaps the nki became corrupt somewhere along the way. Email me and I'll reply with another nki you can try.

Gary Garritan

[Haydn]

Dasher,

Make sure you rebuild the QuickSearch database. This helps eliminate many of the missing samples issues. There's a bug in Kontakt 2 that changes file names from being '.wav' to '_wav'.

Jim

[Giorgio Tommasini]

Dasher,

I believe that script-activated keyswitched are not displayed. My violin shades in blue the playing range, but does not show the keyswitches either.

However, it works.

Do the following:

Open the script window by clicking on the script button until it turns blue. You will see, on the left side, a series of labels. Default are normal, mono, spiccato attack. Now, if you press on your keyboard (or on the K2 keyboard), say, G#1, on the next note in the playing range the labels should display trillo spiccato attack. If this works, it means that the keyswitches properly work. Now try trillo by holdind a key down and rythmically press and release another key while holding down the first key. A trillo should be heard.

Please let me know if this solves the problem.

Giorgio

[thesoundsmith]

Thanks, folks. I'll check this out this evening when I get back from Christmas dinner.

[thesoundsmith]

I think something is corrupted - either the system, Kontakt2 or the Strad files - I've tried the above suggestions, things don't map put right, and certain keys can cause it to stop playing altogether and require a reload. I'll work on it some more before I bother Gary for a new .nki, I want to validate the source of the issue.

[danpowers]

Open the script window by clicking on the script button until it turns blue. You will see, on the left side, a series of labels. Default are normal, mono, spiccato attack. Now, if you press on your keyboard (or on the K2 keyboard), say, G#1, on the next note in the playing range the labels should display trillo spiccato attack. If this works, it means that the keyswitches properly work. Now try trillo by holdind a key down and rythmically press and release another key while holding down the first key. A trillo should be heard.
I'm having the same problem as Dasher. I tried your solution quoted above but it didn't help. When I pressed the G#1 keyswitch, then tried to play a trill, I got a legato attack to the first trill note, then a series of spiccato attacks on the trill note (I held down the main note).

I just tried it again, watching the labels you mentioned in the script editor. The labels "Normal" and "Spiccato attack" do not change. The left window, when I try to play a trill, starts "normal", changes quickly to "legato", then when I continue with the trill the lable switches to "poly 2."

None of the keyswitches I've tried seem to have any effect.

I'm using Kontakt version 2.0.2.007. The most current version as far as I know.

[Giorgio Tommasini]

Does it happen with the standalone K2?

[Giorgio Tommasini]

Dasher & Dan,

In order to track the above problem, we need first to determine what is shared by the affected users.

It will be useful to get more details on both the hardware and the OS. We also need to know about the audio card and the Asio drivers, and about their setup in terms of buffer/latency.

We need to know whether the keyswitch notes actually reach K2. This can be easily verified by detecting whether the keyswitch notes played on the master keyboard or sent by the sequencer are mirrored on the K2 keyboard.

BTW, does Stefano's midi sequence activate the different patches?

Thanks for cooperation. :)

Giorgio

[danpowers]

I had only tried it in standalone mode. I just tried it as a plug-in in Sonar.

Opening it in Kontakt 2 as a VST in Sonar 5 has the same problem as the standalone.

I also tried it as a DXI plug-in, and got no sound at all. On a hunch, I tried clicking on "bypass" in the script editor, and got sound which I assume was all layers playing back simultaneously. When I clicked "bypass" back off, I got no sound (this only happens in DXI).

I'm using Windows XP Home edition. My computer is a Sweetwater Creation Station Pro, 3.2 Ghz, 1 Gb RAM. Audio interface is a Tascam US-122 USB interface using ASIO drivers. I've tried various latency settings with no effect.

I have to go out now, but I'll try Fabio's MIDI sequence later and see what happens.

[danpowers]

To see what would happen, I tried installing GSSV on my old computer and got the same behavior. (Admittedly, my old computer, at 1.7 Ghz, is not up to the GSSV system requirements.)

[Giorgio Tommasini]

Please email me. giorgio.tommasini@tin.it

[jthomas426]

Gary & Giorgio, you asked for this information:

STRADIVARI SOLO VIOLIN
ENVIRONMENT
HARDWARE
1. O/S XP Pro X64
2. MOBO DFI nF4 Ultra "Infinity"
3. CPU AMD Athlon Dual-core 4800+ operating at default frequency
4. RAM 4GB OCZ with 2.1 GB available
5. Soundcard M-Audio Audiophile 192
Driver mode = ASIO
Sampling Rate = 44100 hz
Buffer size = 128 kb
Latency = 256 samples
64-bit double precision engine
M-Audio's 64-bit driver download from their website
SOFTWARE
1. Sequencer: SONAR5 Producer Edition (5.01) operating in 64-bit mode
2. Sample Player: Kontakt2 (2.0.2.007) operating in 32-bit mode (and managed by X64's emulator)
OBSERVATIONS
1. Kontakt2 as either STANDALONE or VST inside SONAR5 operate identically.
2. No shaded KEYSWITCH keys
3. In SCRIPT EDITOR,
"Normal" "Mono"
"Spicatto Attack"
3.1 Depressing C1 thru B1 on K2 Keyboard blanks "Mono"
3.2 Subsequently depressing any shaded K2 key brings back "Mono", but no other changes.
3.3 Emitted audio for shaded K2 key does not change after any C1 thru B1 key depression.
3.4 Emitted audio sounds are fixed and appear to be "Spicatto Attack".
4. In contrast, K2's VSL keyswitched library samples function perfectly, with expected changes in the Script Editor information.

[thesoundsmith]

Forgot to put this in my email, but similar buffer settings:
Driver mode = ASIO (WDM)
Sampling Rate = 44100 hz
Buffer size = 128 kb
Latency = 256 samples

mobo Intel 925 series,
BIOS - CV92510A-86A-0218
XP Pro, SP2
P4 3GHz, 2G RAM.
Midiman USB keystation (Oxygen 8) or many other keyboards, this one is attached to the box. usually XP80 or K@ 2600 is primary controller

MOTU midi express parallel port
Echo Gina 20

using MOTU parallel Midi Express, which works just fne with V-Stack instruments

. No shaded KEYSWITCH keys
3. In SCRIPT EDITOR,
"Normal" "Mono"
"Spicatto Attack"
3.1 Depressing C1 thru B1 on K2 Keyboard blanks "Mono"
3.2 Subsequently depressing any shaded K2 key brings back "Mono", but no other changes.
3.3 Emitted audio for shaded K2 key does not change after any C1 thru B1 key depression.
3.4 Emitted audio sounds are fixed and appear to be "Spicatto Attack".

[danpowers]

My computer: Sweetwater Creation Station Pro, 3.2 Ghz, 1 Gb RAM. Windows XP home, SP 2.
Tascam US-122 USB audio/Midi interface.
ASIO drivers, 44100 sample rate, 24-bit, latency 512
DFD channel buffers 120kb, # of reserved channel buffers 1024, amount of memory dedicated to DFD 360.71 Mb

Giorgio, I just replied to your e-mail.

We are leaving town tomorrow morning to visit my wife's family, so I won't be able to participate in this discussion till we get back next week. I'll follow developments on the forum, however. Good luck everyone!

[Haydn]

I tested this on my system and it appears to be working fine.

Are you raising CC11 (expression) when playing? If not, you won't hear all the layers.

Jim

[ZeroZero]

Key switches do not appear on my computer either - on the K2 keyboard. I am running a Althlon 3500 with 2 gig of RAM XP Pro and Cubase SX3. All is latest updates, service pack 2.
Some of the keyswitches seem to work, but G# does not seem to produce a trill. I am experiencing notes stuck on in K2 keyboard.

Zero

[ZeroZero]

Got tghe hang of the trill now - wow this is different

Thanks Gary Giorgio and Stefano for what looks like will be a wonderful instrument


Zero

[seeker]

I'm having the same problem. Have downloaded the latest Kontakt player and the 1.07 release of Strad and tried the suggestion by Giorgio. It shows the 3 scripts: Normal, Mono & Spiccato Attack, but no dice.

Thanks for the help!

HARDWARE
1. O/S XP Pro Sp2
2. Dual Xeon 2.6 Mhz
3. Supermicro X5DAE
4. RAM 4GB
5. Soundcard MOTU 2408mk3
Driver mode = ASIO
Sampling Rate = 44100 hz
Buffer size = 128 kb

MIDI: MidiSport 2.2 USB

SOFTWARE
1. Sequencer: Cubase SX3

OBSERVATIONS
1. Kontakt2 as either STANDALONE or VST inside Cubase operate identically.
2. No shaded KEYSWITCH keys

CC #11 Works fine. Aftertouch works fine. Portamento works fine. Keyswitches -- not to be found or heard.

[seeker]

OK - New Developments

It seems that the Keyswitches do change the scripts. However for some reason my keyboard shows them as being C2 - B2 and they are not showing up as yellowed on the Kontakt keyboard. The keyboard I am using is an 88 key midi controller Kurzweil K2600. But apparently the A3 sounded as the reference tone is sounded as an A4 on the keyboard. I was trying to play the keyswitches in the wrong octave.

Secondly, It seems that the samples are being played except for tremolos and trills. The scripting is showing tremolo and trillo but no sound difference.
All the others seem to work.

The group editor is showing all four Tremolo groups, no trill groups.

How do I get tremolos & trills? Is it possible to map the keyswitches down an octave so they are closer to the mod wheel.

Thanks again

[Giorgio Tommasini]

Seeker,

The problem you're reporting has nothing to do with keyswitches, which are functioning properly.
You simply forgot to read the manual :)


"Keyswitch A1 activates tremolo mode. Tremolo is obtained by rapidly pressing and releasing the note, in a way conceptually similar to what the violinist does by using a fast to and fro motion of the bow.

This approach allows for real time flexibility in both tremolo rate and accent, which would be impossible to achieve using actual tremolo samples. When the time elapsed between consecutive notes is above a certain threshold (about 90 milliseconds), the instrument automatically switches to temporary mono/polyphonic mode analogous to the default C1. This allows you to play multiple tremolos within a legato sequence, without the need of repeatedly deactivating and reactivating tremolo mode by keyswitching. The instrument will remain in tremolo mode until a different keyswitch is activated."

"Keyswitch G#1 activates trill mode. Trills are played as a real violinist plays them, holding down the main note while repeatedly playing the trill note. The Midi Processor automatically mutes the main note when the trill note is pressed, and retriggers it upon release of the trill note. This approach allows for real time flexibility in both trill rate and accent, which would be impossible to achieve using actual trill samples. Any trill interval can be used. Moreover, both the main and the trill note may be changed during a trillo sequence. The last held note will always work as the main note.

The instrument will remain in trill mode until a different keyswitch is activated."

Hope it helps. ;)

Giorgio

[seeker]

Giorgio,

Thank you for your patience and your help. It must be quite difficult having created such a wonderful instrument to have to re-explain to each individual on how to do the simplest of things and still maintain your sanity (... assuming you are still sane.) I woke up this morning, with the thought that it was probably not program error, but user error, but by the time I got to the computer, you had graciously answered the question (probably for the umpteenth time!)

In my indefensible defense, I just have to say that in my anxiousness to get my hands on this fabulous instrument and "fiddle" with it, I actually forgot how to read and use a manual. It is a well-documented condition. They even have a very long Latin name for it. I have a doctor's note to prove it ... but I couldn't read that either. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

I noticed the quotes in your message, and interestingly enough, your answer was taken right out of the manual. (And it is such a small little booklet.) It's amazing how this reading thing comes and goes.

Let this be a lesson to all you children out there! Stay in school. Learn how to read. And most importantly, don't fiddle with your "instrument" until you know what you're doing, it could go off in a way you're not expecting! :eek:

Giorgio, thank you for your hard work. Kudos to you, Gary and the team for putting out such a remarkable line of reasonably priced, high quality gifts to composers, arrangers, orchestrators, performers and musicians in all of us.

Your poster child for what not to do,
Seeker