Kontakt 2 sample loading issue

[Schmandie]

Hi Folks,

Since a few weeks I have long sample loading times in K2. The sample load progress monitor races throug the RAM-upload and then suddenly gets very slow and then races again and slows down and so on. I use several libraries but I´ve spread these across my hard drives so that no drive is used more than 70 %.

Has someone experienced that issue, too? - I appreciate your thoughts.

Gear: PC with dual-core CPU 3,2 GHz, 2 GB RAM, 3 Sata HDs.

Thanks,

Andreas

[Chris Hein]

Which Kontakt version are you using?
There is a serious memory bug in K2.2.1 which will be gone in a few weeks with K2.2.3.
It forces Kontakt to load the "Ghost-Samples" into ram.
Ghost-samples are samples that are used in multiple zones.
This technic is used to have one sample with different edits
in more than one zone without the need of extra memory.
E.g. use a sample in a second zone with slightly different tuning
and sample start as a round robin intrument.

If possible, go back to K2.2.0.

On a mac there is a smart way to use different versions of Kontakt at the same time:
Rename the program file in the aplication folder to K221
With the service-center download K2.2.0 and rename the program file to K220.
Now, both versions are available as standalone or as plugin at the same time.
You can choose which library to load in each version.

Its always a good idea to rename the program file before installing an update
to keep your running version save.

This technik works fine and without any risk on a Mac.
I don't know if it works on a PC too.

Hope that helps,

Chris Hein

[Schmandie]

Chris, Stephen,

Thank you very much for your good advice! - Firstly I will try to de-grade to 2.2.0 or better say have it run besides 2.2.1, because I've been noticing that issue since about the time I made the upgrade to 2.2.1 which was necessary to use BDM Spiritual Winds... Very good idea!

I run defragmentations regularly on all drives and try to keep my disks as clean and organized as possible. I've tried some free VST audio-analyzer tools recently but un-installed them afterwards. Then I bought Nugen Audio Visualizer but didn't have problems with it.

I do not have a virus-scanner on my music machine as it is a stand-alone, but everything I download somewhere gets checked by norton before I transfer it.

The latest software I've added which had longer loading times are CH Guitars, KH Virtuoso Series Pro Bundle, BDM Celtic and Spiritual Winds and BDM Lyrical Distortion 1&2.

Of course, the larger the sample size of an instrument - the longer the loading times. Interesting that I did not have these problems when checking some bigger instruments of the original K2 Library like chord guitar full and the AF Piano...

Chris, especially in the case of your libaries this Kontakt2 issue is a real pain.i.t.a... Please don´t get that wrong! I was so keen on checking all your instruments but after spending 2 hours I really needed to watch out for some advice in order not to go mad about it. I had the same issue with CH Horns. I expected that it wasn´t a CH instrument issue since I've noticed that problem in other libraries, too, but as I've said: the larger the sample size... I could imagine users knocking your door quite often these days. ;-) Most amazing to me was the fact that the full finger-played Jazz Guitar aborted loading into RAM after 50% loading because RAM (again, 2GB) was full. With DFD enabled that should not have happened and so I thought that it must be a Kontakt problem.

Once again, thank you both very much. These are all ideas I can work with.

Best

Andreas

[germancomponist]

Its always a good idea to rename the program file before installing an update
to keep your running version save.

Chris Hein

A great tip! Thank you!

Gunther

[Schmandie]

If possible, go back to K2.2.0.

On a mac there is a smart way to use different versions of Kontakt at the same time:
Rename the program file in the aplication folder to K221
With the service-center download K2.2.0 and rename the program file to K220.
Now, both versions are available as standalone or as plugin at the same time.
You can choose which library to load in each version.


Bingo! - It's the Kontakt 2 Bug!

Many thanks, Chris... Looking forward to check your instruments in detail!

Best,

Andreas

[Aaron Dirk]

Hello Andreas,

While you haven't specifically pointed out Anthology Spiritual Wind as the problem. I wanted to point out there are two different types of patches per instrument in ASW

For example:
Turkish Clarinet_KS_1.1.nki
Turkish Clarinet_KS_1.1_Speed.nki

Turkish Clarinet_KS_1.1.nki loads into DFD mode.
This is the normal mode that is most commonly used for sample playback. Kontakt's default preload for DFD is 60kb per sample. Upon loading this, Kontakt races along loading this and just takes up 26.53mb of ram.

Turkish Clarinet_KS_1.1_Speed.nki makes use of Time Machine mode in Kontakt.
Time Machine allows you to speed up or slow down sample playback in real time while still retaining it's pitch. This function works nicely with samples with vibrato, as you can change the vibrato speed in realtime. Unlike DFD mode which just loads 60kb of the sample start into ram, Time Machine loads the entire sample into ram. In this case, loading takes up 102.12mb ram. Loading behavior is much different than the really fast normal DFD mode, you will experience fast loading and then slow loading etc, this is normal, as the entire samples loads into Time Machine mode.

I hope this clears things up for you

[karmacomposer]

Hi guys.

I just updated Kontakt 2 to 2.2.0 and now it will not run at all.

It was running earlier today running 2.0 (not even the 2.1 udate yet) - but I wanted to use my new KHSO VS Pro DVD set and it was telling me that I had to upgrade (presets were made in a newer version).

Now, on THIS particular computer - I am STILL running Windows 2000 because an upgrade to Windows XP is not possible at all - and I have TOO MUCH CRAP on it WORKING to re-install - it's a logistical nightmare.

However, since K2 was working JUST FINE until JUST NOW - how can I get it to run? Do I have to re-install from my Komplete 4 package?

Thanks for your advice everyone. I am TOTALLY frustrated by this.

Mike

[Nickie Fønshauge]

However, since K2 was working JUST FINE until JUST NOW - how can I get it to run?
Probably by going back to an earlier version. K2.2.0+ doesn't support Win2000.

[Schmandie]

Hello Andreas,

While you haven't specifically pointed out Anthology Spiritual Wind as the problem. I wanted to point out there are two different types of patches per instrument in ASW


Hi Aaron,

Thank you very much for this information. I was not aware of it but it makes it clearer now to me.

Best

Andreas