I think I'm way out of my league this time LOL

[Tovan]

Hey all, I just got my copy of the strad and K2, I read the manual and it doesn't quite click in my head, all the problems previously discussed are haunting me now. I'd appreciate if any one who can shed some light on some topics help the idiot out? Thanks.

1. Voices overload at 25? O_o
2. aggressive attack yet almost nonexistent sustain of any note?!
3. how to make the strad a VST plugin? :|
4. The file searching thing that might be the only thing I can figure out ...
5. Just HOW do you use this thing

[Tovan]

Update:

1. Voices overload at 25? O_o STILL OVERLOADING
2. The sustained part of the sound is still a little softer than the attack
3. Is the key triggers inthe range of the violin it self? It seems when I try playing a song it goes allweird with trills and generally strangeness.
4. The skipping issue now exist in the cubase that never occured for GPO VST.

This is going to kill alot of brain cells

[Haydn]

Here's a couple answers:

1. Not sure why you have this issue with the Strad. It shouldn't be using this many voices. Tell us more about your computer. Also, try raising the buffers on your soundcard. Kontakt will overload if the buffers are set too low.

2. You must use CC11 (Expression) to control the sustained portion of the sound. Velocity controls the attack amount.

3. The keyswitches are below the range of the violin. Please find this section in the manual on page 22. The keyswitches are between C1-B1. The lowest note of the violin is G2.

4. Not sure what you mean about the skipping issue. Need more details.

Jim

[ZeroZero]

There is no subsitute for re-reading the manual, over and over. The Strad uses cc data in an unusual way, some articulations are just a matter of selecting the keyswitch (pizzicato, tremolo) other articulations are constructed using several cc's. I found using stickers on my keyboard lightened the load on my memory.

Q1 I cant answer question 1 because I am not a techy, but if you post system details likely you will get a reply.

Q2 "aggressive attack yet almost nonexistent sustain of any note?!" This is likely because you are not using the expression pedal (or it is set to some other cc), ensure you enter some cc11 data using C1 keyswitch and all should sound better. The sound you are hearing is the default sound - there is nothinng wrong here.
Q3 The Strad is not a vst plugin, it must be used (only) with Kotakt 2. On my system K2 is buggy and the keyswitches do not show up as colored. Because they are invisible, make sure you dont hit wrong one by mistake.

The Strad uses three morphed samples to make a note. The attack - which is layered into I believe four types pp, mp,mf,ff(?); the sustain which is either standard, or with some keyswitches, downbow (more heavy); and the release sample which is (usually) played on 'note off'.

Q3 No, the keyswitches are not in the range of the instument, the are 1.5 octaves down. My guess is you are hitting keysitches without realising it. Kontakt 2 does not show the keyswitches in my system - though they do still work.

"general strangeness" Yes, when you get it out the box thats how it feels, the power and expressiveness is there, but you have to use the controllers in a skilled non standard way. I found the best way to learn the instrument is to use my sequencer (SX3) and program in the controllers rather than add the extra dimension of complexity by trying to live perform as well.

I am still learning and I have spent hours with the manual, but I am sure its worth it. Some articulations, pizzicato, sordino, are mostly a matter of selecting keyswitches, as in GPO, others are a matter of using the controllers to shape the sound - this is where skill and knowledge of the instrument come in. Its a wonderful piece of kit, well worth learning. I am a huge fan.

[Tovan]

Q2 "aggressive attack yet almost nonexistent sustain of any note?!" This is likely because you are not using the expression pedal (or it is set to some other cc), ensure you enter some cc11 data using C1 keyswitch and all should sound better. The sound you are hearing is the default sound - there is nothinng wrong here.

Probably that would be the case, with the manual I try entering cc11 data but really I don't understand the meaning of C1 keyswitch.

Q3 The Strad is not a vst plugin, it must be used (only) with Kotakt 2. On my system K2 is buggy and the keyswitches do not show up as colored. Because they are invisible, make sure you dont hit wrong one by mistake.

The VST issue is solved. Thank you .
I do not use a keyboard for external input, there is absolutely no possibility that I hit a keyswitch by accident as to all music written for violin stops at G3. Oh, they're not coloured for me on Konktat too.

1. Not sure why you have this issue with the Strad. It shouldn't be using this many voices. Tell us more about your computer. Also, try raising the buffers on your soundcard. Kontakt will overload if the buffers are set too low.

My soundcard had a original sample size (in the setup area of kontakt2) of 2048. While I read the manual for the violin it said to choose between 200 to 600, perhaps that is the issue. I am not sure.

2. You must use CC11 (Expression) to control the sustained portion of the sound. Velocity controls the attack amount.

I think I am understanding now, after reading your responses, other threads and zerozero's responses. WIll try it now. Thank you both.

[Tovan]

update:

- VST problem solved
- Voice buffer fixed
- Volume CC11 data entered and relatively working

More questions :

1. (to Haydn): Whenever in sequencer in a written piece of music, whenever there is a note (say Eb) and another note behind it which has the same pitch, the violin does not play the second Eb or any other Eb that trails behind it.

2. Volume CC11 data stabilizes the sustained part of violin's sound but in a piece of music portimissimos pop up occassionally even tho I have not entered any of that data. Is it because CC11 may also relate to that? CC11 in kontakt 2 for me is not assigned to anything.

3. Also, rebuilding the data base does not have any effect on the missing sample issue at start up. I always have to reload all samples under the purge section.

thanks again.

[ZeroZero]

"The VST issue is solved. Thank you .
I do not use a keyboard for external input, there is absolutely no possibility that I hit a keyswitch by accident as to all music written for violin stops at G3. Oh, they're not coloured for me on Konktat too."

you can hit the keyswitches in k2 as well - be careful

[fred Holmes]

To fix the "Missing Samples" simply search to find them and once loaded SAVE the .nki file under a new name (.nki only not the samples)
In the future load the new .nki, not the original.

See http://www.northernsounds.com/forum/...ad.php?t=40975

I assume you're using the updated version (?) see
http://www.northernsounds.com/forum/...ad.php?t=41078

Fred

[Skysaw]

1. (to Haydn): Whenever in sequencer in a written piece of music, whenever there is a note (say Eb) and another note behind it which has the same pitch, the violin does not play the second Eb or any other Eb that trails behind it.

You must make sure that there is no overlap between the two notes. That is, the first note must end before the second begins.

[Tovan]

You must make sure that there is no overlap between the two notes. That is, the first note must end before the second begins.

there is no overlap between notes in the music ... I checked and rechecked durations ...