KVR Audio

Bladerunner1962 · Post by **Bladerunner1962** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 1:48 pm

Hello,

I use since many years Cantabile Performer 2.0. This solution comes very near to my way
in playing all my VSTi.
My aim is, to play the "best of" preset/patches through my VSTi incl. Kontakt.
So I have several chapters/setlists e.g. with best of E Pianos, Pianos, Orchestras and so on.
Here I switch via key C0/B1 on my hardware Synthesizer from one song/setlist to next or
before.
Also I combine several VSTi e.g. Omnisphere + Kontakt in one session.
Also I use bulk/sysex to switch presets/patches on my hardware devices.

The way in order to design this kind of workflow is very easy in Cantabile 2.0.
The alternative solutions I scanned sometimes so far seems to be very complicated
and more producer related solutions and not for live playing.

The reason, why I'm looking for alternatives to Cantabile 2:
Cantabile 2 is now "old" and has sometimes latency issues, which I only get rid of in
deactivation of the lan devices.
The successor Cantabile 3.0 obviously wasn't made for my kind of workflows in live playing.
The limitation of using "a lot" of VSTi in a setlist/song is more than in Cantabile 2.0.

Beside the new Cantabile 3.0 Version: are there any other DAW, which could handle my
workflows?

Are there also Solutions, which preloads e.g. Kontakt patches/presets?
I know, when I have a setlist with e.g. 100 songs (different patches/presets), that
there is an end for RAM, when I try to preload 100 times Kontakt. But, there should
be a solution, that the next or previous song is preloaded in order to switch without
breaks from song to song.

inkwarp · Post by **inkwarp** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 5:06 pm

ableton live?
does what it says on the tin..
fl studio now has performance mode for live stuff. bitwig...
but ableton is my weapon of choice for live sets/mixing..

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 5:16 pm

I agree. Live is awesome for playing live.

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 10:33 pm

Whatever is the most stable. As in not crashing. IMHO that's REAPER. But you don't have to take it for granted. Stability is the most important thing, though. Nothing else matters. As Tom Jones would sing. Or was it someone else? hmmm

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 10:45 pm

DuX wrote:. Nothing else matters. As Tom Jones would sing. Or was it someone else? hmmm

It was Metallica ...

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 10:51 pm

Thanks! It really jogged my memory!

Bladerunner1962 · Post by **Bladerunner1962** » Tue Sep 05, 2017 8:35 am

Thanks to all for the quick response and Input!

Ableton Live...I never had a look before on it.
So, after your recommandations I checked so far some tuturial videos.
I guess, I have to test it, if it fits nearlly my wished workflows.

Question:
I like to play live through my best of patches/presets with/of several VSTi.
So I like to have the best of for e.g. Epianos, Pianos, Pads and Orchestra.
For expample: the orchestras I mostly have in Kontakt.
Would it be possible in Ableton Live, to store/play through the best of
patches/multis/presets in Kontakt?
Here I like to switch via midi assigns to my hardware synthesizers in order to
play next and/or previous patch/preset/multi of Kontakt. Is that possible
in Ableton Live?
How would Ableton Live handle the instances? Would it be possible, to load
e.g. 50 instances of Kontakt (each with an individual multi/preset/patch)?
Or would only possible to load one instance of Kontakt and there are e.g.
songs to be stored with each individual preset/patch/multi behind?
In my live playing workflows I don't use midi/audio files! I only use
the VSTi with their patches/presets.

dformd · Post by **dformd** » Tue Sep 05, 2017 4:03 pm

I use Bidule, and AudioMulch for similar sounding objectives.
https://www.plogue.com/products/bidule/
http://www.audiomulch.com/
AudioMulch's MIDI controllable Document Switcher may be a relatively easy solution.
Bidule is a MIDI powerhouse.
I find they work well together.
You may also check out Pedalboard 2.
http://www.niallmoody.com/apps/pedalboard2

inkwarp · Post by **inkwarp** » Tue Sep 05, 2017 6:05 pm

does anyone here have issues with loading this plugin. mine takes for ever to open.
maybe there is a tweak for this issue?
otherwise i love it.

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Tue Sep 05, 2017 6:13 pm

Bladerunner1962 wrote:Thanks to all for the quick response and Input!

Ableton Live...I never had a look before on it.
So, after your recommandations I checked so far some tuturial videos.
I guess, I have to test it, if it fits nearlly my wished workflows.

Question:
I like to play live through my best of patches/presets with/of several VSTi.
So I like to have the best of for e.g. Epianos, Pianos, Pads and Orchestra.
For expample: the orchestras I mostly have in Kontakt.
Would it be possible in Ableton Live, to store/play through the best of
patches/multis/presets in Kontakt?
Here I like to switch via midi assigns to my hardware synthesizers in order to
play next and/or previous patch/preset/multi of Kontakt. Is that possible
in Ableton Live?
How would Ableton Live handle the instances? Would it be possible, to load
e.g. 50 instances of Kontakt (each with an individual multi/preset/patch)?
Or would only possible to load one instance of Kontakt and there are e.g.
songs to be stored with each individual preset/patch/multi behind?
In my live playing workflows I don't use midi/audio files! I only use
the VSTi with their patches/presets.

Live can load as many VSTi's as your CPU can handle. Browsing and loading presets differs with some plugins. Usually they can be loaded using Lives interface, some need the plugins GUI to be open. I cant comment on Kontakt as I don't have it (I use Live Sampler/ Simpler).

Mister Natural · Post by **Mister Natural** » Tue Sep 05, 2017 6:15 pm

it's called LIVE for a reason

the demo is free - check it out

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Tue Sep 05, 2017 6:22 pm

In Live you could load up as many instances of Kontakt as required, load the presets for each instance then save it as a Live Project. Whatever presets, sends, clips you include in the project will be saved with it for easy recall.

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Tue Sep 05, 2017 7:03 pm

You could do it easily with REAPER as it can load different projects in tabs, so you can have as many as you like opened simultaneously. Or you could have one project with as many tracks as you need, one per song and then solo them. REAPER is more efficient and more stable than Live, not to mention easier to handle, too. It's also very affordable.

Yes, Bidule is also quite capable for your needs, as well as free VSTHost, maybe.

Live is more for electronic music performers who use lots of different MIDI patterns and audio samples.

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Tue Sep 05, 2017 7:11 pm

Live is extremely stable on my system. I've had only one crash in the last 6 months, which I think was caused by a 3rd party plugin.

waltercruz · Post by **waltercruz** » Tue Sep 05, 2017 7:14 pm

If you wanna just play, not trigger loops,and by luck you're using a Mac, maybe Mainstage is a good option.

Recommandations for live playing DAWs?