# How to use Ostinatum



## kevjazz (Jan 12, 2018)

It’s been forever since I’ve posted here. I recently acquired Albion One Tenth Anniversary Edition. I bought it because it became NKS compatible and that was a big deal for a blind person like me. 



I should be clear. I am a low vision person. My vision is very poor. But I can see the screen and I will be able to make sense of the answers I get from you on this question. 



I am trying to learn to use the Ostinatum function in Albion and I’m not quite getting the hang of it. Near as I can tell, when I create a rhythmic pattern in the “Rhythm Computer,” playing the notes causes the rhythm to play differently depending on where I am in the playing range of the keyboard. There seems to be a sweet spot where the rhythm I’ve chosen plays evenly. Above or below that point, the samples seem to trigger in a way that is uneven and either slower or faster than what I get within the sweet spot. 



Let’s say that I want one key switch to trigger a four sixteenth pattern, another to trigger an 8th triplet pattern. I’ve tried putting four sixteenth notes in the slots and assigning them to key 1 and I’ve tried just putting 1 sixteenth note on the first slot and it sounds the same. I’m sure I’m missing something. I’ve read the manual but feel I’m not getting some key piece of information. 



I understand that I have to assign a velocity to the notes to get syncopation. But I feel I’m missing something critical but simple. 



Any help appreciated. 



Best,

Kevin


----------



## Kony (Mar 11, 2018)

I'm bumping this - can someone help kevjazz out here? I don't have Albion One so I don't know the answer


----------



## kevjazz (Mar 11, 2018)

Since I wrote here, I have learned a lot about Ostinatim. There were a ton of preconfigured patterns in a subfolder which I discovered and which gave me an idea of the patterns' anatomy. I think I've figured out the thing about how rhythms behave on various octaves of a keyboard. I've also figured out how to export the MIDi data of the Ostinatim to a separate MIDi track where the individual MIDi events can be edited as if you had played the notes in conventionally. If anyone is interested in my various discoveries in either Samplitude or Reaper for Windows, I'd be willing to share them here.


----------



## Mornats (Mar 11, 2018)

I'd love to hear how to export the midi events from the ostinatum (Reaper on Windows here). I didn't even know that was possible!


----------



## kevjazz (Mar 11, 2018)

Mornats said:


> I'd love to hear how to export the midi events from the ostinatum (Reaper on Windows here). I didn't even know that was possible!



This is a long recipe. But it works. 

Basically, you need to be in the Engine tab of the Database Options dialog. This, is not approached using the Wrench. You simply click on Database Options and then choose the Engine. 


After You do that, you find, “Send MIDi to the Outside World.” In that set of options, select only Script Generated Notes and Script Generated CCs. Once you’ve done that, (and this is a global one and done setting,) you go to your DAW. 


In Reaper, having selected your track, hit the Applications Key and go up to Record Output. Check it. Right arrow into the submenu and choose the bottom most option, Record Output MIDi. Check this. The result is that the individual MIDi events created by the pattern you chose in the “Rhythm Computer,” will actually be displayed on your track. You won’t just have a long note or chord being held for four bars which sounds a pattern throughout the held length thereof. 


Now, having done that, you can save the result as a Track Template in Reaper. And, (and here is the important part,) The Engine setting having been done once, you can now call up your favorite instrument from within , Komplete Kontrol, not just Kontakt Stand Alone. But you can’t export the MIDi from KK. You must use an instance of Kontakt in your dAW to make this recipe work. If you get really fancy, you could take advantage of the solo key switch thing and choose up to 9 favorite rhythmic patterns and save them as an Ostinatum pattern that could be attached to any instrument that supports Ostinatum. 


A further point:


If you are using a pattern that depends on holding down multiple notes, your recorded MIDi will begin with a chord comprised of all the notes you are holding. You will want to delete this initial chord from your extracted MIDi events. Further, if you change your “chord” so that the resultant rhythm line is altered by one or more notes, you will need to go through your resultant MIDi events and delete selective events that represent chord changes but not notes intended to be sounded, themselves. Very cool. 


Granted, it’s not a perfect solution because there are still enough roadblocks for the blind that you can’t do this entirely without assistance unless you made a lot of track templates. But the possibilities are truly remarkable for all that.


----------



## Mornats (Mar 12, 2018)

That's amazing, sounds like it took some working out. Thanks for sharing it!


----------

