# Using Kontakt to Emulate the "Cell Crossfade" Behavior of the VSL VI



## rgames (Jun 13, 2011)

I'm trying to set up Kontakt 4 to work like the matrix system in VI. I've used Kontakt for a while but never for anything really sophisticated - I just loaded up instruments and never really tweaked them. However, after using VSL for years, I've branched out into some other libs (LASS, Cinebrass, etc) but *much* prefer the matrix approach to articulation switching in VI. Plus, my VSTExpression map is built on it. So I'm trying to use Kontakt to mimic the behavior of the VI matrix.

I know how to use banks in Kontakt. However, each slot in the bank can hold only one patch, correct? I need to figure out how to mimic the crossfade function in the VI. That requires that I be able to assign two patches to each slot in the bank then assign a CC to crossfade between them.

Any thoughts on how to do that?

Thanks,

rgames

P.S. Am I the only one who thinks VSL should open the VE / VI sampler to other developers? I would *love* a VI matrix version of LASS or CineBrass, for example. So much more intuitive to work with.


----------



## sbkp (Jun 13, 2011)

rgames @ Mon Jun 13 said:


> Am I the only one who thinks VSL should open the VE / VI sampler to other developers? I would *love* a VI matrix version of LASS or CineBrass, for example. So much more intuitive to work with.



Amen to that. I think it's a brilliant player and UI. And I haven't even gotten to VI Pro yet.


----------



## jamwerks (Jun 14, 2011)

Yeah the more I dig into VIP, the more I get out of it. I’d love for them to open it up, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. :(


----------



## Robg (Jun 14, 2011)

I am a beginner when it comes to scripting in Kontakt, so there's probably a more elegant way for the experts on this forum to achieve this, but I believe you could emulate the VSL VI matrix style in the ollowing way:

You could create an instrument with several layers using the AET filter in Kontakt 4 - specifically the Articulation Morph (P 255 of the K4 reference manual) which would allow you to switch between layers using the mod wheel or any other continuous midi controller.

The other dimension of the matrix could be achieved by using several such several instruments in a bank. The playability of switching between the instruments could be improved by using a utillity such as Orange Tree Samples "Mind Control" program, which allows you to creata a range of different ways to switch between instruments in a bank (AFAIK, no cross fading, though).

This seems like a lot of work though, unless its possible to set up a template instrument to speed up the creation process (?)


----------



## rgames (Jun 14, 2011)

Shadowcat @ Tue Jun 14 said:


> Perhaps you might want to try Mind Control from Orange Tree Samples?


Yeah - I looked at that and it looks handy. However, I don't think it can crossfade. Am I wrong about that?

I need to have two patches playing simultaneously and use a CC to crossfade between them, like the Cell Crossfade in VI. It should be do-able with something like volume control linked to a CC but that's well beyond my scripting capability at this point.

As I've moved into more complicated setups in Kontakt I'm ever more impressed with the functionality in VI...!

rgames


----------



## JT3_Jon (Jun 14, 2011)

I'd be interested in this feature as well, as I love using cell X-fade in VSL to add sharper articulations to long sustain patches, or blend between non-vib and vib samples, etc. Mind control can allow you to switch between "cells" like the VSL matrix, and you can set it up to play multiple patches at once if you program it, however there is no easy way to crossfade between the two patches playing at the same time in Mind Control. You have to midi learn the volume sliders for the two patches individually. 

If Greg can add this feature to an already great multi-script (Mind Control is WAY worth the money IMO) it would be AMAZING! Maybe someone could ask him nicely. 

edit: I wonder if its possible to midi learn the two patches volume controls to the same midi CC, but somehow make them opposites, so when you send a value of 50 for example, one is at 50 while the other is at 77?


----------



## rgames (Jun 15, 2011)

JT3_Jon @ Tue Jun 14 said:


> edit: I wonder if its possible to midi learn the two patches volume controls to the same midi CC, but somehow make them opposites, so when you send a value of 50 for example, one is at 50 while the other is at 77?


Right - that's the trick. One needs to be learned "in reverse".

Also, I think standard crossfading uses a non-linear approach (to maintain equal sound level). So the input to the volume control would have to be adjusted to maintain the overall sound level - it's not just a linear relationship. At least I don't think it is.

rgames


----------



## andreasOL (Jun 15, 2011)

rgames @ Wed 15 Jun said:


> ...
> Also, I think standard crossfading uses a non-linear approach (to maintain equal sound level). So the input to the volume control would have to be adjusted to maintain the overall sound level - it's not just a linear relationship. At least I don't think it is.
> 
> rgames



Yes, that's correct. The perceived power is proportional to the square of the signal. So if you weight one signal by the sine of the crossfade value (normalized to 0..1) and the other by the cosine you get a constant power according to Pythagorean theorem "sin*sin+cos*cos=1" which then, of course, is superimposed by the natural power difference of the two signals themselves.

Hmmm...hope that's understandable :D 

This is what SIPS and the equal power crossfade script from Nils does.

Cheers,
Andreas


----------

