Lunaris 2 - Premiere Pads Instrument for Kontakt Player

[Per Boysen]

Just a thought that crossed my mind: Has anyone set up an MPE Kontakt multi for Polaris2?

 

[danstein]

Hello @danstein and glad to hear you enjoy Lunaris 2.

On most knobs/controls in Lunaris 2 you can right-click (on PC) and choose Assign MIDI CC automation with exception of the XY pad, which is not mappable directly via this method from the user interface.

I asked the scripter about this, and the XY pad can be mapped to CC, but it requires some changes to the code for it to work and he will look into it, since he is working on the first update anyway, and it's a very requested feature so let's wait and see what he can come up with.

But, there is a workaround since you can use Host Automation to map the XY but how to do that, depends on the specific DAW. For example, in Bitwig, it looks like below, and right-clicking one of the controls gives you the option of Map to Controller or Key.

@Luftrum - thanks for the tip! I wondered if I was missing something obvious since the other knobs are mappable - glad to know it wasn’t my idiocy ( in this case, at least!) I’m working mainly in Logic right now, I’ll have a look and see about using host automation.

 

[Luftrum]

James Spilling goes through some of the functions in Lunaris 2, plays some of the presets and sound sources, and creates his own pad using his own sounds in a mix with Lunaris 2 sources. He briefly demonstrates how to record the XY, how the filter split button works, the effects, modulation and more...

 

[Luftrum]

Will you help test Lunaris 2.1 before it goes live? There's an update coming to Lunaris 2 which improves the loading time of presets and sound sources and introduces a loading progress bar while loading presets. The update adds a sync option to the Replika delay effect, plus 50 brand-new presets by Luftrum, for a total of over 530 pads in Lunaris 2.1.

I am looking for a few users who already have Lunaris 2 and would like to test the update before it goes live. You will primarily compare the loading times of a few presets before/after the update. Send a message or an email to [email protected] if you are interested.

You need to have Lunaris 2 to join the test.

 

[Jose7822]

Well, you know I’m in .

I have a question though: Do you recommend us timing loading times of Lunaris 2.0 now, uninstall it, then install Lunaris 2.1 and time the same presets? Or can both versions be installed in parallel?

Obvious things that I will do regardless is to test at a high buffer size, 1024 in my case (although it’s probably higher than that given I set Studio One Dropout Protection to Maximum), as well as restarting the computer each time I test a preset in order to reset the RAM.

 

[Luftrum]

Sure, you can install both and run Lunaris 2 parallel if you wish. Make a copy of Lunaris 2 somewhere and use one version to update to 2.1 and the other as the current release 2.0 version. Load both in Kontakt and solo/mute them accordingly.

I have included a PDF guide that explains the update process.

Basically, it's a matter of loading some factory presets before you update (5-10 will do) take note of the loading time of these presets. Then load the same presets after the update and take note of the loading time once again.

Your email please and I will get the update over.

 

[Jose7822]

I had sent an email to the address you provided earlier, but I P.M’ed it to you as well.

Thanks!

 

[Luftrum]

I had sent an email to the address you provided earlier, but I P.M’ed it to you as well.

Thanks!

Great! You got mail.

 

[Jose7822]

TEST RESULTS::

LUNARIS 2.0: (Initial Plug-in Loading time ~12 sec)

• Santuria YY (Analog) = ~18 secs
• After The Storm YY (Digital) = ~18 secs
• Leviathan AM (Strings) = ~15 secs
• Controlled Deviation YY (Cinematic) = ~16 secs
• Inter Action YY (Classic) = ~13 secs
• Bad Cargo SA (Ambient) = ~9 secs
• Angelic Morning YY (Shimmer) = ~15 secs
• Industrial Collapse H (Dusty) = ~18 secs
• Morphable (Glassy) = ~15 secs
• Awaken VT (Metallic) = 15 secs

LUNARIS 2.1: (Initial Plug-in Loading Time ~36 secs)

• Santuria YY (Analog) = ~3.5 secs
• After The Storm YY (Digital) = ~3.5 secs
• Leviathan AM (Strings) = ~2.5 secs
• Controlled Deviation YY (Cinematic) = ~3.5 secs
• Inter Action YY (Classic) = ~3.5
• Bad Cargo SA (Ambient) = ~3 secs
• Angelic Morning YY (Shimmer) = ~3 secs
• Industrial Collapse H (Dusty) = ~3 secs
• Morphable (Glassy) = ~2 secs
• Awaken VT (Metallic) = ~3 secs

These are presets from each category with all 4 sample slots populated. First I created a project in Studio One 6 with one empty instance of Kontakt 7. As I mentioned earlier, my projects are usually set to a 1024 buffer size, with Drop Out protection set to Maximum, so that’s how I tested both Lunaris versions.

I started the test by loading each preset above one after the other, playing my MIDI controller until I could hear sound. Then I noted the timings using a stop watch and wrote them down as approximates. After finishing going through all the presets in Lunaris 2.0, I restarted my computer and performed the test with Lunaris 2.1. I had both versions of Lunaris installed side by side.

Additionally, I notated the initial plug-in GUI loading time until the Lunaris interface was visible (not when it was fully loaded and playable, which would’ve taken longer). While the initial loading time is significantly longer in Lunaris 2.1, the presets load considerably faster than in Lunaris 2.0, which is great .


These are my system specs:

Gigabyte Z490 AORUS Xtreme
Intel i9 10900k (10 Core CPU)
128GB of RAM
NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti
Lynx Aurora 8TB Converters
Windows 11 Pro

 

[Jose7822]

BTW, I didn’t notice a loading bar in Lunaris 2.1. Was that still not implemented in this beta version?

 

[jtnyc]

Any Idea when 2.1 will be available? I'm ready to upgrade, but figured I'd wait for the improved version and added presets.

Can't wait!

 

[Luftrum]

TEST RESULTS::

LUNARIS 2.0: (Initial Plug-in Loading time ~12 sec)

• Santuria YY (Analog) = ~18 secs
• After The Storm YY (Digital) = ~18 secs
• Leviathan AM (Strings) = ~15 secs
• Controlled Deviation YY (Cinematic) = ~16 secs
• Inter Action YY (Classic) = ~13 secs
• Bad Cargo SA (Ambient) = ~9 secs
• Angelic Morning YY (Shimmer) = ~15 secs
• Industrial Collapse H (Dusty) = ~18 secs
• Morphable (Glassy) = ~15 secs
• Awaken VT (Metallic) = 15 secs

LUNARIS 2.1: (Initial Plug-in Loading Time ~36 secs)

• Santuria YY (Analog) = ~3.5 secs
• After The Storm YY (Digital) = ~3.5 secs
• Leviathan AM (Strings) = ~2.5 secs
• Controlled Deviation YY (Cinematic) = ~3.5 secs
• Inter Action YY (Classic) = ~3.5
• Bad Cargo SA (Ambient) = ~3 secs
• Angelic Morning YY (Shimmer) = ~3 secs
• Industrial Collapse H (Dusty) = ~3 secs
• Morphable (Glassy) = ~2 secs
• Awaken VT (Metallic) = ~3 secs

These are presets from each category with all 4 sample slots populated. First I created a project in Studio One 6 with one empty instance of Kontakt 7. As I mentioned earlier, my projects are usually set to a 1024 buffer size, with Drop Out protection set to Maximum, so that’s how I tested both Lunaris versions.

I started the test by loading each preset above one after the other, playing my MIDI controller until I could hear sound. Then I noted the timings using a stop watch and wrote them down as approximates. After finishing going through all the presets in Lunaris 2.0, I restarted my computer and performed the test with Lunaris 2.1. I had both versions of Lunaris installed side by side.

Additionally, I notated the initial plug-in GUI loading time until the Lunaris interface was visible (not when it was fully loaded and playable, which would’ve taken longer). While the initial loading time is significantly longer in Lunaris 2.1, the presets load considerably faster than in Lunaris 2.0, which is great .


These are my system specs:

Gigabyte Z490 AORUS Xtreme
Intel i9 10900k (10 Core CPU)
128GB of RAM
NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti
Lynx Aurora 8TB Converters
Windows 11 Pro

Thank you. The loading times you are experiencing in 2.0 are definitely not normal, but I am glad to see the significant improvement! The loading progress bar is only displayed during preset load, and it's just a tiny little bar on top of the main UI, just above the Lunaris 2 logo.

Any Idea when 2.1 will be available? I'm ready to upgrade, but figured I'd wait for the improved version and added presets.

Can't wait!

It has to be submitted to Native Instruments first and then implemented in Native Access, which can take a while. But hopefully, the update will be ready in Native Access by the end of the month, if everything goes as planned.

 

[Sirocco]

The loading times you are experiencing in 2.0 are definitely not normal

I was thinking the same; i don´t know the reason but it should be an "interference" with some other´s people equipment, and i mean all the equipment so...since OS to DAW, plugin managers, Kontakt settings, DAW sttings, version...whatever and a zillion things more. (i know...xd, i´m not saying something useful but, how complicated could becomes things that are "easy" during more than a decade within Kontakt and an issue like this surprise me, or not, Murphy never rests...XD)

I´m in the lucky side this time, almost every patch loaded between 2-3 and 4-5 seconds and a few could take 5,5, or 6 as much.

OSX 11.7.3 (Big Sur) 4 core i5 3,5 Ghz 40 GB ram (late 2017 iMac), and since the begining i read those huge 15-18 seconds loading times and i still very confused where, why, what, how that load times are hapenning...?¿

Anyway the improvement for everyone is gonna be huge!!.

Thanks for the incoming update.

Salute!

 

[Jose7822]

The loading times you are experiencing in 2.0 are definitely not normal, but I am glad to see the significant improvement!

I was thinking the same;

As was mentioned earlier in this thread, the loading times vary depending on the buffer size set in the DAW. When I did that test, mine was set to 1024 samples. However, if I set my buffer block size to 64 samples, this is what I get:

- Santuria YY (Analog) = ~3 secs in Lunaris version 2.0

- Santuria YY (Analog) = Instant load in Lunaris version 2.1


As you can see, the buffer size has a huge impact on loading times with Lunaris, regardless of the version. However, Lunaris 2.1 is way better at handling loading times. That’s for sure!

The loading progress bar is only displayed during preset load, and it's just a tiny little bar on top of the main UI, just above the Lunaris 2 logo.

That’s where I expected it to be, but I just checked again and don’t see it (even when I set the latency high in order to extend to loading times). Perhaps I’m missing some resources (i.e. image files) that this beta doesn’t have?

EDIT: To add that it doesn’t matter that I don’t have the loading bar. It’ll probably show up once the official release is available on Native Access. Thanks for letting me test the beta!

 

[Sirocco]

Yes, but still with the buffer low i have more normal times; i don´t use it in 1024, i tried with 1024 and load times are slightly less than you with 2.0

But with 512 are less than a half than you with 2.0, with 128 1-1,5 sec and 2,5 sec only a few, and with a 64 buffer size are all the presets loaded instantly, i tried the same and many others prests, restarting Kontakt 7 to avoid memory processes that "memorize" routines and ram loads proccess etc..

As i work with 512 my load times are 2-3 sec and 5-7 sec in the bigger ones, so still i think your times area bit higher than it should be. Anyway, when 21. would be released, go into the NI servers, problem dissapear.

Salute.

Ps. Tried in standalone and in S1 as a VST3. (And Unify).

 

[Jose7822]

Yes, but still with the buffer low i have more normal times; i don´t use it in 1024, i tried with 1024 and load times are slightly less than you with 2.0

But with 512 are less than a half than you with 2.0, with 128 1-1,5 sec and 2,5 sec only a few, and with a 64 buffer size are all the presets loaded instantly, i tried the same and many others prests, restarting Kontakt 7 to avoid memory processes that "memorize" routines and ram loads proccess etc..

As i work with 512 my load times are 2-3 sec and 5-7 sec in the bigger ones, so still i think your times area bit higher than it should be. Anyway, when 21. would be released, go into the NI servers, problem dissapear.

Salute.

Ps. Tried in standalone and in S1 as a VST3. (And Unify).

Thing is, for me I need to work at 1024 samples due to the amount of stress I put on my system (mostly with projects that use several instances of various samplers using between 80GB to over 100GB of RAM). That’s the reason I tested Lunaris at such high buffer sizes.

Granted, you are getting lower numbers than I and that might be due to the OS, or some other factor, given that I think I used to get lower loading times on Windows 10 (but I’m not 100% on that). Regardless, this is my current situation and Lunaris 2.1 solves the issue, so I’m happy with its performance now. Just out of curiosity, which OS are you on?

 

[Sirocco]

Just out of curiosity, which OS are you on?

Mac OSX Big Sur since two weeks ago that i jump from Mojave; Kontakt 7 and many other apps were telling me to update or die...XD.

Yes, in your case there´s no other way, i have to rise to 1024, or much more when mixing or when monitor is not needed, and freeze lot of VI. What is strange is the difference with Lunaris 2 between 1024 and 512...is way less that half of the time, and reducing more is almost instantly.. ?¿, well, update fixes that.

Salute!

 

[Luftrum]

Lunaris 2 is reviewed in the latest issue of Future Music Magazine with a verdict of 8.8/10. Bruce Aisher writes:

"The presets in Lunaris 2 are sonically excellent, but there is also much to offer those who want to delve further into sound design themselves..."

Bruce also points out the load times when moving between presets, but this is before version 2.1 which greatly improves load times (and it's coming soon!) and I am certain if Bruce had tested on v2.1, the verdict would have been even better.

The latest issue of FM Magazine (issue 393) can be found here.

 

[Jose7822]

Congratulations on the magazine feature. Lunaris 2.1 is excellent!!

 

[Sirocco]

With the incoming update and the load times much more faster, like at the moment, 1 point more: 9,8.

I barely can read something about this load times in the photo of the magazine...XD, and maybe is the only point issued. So people at FM: re-review it and put a 9,99 if you dare...

Congrats, is a masterpiece along Bioscape. Doesn´t matter how much time has, they doesn´t gettin´old.


Salute!