Cubase vs Ableton live with Komplete Kontrol midi

Chewie5150

Chewie5150

Fractal Fanatic
Over a year ago I sold my full sized Yamaha MODX and migrated over to using just midi/computer commiting to the NI ecosystem. Essentially having to use my computer and/or DAW to run my synth vst's so i can layer them etc. Yesterday I was pulling my hair out fighting with my Kontrol Komplete S61 MkII keyboard in Cubase.

I know there is a lot of integration and for the most part it works well. What I'm trying to do very simply is to split zones in my KK s61 to have lower keys play a pulsing synth in one vst track/instrument and the higher keys do another. Running say two to three instances of plugin/VST's and assign to different ranges on this keyboard. It seems like a very simple midi thing that I cannot see where to do this within Cubase. I"ve spent good amount of time on google searching and for the most part it sounds like limitations with Native Instruments??!

What I know - when Komplete Kontrol software is running in standalone mode you can then edit the key ranges within. Great. In plugin mode via DAW....apparently you cannot?! WTF. So then adjust the keyranges within cubase? okay where the heck is that? I've used Halion in the past and it was simple enough to do this. If anyone knows how I can set this up please share!!! I'm hoping it's something very simple that I've overlooked but i'm too close to the trees now to see the forest perhaps.

I got wind of using Ableton LIve for this use from this guy who makes some great synth presets using VST's. That's what got me doing all this in the first place but first wanted to try doing this in Cubase since I don't own AL. I did end up installing a 90 day trial with Ableton Live. and within 10 minutes or so boom. There's an instrument rack at they bottom. Drop your plugins there. boom. oh and there's a little keyboard in each line you can simply choose your range of keys that apply to that VST plugin. So seems to me Ableton Live is well meant more as a live application kind of DAW and has different strengths vs Cubase et al. But the GUI in AL leaves little to be desired.

TDLR: i want to run NI komplete Kontrol /Kontakt etc using my KKS61 keyboard and split the keyboard to play many instruments at once. I'd prefer to do this in cubase. Haven't figured out how yet. Midi modifier insert? i tried that in Cubase and maybe I"m too daft to see how to do it right?....

If you have experience in any of this by all means share! I"d be most grateful
 
Last edited:
Here's a Cubase transformer midi insert that filters notes based on pitch at C3. To do a split, put that on one track and put a complementary one with condition set to "bigger or equal" on another track. Turn on input monitoring in both tracks and you'll hear low notes on one track and high notes on the other. Use additional filters to make the split as complex as you want. You can also put the same thing in the input transformer instead of a midi insert.

split.jpg
 
Last edited:
@GlennO to the rescue again! I was wondering about the input transformer yesterday and clearly glossed over that. Thanks, I'm gonna try this later on today
 
Now just need to figure out how to make a custom light guide on my KK keyboard. Should'nt be difficult. Then i can get to playing some Van Halen Synth songs later today and eventually create my own backing tracks. last night got Feels so Good on OU812 bang on using oberheim op-x pro II plugin along with NI Monark for that pulsing 16th notes on bass side.
 
@GlennO Thanks a million brother. Transformer worked beautifully. Though i created a second vst track and tried the same procedure and its not taking?...again I'm probably missing something simple here. Edit: something is really goofy here as the transformer insert is sometimes working then not. a bug maybe. Another curious thing happening here is on my KK S61 keyboard...for some reason when I hit the C-3 note it sticks/rings out until I hold again with damper pedal and release. It's these little things really messin' with my zen
 
Last edited:
GlennO said:
Post screen shots of your two transformers.
Click to expand...
I'm on cubase 11 pro. transformer window on left is for the NI Monark synth. is working with only notes below D2. Transformer window to the right is for the oberheim VST...i've tried all sorts of permutations and nothing really works...yet...
 

Attachments

  • transformer.jpg
    transformer.jpg
    792.1 KB · Views: 5
For a split, the two pitches should be the same. The condition on the left should be "bigger or equal" in that case. Are you sure you want to set the channels like that?
 
GlennO said:
For a split, the two pitches should be the same. The condition on the left should be "bigger or equal" in that case. Are you sure you want to set the channels like that?
Click to expand...
How I have it setup currently is on the VST instrument track with Monark. Only having those lower register notes on keyboard to play that bass part only. Perhaps I'm going about this wrong. I figured make a second/separate VST instrument track that only plays say notes D2 and up with the Oberheim. IF that makes any sense.
 
I overlooked that 'delete' option at bottom . I tried that but here's what I'm still missing. From your screen shot I can't tell which option in drop down...these are my options
 

Attachments

  • transformer2.jpg
    transformer2.jpg
    160.2 KB · Views: 3
GlennO said:
That's a preset menu. Don't select anything from that. Just change the function to "delete".
Click to expand...
Well I deleted the insert...tried again and followed your instructions with the delete function. Voila! now it's working. I think my Cubase was a bit buggy earlier; restarted my Mac. Also I had my KK keyboard usb into hub. I think that was creating some anomalies with midi notes sticking. It's all working now. Thanks for your help! I owe ya a beer
 
Full circle to my thread title It's not either or situation as I've now adopted to using both Cubase and Ableton. Recently picked up the standard of AL and getting to know the software. Totally different workflow from Cubase and I see why AL is so popular. It's great way for me to host VST's in a performance based way to accomplish what I used to have in my older standalone keyboard workstations. I'm finding AL very simple to use and love how quick you can assign keyboard zone within the instrument rack. I wish Cubase did this without the use of Midi transformer settings that are a bit tedious. Mind you, within Halion its easy to set the range of midi.

Also discovered Roland's cloud VST/zenology service this past few days. Using a Roland D50 for some great Van Halen OU812 sounds combined with my Oberheim OPX II
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom