Audiobus: Use your music apps together.
What is Audiobus? — Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.
Download on the App StoreAudiobus is the app that makes the rest of your setup better.
Native Instruments stuff
Hi all.
I recently made a trade for an NI Komplete Kontrol S61 controller. No software. Nice controller, feels great. Before I decide on purchasing software which is quite expensive as you may know, I want to pick any users brains who use both Reason and NI products, in particular Komplete 11.
I'd like to "host" Komplete in Reason. So, the question is ... is this how NI software is designed? Is each synth, effect, sampler it's own vst? So it would just a matter of setting up each vst within Reason rack? Anyone here have experience with Reason and Komplete?
Or is the process more involved and confusing? I'm finding alot of conflicting views all over the place and finding it difficult to gain a solid opinion.
Then again, this flow may be a nightmare if the computer system cannot handle the vst (power-wise, macbook pro) with Reason? If that is the case, would that be why users run Komplete in standalone mode and then Rewire it (never done this so I'm just parroting what I've read sort of)?
I guess I'm wondering if I want to enter this universe of NI at all if the workflow with Reason won't be relatively seamless. If it requires several workaround and workflow interruptions, then I may just end up selling the Komplete Kontrol and move on with my life. Opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
(also posted this on Reason talk)
-kinkujin
Comments
This is my setup at the moment - I use Maschine (which I'd recommend getting if you're considering Komplete) for putting together rhythmic elements - and you should be able to do most of the heavy lifting directly in your controller. This retains all of the MIDI information, so patterns can easily be edited or instruments swapped.
So I then organise this into a song in Maschine using scenes and patterns, which I can then either export as an audio file to import into Reason, or host Maschine as a VST directly in Reason - where it can be recorded onto an audio track.
I use the Maschine song audio track as the basis of my new Reason song, and as Reason directly hosts all the Komplete elements as VST's, it allows me to overdub new tracks using it's instruments - so for example I might use Massive for a bassline, put my guitar through GuitarRig audio effects etc. Every element of Komplete is a separate instrument or effect in Reason.
The iPad isn't left out either - sometimes I'll sample it into the Maschine controller, export/import audio files, or just record the audio directly into Reason.
For me, Reason + Maschine + Komplete + a bit of iPad, is the best music making workflow I've ever had.
Wow, thanks @MonzoPro ... sounds like a great workflow. When you say "Maschine" that's software not hardware, right?
Good to know, and I appreciate the concise description. I'm finding the whole NI world quite confusing!
Both! I've got the Maschine Mk3 controller, but I also run Maschine software, which is a medium-sized DAW.
Running Maschine as a DAW is great if you've got Komplete, as all the Komplete elements are accessible in a nice visual format, and your controller (is it the Mk2?) should make it really easy to browse through presets, and even edit patterns. You'd normally get the Maschine software with your controller.
It's not essential though - you can still load Komplete instruments as VST's into Reason, though I'm not sure how well integrated this would be via your controller without Maschine installed. You might want to check this via the NI forums.
You could see if your seller can let you have the copy of Maschine that came with the hardware, or check the forums for second hand licenses - sometimes people end up with a couple.
Your best bet might be to get one of the new keyboards new though - you get the controller, Maschine, and basic Komplete for just £159: https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/keyboards/komplete-kontrol-a25-a49-a61/
Maybe it's less confusing if you consider that 'Komplete' is just their complete product portfolio which consists of several VST instruments/effect processors.
Some developed inhouse, some aquired - but all running on their audio engine (a huge library that gets installed in the respective operating system).
Well the controller I got is NI Komplete Kontrol S61. The guy kept the software but is transferring the license of the hardware to me. So, if I get Komplete 11 (which is what it came with originally) I should be set. I ordered a Komplete 11 but it arrived as the upgrade to 11 ... useless unless I now buy Komplete 11 Select. ugh.
Looks like I'll have options galore. @Telefunky it looks like Komplete isn't totally "complete" though, as you still need Maschine! hehe
Thanks for the explanations fellas!
Normally the Komplete Kontrol and Komplete Select Software is bundled with the Hardware. He can not use the software anymore when he transferred the Hardware License. NI will delete the Komplete Software Licenses from his account.
You can check this in your Native Instruments account when registering your S61. I think NI will give you a Komplete Select License after registration.
Good luck!
Edit/
Otherwise contact NI. I always phone them if I have a problem. I think this is the best and direct way to get help from NI. Email will take time... 😎
@chandroji
Hmmm, well I contacted the guy this morning and he said he'd transfer the ownership of the hardware controller to me. I'm not sure he realizes he will be relinquishing his software license to me. This could get interesting.
Buyer beware (well trader in this case) ... I should have done more research prior to trade. Nice guy though, i'm sure he'll make it right one way or another. Thanks for chiming in!
You're not really meant to sell the hardware without the software, as the two are linked.
Saying that my Maschine Mk3 came without software, but as I already had the copy that came with my Mikro it wasn't an issue.
@kinkujin
Did you already created a NI Useraccount and registered successful your S61?
If so, you just need to wait one or two days. The licenses for the Software will appear in your account. 😊
I have 3 sets of software I didn’t use, for Kontrol S, Maschine and Jam.
Jam I bought second hand and I got the software after registering the hardware.
The only important thing is that the pre owner was deregistered the Hardware from his account,
Edit/
I forgot, there can be also a Transfer ID, have a look here:
https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/209566129-How-to-Request-a-License-Transfer-ID-to-Sell-Your-NI-Product
@chandroji
Thanks mate. I guess, i'll just wait then for the process to complete. He was going to do the transfer today.
This forum is extremely cool - you and @MonzoPro set me straight better than a couple days of wandering the wilds of the internets.
Also worth noting, I personally find iMaschine 2 to be one of the best* groovebox style apps for quick beat making, and the filesxtransfer easily into Maschine on your computer. I usually host it in Logic or Ableton, and an additional bonus is the $0.99 expansion sets transfer all sounds over to the computer session.
*GR-16 and Beathawk have more depth, but they don't allow you to dive straight in like iMaschine for when you only have 5-10 minutes to kill.The strong point of the S61 controller is that it auto-maps NKS software to all the knobs and gives you colored light guides on the keys, which can be very helpful for complex instruments with key switches, keyboard splits, etc. You can also audition the presets from your controller without loading them. This means that with all the NI instruments and effects, plus any third party instrument that license NKS from NI, you'll be able to control them completely without any setup
But you can only do that if you load up Komplete Kontrol as a VST, and then load up the instruments and libraries and effects within Komplete Kontrol. So to use KK in Reason, you are loading a VST into Reason (not even possible before a recent update) and then placing another VST inside that. That might be more taxing on system resources in Reason than on other DAWs.
You can try that and maybe you'll be happy, but I think you may have better results using KK with an inexpensive or even free DAW like Cakewalk by Bandlab. Or Reaper.
I really don't know, but all other DAWs have been using VSTS forever and Reason only added VSTs a little while ago. You might want to check on Propellerhead forums to see what luck people are having with KK.
Finally, Komplete 12 is out now, and you should consider getting that. Lots of cool stuff in it. FYI, there is Komplete Select, and then Komplete, which is incomplete. Then there is Komplete Ultimate, which has everything except the full orchestral library. And then there is Komplete Ultimate Classic Edition, that has everything.
I tend to either record tracks as audio, or bounce them in place afterwards in Reason, that keeps resources down. Saying that though most Komplete instruments are pretty easy going on my CPU - the ones to watch out for are the Reaktor based ones.
It’s also why I do most of the Komplete MIDI work in Maschine first, so they’re all saved and editable, and mostly use Reason as an audio recorder.
Hi again. Fella just transferred license to me for Controller and Select 11 software. So, I'm good to go. Now, for the downloading on my dreadful wifi. Anyhow, thanks all for the advice, tips, etc.
@Reid, yes, I did see the tier system of the Komplete software. I'll stick with Komplete (the incomplete Komplete). Can in no way justify paying that much dough for my use. Thanks for the info! Great stuff.
@Thardus good to know about iMaschine. I'll have to check it out should I invest in Maschine software. Appreciated!
@MonzoPro Thanks for the workflow stuff. How do you keep everything in-sync this way? Any issues?
Nah, I just make sure the tempo’s match, and do a count-in in Reason. Plus you can easily nudge the audio file if it’s out, and you can also add markers and push the audio file about for added control.
I’m thinking about getting Riffer later, as I can send the MIDI out from my iPad to my vst synths in Reason.