Kontakt 5 -> Kontakt 6

[mschnell]

I just installed Kontakt 6.

How to switch the Kontakt versions in a Reaper project without manually re-configuring everything ? ("replace plugin" does not seem to work.)

-Michael

[SmajjL]

While you wait for a Kontakt expert..

Wiie! Kontakt Player 6 showed up to try
Still have to run in a seperate process to get it large.. really NI? was hoping.. anyway..

[Tod]

Originally Posted by mschnell

I just installed Kontakt 6.

How to switch the Kontakt versions in a Reaper project without manually re-configuring everything ? ("replace plugin" does not seem to work.)

So Michael, you've installed the full version of Kontakt 6?

All you have to do is put the Kontakt 6 dll files in the same place you had the Kontakt 5 dll files.

Personally I keep all my DLL files for each version, that way I can switch between them. The reason I do
this is so that I can create my instruments in the older version so that they are compatible with the later
versions. You may not have a need for this, but I do think it's a good idea to save your latest Kontakt 5 dlls
just in case you need them.

So if you replace your K5 dlls with the K6 dlls, you should be good to go.

[EvilDragon]

You can manually replace all instances of "Kontakt 5.dll" to "Kontakt.dll" in .rpp files via text editor. No need to do any messy DLL replacing/overwriting like what Tod suggests, this is far less volatile

[Tod]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

You can manually replace all instances of "Kontakt 5.dll" to "Kontakt.dll" in .rpp files via text editor. No need to do any messy DLL replacing/overwriting like what Tod suggests, this is far less volatile

Hi ED, I'm sorry I wasn't very clear. There are actually no "Kontakt 5.dll" files, they are all "Kontakt.dll" regardless of
what version, I was only referencing, and should have been clear about that. if his current "Kontakt.dll" in Reaper is for
Kontakt 5, then he should save that into a safe place before replacing it with the new "Kontakt.dll" for Kontakt 6.

No text editor needed.

[mschnell]

Originally Posted by Tod

So Michael, you've installed the full version of Kontakt 6?

Sorry, only the player. A persisting empty pocket problem.

Originally Posted by Tod

All you have to do is put the Kontakt 6 dll files in the same place you had the Kontakt 5 dll files.

Native Access installed it in a dedicated directory "c:\Program Files\Native Instruments\VSTPlugins 64 bit"

and the name is just "Kontakt.dll" while Kontakt5 is in the same directory, but the name is Kontakt5.dll" (Here the name really is "Kontakt5.dll" !! )

It seems rather queer to rename the Kontakt 6 dll to "Kontakt5"

-Michael

[mschnell]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

You can manually replace all instances of "Kontakt 5.dll" to "Kontakt.dll" in .rpp files via text editor. No need to do any messy DLL replacing/overwriting like what Tod suggests, this is far less volatile

That seems like very handy. Do you suppose no problems for Kontakt6 loading Komntakt5 configuration files (libraries and instrument banks) and accepting Kontakt5 DAW parameters provided by Reaper on startup and by pushing presets onto it ?

-Michael

[mschnell]

Originally Posted by SmajjL

Still have to run in a seperate process to get it large..

I have no idea what you mean by this. I run several instances of Kontakt (5) Player in several tracks (hence several threads) without problems.

-Michael

[EvilDragon]

Originally Posted by Tod

Hi ED, I'm sorry I wasn't very clear. There are actually no "Kontakt 5.dll" files, they are all "Kontakt.dll" regardless of
what version, I was only referencing, and should have been clear about that. if his current "Kontakt.dll" in Reaper is for
Kontakt 5, then he should save that into a safe place before replacing it with the new "Kontakt.dll" for Kontakt 6.

No text editor needed.

Well, that's only true if you renamed them yourself. Kontakt 4 plugin is actually called "Kontakt 4.dll", Kontakt 5 plugin is actually called "Kontakt 5.dll" and Kontakt 6 removes the number and is just "Kontakt.dll".

Originally Posted by mschnell

That seems like very handy. Do you suppose no problems for Kontakt6 loading Komntakt5 configuration files (libraries and instrument banks) and accepting Kontakt5 DAW parameters provided by Reaper on startup and by pushing presets onto it ?

-Michael

Yes, because Kontakt is backwards compatible, plugin chunk is the same and you can easily read K4 chunk with K6, or K5 chunk with K6, it all works.

[SmajjL]

Originally Posted by mschnell

I have no idea what you mean by this. I run several instances of Kontakt (5) Player in several tracks (hence several threads) without problems.

-Michael

So I am on a 4K monitor and use REAPER in HiDPI mode, some plugins are so tiny I would need to borrow David Banners lab to see something, but if Windows is set to like 150% scale and you run those tiny plugins that does not have any built-in scaling/size options, then I can run them as a seperate process, an option REAPER have by right mouse the plugin you want and that works and that way one can chose only the problematic plugins.

[Tod]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

Well, that's only true if you renamed them yourself. Kontakt 4 plugin is actually called "Kontakt 4.dll", Kontakt 5 plugin is actually called "Kontakt 5.dll" and Kontakt 6 removes the number and is just "Kontakt.dll".

Aaah, ED, you're absolutely right, I had my head in a different place. I've got subfolders for all my different versions of Kontakt 5 and they do all have "Kontakt 5" in them. I think I was actually thinking that they don't have the version #s, and the old brain didn't correlate. Sorry about that.

[Goldreap]

Originally Posted by mschnell

........
Native Access installed it in a dedicated directory "c:\Program Files\Native Instruments\VSTPlugins 64 bit"

I think the dll in that location is just a sort of backup....the actual working dll will be where you put it when asked during installation.

[mschnell]

With NI products, the installation process is fully automatic and does not seem to be configurable per issue. "Native Access" definitively does not ask.

Of course you can copy the dll anywhere by hand, but that does not seem very appropriate.

-Michael

[EvilDragon]

You can change the VST path in NA preferences.

[gibi25]

To change preferences, click on the little head in native access.

[Goldreap]

Originally Posted by mschnell

With NI products, the installation process is fully automatic and does not seem to be configurable per issue. "Native Access" definitively does not ask.

Of course you can copy the dll anywhere by hand, but that does not seem very appropriate.

-Michael

Ah yes, by 'asking during installation' I guess I was remembering the 'asking in preferences' (sorry I wasn't clear).

[mschnell]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

You can manually replace all instances of "Kontakt 5.dll" to "Kontakt.dll" in .rpp files via text editor.

Another idea would be to replace the kontakt5.dll by a symlink to kontakt.dll (unfortunately other than with Linux and Unix (Mac), symlinks are not very commonly used in Windows. )

-Michael

[mschnell]

Yet another question is why simply using "replace plugin" in the Reaper GUI does not work. I seems like this menu entry is provided for exactly this purpose ?!?!?

-Michael

[mschnell]

Off-Topic:
NI seems to advertise that the Kontakt 6 player comes with three new free libraries: "THREE NEW INSTRUMENTS: KONTAKT 6 introduces the KONTAKT Play Series ... "

Or is Play Series different from "Player" ?

Anyway I don't seem to find those on the NI website

Any wisdom here ?

Thanks,
-Michael

[DarkStar]

They are not free,; they are included in Kontakt 6. They may not work in Kontakt 6 Player (which is expected to be released today).

"Play series" is not the same as "Kontakt Player"

[SmajjL]

Got the players along with Maschine Mikro MK2 along with some samplepacks and other nice gifts.
The Kontakt 6 Player is limited for .wav files, it will act as a demo for like 20 minutes, the limited players should be free, but limited?.. hmm

[mschnell]

Originally Posted by DarkStar

"Play series" is not the same as "Kontakt Player"

Very misleading wording
-Michael

[DarkStar]

^^^
I do not think so. "Player Series" would be misleading, though.

[Doc Brown]

Originally Posted by doppelganger

looks like not a big difference between 5 and 6, few effects here, few instruments there.. and update 99$ ? O_o

Yeah, I was expecting more after a decade or so but I will be content if they get all the bugs worked out of native access.

[mschnell]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

You can manually replace all instances of "Kontakt 5.dll" to "Kontakt.dll" in .rpp files via text editor.

I did do this, and additionally replaced the VST name noted in the same lines, so that in the Reaper GUI correctly Just "Kontakt".

Works perfectly.

In my Live playing setup I have eight tracks that each feature an instance of Kontakt. Many of those use one or two Instrument banks to pre-load multiple libraries at the the same time. The tracks are muted / unmuted by LiveConfigs so that after starting the system, all sounds are available instantaneously when pressing a button.

It seems that with Kontakt 6 the loading when starting Reaper takes a lot less time than it did with Kontakt 5.

Moreover, I use the heavily scripted library "The Trumpet" by Sample Modeling providing solo brass sounds. While the single instruments worked very well in Kontakt 5 their "Unison" set of three trumpets resulted in distorted sound. Supposedly some performance problem. I did not investigate this very deeply. With Kontakt 6 it just works.

Thanks again,
-Michael

[Tod]

Originally Posted by mschnell

Moreover, I use the heavily scripted library "The Trumpet" by Sample Modeling providing solo brass sounds. While the single instruments worked very well in Kontakt 5 their "Unison" set of three trumpets resulted in distorted sound. Supposedly some performance problem. I did not investigate this very deeply. With Kontakt 6 it just works.

This could be due to the volume levels hitting the effects. I've found this on more then a few nki instruments and I've usually been able to find a way of turning the volume level down before it hits the effects.

[EvilDragon]

Originally Posted by mschnell

Another idea would be to replace the kontakt5.dll by a symlink to kontakt.dll (unfortunately other than with Linux and Unix (Mac), symlinks are not very commonly used in Windows. )

-Michael

Symlinks are very easy to create in Windows with a free program called Link Shell Extension.

Originally Posted by DarkStar

They are not free,; they are included in Kontakt 6. They may not work in Kontakt 6 Player (which is expected to be released today).

"Play series" is not the same as "Kontakt Player"

Play series are also Kontakt Player libraries so they WILL work in Kontakt 6 Player.

[mschnell]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

Symlinks are very easy to create in Windows with a free program called Link Shell Extension.

Or by a simple line command. I do know. But it's not very commonly used, while in Linux/Unix many programs are installed or work taking advantage of symlinks.

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

Play series are also Kontakt Player libraries so they WILL work in Kontakt 6 Player.

Of course. But empty pocket syndrome... (Need to save for the upcoming Reaper 6 release)

-Michael

[GeneralMidi]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

You can manually replace all instances of "Kontakt 5.dll" to "Kontakt.dll" in .rpp files via text editor. No need to do any messy DLL replacing/overwriting like what Tod suggests, this is far less volatile

How does this work with Kontakt 7 as it's VST3?