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NI Kore - The Universal Sound Platform
Chapter 4 - Play Sounds Live
Imagine using the whole power of your software instruments
live on stage...
Now You Can: KORE
Do you perform live? Do you want to swap seamlessly between instruments
and between presets while playing live? Do you want re-call various
complex instrument and effect set-ups, with individual key splits and
layers, all without touching a mouse but still retaining complete, hands-on
control?
The Solution: KORE - The Perfect Live Host
In stand-alone mode, KORE becomes an extraordinarily powerful live performance
environment that transforms all your Audio Unit and VST plug-ins into
stage-ready, tactile instruments and effects.
KORE makes software instruments and effects stage-ready
(Click image to enlarge...)
In stand-alone mode just as within a sequencer, KORE
unites all your instruments and effects into a single, intuitive interface.
And the KORE hardware gives you complete hands-on control. But that
is just the beginning. The innovative live performance features deliver
the possibilities that musicians playing live have long been waiting
for.
Ready for the Limelight
With KORE it is particularly easy to create different instrument and
effect set-ups for your live performances. These set-ups can even contain
ingenious split and layer combinations and you can swap seamlessly between
different set-ups on-the-fly.
As an example, for the intro of a song you need a pulsating ABSYNTH
pad whereas for the verse you want a bass in the lower keyboard range
and an electric piano in the upper. For the chorus you want additional
effect samples in the top octave that you can trigger from KONTAKT 2.
Under normal circumstances this would present quite a challenge, especially
when attempting to control everything on-the-fly, but with KORE it’s
easy.
Performances
In the chapter on the KoreSound format and Sound Browser, we explained
that a KoreSound can consist of multiple instruments and effects with
individual layers and splits. The Performance level offers the option
of combining multiple KoreSounds to prepare your performance.
Performance channels (racks) inluding multiple intruments
and effects setups (KoreSounds) (Click image to enlarge...)
So you need ABSYNTH 3 and INTAKT in the intro, just
create a performance channel with the necessary instruments and effects.
Repeat this process for all the different set-ups you need. Once you've
finished you will have a rack full of individual instrument and effect
combinations which you can then subsequently save as a Performance.
Mapping Editor and Master Keyboard Features
The Mapping Editor gives you an overview of all your KoreSounds and
their respective channels, and allows you to define the keyboard splits
and velocity layers for each individually. It is also possible to assign
MIDI channels and adjust the velocity curve, ensuring everything plays
smoothly with whichever keyboard you happen to be using.
Spread your set-ups across the keyboard
(Click image to enlarge...)
KORE also supports all the MIDI filter functions included
in professional master keyboards, essentially transforming any MIDI
keyboard into a master keyboard.
Performance Presets and Seamless Transitions
Once you have created all the necessary channels for a performance you
then save a Performance Preset for each individual section of a song.
The Performance Presets contain information on which KoreSounds are
needed for any particular section of a song as well as the necessary
mixer and effect settings. As a song is played, these presets are then
re-called sequentially.
Performance Presets (Click image to enlarge...)
KORE Preset Manager also offers advanced features for
the seamless transition between presets. The point at which the change
is to occur, the timing, the fading between the different mixer settings,
the fading out of the 'deactivated' channel can all be controlled precisely
by the software. It is possible to change presets manually, via program
change, automatically on a specific beat or bar and you can even set
fade times in advance.
Live Mode
The clearly structured Live View* caters specifically to the needs of
musicians on stage. Only the most important parameters, such as the
performance preset list, channel selection, transport buttons and the
master channel, are displayed slightly larger than normal. This guarantees
that musicians in any live situation, even when relatively far away
from the computer, can always see exactly what is going on.
KORE Controller
KORE's integrated hardware (Click image to enlarge...)
The KORE controller enables you to play a complete
gig without having to touch your computer. Change sounds on-the-fly,
adjust the mixer settings or switch Performance Presets all via the
controller.
And as the controller has an integrated audio and MIDI interface - with
two inputs, four outputs, a digital output, MIDI I/O and connections
for an expression pedal and two foot pedals – all you need is your
computer, a MIDI keyboard and KORE.
Studio Sound on Stage
KORE's universally compatible KoreSound format bridges the gap between
studio and stage. Sounds that have been created and produced on a large
computer in the studio can now be easily transferred onto a laptop for
use on stage. And the sound itself is identical to what was originally
created in the studio. More details on this unique potential will be
published in Chapter 5 on March 22nd.
The Mixer
KORE has two for the most part identical mixers, the KoreSound Mixer
and the Performance Mixer. The latter of the two is of interest to us
at this point. For instance, the volume, panning and routing for each
individual performance channel can be adjusted via the Performance Mixer.
KORE Mixer with performance, send and group channels
(Click image to enlarge...)
Each channel also offers four insert effect slots into
which KORE's integrated software effects can be loaded – 14 in
total including chorus, reverbs, flanger, phaser, compressor, EQ, filters
and delay.
More complex effect routing is of course possible: Add four send effects
and unlimited groups to each channel, and each of these can contain
a KoreSound effect (including your Audio Unit or VST effects) and up
to four insert effects. Each channel can be routed to a group channel,
the master output and thus in turn the KORE controller’s audio
interface or alternatively to the individual outputs of a multi-channel
soundcard.
All in Sync
KORE can be synced to other equipment or programs via MIDI, allowing
you to work with loops and other tempo-synced sounds.
KORE also supports OSC, a high resolution network protocol, that also
enables parameters to be synchronized and controlled.*
KORE as an Effect Host
KORE is not only the ideal live host for musicians playing on stage
but it can also be used as an effect rack with which to manipulate live
signals. Route external sources through KORE and use the on-board or
AU / VST effects to change the sound.
The Performance features described above can of course also be used
in this scenario, for example for individual effect combinations or
settings for different sections of a song. And thanks to the KoreSound
format, the most intricate and ingenious effect settings, say GUITAR
RIG 2 combined with NI-SPEKTRAL DELAY, VOKATOR or any other AU or VST
effects, can be re-called with a single click.
*Planned for an update available shortly after the KORE release.
NI KORE - Explained
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