Tag Archives: reaktor

Konkreet Performer OSC to MIDI translator

Leave a reply

This is an expanded version of the specialized Konkreet Performer OSC to MIDI translator and visualizer I built for the latest version of the Mirage granular sampler. If you’re not familiar with Konkreet Performer and you have an iPad, you need to check it out because it is awesome.

One drawback of using KP with Reaktor is that KP only sends OSC, and Reaktor won’t receive OSC when running as a plugin. Hence, this ensemble, which can be run in Reaktor standalone and will re-route KP’s control signals as MIDI to Reaktor or other synths running in a host.

Instructions are included on a text widget in the readme instrument. This is a 1.0 release so please report any bugs in the comments!

download

A peek at the next step

3 Replies

This is an early peek at the next step in the algorithmic series for Reaktor – a neural network sequencer. It continues the idea of having Reaktor “listen to itself” but produces more patterned and interesting output.

The sounds are just placeholders at the moment – expect something more chaotic as the building progresses.

Algorithmic Music in Reaktor

1 Reply

It occurs to me that it’s been ages since I posted an actual, you know, Reaktor tutorial around these parts. Which is what this blog was originally created for! So here’s something nice and meaty: a tutorial on basic algorithmic music generation techniques in Reaktor.

What this tutorial and its associated instruments will do is give you a basic feel for how events in Reaktor can be wrangled and manipulated into musically meaningful forms. What it WON’T do is compose your next masterpiece or write a top ten hit:

However, what you might do is take some of these techniques and create instruments that go further towards realizing your musical ambitions. I’ve always thought of Reaktor as a tool that blurs the distinction between instrument and composition. If you think along the same lines then you will find this information useful. Happy building!

Download the tutorial here (PDF and instruments)

Using Konkreet Performer and TouchOSC in a host?

Leave a reply

Spending some time with Lemur since its launch, one of the neatest features is the ability to script 14 bit MIDI, to give higher resolution control over various parameters. This is essential in instruments like Loupe and Mirage, where regular 7 bit MIDI just doesn’t give the fineness I want to set loop points. It’s too steppy and jumpy.

I’m working right now on creating Lemur templates for my ensembles, but I’d also like to do version for Konkreet Performer and TouchOSC. This would involve running a Pure Data patch and rerouting PD’s output, which is an extra step, but it would enable fine grained control within a host. As you may have noticed, Reaktor’s OSC capabilities are missing in the plugin versions (for the love of God, why?!)

Anyhow, vote in the poll above if this extended capability for Konkreet, TouchOSC and my instruments interests you.

Update: I’ve hit a few performance issues with Pure Data so I’m going to do the OSC translator as a custom Reaktor patch. Here’s what you do: run Reaktor standalone alongside your host with the translator patch, and redirect its MIDI output to your host. This is easy on Mac because programs can share a core audio interface, but a bit sticky on Windows where ASIO access is exclusive. One solution could be to redirect Reaktor’s output to a different sound interface, or set it to use the DirectX driver. I’m open to suggestions from Windows users.

So, how about it – Reaktor as a translator?

Update 2: things are coming together…