Jump to content

Routing NI Reaktor Sequencers to Logic Plugins


Monkeymonkey35

Recommended Posts

Hi All,

 

I know there has been a lot of discussion on routing (or trying to route) NI Reaktor sequencers to other plugins within Logic. The general consensus is that AU/Logic X doesn't support this type of MIDI out. (correct me if my explanation of that is wrong)

 

One suggestion I've read is to run Reaktor standalone with MIDI out to the IAC driver, and back into Logic. I've had a bit of trouble so far trying to figure that out. Can anyone explain how to go about setting that up?

 

Ultimately, I would like to use Reaktor sequencers with Massive. Any thoughts on the matter are appreciated! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The general consensus is that AU/Logic X doesn't support this type of MIDI out.

 

Logic currently supports MIDI output from a specific type of Audio Units plug-in: AU MIDI Effect.

 

Reaktor is not available as this type of Audio Unit, so your options are:

 

1- Run Reaktor as standalone and send MIDI to Logic via Reaktor's virtual MIDI output port (available in standalone mode only) or via the IAC driver. Since you'll be dealing with sequencers, you'll probably want to sync Reaktor to Logic's clock. For this to happen you'll have to enable external sync in Reaktor's "Settings" menu, and transmit MIDI Clock from Logic (Project Settings > Synchronization > MIDI > MIDI Clock).

 

2- Buy Plogue's Bidule which is available in AU MIDI Effect format and use it to host the VST version of Reaktor (which will happily output MIDI).

 

J.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 years later...

This question has been asked in 2013/2014, is there any more convenient way to do it now in 2020 ?

 

I have the same problem, trying to route a reaktor sequencer (SQ16) into any software instrument (ES2 for instance), with the goal of recording the midi data out of the reaktor sequencer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi lingtalfi,

 

Well these days Reaktor is already available as an Audio Units MIDI Effect, which means you can use it to trigger instruments on the instrument slot directly below it on software instrument channel strips, route the MIDI data out of Logic and back in again through IAC driver buses (using Logic's External Instrument plugin), or capture the MIDI data with a plugin like AU MIDI FX Freeze (freeware):

 

http://www.audiocr.com/

 

J.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for your answer Jordi.

However I'm not sure if things work how they are supposed to or if I don't know how to do it, but here is what I did, and it didn't work:

 

- create a new software instrument track with "external instrument" on it, and set the midi output (of the external instrument) to the IAC driver.

- click the "Audio FX" slot in the track and insert the "Audio Units > Native Instruments > Reaktor 6 MFX" plugin.

- load SQ16 (in Reaktor) and press play on logic transport (I can hear the beat playing so far)

- open the environment and go to the "click and ports" layer

- In there pull a cable from the IAC driver port of the "Physical Input" to a monitor

 

At that point, since the transport is playing, if midi was sent out by the "external instrument", I would expect the monitor to display some data (the midi data that is played while logic is playing), but that's not the case: the monitor displays nothing.

 

I also tried to download the "midi Fx Freeze" app, but the download link is broken (redirecting to inexisting url: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/midi-fx-freeze/id1475527978). I tried to find "midi fx freeze" on the apple store website (https://www.apple.com/app-store/) but they don't have it.

 

So unfortunately at the moment I still don't know how to do it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Midifx freeze has some issues I reccomend against using it any more.

 

If you only need to sequence one instrument then you don’t need to use IAC. Just put your instrument of choice into the instrument slot and then the reaktor sequencer in the mfx slot.

 

If you need to sequence more then one instrument then it should work as Jodi described over IAC, I have done this many times. Maybe make sure reaktor is actually sending out midi in your use case?

 

Be advised that if you don’t cable that IAC port then you can get midi feedback loop thst will freeze logicpro. It’s important that you cable directly to other instrument channels WITHOUT going through the tracks section otherwise it’s very easy to accidentally select the track with reaktor and get a midi feedback loop

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you need to actually capture the midi output from reaktor to record it to a track then you can very carefully allow that as IAC to be routed to the sequencer but make sure not to select the track with reaktor on it or you will probably end up with a midi feedback loop that will freeze logicpro.

 

I have other workarounds that use scripter if you’re interested

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you load the Audio Units MIDI FX Reaktor plug-in (Logic does not support the VST plugin format, only Audio Units) it will output MIDI to the instrument directly below it and MIDI won't go further than that. You will be able to work around that if you load the External instrument plugin and output to an IAC driver bus, as these basically loopback on themselves so the output will come back into Logic's sequencer input, and like Dewdman says, you will have to make sure you select any track except that Reaktor track otherwise you will get a MIDI feedback loop.

 

J.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried it - Reaktor 6 MFX in the MIDI FX slot, with an instrument plugin below it. When you hit play, SQ16 is playing (graphically speaking at least), but no notes are played by the instrument on the slot (and it blocks incoming MIDI from a keyboard too).

 

So if it's supposed to work like this, it doesn't seem to be... (unless I'm misunderstanding SQ16 etc which is entirely possible.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Normally all the ones that include the Note/Pitch module should work, like the SQP sequencer. I suppose all those sequencers could be edited to send MIDI out.

 

522840289_Screenshot2020-10-25at21_26_13.thumb.png.0e0746510b74a3e87f7b48b95f9f2128.png

 

Some more info here as well:

 

https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/210309885-How-to-Build-a-Sequencer-in-REAKTOR-to-Send-MIDI-Notes-to-an-External-Sound-Generator

 

J.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

got it. I'm not getting any midi from it either... so... Yea, I'd say that Reaktor ens is not working unless there is some secret trick.

 

Looking deeper at the programming of this ens, and like I said, I don't know how to program Reaktor, but here is what it looks like. To me it appears to not be meant as a midi out device, but rather as something that outputs actual drum sound?

 

reaktor.thumb.jpg.83fb2ed2c0f94528c5417089047146aa.jpg

 

I think it would be a matter of recabling the Reaktor Ensemble to send the midi events directly to midi out in order to see the midi output. Just a guess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

got it. I'm not getting any midi from it either... so... Yea, I'd say that Reaktor ens is not working unless there is some secret trick.

 

Looking deeper at the programming of this ens, and like I said, I don't know how to program Reaktor, but here is what it looks like. To me it appears to not be meant as a midi out device, but rather as something that outputs actual drum sound?

 

[attachment=0]reaktor.jpg[/attachment]

 

I think it would be a matter of recabling the Reaktor Ensemble to send the midi events directly to midi out in order to see the midi output. Just a guess.

 

I guess you missed my post above?

 

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=112902&p=799944#p799944

 

J.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

got it. I'm not getting any midi from it either... so... Yea, I'd say that Reaktor ens is not working unless there is some secret trick.

 

Looking deeper at the programming of this ens, and like I said, I don't know how to program Reaktor, but here is what it looks like. To me it appears to not be meant as a midi out device, but rather as something that outputs actual drum sound?

 

reaktor.jpg

 

I think it would be a matter of recabling the Reaktor Ensemble to send the midi events directly to midi out in order to see the midi output. Just a guess.

 

I guess you missed my post above?

 

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=112902&p=799944#p799944

 

J.

 

I have no idea. There are two threads now and I was furiously writing several long winded posts on the other thread, sorry if I didn't keep up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...