Ciorcal no Cearnog

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====== Creating a Blackbox sample pack from a Kontakt Instrument ======
 
Kontakt is sampling powerhouse that allow you to create all sort of sample library as an Instrument.
Kontakt Instruments are a great source of sounds and sometime available for free. 

I come across a beautiful choir on the [[https://www.pianobook.co.uk/library/micahs-choir/|Pianobook]] site: Micah’s Choir, that was available only as a Kontakt Instrument.
So, I decided to convert it to a multisamples pack for my 1010music Blackbox.

That is the origin of this guide that I hope can be useful for others.

===== The Tools =====
==== Kontakt Player 6 ====
Available for free on Native Instrument website: https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/samplers/kontakt-6-player/free-download/
Kontact Player will be use to play the Kontakt Instrument.

Important to note, Kontakt Player will timeout after 15min.
So, you might want to review the process and reload the plugin once you're ready.

==== MPC Beats 2.8====
Also available for free on Akai site: https://www.akaipro.com/mpc-beats
MPC Beats will be use a VST host and also include a great "Auto-Sampler".

===== The Process =====
==== Set up the VST ====
Once both installed, make sure Kontakt can be open from the MPC Beats.
On MPC Beats:
  * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger_button|Hamburger button]] (top left)
  * Edit
  * Preferences
  * Open the "Plugins" section
  * Ensure the location that store your Kontakt VST is listed. If not, add it and press "Rescan All"

==== Set up the Project ====
On the MPC Beats, if not already done, create a new project:
  * Hamburger button  
  * File
  * New Project
  * MPC Beats will list you different Template, select the "Empty" one

One on the "Main Mode" window, under the Track 1, click on the little plug icon ("Plugin").
This is show a new menu in the "Program" section.
Click on the "Plugin" parameter and select Kontakt.


==== Set up your Kontact instrument ====
  * Open Kontakt by clicking on the tiny **window** icon present on the right of the "Plugin" parameter.
  * Load your Kontakt instrument, with the "Micah’s Choir", I simply drag&drop the .nki to the Player.
  * Adjust the volume if necessary

Ensure that in the “Accept all notes off / all sounds off” is disable on the instrument.
If not done, Auto Sampler might not play notes (cf. [[https://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php?p=1766014#p1766014]])
  * Click on the wrench, to access the instrument options
  * Click on the “Instrument Options”
  * Go to the "Controller" section
  * Disable the  “Accept all notes off / all sounds off” check-mark

==== Disable loop (Optional) ====
The "Micah’s Choir" instrument was set to loop the sample when notes were sustain for a long time.
I didn't want that to happen so I disabled it on the Wave editor.
To do so, in the KontaKt instrument:
  * Click on the wrench, to access the instrument options
  * Click on the Mapping editor
  * Go to the Mapping editor (you might have to scroll down to see it)
  * Select all the zone from left to right
  * Open the Wave editor
  * In the "sample Loop" tab, click on the power button, that will disable loop on the last wave.
  * click on the gear icon
  * Select “to all selected zones/copy current zone loop settings”

We're ready to create the samples.

===== Run the Auto Sampler =====
Back to the main MPC Beats window
  * Hamburger button 
  * Tools
  * Auto Sampler
  * Configure Auto Sampler

In this scenario, I used to following options. Feel free to adjust them to your need.
Track Name: Track 1
Program Name: Plugin 001
Record from: Resample L+R
  * Min note: G1
  * Max note: E4
  * Note Stride: 4
  * Extend min/max notes: Off
  * Velocity Layers: 1: 127
  * Note length: 6.0s
  * Tail: 0.0s
  * Base Name: Micah’s Choir
  * Enable looping: Off

Click on "Do it".

MPC beats will play the notes, create sample for each of them.
It will also set the right Root note for the sample <del>and the velocity tag</del> (not working as of now with Blackbox).

===== Collect the samples =====
Back to the MPC Beats main window, in the Project window:
  * Right click on the newly create Program
  * Select Save
  * Chose a location to save the files.

===== Instrument hacking:  map velocity to parameter (Optional) =====
**Velocity layer don't seems to be compatible between MPC Beats and Blacbox, so this won't work.**
According to Aaron, both note and velocity are store on the "inst" tag.
https://forum.1010music.com/forum/general-topics/19862-wav-tags-we-support 


https://sites.google.com/site/musicgapi/technical-documents/wav-file-format#inst


Micah’s Choir have a great parameter that allow to adjust the archness of the voice using the modwheel.
I wanted to map this to the velocity and create a multiple velocity pack.
This is an totally optional step.

In Kontakt Player, open the Script Editor and the "Performance View" tab.

The parameter was handle by the $Dynamics
So, I:
  * modified the $Dynamics range from (0,100) to (0,127) during its declaration.
  * Remove the //on controller// portion of the code
  * Add the //on note// portion of the code (to associated the velocity to harshness)

<code>
declare const $Dynamics_CC := 1

    declare ui_slider $Dynamics (0,127 )

    make_persistent($Dynamics)

    set_control_par(get_ui_id($Dynamics), $CONTROL_PAR_ALLOW_AUTOMATION, 0)
	
end on

on note
	 $Dynamics := $EVENT_VELOCITY
end on
</code>

Once done, I re-run the Auto-Sampler with multiple velocity layers: 
  * 1: 127
  * 2: 96
  * 3: 64
  * 4: 32

===== Load the pack in the Blackbox =====
Once your samples are created, copy the folder to the SD card.
  * Start your Blackbox
  * Go to "Pads"
  * Select an Pad
  * Tap "Info"
  * Tap "Load"
  * Navigate inside your sample pack folder
  * Tap "File"
  * Tap "Load all"

Et voila!!