Crackle when automating Kontakt 5

I heavily use Kontakt 5 instruments with GP (such as Session Keys Electric S & R, Scarbee Classic EP-88S, Woodchester Piano, own sampled instruments) which really works smooth and without issues when I’m playing the instruments. Some days ago I started to create a sophisticated “Rhodes” Rackspace with some widgets which control the amount of tremolo, phaser, delay, reverb etc via host automation. Then I learn the widgets to one or several knobs/modwheel etc. on my master keyboard.

But when I touch one of the widgets Kontakt 5 crackles and pops. Which is something I could live with when it’s done before the gig. But I really want to use these controls during the song to have more reverb in the intro and less tremolo at the solo.

Does someone have similar issues with Kontakt instruments and automation? Haven’t found a workaround yet. Is it possible that automating/changing the parameters causes so high CPU peaks so that my i5 comes to its limit when this happens? (Can’t really imagine)

Here’s a short snippet that shows what I mean:

http://download.sansiba.com/GP-K5-Crackle.mp3

Thanks for any hint or idea :slight_smile:

What OS? What sample rate? What audio interface? What device driver? Etc., etc., …

Does the CPU utilization in GP jump a lot?

Are you in GP widget edit mode when this happens?

Are you using convolution reverbs, whicha are very CPU intensive?

I assume you’re using the latest released version of Gig Performer (2.6) and the latest V5 Kontakt?

Ahh, I was pretty sure I mentioned that I’m running MacOS Sierra on a i5 Mac Book Pro. Sorry :slight_smile:

Samplerate is 44100 Hz and audio interface is the included Audio Interface in my Yamaha MODX or Yamaha MoXF.

No GP widget edit mode. No convolution reverbs.

Yes.

Hmm, sometimes. When I’m not playing, it is around 3-5%. But when I turn my modwheel (learned to a widget learned to K5 tremolo and chorus dry/wet) it sometimes jumps up to 35%. Not always… but it also crackles if I don’t see a bigger CPU jump (maybe too fast to see?).

Does that mean that those parameter changes in Kontakt are just very CPU intensive?

I’ve experienced the same audio crackling, while manipulating widgets, on rackspaces that contain two instruments where both are CPU intensive.
The specifics were: 2 Roland Jupiter-8 VSTs, while my expression pedal was controlling a Gain Control (mono), via an Expression Pedal widget, connected to the output of a B4II organ.
And yes, the CPU skyrocketed into the 90%+, while moving the pedal.
My solution was to BYPASS the Jupiter-8 that wasn’t currently be played, leaving only one active at a time.

@jazzundso
I did not experience such issues.
What factory sound can you reproduce the issue?
And what does the widget control.

I can check with Kontakt 5 and the new Kontakt.

I tested with Woodwind Solo (Symphonie Essentials) and automated the big knob in the middle.
I cannot detect any crackles in audio or higher CPU usage.

That Jupiter-8 (from the Roland Cloud) is known to be absurdly CPU intensive. I don’t think it’s really usable in a live situation.

Here it also appears with KOMPLETE patches like the SCARBEE MARK I. I can’t make it happen with presets with less samples like Retro Machines. Don’t know what is wrong here.

Chorus depth, tremolo amounts or delay mix.

Maybe I find a workaround for that like using external plugins for chorus and tremolo. Can anybody recommend something? Multiply for chorus? I don’t really like the Melda plugin.

What is SCARBEE MARK I?

The Plug & Mix effects aren’t bad but right now I’m a big fan of TH3 - and of course it has both Chorus and Tremolo?

Yes, I can only get away with using one instance of the Jupiter-8 at a time.

It’s a (pretty old) rhodes library included in KOMPLETE. (Don’t confuse it with the really great successor: EP-88S. I can highly recommend this one. Can be easily tweaked to George Duke kind of sounds… for everybody that likes Jazz/Funk/Soul…)

Ahha … I haven’t realized that it’s a complete FX suite. :slight_smile: Wow. Pretty impressive. All the hardware stuff I love (MXR, Boss, Ensemble / Dimension) Let’s see how it works with GP (and my i5 Mac Book)…

Oh – if you’re doing Rhodes, then as far as I’m concerned, the only answer is Lounge Lizard although Pianoteq has a pretty decent Rhodes add-on as well. I try to avoid sampled stuff as much as possible, just seems easier to manage.

As for TH3 — it seems to be adding very little overheard - I’m told it has really been well optimized in that regard.

I used Lounge Lizard when it was at version 2… I think that was around 2004 :slight_smile: I guess it has become slightly better since then :sweat_smile: Maybe it should give it a new chance.

Well, I just got involved with a Steely Dan project and Lounge Lizard and the MXR form TH3 are capturing Fagen’s sound brilliantly. Yiu can also do a perfect Supertramp Wurlitzer