Native Instruments Kore 2 Operation Manual

OPERATION MANUAL

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH. The software described by this document is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior written permission by NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH, hereinafter referred to as NATIVE INSTRUMENTS. All product and company names are ™ or ® trademarks of their respective owners. Furthermore, the fact that you are reading this text means you are the owner of legal version rather than an illegal, pirated copy. It is only through the loyalty and honesty of people like yourself that NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH can continue to develop and create innovative audio software. On behalf of the entire company, thank you very much.

Users Guide written by Thomas Loop. Special thanks to the Beta Test Team, who were invaluable not just in tracking down bugs, but in making this a better product.

Germany

NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH Schlesische Str. 28 D-10997 Berlin Germany info@native-instruments.de www.native-instruments.de

USA

NATIVE INSTRUMENTS North America, Inc. 5631 Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90028 USA sales@native-instruments.com www.native-instruments.com

MASSIVE was designed and developed entirely by Native Instruments GmbH. Solely the name Massive is a registered trademark of Massive Audio Inc, USA.

1. Introduction

This part of the User’s Manual gives a brief overview over KORE 2’s abilities and explains how to use this manual. Additionally, it contains notes about using the KORE 2 Controller safely and provides some general productrelated information.

1.1 Welcome to KORE 2

Thank you for buying KORE 2. On behalf of the entire NATIVE INSTRUMENTS team, we hope you are truly inspired by this product. KORE 2 has been designed in order to let you nd the sound you have in mind fast. The Browser of KORE 2 is lled with musical attributes – specify any combination, and the sounds that match the description are immediately listed. The repertoire of the KORE 2 Browser is lled with more than 500 sounds, each providing several variations which can be morphed seamlessly. They have been created for immediate use in your production: All 3.000 variations can be loaded and played instantaneously without the need for additional software, as KORE 2 is equipped with six Integrated Engines. Their individual power and sonic variety shape KORE 2 as The Super Instrument.

KORE 2 – 4

Effort has been given to make all sounds of KORE 2 accessible in a simple

and unied way. While the technical details that generate a sound can

differ enormously from engine to engine, your sound control is always similar: the most important parameters for each individual sound have been manually assigned to the hardware, and you can tweak them directly and effectively. The recall and morphing of variations can also be controlled remotely with the KORE 2 Controller. Beyond these immediate usage possibilities, you can integrate any other plug-in into the KORE 2 host application. Import your favorite plug-in’s presets into KORE 2 and integrate them into your sound database, or create more personal sound processing using more than Internal Audio and MIDI Components. This manual will help you get the best out of KORE 2.

1.2 How to Use This Manual

This manual is split into three main parts: The rst part explains how to

install the KORE 2 hardware. The software installation and activation is described within the separate Setup Guide. The second part covers KORE 2 systematically and provides information about all parts of KORE 2, structured according to the software’s user interface. As each part of the

user interface is focused on a specic functionality, the manual structure

will guide you quickly and easily to the information you need. Note that the reference part is introduced by two overview sections. They explain some basic concepts of KORE 2 and show how the user interface is

Within the margin column

information is given that often goes

beyond a specic chapter’s scope or

provides additional hints.

of this manual, additional

KORE 2 – 5

structured. Reading these is strongly recommended if you want to understand and use all the features KORE 2 provides. The last part of the

manual, nally, is the appendix that contains some specic information

about using KORE 2 with other products by NATIVE INSTRUMENTS. It also holds an index of important terms as well as a keyboard shortcut overview.

1.3 Safety Considerations

Please always use the KORE 2 Controller according to the following security advices.

Warning

Before using the KORE 2 hardware, please thoroughly read the

►

instructions below and the Owner’s Manual. The device contains no user-serviceable parts. Do not open the device

►

or attempt to disassemble or modify any internal hardware. If it appears to malfunction, immediately stop using it and have it inspected by

qualied service personnel.

Do not expose the unit to rain, and do not use it near water or in damp

►

or wet conditions. Also, make sure that no glasses or bottles containing liquids which might spill are placed on the hardware. Do not allow any objects or liquids of any kind to penetrate the unit. The KORE 2 Controller is USB bus-powered. Operation can only be

►

guaranteed as a single device with a USB2 controller or with a selfpowered USB2 hub.

Those who don’t like read-

after mastering a few basics, KORE

2 is unusually easy to learn. This is

supported by the Info Pane of the

KORE 2 sof twa re: Each time you

move your mouse over an element

of KORE 2, the Info Pane explains

the control’s usage. Note that you

can set the Info Pane’s language

within the application’s Options

dialog explained in chapter 3.3.5

below.

ing manuals will nd that

KORE 2 – 6

Caution

Do not place the KORE 2 Controller in an unstable position where it

►

might accidentally fall to the ground. Before moving the KORE 2 Controller, remove all connected cables.

►

Never use or store the unit in places that are subject to extreme

►

temperatures (e.g., direct sunlight in a closed vehicle, near to a heating or heat-generating equipment), or high levels of vibration. Do not use excessive force on the buttons, knobs, switches, or

►

connectors. When cleaning the KORE 2 Controller, use a soft, dry cloth. Do not

►

use paint thinner, solvents, cleaning uids, or chemically-impregnated

wiping cloths.

1.4 Notes

Disclaimer: Native Instruments GmbH cannot be held responsible for

►

damage or data-loss caused by improper use or modication to the

KORE 2 Controller or the KORE 2 software.

Specications subject to change: The information contained in this

►

manual is believed to be correct at the time of printing. However, Native

Instruments reserves the right to make changes to the specications

of software and hardware at any time without notice or obligation to update existing units.

KORE 2 – 7

Name Plate Location: The name plate is located on the bottom of

►

the product. It lists the product’s model name and other technical information. The serial number is also located on the bottom of the unit. Disposal Notice: Should this product become damaged beyond

►

repair, or for some other reason come to the end of its life, please observe all regulations of your country that relate to the disposal of electronic products. Copyright: © Native Instruments GmbH 2007. This publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part, summarized, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Native Instruments GmbH. All product and company name s are trademarks or registered

►

trademarks of their respective owners.

1.5 Software Installation

For details about the KORE 2 Controller driver installation, refer to Chapter 2.2 of this manual. More information about the KORE 2 software installation is available from the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS Setup Guide included with this package.

KORE 2 – 8

2. Hardware Setup

Thanks to the seamless integration of KORE 2’s software and hardware components, your software becomes a tangible instrument that is highly intuitive and uniform in its operation.

The KORE 2 Controller is a tactile interface to the world of KoreSounds.

►

By implementing the Control Page concept explained in chapter 3.1.4,

it unies the interface of all different instrument and effect plug-ins

within KORE 2. The KORE 2 Controller can also access all types of S

►

and can act as a powerful hardware interface to KORE 2’s Sound Database.

If you own a KORE 1 Controller, please note that it is fully compatible with KORE 2. Read more on this in chapter 3.9.

ound VariationS

When you install KORE 2

make sure that you also choose to

install the KORE 2 Controller driver.

Refer to chapter 2.2 for more infor-

mation.

for the rst time, please

KORE 2 – 9

2.1 The hardware elements of your KORE 2 Controller

2.1.1 Rear Panel

(1, 2) Footswitch ports

These two ports can be used to attach any type of foot controller. The inputs only work with on/off signals. The footswitches can be assigned to uSer Page buttons. Read more on using footswitches in chapter 2.3.3.

(3, 4) Pedal inputs

Various pedals (expression, sustain, volume, etc.) can be attached here. The pedal input receives continuous signals. It can be assigned to u Page Knobs. Read more on using pedals in chapter 2.3.3.

(5) USB 2 port

Be aware that at least the USB 2 connection has to be established to make the KORE 2 Controller work; all other connections described here are optional. It provides the unit’s functionality as a Controller and supplies electrical power to the hardware.

Ser

KORE 2 – 10

(6, 7) MIDI Input /Output

The KORE 2 Controller is also a MIDI interface. Use the IN port to attach a master keyboard and the OUT to drive an external device such as a drum machine or sampler. Please note that, at the time of writing, the KORE 2 Controller's knobs, buttons, and transport do not send MIDI information.

(8) Kensington Lock socket

Use this to attach a Kensing ton-style lock to prevent your KORE 2 Controller from being stolen. This kind of lock can be found at dealers for notebook accessories.

KORE 2 – 11

2.1.2 Top Panel

1-8: Controller Knobs

These are digital endless encoders with a far higher resolution than would be possible with the MIDI standard. They control the target parameters incrementally, leading to a very smooth control of values on the software side. You can also use the Control Knobs to morph between S

ound VariationS

KORE 2 – 12

The Control Knobs are touch-sensitive, i.e., if the knob is touched (without altering its value) the KORE 2 Controller reacts and displays the controller’s name and its current value in the hardware display (32). This is also very convenient for assigning parameters. Each Control Knob is surrounded by a Selection Ring that displays a dimmed red light if there is an assignment (i.e., functionality) present. It blinks when the controller is becoming assigned, and it is bright red when the knob is touched on the hardware or clicked in the software.

9-16: Controller Buttons 1-8

The buttons contain a light indicating their on/off state. On the software level (see the section about Control Pages) the buttons can be used in gate or toggle mode. They can also be used to recall a Sound Variation’s settings.

17: Stop

Equivalent to the tranSPort area’s StoP button.

18: Start

Equivalent to the tranSPort area’s Start button.

19: Record

Unused in this version of the KORE 2 software.

20: Pre-Listen

Activates Pre-liSten mode for quickly testing KoreSounds.

KORE 2 – 13

21: Control

This button provides access to the Co ntro l PageS of the component currently in focus.

22: F2

Jump to the BrowSer and the hardware options with this button.

23: Sound

Switches into S

ound Mode

for navigating the S

ound Matrix

. S

ound Mode

also

allows to morph Sound VariationS.

24: Enter

This button conrms a selection and enters a selected Sound Matrix

level.

25: F1

This button is context sensitive and changes its function depending on the situation. Please read chapter 3.9 for details.

26: Escape

Use this button to return to the next higher level of the menu structure.

27: Scrollwheel

The wheel has the same function as the Up/Down buttons. 28-31: Up, Down, Left, Right Navigation through channels, Pages, menus and lists.

KORE 2 – 14

32: Display

The Main Display shows Controller states, Pages, parameter names and values, menus, lists and folder structures.

2.2 Driver Installation

KORE 2 is a tightly integrated system of software and hardware. Before using the KORE 2 Controller, the hardware driver must be installed. If you are unsure if the driver was correctly installed during the installation procedure, you can add it manually: The driver installer is located in the KORE 2 Program Folder on your computer.

Windows: Program Files / Native Instruments / KORE 2 / Mac OS X: Applications / KORE 2 / Driver /

Driver Installation on Windows XP

Insert the KORE 2 Installation CD into the CD-ROM drive or locate

►

the driver setup in the KORE 2 program folder, Program Files / Native Instruments / KORE 2 /.

Use the Windows Explorer to view the contents of the folder.

►

Start the installation by double-clicking Kore 2 Driver Setup.exe

►

The setup program will suggest C:\Program Files\Native Instruments\

►

KORE 2\ as the path for the destination folder. You may also choose another folder if you wish. During the installation you will be asked to attach the KORE 2

►

Controller. Please connect the KORE 2 Controller to a USB2 port on your computer and follow the installation dialogs until installation is

nished.

Start the driver inst all

ing the KORE 2 Controller to your

computer.

the KORE 2 Controller to function

properly. This Windows update pro-

vides support for USB 2.0.

process before connect-

For Windows XP, Service

Pack 2 is nece ssary for

KORE 2 – 15

Driver Installation on Mac OS X

Insert the KORE 2 Installation CD into the CD-ROM drive or locate the

►

driver setup in the KORE 2 application, folder Applications / KORE 2 / Driver. Start the driver installation package NI Hardware Driver Installer.app

►

with a double-click. After clicking “Continue” you can select the installation location. The

►

startup disk is chosen by default.

2.3 Connecting the Hardware

2.3.1 Connecting the hardware to a computer

Before using your KORE 2 Controller, the driver must be installed. If this has not taken place, please refer to the manual section above for instructions on manual driver installation. After star ting your computer, connect the KORE 2 C ontroller to your computer with the enclosed USB cable and launch the KORE 2 application. Whenever the KORE 2 Controller goes from a power-off to power-on state (by connecting it to a powered-up computer or starting the computer with the Controller connected), it initiates a routine that calibrates its knobs. During this process, the red Selection Ring around the knobs stays lit. Do not touch the controls, or have anything lying on top of the Controller that might affect a knob position, during calibration as the calibration will be

KORE 2 – 16

inaccurate. If you accidentally move a control, disconnect the KORE 2 Controller then re-connect it to re-initiate calibration.

2.3.2 Connecting to an external MIDI device

Hardware:

To receive data from a MIDI controller such as a keyboard or a MIDI pedal board, connect the MIDI Out socket of your controller to the MIDI In socket on the KORE 2 Controller with a MIDI cable. To send MIDI data from KORE 2, connect its MIDI Out socket to the MIDI In on the device you wish to control. Make sure both connected MIDI devices are set to the same MIDI channel.

Software:

In the F

ile Menu

the NI KORE 2 MIDI device by clicking on oFF. When the device is enabled it will show on.

choose Audio and MIDI Settings. On the Midi

taB

, activate

2.3.3 Connecting a pedal or footswitch

Additional pedals (expression, volume, etc.) can also be used with the KORE 2 Controller by connecting them to the Pedal inPutS to the right of the MIDI jacks. The pedals are calibrated automatically when the KORE 2 Controller is starts up. If the pedal and/or footswitch are plugged in after KORE 2’s initial power-up, recalibrate KORE 2 as described in chapter

3.3.5.

It can h appen that the

or other artifacts. Go into the op-

tions m enu of the controlle r and

tweak the Contrast and Brightness

settings to correct this.

display is showing stripes

KORE 2 – 17

Footswitches can be connected to the two inputs at the far left of the back panel. Either normally closed or normally open type footswitches can be used, but make sure they’re plugged in on power-up so that KORE 2 can detect which type you’re using. Please read chapter 3.5.3 for information about assigning footswitches and pedals to KORE 2‘s Control PageS.

KORE 2 – 18

3. Reference

The reference chapters make up the bulk of this manual. Here you will nd

detailed description of all functions, commands and interface elements of KORE 2. Please make sure that you at least completely read the chapters

3.1 and 3.2 for getting an overview.

3.1 Important concepts: Understanding KORE 2

The following paragraphs provide general information about KORE 2. You will read about hosts and plug-ins, integr ated engineS and other NATIVE INSTRUMENTS products that work with KORE 2. You will also be introduced to the way KORE 2 integrates hardware and software to produce one easily usable entity, and the powerful concept of nested sounds is presented. If these terms are familiar to you, feel free to skip these passages. However, reading these chapters will help you to better your understanding of KORE 2 and its concepts.

3.1.1 The instrument KORE 2: Stand-alone, plug-in and host

KORE 2 is an instrument that can create a wide variety of sounds natively on your computer without the need for additional hardware. Just as you would switch on a hardware synthesizer you can simply launch KORE 2 on your computer and it connects directly to the computer’s hardware. This

KORE 2 – 19

hardware would be your audio interface and any MIDI keyboard or controller available. This mode is called stand-alone within this manual. However, a hardware synthesizer will probably not be used alone but in combination with a mixing desk, an effect rack and some cabling. You cannot connect software with cables, so another mechanism is used to accomplish this common use case: A so-called host application loads other

applications during runtime as plug-ins. While the plug-in applications

represent the synthesizers, samplers or effect units, the host application mimics the mixing environment.

Within the host you can dene how the plug-ins are connected and there

you also handle your system’s hardware. Sometimes an application can be used as a stand-alone and as a plug-in; and some applications may be used as a plug-in and as a host. Often, stand-alone applications are hosts that use plug-ins (in both senses) – common examples are software sequencers. Those sequencers mostly do not work as plug-in versions. Vice versa, there are synthesizers and, more commonly, effects which are only available as plug-ins and cannot be used as a stand-alone without the host. KORE 2 however, can be used in all suggested ways. KORE 2 provides a stand-alone version and a plug-in version. You can use KORE 2 without any other software, as described above, but you can also use it as plug-in within another host. This ensures that you can combine it with any other sound generator you want to use. But KORE 2 is also a host by itself and can load other plug-ins. This functionality is available when KORE 2 is running as stand-alone as well as in plug-in mode; in the latter case, KORE 2 becomes a sub-host.

KORE 2 – 20

We will expand on the sub-host concept in the following chapter

(introducing the idea of nesting) while chapter 3.1.3 comes back to plugin concepts.

KORE 2 as a stand-alone

As stand-alone software KORE 2 becomes your one-stop solution for live and studio work. The stand-alone version of KORE 2 adds four menus on the application level:

The File Menu provides functions to create, load, and save Performances

►

and KoreSounds plus access to KORE 2’s Preferences. The edit Menu allows working on the KORE 2 mixers by offering

►

functions like creating, copying and pasting channels. It also comes with a handy Undo system. On the Vie w Menu you can control the contents of the application

►

window. The HelP Menu is your launchpad to the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS

►

Service Center for management of your licences and to support material on the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS website.

KORE 2 as a plug-in

The plug-in version of KORE 2 is identic al with the stand-alone version, except that it’s lacking the abovementioned menus and for the fact that in a host environment the sequencer takes care of all things audio and MIDI. The commands of the stand-alone menus that are also of relevance for the plug-in can be found on the g

loBal Plug

KORE 2 – 21

in Menu. In plug-in mode, KORE 2 works in any host program (e.g.,

Cubase, Logic Audio, Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Sonar, Digital Performer, Tracktion, etc.). KORE 2 inserts into the program’s mixer as a virtual instrument or effect (there are different versions of the KORE 2 plug-in for these tasks). But also note that the KORE 2 plug-in is a VST/AU host in itself. This allows KORE 2 to organize, mix, and control multiple plug-ins within the host. When you have multiple KORE 2 plug-in instances running in your host software you can easily navigate them via your KORE 2 Controller (see chapter 3.9).

There are three different versions of the KORE 2 plug-in:

Kore 2 is the normal VSTi instrument

►

Kore 2 FX is the effects version providing signal input

►

Kore 2 2x16 provides 16 stero outputs for using KoreSounds with

►

multiple outs. Please be aware that multiple outputs also lead to a higher CPU load.

KORE 2 – 22

3.1.2 SingleSounds, MultiSounds, Performances and Nesting

The edit area of a Performance containing nested Sounds.

It can be a time- consuming task to nd the sound that exactly ts

into the music you are working on. Following the paradigm described above, you need to load different plug-ins into your host, and you

need to handle each of them differently in order to nd an adequate sound; tweaking the sound again requires a plug-in-specic procedure.

KORE 2 allows you to abstract from the plug-ins’ particularities. Instead, you can focus on the sound. KORE 2 provides a concise interface to handle your different plug-ins’ parameters in a standardized way (this is the KORE 2 Controller’s function), and the database contains all sounds of all plug-ins installed on your system, tagged with musical attributes for quick access. Each entry in the database is a so-called KoreSound. It holds the mentioned

ttriButeS

as well as additional information, for instance the sound’s author,

If you are familiar with

can think of a KoreSound as being

similar to a sample. The only differ-

ence is that a sample is the record-

ing of a sound, while the KoreSound

is a “reco rding ” of the str ucture

which generates a sound. This al-

lows the reproduction of the sound

at any time but it also provides ex-

tensive editing capacities impossi-

ble with samples.

sampling techniques, you

KORE 2 – 23

the location on the hard disk or arbitrary comments. Technically, it tells KORE 2 which plug-in is used to generate the sound, and which settings are required within the plug-in in order to produce exactly the sound the

KoreSound was saved for. While the KoreSound takes care of the technical

details, you can concentrate on making music.

A KORE 2 SingleSound on the edit area.

A KoreSound referencing only one plug-in is called a SingleSound. MultiSounds, on the other hand, differ from SingleSounds in one important aspect: It can hold any number of plug-ins to generate a sound, connected to each other in arbitrary ways. However, as with a SingleSound, you don’t need to care about the way the plug-ins are handled. The MultiSound’s technical structure is encapsulated (of course you can edit all the details if you want).

KORE 2 – 24

This is a MultiSound with its Sound Matrix expanded.

The KoreSound concept also explains why KORE 2 is a sub-host. On one hand it is used as an instrument: You can load it as a plug-in with a wide variety of sounds at hand – the KoreSound database with each entry representing one possible sound of the KORE 2 instrument. On the other hand KORE 2 provides this variety by hosting plug-ins as dened within the loaded KoreSounds. The sub-host idea is taken to the extreme by the fact that a MultiSound can hold any other KoreSound instead of a plug-in.

Referring to the compari-

and samples again, SingleSounds

can be seen as recordings of single

instruments, while MultiSounds are

recordin gs of whole band s or or-

chestr as, often including the ar-

rangement and a conductor – tech-

nically: a s tep sequencer or an ar-

peggiator.

son between KoreSounds

KORE 2 – 25

The concept of KoreSounds within a KoreSound is called nesting within this manual. Nesting allows two things: On a basic level it provides the possibility to easily combine not only SingleSounds, but also MultiSounds into a new MultiSound. This bridges the gap between both types as you don’t need to care which type you are working with (unless you want to change the inner workings of a KoreSound). On an advanced level, you can create any

signal ow you can think of: Even feedback loops are possible. With the nesting concept in mind it is also obvious that the top level of

KORE 2 – the Performance, lled with KoreSounds via the BrowSer – is not very different from a MultiSound. You can, for example, save the whole Performance as MultiSound (using the F

ile Menu

) and load it as part of another Performance. The only difference between Performances and MultiSounds lies in non-structural information: A Performance saves the global clock’s BPM value, for instance, while a MultiSound adapts its speed to the global value. Again, the building blocks of KORE 2’s sound engine are (from the bottom to the top of the hierarchy):

The Single Sound

►

The Multi Sound

►

The Performance

►

Except for the Performance, everything on this array of Sounds is interchangeable and you can recombine it via drag and drop or convert and save parts of the structure as self-contained KoreSounds.

KORE 2 – 26

Another important idea to get when working with the Sound Matrix is the focus. There is always one component of the matrix currently focused. This can be a C

Hannel inSert

, a channel (click its C

Hannel Header

), the a

udio

taB, the Midi taB, and so on. The components can be focused with a singleclick of your mouse or by navigating the S

ound Matrix

with your

KORE 2 Controller (see chapter 3.9)

3.1.3 Integrated Engines and VST/AU-plug-ins

Similar to a hardware mixer, in most cases host applications don’t generate sound by themselves. This task is left to the plug-ins. The host only provides the environment for the plug-ins in terms of routing, control and hardware access. KORE 2, however, is an instrument, and therefore it features six soundgenerating integrated engineS:

ABSYNTH

►

FM8

►

GUITAR RIG

►

KONTAKT

►

MASSIVE

►

REAKTOR

►

These engines are derived from six products by NATIVE INSTRUMENTS and bring their full functionality except for the fact that integrated engineS don’t have a graphical user interface. The way you can interact with them is described in the following chapter.

KORE 2 – 27

When installing KORE 2, its factory content automatically is installed, too. You can access it with the BrowSer. These sounds use the integrated

ngineS

, so you don’t need any other plug-in to make music with Kore

2. If you own a license for one of the in tegrated engineS and have it

installed, KORE 2 will automatically substitute the integrated engine with the full version and also integrates the additional factory content into the database. Beside the integrated engineS, VST- and AU-plug-ins of any origin can be loaded into KORE 2. However, KORE 2 cannot provide KoreSounds for them directly. There is a convenient batch process to convert all patches of a loaded plug-in into KoreSounds automatically. Each resulting KoreSound represents one of the plug-in’s sounds, and they are fully integrated into KORE 2’s database. Please note that the KoreSounds only reference the plug-ins, they don’t contain them. You can copy any KoreSound from one computer to another – this is even possible between

Mac OS X and Windows computers – but, the KoreSound won’t work unless

the same plug-in is also installed on the second machine.

KORE 2 and plug-in parameters

It is important to note, that the interaction between KORE 2 and the plugins yields different results, depending on the way the respective plug-in handles automatable parameters. KORE 2 can only use and control those parameters that are exposed by the plug-in via the VST- or AU-interface. Depending on the design of the respective plug-in, this can lead to some

confusion. With some modular virtual instruments, like KONTAKT and

REAKTOR, it is impossible to design a stable set of parameters that gets

The conversion of a plug-

KoreSounds has already taken place

fo r t h e p rodu c t s o f NAT I V E

INSTRUMENTS, and you can install

manually rened KoreSo unds for

those you own. Check your KORE 2

Inst allation DVD for a dedicated

installe r, and consult the Service

Center’s Update Manager for recent

additions.

i n ’ s pa t ch es i n t o

i n ’ s p a tc h es i n t o

KORE 2 – 28

exposed to the host software. As the setup of a REAKTOR Ensemble or a KONTAKT Multi can be arbitrarily complex, the creators of the respective patches have to decide and manually program the parameter set. Please be aware of this when you create your own REAKTOR Ensembles or KONTAKT Instruments and refer to the documentation of the respective plug-in if you are unsure how to manage this. For the Native Instruments KOMPLETE 4 series of virtual instruments, the complete library of patches has been prepared for the use in KORE 2. Please refer to Appendix A for more information about the special behavior of some KOMPLETE 4 plug-ins. Appendix A is also a good read if you want to integrate your own REAKTOR Ensembles in KORE 2. It contains a dedicated section about REAKTOR in KORE 2.

KORE 2 and sample libraries

KORE 2 acts as a host for VST-/AU-plug-ins. This means it directly handles the parameters that are exposed by the various plug-ins. But plug-ins do not only consist of parameter settings, they also bring along other content, like samples. KORE 2 only loads the plug-in and the sample content is handled on the plug-in level without control by KORE 2. This leads to some pitfalls when handling sample libraries. The basic rule is that the respective

plug-in has to know where to nd its content so that it loads correctly in

KORE 2. If the plug-in alone doesn’t even know where to nd its content, it won’t know it in KORE 2, either. If you ever experience problems with samples not loading in KORE 2, be sure to rst check the settings inside of the respective plug-in and do not look for the problem in KORE 2. Some rules of thumb:

KORE 2 – 29

If you want to use the factory content of a plug-in, make sure that the

►

structure of the factory libraries remains unaltered.

If you move the factory library around on your le system, you have

►

to set the new location inside the respective plug-in and not in KORE

2. You can add folders to a factory library, as long as the original content

►

remains untouched.

Be aware of the fact that modication of non-integrated engine factory

►

content will change the behavior of KoreSounds in KORE 2’s factory

library, so always save your modied patches in your own le structure

and do not overwrite the original.

3.1.4 Hardware and Software: The Control Page system and Sound Variations

Any KoreSound provides C

ontrol PageS

. A Control Page is a set of controls

– eight buttons and eight knobs – that remote-control a user-dened set of the KoreSound’s parameters. This unies the handling of KoreSounds

and of underlying plug-ins to large extend. All KoreSounds coming with KORE 2 provide dedicated Pages that use all capacities of the system. One knob or button of a Cont rol Page often remote-controls several parameters at once, each with a particular range, some of them inverted – the possibilities are endless. You can easily create similar Pages for your own usage as the C

ontrol Page

system sports a l

earn

mechanism: Enable the le arn mode, arm a Page’s Con troller KnoB by clicking on it, and alter a parameter of the KoreSound the Page belongs to – for instance the underlying plug-in’s cutoff control. After disabling the learn

KORE 2 – 30

mode, you can conveniently remote-control the cutoff from the KORE 2 interface directly and don’t need to open the plug-in’s editor separately. Easy access to parameters is taken to the next level by the KORE 2 hardware offering you a physical representation of the Control PageS. By selecting a KoreSound within KORE 2, its Pages are automatically mapped onto the KORE 2 Controller. As the Pages are available for all KoreSound, you can now “touch” any plug-in you use in KORE 2, and you can modify even advanced MultiSounds with a twist of your ngers. KORE 2 is a tightly intergrated and highly interactive package of software and hardware for sound design, studio work and live performance. Besides that, Control PageS also form the basis for Sound VariationS, another property of every KoreSound. A S the KoreSound’s Control Page settings. This means that you can tweak a

KoreSound via its Pages (and the hardware), until it ts your needs and

save these settings as a Sound Variation. You can alter it further and save the new result as another S to eight them. You can recall any of them instantaneously. KORE 2 even allows you to

MorPH

between S sets all parameters of the KoreSound’s C morphing gradually transforms the settings from the old to the new settings. Depending on the parameters that are remote-controlled by the Pages, this can create completely new, previously unheard sounds.

ound VariationS

ound Variation

. While loading a S

ound Variation

. Each KoreSound can hold up

ontrol PageS

is a snapshot of

ound Variation

to specic values,

simply

Each KoreSound of the

al re a dy pr ov ide s eig ht So un d

Variations.

KORE 2 factory content

KORE 2 – 31

3.2 A user interface overview

On the following pages we will introduce KORE 2’s interface by explaining the different elements in a broader, functional way. In this section you will also learn the names of the most important controls to help you while reading this manual.

The KORE 2 interface with the gloBal Header on top, the uPPer Pane below, the

lower Pane displaying the Browser and the inFo Pane on the bottom.

KORE 2 – 32

KORE 2 has four main interface areas. This chapter will give you an overview of KORE 2’s functionality.

The interface is very exible and various elements can be hidden via

switches found on the gloBal Header to suit the situation at hand. The four areas are called:

gloBal Header

►

uPPer Pane

►

lower Pane

►

inFo Pane

►

The gloBal Header is always visible and contains buttons for toggling the display of the main interface elements (gloBal Controller, edit area/

ound Manager

, B

rowSer

, and i

nFo Pane

) plus the t

ranSPort area

and the aCtiVity area. The uPPer Pane is the area just below the gloBal Header. Depending on the settings of the V

iew ButtonS

, it can either display the gloBal Controller and the edit area (which shows the Sound Matrix) or the g

loBal Controller

and the S

ound Manager

(which deals with Keyboard Mapping and Automation). The lower Pane contains the BrowSer. The i

nFo Pane

can be hidden via a switch on the g

loBal Header

. It displays small helpful explanations if you mouse over the various elements of KORE 2’s interface.

The KORE s tan d-alon e

tical in this re spect. The plug-in

only la cks th e menu bar of th e

stand-alone application. You can

reach the commands applying to

the plug-in via an extra menu of the

plug-in’s Global Header.Global Header..

and the plug-in are iden-

KORE 2 – 33

3.2.1 Global Header

The topmost strip of controls is called the g and you can think of it as the central control of KORE 2’s interface. Its main purpose is to change KORE 2’s interface to match the situation at hand and provide direct control of global parameters. The V are your cockpit for switching between the various views of KORE 2. Depending on the task – and on the available screen estate – you will

quickly nd the best conguration. You can toggle between the edit area

with the Sound Matrix and the Sound Manager via the dedicated buttons. If the BrowSer is active, the Sound Matrix or Sound Manager, respectively, can be hidden to maximize the BrowSer.

loBal Header

. It is always visible

iew ButtonS

Use this interface exibil-

hiding the Edit Area when you want

to load and play sounds, only; or by

having only the Glob al C ontroller

and the Sound Matrix (quick focus-

ing of sounds) visible when p er-

forming.

ity to your advantage by

KORE 2 – 34

Two different views on KORE 2. On top you see a minimal KORE 2 with the top level of the

Sound Matrix, only. Below there is a full-edged view with Global Controller, Sound Matrix

and Browser.

The t

ranSPort area

KORE 2 has an internal clock that can be used to synchronize all time-

deals with all time and measure related functions.

When using KORE 2 as a

is provided by the host software and

cannot be inuenced from within

KORE 2. It will run synchro nized

automatically.

plug-in the global clock

KORE 2 – 35

dependent parameters inside the instruments and effects. It also controls the tempo of possible sequencers, MIDI players and arpeggiators. Use those controls to start and stop the clock, dial in a new tempo with the

eMPo edit

or tap the tempo to synchronize with your musical partners. The

tiMe Signature of KORE 2’s clock can also be edited here.

The Ba r diSPl ay gives you a visual clue of your position in the current bar. The last section of the gloBal Hea der displays the aC tiVit y area, which displays vital KORE 2 information such as the names and values of the parameters you are editing, the Midi a

Sage diSPlay

. It also contains a handy Midi P

CtiVit y

led and the CPu

aniC

button and the S

aVe

PerForManCe button. Please read chapter 3.3 for a detailed description of

the global controls.

KORE 2 – 36

3.2.2 Global Controller

The g

loBal Controller

system. You can learn more about this system in the dedicated chapter (chapter 3.5) further down. You will see that every sound and every channel in KORE 2 has its own set of Control PageS. There is a set of pre-dened Pages, which can also be tailored to your own needs. The g helps to organize the many Pages of the channels containing the various Sounds that sit in the Sound Matrix. Normally, the g or channel currently in focus on KORE 2’s software interface or on the KORE 2 Controller hardware. On the software interface you can focus a channel by clicking on its CHannel Header and a sound by clicking on the

CHannel in Sert it resides in. However, you can also lock the glo Bal Controller to keep the current component in focus regardless of

Controller status. Click on the loCK button to do this.

is a context-sensitive view on KORE 2’s C

loBal Controller

displays the C

ontrol PageS

ontrol Page

loBal Controller

of the sound

KORE 2

You can tog gle the view of

the Global Controller by clicking on

the dedicated Global Controller but-

ton on the Global Header.

A nice peformance setup

por tant p ara met ers on a locked

User Page for fast control via the

hardware. Use the interface to con-

trol the more detailed stuff, when

necessary.

could have the mo st im-

KORE 2 – 37

3.2.3 Edit Area and Sound Matrix

The areas of KORE 2 that actually produce and process sounds are found in the channels of the S of CHannel inSertS (the slots of the matrix), each of which can hold a KoreSound. This can be a SingleSound or a MultiSound, leading to a

exible workow.

There are three different channel types available:

Source Channels hold sounds without signal inputs.

►

Input Channels are used for audio input from external hardware or

►

parental Sound Matrix levels. Group Channels sum and process the output of channels of the same

►

Sound Matrix Level. The channels change their form according the entry chosen on their inPut Source menu. Signals – be they audio or MIDI – are sent through the Matrix from top to bottom, from the parental mixer level to the child and from the higher C

Hannel inSert

controlled via the a Sound Matrix levels. These two Tabs are displayed alternatively, just click on “audio” or “Midi”, respectively, to display their parameters. Via the aux

ound Matrix

. A channel is a hierarchical system

to the lower. Input and output parameters are

udio

and Midi t

aBS

placed right below the respective

KORE 2 – 38

sends, audio signals can ow horizontally within one mixer level. MIDI data

can also be distributed within a S of sends on the Midi taB. The display of the e

ound Matrix

level via a dedicated system

dit area

and S

ound Manager

is mutually exclusive, as they both sit on the same space of the interface. Please note that you can completely hide those two views, which can come in very handy for navigating large lists of Sounds in the B

rowSer

. Details

about the Sound Matrix can be found in chapter 3.4.

3.2.4 Sound Manager

In the Sound Manager you work on the keyboard ranges of the KoreSounds, manage the C are published to the host software when KORE 2 is running as a plug-in. The parameters can then be remote-controlled by the facilities of the host software (e.g. by “drawing” curves on the sequencer’s automation tracks). The reCall function of the Page liSt decides if the Controllers of the respective Page can be part of Sound VariationS.

ontrol PageS

and the list of automatable parameters that

If toggled on by clicking on the

Sound Manager button on the

Global Header it replaces the Edit

Area on the screen.

KORE 2 – 39

The CHannel MaPPing taB provides an easy to use editor for setting up the key ranges of all the channels in a Performance. The ranges are displayed on a concise graphical window that can be directly manipulated via the mouse. Please read more on the Sound Manager in chapter 3.6.

This can be used to eas-

but unique and creative sound de-

sign.

ily layer sounds for fas t

KORE 2 – 40

3.2.5 Browser

The Brow Ser is your tool for searching, nding, loading, tagging and saving KoreSounds. It can be switched to display different views in the KoreSound database, e.g. only showing instrumental sounds or only effects, or direct browsing of plug-ins. You can customize its appearance to suit your needs by showing or hiding columns or sorting your search hits in different ways.

3.2.6 Info Pane

Activate the Browser with a click on

the dedicated Browser but ton on

KORE 2’s Global Header. It always

appears at the bottom of the inter-

face and its size can be altered with

a handle. You can maximize the

Browser by hiding the Sound Matrix

Browser by hiding the Sound Matrix or Sound Manager from the

or Sound Manager from the

PPer Pane

on the

be found in chapter 3.7.

A detailed rundown

rowSer

’s functionality can

rowSer

’s functionality can

By activating the inF o Pane, which appears at the very bottom of the interface, you are kept informed about the functions of the various interface elements in KORE 2. Just hover with your mouse over an element you are interested in, and the i

nFo Pane

will show an explanation. You can change the info Pane’s language settings within the Options dialog along with the application’s menu language.

You can switch the

the

the application’s menu language.

Pane’s language within

PtionS

dialog, together with

PtionS

dialog, together with

inFo

KORE 2 – 41

3.3 Global controls

Some parts of KORE 2’s interface are of a global nature and independent of the KoreSounds that currently sit in the Sound Matrix. These are, for example, the stand-alone version’s application menu, the

loBal Plug-in Menu

the tranSPort area, and so on. The following sections deal with these global controls in detail.

3.3.1 Stand-alone menu

In stand-alone mode, i.e. when KORE 2 is not running as a plug-in in a

host environment, there are some additional menus that you won’t nd

in the plug-in. In this manual we show the PC versions. On a Mac the menus look a tad different but contain the same set of commands.

The File Menu

The File Menu provides functions to create, load, and save Performances and KoreSounds:

New Performance creates an empty Performance.

►

Open Performance opens a dialog, letting you navigate your le system

►

to choose and load a Performance File (.kpe).” Save Performance writes the current Performance to disk. If it has

►

been saved previously, the new version overwrites the old one. If it is a previously unsaved Performance, KORE 2 presents a dialog to choose the new Performance File’s location and name.

of the plug-in, the g

loBal Header

with its V

iew

buttons,

The inFo Pane is activated via a

The inFo Pane is activated via a dedicated button on the gloBal

dedicated button on the gloBal

Header of KORE 2.

The items of this menu

plug-in, can be found on the Global

Plug-in Menu of the plug-in.

that apply to the KORE

KORE 2 – 42

Save Performance As… is for writing the Performance to disk with a

►

new name, and to a location of your choice. Save Performance As Sound… “converts” the current Performance to

►

a KORE 2 MultiSound. The B can edit the M

eta inForMation

rowSer

will come up in Save mode, you

, tag it with a

ttriButeS

and save it into the database. Please read chapter 3.7 for details about the B and about saving KoreSounds. Load Sound… opens a dialog for loading a single KoreSound from your

►

le system. This can of course be a Multi Sound or a SingleSound. Recent Performances presents a list of the most recently opened les,

►

making it easy to return to les used in recent projects.

Options… opens KORE 2’s maintenance pages. The oPtionS consist of

►

for tabs dealing with the database, plug-ins and the conguration of

your KORE 2 Controller and they are explained in chapter 3.3.5. Please have a look at the separate NATIVE INSTRUMENTS Setup Guide

►

for details about the Audio and MIDI Settings for your system. If External MIDI Sync is activated, KORE 2 listens on the congured

►

MIDI ports for a MIDI clock stream. If there is one, KORE 2’s Central Clock runs synchronously to the incoming clock – it runs as a clock slave. Use this to synchronize KORE 2 to other application running on your computer or to external hardware that is producing MIDI clock signals. Exit closes stand-alone KORE 2.

► ►

rowSer

KORE 2 – 43

The Edit Menu

The edit Menu comes with a handy undo system. Please note the keyboard shortcuts (written out on the menu) for the different commands.

Undo rolls back your work to the previous step. If you accidentally

►

deleted a channel or simply decide that you would like to do something differently, use Undo to return the state before your most recent command. There is an unlimited number of undo steps. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+z. Redo returns your work to the state it was in before issuing an u

►

ndo

command. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+y. Find opens the BrowSer with the focus on the QuiCK SearCH eld. The

►

keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+f. Pre-Listen activates the Pre-liSten mode (see chapter 3.7). The

►

keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+p.

The View Menu

The V

iew Menu

loBal Header

of the stand-alone simply mirrors the V

iew

buttons of the

. See chapter 3.3.3 for details. Try to memorize the keyboard shortcuts for the different views. They can make you navigate KORE 2 a lot quicker.

The Help Menu

The entries of the HelP Menu get you up and running if KORE 2’s internal help system (the i

nFo Pane

) doesn’t cut it for you. It also contains some

items dealing with authorization and version information.

KORE 2 – 44

Launch Service Center… does exactly what it says. It starts the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS Service Center where you can authorize your NATIVE INSTRUMENTS products and review the status of our licenses. Please refer to the separate documentation for more details.

Open Manual opens the PDF version of this manual from your hard

►

disk. Visit KORE 2 on the web opens your default web browser pointing you

►

to the KORE 2 pages of the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS website where you nd a host of additional information and content to enhance you KORE 2 experience. The KORE 2 User Forum on the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS web site keeps you up to speed with the latest developments in KORE

2. You can discuss all matters KORE 2 within an active community of fellow users. The KORE 2 website also includes free tutorials, special KORE 2 events that might be of interest and information about wellknown artists using KORE 2. About… opens the About Screen which displays the Version number

►

and installation type of your KORE 2 installation. Here you also nd the names of all the people involved in the creation of KORE 2.

3.3.2 Global Plug-in Menu

As the KORE 2 plug-in is no independent application it lacks the menus of the stand-alone. However, there are some commands in those menus that are also applicable to the plug-in. That’s why you get a gloBal Plug-

in Menu

on the g

environment.

loBal Header

when using KORE 2 as a plug-in in a host

KORE 2 – 45

The g

loBal Plug-in Menu

of the plug-in combines some commands you

nd on the File and View menus of the stand-alone:

New Performance creates an empty Performance.

►

Open Performance opens a dialog, letting you navigate through your

►

le system to choose and load a Performance File (.kpe).

Save Performance writes the current Performance to disk. If it has

►

been saved previously, the new version overwrites the old one. If it is a previously unsaved Performance, KORE 2 presents a dialog to choose the new Performance File’s location and name. Save Performance As… is for writing the Performance to disk with a

►

new name, and to a location of your choice. Save Performance As Sound… “converts” the current Performance to

►

a KORE 2 MultiSound. The Browser will come up in Save mode, you can edit the Meta Information, tag it with a

ttriButeS

and save it into the database. Please read chapter 3.7 for details about the B and about saving KoreSounds. When Auto Compact Window is activated, KORE 2 automatically resizes

►

its plug-in window depending on the elements displayed. For instance, opening the Browser with the B

rowSer

button in the g

loBal Header

increase the window size instead of hiding other elements. You can specify the maximum window height within the Options dialog. With the command Options you open KORE 2’s preferences window.

►

Please read chapter 3.3.5 below to learn more about the oPtionS.

rowSer

will

KORE 2 – 46

When using KORE 2 as a plug-in, multiple instances of KORE 2 can be active simultaneously – one for each channel of the host application, for example. You can identiy each instance of KORE 2 by its individual number shown in the gloBal Header.

3.3.3 Global Header

The top-most strip of controls is called the gloBal Header. It is used for switching around KORE 2’s interface to t the situation at hand and provides access to some global functions that are independent of the respective KoreSounds in the Performance. It holds the following controls:

The Kore 2 l

►

right), when clicked, opens the a number and installation type of your KORE 2 installation. Here you also nd the names of all the people involved in the creation of KORE 2. The gloBal Controller switch toggles the display of KORE 2’s gloBal

►

ontroller

this command is F1. The e

►

dit area

can only be visible alternatively to the S computer keyboard as a shortcut.

ogo

(and the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS logo to the far

on the u

PPer Pane

switch displays the S

Bout SCreen

. This displays the version

on and off. The keyboard shortcut for

ound Matrix

on the u

ound Manager

PPer Pane

. This

. Use F2 on your

To assign th e KORE 2

click into the a rea be side th e in-

stance number. Refer to chapter

3.9.1 fo r informatio n on how to

change the hardware focus with the

KORE 2 Controller itself.

Controller to any instance,

KORE 2 – 47

The S

►

ound Manager

switch invokes the S

ound Manager

on the u

Pane, providing control over keyboard mappings of Performances and

Sounds and the management of C only be visible alternatively to the S

ontrol PageS

ound Matrix

for automation. This can

. This command can also be invoked with the F3 key on your computer keyboard. The B

rowSer

►

switch opens the B

rowSer

in the l

ower Pane

of KORE 2’s

interface. Mine the KORE 2 Library for Sounds, effects, Performances,

MIDI-les and plug-ins. The keyboard shortcut is F3.

The inFo Pane button opens the inFo Pane at the bottom of the

►

application window. If you hover with your mouse cursor over any element of KORE 2, the i

nFo Pane

will show you a short explanation of

that feature. The keyboard shortcut for the inFo Pane is F8.

PPer

If the Browser is displayed,

the Sound Manager or Sound Matrix,

res pec tively, for max imizing the

Browser.

you can completely hide

You will quickly learn how valuable the V

iew

buttons are when managing screen real-estate. Working with KORE 2 in a host environment poses limitations in terms of space and with the different views you will always

come up with the perfect conguration by activating needed components

and hiding the stuff you don’t need. One thing to mention is the contextsensitivity of the uPPer Pane. If the BrowSer is closed, you always have the e

dit area

or the S

ound Manager

open. When the B

rowSer

is opened you can hide the edit area or Sound Manager, respectively, by clicking on the respective View button. This leaves you with a maximized BrowSer for working with the database.

KORE 2 – 48

The Transport Area

The next part of the g

loBal ControlS

contains the t

ranSPort area

. If not synchronized via an external MIDI clock (see File Menu of the standalone) or running as a plug-in in a host environment, KORE 2 produces its own timing information that gets propagated to the KoreSounds for synchronization and control of sequencers, arpeggiators or any timedepending parameters.

The clock does not only control the tempo but also has facilities for dening

the measure and keeps track of the position in the current bar. This can be nice when dealing with step sequencers, as the bar position is an important thing when it comes to resets for sequences of different lenghts.

When running as a plug-in, all things time are controlled by the host clock

of the sequencer. That’s why the plug-in lacks the tranSPort area. The tranSPort area sports the following elements:

StoP (the square button) stops the central clock and resets it to beat one

►

of the bar. The KORE 2 Controller S

toP

button duplicates this function.

Use Ctrl+Space as keyboard shortcut (Mac: command-space).

lay

►

(the arrow button) starts KORE 2’s central timing clock. It is also

the master control for starting any MIDI-plug-ins sitting in C

Hannel

inSertS. This button works as a toggle; the rst click starts the clock,

the next stops it. Hitting it again continues at the last bar position. The Play hardware button on your KORE 2 Controller provides the same function. Use the space bar as a keyboard shortcut.

►

eMPo edit

shows the current tempo in beats per minute (BPM). You can change the tempo by clicking the value and dragging with your mouse, or double-clicking on it and typing in a new value.

KORE 2 – 49

taP provides another convenient way to dene the tempo; just click on

►

this button in quarter beats. KORE 2 averages the frequency of your clicks, and uses this to derive a tempo. Please note that you can assign the Tap button to a uSer Page, like any other button in KORE 2. The M

►

eaSure edit

shows the current measure of KORE 2’s clock in

measures and beats. You can change the measure by clicking in the values and dragging your mouse up or down. The MeaSure edit sports an integrated Bar d

iSPlay

, displaying the current position in the measure

with a resolution of one beat. Directly to the right of the Bar d

you nd the Beat indiCator, ashing at every beat.

When using a Midi P for the player to play the MIDI le. This is not the case for S

layer

(see chapter 3.8.34) the central clock has to run

teP SeQuenCerS

or arPeggiator, as they can also be triggered by note events.

The Activity Area

The aCtiVity area holds some informational displays and two buttons:

The Value Display always displays the name, value and unit for the

►

parameter you are altering, no matter if you do it with your mouse or via the KORE 2 Controller hardware. Watch the CPu uSage diSPlay and always be informed about the load

►

your KORE 2 performance imposes on your processor. The Midi aCtiVity led displays the data density of all incoming MIDI

►

channel messages. (channel messages are all MIDI messages that can be directed to a single MIDI channel; this excludes, for example, system exclusive messages and clock messages).

iSPlay

KORE 2 – 50

The Midi PaniC button (the exclamation mark) sends an “all notes

►

off” message to all plug-ins, which turns off any “stuck” notes and often solves other MIDI quirks. Furthermore, it resets KORE 2’s audio engine. Use this if you are experiencing quirky note behavior or if you “overloaded” a KoreSound with MIDI data. The keyboard shortcut for this command is the 0 on your numeric pad.

3.3.4 Global Controller

The gloBal Control ler is your one-stop interface to the Co ntrol Page system in KORE 2. There is a dedicated chapter about controlling KoreSounds in this manual (chapter 3.5). The gloBal Cont roller also mirrors the status of your KORE 2 Controller in terms of displayed Pages and parameter values.Toggle display of the gloB al Con trol ler on or off via the dedicated button on the gloBal He ader (see chapter

3.2.1). It is always displayed in the upper-most region of the uPPer Pane.

With an inactive l

oCK

button the g

loBal Controller

is context sensitive. This means that it displays control elements related to the KORE 2 component in focus. You can set the focus with your mouse by clicking on a CHannel inSert that holds a sound or a plug-in.

KORE 2 – 51

If the u

Ser Page

►

of the Performance or of any Single or Multi Sound currently focused in the Sound Matrix. If you have selected a MultiSound in the Sound Matrix, you can display

►

its CHannel PageS by activating the CHannel Page button on the gloBal Controller. The same goes for a focus on a channel (click its C

►

select it).

When there is a Single Sound currently selected in the Sound Matrix,

►

the CHannel Page button is replaced by the Plug-in Page button which provides access to the Plug-in PageS of the Single Sound.

button is active, the displayed Pages can be u

Hannel Header

Ser PageS

You can also focus KORE

KORE Controller

components via your

To rephrase it: When the l

always provides access to the Contr ol PageS of the Performance, or the currently selected Multi Sound or Single Sound (which can be an Instrument, an audio effect or even a MIDI effect). At any time you can hit the l on the Controller. This is also depicted by a Lock Icon on the focused component on the Sound Matrix. With an active loCK button you can still navigate all available Pages via your KORE 2 Controller. If you want to know more about Con trol PageS and how to create and manage them, refer to the dedicated section further down the text (chapter

3.5). There you will also learn about the d the Sound VariationS.

oCK

button is inactive, the Global Controller

oCK

button to keep the currently focused slot

iSPlay

, a

SSign

and e

dit

tabs, and

KORE 2 – 52

3.3.5 Options

General Options

On the general oPtionS tab you nd the entry reload laSt PerForManCe at

StartuP

. It toggles KORE 2’s starting behavior. If checked, the Performance you had open the last time when you closed the application automatically comes up again. If this option is off, KORE 2 star ts with an empty Performance. KORE 2’s inFo Pane is available in a variety of languages. You can change the language in the l chooses the language according to the setting of your operating system. Please note that it is necessary to restart KORE 2 for the change to take effect. When you are using KORE 2 as a plug-in, there is another option displayed: The MaxiMuM Plug-in HeigH t value species to which degree the Auto Compact Mode can resize the plug-in window according to the elements displayed. This value prevents that the KORE 2 window grows larger than your screen. Refer to chapter 3.3.2 for information on how to enable the Auto Compact Mode. By clicking oK you acknowledge any changes you made and the options window closes.

Database Options

The database maintenance commands are for managing the contents of the KoreSound database and for integrating any additional content in to KORE 2.

anguage

menu. The setting Automatic

KORE 2 – 53

Any content you generate yourself by using KORE 2 will be saved in subfolders of the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS S

in a folder on your le system called the S

Hared Content

tandard uSer PatH

folder. It is located

. Normally you

don’t have to change its location. If, however, the conguration of your le

system demands a different location, you can change it by clicking the Set button. A dialog window will pop up for you to navigate to a different folder

on your le system. Please note that this will not move the les you placed

within the old location, it only changes the place KORE 2 looks for it. KORE 2 automatically splits up the difernet content-types into dedicated folders for Performances, Sounds and MIDI Files. The folders for this content are sub-folders of the S

tandard uSer PatH

.The C

ontent tyPe

tabs

are for selecting the type of content from the PatHS liSt. You can choose between P

erForManCeS

, S

oundS

and Midi

FileS

. The u

Ser SoundS Folder

eld

is just for your reference. Click on the three tabs to see where the default locations for the KORE 2 content are.

However, you can dene additional folders on your le system to be

monitored by KORE 2. Any content placed there, will be automatically added to the database when a Rescan (see below) is initiated. These folders are listed as additional FolderS. By clicking add you open a dialog window for navigating to the folder on

your le system, which you want to add to the list of monitored folders.

delete removes the currently selected entry from the list. The two buttons below the Standard uSer PatH provide means for database maintenance:

Can uSer FolderS

►

the database. Use this if you moved KoreSounds into your u

looks for new KoreSounds and integrates them into

Ser SoundS

FolderS.

Th e Res ca n of single

als o be trigger ed via naviga ting

them in Path view with the Browser.Path view with the Browser. view with the Browser.Browser..

See chapter 3.7 for more.

User Sound Folders cancan

KORE 2 – 54

►

ull SCan

completely re-reads all available KoreSounds on your system and rebuilds the database accordingly. This also rescans the complete factory content and is only necessary if you have installed new NATIVE INSTRUMENTS products.

When you activate the option H

►

ide unaVailaBle SoundS

, sounds from missing plug-ins will not be displayed. If this option is unchecked, you will see the unavailable sounds but they will be greyed out and you will not be able to open them. For more information please refer to chapter 3.1.2 (“Important Concepts”) where the relationship between KoreSounds and plug-ins is explained.

By clicking oK you acknowledge any changes you made and close the options window.

Plug-ins Options

The Plug-ins section offers several options regarding the handling of your VST- and/or AU-plug-ins. This screen varies for PCs and Macs, mainly because Macs support Audio Unit plug-ins, and allocate them differently

in the le system. On a PC it looks as follows:

If e

naBle Plug-in SCan at StartuP

►

is active, KORE 2 will scan the content

of your plug-in folder for new additions every time it starts.

Pdate Plug-inS

►

does the same but KORE 2 has to be started manually. Use this if you have just installed a new product, which you want to KORE 2 to recognise.

eSCan Plug-inS

►

completely re-scans the plug-in folder. Use this function if you have made major changes to your plug-in content.

KORE 2 – 55

In the PatH field you will find the path to the folder on your

►

system containing the VST-plug- ins. Click on the Se t but ton to open a file dialog window. In this dialog you can navigate to a dif ferent fold er to set it as your new PlugIn directory.

Of course you can also type the path directly into the Path eld. For

example, C:/Steinberg/VSTPlugs is a likely path on PCs.

On a Mac the Plug-ins options look a little different. Here the options are:

If e

naBle Plug-in SCan at StartuP

►

is active, KORE 2 will scan the content of your PlugIn folder for additions every time it starts Validate Plug -inS durin g SCan will run a technical check for every

►

scanned plug-in to ensure proper functioning. If checked, the command i

►

gnore Built-in audiounitS

discards the plugins that come with your Apple Mac OS X installation. The ignore SySteM VStS command should be used if you only want to

►

work with AudioUnits. Note that KoreSounds using AUs will not work on PCs. ignore SySteM auS works the other way around: All AudioUnit plug-ins

►

will be ignored. This assures full cross-platform compatibility for your sound design.

The reSCan and uPdate button works as described for the PC options.

KORE 2 – 56

Hardware Options

The Hardware Options screen mirrors the parameters from the KORE 2 Controller’s Options Menu.

ouCH SenSitiVity

►

allows you to adjust the sensitivity of the eight touch-

sensitive knobs. If set to zero the touch sensor is inactive.

►

MootHing

integrates (from a mathematical standpoint) the data created

by knob movements for a “smoother” feel.

ontraSt

►

sets the ratio of light to dark in the display to compensate for different lighting conditions. BaCKligHt controls the display’s brightness.

►

reFreSH rate determines how often the state of the LEDs and the

►

display’s contents are updated. inVert diSPlay changes the default red on black lettering to black

►

lettering on a red background. led B

►

rigHtneSS low

adjusts the brightness of the LED ring around

the knobs for the off/untouched state. Note that for unassigned or deactivated controls the LED is switched off completely. led B

►

rigHtneSS HigH

is the corresponding brightness control for the

on/touched state of the controls. The P

►

edal reCaliBrate

command is for calibrating any connected pedals

(see below).

Calibration of pedals

If you get the feeling that your connected pedals start to act funny, use the reCaliBrate command from the hardware options.

KORE 2 – 57

Hit the r range once or twice. KORE 2 will automatically adapt itself to the pedal inputs and everything should be smooth again.

eCaliBrate

button and move the pedals through their complete

3.4 Edit Area: Routing signals

This is a KoreSound with three mixer levels.

The edit area of KORE 2 is where sound is assembled, mixed and routed. You can think of it as a hierarchically nested mixer structure for audio and MIDI signals.

KORE 2 – 58

It provides a roster of C blocks of the KORE 2 Performance. These C

Hannel inSertS

(the slots) that hold the building

Hannel inSertS

form the S

ound

Matrix.

Please note, that the concept of a Performance is a rather articial one,

as you can at any time convert a Performance to a normal KoreSound (use the Save Performance as Sound… command from the F

ile Menu

). Any CHannel inSert can hold a complete MultiSound again containing another hierarchical mixer structure. Performances differ from MultiSounds onlyin that they contain additional information, e.g. that they connect to physical in- and outputs and store the tempo of Kore 2’S global clock.

3.4.1 Components and views of the Edit Area

Channels and Channel Inserts

Each level of the edit area is composed of a row of channels. Per default the top level always has a M right of the Sound Matrix. The MaSter CHannel is nothing else but a grouP

Hannel

with master function that sums all the signals in the mixer. If you don’t need it on the top level, you can change the channel type of the M

aSter CHannel

to something else and it will lose its function as a

MaSter CHannel. See the next chapter for more on channel types and

signal ow.

aSter CHannel

, which is displayed on the far

KORE 2 – 59

A growing channel.

When you create a new sound, the S

row of C

Hannel inSertS

. As soon as you ll one of them, another row of

ound Matrix

will only show a single

Inserts will appear. You can pack as many components into a channel as your computer can handle. A channel displays its type on the C

Hannel Header

and the C

Hannel inSertS

display the names of the component residing inside them. The type of the components is depicted by various symbols. If you ever see the following symbol on your Sound Matrix it means KORE 2 is having problems in

nding or loading a plug-in: Have a look if the plug-in has been moved on your le system or – if all

fails – re-install the offending plug-in.

Four channels on the Sound Matrix.

KORE 2 – 60

Each channel holds a stack of CHannel inSert S that can be populated with SingleSounds, MultiSounds, VST/AU-plug-ins (AU plug-ins are only available on Macs) or MIDI-plug-ins.

This is the context menu of ane empt y CHannel inSert.

The empty C

Hannel inSertS

can be lled via drag-and-drop from the B

rowSer

(more about the BrowSer in Chapter 3.7) or from your le system, or by right-clicking and working with the resulting context menu. An empty CHannel inSert’s context menu displays three sections:

New Sound creates a new, empty KoreSound with its own Sound

►

Matrix. The second section contains the i

►

nternal ModuleS

of KORE 2, namely the internal MIDI modules and the audio FX. In the third and lowest section you see a list of vendors for all installed

►

VST/AU-plug-ins. Click here to open sub-menus containing the plugins.

KORE 2 – 61

For populated CHannel inSertS the context menu offers more choices.

If the CHannel inSert is already occupied, the context menu looks a little different:

Replace provides access to the components menu tree to replace the

►

module or plug-in residing in the CHannel inSert with a different one. For SingleSounds Edit will open the S

►

ound Header

of the respective sound below the Sound Matrix For MultiSounds Edit opens its level of the S

►

ound Matrix

to display the channels of the MultiSound. Save puts the browser into save mode allowing you to set a

►

ttriButeS

and save the sound to the user sound path. Delete removes the currently focused module from the CH anne l

►

inSert.

KORE 2 – 62

Bypass removes the respective component from the signal path. This

►

is called S

ound ByPaSS

in contrast to the C

Hannel ByPaSS

described below. The Open Plug-in Window command opens the interface of the

►

respective component. It is equivalent to a double-click. This is not available for MultiSounds, as they can have multiple, nested plugins.

Import Plug-in Presets opens a system le dialog for navigating to a

►

presets folder where KORE 2 saves the imported KoreSounds. KORE 2 then loads all presets of the selected plug-in and saves them. After this batch process, all new KoreSounds are selected and Edit Mode is opened, so you can assign any attribute to all the sounds. Click on

one

, when you are nished. By default KORE 2 offers you to create the folder in the uSer SoundS path. Change this, if you must. Add Extra Output is only available for plug-ins that provide several

►

stereo outputs: Please read your plug-in’s manual for more information on how to address these outputs inside the plug-in. For each additional stereo output of your plug-in, you can create a linked C

Hannel inSert

in an adjacent channel, as seen in the illustration below. All inserts link to the same plug-in, however you can now process each stereo output individually. Use the CHannel inSert’s context menu to remove the additional output again.

KORE 2 – 63

The contents of the C

atrix

. Just use your mouse to drag a component to another C

Hannel inSertS

can be moved around on the S

Hannel inSert

ound

anywhere on the Sound Matrix. You can:

Replace the existing component by dropping the moved one directly on

►

the CHannel inSert. The target-insert is depicted with a yellow bar. Insert the moved component between or above the already populated

►

CHannel inSertS by dropping it on the dividing line between the Inserts.

The target spot is displayed with two yellow lines.

The same applies to changing channel positions, except that you can’t replace existing ones. Take a channel by its C

Hannel Header

and move it to

its new place in the Sound Matrix. Again, the target is depicted by yellow lines. Rename channels by double-clicking their C in a new name via the keyboard of your computer. The C shown on the C

Hannel Header

, also mirrors the function of the C

Hannel Header

Hannel nuMBer

and type

Hannel

on/oFF switch on the audio taB (see below). Click it and it will bypass the

complete channel. A bypassed channel is depicted with a yellow cross in its header.

KORE 2 – 64

The Channel Views

A Sound Matrix level can switch between two different views. These can be toggled via the Mixer View button to the left of the CHannel inSertS of the leftmost channel.

The Mixer View showing the CHannel inSertS, the Pan knob, CHannel Solo and CHannel Mute buttons, the outPut leVel Meter and an optional inPut and aux output section.

The Channel View, showing the

Channel Inserts and the Audio and

MIDI tabs.

KORE 2 – 65

Click on the the i

nPutS

button below the M

ixer View

button to see the i

nPut

section in Mixer View. The same applies to the aux outPutS button for displaying the output section.

Viewing Channel Insert content

A click or double-click on an occupied CHannel inSert both have different outcomes depending on the KoreSound it holds:

In the case of a SingleSound, a single-click displays the interface of

►

the sound. Depending on the content of the SingleSound a double-click

opens the oating interface of the VST/AU-plug-in or the interface of

an internal KORE 2 Module which appears on the edit area.

KORE 2 – 66

With MultiSounds, single-clicks recall the last display state of the

►

MultiSound: closed or opened. A MutliSound is opened with a doubleclick.

You can always close the component you recently opened by using the CloSe button on the SideBar:

3.4.2 Channel types and signal routing

Signals – be they audio or MIDI – ow in the Matrix from top to bottom

elements, from the higher Sound Matrix level to the lower and from the higher to the lower channel Insert. Via the aux sends, audio signals can also ow horizontally within one Sound Matrix level.

Channel Types

KORE 2 Channels are exible things. Although there is such a thing as channel types, any channel can at any time change its type by denition of

a different inPut SourCe for the channel. This is done via the inPut SourCe menu on the audio taB (see next section). There are three different channel types available:

ourCe CHannelS

►

menu).

hold sounds without signal inputs (n

one

on the Source

KORE 2 – 67

inPut CHannelS are for audio input from external hardware or parental

►

Sound Matrix levels (inPut 1 – x or Sound inPut on the Source menu). g

rouP CHannelS

►

are for summing and processing the output of Channels

of the same Sound Matrix level (grouP BuS on the Source Menu).

nPut CHannelS

and g

rouP CHannelS

display a special symbol in their C

Hannel

Header (see the picture above).

You can create new channels of any type by using the Insert Channel commands on the context menu. You can also Duplicate a channel with all its content and settings and, of course, Delete channels from the Sound Matrix. The entry Deactivate does the same as a click on the C

Hannel nuMBer

: it bypasses the channel and takes it out of the processing loop, saving CPU cycles. Bypassing channels can be automated and mapped to the KORE 2 Controller. This function allows quick management of KORE 2’s CPU load.

The channel Mute func-

this section just mutes the channel

but does not take it out of the pro-

cession loop.

tion des cribed late r in

KORE 2 – 68

Use as Master is explained next: The MaSter CHannel is a bit special. Although it is basically nothing more than a g

M has a M

rouP CHannel

aSter CHannel

, it behaves slightly differently. There can be one

per S

ound Matrix

level. By default, the top level always

if a new sound is created. This can be adjusted to your liking via the context sensitive Channel menu. Click on the Channel Header to invoke it and choose uSe aS MaSter if you want to transform an existing Channel into the Master. The Master Channel is the default routing destination for newly created Channels of the respective S

ound

Matrix level and it is always visible, even if the Sound Matrix area is fully

occupied and you have to scroll to see all non-master Channels.Using the two Tabs you can access the parameters related to audio- and MIDIrouting. The displayed tabs always relate to the Channel currently in focus. If the MIDI Tab is visible, click on “Audio” to switch over to the controls of the Audio Tab.

KORE 2 – 69

The Audio Tab

The Audio and MIDI tabs of the Sound Matrix.

The rst element of the Audio Tab is the C

Hannel on/oFF

switch. Use it to deactivate audio processing for the Channel. This will also take the respective load from your CPU. The Solo button switches the channel to solo mode. This mutes all other channels, so only the soloed channel is audible.The M

ute

button silences the channel. Please be aware, that signal processing still affects a muted channel and will put the same load on your CPU as if not muted. To the right you find the inP ut gain knob for leveling out incoming signals. It ranges from -40 dB to 40 dB and comes in ver y handy for avoiding clippings inside of your sound structures. The current level of the input signal is displayed by the inPut leVel Meter and you can choose the inPut SourCe via a dedicated menu below.

KORE 2 – 70

The inPut SourCe Menu of a top-level SourCe CHannel.

When the channel sits on the top S

None, for no input, Group Bus, for input from possible g

ound Matrix

level, you can either choose

rouP CHannelS

(read on for more on this) or you can use the inputs of your audio hardware that are presented as numbered inputs. If the channel is part of a lower Sound Matrix level, the inPut Menu looks

slightly different. The rst two items are the same as the top level. However,

you don’t gain access to your hardware inputs. Instead, you can choose Sound Input, which is the signals coming from the parental Sound Matrix level. Please note that if you do not choose Sound Input from the i

nPut Menu

the channel cannot receive audio from its parental Sound Matrix level. Next on the audio taB you nd the outPut section. The ou tPut deStination menu denes where the audio signals of the respective channels will be sent. On the top level of the S

ound Matrix

, you

can choose between:

This is the Input Menu of a channel

sit tin g on a lower so und Ma tri x

Level.

This is the Ouput section of a top

level Mixer.

KORE 2 – 71

None, meaning no output.

►

Master, which routes the signal to the M

►

ound Matrix

level, should there be one. The number in front of the

aSter CHannel

of the respective

entry refers to the number of channels on that Sound Matrix level. The numbered outputs of your audio hardware.

►

For channels sitting on lower levels of the Sound Matrix, the outPut Menu doesn’t provide the possibility to select an output destination to the audio hardware. Instead, use the menu entry S

ound outPut

, which allows you to

route the output to the sum of the respective Sound Matrix level.

KORE 2 – 72

The top level receives the external input which is routed into two channels on the next level.

If you want to route external input to channels of lower hierarchy levels, you have to use the top level to get the audio signal from your hardware and channel it to the lower mixer Level.

The basic audio signal ow is as follows:

Signals run through the Sound Matrix from top to bottom. Each lower

►

level can receive its input from the parent mixer in the hierarchy, if it has channels with active inputs.

KORE 2 – 73

The output of each mixer level is summed and is routed back up to the

►

next higher mixer level. Note that every mixer level can have its own MaSter CHannel for controlling the “horizontal” sum of its channels. By using the aux sends of a mixer level, signals can also be distributed

►

horizontally within that mixer level. External audio inputs can only be received on the highest level of the

►

structure. They also propagate down the mixer structure, if the C i

nSertS

they pass provide the means for it (if there’s a sound without

dened input sitting somewhere in a C

Hannel inSert

it will block the

Hannel

path for the external audio)

As with audio signals, MIDI ows from higher C

►

Hannel inSertS

to lower

ones.

The Aux System

KORE 2 offers a exible system of auxiliary sends for routing audio signals between channels of the same S sends to the right of the channel’s o

ound Matrix

utPut

section. By default you have six

level. You nd the auxiliary

aux sends per channel that route the signals to possible other channels within the same S

ound Matrix

volume. But it doesn’t end there. If you have set up all available routings, KORE 2 automatically creates an additional auxiliary send for you, so you never run out of routing possibilities. The aux S

Croll

in front of the Sends is for browsing through the Aux sends when there are more than six in use. The logic behind the signal routing is as follows:

Every channel has its own set of sends.

►

KORE 2 – 74

Every channel can be switched to receive audio signals via the aux

►

sends by choosing grouP BuS as its inPut SourCe. Use the a

►

uxiliary deStination

menu to select a group destination. In front of the Group bus entries, you can view the channel numbers of the available grouP CHannelS. If there is no other channel on the respective S

►

ound Matrix

level or there is none that has the bus as its input, the only routing option is the outPut to the next higher level of the Sound Matrix.

If there is any other channel on that level with the Group Bus dened

►

as its Input you can choose it from the menu and the new routing is established. Choosing Remove from the menu deletes the output assignment. All

►

other Sends sitting to the right are moved one step to the left.

The MIDI Tab

The MIDI Tab of a Sound Matrix Level.

The Midi taB focuses on receiving and routing MIDI signals owing through KORE 2’s Sound Matrix. Every channel has its own Midi taB and the Tab of the channel currently in focus is displayed. The audio and Midi taBS are displayed alternatively. Click on the word “Midi” to display the controls of the MIDI Tab.

KORE 2 – 75

To the far left you will nd the Midi a

MIDI data. Next comes the MIDI C

CtiVity

led, displaying any incoming

Hannel SeleCt

for choosing the MIDI channel, on which the Sound Matrix channel will receive its data. You can either specify a MIDI channel from 1 to 16 or choose all, to receive MIDI in omni mode.

Every channel has its own MIDI lter that can be used to restrict the note

and velocity ranges for the channel. Click with your mouse and drag up or down to change the values of the H

igH and low note

and V

eloCity Filter

Everything between the two note- or velocity values is passed into the channel, everything outside those borders is discarded. These settings are identical with those of the C

Hannel MaPPing taB

of the S

ound Manager

(see

chapter 3.6.4) and are immediately reected there.

You can use the PitCH tranSPoSe Control to transpose incoming note messages semitone wise. The range is four octaves up or down.

MIDI routing

In addition to the fact that MIDI signals run vertically through KORE 2’s

ound Matrix

of the same S you see to the right of the MIDI Filter. By default you have six Midi o

, you can also route the data horizontally between channels

ound Matrix

level. This is accomplished by the Midi o

utPutS

per channel that route the MIDI data into possible other channels. But it doesn’t end there. If you have set up all available MIDI routings, KORE 2 automatically creates an additional Output for you, so you never run out of routing paths. The outPut SCroll to the right of the MIDI Filter is for browsing through the MIDI Outputs, when there are more than six in use.

KORE 2 – 76

The logic behind the MIDI routing is very simple:

Every channel has its own set of Outputs.

►

Set all available MIDI targets via the outPut menu.

►

If there is no other channel on the respective Sound Matrix level the

►

only routing option is the Output to the next lower level of the S Matrix.

If there are any other channels that are not already assigned to an

►

Output, you can choose them from the menu and the new routing is established. Choose Remove from the menu to delete the output assignment. All

►

other MIDI Output ssitting to the right are moved one step to the left.

3.4.3 Nesting sounds

ound

The Nesting of Sounds lies in the nature of the S

ound Matrix

. Any C

Hannel

inSertS can hold any kind of KoreSound, no matter if it is a SingleSound or a MultiSound. Any C S

ound Matrix

structure in itself, leading to a nested structure of S

Hannel inSert

can again hold an arbitrarily deep

ound

MatrizeS.

You can have a single channel with several CHannel inSer tS occupied by MultiSounds consisting of a set of KoreSounds that again consist of

multiple components and so on. The only limits to this exibility are the

resources of your computer. The S

ound Matrix

makes all this transparent and easy to use. Click on a Sound sitting in a CHannel inSert and the adequate interface element will open below the current S

ound Matrix

level. If it is a SingeSound you will see

KORE 2 – 77

either a S effect or MIDI plug-in). If it is a MultiSound another S

ound Header

or the interface of an internal KORE 2 Module (audio

ound Matrix

opens up

and shows the Sound Matrix for the MultiSound you just focused.

3.4.4 Examples

As with any exible system, there is always more than one way to handle a task. We’d like to give some examples of how everyday solutions can look

and what the advantages and pitfalls of the different designs are.

One source, multiple destinations

A standard case you will encounter is the need to route audio signals to several channels at once. There are two different approaches to do this. You can use KORE 2’s system of auxiliary sends to distribute the signals within one and the same level of the Sound Matrix:

In the picture above you can see an i external hardware and two g

rouP CHannelS

nPut CHannel

receiving audio from

with effects that independently

receive their signal from the inPut CHannel via its aux sends. Note the aux

eStinationS

of the i

nPut CHannel

to the right. They are set to „2. Group”

and „3. Group“, respectively, addressing the two grouP CHannelS.

KORE 2 – 78

This is a simple solution and perfectly suitable if this is all that your KORE 2 instance will be handling. If the setup exceeds this simple case, it may be better to put the effects processing taking place in the two g into a separate MultiSound:

In the picture above we have inserted the two effects into a separate MultiSound that is nested inside the top-level channel. Both channels of the new sound are inPut CHannelS and receive their signals from the parental Sound Matrix level. By doing this, we can easily save the new sound as a separate entity that can be re-used at a later stage in a different context.

rouP CHannelS

This is ideal for s aving

use in other Sounds.

FX- chains as presets for

KORE 2 – 79

Also, it is easy to expand the top level of the S

ound Matrix

by adding more

components without clutter.

MultiSounds as songs

The MultiSound concept is very convenient when it comes to structuring a live performance. Simply put all the stuff you need for a song into one MultiSound and the elements for the next track into the next MultiSound. This has the advantage that you can take all but the current song out of the processing loop with the C

Hannel ByPaSS

function. Always remember that you can assign ByPaSS to buttons of your KORE 2 Controller. By using this technique you can contain many different MultiSounds within one Performance without overloading your CPU. Basically, your installed memory is the limit, here.

KORE 2 – 80

Morphing FX

The Sound VariationS provide an easy way for producing very smooth pseudo-morphing effects if applied to the aux system. Set up a variety of g

ourCe CHannelS

rouP CHannelS

with effects KoreSounds and route your

through them. Then you take a Performance u

Ser Page

and assign the aux leVel settings to the Controller knob. If you invert one assignment (more on this in chapter 3.5.4) you can seamlessly blend between the two effects signals with one Controller element. This is not true parameter morphing, but only a pseudo-morph. However, it can lead to very organic transitions.

KORE 2 – 81

3.5 Global Controller: Controlling sounds

In the above picture you can see the gloBal Controller displaying a uSer P

age

of a SingleSound. The g sensitive interface to the C status of your KORE 2 Controller in terms of page display and parameter values. As with the KORE 2 Controller hardware you have eight Control Page ButtonS and eight. Control Page ButtonS at your disposal. If a parameter is assigned to the element, you can see the S to the left of the Knob or Button.

The d

iSPlay taB

of the g has been touched last with its long name and the P value is also displayed with a white bar. The l

ong ParaMeter naMe

mouse and type in a new name. This is the long, editable version of the

loBal Controller

ontrol Page

loBal Controller

system in KORE 2. It also mirrors the

is your one-stop, context-

Hort ParaMeter naMe

depicted

always displays the Controller that

araMeter Value

can be edited to your liking. Click it with your

. The

KORE 2 – 82

parameter. Beside of the Controller element (Knob or Button) you can see the SHort ParaMeter naMe which is not editable.

3.5.1 Pages and Sound Variations

Control Pages

The hardware and the gloBal Controller display the same Control Page.

The C

ontrol Page

musical Super Instrument. A C KORE 2 and / or plug-in parameters assigned to the hardware elements of your KORE 2 Controller. There can be many Pages per Sound and of course

you can customize them to t your personal style. Whether it’s a KORE 2 mixer setting, the lter cutoff of a synth or the depth of a delay, simply assign it to a Page and dene the values with your hardware.

system plays an important role in making KORE 2 a

ontrol Page

is nothing else but a set of

KORE 2 – 83

The Pages belong to the KoreSounds sitting in the CHannel inSertS of the Sound Matrix. Every component and every channel has its own set of Pages. You can assign as many parameters as you want to a single knob or button of your KORE 2 Controller – all with ne-grained control over the data ranges. The hardware state is mirrored in the software. The g

loBal Controller

displays the same Pages as the KORE 2 Controller,

providing effortless transitions between using you ngers and the mouse in

a context-sensitive way. Navigate to a Page on the Controller and the gloBal C

ontroller

of the KORE 2 application or KORE 2 plug-in will automatically

display the same Page (unless you lock it to a specic component you

want to see all the time). Set a value and it will immediately update on both systems. The factory KoreSounds come with a ready-to-use set of C

ontrol PageS

that have the most important parameters of the sound assembled on one or two Pages. Last but not least, the parameters of the C assemble the a

utoMation liSt

, i.e. the set of parameters that are published

ontrol PageS

are also used to

in the host when KORE 2 is running as a plug-in. Please read the following sections and also the Chapter about the KORE 2 Controller (chapter 3.9) to learn more about the C There is a dedicated chapter about the S

ound Manager

ontrol Page

system.

where you can learn

everything about the autoMation liSt (chapter 3.6.3).

KORE 2 – 84

Sound Variations

The Sound VariationS are of similar importance to the Pages in demonstrating KORE 2’s instrumental merits. Sound VariationS are roughly equivalent to the presets for the u

Ser PageS

. The great thing about S

ound VariationS

that they are not discrete entities but can be morphed into each other.

This provides you with an organic eld of sound and ensures that you will

come up with fresh sounds all the time. The concept is very easy: Specify a sound via the u screen or with your KORE 2 Controller), hit the S

Ser PageS

aVe

button, click a slot

(be it on-

and you have your rst Variation. Go on to make some more (up to eight

can be saved). Now you can move the MorPH handle to seamlessly morph between the different states of the Controller. Use this facility to breathe new life into your performances. Please continue reading this chapter for details about how to work with Sound VariationS.

KORE 2 – 85

3.5.2 Plug-in Pages, Channel Pages and User Pages

A Channel Page, a Plug-in Page and a User Page of a KoreSound.

Control PageS can take three forms:

Plug-in Pages display the parameters published by a VST-/AU-plug-in.

Depending on the complexity of the plug-in, there can be quite a number of them. The Plug-in Pages are fixed, you cannot change them manually.

Hannel PageS

channel. Click on the CHannel Header to see its Channel Page or navi- gate to it using your KORE 2 Controller (see chapter 3.9 for details).

display the mixer parameters of the currently focused

KORE 2 – 86

They get populated automatically as you build your routing structures. You cannot change them manually.

uSer PageS are your flexible tools for setting up your own interface. By

default there are one or two pre-defined uSer PageS per KoreSound offering the most important parameters. They can be adjusted to your liking. You can create new uSer PageS to expand your control and populate them with any parameter you want – no matter if it is is a KORE 2 parameter or a plug-in parameter.

You can always see exactly which Page is being displayed. On the Header row of the gloBal Controller there are two buttons.

The u

Ser Page

button switches to the u

Ser Page

of the component currently in focus and provides access to the Page SeleCt menu. Here you can choose which Page is displayed on the Controller. Of course you can always use your KORE 2 Controller for navigation, too.

If you have focused a channel (by clicking its C

Hannel Header

or via the KORE 2 Controller), KORE 2 automatically switches to the corresponding CHan nel Page. The CH annel PageS assemble all Mixer controls of the respective channel. If you set up new signal routings via the auxiliary sends, the new controls will show up on the CHannel Page automatically.

KORE 2 – 87

3.5.3 Creating Pages and assigning controls

The only Page type you can create from scratch is the u you are also free to change any existing uSer PageS to t your needs.

Ser Page

. Of course

To create a new u

ound Matrix

Ser Page

you must rst decide on which level of your

you want to create it. Remember that you can have u

Ser PageS

for every component, be it a SingleSound containing a VST/AU-plug-in or an internal Effect Component, a MultiSound or a Performance. Create the Page by clicking the new Page icon beside the Page SeleCt menu Once you have created a uSer Page you are ready to populate it by assigning parameters to the Controls of the Page. This is a straightforward process:

Click on the C

►

ontroller

you want to assign the parameter to (or touch it on your KORE 2 Controller). It starts to blink in red within the software and glows on the hardware. Click on the l

►

The l

earn

button on the a

SSign

or d

iSPlay

Tab of the Controller.

button as well as the selected Controller starts to blink. The respective control of the hardware does the same. Move the parameter you want to assign. It can sit anywhere in KORE 2.

►

A knob on a plug-in interface, a mixer parameter, anything goes. Hit the learn button again to exit learn mode or continue assigning

►

KORE 2 – 88

via the amount of range adjustment of the assigned parameter when

►

in learn mode. If you move it over a small range and deactivate learn mode, the C

ontroller KnoB

on the C

ontrol Page

will control that small

range with its complete movement.

Please note that you can not only assign continuous dials to knobs and buttons to switches but that it also works the other way around. If you assign a switched, dual-state parameter to a C

ontrol Page KnoB

, the knob switches the button at its extreme values (fully left and fully right). If you assign a continuous parameter to a Control Page But ton it will toggle the continuous parameter between the d

eStination range MininuM

and the

MaxiMun (see chapter 3.5.4 Advanced Assignments).

Managing User Pages

If you want to rename, delete or change the order of your uSer PageS you can do this via the Sound Manager, which has its own chapter in this manual (chapter 3.6).

3.5.4 Advanced assignments

Multiple Assignments

KORE 2 – 89

KORE 2 also provides a means for assigning multiple parameters to a single Controller on a Control Page. The Multi aSSign switch toggles the Learn button to multi-assign-mode. If you then use the Learn function you can assign multiple parameters. Just click them on the interface to add them to the deStination laBel diSPlay on the right side of the Control taB.

The third button of the aSSign taB is the range aSSign. If active, KORE 2 will detect the lower and upper limit of you moving the destination parameter during assignment. This will automatically be set as the control range for the respective parameter. You can also alter this manually afterwards (see below). To delete unwanted destinations, simply click on the d buttons to the right of the deStination laBelS. The r

elatiVe aSSignMent

assigned parameters. This applies only if one of the parameters is moved “directly” i.e. not via the C the KORE 2/plug-in interface. For example: You have two different parameters – cutoff and resonance of the MASSIVE plug-in – assigned to the same Controller KnoB:

►

Without relatiVe mode, both parameters will always display the exact position of the Controller Knob.

►

If the relatiVe mode is activated and you adjust the resonance on Massive’s plug-in interface, the Contro ller Kn oB will not move the resonance setting through its complete range but keep the difference it has to the cutoff setting.

mode is for keeping the relative position of multiple

ontrol Page

but by using the parameter dial on

eStination reMoVe

Don’t be confused that

work for Pages other than the User

Pages. Channel and Plug-in Pages

are not editable.

the Assign Tab does not

KORE 2 – 90

Controller ranges

For every Destination on the list you can dene a minimum and a maximum

setting for the control range. This can also be done interactively during Learn (see above). To change the range grab one of the yellow range limits and move your mouse horizontally. This will change the d

eStination range Min

and Max values. Also, you can click inside of the range to move both limits at the same time. There are more ways to do this:

Click with your mouse into the value elds and drag up or down.

►

Double-click on the value and type it in via the keyboard of your

►

computer.

An Example: If you have set deSt ination ra nge MiniMuM to 0 and the MaxiMuM to 100, although the deStination parameter has a range from

-100 to +200, you can only reach 0 and 100 with the extreme positions of your Controller.

KORE 2 – 91

Sometimes you may have the feeling that a synth or effect has a parameter inversed or you want to control two parameters with one knob in a way similar to a crossfader. This is easily done in KORE 2 by setting the

eStination range Min

value to a higher value than the d

eStination Max

value. This inverse assignment is also displayed by a yellow arrow in the

deStination range diSPlay.

External control

The Control taB provides some utility parameters dealing with the KORE 2 Controller plus a facility for assigning external MIDI control. Please read chapter 3.9 “The KORE 2 Controller” to learn more about the KORE 2 Controller. The Kore C and switches. In the above picture you see the Knob settings. S

ontrol SeCtion

of the C

ontrol taB

looks differently for knobs

enSitiVity

lets you dene the KORE 2 Controller sensitivity for the respective knob. The value is displayed in degrees and it species the angle you have to

KORE 2 – 92

turn the hardware knob to go through the complete range of values. The lowest value is 30° and the highest is 3600°, meaning that you have to make ten full cycles to go through all values. In the Pedal menu you have the choice between:

None, for no Pedal input

►

Pedal 1 or Pedal 2 for controlling the respective Controller via one of

►

the two Pedals that may be connected to your KORE 2 Controller.

For the buttons of your KORE 2 Controller the Control taB has a few parameters more than for the knobs. The BeHaVior menu controls the mode of the button:

Toggle means the button switches state with every button hit.

►

Trigger only sends one message if you hit the button. Depending on

►

the aCtion on parameter, this can be “down” or “up”. Use this to get buttons that can only switch on/off other buttons. Gate leads to an on state while the button is being held down and

►

switches to off when it is released. The aCtion on setting decides if the action of the button is happening on the down or the up state of the button. This only works with the Toggle and Trigger behaviors. In the FootSwitCH menu you have the choice between:

None, for no Footswitch input

►

KORE 2 – 93

FS 1 or FS 2 for controlling the respective Controller button via one

►

of the two Footswitches that may be connected to your KORE 2

Controller.

Of course you can also use external MIDI data to move the Controllers on a P

age

, be it a u

Ser Page

, a C

Hannel Page

or a P

lug-in Page

. Just select the

desired Controller on the Page and specify a MIDI controller number (0 to

127) in the Midi CC aSSignMent eld. The respective MIDI data will be received corresponding to the settings on the Midi taB of the channel. Please see the chapter about the e

dit area

(chapter 3.4) for more on MIDI ports and channels.

3.5.5 Sound Variations and morphing

The last section on the gloBal Controller of KORE 2 is dedicated to the Sound VariationS. Every KoreSound can store up to eight different settings of its Control PageS. These can be recalled directly or you can morph between the settings of the knobs (not the buttons) creating seamless sound transitions.

Dene some Controllers on your uSer, CHannel or Plug-in PageS and click the S

ound Variation SaVe

choose one of the eight Variations on the V

Button. It starts to blink in yellow and you can

ariation grid

. Click it and the Variation is saved. The letter representing the different Variation changes its color from white to black, denoting that it holds a Control Page state.

Please note that you can

ing saved in a Sound Variation by

usin g the Re call column on the

Page List of t he Sound Mana ger

(see below).

exclude Pa ges from be -

KORE 2 – 94

The crosshair symbol below the Save button is called S

button. When activated (yellow) you can seamlessly move between the

different Sound VariationS with your mouse or your KORE 2 Controller. If the S Variations discretely, leading to jumps in the parameter values. This also works when you use your KORE 2 Controller for changing Variations. Furthermore, you can switch the Sound VariationS directly via the eight buttons of your KORE 2 Controller. Please read the chapter about your KORE 2 Controller to learn more about using the KORE 2 hardware.

ound Variation MorPH

button is inactive, you can only switch the

ound Variation MorPH

Please note that you can

th e S o und V ari a tio n G r id t o

Controller s of your Kore Controller

for hands-on sound Morphing.

assign the tw o axes of

KORE 2 – 95

3.6 Sound Manager: Arranging Performancess

Use the Sound Manager to dene the Keyboard ranges of the various elements of a Performance and manage the C for parameter automation.

3.6.1 The Sound Tree

The Sound Tree displaying a KORE 2 Performance.

ontrol PageS

within the host

On the left side of the S

ound Manager

you have the S

ound tree

with all available Sounds and Channels in the Performance, along with their names. The underlying structure of the S

ound tree

can be summarized

as follows:

The highest node is always a MultiSound – the Performance. ►

KORE 2 – 96

The child-nodes of a MultiSound are the channels of that MultiSound,

►

ordered by their CHannel nuMBer. The child-nodes of a channel are KoreSounds – which can be Single

►

or MultiSounds – ordered by signal ow. At the bottom of the hierarchy you can nd the plug-ins, which are the

►

child-nodes of Single Sounds. The MaSter CHannel always has its own node.

►

There are four types of nodes in the Sound tree and each of them has its own symbol:

Sounds are represented by a circle.

Channels are represented by a small Fader

as their symbol.

The MaSter CHannel has a shadowed Fader

as its symbol.

Plug-ins are represented by a plug-symbol.

Any element on the S

ound tree

can be compacted and expanded to hide or show its child elements. To do this, click on the small symbols (plus/minus) in front of the Sound and channel names. For more information about the differences between MultiSound, Single Sound, Channels and plug-ins, please refer to chapter 3.1.2. To the right of the Sound tree you nd two tabs:

KORE 2 – 97

The MaPPing editor and the

►

autoMation liSt

►

Both will be explained in the following sections.

3.6.2 Advanced Page Management

To the right of the S

ound tree

you nd the P

age liSt

. It always displays the available Pages of the node you have currently selected on the Sound tree. This could be the Plug-in PageS of a VST-plug-in, the uSer PageS of a MultiSound, the C

age liSt

also displays the component name the Pages belong to. In the

picture above you can see the two pre-dened u

Hannel PageS

of a

CHannel

and so on.The Header of the

Ser Page

s of a SingleSound named “Synthia”. The list doubles as a general manager for your Pages and as a facility to assemble the list of parameters that are published within the host for automation. Please read the next chapter for more information on this. Click on the name of a u computer. You can also grab a u

Ser Page

to change it via the keyboard of your

Ser Page

with your mouse and drag it to another position to re-arrange the list. Both actions are not possible with the other Page types, as they are not editable. Check the r

way you can dene C

eCall

box to store the respective Page in a S

ontroller

settings that are not inuenced by morphing

ound Variation

. This

KORE 2 – 98

or by the recall of S

ound VariationS

. Please note that the settings of the Pages are always saved into Sound VariationS, they just are not recalled if the reCall ag is unchecked. Below the P

age liSt

you nd some buttons. The add to a

utoMation liSt

button does just what it says: it adds the parameters of the currently selected Page to the Automation List. This actually happens automatically when a sound is loaded or created. Please read the next chapter for details about host automation.

elete

is self-explanatory, too, as it deletes the currently selected Page. To create a new Page, click on the new Page icon in the gloBal Controller or use the learn button. The two Page uP/down buttons step through the Pages on the list. Use the button further down the Page liSt to add parameters representing the horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) morphing within the Sound VariationSto the a

utoMation liSt

do this for every component on the S

for automating S

ound MorPHing

ound tree

. These are the parameters

from the host. You can

that control the morphing movements on the Sound Variation grid.

KORE 2 – 99

3.6.3 Pages and host automation

KORE 2’s list of automatable parameter s.

KORE 2 – 100

Native Instruments Kore 2 Operation Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

1. Introduction

1.1 Welcome to KORE 2

1.2 How to Use This Manual

1.3 Safety Considerations

1.4 Notes

1.5 Software Installation

2. Hardware Setup

2.1 The hardware elements of your KORE 2 Controller

2.1.1 Rear Panel

2.1.2 Top Panel

2.2 Driver Installation

2.3 Connecting the Hardware

2.3.1 Connecting the hardware to a computer

2.3.3 Connecting a pedal or footswitch

3. Reference

3.1 Important concepts: Understanding KORE 2

3.1.1 The instrument KORE 2: Stand-alone, plug-in and host

3.1.2 SingleSounds, MultiSounds, Performances and Nesting

3.1.3 Integrated Engines and VST/AU-plug-ins

3.1.4 Hardware and Software: The Control Page system and Sound Variations

3.2 A user interface overview

3.2.1 Global Header

3.2.2 Global Controller

3.2.3 Edit Area and Sound Matrix

3.2.4 Sound Manager

3.2.5 Browser

3.2.6 Info Pane

3.3.1 Stand-alone menu

3.3.2 Global Plug-in Menu

3.3.3 Global Header

3.3.4 Global Controller

3.4 Edit Area: Routing signals

3.4.1 Components and views of the Edit Area

3.4.2 Channel types and signal routing

3.4.3 Nesting sounds

3.4.4 Examples

3.5 Global Controller: Controlling sounds

3.5.1 Pages and Sound Variations

3.5.2 Plug-in Pages, Channel Pages and User Pages

3.5.3 Creating Pages and assigning controls

3.5.4 Advanced assignments

3.5.5 Sound Variations and morphing

3.6 Sound Manager: Arranging Performancess

3.6.1 The Sound Tree

3.6.2 Advanced Page Management

3.6.3 Pages and host automation