Battery 2 Import issues, AKAI, Giga, HALion

I've downloaded the Demo version of Battery 2 to check out the import functionality.
I'm trying to import drum kit libraries into Battery 2. However I don't seem to be able to make this work the way I'd like it to.

- Giga import: The sounds seem to be correctly mapped and played on the keyboard, however all the samples are completely mixed up in the cells and almost all samples are displayed in some sort of 'main' cell called Giga #1 (that is BD, SN, TOM etc. all in the same cell). I can't figure out how I could reasonably continue editing such a kit since the whole point of Battery is getting lost.

- Akai import: Only one program can be imported (i.e. no Add functionality) and the samples are mixed up in the cells exactly the same way as with Giga.

- HALion import: weird mapping and no sound at all


Can anybody confirm that this is the same in the full version of Battery 2?


I have also tried the following procedure:
1. Import entire AKAI kit into Kontakt and save it as .nki. The tuning and volume needs to be adjusted for the imported groups
2. Import the Kontakt instrument into Battery 2

This seems to work correctly, however I realise that in Kontakt each key/sound must be configured as a separate group (for which Kontakt does not have a dedicated command) for Battery to map each sound to a separate cell. So there is a way of doing this, but it's huge work in my eyes (and not everybody owns Kontakt either).
Anyway I'm a programmer myself and I can't see why I should be doing all of this manually when in fact it could all be programmed automatically!!!



I own Battery 1 simply because it's included in Komplete 2. In theory it is exactly what is required for drum programming but I juged it was of no use to me, mainly due to the lack of a graphic mapping editor and import facilities.
Now that Battery 2 comes with much improved editing features (graphic!) and pretends to import virtually any format, this seems like the ultimate tool.


Having tried to import 3 different formats (4 if I count Kontakt) into Battery none of which gives satisfying results, I consider the import functionality of Battery is quite simply not up to the job!
I just can't seem to be bothered spending another 100 Euros just to find myself importing my drum kit libraries and re-programming them manually.


Is Battery just intended to be used only with dedicated Battery libraries?
Or do we just have to live with the fact that importing other formats into our samplers still remains a sweet dream these days?

Any help or improvement on this situation is highly appreciated.

Patrick

 

and...

and Don't forget the Battery 1 >(kits opened in)> Battery 2 import issues:

One of which is that all your assigned outputs from Battery 1 are lost.

 

Is this happening to you too?:

1. When you playback a sample, which is routed to Batt1/2 output, you cannot hear the preview of the Akai import, when the playback sample is being played. I think this worked in B1.

And the samples are all messed up... the Akai import was much easier in B1.

2. If you open an Akai and then change it with another Akai cd, the new one doesn't get recognized in Battery. You have to restart Battery!

3. In Cubase, when you have the Battery window opened and you hit space nothing happens. Do I have a bad memory or with B1 you could start/stop playback in Cubase also with the Battery window opened.

 

It occurs to me that I have also observed such a behaviour :-(

 

Still happening in 2.1.

 

Slightly OT guys but just to let you know that all my V1 > V2 import issues have been solved with the 2.01 update.

Oh and Merry Christmas BTW, while I'm here!

 

Akai programs

FYI, Battery 2 does NOT read Akai S-5000/6000 programs. That was the official answer from NI. I think this is bs because they tout this as a feature.