HELP! Using KONTAKT in a live setting.

I have sort of a specific question with regards to using a specific combination of software and hardware to arrange a live show the way I envision it. I'm a piano player and write a lot of hip-hop/funk/soul/blues compositions in Logic Pro. I'm very aware at this point that Logic, when it comes to performing live, is pretty crappy.

So, here's what I want to be able to do:

My idea of a live set, being done my way, would be to have a customized library of different patches (keyboards, synths, even drums) available to be pulled up and played immediately using a MIDI controller (in my case an Axiom 49-key) and software. I'd like for the audio feed from that to be connected to a HARDWARE looper (if this is possible). I'd also like to have a mic hooked up to the looper for me to record any live sounds I'd like to loop.

Basically, I'm trying to find a way to create complete, full songs, on the fly, using previous ideas for chord structures and/or improvisational creative whims.

Would KONTAKT work for my imagined setup? If not, what would? Am I even thinking the right way, or is there a much better solution for this?

Thanks in Advance!

 

Kontakt would work great. You may want to investigate Apple's Mainstage, which is specifically built for live performance.

It doesn't include the looper part of things. If you want to do that in software, you may want to look into Ableton Live.

 

Better yet, grab Jambalaya. It may look kinda funky, but it's far more stable than Mainstage. I use it exclusively for live performance, and I've been VERY happy with it. Also, the creator is a great guy who created it for his own personal use, and then started selling it.

Jambalaya is pretty stripped down, it doesn't do looping (though it sounds like you want to stick with hardware on that anyway), but it's a great VI host, as well as audio processing host (which he uses, but keyboard players like us won't have much use for). He's also about to release a whole new version which will add things like having a virtual rack of VIs open to all songs, and many other additions.

The only thing is, it doesn't have a way of changing patches on the fly, mid-song (you can define regions, but you can't switch VIs in the same region). So, I wrote a little helper app with Max/MSP that allows you to switch VI sets (VIs on different MIDI channels) on the fly with a footswitch or patch change messages sent from your controller. I commonly like to use LOTS of patches in one song, and different ones for different sections, so I need the ability to change between sets while still in the same Jambalaya preset. This is one of Jambalaya's current shortcomings (although through my urging, he's currently building something similar into a future version), but the Max patch works perfectly, and I've used it successfully live many times.

PM me if this sounds useful to you.

 

Ive used Bidule as a host for years with Kontakt.
It's especially good if you use Instrument Banks and dont have a sequencer playing your parts for you.
6 Instrument Banks with 16 large instruments each allows me to have a high quality Rompler w/o having to buy a Motif/Receptor setup.
Instrument Banks don't load like I wish they would, but 16 slots for each one loaded is fine, and Bidule allows core assignments too..

YOu can even use both hands which is rare these days where everybody likes pretending they're performing, but the Behringer FCB can handle all MIDI automations, and prgm chng messages, while actually playing with both hands......what a concept..

 

I built something similar a while ago, and ended up with: Ableton Live as Host, KONTAKT inserted in several TRacks for the instruments, and GUITAR RIG as the Looper in an Ableton Live EFX Send channel. You can also bring in the Microphone into Ableton Live, and mangle it into Guitar Rig too.

Very versatile setup, with foot switch control for the Looper (Guitar Rig is GREAT for Live usage). Please consider this instead of the Hardware Looper, you wont regret it.