Newbie Question: Reaktor as performance instrument

hello to all Reaktor users,

I'm a performing musician looking for a modular platform for live performance.

I've taken the NordModular G2 into serious consideration, but now wonder if Reaktor4 running on something like an Opensynth NEKO "PC-in-a-keyboard" wouldn't be a better choice.

I'm thus wondering about the following:

a) stability issues: I've read some comments about R4 crashing now and then. What can you say about that? Would you recommend it as a live instrument?

b) latency issues: With, let's say, a P4 3.0GHz and a Delta1010 soundcard -and nothing much else running- what kind of figures could it produce, averagely?

c) control issues: How effectively and efficiently can real-time MIDI controllers be implemented into the sound generation process? What's the overal response like, timing-wise? Think of using wind controllers which produce alot of controller data with physical models. Anybody got experience with this?


Sorry if these questions have probably already been dealt with many times in this forum. I'm just very interested in mabye getting R4 as my new "main axe" and would be grateful for some constructive comments from experienced users.

Thanks around.

 

reaktor never crashes on a pc, i think mac is stable too nowdays. with a sizeable midi controller you can control everything perfectly like a normal synth... in theory reaktor can be used to contstruct any classic synth, and most modern ones even the andromeda there is a shortage of people from kawai and nord and alesis and korg on the forum though so no k5000s or virus in shoveloads, but these can be made...
with reaktor you would have to configure controller numbers to all your synths and jam with the midi sliders before playing. if you want to make really big complicated arps and thing then whould whould haev to make them, but essentially someone who knows reaktor and electronics to pro level and is really mad for it can blow anything ever made out of the water in terms of useability, sound and structured joining of old designs.
at the moment the library is definately from another planet

 

All true. The way to go is just build yourself a 64-knob controller (pretty easy actually), or get a drehbank or something. Depends how many knobs you need. For live work I'd probably be content with just the mouse and keyboard personally, but it all depends on how you like to work.

As for latency, I'd say sub-10ms easy, probably sub-5. Midi latency is effectively zero ms on a proper system, not much of a buffer needed, not much data to send, plenty of bandwidth and high speed to send it.

 

I LOVE Reaktor as a real-time FX processor. It seems to me it's more flexible, more inventive and easier to customize and to automate creatively than any hardware FX I've tried (and i've tried a LOT!)

....but I do have regular problems with it: Ensembles that crash it when trying to load, audio drop-outs, and crashes when sending MIDI CCs from external hardware. I'm using a Mac (dual 1g G4), which may be the whole problem. I often wonder what my experience would be if I dedicated a PC to it and used that as if it were a hardware processor. I've considered Carillon, OpenSynth (or just Karsyn, their host software), and have my eye on that new rack unit from the folks that bought KvR--can't recall the name. Hard to try 'em out, tho!

The basic question is, is it the hardware or the software that causes the flakiness??? Wish I knew!
dc

 

Reaktor is absolutely rock solid on my powerbook.

However, I only run it standalone, no external hardware.

Why would you need external synths when you have Reaktor anyway?

I keep a UC-16 around in case I ever have an opportunity to do a live performance and I decide I want to use it, but other than that I think Reaktor and Max are all I'd need really.

The thing is, you're you're performing experimental music on a laptop, and it crashes, the audience will just laugh it off. It happens. However if you're doing some techno get your freak on stuff, stopping the music for 15 seconds to relaunch the app is probably going to bring forth chants of "bring on a REAL DJ with HARDWARE" or whatever they do.

 

Reaktor is very solid on my PC laptop: 3.0 P4, 1 gig RAM, Echo Indigo soundcard.
I will use it in chainer and have two or three instances running. I have also used it in Sonar in live performance. Rarely do I have a crash, but it happens usually when I'm pushing things or change an instance incorrectly in Chainer.

 

i have always found that reaktor is more susceptible to crashes
when using an external MIDI controller (i use a Mac, OS 9.2).

if i just use my powerbook with no external MIDI, it is a lot more stable.

"ensembles that crash when trying to load" this sounds like a memory thing to me. are they large ensembles with samples
and event tables?

sometimes i quit reaktor before loading a different ensemble.
this seems to improve performance.

btw, dc what sound card are you using? if you are using USB
one AND a USB MIDI device, then that might be your problem.

sowari

 

I've been using an Maudio Radium controller via the USB 2.0 port. I'm getting about 11ms of latency. I have used a Roland USB controller as well with no problems.

 

I use Reaktor on a iBook G3 700 with a doepfer controller, a usb midi-interface and an emagic emi 2/6 usb-soundcard. I must admit to have had only one crash so far and that was when I tried to load a ridiculously large audiosample while playing. Other than that there are no complaints on my side.

@sowari: I had the same problem as you had in os 9.2.2, Reaktor would quit as soon as turned a knob on my midi controller.I think I missed ticking a box on my OMS setup, maybe you want to check on that.

Bst, Christian

 

Can you HAVE memory problems in OSX? I've got 1.75g's...

Using an Audiophile 2494 pci card, for audio only; MIDI comes via usb hub from an Edirol rack unit and a UC-16 (using the card's MIDI was a nightmare).
Any clues about audio dropouts?
Thanks for asking!
dc

 

sorry, i forgot you were using OSX. no you should not have
memory problems.

no clues about drop outs from me. have you got the latest drivers?

sowari

 

Thanks all around for your input.

From a purely performer's viewpoint, the NordModular G2 somehow makes more sense. That UI with the rotary encoders and displays is hard to beat. However, since it lacks extensive RAM, sample-based stuff cannot be done, which is a shame.

...I might just have to get BOTH ...

cheers

 

Do you have more info in that? Building your own controller? I'm looking for a endless, incremental knob controller (6 knobs would do)
like the NI sold before. I'm strapped on cash and I have my soldering iron ready...

 

> From a purely performer's viewpoint, the NordModular G2 somehow makes more sense. I might just have to get BOTH

for a while, i was using a nord modular (v1) and reaktor (v2) side-by-side. for me: nord beats reaktor in the reliability-for-playing-live department, but reaktor beats nord for sonic/expressive potential. the nord sounds icy/digital ... its trademark, great strength, and great weakness. though reaktor does not sound as full/rich as some of the other software synthesis programs out there (see endless discussions of this topic scattered through the forum), it sounds fuller to me than the nord. (maybe this is no longer true with the nord modular v2?)

btw, when i really got into building reaktor ensembles, i sold my nord modular! ;-)

rachMiel

 

i agree with rach
i had a nord modular rack version (not g2, older version), and as i started using reaktor, all i used the nord for was for midi controllers for reaktor
those knobs did have a great feel, but a 1000$ knob box was a bit much

i sold it in favor of reaktors flexibility/sound

-b

 

---Do you have more info in that? Building your own controller?

http://www.ucapps.de

there are also kits that doepfer sells.

 

Great links, but looking at the ucapps projects I have to redefine (pretty easy actually). On the other hand the Doepfer OEM product is more like it and fairly priced BUT no support for endless knobs like their Pocket Dial.... :-( can't have it all, can I ?!