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Advanced Topics
Adding Your Own Reaktor Effects
Rolodecks comes with one EXT effect slot, accessed by clicking the EXT tab. The EXT (external) effect is essentially an empty effect slot with modulations where you can easily connect and modulate any effect you choose. While this slot is meant to be used with other Reaktor effects, there is nothing stopping you from connecting hardware effects or other software effects.
RoloEXT, which comes with Rolodecks Pro, has six effect slots and added modulation options so you can build a complex and unique multi-effect.
1 - Click Reaktor’s B-View
2 - Select the EXT tab.
3 - Double-click the background of EXT effect area, which will take you into Reaktor’s structure.
4 - Right-click the background of the structure and choose Macro>Building-blocks>Effects and choose Micro Space.
NOTE: This list is by no means an exhaustive list of available Reaktor effects. There are hundreds of great effects available online as part of the Native Instruments User Library which we encourage you to explore.
You can use Instruments or Macros as the EXT effect. If you plan on using Macros, you’ll want to be sure that the Macro is set to monophonic mode. This doesn’t mean the audio output will be mono, it simply ensures compatibility with Rolodecks.
5 - Right-click the Micro Space and be sure that it is set to Mono.
6 - Select and delete the Stretch effect, cabling up your effect in its place.
Next, we’ll want to be sure that the graphics from the new effect fit nicely in the FX Stage.
7 - Click the Panel breadcrumb or structure icon to close the structure and return back to the panel.
8 - Click the wrench icon to unlock the panel and adjust the panel elements of the effect you added, so that it fits in the FX Stage area.
With the panel unlocked, you can freely move elements around and adjust the layout of your new effect. After you’ve adjusted the panel elements, be sure to lock the panel back up by clicking the wrench again.
NOTE: With larger effects, it might be a challenge to get your effects to fit. In this case, you can hide elements that aren’t crucial by using the panel element’s properties (View Tab). Sometimes it may be more practical to just use an Instrument version of the effect, which will automatically appear outside of Rolodecks, as a self contained device.
Modulating Ext Effects Using IC Sends
While simply adding your own effect to Rolodecks can sound great, modulating your own effect using Rolodecks can take things to the next level. You can think of modulation as ‘internal automation’ that allows you to automate the parameters you chose.
1 - Turn on the EXT effect by clicking its power button.
2 - Click on Reaktor’s A-View to view the modulation matrix for the EXT effect.
Rolodecks’s modulation matrix appears, showing three sources, destinations and cyan colored amount sliders. If you are using RoloEXT (Rolodecks Pro) you will see six sources, destinations and sliders.
The modulation matrix has the following settings:
Source Menu- Choose the source of modulation here. You can think of this as your automation source. You can choose from one of three mod lanes or the envelope follower.
Destination Type Menu- Choose how you’d like to send the message and/or where. You can choose to send MIDI Notes, MIDI CC’s or IC SENDS.
Amount Slider- Allows you to choose the output range of the modulation. This way you can get more focused and/or subtle changes. For example, a modulation value that was originally 0-1, can be scaled to .75-1. Double click to reset.
2 - Set Mod Source 1 to Mod1
This sets up Modulation lane 1 to be the first mod source.
3 - Make sure Modulation lane 1 is active and has a yellow power button. 4 - Draw in some modulation.
In order to modulate your EXT effect, you’ll want to use IC SENDS as the destinations in most cases as they allow you to easily route the modulation signal directly to any other Reaktor parameter without the need for setting up MIDI control.
5 - Set the Dest 1 menu to output via IC SEND.
When you set up an IC SEND as a modulation destination, you will see a menu appear that automatically lists all of the available Reaktor parameters.
6 - Choose a destination parameter to modulate.
While you most likely will choose a parameters for the EXT effect you’re using, you can choose anything you wish that is in this list. See theTips & TricksAdvanced Topic.
You can send to as many parameters as you like using just one IC SEND. If you are using the built-in EXT effect called ‘Stretch’, you can see that it is already assigned by the diamond icon next to the name stretch.
NOTE: One downside to be aware of is that IC SENDS are stored globally with the Ensemble, not with your presets (snapshots)!
Modulating Ext Effects Using MIDI
In most cases, you should use IC SENDS to modulate the effects you are using as a Rolodeck’s EXT effect. However, there are several scenarios that might present themselves that call for MIDI. For example, what if you insert a MIDI controlled effect as an EXT effect that needs to be controlled by MIDI Notes? What if you simply want to use MIDI because MIDI data can be stored with snapshots and IC SENDS can’t?
SETTING UP MIDI MODULATION FOR AN EXT EFFECT OR ANY PURPOSE
1 - Turn on the EXT effect by clicking its power button.
2 - Click on Reaktor’s A-View to view the modulation matrix for the EXT effect.
3 - Choose MIDI CC or MIDI NOTE as a modulation destination.
4 - Drag the number below the word NUM to assign a controller or note #.
ASSIGNING THE MIDI CC/NOTE TO REAKTOR INSTRUMENT PARAMS.
1 - Select a knob or panel element you’d like to modulate.
2 - Right-click and choose to ‘Properties’ for that element to open the properties side panel.
3 - Click the ‘connect’ tab and choose activate MIDI IN.
4 - Choose ‘Controller’ or ‘Note’ (depending on what you choose earlier) and enter a controller # that matches what you chose as a destination.
5 - Lastly, select the header of the instrument and in the properties ‘connect’ tab choose: From External Instruments > Rolodecks (or RoloEXT)
Using Hardware Or Other Software Effects
STANDALONE MODE
If you are running Rolodecks in standalone mode, you can easily connect a hardware effect (such as an analog guitar pedal) or software effects from other programs into the EXT effect slot.
You will need a multi-channel audio interface to connect hardware this way or a special program for multi-channel inter-application audio routing if you wish to use another application’s software effects. There are several free programs available that should work, such as Jack OSX and Soundflower, but we can’t offer support for or endorse either software.
1 - Open up Reaktor’s structure and create an extra set of inputs and outputs that will send to the effect and return from the effect.
2 - Click the Structure button.
3 - Right-click the background of the structure and create a pair of in ports and out ports that go to the audio interface connections where you have a hardware effect connected.
4 - Connect the FX L/R ins and outs. When you’re done it should look something like this.
If you have a hardware effect connected to your audio interfaces in/outs for 3-4, you will have successfully inserted a hardware effect into the EXT slot.
If you have your inter-application routing software sending audio to another program and back into Reaktor, you will have successfully patched in an external software effect.
NOTE: When you setup connections at the top level, connections made at the macro level (by double- clicking the background of the EXT effect on the FX Stage) are still active. The top level connections will be pre-macro level. In other words, if you have the Buffeater Stretch effect in the EXT slot, you will be hearing your external hardware/software effects going through the Stretch effect. Simply set the MIX knob to 0% and make sure the EXT mod lanes are off if you would rather not hear the Stretch effect. Or, just delete Stretch entirely from the structure and reconnect the cables.
PLUGIN MODE
In order to use hardware effects or software effects as the EXT effect when in plugin mode, you will need to use the Beatlooper (or any Reaktor signal) as the source (the signal you’d like to process).
The techniques described below depend on your plugin host software’s routing capabilities. Most hosts that support a multi-out instance of Reaktor and have a robust bus system and side-chain capabilities will work fine. For your convenience, we’ve included Logic Pro demo projects for the examples below.
SETTING UP A LOGIC PRO CHANNEL STRIP AS THE EXT EFFECT
1 - Instantiate a multi-out instance of Reaktor as a software instrument.
2 - Open Rolodecks and be sure that the Source input is set to LOOP, not Live.
Otherwise you may get a very loud feedback loop if you cable things up improperly. Be sure to test things with your volume down.
3 - Make sure you have a sample loaded.
4 - Route outputs 3-4 of your multi-out instance of Reaktor to an Aux, by clicking the small plus button at the bottom of the channel strip in the mixer.
5 - Insert effects onto the aux. 6 - Route the aux out a bus, but mute or delete the new Aux that Logic auto creates. 7 - Set the bus as the side-chain input to Reaktor. 8 - Connect the top level FX L/R output to outputs 3-4. This sends the signal out to the External effect. 9 - Connect the top level inputs 1-2 to the FX L/R inputs. This connects the side-chain return signal back into the EXT effect slot.
SETTING UP A HARDWARE EFFECT AS THE EXT EFFECT IN LOGIC PRO
1 - Instantiate a multi-out instance of Reaktor as a software instrument.
2 - Open Rolodecks and be sure that the Source input is set to LOOP, not Live.
Otherwise you may get a very loud feedback loop if you cable things up improperly. Be sure to test things with your volume down.
3 - Make sure you have a sample loaded.
4 - Route outputs 3-4 of your multi-out instance of Reaktor to an Aux, by clicking the small plus button at the bottom of the channel strip in the mixer.
5 - Route the aux out to hardware or virtual output 3-4.
6 - Set the input from your hardware as the side-chain input to Reaktor. 7 - Connect the top level FX L/R output to outputs 3-4. This sends the signal out to the External effect. 8 - Connect the top level inputs 1-2 to the FX L/R inputs.
This connects the side-chain return signal back into the EXT effect slot.
Routing The Envelope Follower To Any Parameter
While the Envelope Follower is hardwired to specific destinations within Rolodecks, we’ve set things up so you can easily use the Envelope Follower to control anything you wish, inside or outside of Rolodecks!
1 - Turn on the CPU button for the EXT effect in the FX Tabs section.
2 - Set the MIX knob to 0% so that you are not hearing the effect of the Stretch effect.
The EXT effect is where you can add your own effect, but it also has a freely assignable modulation matrix which can be accessed by clicking the A-View for the ensemble. This mod matrix can route signal anywhere.
3 - Click the A-View button in the upper left corner of the instrument interface.
The FX Stage now shows the modulation matrix which we want to useto route the Envelope Follower anywhere inside or outside of Rolodecks.
4 - Select any of the three sources to be the Envelope Follower.
If you are using RoloEXT, you will have six sources and destinations for each of the six effect slots.
5 - Set the destination menu to be IC SEND if you wish to control another Reaktor parameter.
An IC SEND menu appears where you can choose any destination inside Reaktor for the Envelope Follower and set the amount using the blue slider directly below the menu.
Tips & Tricks
Rolodecks is quite deep and there are some simple tricks might not be so obvious which we will cover here. Before attempting these tips & tricks, you should have a solid foundation in the Rolodecks basics covered throughout this manual as well as Reaktor as a whole.
CREATING A DUCKING EFFECT
You can use the envelope follower to create a ‘pseudo sidechain compression’ effect. This technique works anywhere, but it is particularly fun and useful in something like NI’s MASCHINE.
Grab a simple kick drum loop and toss it into the Beatlooper sampler. This will be your 'sidechain trigger' sound or the sound that causes the ducking.
Set the Source Input to Live and send audio into Rolodecks.
Set the EF. Source to Loop.
Turn the Envelope Follower’s view menu on.
Turn the Envelope Follower’s Mode button off.
Adjust the threshold until you see a signal that represents your loop’s natural decay.
Hit Invert in the Envelope Follower.
Activate the EXT effect tab by clicking its CPU button
Set the MIX to 0% so that you’re not hearing the EXT effect and turn off any modulation.
Click Reaktor’s A-View.
Set Source 1 to Envelope Follower and Dest 1 to IC SEND.
In the IC SEND menu, choose Rolodecks<Self>AMP. You may want to disconnect the IC SEND connections to the Stretch effect which are on by default.
Set the Dest 1 output range slider so that it has a range of about 0.25 - 1. Take it a step further if you like and route the Envelope Follower to some other destinations as well.
Turn on some Rolodecks effects and route the Dest 1 IC SEND to Rolodecks>Self>MIX
AUTO RANDOMIZE
If you like randomization and want to set something up where your effects lanes are getting auto randomized, it is easy to set up using an EXT effect slot’s modulation lanes.
Activate the EXT effect tab by clicking its CPU button.
Set the MIX to 0% so that you’re not hearing the EXT effect if you don’t want to.
Click Reaktor’s A-View.
Turn on Modulation lane 1 and draw some values above .5. Anything above .5 will cause randomization.
Turn off SMTH for Mod lane 1
Set the speed for Mod lane 1. The speed you set here will determine how often Rolodecks auto-randomizes.
Set Source 1 to Mod 1 and Dest 1 to IC SEND.
In the IC SEND menu, choose Rolodecks<Self>Edit:Edit:Rnd
Choose an Edit Mode to determine what gets randomized. For example, if you just want to auto-randomize the Slicer mod lanes, select the Slicer and choose Current FX Mod Lanes as the Edit Mode.
Hit Play, sit back and listen to Rolodecks go!
Try setting your Rolodecks main mix to 50%.
Setup some auto-randomizing scenes and some scenes where it is off.
GENERATE MIDI PATTERN SEQUENCES OR ARPEGGIOS
Rolodecks has MIDI NOTE out and therefor can be used to generate pretty interesting and complex MIDI sequences to drive your favorite synths and drum machines! It is really easy and super fun with RoloEXT which has 6 modulation lanes and six effect slots. That said, let’s walk through setting it up with an EXT slot in Rolodecks.
1 - Activate the EXT effect tab by clicking its CPU button.
2 - Click Reaktor’s A-View to access the Modulation Matrix for the EXT effect.
Turn EXT MIX to 0% if you don’t want to pass your audio through the EXT effect’s Stretch effect!
3 - Turn on all three Modulation Lanes.
4 - Draw some patterns
5 - Set Source 1, 2 and 3 up to Modulation lanes 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
6 - Set the destinations of each to ‘Note’.
7 - Choose different note numbers that are all in the same scale. Try 60, 63 and 67 for a C Minor Triad.
You can route MIDI out of Reaktor to another hardware synth or softsynth using a virtual MIDI port, but let’s see what we can do inside of Reaktor.
8 - Open Reaktor’s structure.
9 - Right-click the background of the structure and choose Instrument>Synthesizers>SteamPipe2
10 - Cable up SteamPipe2 to the FX L/R Inputs of Reaktor and close the structure.
11 - Right-click the SteamPipe2 instrument header and choose Instrument Properties.
12 - In the connect tab’s MIDI IN, choose From Internal Instruments>Rolodecks
13 - Select the Guitar preset or any other polyphonic preset.
You can even experiment with using the Envelope Follower as a modulation source that generates notes!
15 - If you want to create an Arp, simply turn on MIDI Gate mode on and turn ENV MODE | LOOP on.
AUTOMATING YOUR EXT EFFECTS USING TRACK AUTOMATION
In some case you may prefer to use your hosts automation system to automate your effects. When you add an effect to Reaktor you will need to assign it an automation ID that your host understands. In most cases, this ID needs to be a number under 100.
In Rolodecks, you can use automation IDs 72 to 100. In RoloEXT you can use automation IDs 40 to 100.
To assign an automation ID to your own effects:
1 - Right-click the knob or slider for the EXT effect parameter you are trying to automate and open its properties.
2 - In the Connect tab, choose the automation ID between 72 - 100 that you’d like to use.
3 - Turn on track automation in your host and automate.
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