How to Insert Native Instruments Plug-ins in Digital Performer

In a software host application such as Digital Performer, audio plug-ins can be inserted either as Instruments or Effects. Some Native Instruments applications can only be used as Instruments (e.g. KONTAKT 5) while others are Effects only (e.g. GUITAR RIG 5). Some of our applications can be used as both Instruments AND Effects (e.g. REAKTOR 5, ABSYNTH 5).

Inserting Instruments in Digital Performer

Creating the Instrument Track

You can create an Instrument Track and load the NI plug-in of your choice by selecting Project > Add Track > Instrument Track  > *NI plug-in name*.

After instantiation, the Instrument track will also appear in Digital Performer's Mixer.

Multiple MIDI Tracks to the Same Plug-in

n the case of KONTAKT 5 it is possible to load multiple instruments into one instance and trigger them via different MIDI channels. In some cases you may want to send different MIDI tracks via different MIDI channels to the same plug-in.

In the example below we have loaded a Violin and a Flute onto an instance of KONTAKT and we want to sent different MIDI events to these two instruments. First , we assign different MIDI inputs to each instrument within KONTAKT.

1. Assign MIDI channel 1 to the Violin and MIDI Channel 2 to the Flute.
   
2. Add two MIDI tracks to Digital Performer, assign their MIDI outputs to KONTAKT and assign them to send their MIDI events on MIDI channels 1 and 2 respectively.
   

Now the MIDI events of each track (the original Instrument track as well as the additional MIDI track) will trigger the two instruments within KONTAKT individually.

Inserting Effects

There are different ways to use an effect in a sequencer, as an insert effect or a send effect. We will demonstrate how to set up insert effects here. For further information about effects routing in Digital Performer please refer to the Digital Performer manual.

Loading the Effect Plug-in

1. Create an audio track in Digital Performer
2.  In the Digital Performer mixer there are slots for Insert and Send Effects. Click on these slots to bring up the insert effects list.
3. Choose the NI effect of your choice from that list. In our example we chose GUITAR RIG.
   

Double-clicking the plug-in in the mixer will bring up the GUITAR RIG interface where you can load patches and edit the effect parameters.