When using multiple instruments loaded in Kontakt, you may want to route them to separate channels in Pro Tools. For example, if you wish to use different insert / send effects or apply Pro Tools volume and panorama controls to each instrument individually.
Follow the below instructions to configure Kontakt and Pro Tools for multi-output use.
- Create a software Instrument Track in Pro Tools.
- In this track, load an instance of Kontakt. Here, we have selected Kontakt (Stereo).
- Once Kontakt is open, click on the Panel icon, then select Outputs to make the outputs area visible at the bottom of Kontakt's interface.
- Add or delete mixer channels in this area by clicking on the + or - buttons within the mixer. At the bottom of each channel, a button represents the current Kontakt output channel assignments. Click on this button to open Kontakt's channel output configuration window and configure the signal path destination for each channel.
- Specify which physical out each Kontakt channel should correspond to within Pro Tools. In this example, the first channel, named st. 1 (a stereo channel), is assigned to plugin out #1 (left channel) and plugin out #2 (right channel). Assign the second channel, st. 2, to plugin out #3 (left channel) and plugin out #4 (right channel). Continue this process for the remaining mixer channels in Kontakt depending on what you need.
Note: In Pro Tools, a physical out channel is displayed as plugin out #1, plugin out #2, and so on. This name will vary depending on which sequencer you are using.
Important note: If you do not see the additional outputs (st. 2, st. 3, st. 4, etc.), follow the steps in this article.
- After the configuration is complete, click on the Save output section preset as dialogue within the Presets / Batch Configuration drop-down menu to save your new Kontakt mixer output configuration as a preset file.
- Set your newly created output section preset as the default output state for the AAX Plugin version of Kontakt.
- Load some instruments into Kontakt. The Output menu of each instrument is set to the first available Kontakt output channel, st. 1, by default. You can change the Output setting for each instrument by clicking in this area. A drop-down menu will appear, where you can set a different output channel (st. 2, st. 3, and so on) for each instrument.
- In Pro Tools, create additional audio tracks to receive audio from Kontakt's newly created output channels. In this example, 3 stereo audio tracks have been created.
- In the Pro Tools mixer, assign the audio input of your first audio track (here named Kontakt 1) to receive from the Kontakt output channel st. 2.
Note: By default, the instrument track (here named Kontakt) containing the Kontakt plug-in will receive audio from the Kontakt output channel st. 1.
Assign the remaining audio inputs of the next audio tracks to receive from the output channels Kontakt st. 3, st. 4, and so on. - Enable Track Input Monitor in each audio track so that Pro Tools can receive audio from Kontakt.