Native Instruments: bridging the gap between your musical ideas and reality
by Diogo C
28th November 2024
Sponsored by Native Instruments
Music producers often have two problems: which virtual instruments to choose and how to best integrate them into their workflow? As soon as they solve the first, which by itself is a huge undertaking given the near-infinite pool of available options, the next question is how to control these instruments without having to rely solely on a mouse? Do they offer “MIDI Learn” to assign all those parameters or dive into CC numbers charts and set the controller accordingly? The process can take a frustrating amount of time - and we’re not even considering the costs yet.
Fortunately, Native Instruments has the solution with the Komplete line of software instruments and Kontrol series MIDI keyboard controllers. Each on their own are excellent, but when combined they deliver the best possible experience for bridging that gap between what’s happening on your screen and your hands.
You’re probably thinking that this is all very enticing, but perhaps it’s probably above what you can afford to spend, but that’s not the case. In this article we’ll explore what Native Instruments can do for you and your productions, with superb keyboards with full integration to their top-of-the-class virtual instruments all within reach without breaking the bank. We’ll start with the software, then move on to cover the hardware.
A Komplete set of tools for music production
Native Instruments is second to none when it comes to offering tools for producing music with computers, and since the company started out in the late 1990s they have released hundreds of products that range from ultra-flexible virtual synthesizers to sampled instruments with deep editing capabilities and some exquisite hardware as well. This is distilled in their Komplete bundle, which encompasses over 165 virtual instruments and effects, along with a whopping amount of 150,000 sounds - yes, you read that right, over a hundred thousand!
We can’t cover everything that is included in this immense package, which features up to 19 synthesizers, 30 effects processors, 16 orchestral collections, 19 cinematic tools, 58 sampled instruments and 19 drum/percussion libraries, but here’s a quick breakdown of the major highlights:
Kontakt 8: The powerhouse that defined modern sampled instruments, now geared with tools to help you generate and improve your songs - we’ll have a lot more to say on this later, so let’s save it for now.
Massive X: An insanely versatile wavetable synthesizer which can be argued, played a huge role in the birth of an entirely new genre in dubstep. The latest “X” iteration makes it even more massive, with more oscillators, more modulators and a plethora of new options to create fresh sounds. Certainly a must-have for anyone producing electronic music.
Kithara: Surreally-designed guitars to fulfill those cinematic purposes you’ve been nurturing. Kithara is not about fidelity, but it’s all about being creative to take a familiar instrument to whole new places.
iZotope Ozone 11 Standard: arguably the most established, all-around solution for mastering. Ozone has powered countless top-charting hits over the past twenty years, and now it’s part of Komplete. Polish your songs to make them ready for the spotlight with an exquisite set of processors, including EQs, compressors, saturation, the highly regarded maximizer and new smart tools like its Tonal Balance module.
Acoustic Sunburst Deluxe: If Kithara leaned more on the experimental aspects, Sunburst delivers the classic strumming and plucking on over two hundred fifty patterns and a melodic companion to go along with it.
Guitar Rig 7 Pro: A sandbox of amp heads, pedals and cabinets to craft any imaginable guitar tone. From creamy vintage fuzz to high-gain metal to anything in between, A true one-stop solution for all guitar amp needs.
Action Woodwinds: A woodwind ensemble that sounds totally authentic with the sonic excellence expected from Native Instruments, packed with a sizable number of articulations and phrases to take your orchestral arrangements to the next level.
Valves Pro: Komplete wouldn’t be complete without a set of brass instruments, so here we have a terrific collection, featuring trombone, flugelhorn, French horn, tuba and euphonium, presented with expertly curated articulations.
Claire: Having a proper piano is definitely another checkbox that has to be ticked in order to achieve our Kompletionist dream, and Claire does it beautifully, with an expertly-sampled Italian concert grand piano recorded at one of Europe’s finest rooms at Galaxy Studios.
Reaktor 6: Perhaps the first virtual modular synthesizer system ever to be taken seriously, Reaktor can also be credited as a fundamental source of inspiration for many electronic music innovators such as Aphex Twin and Autechre. Reaktor can be daunting at first, so Native Instruments now offers Reaktor Blocks, which makes the patch-making process a more friendly process.
Choir Omnia: This 40-piece contemporary symphonic choir is not your everyday choir library, it was created in partnership with the experts at Strezov Sampling and features a powerful “Syllabuilder” for setting up custom phrases and over over 70GB of content for the ultimate choir-building experience.
Vocal Colors: A highly flexible vocal engine that combines sampling and modulation to blur the lines between organics and synthetics for creative voice creation, layering, double-tracking and much more - it also allows users to import their own samples and take their vocals to a whole new territory.
Komplete tiers: tailormade for you
Komplete is available in three versions: Standard, Ultimate and Collector’s Edition. Each one presents a carefully curated content package that increases in size and price as we climb the ladder, always with substantial savings over individually buying instruments or effects. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Kontakt 8: the best gets even better
Simply put, there’s no virtual instrument out there that is as diverse as Kontakt is: its immense number of libraries dwarfs its competitors, it is unrivaled and unmatched when it comes to scope. It’s more accurate to describe it as a platform for sample-based instruments than a mere piece of software or plug-in, with tens of thousands of instruments available from Native Instruments and a myriad of third-party developers, which ranges from small teams and indie creators to high-caliber sampling masters such as Spitfire Audio, Soniccouture, Heavyocity, Embertone, Impact Soundworks and many, many others.
However, we don’t need to purchase anything else straight away, as the Kontakt “Factory” Library ships with over 900 instruments on over 60 GB of content with plenty of options for acoustic, orchestral and electronic instruments. The latest version also features the twelve new Leap Expansions, which presents not only instruments but construction kits so you can get ideas off the ground quite quickly and also the new Conflux instrument, a hybrid synth that layers samples with wavetables. Conflux is perfect for sound design and includes classic techniques such as FM, phase modulation and ring modulation, which can be tweaked in real-time and are placed alongside a robust effects engine on a very intuitive interface that can instantly animate sounds. Kontakt 8 also brings Hybrid Keys, a flexible instrument that blends acoustic sources such as pianos and mallets with synthetic sounds so we can creatively combine them to achieve unique sounds.
If that wasn’t enough, Kontakt now packs two new tools to help you with the songwriting process: Chords and Phrases. The first presents a hefty number of selected chords that are mapped to the keyboard as chord progressions so users can easily trigger them, and the latter offers ready-to-use melodic phrases to go on top of your harmonies. Both tools are organized in a way that greatly facilitates their use for those who aren’t trained or versed in music theory, with a handy preset browser that sorts the chords and phrases by genre, complexity or style, and it’s a welcome addition that further elevates Kontakt’s status as the gold standard when it comes to sample-based instruments.
Taking Kontrol
Now it’s time to bridge that gap that stands between you and the instruments on your screen: enter the Kontrol S-Series keyboards. Currently on its third iteration, this series of exquisite MIDI controllers are top of the class when it comes to hardware and software integration. Starting with hardware, the Kontrol S-Series Mk3 comes in three shapes: 49 or 61 with semi-weighted keys, and 88 with fully weighted hammer-action keys.
The chassis on all three models features a sleek minimalistic design with a large (1200x480mm) full color high-resolution screen on center, eight tactile assignable buttons, eight touch-sensitive anodized aluminum encoders and pitch/modulation wheels, DAW transport section, twelve operational buttons and master 4-D encoder, which combined greatly facilitates the operation and navigation. There’s also a neat Touch Strip section on the left side of the keyboard that can be assigned to control parameters and three buttons on top of it to quickly set the velocity to a fixed value and change octaves.
We should also take a moment to talk about the keys themselves: the Kontrol S Series Mk3 keyboards are equipped with a premium Fatar keybed, which is widely considered to be the best in the industry, and offer full support for polyphonic aftertouch - and this is a big breakthrough for controllers, since it allows users to assign parameters such as pitch and vibrato or basically any other control to the pressure of the keyboard, greatly expanding its expressivity since each note can be individually manipulated, unlike monophonic aftertouch which affected all keys.
Wrapping up this amazing feature set is the Intelligent Light Guides, a LED strip on top of each key that highlights key switches and zones and can also be customized by the user. Lastly, the back of the unit features MIDI Input and Input on DIN connectors, four assignable 1/4 pedals outputs, two USB-C ports for power and for connecting with a computer, and an On/Off button.
Komplete Integration
Now for the software, which is just as neatly packaged as the hardware: thanks to the Native Kontrol Standard (NKS), a protocol that fully integrates plug-ins and software instruments with the keyboard. (This protocol is not exclusive to Native Instrument plug-ins, it is open to the third-party developers and has been widely adopted by the industry ever since its release.)
Simply put, NKS maps all relevant plug-in parameters to the encoders found on the S-Series, allowing for the user to easily control their plug-ins from the keyboard without having to go through the time-consuming process of assigning each individual control. If a plug-in or instrument library features the NKS seal, you’re ready to go, it’s plug-and-play-and-kontrol. You can find a full list of supported plug-ins here.
Budget Kontrol
In case the budget is tight, Native Instruments also offers the Kontrol A25, M32 and A61 controller keyboards, which have a streamlined feature set that (among other things) does not include the high-res screen but keeps the seamless integration with the Komplete bundle, making for a great option for those on limited funds.
Music producers often have two problems: which virtual instruments to choose and how to best integrate them into their workflow? As soon as they solve the first, which by itself is a huge undertaking given the near-infinite pool of available options, the next question is how to control these instruments without having to rely solely on a mouse? Do they offer “MIDI Learn” to assign all those parameters or dive into CC numbers charts and set the controller accordingly? The process can take a frustrating amount of time - and we’re not even considering the costs yet.
Fortunately, Native Instruments has the solution with the Komplete line of software instruments and Kontrol series MIDI keyboard controllers. Each on their own are excellent, but when combined they deliver the best possible experience for bridging that gap between what’s happening on your screen and your hands.
You’re probably thinking that this is all very enticing, but perhaps it’s probably above what you can afford to spend, but that’s not the case. In this article we’ll explore what Native Instruments can do for you and your productions, with superb keyboards with full integration to their top-of-the-class virtual instruments all within reach without breaking the bank. We’ll start with the software, then move on to cover the hardware.
A Komplete set of tools for music production
Native Instruments is second to none when it comes to offering tools for producing music with computers, and since the company started out in the late 1990s they have released hundreds of products that range from ultra-flexible virtual synthesizers to sampled instruments with deep editing capabilities and some exquisite hardware as well. This is distilled in their Komplete bundle, which encompasses over 165 virtual instruments and effects, along with a whopping amount of 150,000 sounds - yes, you read that right, over a hundred thousand!
We can’t cover everything that is included in this immense package, which features up to 19 synthesizers, 30 effects processors, 16 orchestral collections, 19 cinematic tools, 58 sampled instruments and 19 drum/percussion libraries, but here’s a quick breakdown of the major highlights:
Kontakt 8: The powerhouse that defined modern sampled instruments, now geared with tools to help you generate and improve your songs - we’ll have a lot more to say on this later, so let’s save it for now.
Kithara: Surreally-designed guitars to fulfill those cinematic purposes you’ve been nurturing. Kithara is not about fidelity, but it’s all about being creative to take a familiar instrument to whole new places.
Acoustic Sunburst Deluxe: If Kithara leaned more on the experimental aspects, Sunburst delivers the classic strumming and plucking on over two hundred fifty patterns and a melodic companion to go along with it.
Action Woodwinds: A woodwind ensemble that sounds totally authentic with the sonic excellence expected from Native Instruments, packed with a sizable number of articulations and phrases to take your orchestral arrangements to the next level.
Valves Pro: Komplete wouldn’t be complete without a set of brass instruments, so here we have a terrific collection, featuring trombone, flugelhorn, French horn, tuba and euphonium, presented with expertly curated articulations.
Claire: Having a proper piano is definitely another checkbox that has to be ticked in order to achieve our Kompletionist dream, and Claire does it beautifully, with an expertly-sampled Italian concert grand piano recorded at one of Europe’s finest rooms at Galaxy Studios.
Choir Omnia: This 40-piece contemporary symphonic choir is not your everyday choir library, it was created in partnership with the experts at Strezov Sampling and features a powerful “Syllabuilder” for setting up custom phrases and over over 70GB of content for the ultimate choir-building experience.
Vocal Colors: A highly flexible vocal engine that combines sampling and modulation to blur the lines between organics and synthetics for creative voice creation, layering, double-tracking and much more - it also allows users to import their own samples and take their vocals to a whole new territory.
Komplete tiers: tailormade for you
Komplete is available in three versions: Standard, Ultimate and Collector’s Edition. Each one presents a carefully curated content package that increases in size and price as we climb the ladder, always with substantial savings over individually buying instruments or effects. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Standard version ($599) comes with 47 sampled instruments, 15 synthesizers, 12 drums/percussive instruments and 53 expansions, totalling more than fifty thousand sounds. It also comes with 21 effects, including iZotope Ozone 11 Standard, Guitar Rig Pro 7 and more.
- Ultimate ($1199) takes it several notches further, with 28 orchestral/cinematic instruments, 56 sampled instruments, 18 synthesizers, 18 drums/percussive instruments, 33 effects and 83 expansions for a grand total of over a hundred thousand sounds.
- Collector’s Edition ($1799) packs nearly everything Native Instruments has to offer, featuring 36 orchestral/cinematic instruments, 56 sampled instruments, 19 synthesizers, 18 drums/percussive instruments, 34 effects and 127 expansions, which summed up comes to a walloping number of over 150,000 sounds!
Kontakt 8: the best gets even better
However, we don’t need to purchase anything else straight away, as the Kontakt “Factory” Library ships with over 900 instruments on over 60 GB of content with plenty of options for acoustic, orchestral and electronic instruments. The latest version also features the twelve new Leap Expansions, which presents not only instruments but construction kits so you can get ideas off the ground quite quickly and also the new Conflux instrument, a hybrid synth that layers samples with wavetables. Conflux is perfect for sound design and includes classic techniques such as FM, phase modulation and ring modulation, which can be tweaked in real-time and are placed alongside a robust effects engine on a very intuitive interface that can instantly animate sounds. Kontakt 8 also brings Hybrid Keys, a flexible instrument that blends acoustic sources such as pianos and mallets with synthetic sounds so we can creatively combine them to achieve unique sounds.
Taking Kontrol
Now it’s time to bridge that gap that stands between you and the instruments on your screen: enter the Kontrol S-Series keyboards. Currently on its third iteration, this series of exquisite MIDI controllers are top of the class when it comes to hardware and software integration. Starting with hardware, the Kontrol S-Series Mk3 comes in three shapes: 49 or 61 with semi-weighted keys, and 88 with fully weighted hammer-action keys.
The chassis on all three models features a sleek minimalistic design with a large (1200x480mm) full color high-resolution screen on center, eight tactile assignable buttons, eight touch-sensitive anodized aluminum encoders and pitch/modulation wheels, DAW transport section, twelve operational buttons and master 4-D encoder, which combined greatly facilitates the operation and navigation. There’s also a neat Touch Strip section on the left side of the keyboard that can be assigned to control parameters and three buttons on top of it to quickly set the velocity to a fixed value and change octaves.
We should also take a moment to talk about the keys themselves: the Kontrol S Series Mk3 keyboards are equipped with a premium Fatar keybed, which is widely considered to be the best in the industry, and offer full support for polyphonic aftertouch - and this is a big breakthrough for controllers, since it allows users to assign parameters such as pitch and vibrato or basically any other control to the pressure of the keyboard, greatly expanding its expressivity since each note can be individually manipulated, unlike monophonic aftertouch which affected all keys.
Wrapping up this amazing feature set is the Intelligent Light Guides, a LED strip on top of each key that highlights key switches and zones and can also be customized by the user. Lastly, the back of the unit features MIDI Input and Input on DIN connectors, four assignable 1/4 pedals outputs, two USB-C ports for power and for connecting with a computer, and an On/Off button.
Komplete Integration
Simply put, NKS maps all relevant plug-in parameters to the encoders found on the S-Series, allowing for the user to easily control their plug-ins from the keyboard without having to go through the time-consuming process of assigning each individual control. If a plug-in or instrument library features the NKS seal, you’re ready to go, it’s plug-and-play-and-kontrol. You can find a full list of supported plug-ins here.
Budget Kontrol
In case the budget is tight, Native Instruments also offers the Kontrol A25, M32 and A61 controller keyboards, which have a streamlined feature set that (among other things) does not include the high-res screen but keeps the seamless integration with the Komplete bundle, making for a great option for those on limited funds.
Komplete Cyber Season Savings
Native Instruments is currently offering a great opportunity to save big on both software and hardware, including what is the best deal on Komplete so far! Here are some major highlights:
Act fast, because these deals are ending soon, and keep an eye out because more offers will be unveiled!
Click here for more information on the Komplete Cyber Season Savings!
Native Instruments is currently offering a great opportunity to save big on both software and hardware, including what is the best deal on Komplete so far! Here are some major highlights:
- Komplete 15 Standard, Ultimate and Collector's Edition 50% OFF only through December 3
- Massive X 50% OFF - Including Crossgrade
- Choose from a number of synths for only $19 (Regularly $69 - $149)
- 3-for-1 Expansions for $49 (Regularly $147)
- 3-for-1 Play Series instruments for $49 ($147)
- iZotope Catalyst Series Holiday Bundle $129 (Regularly $147)
- iZotope Elements Suite 10 $99 (Regularly $139)
- MASCHINE, MASCHINE+ and MASCHINE MIKRO up to $100 OFF
- An additional free Leap Expansion for the free Kontakt 8 Player!
Act fast, because these deals are ending soon, and keep an eye out because more offers will be unveiled!
Click here for more information on the Komplete Cyber Season Savings!
