Native Instruments have announced Kontakt, their new software Sampler.
Kontakt was designed by Native Instruments to be the most powerful sampler ever created. Kontakt fuses an innovative design with an advanced sampling engine. The result is an inspiringly fast and intuitively flexible sampler with exceptional sound quality.
In addition to supporting all the standard sample playback and manipulation abilities of its hardware and software predecessors, Kontakt adds several technologies to give sampling a new dimension. Realtime time-stretching and resynthesis, graphical breakpoint envelopes, an integrated loop editor, analog-modelled filters, visually displayed modulation, and breathtaking efficiency create a sampler with the power to realize the most ingenious ideas. An outstanding sample library containing more than three gigabytes of sounds in various styles and categories is also included.
Architecture and Engine
Kontakt's advanced design and dynamic resource allocation ensure that its audio engine is always running at optimal efficiency, for up to 256 stereo voices per instance on a standard computer. The semi-modular architecture of Kontakt's audio engine corresponds exactly to its on-screen layout. Filters, effects, and modulations can easily be added with one click. If an audio-process is not active, it is neither displayed on the screen nor calculated by the CPU.
Unlike a conventional sampler, where pitch and length are always linked, Kontakt's integrated granular resynthesis engine frees you to compose with pitch and timestretch independently. Kontakt can play back each sample in one of three modes: Classic mode, Time Machine mode, and Tone Machine mode. The Time Machine allows real-time manipulation of length, pitch, and formant. The Tone Machines imprints a playable pitch onto the sample and maintains the same length across the keyboard. The comprehensive filter section offers 14 varieties from analogue lowpass and highpass to exotic sound-design filters. A broad range of insert and send effects, including EQs, waveshapers, delays, and reverbs, are available to position the instruments in the mix. All effects are inherent parts of the instrument, regardless of how many instruments are playing at once.
Modulation
Even a noise sample in Kontakt's hands is no static thing. Nearly all of Kontakt's parameters can be dynamically modulated by LFOs, breakpoint envelopes, step-sequencers, or via MIDI velocity or controller. Naturally, all time-based modulation can be synced to song tempo. Nothing is hidden behind the scenes, since all modulation is shown graphically. For instance, if a filter cutoff is modulated by a step-sequencer, the filter cutoff knob will display its modulation movements in addition to its current value. Despite the power of Kontakt's modulation abilities, there is no need for a complex modulation matrix, as only the active modulations are shown.
Efficient Workflow
Kontakt's elegant user interface takes just seconds to learn, yet is exceptionally flexible during the creative process. An integrated file-browser supporting drag and drop makes it quick to set up multisamples. Samples can be trimmed and looped within the main sampler window. The built-in graphical loop-editor features seamless looping with a sophisticated autocorrelation algorithm and supports up to eight loops per sample.
Content
More than three gigabytes of top-quality samples are included, ranging from acoustic pianos, drums and percussion, basses and guitars, to vintage instruments. The library, produced by Yellow Tools and Native Instruments, makes extensive use of Kontakt's dynamic modulation abilities for patches that are truly alive. Kontakt ships with five sample CDs, with each CD focusing on a different musical category. Kontakt can also import AKAI CDs and many other common formats for immediate access to an immense library.
Integration
Kontakt supports every professional native interface to seamlessly fit into all computer-based studios. Kontakt can be used as a plug-in with VST 2.0, DXi, DirectConnect, and MAS. In the studio or during a live performance, Kontakt can be used with less latency than a hardware sampler with ASIO, offering 32 outputs and 256 stereo voices.
Kontakt will be released in March 2002 at a retail price of $399.
Supported Sample Formats:
- Battery.
- AKAI S-1000/S-3000.
- SF2.
- Reaktor Map.
- LM4.
- AIFF.
- WAV from 8 to 32-bits.
Interfaces: VST 2.0, DXi, DirectConnect, MAS, ASIO, DirectSound, MME, SoundManager, FreeMIDI, OMS.
System Requirements:
- PC: Windows 98/2000/XP/ME, Pentium II 300 MHz, 128 MB RAM.
- Mac: Mac OS 8.6 or higher, G3 300 MHz, 128 MB RAM.
More information regarding Kontakt can be found at www.nativeinstruments.de/index.php?kontakt_us
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