What do you think of Kore 2?

[ATS]

What is the good and the bad? I have tried the demo multiple times but still cannot bring myself to buy it but something keeps me coming back to it to give it another chance. I am thinking I just don't understand it enough or something. I do have Komplete now so I am thinking it might be worth it to have all the sounds from Komplete in it with all the different variations but then again I could just use the synths.

Now this will not be believed by some but I compared a patch on Abynth 4 then tried the same exact patch (Absynth Harp) in kore player and I could swear the patch sounds better when played through the actual Absynth 4.

[chrised]

Now this will not be believed by some but I compared a patch on Abynth 4 then tried the same exact patch in Kore 2 (demo) and I could swear the patch sounds better when played through the actual Absynth 4.

Which patch? I'm curious.

If you're planning on using Kore just to keep your patches in one place, it's not really worth it IMHO. I don't think anybody has cracked the problem of how to find the sound that's in your head just yet. The keyword system is nice but unless you're using Komplete almost exclusively, it takes a long time to get other synths' sounds into the database.

Where Kore makes a difference is in building super-patches, where you tie together a bundle of instrument and FX engines and route audio between. The Deep Transformations examples - I think they're in the free compilation rather than the demo - show this, although the pack is a bit over-stuffed with filtered delays. But, if you wanted to build a complex granular delay from a set of discrete filters, granulators and delays, Kore is one of the tools to do it Bidule can do much the same thing but Kore has some of its own FX plugs. Kore also lets you manipulate MIDI and route that between plug-ins, but so does Bidule. AudioMulch, I think is another option.

[ATS]

Now this will not be believed by some but I compared a patch on Abynth 4 then tried the same exact patch in Kore 2 (demo) and I could swear the patch sounds better when played through the actual Absynth 4.

Which patch? I'm curious.

If you're planning on using Kore just to keep your patches in one place, it's not really worth it IMHO. I don't think anybody has cracked the problem of how to find the sound that's in your head just yet. The keyword system is nice but unless you're using Komplete almost exclusively, it takes a long time to get other synths' sounds into the database.

Where Kore makes a difference is in building super-patches, where you tie together a bundle of instrument and FX engines and route audio between. The Deep Transformations examples - I think they're in the free compilation rather than the demo - show this, although the pack is a bit over-stuffed with filtered delays. But, if you wanted to build a complex granular delay from a set of discrete filters, granulators and delays, Kore is one of the tools to do it Bidule can do much the same thing but Kore has some of its own FX plugs. Kore also lets you manipulate MIDI and route that between plug-ins, but so does Bidule. AudioMulch, I think is another option.

"Absynth Harp", I just tried it again and I am sure it sounds different.

[chrised]

"Absynth Harp", I just tried it again and I am sure it sounds different.

They sound identical here. You haven't tweaked the modulation or the effects in the Absynth version have you? AFAIK, once a sound is in Kore, it's separated from the synth's own preset, so if you edit one the changes won't be reflected in the other.

[ATS]

"Absynth Harp", I just tried it again and I am sure it sounds different.

They sound identical here. You haven't tweaked the modulation or the effects in the Absynth version have you? AFAIK, once a sound is in Kore, it's separated from the synth's own preset, so if you edit one the changes won't be reflected in the other.

that is without editing anything in either one. the difference isn't major but it is there. the kore player one sounds a little bit thinner to me.

[freddemillio]

"Absynth Harp", I just tried it again and I am sure it sounds different.

They sound identical here. You haven't tweaked the modulation or the effects in the Absynth version have you? AFAIK, once a sound is in Kore, it's separated from the synth's own preset, so if you edit one the changes won't be reflected in the other.

that is without editing anything in either one. the difference isn't major but it is there. the kore player one sounds a little bit thinner to me.

If you really want to sort out the differences in a more objective manner, then I suggest that you make some .wav's and then try listening and discerning differences using this (assuming you are on Windows):
http://www.kikeg.arrakis.es/winabx/
I'd be interested to see your results.

[koolkeys]

That's really odd since Kore should be using the Absynth plugin instead of it's own built in engine if you have Absynth installed. Is it opening the patch inside of Absynth when you load it in Kore? Or is it using the built in engine?

Brent

[ATS]

"Absynth Harp", I just tried it again and I am sure it sounds different.

They sound identical here. You haven't tweaked the modulation or the effects in the Absynth version have you? AFAIK, once a sound is in Kore, it's separated from the synth's own preset, so if you edit one the changes won't be reflected in the other.

that is without editing anything in either one. the difference isn't major but it is there. the kore player one sounds a little bit thinner to me.

If you really want to sort out the differences in a more objective manner, then I suggest that you make some .wav's and then try listening and discerning differences using this (assuming you are on Windows):
http://www.kikeg.arrakis.es/winabx/
I'd be interested to see your results.

well I am not trying to prove it to anyone so if you don't believe me that is fine.

[ATS]

That's really odd since Kore should be using the Absynth plugin instead of it's own built in engine if you have Absynth installed. Is it opening the patch inside of Absynth when you load it in Kore? Or is it using the built in engine?

Brent

I am using Kore Player so maybe it is using it's own engine. I guess I should download kore 2 demo again and try that.

[koolkeys]

That's really odd since Kore should be using the Absynth plugin instead of it's own built in engine if you have Absynth installed. Is it opening the patch inside of Absynth when you load it in Kore? Or is it using the built in engine?

Brent

I am using Kore Player so maybe it is using it's own engine. I guess I should download kore 2 demo again and try that.

I wonder if there is something different in there? All I know is that in the full Kore Software, if you have the NI plugin that the preset uses, it opens it in the actual VST plugin instead of using it's own engine. So you can be assured that it will sound the same on the full version as it does in the plugin, since it's USING the plugin.

Kore does obviously have the engines for all the NI synths inside, but maybe they aren't exactly the same for some reason?

I wonder if the Kore Player is using an older engine or something?

Brent

[ATS]

That's really odd since Kore should be using the Absynth plugin instead of it's own built in engine if you have Absynth installed. Is it opening the patch inside of Absynth when you load it in Kore? Or is it using the built in engine?

Brent

I am using Kore Player so maybe it is using it's own engine. I guess I should download kore 2 demo again and try that.

I wonder if there is something different in there? All I know is that in the full Kore Software, if you have the NI plugin that the preset uses, it opens it in the actual VST plugin instead of using it's own engine. So you can be assured that it will sound the same on the full version as it does in the plugin, since it's USING the plugin.

Kore does obviously have the engines for all the NI synths inside, but maybe they aren't exactly the same for some reason?

I wonder if the Kore Player is using an older engine or something?

Brent

not sure. I am happy to hear that Kore 2 will use the actual synth though because this was scaring me off a little from getting it.

I kind if wish I didn't bring this up because everyone is focusing on this. I really want to know if it is a good idea to buy Kore 2 or am I just wasting my money if I do? It is a weird thing to me Kore and I am sure I just don't get it.

Brent maybe you could download the kore player and compare and see if you hear a difference? Maybe I am crazy lol.

[chrised]

I kind if wish I didn't bring this up because everyone is focusing on this. I really want to know if it is a good idea to buy Kore 2 or am I just wasting my money if I do? It is a weird thing to me Kore and I am sure I just don't get it.

I don't think anybody gets Kore until they've had a good go with it.

But, the question is how you approach sound design or music. As a glorified patch manager, Kore is a waste of money IMHO.

Kore has a lot of features for live work, so if you play live, it's probably a good investment. The hardware unit is nice but a bit fragile.

For sound design and sonic mangling, Kore has capabilities that are tricky to reproduce in a DAW, particularly if you are using AUs on a Mac. However, Bidule and AudioMulch will get into similar territory. NI hasn't really shown what Kore is capable of in this department, other than the the Deep Transformations pack, even though this was the big promise of what the Kore soundpacks would offer.

Peter Kirn's blog on Kore is a good place to go to get an idea what Kore can do and what's out there for it: http://kore.noisepages.com/. But one thing you'll notice is that a lot of the posts are about Reaktor and Kontakt and not just Kore, which may be a clue. I think it's like the Environment in Logic. Amazingly powerful. Hardly anybody uses it. Those that do get a lot out of it - ever seen Michael Brecker's Logic environment for his Akai EWI? It's enormous. That's the kind of thing you could do with Kore and Reaktor but with both MIDI and audio. But if that's not the way you see yourself doing stuff, then that's one more reason for not buying Kore.

[ATS]

I kind if wish I didn't bring this up because everyone is focusing on this. I really want to know if it is a good idea to buy Kore 2 or am I just wasting my money if I do? It is a weird thing to me Kore and I am sure I just don't get it.

I don't think anybody gets Kore until they've had a good go with it.

But, the question is how you approach sound design or music. As a glorified patch manager, Kore is a waste of money IMHO.

Kore has a lot of features for live work, so if you play live, it's probably a good investment. The hardware unit is nice but a bit fragile.

For sound design and sonic mangling, Kore has capabilities that are tricky to reproduce in a DAW, particularly if you are using AUs on a Mac. However, Bidule and AudioMulch will get into similar territory. NI hasn't really shown what Kore is capable of in this department, other than the the Deep Transformations pack, even though this was the big promise of what the Kore soundpacks would offer.

Peter Kirn's blog on Kore is a good place to go to get an idea what Kore can do and what's out there for it: http://kore.noisepages.com/. But one thing you'll notice is that a lot of the posts are about Reaktor and Kontakt and not just Kore, which may be a clue. I think it's like the Environment in Logic. Amazingly powerful. Hardly anybody uses it. Those that do get a lot out of it - ever seen Michael Brecker's Logic environment for his Akai EWI? It's enormous. That's the kind of thing you could do with Kore and Reaktor but with both MIDI and audio. But if that's not the way you see yourself doing stuff, then that's one more reason for not buying Kore, because a setup like Brecker's replicated in Kore would be 90% Reaktor programming and 10% Kore - Kore just brings the components together.

thanks man for taking the time for such a in depth reply. I am going to check out that link.

[Brittlestem]

I'm playing around with Kore2 atm - (don't own any of the NI synths) and I'm stumped as to how to activate legato mode for Kore's own sounds. And some of the pads seem to have restricted polyphony which I can't find a setting for.
I really like the idea dn sounds but if I'm unable to change these settings unless I buy the NI synths (?) then whats the point?

[Lotuzia]

there are several aspects in Kore 2 system that might - or not - make it valuable for you.

First is the content management tool : allows you to classify and tag not only your NI instruments, but all other Vstis as well. If you have hard times to browse all the banks on lets say Korg Klc AE MS-20 to find a simple bass, then Kore 2 can be usefull for you. (except if you use our banks of course, where the sounds are already classified and organised by category. sorry couldn't resist )

Second is the variations of an instrument : You can make and store variations of a same presets and store them under a single name/instrument. This can be very handy for instruments like Massive for example, where you can generate a lot of usefull instruments, provided that the macro knobs have been cleverly assigned.

Third, and not yet mentioned, is the fact you can store a preset using the Kore 2 FX. As you might have noticed, NI instruments have very different FX on board (if you compare FM8 -Standrad- and Massive -effective but limited- or Pro 53 - Whot ? FX ? - for example). Kore 2 Fx can add a real plus to your sounds, and they can even extend to become part of the sound design itself. This is of course even more true if you take an external instrument like ImpOSCar for example, or Fabfilter One, wich dont have reverb on board.

Fourth, wich is only pushing forward the 3 logic at the extreme : You can make a layer of some intruments, lets say a Polysix + FM8, use the Kore 2 internal FX, or any FX, and save the whole + its variations under a single name. + You can tag it to be able to find it very easily for your next song, or on stage.

And finally you can manage all this wwith the hardware.

Well thats all the philosophy of Kore 2 I think. A giant Lego wich allows you to buid and manage uberpowerfull instruments.

At least thats how I see it ....

OOoops I believe I begin to sound really like a sales man with this one

Well, hope this helps,

LtZ