Sad state of Native Instruments

[digitalboytn]

Whilst I have some gripes about Massive X, there's no doubt that it's a phenomenal synth. It's so powerful, but it does have a steepish learning curve, which probably puts some people off, or stops them being able to explore it.

I think anyone who does more than scratch the surface appreciates it. The sound is just fantastic.

Perhaps NI could have done better launch for Massive X with more bread and butter initial presets and demos. A lot of the sounds in the library seem to be on the esoteric end.

I think it really needs a basic sounds library, basses, leads, supersaws, plucks, pads etc whilst it has these they are not normally vanilla enough to let people hear what it sounds like.

Massive X certainly does have it's idiosyncrasies,but boy does it sound good !

Because NI was hoping everybody would just be compliant souls and get on the Komplete Kontrol bandwagon,it has some frustrating control issues,but these are minor factors when you are dealing with sound...

Massive X has the very best technology that NI has to offer and there is a lot of experience and some seriously credentialled people that remain in their development team...

I agree that too many of the available sounds are pops,farts and squeaks and although these can give us incredible insight into the capabilities of the synth when we reverse engineer the programming,what we need in the real world are basic sounds for music production...

The good thing is that Massive X can deliver these sounds in spades and with a ton of attitude to boot...

Like any piece of equipment or musical instrument,learning Massive X takes a little time and consulting the manual is not a crime...

I took a bit of time to program and incorporate Massive X into my workflow,,but now it's a first call workhorse that I can rely on for a wide range of timbres...

And the good thing is that the pops,farts and squeaks are still there if ever I need to use them

[geiger167]

I just tried a voucher for Knifonium, which was £49.99, with the voucher went down to £29.99 with tax £6, so £35.99 so seemed to work, got two vouchers for two plug in reductions to £29.99 for an upgrade from komplete ultimate 13 to 14

[ROTMetro]

I just tried a voucher for Knifonium, which was £49.99, with the voucher went down to £29.99 with tax £6, so £35.99 so seemed to work, got two vouchers for two plug in reductions to £29.99 for an upgrade from komplete ultimate 13 to 14

Thanks Geiger. Were you able to get the voucher for Lo-Fi-Af to work? The voucher also includes BX_Crispytuner, BX_Oberhausen.

[geiger167]

Your getting a bit confused, when you upgrade your licences for Komplete they are included on your account online at native instruments, the plug in alliance license code is there, in the downloads section, you follow the instructions to enter this license at the plug in alliance site where you have to join, the licenses are added there for your products with the download links, they are not part of native access program.

[Daru925]

Massive x stuff

I didnt install the factory library. Just kept the init sound and no routing presets.
>> No subpar browser issue, and forces me to rtfm^^

[bundoo]

What happened to maschine?

[pdxindy]

I think it really needs a basic sounds library

In terms of DSP, it's one of the best synths. In terms of the infrastructure around it, it's one of the worst synths I have ever used.

In terms of sound quality, MX is an improvement over the original Massive. But in a lot of other areas it went backwards.

The original had a working browser. The MX browser is abysmal. If I worked at NI, I would be ashamed of it.
MX is missing Midi Learn
You cannot directly automate parameters
It cannot be controlled from a midi controller
No Mousewheel or arrow key support
Massive supported PolyAT... MX doesn't.
Massive had per voice performers. MX doesn't.

and in general, the GUI is kinda fussy. Too many little menus and tabs and not enough visual feedback. For example, there is nothing to indicated if an Env/LFO tab has modulation so one has to search to discover destinations. No MPE support. Doesn't support MTS-EPS. Because the performers are global, the per voice modulation is limited. The LFO's look sophisticated, but are actually oddly limited while taking up lots of space.

Even though the sound quality is excellent, I eventually uninstalled it.

[ROTMetro]

Your getting a bit confused, when you upgrade your licences for Komplete they are included on your account online at native instruments, the plug in alliance license code is there, in the downloads section, you follow the instructions to enter this license at the plug in alliance site where you have to join, the licenses are added there for your products with the download links, they are not part of native access program.

Thanks Geiger. Yeah, I took that code, and tried it at Plugin Alliance. It didn't work. Support issued me a new code, and it didn't work. Then they ghosted me. So you are saying your code worked fine?

[Echoes in the Attic]

Those that did the Komplete 14 upgrade recently, were you able to get your Plugin Alliance vouchers to work? I'm past week three of trying to get support to get me a working voucher. Seems really strange that it's this hard, and wondering if it's just me with an issue?

I think i got mine the same day.

[MOEast]

I'm done with NI when they put the "shop" button directly on Kontakt's interface. Like ffs is it still a professional tool or not?

[Sound Mechanics]

I don't buy from NI anymore - although tempted with Massive X and I like the simplicity and sound of super 8.

One of my favourite synths was their FM7, until they changed the interface from DX7 vibe to their own layout. I could live with the grey look but it was the serious lack of a resizable interface - being able to click and drag the corner to resize a synth makes working soooo much easier.

[BBFG#]

I'm done with NI when they put the "shop" button directly on Kontakt's interface. Like ffs is it still a professional tool or not?

What makes any sound producing tool professional other than making money with it? Just saying that's up to the artist more than the company that makes it. I once saw an experimental jazz group at a local San Jose club that used a set of different sized "pork chop squeeze toys for dogs" in their set. They made money that night so that makes those toys a professional tool. NI loves throwing these terms at us like 'professional' and 'industry standard', but that's just part of the marketing of "higher authority" sales tactics. Being free of NI also frees us from falling for every psychological trick in the book. At least, much less than when they are part of our GAS.

[mxbf]

Lo Fi Af alone is was worth the upgrade price for the new Komplete.

OK thats massive hyperbole but its definitely in permanent rotation for me. Excellent.

[_leras]

Lo Fi Af alone is was worth the upgrade price for the new Komplete.

OK thats massive hyperbole but its definitely in permanent rotation for me. Excellent.

Well... It's $25 from PA, so....

It's pretty interesting how the bundles are changing and the PA + Izotope offerings sit pretty well against the NI stuff imo.

PA have stopped their ridiculously cheap sales as well for the most part.

I also noticed Diva seems to be permanently on the NI page under synths that you can buy direct from them. NI also has other third party software, so perhaps one of their strategies is to become a one stop store front for music software...

[glokraw]

Lo Fi Af alone is was worth the upgrade price for the new Komplete.

OK thats massive hyperbole but its definitely in permanent rotation for me. Excellent.

I watched some of the videos, and it looks like a fine multi-effects tool. Once familiar them all, and their interactions, there's room for some hyperbole. I imagine lot's of people have found one or two things within a Komplete upgrade, that they use so well and so often, as to justify the purchase. And yhen there is even more if time allows