Sad state of Native Instruments

[aMUSEd]

I’ve been saying this for a long time.

NI only has two products that matter: Kontakt and Reaktor. But mostly just Kontakt.

I would have agreed with you a month ago, but now I’m not so sure. Here’s why.

Guitar Rig 7. A major update that brings Guitar Rig’s modeling up to par with the other big players, at least in terms of realism. I personally have always liked Guitar Rig’s sort of artificial sound as an alternative to purely accurate emulations, but now there are enough of the ICM models to give me realism too, plus all the incredible tricks that only Guitar Rig can do.

Kontrol MK3 becomes the most advanced controllers ever made. MIDI 2 and polyphonic aftertouch will make it very popular with a segment of the market that long for better expressive control. This is important for two reasons. The actual functionality that brings, and the notoriety. The functionality is especially important because it means that if Native Instruments software is going to work with Kontrol MK3, it will all need major updates that take advantage of those features. So, even people who don’t buy a Kontrol MK3 may benefit from those new features. For me, it means Massive X will become one of my most used wavetable plugins, going from one I didn’t use that often at all. I really hope that with more per channel expression possible with Kontakt MK3, they make the performers polyphonic. Reaktor will become a lot more useful to me too.

Of course, the sample-pack crowd may never even notice any of this, and not only is it NI’s biggest market segment, it’s probably the biggest market segment in electronic music. Serious build-a-sound-from-scratch people are a small but vocal minority. Most musicians that I know just want to load up a nice sounding preset and get to it. I love to point to my brother who bought a Yamaha ROMpler 20 years ago and has never even tweaked a preset or longed for something new.

I agree with a lot of this - when you step back and look at the announcements over the last few days and think about the context of the acquisitions/mergers with iZotope and PA, this is clearly a bit of a watershed moment - now we get to see what they've been doing and where their priorities are: Kontakt, the premium keyboards, DJ gear and the iZotope brands.

None of that is radically different, and a lot of this probably pre-dates the private equity involvement but it's a proper refresh of what is at the core of NI's main relationship with producers and composers.

What's next? Maschine+ is three years old - that's probably next. I'd expect to see new versions of the A-series and M-series next year. K13 and K14 were pretty heavy on granular / sample-based products and expansions with Massive X and the other synths on maintenance - maybe a new flagship soft synth would be a good idea, even though it's a very crowded market. Reaktor feels like it's in a bit of a niche. A DAW would be a fool's errand. Hardware synths? Could they create some kind of super S-series mix of hardware and Kontakt? Perhaps Reaktor hardware? Something using iZotope's AI knowledge? Some kind of FX hardware incorporating GR7 and the PA emulations? It feels like they might be building towards something new, but who knows.

Yeah, they’re licensing Softube algorithms for Guitar Rig, why not slip some of those Brainworx algorithms in there too, or even in a Massive X 2? Even filters. Get that bx_Oberhausen filter inside there.

Nice also that they are starting to add bits of Trash - although there needs to be all of Trash really in there. NI need to tell Softube if they want to be on board to fix their NKS because they are one of the few remaining companies whose NKS are still broken on Apple Silicon/VST3 (in fact I ended up fixing all that I own myself - if I can do it in a few hours so can they)

[EvilDragon]

Yeah, they’re licensing Softube algorithms for Guitar Rig

Just a slight correction here. They didn't outright license existing Softube DSP, they paid Softube to do custom DSP for them back in the day, and this was originally for standalone plugins, that were later added to Guitar Rig, if my memory serves me. I could be wrong on this last part, and these could've been in GR first then standalone plugins later. Either way...

So yes there is a licensing deal, but it's not something you will find in Softube portfolio (even if it's the same reverb or compressor - they were done with NI overseeing and directing how it should sound etc.).

[Echoes in the Attic]

Yeah, they’re licensing Softube algorithms for Guitar Rig

Just a slight correction here. They didn't outright license existing Softube DSP, they paid Softube to do custom DSP for them back in the day, and this was originally for standalone plugins, that were later added to Guitar Rig, if my memory serves me. I could be wrong on this last part, and these could've been in GR first then standalone plugins later. Either way...

So yes there is a licensing deal, but it's not something you will find in Softube portfolio (even if it's the same reverb or compressor - they were done with NI overseeing and directing how it should sound etc.).

They were standalone first and later added to guitar Rig.

[gentleclockdivider]

They were standalone first and later added to guitar Rig.

Are we talking about the softube compressors in guitar rig ?
If so , they first appeared in guitar rig and N.I. released them later on as plugins .
Most people were relieved because they didn’t have to run G.R anymore just to load them

[YesYeah]

Am I alone in wishing for standalone Reaktor instruments? I use them less often than I should because of the friction from loading Reaktor then double clicking the ensemble (then closing the sidebar)

[Echoes in the Attic]

They were standalone first and later added to guitar Rig.

Are we talking about the softube compressors in guitar rig ?
If so , they first appeared in guitar rig and N.I. released them later on as plugins .
Most people were relieved because they didn’t have to run G.R anymore just to load them

Oh I was thinking of the softube reverbs. But weren't there other softube effects too that were standalone first?

[zerocrossing]

OK, everyone. Native Instruments has some deal where they use some stuff Softube made. Move’n on.

[Lbdunequest]

Am I alone in wishing for standalone Reaktor instruments? I use them less often than I should because of the friction from loading Reaktor then double clicking the ensemble (then closing the sidebar)

I agree. Super 8 proved it can be done. It woulr be awesome if Reaktor would just let you to export VST. But i guess one only could dream.

[DrGonzo]

Am I alone in wishing for standalone Reaktor instruments? I use them less often than I should because of the friction from loading Reaktor then double clicking the ensemble (then closing the sidebar)

I agree. Super 8 proved it can be done. It woulr be awesome if Reaktor would just let you to export VST. But i guess one only could dream.

That takes me back 15 years ago when I did an interview with Stephan Schmitt for a tech magazine. I asked him this exact question and he was _completely_ dumbfounded and replied back... why would anyone want to do that?



Stephan Schmitt is a genius, but engineers are engineers and can rarely see past the technical marvels they created.

[sacer]

I am happy that I sold my s49 mk2 before the release of mk3. With loading times of around 3 minutes, Komplete Kontrol is a real workflow killer


https://community.native-instruments.co ... -launch/p1

[LFO8]

I respect anyone that uses it an sees an added value for them using NKS/Komplete Kontrol, but I dislike when software developers don't give us an option to skip the installation of the NKS related faff if we have no use for it (talking mainly 3rd party devs).

[aMUSEd]

Love how ironic this thread title has become

[elxsound]

Love how ironic this thread title has become

True.

[Atlatnesiti]

LoL

[SLiC]

I just cant be bothered with NI/PA/iZotope anymore, I cant keep up with the shambolic updates and constant marketing while the core stuff just doesn't work very well and is very outdated, its all window dressing. GR6 was the worst and least supported update ever, how they have the nerve to do '7' is beyond me...they never finish anything they start, just do ting upgrades and more bundling and give it a major upgrade number to con people to upgrade.