Native Instrument updates Kontakt and Kontakt Player to v4.1

Native Instrument has updated Kontakt and Kontakt Player to v4.1. This free update brings background loading, true 64 bit support and more. Below is the list of changes (some of them not relevant for the Kontakt Player version).

New and improved features:

• Intelligent background sample loading.
• Extended sample search and replacement functions.
• Improved database browser performance.
• New "Lock" function for QuickLoad browser.
• New "Mirror Folder Structure" mode for batch compression.
• Mac OS X 64-bit AudioUnit version.
• New Help menu in all plug-in versions.

Fixes:

• Playback issues in Sonar and other hosts with 48 kHz or higher sample rate fixed.
• Crackles when playing libraries in .ncw format on CPUs without SSE2 fixed.
• Crash when importing EXS files saved with Logic 9.x fixed.
• Occasional MemoryServer freezes on Mac OS X fixed.
• Various other fixes.

Background Loading
The new background loading feature improves your workflow: It makes opening large instruments incredibly fast, enabling you to play nearly immediately - without having to wait for all samples to be loaded. This applies to the stand-alone version of Kontakt 4.1 and the Kontakt 4 Player as well as the plug-in versions.

Details on background loading:

• Instant access: Imagine loading a 3GB sample library such as Scarbee MM-Bass and yet being able to continue working after mere seconds. Kontakt 4.1 frees the user interface so you can start working right away instead of watching a progress bar.
• Prioritized loading: Samples that have been played since the most recent loading procedure are the first to be loaded the next time the Instrument is recalled. This makes sure that the samples most relevant to a particular host project are the first to be available.
• Playing while loading: During the loading process it is possible to play samples (e.g. via a MIDI keyboard) that haven't yet been loaded into memory. Whenever Kontakt receives a MIDI note while the corresponding sample is not loaded yet, that sample will be loaded immediately. A small delay when playing the sample the first time may occur, affecting the timing of the concerned note.

True 64-Bit Support
This update delivers you complete and native 64 bit support for Mac, Vista and Windows 7. Kontakt 4.1 can use virtually unlimited amounts of memory, which turns working with even the largest libraries into a pleasure. In other words: The times of 32-bit audio unit bridges in your 64-bit host are definitely over.

Note: Kontakt's unique Memory Server technology on Mac still allows breaking free from the memory limitation even on 32 bit systems.