Described very approximately, they are: Analog Dreams (sampled analogue synths that have been processed with outboard effects); Ethereal Earth (hybrid synthacoustic instruments processed and layered); and Hybrid Keys (keyboard and piano related sounds sampled using microphones and experimental tape varispeed effects).Clicking on the A or B waveform graphics presents a drop-down list of over 100 waveforms to choose from.Although its punted as Kontakt 6 by Native Instruments, the VST refers to itself in the plug-in list simply as Kontakt, with no number to signify the version.Whether this suggests that subsequent updates will be incremental (and free) or that there will be future payable tipping-points is not clear.
Perhaps this is the last wholenumber revision of Kontakt as we know it, to be eventually replaced by a completely reworked product under another name This is not a rumour, just to be clear its merely my febrile imagination running wild. Visually, K5 and K6 are completely identical the differences, though not numerous, lie under the hood. People whose use of Kontakt goes no further than loading and playing libraries exactly as they come out-of-the-box (be it in the free Kontakt Player or the full version) will probably view the new features as inconsequential and not be tempted to splash out on the full upgrade. However, anyone who creates their own sample material or simply likes to tweak and adapt (unlocked) existing libraries will find a handful of welcome additions. It relies on having some readymade wavetables to hand, but as NI curiously dont include any in the package (why not) I experimented by dragging in an ordinary guitar sample to see what would happen. The results were not pretty, although Im sure someone somewhere would love the strangled, unmusical noise it made. ![]() This example wavetable is not at concert pitch, so Tuning is set to -5 semitones to compensate. The wavetable position is being modulated by a triangle-shaped LFO; waveshaping (Form) is being modulated inversely by the same LFO, using the Bend waveshaping type. ![]() If youre interested in creating your own wavetables, Serum appears to be one of the most popular wavetable creation programs, along with Waldorfs Blofeld Wavetable Creator. So its nice to see some newcomers that fall into the good category. The original Delay, workmanlike but a bit dull, now has a swanky new friend. NIs excellent Replica plug-in has long been my go-to delay; its inclusion in Kontakt is a real bonus. Feature-wise, it sits somewhere between Replica and Replica XT, with a choice of five delay algorithms: Modern, Analogue, Tape, Vintage and Diffusion, each with distinctly different characters, aided by features such as modulation, saturation, bit-reduction and tape flutter, depending on delay type. I am the avalanche avalanche united rarThe stand-out algorithm for me is Diffusion, a combination of delay and the dreamiest reverberant wash few things say to infinity and beyond more effectively than this. Three new algorithmic reverbs, Plate, Room and Hall, are good foils to the Convolution and legacy types; the Room and Hall offer the additional luxuries of size, time, modulation and diffusion parameters. It would have been nice to see revitalised versions of the Chorus, Flanger and Phaser, one-trick ponies that havent been improved upon since the earliest days of Kontakt. If repackaged versions of NIs Choral, Flair and Phasis plug-ins were to find their way into a future update, that would do nicely, thank you. All three make use of the wavetable module, so are not backwards compatible with previous Kontakt versions.
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