KONTAKT 6 - The Industry Standard Sampler

 KONTAKT has always been a great workstation for synths, sampled instruments, effects, and loads more. It brings everything together in one place. Kontakt is a definitive music production tool featuring a comprehensive selection of sampled instruments. It is a straightforward sampler, instrument host and a deep sonic scripting library when needed. The built-in library puts 43+ GB of a wide range of instruments at your fingertips. Kontakt facilitates an easy drag and drop operation to work with samples. You may drop samples into the interface and also use your own sounds. You may also build your own instruments with KONTAKT’s sample-editing and instrument-building options.

The first version of KONTAKT was released in 1996. In over two decades, Kontakt under Native Instruments, has become one of the most definitive mainstream software samplers. The Kontakt libraries released by Native Instruments are popular among leading music producers of the world working in multiple platforms like Cubase, Logic Pro, Nuendo etc. KONTAKT 6 remains an industry standard sampler today. A free version called KONTAKT Player is also available for starters. However, you cannot sample new instruments in this version as it bars access to The Editor. The Editor is the place where you sample a new instrument and map out the keys for the MIDI keyboards. However if you just want to work with the vast buit-in sample collection, the PLAYER would suffice to get you started with all the fun. KONTAKT is compatible with most of the mainstream DAWs and can run as an instrument in each of them. It can also run as a standalone application in mainstream operating systems like Mac OS, Windows and Linux. For starters who don’t own a fully functional version of another mainstream DAW, the standalone KONTAKT application could work as your DAW.

Features of KONTAKT 6

• The comprehensive built-in multi-genre sample collection .

• Options for tweaking instruments.

• Quick Search function that facilitates navigation of libraries including unlicensed ones.

• Extensive Instrument editing with script processor editor.

• High-end performance View for each KONTAKT 6 PLAYER library instrument.

• Automation and Total Recall in any audio host. 33 high-end effects along with 57 high-quality filters.

• Has access to extended performance controls like articulations, pattern switches, key splits, and more.

• The vintage synths from Retro Machines Mark II.

• Tools like Wave Editor and Integrated Sample Editor for intuitive looping, slicing and editing.

• Works seamlessly with the Sunshine Orient KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES keyboards for one-to-one visual feedback.

• The newly introduced Creator Tools, acts as a standalone application that facilitates easier and quickier instrument creation.

• Moreover, it has a multi-instance Debugger, an Instrument Editor and a GUI Designer.

• Flexible editors, seven playback modes, built-in effects, and a sophisticated scripting language.

How to Create Music using KONTAKT 6

On the right side of the KONTAKT interface, you will see an space. This is the place where all your instruments are loaded. On the left-hand side of the interface is a list of all the authorized libraries. When you first buy a library, you get a serial number. Adding this serial number is essential to buy the library. Besides, most libraries get downloaded through Native Access.

When the library is downloaded, it automatically pops up in the list of licensed libraries. The free version of KONTAKT 6 will only playback licensed libraries. To load third party libraries and edit them, you need to purchase the full version of KONTAKT 6.

Loading an instrument

• Browse through the libraries and find your desired instrument. For example, select Spitfire Symphonic Strings and select the instrument you want to add to your track.

• Now, the instrument gets loaded on a track [on the empty space].

• Repeat the step to add more instruments as you please.

• Now, click on the Files menu to navigate an instrument which is not a licensed.

• When you find the instrument folder, double-click and drag it to the track where you want to load the instrument.

• You can create new instruments, save them and edit them with the options in the toolbar.

The Keyboard shows both the range of instruments as well as where the key switches are. The bottom part of the instrument is always the user interface designed by the sample developer. The top part of the instrument will have the MIDI- channel option.

• Click on MIDI channel and select Port A. Here you can load up to 16 instruments into one instance.

• Memory tab adjacent to the midi-channel tells how much space a particular instrument uses up in megabytes.

• Then you have the purge, pan, solo and volume buttons to make further adjustments.

By default, loaded instruments will go Channel 1, 2, 3 chronologically. based on the number of instruments you use. If you are going to use multilple outputs, it is recommended that you use the 16-output stereo. You must allocate instruments to separate MIDI channels as well.

• Open up the mixer and add AUX channels. Click on Control and create track.

• Aux will appear as tracks.

• Now, go back to KONTAKT and play the loaded instruments one by one

• Click on Output Pane. Now you get your default outputs.

• Click on Preset/batch configuration.

• Select batch functions and click on clear output section and create an individual channel for each loaded instrument.

• Now tracks will get allocated separate output channels.

• Now, go to the instrument and click on activate outputs

All this would show up in your mixer.

• Mix with effects plug-ins, create your track and export the track.

Key elements of the KONTACT 6 interface

Three fully featured instruments from the Play series namely, Analogue Dreams, Ethereal Earth and Hybrid Keys.

Browser that provides functions for managing your collection of KONTAKT files.

Main Control Panel that provides options that toggle the display of assorted optional interface parts like the Browser. .

Master Editor that contains global controls that affect the behavior of all Instruments.

Rack which displays all current Instrument Headers.

Instrument Header which contains the Instrument’s name and various parameters, like MIDI input channel, output level, panning position, and tuning.

Outputs Section that displays a channel strip for every configured Output Channel, plus four Aux Channels.

On-Screen Keyboard to display a virtual On-Screen Keyboard that you just can use to play instruments together with your mouse, and visualize key ranges.

Info Pane that displays details of the chosen Instrument file below the Browser, and a quick explanation of the control at the mouse position below the Rack.

Conclusion

Owning KONTAKT 6 will give you over 43 gigabytes of built-in sample collection which is a major upgrade compared to a mere 600 megabytes in earlier versions. There are around 100 presets for every instrument. Kontakt also facilitates sample and MIDI sharing between instruments. The Analogue Dream is literally the dream of any retro-music aficionado. The retro synth library hosts a comprehensive collection of vintage pads, percussive effects and bass leads. The expansive collection of built-in samples alone makes the KONTAKT 6 one of the best contemporary tools for sampling.