Native Instruments has supercharged its free Kontakt 8 Player plugin with a new Arcade-style loop mangling engine and new creative tools.
Late Monday afternoon, Native Instruments released Komplete 15 with the new Kontakt 8 sampler plugin. A complete first-look review is available here.
Native Instruments also released the Kontakt 8 Player with major new features, which lets the plugin shine in a new light.
Native Instruments Kontakt 8 Player
Just like Kontakt 8, the Player version has the new modern, sleek GUI with a new integrated sound browser. This also has new categories and filters that simplify the search for the perfect sound.
The limitation of Kontakt 8 Player remains unchanged. Full Kontakt libraries cannot be used to their full extent only with the classic 15 minute demo option. But no worries, new tools make the plugin more useful and powerful.
Creative Tools: Chords & Phrases
A highlight of the new Kontakt 8 Player version is the integration of the latest creative MIDI tool section chords and phrases.
Chords is a new chord generator and chord sequencer that can be customized entirely. Press a key and you get a chord or an entire chord progression in a sequence.
It lets you play chord notes offset, apply a humanize function, add swing, and work with a lovely guitar-like strumming tool. All this is reminiscent of the Plugin Boutique Scaler 2 plugin but in a smaller factor.
Then, Phrases is a fully customizable phrase generator tool with various parameters and randomization options. You can change the playback direction and octave, add swing, rotate or invert the sequence, and more.
Two inspiring MIDI tools that can be easily docked into any existing Kontakt Player library. I tried out the feature in the full version of Kontakt 8, and it was a lot of fun. They are helpful if you are less familiar with music harmony but also a source of inspiration.
Great is that this section is expandable. Third-party developers can create new MIDI tools via a new SDK.
LEAP Engine
The second highlight of the Native Instruments Kontakt 8 Player is the new built-in LEAP engine. It’s a mighty loop-mangling engine built into Kontakt that is very reminiscent of the Output Arcade plugin.
The idea is simple and fun. The white keys playback the mapped loops, while the black keys trigger real-time adjustable performance FX.
Kontakt 8 Player ships with two ready-to-use LEAP expansions, including Lo-Fi Vibes and Acoustic Drums. That’s not enough. According to Native Instruments, the Player version also allows you to load your samples into the engine. That’s a big feature for the Player.
On top of that, you can modify the samples/loops in detail with various parameters and use the wide range of available FX processors. And you can also save these instruments. I couldn’t test it because I have Kontakt 8 full (disabled Player), but Native Instruments promised this in the media briefing.
New Piano
As a cherry on top, Kontakt 8 Player also features a new exclusive Piano Uno, a simple Concert Grand Piano instrument with which you can try out the new creative tools. I linked the Kontakt 8 full version video as no Player video is available.
Native Instruments Kontakt 8 Player First Impression
Kontakt Player has taken a big step forward in version 8. Especially with the new loop mangling engine, which makes the plugin more open and standalone, also without Player exclusive content.
Native Instruments Kontakt 8 Player is now available for free download. It runs as a VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows.
More information here: Native Instruments
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