Native Instruments Kontakt 2.1 User manual

Brand: Native Instruments

Model: Kontakt 2.1

Type: User manual

Native Instruments Kontakt 2.1 is not just a sampler, but a fully-fledged audio production environment. Use it to add realistic sampled instruments to your music. Kontakt comes with an extensive factory library of sampled instruments and can load third-party sample libraries as well. With the Performance View, you can create custom GUIs for each instrument, with immediate access to typical synthesis controls like filters, envelopes, and LFOs. The new HQI mode allows you to select among three quality options when using the Sampler mode or the DFD mode in the Kontakt Source module.

Manual Addendum

KONTAKT 2.1

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not

represent a commitment on the part of NATIVE INSTRUMENTS Software Synthesis

GmbH. The software described by this document is subject to a License Agreement

and may not be copied to other media. No part of this publication may be copied,

reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior

written permission by NATIVE INSTRUMENTS Software Synthesis GmbH. All product

and company names are trademarks of their respective owners.

And also, if you’re reading this, it means you bought the software rather than stole

it. It’s because of people like you that we can continue to create great tools and

update them. So, thank you very much.

Users Guide written by Markus Krieg

Editor: Brian Smith, Martin Jann

Special thanks to the Beta Test Team, who were invaluable not just in tracking down

bugs, but in making this a better product.

Germany USA

Native Instruments GmbH Native Instruments USA, Inc.

Schlesische Str. 28 5631 A Hollywood Boulevard

D-10997 Berlin Los Angeles, CA 90028

Germany USA

info@native-instruments.de info@native-instruments.com

www.native-instruments.de www.native-instruments.com

KONTAKT 2.1 – 3

Table Of Contents

Welcome .......................................................................................... 4

Performance View .............................................................................. 4

Assigning a script to the Performance View ........................................ 5

Setting a background skin for an instrument ....................................... 5

Minimized View ................................................................................. 7

High Quality Interpolation Mode (HQI) .................................................. 7

New Limiter / Compressor / Gainer ....................................................... 8

Limiter ........................................................................................... 8

Compressor .................................................................................... 9

Gainer ............................................................................................ 9

Akoustik Piano and Bandstand Compatibility........................................10

Akoustik Piano ...............................................................................10

Bandstand .....................................................................................11

Kontakt Player 2 Compatibility ...........................................................12

New Sample Search Dialog (“Samples Missing”)

with Spotlight Support ....................................................................13

Host Compatibility ............................................................................15

Easier Cross-Platform Management .....................................................16

Kontakt Script Processor Updates .......................................................17

New Import Features .........................................................................17

Performance Enhancements ...............................................................19

New Options Functions ..................................................................... 20

Quickjump Menus ............................................................................ 25

Flexible Outputs (2.0.2) .................................................................... 26

Other Changes and Enhancements ..................................................... 28

Other Notes..................................................................................... 30

Sound Library ...................................................................................31

Documentation ................................................................................ 32

Appendix A: Advanced Modulation ..................................................... 33

Appendix B: Full List of Supported Import File Formats ....................... 34

4 – KONTAKT 2.1

Welcome to this manual addendum for the Kontakt 2.1 update.

This document contains an overview of the new functions and features included

in all Kontakt updates since the initial release version 2.0.0. The descriptions

and explanations in this document complement the original printed manual.

The original manual can also be found as pdf le in the documentation folder

of the Kontakt installation folder (e.g. “Kontakt 2 Manual english.pdf”).

The Kontakt 2.1 update includes a large number of improvements, which

contain stability, performance, and compatibility improvements, as well as

new features. If you are interested in a detailed list of bug xes, please take

a look at the “readme” document in the Kontakt installation folder.

Performance View

Gone are the times when you had to dive into the complex world of the Kontakt

Edit view when you just wanted to tweak a modulator or change some FX

parameters! The new Kontakt Performance View introduces a revolutionary

concept of a dynamic GUI right inside Kontakt’s rack. The full power of

the KSP GUI controls and the new KSP access can be used with almost all

Kontakt parameters!

Just compare this to the static GUI of a typical software sampler. Kontakt is

the rst sampler that allows you to create custom GUIs for each instrument!

Several templates are provided to get you started.

In the following example you can see that you have immediate access to

typical synthesis controls (lter, envelope, LFO). With replaceable background

images, related controls can be visually grouped, greatly improving usability.

Controls can also be dynamically replaced so that you can spread them over

several pages and further simplify the GUI.

This instrument example can be downloaded from the updates section on the Native Instruments

website.

KONTAKT 2.1 – 5

Assigning a script to the Performance View

You can make use of any existing instrument script as the Performance View

source. Just add the following line of code to the script’s “on init” section:

make _ perfview

Then click Apply and close the Edit view to see your new Performance View

for the current instrument in the Kontakt rack. Make sure that the instrument

view is maximized (the “+” button at the right side of the instrument header

in the Rack). Click on the instrument icon to show / hide the Performance

View in the maximized view.

Setting a background skin for an instrument

You can assign any 16, 24, or 32 bit TGA bitmap to the current instrument (32

bit recommended). The max viewable size is 635 * 201 pixels - bigger sizes

will be cut off, smaller sizes will be lled with black. Open the bitmap via the

Skin Bitmap setting on the Instrument tab in the Instrument Options dialog

(on the top left of the Edit view). The background skin will be visible as soon

as you exit the Edit view. The skin is visible only in the rack, not in the Edit

view. We have provided some sample skins for you in the Kontakt 2

\presets\

wallpaper folder.

6 – KONTAKT 2.1

It is recommended to save your NKI (instrument) with samples after assigning a

skin. This way the TGA bitmap will be automatically saved inside a “Wallpaper”

subfolder in the samples folder. If you only save the NKI, the TGA will be

referred to with either a relative path or an absolute path just like with sample

les. Finally, skin TGAs will always be included in monolithic NKI les if you

chose this saving option.

Here are some examples of different performance views for instruments:

KONTAKT 2.1 – 7

Minimized View

To get the most out of the new Performance View, you can now reduce the

size of Kontakt to see only the current instrument Performance View, with

or without the keyboard. Just click on the Minimize / Maximize button to the

left of the NI icon in the Kontakt header to select the minimized view. Click

on the button again to get back to full view. While in minimized view, use the

left and right button in the header to switch to the previous or next instrument

and use the keyboard button to show / hide the keyboard.

High Quality Interpolation Mode (HQI)

The new HQI mode allows you to select among three quality options when

using the Sampler mode or the DFD mode in the Kontakt Source module.

“Standard” corresponds to the old mode, whereas “High” and “Perfect”

increase the quality. Try this with a square wave sample that you transpose

both up and down by 2 octaves! HQI mode helps you eliminate digital aliasing

sounds which become particularly audible when you transpose sounds with

signicant high frequency content upwards. Note that this quality comes with a

price in the form of additional CPU load and thus a lower total voice count.

Important: Both modes “high” and “perfect” will use more cpu if the

transposition is higher. E.g. if you transpose a sample one octave, then

2 octaves, the cpu load will double every octave. So if you transpose

your sample many octaves higher, the cpu load might be very high.

8 – KONTAKT 2.1

Of course, HQI can also be used in Ofine Rendering / Bounce mode. The

best news is that you can set the Bounce quality globally and independently of

the Source setting of each individual instrument! Thus you can save CPU load

during live play and get the best quality while rendering your song. This new

global setting can be found in the Audio Engine tab of the Options dialog.

New Limiter / Compressor / Gainer

The Limiter and Compressor are both available as Group Insert, Instrument

Insert, and Master effects.

Limiter

The limiter effect has the following parameters and value ranges:

Input Gain: ranges from -24 dB to 24 dB

Release Time: ranges from 10 ms to 1000 ms

Attenuation: shows the gain reduction

Output Gain: ranges from -∞ dB to 24 dB

KONTAKT 2.1 – 9

Compressor

The new “Pro” compressor offers even better sound quality than the “Classic”

and “Enhanced” versions. It has the same parameters and value ranges as

the other compressor models. Just select the compressor quality in the drop-

down menu on the left side of the Compressor module.

Gainer

The new Gainer effect is available as both Instrument Insert and Instrument

Send effect and serves two purposes.

As an Instrument Insert effect, you can boost the current signal relative to the

previous stage’s output gain as well as the next stage’s input gain. In other

words, it works like an additional amplier stage.

As an Instrument Send effect, you can pick up a signal from anywhere in the

Group Insert and Instrument Insert effect chains via the Send Levels module

like with any other send effect. Plus, you can adjust the gain like above.

However, the best part is that you can click on the “I” next to the Return

value (to the right of the Return knob) and send the signal directly to any of

the four AUX master send channels!

You can now send a different signal level from each group directly to AUX1

- AUX4 and save lots of CPU load by replacing regular Instrument send effects

which might be used more than once! On the instrument level, the new Gainer

effect allows you to pick up signals earlier in the Instrument Insert effect chain

than the regular Aux Sends in the rack.

10 – KONTAKT 2.1

Finally, you can use the new effect output selection method with all other

existing send effects! Just think about the case where you want to use an effect

that is not part of Kontakt, e.g. a gate. Now you can send your Instrument

Send Reverb directly to an empty AUX channel and add the gate effect in

your host application. Add to this the many ways that Kontakt already lets

you route the regular outputs for each instrument and even each group and

you can really feel your head spin.

Akoustik Piano and Bandstand Compatibility

Akoustik Piano and Bandstand libraries can now be loaded in Kontakt. Note

that you have to install library updates (which will soon be available online for

registered users at www.native-instruments.com) for these two products in

order to make full use of the product features, like loading convolution reverb

impulses. If you use the Akoustik Piano 1.0 library or the Bandstand 1.0.1

library, patches will play back ne with the following restrictions:

• Convolution impulses will not load in Akoustik Piano patches

• Program change auto-load will not work in the Bandstand multi

• Convolution impulses will not load in the Bandstand multi

The libraries must be correctly installed and activated (authorized). If you

cannot load the Akoustik Piano or Bandstand libraries within their respective

applications, then Kontakt will not load them either. If you move the Bandstand

library to a different location, use the Bandstand Options dialog to change the

root path. Do not move the Akoustik Piano library since there are not options

to reect the new location.

Akoustik Piano

You can nd all the settings of the Akoustik Piano GUI in the instrument

scripts of the piano NKIs. If you are unsure of the use of these settings, please

use Akoustik Piano for editing and save your changes as a new preset. Some

settings are only provided for testing purposes (for example the “Test” tab of

the KSP module) and can be ignored.

KONTAKT 2.1 – 11

Bandstand

For Bandstand, you can also see the instrument and drum set related settings

in the NKI scripts. NKI changes for Bandstand can only be saved in Kontakt

because Bandstand does not save NKI les.

You can even change the sample mapping, add new effects / modulators,

etc. and use the changed instruments in Akoustik Piano or Bandstand. This

is, of course, done at your own risk. Keep in mind that additional effects etc.

will be audible but not editable via the GUI of the other products. If you want

to create completely new instruments for either product, please use one of

the existing instruments as a template and do not remove any of the groups,

scripts, effects, or modulators. You can remove the existing zones and replace

them with new samples. Please ensure that you own the rights to any samples

that you add before sharing your instruments with others.

If you want full Bandstand functionality in Kontakt, you need to load a

Bandstand preset as a Kontakt multi (NKM) le either from the Default or

the Preset folders. You will not be able to edit the global settings via a script

GUI but will have to directly change, say, the master effect settings in the

respective part of the Kontakt GUI. You might consider creating a new preset

12 – KONTAKT 2.1

via the Bandstand GUI and loading that into Kontakt. Bandstand auto-loading

(program changes) of NKIs and MIDI automation will only work if you use

MIDI port A in Kontakt.

Kontakt Player 2 Compatibility

Libraries of the newly available Kontakt Player 2 can now be loaded in

Kontakt.

The libraries must be correctly installed and activated (authorized). If Kontakt

Player 2 does not load the libraries for any reason, Kontakt will not load them

either. If you move libraries to a different location, use the Kontakt Player 2

Library Browser to change the root path.

If the libraries are locked, you cannot edit the instruments within Kontakt.

However, you can change any parameters in the Performance View and save

these changes just like in the Kontakt Player 2 GUI.

If the libraries are unlocked, you can go into the Edit mode in Kontakt, modify

the instrument to your liking (including the script for the Performance View),

and save any changes. You can then reload the altered patch into Kontakt

Player 2.

You need additional tools if you want to create new Kontakt Player 2 libraries

from within Kontakt based on an empty instrument. Please contact NI if you

are a commercial sample library developer and are interested in creating

libraries for Kontakt Player 2.

KONTAKT 2.1 – 13

New Sample Search Dialog (“Samples Missing”) with Spotlight Support

The Sample Search / Samples Missing dialog appears when sample paths

have been changed for whatever reason – for example, you have moved sample

les to a different place on your hard disk – and Kontakt asks for your advice

on how best to nd them. This has been completely redesigned for optimized

workow and control. Here is a quick run-down of the current options:

Search File System: Look for samples in the volumes / folders that you have

specied in the new Search / DB tab in the Options dialog (see below)

Search Spotlight: On OSX 10.4 (Tiger) and higher, you can now use the native

Spotlight search to nd samples in an instant!

Search Database: Look for samples in your complete database; note that you

need to do a database update / rebuild whenever you have added / renamed,

moved, or deleted any samples on any of your volumes; the scope of the

database is now the same as the one for searching the le system above; you

should also update / rebuild your database if you added / removed volumes

on the Search / DB tab above

Check for Duplicates: This new option works with any of the above actions;

just consider that you have the 16 and 24 bit version of piano samples with

the same name on your system; if you check this option, you will be presented

with a choice of either the 16 bit or the 24 bit sample folder

Browse for Folder: Look for samples in the folder of your choice (including

all subfolders)

Browse for Files: Look for a specic sample le; use the Resolve All Possible

option to look for other samples in the folder of the selected le

Skip Missing: Load the patch only with the samples found so far and ignore

any missing samples

Abort Loading: Cancel the whole loading process

14 – KONTAKT 2.1

The new Search / DB tab in the Options dialog allows you to dene the scope

of the Samples Missing dialog above as well as the database rebuild / update

actions. Choices range from internal volumes, internal volumes plus network

volumes, up to your customized list of volumes or even single folders (including

subfolders). See "New Options Functions / SEARCH DATABASE".

KONTAKT 2.1 – 15

Batch Re-Save

Tired of searching for your samples every time you load a patch? Use this new

function in the File menu to go through all the NKIs, NKMs, and NKBs in the

current folder and save them with new relative sample paths. The Sample

Search dialog above will come up when needed.

It is recommended that you make a backup of your les before starting this

process as all instrument (nki) les will be overwritten!

Host Compatibility

NI has always been providing support for the latest host technologies. Kontakt

2.1 features the following host enhancements.

• Kontakt 2.1 is optimized for ProTools 7 – the performance and stability

has been increased; NI recommends to update to this ProTools

version

• Kontakt 2.1 is now cross-platform compatible (see below)

• Several stability-related host bugs have been xed in Kontakt 2.1

At the moment, the following operating system (OS) versions and host versions

are actively supported.

Operating Systems

• OSX 10.4 Tiger

Note: Mac Intel hardware will be supported via another update due in

Q2/06

• Windows XP SP2

Hosts (Playback and Editing; for extensive sound design use the stand-alone

version)

• Cubase SX 3.1 / Nuendo 3.2

Note: Surround channels are not supported

• Logic Audio 7.2

Note: Only 16 audio outputs are supported

• ProTools 7.0 / 7.1

Note: Digidesign and NI are working on further ProTools related issues

e.g. with Kontakt outputs

• Sonar 5.0

• Digital Performer 5

• Live 5.0

16 – KONTAKT 2.1

Hosts (Playback only)

• Finale 2006

• Garageband 3.0

• Acid Pro 6.0

Easier Cross-Platform Management

When used as a plug-in, Kontakt now saves pointers to samples with paths

relative to the library root folder instead of absolute paths (see New Options

below). The benet of this is that you can freely move host projects between

PC and Mac even if you have your sample libraries installed in different

locations on both systems!

This works only if the following requirements are met:

• The host uses the same plug-in format on both systems, e.g. Cubase

with VST or ProTools with RTAS; if you want to move your project

amongst different plug-in formats on the same or different systems,

you need to get an intermediate plug-in host like NI KORE (KORE will

then always load the Kontakt VST version but itself plug into your host

as an Audio Units, VST, RTAS, or DXi plug-in)

• You have correctly set the library root path for the Kontakt library in

the Import / Load tab of the Options dialog on both systems

• If you are loading other sample libraries in Kontakt than the Kontakt

2 factory library:

• Y o u a c t i v a t e d ( a u t h o r i z e d ) t h o s e l i b r a r i e s a n d

you installed those libraries under the Kontakt 2 library root

- o r Yo u ins ta ll e d a sp ecia l lib r ar y up d a te fo r y o u r

product that makes that librar y Kontak t 2.1 compatible

- or The library in question is a new Kontakt Player 2 library

- or The library is a "Content only" Kontakt 2 library without direct

Kontakt Player 2 support

KONTAKT 2.1 – 17

Kontakt Script Processor Updates

Note: These features will be described in What’s new in Kontakt 2.1

– KSP and the updated version of the Kontakt Script Language Manual.

pdf. Changes to the Script presets are described in Kontakt 2 Script

Library.pdf.

Kontakt Script Processor (KSP) now supports new features that let script

authors provide better usability for their script GUIs, e.g. freely assignable

control labels, hidden controls to create less complex dynamic GUIs etc.

KSP now also offers more convenience features and technical possibilities

for authors:

• Direct access to almost all internal Kontakt parameters

• Buffering of persistent variable values when clicking Apply

New Import Features

General notes:

• Drag patches or samples from the lower browser window into an empty

place in the Kontakt rack; use the upper browser window only for

navigational purposes

• Single samples can also be directly dragged into the Mapping Editor;

8 bit samples can only be dragged directly into the Mapping Editor

because when dragging into the rack, the DFD mode is used which

does not support 8 bit samples

• See the manual for batch import of several patches and samples

18 – KONTAKT 2.1

• When using the batch import feature, select the le / folder / partition

to convert in the lower browser window rst and then click the Import

button in the browser header; please note that even if you select both

an Instrument Destination Folder and a Sample Destination Folder,

samples will only be created if you convert from a format that uses

embedded samples (Akai S-1000 / S-3000, EMU EOS / EIV / ESI,

Ensoniq ASR-10 / EPS, GigaStudio, Kurzweil K2x00, some Reaktor

maps, REX I / II, Roland S50 / S550 / S770, SoundFont2, and Unity);

in all other cases the original samples will be referenced – it is therefore

recommended to create the Instrument Destination Folder close to the

original sample folder and rst copy the les from CD-ROM to your

hard disk (if applicable)

• Direct import from CD-ROMs is supported even if Windows or OSX

cannot read these CD-ROMs; insert the CD-ROM and click the Reset

button in the browser (the circular arrow symbol); after a while, the

CD icon will appear at the bottom of the upper Browser window (you

might have to click the Reset button again after the CD-ROM drive

gets active); sample patches with proprietary CD-ROM format include

Akai S-1000 / S-3000, EMU EOS / EIV / ESI, Ensoniq ASR-10 / EPS,

and Roland S50 / S550 / S770; all other patches can also be copied

from CD-ROM to your hard disk in order to access external samples

(see above)

• Import from oppy disks is not supported; PC only: you can use third

party utilities to copy contents from oppy disks to your hard disk

or a CD-ROM and then import patches from there; links to some

unsupported oppy disk utilities can be found on the following page:

http://www.chickensys.com/downloads/other.php

• New since 2.0.1: In order to import from .IMG, .ISO, .NRG, or .DMG

disk images, please put those les into the following locations; the

images will appear as virtual CD drives at the bottom of the upper

browser upon restart

− PC: A folder called Images in the root of the c:\ drive or in the

KONTAKT 2 installation folder

− Mac: A folder called Images under Library/Application Support/Native

Instruments

KONTAKT 2.1 – 19

The following sample formats have been added since version 2.0:

• SampleCell (2.1)

• BeatCreator (2.1)

• GigaStudio 3 (2.0.1)

• Kurzweil K2000 (2.0.1)

• Ensoniq EPS / ASR (2.0.1)

Special notes to importing the most popular formats:

• EXS24: All versions are supported. Original EXS-instruments are always

saved with absolute sample paths so the Samples Missing dialog will

appear each time.

• Apple Loops: Apple Loops can be double-clicked to translate them

into a new instrument. They cannot be dragged to the mapping editor.

If multiple apple loops are imported together, one instrument for each

apple loop is being created. If you want to combine these apple loops

in one instrument, you need to copy the zones from one instrument to

the other.

• Reason NN-XT: Rell les cannot be imported directly because of their

encryption. Open the NN-XT patches of your choice in Reason’s NN-XT

module and save them as SXT les. Now you can import the SXT les

into Kontakt.

• GigaStudio: All versions are supported. You cannot point to the samples

in the original import le but will be prompted to save out new samples

when saving the patch. You can select the destination sample format

– WAV or AIF - in the Load/Import tab of the Options dialog.

• HALion: All versions up to 2 are supported – version 3 patches cannot

be imported since they are encrypted. Original les are always saved

with absolute sample paths so the Samples Missing dialog will appear

each time.

See a full list of supported import le formats with le extensions at the end

of this document.

Performance Enhancements

Several performance enhancements have been added in 2.1:

• Shorter Loading Times: Loading times are much shorter, especially

when using several banks with many instruments

• Less Memory Usage: RAM usage has been reduced for internal objects

20 – KONTAKT 2.1

(everything but samples)

• Lower Processor Load: CPU load has been dramatically reduced in idle

mode, especially when using several banks with many instruments.

• Better Multi-Processor Support: Multi-processor support has been

enhanced with better load balancing for group voices and insert effects

and additional load balancing for instrument insert and send effects

when using several instruments.

New Options Functions

Besides the new HQI ofine rendering option and the Search / DB tab

described above, there are several new options that make your life with

Kontakt easier.

• INTERFACE / Auto-refresh browser: This option activates the auto

updating of the browser. When activated, the browser automatically

detects from the system if a cd is inserted or if a folder is changed /

created.

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Native Instruments Kontakt 2.1 User manual

Brand: Native Instruments

Model: Kontakt 2.1

Type: User manual

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Native Instruments Kontakt 2.1 User manual

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