Going Native With Kontakt Tutorials

I recently splashed out on Native Instruments’ flagship box-set, Komplete 6 – which has just been updated to version 7, featuring even more digital goodies. Included in Komplete is one of the most powerful samplers on the market, Kontakt…

First Kontakt

The current version (Kontakt 4) seems to have very little online tutorial material, although much of the information from earlier versions is still applicable. Kontakt is the most substantial component of Komplete in terms of file sizes – this is due to the high-quality 43GB sample library it ships with. The orchestral samples are particularly well respected, and NI point out that Simon Franglen used Kontakt extensively in his work as electronic music arranger for James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar.

With over a thousand instruments included by default, you’ll need to make extensive use of Kontakt’s fairly intuitive browser, which includes attribute-based browsing that will be familiar to users of the Kore products.

Express Yourself With Samples

One of the big changes in version 4 is the addition of Authentic Expression Technology (AET), which attempts to add an extra degree of realism to acoustic instruments by applying spectral morphing when transitioning between samples. There are two types of morph available – velocity morphing and articulation morphing, each with their own characteristics – the particular instrument/samples you’re using will determine which approach works best.

Kontakt Tutorial Videos

If you’re new to the world of Kontakt, here are a few videos and links to break the ice…