Why talk about Komplete Native Instruments
Native Instruments is a company that manufactures electronic musical instruments, mostly software, but also hardware.
These are intended for professional musicians, producers, DJs or sound engineers, as well as home-studists.
It was founded in 1996 and is based in Berlin.
This article is not intended to advertise the Komplete 12 Ultimate Collector’s Edition. I just want to provide you with some information following a question I was asked about the need to buy such an important Native Instruments collection.
In the 25 years I have been working in the audio industry, software has evolved in terms of tools and functionalities to improve processes and workflows.
But there is a part that can be found in all software such as Logic Pro X, Live 10, Cubase, FL Studio and which has also evolved considerably: I mean sound banks.
Why is it that manufacturers are so keen to include sound libraries in their software?
The answer is simple, it’s to allow you to compose quickly and efficiently.
When you are in a creative process, making a sound bank is certainly part of the process. But it is also a good way to lose the musical ideas you have. This is why manufacturers have every interest in providing you with ready-to-use sound libraries in their software. Depending on the musical styles in which you wish to compose.
Bank format?
Today, the offer is much more important than what can be composed.
If I have to review the sound banks I have, they use about 7 terabytes space in different formats.
We can distinguish different sound banks:
Virtual synthesizers
Samplers
Romplers,
Emulators.
Audio loops
The one Shots
You’re going to tell me: what’s the point of all this ?
Musical styles?
Depending on the musical style, we will have to use certain types of sounds types of samples. Especially since in today’s music, we now do “cross genre”, i.e. the crossing between different musical styles.
Here’s a very simple example: over the past 10 years, we’ve often heard about Epic music, which is a mix of contemporary and classical music.
It is a specific format for cinema, but variations have been made to make remixes or rework of existing music in this style.
We have the original.
And the remix…
You understand that for this kind of music, sound libraries are very important to recreate orchestral ensembles.
We have different types of formats, different types of banks… What I have found very interesting since the creation at Native Instruments of the Komplete collection. Initially created through Kontakt, is that in this collection we find all of what I mentioned above in all styles. In addition, it works on all studio software on the market, including Logic Pro X, Live 10, Cubase, etc. But also on Native Instruments Maschine‘s own sequence software. In addition to banks and synthesizers, there are also audio processing plug-ins. This is done in a format called NKS that is compatible with other plug-ins or banks that do not belong to Native Instruments.
Let’s develop the tools of the collection.
To illustrate my previous example concerning Epic music, the collection gives access to 16 orchestral and cinematic instruments. It is a complete section of sampled instruments that can be used in any project. This allows you to be in charge of a complete orchestra, either with sections or soloists thanks to professional quality banks, played and recorded by musicians and sound engineers from all over the world. All the necessary tools are available to create trailers and orchestral music.
In the collection, we will find synthesizers that I will not detail in this article. I invite you to visit the Native Instruments website to discover them! They are faithful reproductions of existing synthesizers. Some have an innovative sound design that exceeds the capacity and capabilities of most real models. Being with everything that exists in terms of synthesis and with all the tools necessary to create music such as EDM, Trap, Techno, Drum&Bass…, I must admit that it’s fabulous! The sound palette is extremely rich and we must be careful not to get lost in it…
Let me give you a tip:
Take the time to read the manuals of each of the synthesizers to understand how they work, but also how to create your own sounds. To learn and understand, there are some tools, the Trutorials, tutorials put online by Native Instruments!
For those who are sampling enthusiasts, the suite offers 30 quality sampled instruments such as pianos, electric or acoustic guitars, violins for pop music, organs, basses…
Not to mention to build his rhythmics 12 drum and percussion instruments. With Battery 4 the samplers dedicated to drum sounds, Damage for cinematic percussion, DrumLab, a sound laboratory to layer acoustic and electronic samples. And for those who dream of the Abbey Road studio, there is a collection of drums recorded in this mythical studio…
Of course Native Instruments has thought of the sound engineers that we are, with 28 effects to sculpt our sounds, our tracks, our recordings!
The icing on the cake, in the effects there is Guitar Rig 5 Pro, which alone provides 17 amp simulations, 27 speakers and 54 additional effects !
As we are in the Komplete 12 Ultimate Collector’s Edition, we must not forget the 50 expansions!
These are sound packs specific to specific styles, containing synth presets, drum kits, samples in one shot and loops. And of course, they can be used with Native Instruments tools, but also in any Daw.
My opinion
I use it every day. Moreover, if you choose to use it with a Komplete Kontrol keyboard and/or Maschine, it is a Must have!
Saving time is precious and important. If you want to know more about Midi controllers according to your set up, I recommend you to read this article published on Beginner Guitar HQ
In the current operation of my studio, my configuration is based on Logic Pro X, Ableton Live 10 & Push 2, Native Instruments Komplete & Maschine. So you might ask me why so many software and tools? Because it’s a composition studio, and it’s interesting for me not to have any limitations in my creative process.
Last year, following the design of an album produced in one month, I developed a training course called CEMM (Compose, Record, Mix, Master). In this training, I use Native Instruments Komplete 12 Ultimate Edition in conjunction with Logic Pro X or Ableton Live 10. Contact me if you are interested.
I regularly discover new sounds. The search for sounds by tag is very interesting and sometimes makes you choose a sound that you would never have been looking for spontaneously. One advantage is to be able to listen to them before loading the bank.
What fascinates me the most is the possibility of creating new sounds. I use it a lot for sound design and the integration of my own samples gives me even more important possibilities in my creative process.
And to top it all off, the Native Instruments suite also includes Creator Tools software to create your own Kontakt format banks !
Certainly the Komplete 12 Ultimate Collector’s Edition has a price that may be out of reach for your budget right now. However, there are several versions of this fabulous collection and even a version called Komplete Start for free! And every year Native Instruments makes an offer called Summer of Sound with a 50% discount. Be careful, it ends on June 30th!