Kontakt

Native Instruments KONTAKT 1.2

The PPGWave Review.
Reviewed by Jim B-Reay (ppgwave)

Introduction

The cross-pollination of the digital sampler and digital audio workstation has a very interesting history --

During the 1980s, New England Digital figured out that their $200,000 (USD) Synclavier sampler/additive synth could actually process audio files that were longer than your average musically-useful sample and become a computer-based multitrack recorder, also known as a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).  Fairlight, Waveframe, and other innovative companies soon followed Synclavier into this market, and by the end of the decade these high-end samplers were positioned as pure DAWs, while newer low-cost hardware sampler units emerged from the labs of E-Mu, Ensoniq, Roland, and Akai.

In the mid-1990's, computing power increased to the point that the power of these high-end DAWs was easily attainable with even the most basic home computers, software, and sound cards, and the market for complex standalone DAW hardware hit rock-bottom.  At this time, samplers were still selling very well, until an idea inverse to Synclavier's revelation in the 80's hit home with the makers of computer-based digital audio software.  Instead of just sequencing external samplers and streaming long bits of audio, one could probably do the same thing with shorter audio files, adding pitch tracking and envelopes? "Hey, you can use your computer as a sampler!"  The death of the hardware sampler and the reign of software samplers had just begun. 

Greengate, and a few others, hold the true 'frontrunner' title in the software sampler category, with their Commodore/Apple II based solutions in the early 1980's. Also, while Digidesign was among the first to offer computer-based sampling with their SampleCell NuBus/PCI cards, Bitheadz was one of the first with a software-only host-based sampler, Unity DS-1 for Mac.  There were also a number of shareware PC-based solutions, but the software sampler revolution really took off when Nemesys released Gigasampler in 1998.

Fast-forward five years later to where we are now in 2003, and the market has evolved to the point where we have a very wide variety of software solutions for sample playback, each offering a slightly different set of features: Emagic's EXS24 (tight integration into Logic), Steinberg HALion (supporting VST but of course integrating tightly with Cubase), and the newest, mature versions of Bitheadz Unity and Gigasampler, which is now part of the Tascam family after the Nemesys company was purchased.

Into the software sampler fray walks Native Instruments (NI) with Kontakt. NI is the German manufacturer of breakthrough music software products Reaktor, Pro5, Absynth, and B4. Kontakt differs from traditional samplers with its semi-modular sound architecture with extensive sound sculpting possibilities, and other unique features like granular synthesis and 32-stage flexible envelopes (which are similar to those found in Absynth). The Kontakt 1.2 release added additional import formats, several bug fixes, disk streaming, and flexible triggering options to increase both competitiveness and compatibility with Gigasampler.

In this review, I'll look at what makes Kontakt unique, put it through its paces, and draw comparisons with the competing products in the software sampler marketplace.

Testing Platform

I tested Kontakt 1.2 on a Macintosh Powerbook G4 1Ghz with 1 gigabyte RAM, running OS 9.2.2 and running audio through a MOTU 828 using ASIO. I tested it in both standalone mode and running as a VST Instrument inside Logic 6.1.

An Overview of Kontakt's Features:

User Interface:

Both the standalone program and the VST plug-in share the same interface of a dual-pane window with a variety of button and drop-down options making the most of the available screen real estate. The window is not dynamically resizable, and it supports three preset sizes due to limitations on window sizing in the VST standard. Happily, these sizes can be set by the user in the Options dialog. Despite its fixed size, there is a lot of flexibility in showing and hiding modules, and much like Reason, Kontakt allows you to collapse rack items in order to conserve screen space.

Fig 1: The Kontakt Window

On the right side is the 'equipment rack' pane, showing the currently loaded multi and instruments. On the left of the window (taking 1/3 of the width by default) is a dual purpose pane that is used to browse files as well as view the overall architecture of an instrument.  Multis, Instruments, and samples can be selected and loaded with mouse clicks, or they can be loaded with a separate dialog box in the right pane. As you get into building more complex instruments, the architecture overview pane is extremely helpful in viewing the current structure as well as for zooming to a certain module in the rack.

It's also possible to collapse the left column entirely, giving the entire screen over to the rack, though in most cases you will want more vertical real estate than horizontal, since the modules pile up vertically as you add them.  Still, it's nice to have this option.

All told, it's an easy to navigate interface that eschews the multi-window format of HALion, preferring to offer all possible information in one screen, collapsing and expanding modules to keep things tidy. The downside is that there is a lot of information to show, and this makes the buttons and labels rather small.  I've heard some opinions where the combination of small fonts and the grey-on-black color motif make this an imperfect program for those with less than perfect eyesight.  I had no problems myself, but can respect the criticism.

Patch Architecture

Each INSTANCE of Kontakt has one MULTI, which responds on all 16 midi channels, and supports up to 16 stereo outputs with 256 simultaneous voices. Additionally, each Multi can be internally organized with up to 16 INSTRUMENTS, each with independent send routings to a standard set of internal effects like Delay, Reverb, and Chorus.  Of course, you can always open a second instance of Kontakt if this isn't enough for your needs.  In fact, you can open as many instances as your memory, CPU and host software allows, (8 in Cubase VST, 64 in Cubase SX or Logic).

Each INSTRUMENT is made up of multiple GROUPS, each GROUP is made up of multiple ZONES, and each ZONE is a single sample containing mapping, pan, loop, and volume info. This is a standard internal architecture as used in many samplers, and is notably similar to the popular Akai S5000/S6000 series. 

Where this gets interesting is that unlike most other samplers that apply filters, LFOs, envelopes, output assignment, and effects routing at the INSTRUMENT level, Kontakt attaches these at the GROUP level. This means that you can load up a standard drum kit as an INSTRUMENT, assign Toms to one GROUP, hi-hats to another, kick drums to a third, and the rest of the to the fourth, and apply different filters, envelopes, and effects to each GROUP. 

Did I mention the only limit is 4,096 Groups per instrument? That means that you could theoretically have 16x4,096 groups in a Multi, or 65,536 possible groups being used at once. Of course, you are limited to 256 voices per instance, and you'd run out of CPU well before that point, but it?s nice to know that the software isn't the limiting factor with Kontakt.

In case that wasn't enough power, there is the related concept of the VOICE GROUP, where you can set the polyphony available to a given set of INSTRUMENTS.  In the case of a drum set, you'd assign the hi-hats to one monophonic VOICE GROUP (so no more than one hi-hat can ever sound at one time), and the rest of the drums to a 16-note VOICE GROUP. By decoupling the GROUP and VOICE GROUP concepts, NI gives you the flexibility of creating lots of unique Groups with different filters and other effects, while making it easy to maintain the overall polyphony available to the instruments.

Sampling

When you create a new Instrument, you default to one sample source, one group, and an amplifier output. From there, you can easily drag and drop new samples in to create new zones, or assign zones into different groups.

Unlike hardware samplers, Kontakt does not offer direct sampling capabilities (where you record audio directly into the sampler). Like other software samplers, it is assumed that you already have your source material recorded and available in WAV, AIFF or SDII format. Of course, there are several more-than-capable sound capture programs out there (probably including the DAW software you?re planning to run Kontakt with), so this isn't a major omission.

One significant improvement over hardware samplers is the choice of three different sample playback engines: A straightforward sampler, and two granular synthesis modules: Tone Machine and Time Machine. The basic sampler engine does exactly what you'd expect it to -- directly playing sound files.

Sound Sample: Straight Loop

Tone Machine uses granular synthesis to draw the pitched material out of a sample and allows you to play non-pitched material across the keyboard.  I loaded up a suite of 180 bpm jungle loops and played 'Mary Had a Little Lamb', and to my surprise it actually worked.  The effect is somewhat Vocoder-like and is definitely not a 'natural' sound but something truly innovative.  I had a LOT of fun with this feature.

Sound Sample: The Loop plays "Mary had a little lamb"

Time Machine lets you decouple the rhythm/tempo and pitch of a sample, sounding like ReCycled material, but without the step of beat slicing. There are controls for the 'granularity' of the process, so you can make it sound natural or very artificial. This engine does sample stretching and not beat slicing, so there are some pretty fixed limits as to how far you can stretch while still sounding 'natural', but it does let you modulate the pitch of the sample while maintaining a constant tempo, enabling those very out-there loop manipulations.  Due to the granular nature of the time shifting algorithm, I'd say that this tool is really at its best the less 'natural' you want your results to be. The Time Machine doesn't handle tempo information either, so you're not going to replace ACID or Live with this tool.

Sound sample:  The Loop gets Munged

Within a single GROUP you will select a single sampler model to process all of its samples, but since you can have 4,096 GROUPS in an INSTRUMENT, and 16 INSTRUMENT in a MULTI, this isn't really a limitation you should lose sleep over.

Samples and Looping:

The Mapping Editor allows you to easily drag-and-drop samples wherever you need them. There are flexible sample switching and cross-fading options, along with keyswitching (as seen in Gigasampler) and other GROUP-level manipulation functions.  Each sample can also be looped with up to 8 points, which can be customized with one-shot, repeating, back-and-forth modes and custom release definitions. I really don't know what you'd do with all eight loops, as the most I could find use for was three. Again, it's nice that Kontakt isn't limiting your creativity.

Fig 4: Mapping and Looping

Insert Effects:

This is where we start to get into the 'semi-modular' architecture. Instead of having a fixed signal path, the only absolute in a Kontakt Instrument is that it starts with a sample and ends with a VCA stage. The design of the signal path in between these is up to you, and is accomplished with a set of visual 'modules', including Insert Effects and Modulators. At the bottom of each module icon is a set of plus signs that allow you to either add a new module as the next in the series, or to assign modulation by creating new modulators or routing to existing modulators. 

Each GROUP allows you to have up to 6 Insert Effects, one of each of the following:  Filter, Distortion, Saturation, LoFi (Bitcrusher), Compressor, EQ, and Stereo Enhancer. These can be inserted in any order at any point in the signal chain, which is cool. Adding a little distortion to your sample before the filtering and amplifier adds a gentle warmth to the sample, while adding it after the filter stage is a sure way to get the screaming 303 sound.  

Kontakt's Filters deserve special mention here. There are a total of 17 different filter options, including 10 different "conventional" filters, from 1-pole to 6-pole, so you can have your 303 filter (2-pole lowpass), your Minimoog 24db, and your Oberheim 6-pole (36db) sweet filters, each with low, band, and highpass options. Now, you can only use one of each type of Insert in each GROUP, so anticipating the outcry from synthesists who demand multiple filters in series for that perfect sound, Kontakt also offers a 3-stage multifilter module. In addition, there are 3 parametric EQs and 3 'Effect' filters, for Phasing and Vowel Formant filtering. 

Once you've added one type of insert, that type ceases to appear as an option for subsequent inserts. You may feel that having only one of each Insert per GROUP is limiting, but you can also have up to 6 inserts per INSTRUMENT, so if you'd like to apply a little EQ to your complete drum set, you can do so while preserving the EQ processing in every GROUP underneath.

Fig 4: Adding an Insert

Modulation:

Each GROUP can also support up to 16 modulation sources.  These sources include:

-          Velocity/Release Velocity

-          Key Position

-          Midi Controllers

-          Pitchbend

-          Mono/Poly Aftertouch

-          LFOs

-          Envelopes

-          Step Modulator

-          Envelope Follower

-          Glide

Kontakt's flexibility really comes into play in the modulation section. At the bottom of each module (sampler, insert effect, modulator) is a menu to add the module next in the series. If you add a modulator, by default it is assigned to the most common parameters of the module you created it from, although these too can be overridden.

The Envelopes are either standard ADSHR (Attack Decay Sustain Hold Release) or the more flexible Absynth-style multistage envelopes that can be synchronized to the incoming song tempo. The Step Modulator is a lot like the MATRIX step sequencer in Reason, and is a clock-synced 8-16 step control sequencer that can be routed to any of the modulation parameters.

The LFO's shapes are variable from sine waves to random, and even include a 'controlled random' where you essentially blend the outputs from multiple LFOs into one repeatable wavesequence. All RATE amounts are set in HZ but can also be tempo-synced by clicking to the right of the number display under the knob?  It's a bit tricky as you need to click on the RIGHT side of the number not the LEFT side, but once you know where this feature is, it's easy to set up.

As mentioned above, you can create up to 16 modulators, and each modulator can affect almost any parameter in the Kontakt engine.  One complex example would include 6 LFOs and 4 envelopes all cross-modulating each other, with aftertouch modulating the LFO speeds and the modwheel routed to the VCA envelope release. The possibilities here are truly awe-inspiring.

One very nice convention in the user interface is that every knob shows its value as a lit ring around the knob.  When any value is modulated, the lit ring moves in response to the change and shows the actual value at that point in time. When you apply an envelope to a VCA, you're really just automating the turning of the volume knob: Kontakt makes its complex modulation relationships visually explicit, and thus far more intuitive than other competing products.

Fig 6: Modulating a single control:

By clicking on the MOD button at the bottom corner of the window, you can also graphically display all of the modulation paths directly in the interface, and you can adjust the amounts directly without having to open a separate modulation matrix window. This graphical functionality allows you to have a better overview of the whole instrument while not cluttering up the screen, which is yet another example of how NI have successfully optimized their single-window interface.

Fig 7: The Mod Routing Revealed

While this doesn't differ conceptually from the Matrix Modulation functionality seen in EXS24 and other samplers (most notably the Emulator series and its 'Cords'), the implementation in Kontakt is very intuitive and highly visual, which really rewards the tweaker. In the following mp3 examples, I took a basic string pad sample from the included library and applied two modulators, a step modulator applied to the filter, and a flexible envelope playing a pattern. There's a light send-delay on the second one as well. It really shows how Kontakt encourages you to 'play' with your samples.

Before: String pad sample

After:  String Mod Sample

Send Effects:

Finally, there are send effects available at the Group level, offering Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Reverb, and Delay effects.  These are run in parallel, not in series, so you can delay the flange, or phase a 'verb. This may annoy some, but the position in the signal chain really just makes these 'flavoring' effects anyway. As with all Rate controls in Kontakt, the Delay amount and the Flange/Phase speed is tempo syncable. 

Sample Library:

Kontakt ships with 3 GB of samples (most licensed from Yellow Tools) encompassing a variety of drums, pianos, guitars, and synths. Although the quality of the samples was excellent, the factory instruments were a letdown in my opinion. Almost every patch has been programmed with a simple Sampler->VCA->ADHSR structure, with no exploration of the unique power of the Kontakt engine.

Particularly baffling are the FM7 and Absynth samples, many of which use tempo-syncable flexible envelopes, but have been sampled as-is at a fixed tempo. I can only imagine what possibilities could have come from sampling a raw FM sample and applying the multistage envelopes to it. Instead, we're stuck with an evolving 15 MB sample loop at 120bpm. Even that would have been acceptable if they had used the Time Machine sample source, so you could mess with it, but again it's straight samples only, as if the programmers just did a straight conversion of an S1000 library.

Before actually getting deep into Kontakt product, I remember thinking that previous reviewers were unnecessarily harsh on the Kontakt sample library, believing that these samples are really 'freebies' and shouldn't be sneered at. Now, I really think that NI missed a major opportunity by not showcasing the flexibility of their modular engine with this library, which may be why this instrument's uniqueness is so commonly overlooked by the casual electronic musician.

The Manual:

The manual is an indispensable resource in learning Kontakt. NI has chosen to present a module-by-module overview and usage guide, but there is no all-encompassing tutorial. The jury is split on how helpful tutorials really are for most users anyway, but I found that Kontakt's depth took a while to sink in, and I wonder if a guided patch construction example might have helped turn the lights on a little faster.

That said, the manual is clearly written and covers all functionality well.  RTFM is good advice for any software purchaser, but in the case of Kontakt, I'd say it's mandatory.  Without spending serious time with the manual, you will definitely miss out on a lot of the power of this tool.

Conversion:

Kontakt is able to import the following formats: Akai S-1000/S-3000, Gigasampler, SoundFont2, HALion, EXS24, BATTERY, LM4, AIFF and WAV (from 8 to 32 bits). Conversion is on the whole pretty solid, and I was able to convert several Akai CDRs without a problem. My Gigasampler files seemed to convert well, although I've read some comments about keyswitching being slightly off for some sample sets. Unfortunately I don't have enough Gigasampler banks to test this with, and you may want to check with the maker of your Gigasampler libraries to get their comments on this before committing yourself to Kontakt.

In Use:

Not surprisingly, Kontakt is a bit heavy on the CPU, but there are ways to manage this.  First off, in OS9, make sure you have adequate memory allocated to your host application, especially if you plan to use multiple Kontakt plug-ins simultaneously.  Secondly, be aware that some modules take a lot more CPU power than others and they should be used sparingly: Filters (notably the 3-stage multifilter), reverbs, and the Granular Sample Players (Time and Tone Machine) are the big culprits here. Another important tip is to manage the active voice count in each group, especially for those groups using the CPU killers mentioned above. 

On my test system, I didn't have any major issues running in OS9 except for a couple of instances where the cursor disappeared while dragging an item from the browser to the rack. I have heard of other users experiencing buggy behavior, especially when using ProTools and also with the Disk Streaming option enabled (in both PC and Mac). In some cases, instability cropped up with heavier use, for example when adding a third instance of Kontakt, or adding a seventh 16-voice instrument to a Multi. NI tells us to expect the 1.2.1 release in June to address this and many other issues.

Conclusions:

Kontakt is perhaps one of the most addictive pieces of software I've used in a while: It takes a little while to get comfortable with its conventions, yet it invites and rewards experimentation. I've found myself tweaking samples into nearly unrecognizable tonal soup, and it has inspired me in ways that no sampler has before. In this review, I've only touched on the capabilities of this instrument -- every feature has been implemented with a degree to tweakability that is frankly jaw-dropping. The granular synths and flexible envelopes alone are amazing and unparalleled as of this writing (though it appears that an approximation of these envelopes has made its way into HALion 2.0).

I do have to ding NI for hiding their light under a bushel, largely for the uninspired sample library which really doesn't showcase the amazing possibilities of this tool. Even a single bank of demo presets that show advanced filtering or modulation would have gone a long way towards showcasing the tool. As it is, Kontakt rewards the persistent and experimentally-inclined user far more than the casual 'load and tweak' users.

So, would I recommend Kontakt?  In two words:  "Yes, but".

If you're a Mac user, you need to know that there are several reported stability issues (which to be fair I did not encounter directly), and that OSX support is a few months away. OSX compatibility isn't planned until August 2003, and given the generally slipping release dates endemic to the industry (not just NI), I'd say that a month or more delay beyond this wouldn't be surprising. This is a major issue for me, as I've been OSX-only for months now.

However, if you want to really have fun with a sampler, to push your raw sample material in directions you might not have imagined before, and rediscover the joys of creative modulation, you owe it to yourself to at least try Kontakt. I know I'm hooked!  Now if only they can get that AudioUnit out the door!