Tag Archives: Native Instruments

NAMM 2025: NI free stuff

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Tomorrow (January 23) is when NAMM 2025 exhibits open. On to today’s news!

Native Instruments free stuff

I was about to blow off the Native Instruments announcements when I realized, “Wait, I can get some free stuff.”

If you shuffle through the corporate-speak — and there is plenty of it — you’ll gist that NI have partnered with other hardware manufacturers to provide integrated support (NKS compatibility). The first batch of controllers to be supported are:

  • Akai Professional: MPK Mini, MPK Mini Play, and MPK Mini Plus
  • Nektar: Impact LX Mk3
  • Novation: Launchkey Mk3 and Mk4, FLkey, and SL Mk3 controllers
  • Korg: Keystage controllers
  • M-Audio: Oxygen Series keyboards

Support will be implemented in the next Komplete Kontrol update.

From the Native Instruments press release:

Owners of NKS-ready hardware from Novation, Nektar, Korg and M-Audio will be eligible to receive Native Instruments’ flagship production bundle, Komplete 15 Select, free of charge. Creators can choose from three editions tailored to specific workflows:

  • Beats Edition: Synths and sound packs ideal for pop, hip-hop, and R&B.
  • Band Edition: Guitars, keys, and studio effects designed for songwriters and live performers.
  • Electronic Edition: Advanced synths and tools for house, techno, and trance producers.

For Akai Professional users, an MPK purchase includes Komplete 15 Select.

I haven’t blabbed about it here (yet), but I picked up a Novation Launchkey Mk4 last month. I will check this deal out.

Native Instruments is releasing exclusive content for the Akai MPC platform:

  • Five MPC Expansions: Drum kits and sample packs reformatted for Akai MPC hardware
  • Five MPC Editions: Instrument plugins based on the Play Series

You can check the titles at the NI webshop. These titles are MPC hardware-only.

Steinberg NAMM 2025 deals

Let’s throw a bone to Steinberg who are offering deals on Dorico (40%), WaveLab (40%), WaveLab Cast 2 (40%), Cubase (25%) and other products. Offers last until February 5, 2025. The NAMM sale seems like an annual thing, so catch up on updates and upgrades.

Korg, again

Korg will preview two audio interfaces: Korg microAudio 22 and and Korg microAudio 722. You’ve probably seen the pictures — each is a table-top interface in black, 2 inputs (Hi-Z, +48V phantom power), 2 outputs, 24-bit/192kHz. The 722 has a miniKORG 700S analog filter with lowpass and highpass settings, LFO, cutoff and resonance knobs.

We haven’t seen pictures of the goes-in/goes-out, but there is a MIDI light on the front panel.

Korg call these “concept prototypes” which “may or may not be destined for commercialization.” Thus, no prices.

Roland V-STAGE

Yeah, it’s out. I want to shout out demo videos by Patrice Rushen and Ed Diaz (Kraft Music). Patrice deserves more recognition — what a talent!

At some point, we gotta talk money. 🙁

Copyright © 2025 Paul J. Drongowski

Winter NAMM 2019: You Komplete me

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Native Instruments are trolling the low end and that ain’t bad.

I haven’t jumped into the deep end of the NI pool. Over the holidays, I downloaded the free player versions of Guitar Rig 5, Kontakt and Reaktor 6. I believe in the low end theory which says that you can make good music without dropping a lot of change.

Native Instruments have announced KOMPLETE START, “a new collection of sounds, instruments, and effects that’s 100% free; and new software integration that puts millions of loops and samples from Sounds.com at your fingertips.” The latter part of that message steals a page from Loopmasters’ Loopcloud. This builds on the success of NI’s Sounds.com site.

The KOMPLETE START page promises:

  • Produce and perform with over 2,000 studio-quality sounds — for free
  • 15 pro-grade synths and sampled instruments, plus effects, loops, and samples
  • Browse, preview, and play it all in your recording software with KOMPLETE KONTROL

KOMPLETE START includes over 6GB of instruments, effects, loops and samples. Synths are: TRK-01 Bass, Mikro Prism, Lazerbass, Carbon 2, Space Drone and Newscool. Sampled instruments include World, Band, Synth, Vintage, Urban Beats, Kinetic Treats and the Play Series Selection. Guitar Rig 5 Player is included (17 cabinet emulations and 13 effects) plus the Supercharger tube compressor.

Now, a lot of this sounds like the old free bundle and you would be right. There’s a few new freebies here and there. If the first taste is good, you can upgrade to Komplete 12 Select for $99 USD.

NI have new low-end hardware, too. The Komplete Kontrol M32 is a keyboard controller (32 mini keys)with OLED display, touch strips, knobs and NKS integration. Street price is $129 USD. Ableton Live 10 Lite is bundled in, just in case the ten copies that you have aren’t enough.

Komplete Kontrol M32 features are:

  • Play Smarter: Chord progressions and arpeggios
  • Eight touch sensitive knobs premapped for presets
  • Buttons for DAW control
  • Octave transpose buttons
  • Two touch strips
  • A four-direction push encoder for navigation
  • 10GB of content including the Scarbee Mark I
  • USB MIDI (USB bus powered)
  • TRS pedal input (assignable to sustain)

This sounds like an inexpensive way to get familiar with NKS integration. Not bad. I like these kinds of introductory packages because I can try the software and donate the microcontroller if I don’t like it. There is always some deserving youngster…

NI also announced the Komplete Audio 1 (one channel) and Komplete Audio 2 (two channel) audio interfaces. Street price is $109. Specs for the Komplete Audio 2 are:

  • 2 inputs: 2x combi-XLR/jack inputs with 48V phantom power and individual gain control
  • Outputs: Stereo jack out
  • VU-meter for adjusting levels
  • Direct monitoring for blending audio playback while recording
  • Big volume knob
  • Headphone out with high power output and volume control
  • USB 2.0 bus powered
  • Audio quality: Premium quality at 192 kHz and 24 bit
  • Included software: Ableton Live 10 Lite, MASCHINE Essentials, MONARK, REPLIKA, PHASIS, SOLID BUS COMP, and KOMPLETE START

Per Internet tradition, let’s gripe before we’ve even seen product. I wish it had 5-pin MIDI IN and OUT. The new Mackie and PreSonus interfaces one-up the new NI interfaces in this regard.

The Komplete Kontrol M32, Komplete Audio 1 and 2 are pre-order items. NI are projecting March 6, 2019 availability for the M32.

Copyright © 2019 Paul J. Drongowski