Just want useful composition instruments

I need to buy as near to a piano touch response keyboard as possible and I think that NI Kontakt might be the answer. I really just want realistic acoustic instruments that I can manipulate to sound as close a possible to a live player in front of a mic. So I'm confused about add on stuff such as Komplete 15. I don't really want automated functions that are like a sophisticated single finger chord function. So do I just get the hardware i.e. the keyboard and leave the rest. I'd also like a real-time MIDI controller for accurate expressive crescendo etc dynamics. Starting from scratch , what should I buy. I use logic for sequencing/scoring. The only plug-in I have is Spitfire intimate piano which I love. Does NI make acoustic instrument libraries?

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Sunborn

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/48715/just-want-useful-composition-instruments

Hello,

I will answer to this:

Does NI make acoustic instrument libraries?

Yes, Native Instruments makes many acoustic instrument libraries. They offer a variety of sampled acoustic instruments, including:

Acoustic Guitars: The Session Guitarist series includes titles like:
Picked Acoustic (steel-string, focuses on picking patterns and melodies)
Strummed Acoustic and Strummed Acoustic 2 (focus on realistic strumming patterns, including 6- and 12-string guitars)
Acoustic Sunburst Deluxe
Picked Nylon (nylon-string guitar)
Pianos/Keys: NI offer detailed acoustic piano libraries, often in partnership with other companies, and highly-regarded solo pianos like NOIRE and The Grandeur.
World/Folk Instruments: NI have a dedicated Acoustic Collection within the Kontakt Factory Library (which comes with Kontakt), containing instruments like flutes, dulcimers, recorders, bagpipes, fiddles, a hurdy-gurdy, and various percussion. They also have Spotlight Collection libraries focusing on regional instruments, such as:
Spotlight Collection: Ireland (traditional Irish instruments)
Spotlight Collection: Cuba (Afro-Cuban instruments)
Spotlight Collection: Middle East
Orchestral/Strings/Brass/Woodwinds: They offer extensive orchestral collections, which are inherently acoustic, such as:
Cremona Quartet Bundle (detailed solo and ensemble strings, including a Stradivari Violin)
Session Strings Pro 2 (string ensemble)
Session Horns Pro (sampled brass and woodwind instruments)
Action Woodwinds

In summary, if you're looking for high-quality, deeply-sampled acoustic instruments, Native Instruments has a large catalog, especially within the Kontakt ecosystem and the larger Komplete bundles.

DunedinDragon

If you're familiar with Spitfire offerings, NI instruments are similar. Most libraries come with a certain number of presets that can be used by non-trained people to create more complex passages simply, but they all come with basic instrument functionality mapped to the keyboard that a trained person can use.

The best way to get a feel for these is to go to the main NI website (just click on the Native Instruments logo at the top left of this page) and typically most libraries for sale there will have a walkthrough video similar to those on the Spitfire site so you can get an idea of how they might be used.

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/48715/just-want-useful-composition-instruments

I need to buy as near to a piano touch response keyboard as possible and I think that NI Kontakt might be the answer.

So do I just get the hardware i.e. the keyboard and leave the rest. I'd also like a real-time MIDI controller for accurate expressive crescendo etc dynamics.

I really just want realistic acoustic instruments that I can manipulate to sound as close a possible to a live player in front of a mic.

The keyboard that NI have that comes closest to a piano hammer action is the S88 MK3. And at this particular moment then there are two offerings for that , an offer with Fables and Lores included and an offer with %50 off of Komplete Standard (or Ultimate if preferred), If you are new to NI and want a hammer action keyboard then you should go with at least the offer with %50 off Komplete Standard since that will also give you the full version of all NI 'flagship apps' Check the Compare Komplete 15 bundles page here to see what's included. (Should you later want an upgrade from Komplete Standard to Komplete Ultimate or Collectors then the bundle Upgrades are also on offer at the moment.)

The S88 MK3 has Pro-grade Fatar keybed with polyphonic aftertouch, available with ~~semi-weighted keys (S49, S61), or~~ fully weighted hammer-action keys (S88) . (Please check the keyboard compare page for an easy overview list of features.) (P.S. even though it says bus-powered then depending on your hardware then you might need an USB-C PD ready PSU or a self powered USB-C hub at least when updating the S88 MK3 keyboard firmware.)

I really just want realistic acoustic instruments that I can manipulate to sound as close a possible to a live player in front of a mic.

The only plug-in I have is Spitfire intimate piano which I love. Does NI make acoustic instrument libraries?

NI have several 'acoustic' piano libraries. Komplete Standard mentioned above comes with not less than 6 'Acoustic pianos' , again please check the Compare Komplete 15 bundles page here (scroll down to where it says 'Sampled Instruments')

P.S. The Komplete bundles at the moment are only discounted when bought with hardware (as above) or if you buy Updates or Upgrades. But if you are not looking to get a keyboard but only want the bundle and do not have any bundle to upgrade then it is possible that N.I will give a general discount on the bundles later in the sale. There is no guarantee that this is going to happen but at least that has been seen before.

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