Randomize preset selection

defyosef

With instrument tags that have many presets, quite often I find myself browsing through just a few from the top before I reach option paralysis and just settle for anything. This means that a lot of my Komplete library remains unexplored.

Would love for NKS to provide the option of randomizing preset selection somehow, either by offering a "lucky draw" or shuffling the order a bit. It would be very inspiring during these sessions where I don't know what I'm going to make before launching up KK or Maschine.

Anyone else would like to have it as well?

JesterMgee

Yeah, been requested for 5 years now.

Best you can do is just randomly hit Page Down/Up a few dozen times then select a preset.

defyosef

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/3373#Comment_3373

Judging by the amount of engagement this discussion has generated, it does not seem to fall into the category of most requested features unfortunately.

I recall there was a way of accessing the database file containing installed instruments - do you have any experience in altering it? Wonder if there could be a way of shuffling the records without corrupting the data.

JesterMgee

I think it’s one of those small things we would love to see, but way bigger features are needed already (resizable gui, vst3)

not sure you will manage to shuffle records as the way KK lists data is alphabetically and that’s not how the db file stores records so you would have to randomly number the records and it’s not worth that hassle since next NKS scan would reset that.

Kubrak

I would also like some kind of randomization. Jump to random preset should be very simple to implement. Some kind of keyboard abreviation and on HW probably something with Shift. It should not require more than one day of work including User Manual update....

What I do now, I restrict the search a bit. Jester's solution also works.

For example Massive X has more than 1000 patches, random walk though would be great. And also the way to go to the end.

JesterMgee

Way to go to the end

End Key doesn’t work?

Kubrak

Thanks. I will try, but I do not use keyboard, most of the time.

JesterMgee

Ah, yeah from the controller I don't think there is a way. I'm the opposite, I never use the keyboard itself for browsing as it's just far quicker using the mouse/keyboard which is directly above in my case. Chalk it up to another feature request.

defyosef

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/4539#Comment_4539

Presumably if KK indeed sorts them alphabetically by some kind of "display name" then at least updating the records by adding some random prefix to the name should do the trick (for one time randomization that is). But this is guess-work of course, I'd have to look into this to see if it holds water.

JesterMgee

Well it's a database so you can easily update records and generate a numbered prefix to the front.... but then you are not really randomising your selection, simply reordering things. The old and simple way of just scrolling with the scroll wheel randomly or pressing page up/down a few times on your keyboard and selecting a file works for me but would love a dedicated random preset button

defyosef

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/4744#Comment_4744

Can't argue with that. A way to shuffle presets would be better than nothing though, as I do prefer to browse via keyboard.

Omnisphere browser's random function works more like a shuffle too if I recall correctly.

MyStudioOne

The best way to preview new sounds all the time is by use of the type or character filters. This is better than random if you prefer to steer KK in the general direction you want.

Kubrak

But one may use filters, which I do, and randomization afterwards....

TORLEY

I'd adore having this too. Pick a .nki from the whole list.

Many of the finest instruments have it or have recently added a RANDOM PRESET PICKER — Omnisphere, GForce's, Synplant, etc. — so I'd expect Kontakt to have it too.

Syngularity

Now we have a cool extended browser in 3.2.0, whooohooo!

Dear NI, can you please please make us happy to add finally this simple random preset picker, which almost every simple media library/DAW/vst plugin is offering nowadays?