If you ever wanted "something new, something -different-" then NOW is the time!

ShelLuser

Hi gang!

It's been a while... let's say I have my moments; a bit shuffled between audio (= my passion) and then sometimes a bit 3D (which is my gf's passion but also became a bit of a hobby of mine). And then there's Reddit 😏

OMG! Native Instruments are doing it again, and if you now wonder why I am all so riled up for... it's because this Holliday season is a HUGE deja-vu for me for all the good & awesome reasons. This honestly left a huge impact on my DAW endeavours. Now... you can't really work quantity like that within this field, but ... Beginning 2022 I picked up on FL Studio as a replacement for Reason. Thus was huge for me because despite being a Live fanboy first and foremost I've always used a 2nd sequencer aka DAW in combination. When Reason dropped the ball, big time, I needed something else. With all due respect: Maschine came really close, and it kinda worked, but also wasn't the same. It's still my big #3 where software is concerned and when talking hardware it's Push + Maschine all the way for me. Easy.

Pardon the semantics but... the reason I am telling you all of this is because - in hindsight - that is also exactly the kind of impact this latest NI deal had on me back in the days. But in the longer run....

Oh, right... what's with all the blabbering you now ask? Fair point!

THIS stuff:

Native Instrument's U-HE Offer 2022. And the only reason I am raving so much about this right now is because of the above: I can't even really fully word it but over the past years this managed to creep into all of my stuff.

Ironic because even though I had read about U-HE before I always wondered.. what's the big deal? Being an NI fanboy as well I was more than content enough with Maschine + Komplete (13) UC behind it. Still am. So when NI suddenly sold U-HE it got me thinking. Yah, yah.. revenue, commercial deals, blah blah. We'll talk when NI starts promoting that brand "we do not speak off" 😉 (don't mind me too much here please?)

Enough blabbering!

Diva

Diva is a digital analog-ish powerhouse. If you want to bring the vibes of analog synths into the realm of digital then you need to look no further ^^^.

As with a lot of soft-synths it does away with the classic: Osc => Amp => Filter and that may be something to get used to. Triple VCO in the above screenshot stands for Voltage Controlled Oscillator. "Wait, voltage when I'm sending MIDI in?!!". Yah ;)

If you want lead, bass, percussive (it works with Maschine!!) or... if you want to give Maschine's own Polysynth a run for its money... you need a red Diva 😊 oh dear, is that link telling us that Diva alone sets you back E 180,- ?!!! That's near half the price of this NI deal... what are they smoking here, eh?!

Assuming they are smoking it's the same stuff I'm having; a huge dose of U-HE awesomeness!

(the) Hive 2

Now, the following may come across as seriously arrogant for some of you... Sorry, not sorry. If you truly know your stuff you will realize that sometimes things that look easy can actually be frickin' hard! I tried to come up with a 'dynamic' screenshot, then I figured...

Hive is a powerhouse, easily coping with the might that Diva provides. The power of the Hive lies in the somewhat extreme (IMVHO!) dynamic filtering. 2 oscillators, 2 filters and then ... one huge sequencer rack. In addition to amps, filters, shapers and LFO's.

Let's rewind for a brief moment here.. I'm the Live fanboy who is hellbent on using a second sequencer in addition; for me that 'gap' is filled up by FL Studio (formerly this was Reason for me).

So.. Hive is an instrument with a near full blown sequencer onboard.

Are you really surprised that some people favor 2 seqs over one? ;)

Oh, and before you believe that big marked OFF button above....

Presets anyone? 😉

To be perfectly honest I don't really know how to properly describe Hive. To me it's a sound designers wet dream come true, this gizmo rivals (not bests!) Reason's Thor.

Repro

Like what you see? Then don't delay because if you order now you won't get one Repro but TWO!

Before you zap away... bear in mind: the above is all true:

Repro comes in 2 versions: 1 and 5, as seen above.

I'll be honest: it sounds awesome but even after almost 2 years I have no idea what the big fuss is all about. And that is because I've been a "soft-synther" from the very getgo, I know about hardware and such but never give it much thought. Yah... Repro is modelled after "two famous synthesizers". I quote:

Repro dives into the past for analogue inspiration, meticulously modelling two famous synthesizers.

All I can say is that it has a really good sound to it. I wouldn't miss Repro in my setup but at the same time it has also been a very good source for classic sounds. For all it's worth it reminds me of Reason's PX7 synth, an instrument now removed from their webshop. I heard the rumors but I can in full honesty state that I have no idea what's up with all that. I care about music and inspiration, not drama.

Moving right along!

Zebra

Zebra then is that synth that can be whatever you make of it. Don't let the "legacy" fool you, it's Zebra 2 with the extras from the past attached. Not sure if this kind of repackaging is such a good idea (it almost makes it look like a new Zebra) but at the same time U-HE don't hide any details.

Still, I personally don't like the seeming "rebrand", it basically boils down to packing up all the existing stuff.

Sound effects

Next to those awesome synths you also get a set of effects. And this is also where my expertise ends because.. honestly? I never touched those so far. Just like I also never used NI's effects either.

Editorial

See, the reason for all of this? Let's take a brief dip into the audio DAW lunatic I can be sometimes:

Now... small disclaimer... this is a mock-up. With all due respect but no way am I showing you guys what I'm messing around with and making some side-money on 😎

Reaktor is the "programmable instrument", Max then is the "multimedia programming platform". A lot of people focus on negatives... "Max can't do ....." or "Reaktor is childsplay because....." (based on actual quotes).

And no one that I know off thinks about bringing 'm together so that one fills up the "gaps" of the other.

^^^ powercombo right there.

So what's your point already?!!

Simple... I can do all the above with my eyes almost closes, and yet even after 2 years of being able to take up Native Instruments on this offer myself I am still learning about the several U-HE devices.

I'll do you one more...

Warning: Bazilla is not part of the current NI deal!

So why I got Bazille you wonder? Because - at that time - there were two deals. And my introduction to U-HE, courtesy of Native Instruments, left that big of an impact on me. See the screenshot above for all the detail.

Must have for audiophiles!

Oh, I dare you: look up my posts and see how much I used "must have" :) I am "u/ShelLuser42" on Reddit btw and I am darn proud to be a part of that as well ;) Even within some more anonimity you won't "just" see me telling people "must have".

So the thing is... if you now left us going on a goose chase it tells us more about you than my post. ok, ok... I confess... I kinda dared ya ;)

Thing is... practical jokes aside... do not underestimate what you're getting yourselves into here!

As a fan? I cannot help but think that both Native Instruments as well as U-HE are proudly looking at this deal.

Oh, right, I almost forgot! 😮

This stuff is NKS compliant too, so you can use 'm within Maschine and Komplete Kontrol alike.

Now, in case you're wondering, the reason this was last on my mind (with all due respect!) is because I am a Live fanboy first and foremost. Hard to ignore Live + Push (with that ever nicely glowing Audio 6 in the background 🤗 (I love my Audio6!)). See, NKS compliant doesn't mean only usable in NI stuff....

Call me stupid if you will (fair enough!) but...

Getting awesome VST's which I can use in Live (and Reason and Reaper and then FL Studio) and then again in Maschine and it only costs me a fraction of their regular price?!!!

You bethca I am taking this post personal!

My upgrade to 13UC was HUGE for me, never looked back, never regretted. SO awesome. Certified gold then... I don't even like hip-hop, and yet never wanted a refund ;)

And then the big one, the one thing this post is all about... Electric vintage takes a whole new turn into NI's ways of representing electic guitars. Yes, it has signs from the past, but what it doesn't have is the kind of overlap we had with 'Sunburst' and 'Sunburst deluxe' (and yet I'd still buy both of 'm if I had to redo my steps).

Wait what's this talk about guitars all of a sudden? ;) I think that's my cue to exit... stage 2023 ;)

Thanks for reading!

But as an added PS.. I'm telling you: do NOT underestimate the U-HE 2022 offer. It is honestly that awesome.

... 2 years after the facts and I still felt compelled to do this.