I purchased Komplete, sample-based disappointment!

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Dane
Dane Member Posts: 4 Newcomer
edited October 2024 in Komplete General

I would first like to say that I realise my disappointment is MY fault for not doing enough research before my purchase.

I just bit the bullet and spent the substantial price tag to purchase Komplete, I knew there would be a lot of great stuff that I would enjoy within, and there is; however, I am incredibly disappointed that a lot of it is sample-based, instead of physical modelling. No judgment toward others who use sampled loops/patterns, but I am not into that as I like to create music 'from AS scratch as I can,' for lack of a better term.

As an example, all four of the acoustic guitar VSTs are sample-based strumming and picking patterns. Is there no way to be able to use these as well as stuff like George Duke Soul Treasures on your MIDI keyboard to simply produce a single note when played instead of an entire pattern?

I wish I could get a refund, delete all of this off of my PC and spend the money individually purchasing physical modelling VSTs instead. I feel very silly about this very expensive mistake. I stupidly assumed software this 'professional' would be full of pre-recorded stuff.

Thank you in advance.

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Best Answer

  • nobadmojo
    nobadmojo Member Posts: 117 Helper
    Answer ✓


    I feel your pain

    I use Native Instruments Electric Guitars. I have the LesPaul, the Telecaster, and the Strat. They offer 2 modes. The pattern mode and the melody mode which you use to solo/play individual notes. You can combine the 2 modes they say but I found that really cumbersome with a huge sound mismatch. I guess the acoustic ones dont do that??

    Having said that I ended up using these 3 VST's as rhythm/pattern instruments on my tracks because the melodies I was able to create werent super convincing because of the lack of articulations...and it doesnt seem like Native Instruments likes to upgrade/update their VST's much....So I went with Impact Soundworks for soloing and am very happy...and they are NKS and on version 3.5. vs 1.0.. you have many more convincing sound options. I think they have an acoustic guitar in their lineup..highly recommend. not sponsored or anything by them..just a fan

Answers

  • Kymeia
    Kymeia NKS User Library Mod Posts: 5,862 mod
    edited December 2023

    It’s a sampler, what made you think it would be a physical modelled instrument? There is nothing in the marketing that suggests that.

    If you are interested in physical modelling the closest you can get in the Komplete range is a few Reaktor ensembles such as Prism or Kontour but on the whole physical modelling is not one of NI’s strong suits. there are other developers who specialise more in PM like Rhizomatic or Physical Audio

  • Dane
    Dane Member Posts: 4 Newcomer

    What made me think it would be a physical-modelled instrument? Foolish presumptuousness. I simply expected music software of this price and expanse to be for serious music makers who create original music, not merely copy and paste patterns and loops. There are too many VSTs in the Komplete package to research them all. It is sheer coincidence that the ones I did look at were not overtly pattern/loop-based.

  • Sunborn
    Sunborn NKS User Library Mod Posts: 3,758 mod
    edited December 2023
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/19522/i-purchased-komplete-sample-based-disappointment

    hello,

    Actually, only Kontakt is sample-based, and all those big sample-based libraries (including George Duke Soul Treasures) are actually Kontakt libraries, not VST's. Kontakt is the VST and through this, you open all the libraries.

    I understand your disappointment but you should knew it, since Kontakt is perhaps the no 1 Sampler worldwide. Unfortunately, Sampler = sample based instruments, not physical modelling. For physical modelling you may have much better luck with Reaktor and its vast User Library.

    However Kontakt is not just loop/pattern player but much more. There are thousands of libraries out there, from Native Instruments and a lot of 3rd party developers too and many of them are sampled key by key! So, i am confident that you will find some libraries that fit your needs for single notes.

    You can also find a lot of incredible stuff and a lot of very rare instruments such as Ancient Greek Strings, Egyptian Ney, Bulgarian Choirs, Mongolian Voices, Warhorns and whatever else you can imagine. You only need to search. Here is a full list of other Kontakt libraries developers, and there are many more not mentioned there:

    https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000561498-List-of-Third-Party-KONTAKT-Library-Manufacturers-Support-Websites

    As for pure (as possible) physical modeling you may explore some other options and this article may help you

    https://integraudio.com/12-best-physical-modeling-plugins/


  • Dane
    Dane Member Posts: 4 Newcomer

    @Sunborn Thanks very much for your detailed, helpful and constructive reply. I’ll look into what you said; thanks again.

  • nobadmojo
    nobadmojo Member Posts: 117 Helper
    Answer ✓


    I feel your pain

    I use Native Instruments Electric Guitars. I have the LesPaul, the Telecaster, and the Strat. They offer 2 modes. The pattern mode and the melody mode which you use to solo/play individual notes. You can combine the 2 modes they say but I found that really cumbersome with a huge sound mismatch. I guess the acoustic ones dont do that??

    Having said that I ended up using these 3 VST's as rhythm/pattern instruments on my tracks because the melodies I was able to create werent super convincing because of the lack of articulations...and it doesnt seem like Native Instruments likes to upgrade/update their VST's much....So I went with Impact Soundworks for soloing and am very happy...and they are NKS and on version 3.5. vs 1.0.. you have many more convincing sound options. I think they have an acoustic guitar in their lineup..highly recommend. not sponsored or anything by them..just a fan

  • oobe79
    oobe79 Member Posts: 167 Advisor

    lol at the comment that sample-based instruments are for non-serious musicians. I mean, wow.

  • Dane
    Dane Member Posts: 4 Newcomer
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/113643#Comment_113643

    Yes, I could have chosen better words than I did.

  • MartinHines
    MartinHines Member Posts: 37 Helper

    If you want physical modeling-based instruments, check out Applied Acoustics Systems.

    They currently have 50% off sale:

    https://www.applied-acoustics.com/promo/

  • ivicam
    ivicam Member Posts: 60 Member
    edited December 2023

    Sample-based doesn't imply pre-recorded patterns and loops. Sampling and physical modelling are two different ways to achieve the same thing - create digital playable instruments.

    For example, all of the pianos included in Komplete are sample-based and they can be played with a MIDI keyboard or a digital piano used as MIDI controller. Yes, "George Duke Soul Treasures" is a sample-based library that happens to consist of sampled phrases, but SCARBEE A-200 a SCARBEE MARK I are, on the other hand, "normal" playable electric pianos. And all of them are sample-based.

  • Kubrak
    Kubrak Member Posts: 3,154 Expert

    @Dane Kontakt is sampler, but you may play individual notes using MIDI, create your music and so... One may prefer physical modelling, one may prefer physical modelling. For some use cases physical is better, for some sample based is better. But generally it is pretty hard to do fair sounding physicall modeling instrument...

    And concerning phrases/loops. Some Kontakt instruments do have also them. Some only them in case individual notes would be meaningless.

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