Ask Kontakt 8 creators anything

If the library update issue isn't what was meant, that's certainly something we need clear information on. Not only did those updates install for users who only had K6. They installed for me as both a K6 and K7 user, but the updated versions continued to work for months afterward in existing K6 Ableton Live sessions. Whatever was incompatible about them did not affect this use at all, perhaps due to differences in how they load when saved in a DAW session, I just couldn't load them into new K6 instances. Then after a recent Native Access upgrade they stopped working in those sessions, rendering me unable to save a snapshot to transfer the settings to Kontakt 7 unless I reinstalled the K6 version.

It's important to know this will not happen again.

Of course I understand I should have migrated those sessions before now, and there was a viable solution. But the whole experience was confusing as I had no idea why they suddenly stopped working months after the update.

Ideally the way I think this should be handled is:

1. if only the older Kontakt is installed and does not support the new library version, do not install the library update
2. if only the latest is installed, install the library update
3. if older and latest is installed, offer to install the library update and keep the old version as well for compatibility, making it clear that choosing not to keep the old one means loss of access in the old version; old Kontakt can then load the old version, new can load the new;
   If this cannot be supported, then the presence of both Kontakt versions should show a warning saying something like "You have two versions of Kontakt installed. Only the new one is compatible with this library update. Are you sure you want to install it?"

Very surprised by this post.

I must disagree greatly with several points.

The Leap interface images do not look anything like the chord element with Playbox. They reflect a keyboard layout more similar to Output's Arcade. The ability to use key triggers to apply FX is nowhere in Playbox. It is found in several other Kontakt Instruments. It is within the Factory Library 1 - Urban Beats Performances. (see the Master FX section). It is also a common practice for many Heavyocity instruments (Trigger FX in early Evolve and Damage instruments)

I have been waiting for NI to address the need for a quick sampler. This is vital to effectively use many of the samples included in the (Maschine based) Expansions. Without Maschine, the Expansion packs have had much less value to those without the actual Maschine software. (Maschine includes a Sampler that handles the tasks of Loops, drum one-shots, etc). Within the secondary heading section of Kontakt 8 this can be seen within the new interface imagery: "Instruments,  Combined,  Tools, Leap, Loops, One-shots" .

I suspect the new "Tools" will include arpeggiators. But that is just a guess. The promo blurb mentions that the Tools section will allow other developers to deploy tools of their own designs. This would suggest access via the scripting capabilities and we already know there are arpeggiators within the existing scripted elements within Kontakt going back many previous versions.

Also, the question of "Why are we roped into Ozone?"

The Izotope software and Brainworx components are being added without any real significant change to the Komplete costs (Upgrade costs are very close to previous versions). The Izotope software is very good. For me this is like a freebie. I no longer have to pay for the Izotope elements separately.

"A lot of these expansions we can generate more less through Pharlight, Glaze and Aura". I am a bit confused by this. Do you specifically mean "Expansions" or new instruments ?

I too would love to see a bit more focus on stability. Also add my vote to the surround/immersive audio features.

But mainly, I think everyone would do well to wait and see what is actually there and give NI a couple of months to get things settled and post their walkthroughs. Currently, I certainly could use a bit more screenshots and specifics. I feel more excitement than anything right now.

Best, SS

What kind of underlying technology updates are there in Kontakt 8?

Based on the announced new features (Tools, Leap, Conflux) it's difficult to see anything new.
It looks like just a GUI update and two new instruments based on old Kontakt 7 technology.

Tools look like KSP multiscripts with graphical user interface. Nice to have GUI support for multiscripts, but otherwise you could have the same tools already in old Kontakt version.

Leap looks like just a new instrument based on old sample slicing and stretching algorithms.
In the past this kind of instruments have been released by 3rd party developers and not advertised as "new feature" of Kontakt.

And mostly same thing for Conflux. Just a new instrument based on old Kontakt wavetable technology. NI has probably added some new modulation possibilities to wavetables, but still this does not look like anything major in terms of synthesis capabilities. I guess it will not be anything as comprehensive as Massive X. So, it remains to be seen, if Conflux is really offering any new sound possibilities to existing users of Komplete (Kontakt 7 + Massive X).

Not to be negative but realistic. Do we need new features or fix the ones we have already and improve on load times, add deeper support for 3rd party vendors.. I have this feeling kontakt 8 will take away things we loved in kontakt 7.

My wishes fix what know to have long standing issues.

Sorry, but I have to agree that this Kontakt 8 sounds underwhelming to me. It looks like little more than a GUI refresh. Scalability should have been added a long time ago, and should have been a decimal update, not a $199 upgrade.

I continue to believe that not only is it depressing that NI has committed all their chips to iterative and gimmicky "instruments" like Playbox, which I think may be the worst sounding thing that has ever been put out by anyone, it's also just a bad business decision.

Truthfully, I would love to be proven wrong. I think the Kontakt factory libraries sound good, although I just don't use them too often. The interface is atrocious and… I just can't even be bothered to get started with it most of the time. Except when I know that I want to use a specific Kontakt piano or string library. I do love the NI synths.

Agree with the user above about the inclusion of iZotope and Brainwork. I think their mixing tools are objectively fantastic, if not a bit redundant. But to be included in Komplete without a significant increase in cost is a pretty sweet deal for those looking to join the club for the first time.

@Vocalpoint This guy signs every post with "VP" as if we don't know who is annoying us. Migration is a huge topic for composers who have hundreds or thousands of tracks in their template, despite what you say.