Kontakt Player 2 Announced!!!

[ZareOne]

Native Instruments has announced today at Musikmesse the second version of its Kontakt Player. The first instrument powered by this sampling engine couldn't be other than Garritan Stradivari Solo Violin.

Have a look at the news at http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=2874

I would have loved to be there (at Musikmesse) Maybe next year :)

[jovan]

O, I will be there tomorrow.
Hope I cand find Gary...

:-) Jovan

[ZareOne]

You lucky man!! :mad:

;)

[Garritan]

MESSE06: Native Instruments announces KONTAKT PLAYER 2 Second generation 29-Mar-06

http://www.sonicftp.com/news/images/ni_kontakt2.jpg

Garritan Stradivari Solo Violin in KONTAKT PLAYER 2

There's not a great deal of news from Native Instruments at this year's show but they have announced KONTAKT PLAYER 2, the second generation of their popular platform for sample-based software (http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=2874#) instruments. Here's all the details in their own words direct from NI's press release...

Integrating the powerful functionality of the award-winning flagship sampler KONTAKT 2, the KONTAKT PLAYER 2 platform opens up new creative possibilities for instrument developers that benefit musicians and producers of all styles and genres.


With more than 70 instruments based on KONTAKT technology (http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=2874#), and adopted by companies like Best Service, EastWest, Gary Garritan, MakeMusic and Sibelius, KONTAKT PLAYER has become the most successful platform for sample-based software instruments on the market. KONTAKT PLAYER 2 builds on this success and allows for innovative, highly playable instruments that leave existing technological and musical limitations behind.


The powerful Kontakt Script Processor (KSP) of KONTAKT 2 plays a central role in KONTAKT PLAYER 2-based instruments. The virtually unlimited flexibility of KSP allows for instruments with unprecedented functionality and musicality, including extremely authentic emulations of acoustic instruments with their natural articulations; drum and percussion instruments that include their own step sequencer; synthesizers with integrated arpeggiators and chord generators; and much more.

Further advantages offered by the KONTAKT PLAYER 2 platform are virtually unlimited polyphony and up to 64-part multitimbrality, advanced surround capabilities, integrated effects including convolution and master effects, a versatile library browser and optimized DFD technology.



The first KONTAKT PLAYER 2 instruments to be made available to musicians will be "Stradivari Solo Violin" from Gary Garritan, a breathtakingly dynamic and highly musical emulation of the legendary violin; "Chris Hein Guitars" from Best Service, an outstanding virtual guitar (http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=2874#) instrument that authentically recreates a vast range of typical playing styles; and "OTTO" from Fixed Noise, a cutting-edge electronic sound workstation designed and produced by avant-garde musician and sound designer Otto von Schirach.

"Kontakt Player technology was a keystone of the success of our award-winning Personal Orchestra", says Gary Garritan, founder of the software instrument company of the same name. "The new Kontakt Player 2 platform is an extremely exciting basis for us to work with, and we are looking forward to fully exploiting its musical capabilities in our upcoming instruments, of which the Stradivari Violin is only the first."


KONTAKT PLAYER 2 is based on the latest KONTAKT 2.1 engine, with the corresponding update for KONTAKT users scheduled for release in April 2006. The new version will add numerous improvements to KONTAKT 2, including an ultra-high quality interpolation mode, a new "Performance View", AKOUSTIK PIANO and BANDSTAND import, additional effects, and a large number of performance and usability enhancements.

[Garritan]

O, I will be there tomorrow.
Hope I cand find Gary...

:-) JovanJovan, I wish I could be there but will not be attending this year. :( You can see the Strad at the Native Instruments and Best Service booth. Hope to see you there next year.

Gary Garritan

[scientist]

is there any information about any cpu optimization enhancements for the new player, and will it be available as an update to older products? i own gpo but find it almost unusable as a vst because kontakt player's cpu optimization is sub par, making it only usable in standalone mode.
thanks for any info!

[kotori]

is there any information about any cpu optimization enhancements for the new player, and will it be available as an update to older products? i own gpo but find it almost unusable as a vst because kontakt player's cpu optimization is sub par, making it only usable in standalone mode.
thanks for any info!
From the Kontakt 2.1 update info page (http://www.nativeinstruments.de/index.php?id=kontakt21_us):

Performance Enhancements
Shorter Loading Times: Loading times are now much faster, especially when using several banks with many instruments
Less Memory Usage: RAM usage has been reduced for internal objects (everything but samples)
Lower Processor Load: CPU load has been dramatically reduced in idle mode, especially when using several banks with many instruments
Better Multi-Processor Support: Multi-processor support has been enhanced with better load balancing for group voices and insert effects and additional load balancing for instrument insert and send effects when using several instruments.

[Styxx]

I'm confused, what is the difference of this with Kontakt 2? :confused:

[Marcussen]

The difference is that you can buy and use for instance the Stradicari without owning Kontakt. Simlar to how GPO (i think) or EWQLSO is powered Kompakt - the player version of Kontakt.

[PaulR]

Is this an update - or an entirely new version?

[Brian2112]

Is this an update - or an entirely new version?
If you have the full Kontakt 2, it's a free download (full Kontakt 2) when released.(Except in parts of the U.K.):eek: ;) :D Just kidding Spartacus:D
Existing V.I.'s may or may not be updated (They are based on Kontakt 1). But most likely, all future V.I. players will use the new version (based on Kontakt 2).

Gary, I want the Strad skin 'cause I can use it in K2!
PWEESE?:D

...2112:)

[PaulR]

If you have the full Kontakt 2, it's a free download (full Kontakt 2) when released.(Except in parts of the U.K.):eek: ;) :D Just kidding Spartacus:D
Existing V.I.'s may or may not be updated (They are based on Kontakt 1). But most likely, all future V.I. players will use the new version (based on Kontakt 2).

Gary, I want the Strad skin 'cause I can use it in K2!
PWEESE?:D

...2112:)

Thank you Brian. I'm not sure about your sig - but I see your mate's in flat sulk.

:D

[cyril]

Performance Enhancements
Shorter Loading Times: Loading times are now much faster, especially when using several banks with many instruments
Less Memory Usage: RAM usage has been reduced for internal objects (everything but samples)
Lower Processor Load: CPU load has been dramatically reduced in idle mode, especially when using several banks with many instruments
Better Multi-Processor Support: Multi-processor support has been enhanced with better load balancing for group voices and insert effects and additional load balancing for instrument insert and send effects when using several instruments.

this was in 2.0.2 too !
read carefully, does not mean much wait and see !

[jovan]

I have been at the Frankfurter Musikmesse yesterday. Great fair.
I have seen some advertisement regardin K2 & Stradivari Soloviolin.
But there was no presentation. Sorry.

:-) Jovan

[Chris Hein]

Is this an update - or an entirely new version?
I would say, its a new version.
The difference is quite the same as between kontakt 1 and kontakt 2:
Some old bugs fixed, some new bugs included. ;-)

I don't think there is a big advantage for kontakt player 1 librarys to be updated to player 2,
until the instruments get completly reprogrammed.

The scripting and programming features of kontakt player 2 are absolutely fantastic.
IMO here is the step between a sample player and a virtual instrument.
All the nice features of real guitar, (like solomode, chord detection, etc.)
or VSL (like speed controlled sample selection, real legato mode, etc)
can (and will) be done with scripts.

Chris Hein

[PaulR]

I would say, its a new version.
The difference is quite the same as between kontakt 1 and kontakt 2:
Some old bugs fixed, some new bugs included. ;-)

I don't think there is a big advantage for kontakt player 1 librarys to be updated to player 2,
until the instruments get completly reprogrammed.

The scripting and programming features of kontakt player 2 are absolutely fantastic.
IMO here is the step between a sample player and a virtual instrument.
All the nice features of real guitar, (like solomode, chord detection, etc.)
or VSL (like speed controlled sample selection, real legato mode, etc)
can (and will) be done with scripts.

Chris Hein

Thanks Chris.

Look forward to seeing it when it comes out.