Kontakt 2 offer

[danveach]

I'm wondering what people are thinking about the NI Anniversary crossgrade offer of Kontakt 2 and a bunch of libraries for $269 (for GPO and other NI sampler users). The libraries are certainly a good deal.

1. How useful would it the sampler be?

2. Would it be possible at some point to use it as a single interface for the various GPO libraries?

[tfishbein82]

I'm wondering what people are thinking about the NI Anniversary crossgrade offer of Kontakt 2 and a bunch of libraries for $269 (for GPO and other NI sampler users). The libraries are certainly a good deal.

1. How useful would it the sampler be?

2. Would it be possible at some point to use it as a single interface for the various GPO libraries? To completely avoid your two questions... I've seen others post links to Kontakt 2 crossgrade offers for even less (all the way down to ~$190 if memory serves me correctly).

Check out this thread: http://northernsounds.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46214&referrerid=12362

[Nickie Fønshauge]

I'm wondering what people are thinking about the NI Anniversary crossgrade offer of Kontakt 2 and a bunch of libraries for $269 (for GPO and other NI sampler users). The libraries are certainly a good deal.

1. How useful would it the sampler be?

2. Would it be possible at some point to use it as a single interface for the various GPO libraries?
1. Very. Kontakts script engine is extremely powerful.

2. Yes. You can do this already. Nothing to wait for.

[qccowboy]

could someone answer in VERY simple english, what exactly Kontact 2 is?
I've received the offers as well, but their website might as well have been in Greek... I'd have understood just as much.

what exactly does Kontact 2 do? (please use no acronyms in your explanation: DAW, VSTi, etc... alll greek to me)

would Kontact 2 be useful for someone using a notation programme like Finale?

what advantages would there be to having Kontact 2?
what disadvantages if any?

[tfishbein82]

could someone answer in VERY simple english, what exactly Kontact 2 is?
I've received the offers as well, but their website might as well have been in Greek... I'd have understood just as much.

what exactly does Kontact 2 do? (please use no acronyms in your explanation: DAW, VSTi, etc... alll greek to me)

would Kontact 2 be useful for someone using a notation programme like Finale?

what advantages would there be to having Kontact 2?
what disadvantages if any? Kontakt 2 is a sampler. It allows you to manipulate existing samples, create new samples, etc. For example, you can use its scripting to add vibrato controllers to samples that do not have it.

If you are content with the sounds "as is" from Garritan and other libraries, then I would think it would be relatively useless to purchase.

While my sample libraries don't provide me with everything I want, the amount of time that I would need to devote to produce new useful samples or effects would be quite great. For this reason, I find it would not be beneficial for me. I'd rather devote my time to writing music, and leave the sampling work to Team Garritan and other companies.

[Jeff Turner]

Kontakt 2 is a sampler. It allows you to manipulate existing samples, create new samples, etc. For example, you can use its scripting to add vibrato controllers to samples that do not have it.

If you are content with the sounds "as is" from Garritan and other libraries, then I would think it would be relatively useless to purchase.

While my sample libraries don't provide me with everything I want, the amount of time that I would need to devote to produce new useful samples or effects would be quite great. For this reason, I find it would not be beneficial for me. I'd rather devote my time to writing music, and leave the sampling work to Team Garritan and other companies.

I don't quite agree with this. While everything you said about sample manipulation is true, the Kontakt 2 sampler also comes with it's own sample library of VSL sounds, and the ability to load instruments like the Garritan Stradivari into it. So you would have additional uses for it beyond the sample editing and scripting.

JT

[C J Pro]

... alll greek to me)

Ti kavete; (Pronounced Tee Cah net tay)

For those that don't understand greek, I believe it says "How are you?"

By the way, fix your spelling of "all".

Is it possible to load GPO, JABB, and the upcoming Marching Band Libraries all into Kontakt 2 simultaneously?

[tfishbein82]

I don't quite agree with this. While everything you said about sample manipulation is true, the Kontakt 2 sampler also comes with it's own sample library of VSL sounds, and the ability to load instruments like the Garritan Stradivari into it. So you would have additional uses for it beyond the sample editing and scripting.

JTThat's true; I should have mentioned that. In fact, at present time, the Stradivari cannot be used without owning the full version of Kontakt 2. (According to sources at Garritan, a Kontakt 2 player version will be released at some point).

There is a fairly large collection of samples that comes with Kontakt 2 as Jeff mentioned, including a small portion of the VSL family.

[ptram]

Dan,

I've grown with samplers, so I can only say that Kontakt is the king of all samplers. I can do everything with it, and I prefer it to any other soft-sampler I own, due to its high sound quality.

It can read various other libraries, but GPO comes with several special programming, that will not be automatically replicated in Kontakt. There is no problem, however, in running GPO (Kontakt Player) next to Kontakt 2.

Paolo

[DPDAN]

I recommend getting it.
It has some beautiful sounds in it, and does allow magnificient abilities to edit things in a pretty simple way.

I wanted it for the Garritan Strad and Gofriller solo libraries,
Dan :)

[LFO]

Food for thought in addition to what has already been said...

Kontakt 2 is a great sampler. However, if you are not going to take the time to get into the guts of the program and take advantage of all the technical features that it has to offer I don't think it would be a good choice for you. Given your posts and seeming lack of understanding of DAWs, VSTis, etc. I would not recommend Kontakt 2 as your first sampler. (I don't mean the lack of understanding as a slam, I'm just using it as a realistic point of reference. No insult is intended. :) ) If your main motiviation for getting Kontakt 2 is Stradivari, I would recommend that you wait for the Kompakt player version of the product to be released. It will give you the playback abilities you are looking for. However, if you are looking to manipulate the samples, use scripting for extra articulations, etc. then you need to purchase Kontakt 2 and spend some time learning how to use the program. Of course, we'll help you along the way as we can. ;)

Good luck with your decision!

-LFO

[qccowboy]

thank-you for the plain English responses (and the few rather arcane ones sprinkled amongst them).

I'm not particularly interested in learning to use a new programme at this time. If it won't playback via my notation programme, then I have no time for it. This is one of the things I love about GPO - it's well integrated into Finale and I can get a wonderful demo out without needing to become a recording engineer between bouts of composition.

[derekderek]

Don't "special offers" like this usually signal a pending version upgrade? And if so, anyone in the know want to drop a subtle hint?

[DZComposer]

Is it possible to load GPO, JABB, and the upcoming Marching Band Libraries all into Kontakt 2 simultaneously?

Yes, but some of the special programming will be lost (I do not know the technical reasons why). It would be nice if there were a patch to fix that, but it isn't too much of a problem for me at this point.

Also, there are libraries out there that do not come with sample players (the Strad is an example, as are the libraries from companies such as Project SAM).

But, it also allows the use of Garritan libraries with non-Garritan Libraries in one instance.

For example, I have used GPO, JABB, and East West's Voices of the Apocalypse together on a few occasions.

Another nice thing is that it can import almost any sample format, though there can be some loss of programming.

That is the main reason I use Kontakt instead of the players. It allows me to use multiple libraries in one instance.

I managed to cross-grade for around $200. It was definately worth it for me!

[dko22]

would Kontact 2 be useful for someone using a notation programme like Finale?

It might be worth pointing out that Finale 2007 is supposed to fully support Kontakt2 which might be an added incentive. That means that, in addition to GPO, which I find works fine, and the generally decent Vienna library included with K2 and worth quite a bit on its own, you can buy other libraries and mix and match quite happily, thus giving you more options for realising your (from what I've heard, impressive) works. Although K2 has a huge number of features which many people, myself included, are unlikely to touch, I don't think the basic use of it, such as loading in patches, is significantly more difficult that the player included with GPO.

[qccowboy]

...you can buy other libraries and mix and match quite happily, thus giving you more options for realising your (from what I've heard, impressive) works. Although K2 has a huge number of features which many people, myself included, are unlikely to touch, I don't think the basic use of it, such as loading in patches, is significantly more difficult that the player included with GPO.

thank-you for the compliment

and from my understanding now, I guess K2 is probably not for me.
I record my works directly from inside Finale,
I never fiddle with any settings other than basic pan and use the preset reverbs,
and I really only work from a score/notation programme,

I guess that means I'll happily (well, happily but impatiently) sit here and await the release of GPOA for my col legno strings and bartok pizzes and true harmonics.....

<fidgets in his seat>



<fidgets some more>



ok, I'm not so happy... HUUUUURRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dewdman42]

I upgraded to Kontakt and I rarely get into the guts of programming, but I'm definitely glad I got it. You can use Kontakt inside finale by the way. One reason I'm glad is because I eventually decided to get Kirk Hunter Emerald, which requires Kontakt2. Plus it comes with VSL and a bunch of other samples. Its a great product and an increasing number of people are using it for their sample libraries.

[dko22]

thank-you for the compliment

I record my works directly from inside Finale,
I never fiddle with any settings other than basic pan and use the preset reverbs,
and I really only work from a score/notation programme,

I generally only work from my notation programme (the recommended Overture) as well so please don't think you will need to be composing using a different programme or need to learn all that much new! If you are looking to expand your sound library, in my opinion this is the most obvious way to go without a major outlay. And as dewdman42 says, Kirk Emerald is in itself quite a attraction -- and i have to say its romantic craggy sounds might well suit your music. Or you can hang on for GPOA and compare the options then.

[mikea59]

As mentioned here in the Native Instruments forum, Guitar Center is offering an AMAZING deal - Komplete 3 for $599! That includes K2 plus about a dozen other NI software instruments - pretty much their entire catalog. This little puppy usually sells for around $1000 - $1400, so $599 is really remarkable.

[KeithW]

The "Crossgrade" at B&H is only US$215 + shipping.

Keith Walls