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Dorinda Avancena
Komplete 12 from Native Instruments has been released since September 2018. While I recently purchased myself Komplete 11 Ultimate edition (during the summer sale for 899 euro) I thought I would just start to write down my initial thoughts on this Komplete bundle. While I am still early in to explore just everything this pack has included, writing down a single article about the contents of this whole bundle would not really do it justice. Therefore, I might start spending some time to write additional articles or make some additional videos while I am exploring this sonic explosion of content. Because that is basically what it is. A total mind-blowing massive amount of sounds. Going through all of this might take years to explore just looking at the first parts of what this bundle has to offer.
To be honest, when I bought Komplete 11, it was already released for about 2 years time. It has taken me so long to purchase it just because I had to gather myself the funds for getting a new computer (yeah, this one is a real beast ;)). While upgrading the hardware I thought while doing this is to expand on my sonic capabilities here too. Serum was on the list, hence a wide range of different VST plugins out there.
One thing that always bothered me is having different VSTs out there from different vendors. This is one thing I loved about the Rack Extension platform since this is all handled by a single point of upgrading, downloading and installment. While the downside with this, it is also (from my technical point of view) a single point of failure. Because if I currently would (let's say) move to Ableton Live or Studio One, I would have to kiss all those Rack Extensions goodbye. And no, Rewire isn't the answer to my 'problem'.
So with that in mind, I started to look around on different ways on how I could easily find myself a backup plan in case that single point of failure would simply stop existing (not that I am saying that is the case, but I hope you get the point I am getting with this).
Komplete 11 is the proper answer to having a lot of different variety of sounds where sound design and having a lot of content basically come together as one. While looking to the near future, I might eventually upgrade this to version 12 already because of the upcoming Massive X which will be released on February 2019. From a technical point of view, this whole bundle could eventually replace almost everything I personally own from the Rack Extension platform (yes, I did my research on this). There are a few exceptions here since I will most likely miss devices such as Expanse (Blamsoft), where Serum could be a replacement for that. And I will totally miss the external wiring within Propellerhead reason itself while using the Komplete bundle inside a different DAW.
But the thing is, I personally do not need Control Voltages when it comes to using a large bundle like this. Since all the sounds are out of the box. With a little tweaking, songs basically write themselves. Once I really want to go towards the modular route, there is always Reaktor. So that part fixed itself for me. So by now, you may realize why I started with getting Komplete 11, maybe move towards Komplete 12 later next year and explore that too.
Another good thing about having a legal license of this bundle is that it comes with Native Access (something you simply do not have when downloading a torrent of Komplete or something similar). Native Access is the single access point to download all your plugins from and it automatically sends you notifications one you launch Native Access when something needs to be updated. Everything is nicely connected to a single account. And yes, you can install this on as many computers as you like (which another big plus sine for me, since I have 3 computers laying around).
This is how Native Access looks like. It will simply display all the plugins you have installed, the libraries you still have available to download and install and once an update gets released it will simply show up in the Available updates section too. Nicely done, and it works pretty well once you have linked it with your online Native Instruments account.
I might like to point out that downloading the complete bundle takes a long time. Since there are some instruments which contain +11Gb of sample based material. While writing this down, I am still in the progress of just installing everything. I might also just add, I am doing this at a slow pace. Once I have installed a package I usually start messing around with it before moving on to the next.
The major reasons why I wanted to get this bundle (and I am talking about the Ultimate edition, not the other versions because they are less complete (pun!)) is because it contains most of the stuff I really want. Just to name a few things: Additive synthesizers, Subtractive synthesizers, FM synths, wavetable synthesizers, effects, modular stuff and a large sample library that goes with it.
What also gets to me is on well these plugins are organized and useable. The first plugins I threw inside my DAW it didn't require too many explanations on what is really going on. Almost every device (let it be an instrument, synthesizer or effect) they usually display a general overview of what the patch is doing. And if you like tweaking sounds there is most often an under the hood panel which will then display how the sound is created.
Once you start categorizing the complete bundle you will have 4 main sections: synthesizers, sample-based libraries, effects, and Reaktor. Yeah, I am actually separating Reaktor (not marking it as a synthesizer) because Reaktor itself could just be seen as a standalone Midi Editor and sound design tool if you will. I kind of see it as a stand-alone tool that does happen to borrow from the other synthesizers and effects. Which is nicely done. While making this article I am looking at the major key features on what I find handy. Writing down everything that this bundle contains would take ages. I am just touching the surface for this one.
Absynth 5 from Native Instruments is a combination of using subtractive synthesis, FM (based on Sine waves as a modulator), Ring modulation, Granular, and wavetable synthesis. It comes with 3 different type of oscillators: Simple waves (subtractive), Morph Waves (Wavetable), While the simple wave has the different type of oscillators (such as Ring, FM, Granular, Subtractive).
Designing a sound with Absynth 5 start with the oscillator which can be defined using 3 different oscillator slots. The oscillator is the heart of the sound and going from that you can define 2 additional slots. While by default these are labeled as "Filter" and "Modulation", it can basically be anything you like. In theory, you can use 2 different filter slots per oscillator. Or use a modulator first and then it passes it on the filter.
This is an interesting choice since this kind of fits in a modular build up where you define an oscillator and it passes this on to a series of different processing units. But the way these processors are defined can be nonlinear inside the synth itself.
What makes things even more interesting is the way you are able to use waveforms directly inside the modulation section itself (which kind of reminds me of ring modulation from one waveform to another, but I can be totally mistaken about that concept and idea). But just the idea you have all these different ways you can shape a waveform inside a synthesizer like this is just mind boggling at first (ok, for a synthesizer guy like me, I kind of know what I am doing. For someone who has no idea what frequency shifting is, it might be a different story).
Absynth 5 from Native Instruments comes with a few built-in effects. These are just there for the icing on the cake if you would ask me. If this synthesizer would not really have them, I wouldn't be much bothered about it. But ok, since they are there, let me say a few words about the effects of Absynth 5.
What you have here is for instance "Pipe", an operator for defining space and filtering. Kind of like what you would do with the Haas effect. I am not sure at this point if this is the angle they went for with this mechanic though. But it kind of sounds that way.
The next effect is multi-comb. While multi-comb can act as a comb filter type of setup, sometimes it touches the realm of being a synthetic type of 'reverb' / 'delay' effect. While traditional combing is all about that idea. With the multi-comb, you are able to define the amount in milliseconds. Thus defining your own type of digital reverb effect while doing so.
"Multitap" in Absynth 5 is a multitap delay that comes with percentages. This is a part I do not get since there is no definition for "sync" with the tempo. But ok, luckily there are plugins for that that can do that for us.
"Resonators" is a nice addition when it comes to adding harmonics to the sound while having a feeling you are throwing the sound through a tube. It often makes the sound brighter, yet hollow and self-resonating while doing so. It is the more creative effect which could work nicely in faking the idea of an orchestral type of sounds (like a cello, strings, and vibraphones).
"Aetherizer" is like a reverb but then using a granular engine. These two usually fit well together since a reverb tail can easy be chopped in smaller grains and played back different. This is a more creative type of 'reverb' effect which is a nice addition to the character of this synthesizer.
One thing that I really like about the concept of Absynth is that it ships with its own build in wave-form editor. So from that angle, anything is possible. Sure you still choose to load your own custom sample (which works perfectly for a synth like this). But once you something really specific as a sound, then customizing your own waveform is the way to go.
Due to the nature of how this instrument sounds like it is perfect for creating sounds scapes and much more. While it comes with two different versions (mono and stereo) I usually pick the stereo version because I do not want to miss out on all the fun and sonic booms coming from this device. While in theory, this device could easily replace a synthesizer like Thor, the Malstrom and the subtractor for me. Since there are plenty of modulation capabilities while looking at what synthesizer has to offer. It has subtractive sounds, it has spectral effects (Malstrom) and it even does granular manipulation on a waveform. Additionally, it can just much more than Thor currently has to offer. The only part where it lacks on the synthesizer department is FM. While it does have FM as a generator, it works differently than using true FM synthesis (and this is where the FM8 will come in). And yes, I will most often do these Reason native stock devices references while writing down this article. Since I am looking at Komplete in a hypothetical replacement for what Reason as a DAW has to offer. So in case, I have to jump ship, you know the why and how (since I have given it a lot of thought as of lately).
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