Native Instruments has announced that it will be ending software support for several older versions of its pad controller Maschine, discontinuing the products in order to focus on the development of new Maschine software.
Both Maschine MK1 and MK2 and Maschine Mikro MK1 and MK2 will be retired, and owners of these devices will not be able to update them with new Maschine software, or receive technical support, from November 6 onwards. They will, however, be able to continue using their devices with the Maschine 2 software.
“As operating systems advance and as we work on keeping our software up to date and by adding new features, aging hardware requires an increasing amount of attention,” reads a statement on Native Instruments website.
“This takes away focus from our development teams and puts limitations on the changes we can make to the software without breaking legacy hardware integrations. As a result, we have decided to retire the earliest versions of Maschine hardware that originally shipped with Maschine 1, so that we can make some bigger changes to Maschine software in the future.”
The changes hinted at here will take the form of the Maschine 3, a software update slated for next month that NI says will “significantly expand” what users can do with Maschine. Along with a redesigned and “modern” interface, additional features will include stem separation, per-scene tempo adjustment, MIDI editing workflow improvements and integration with Kontrol S-Series MK3. Also on the way is a new content library, Maschine Central, that features 128 multi-sampled instruments and 70 drum kits.
The latest version of the Maschine software will be compatible with Maschine MK3, Maschine Mikro MK3, and the standalone Maschine+. While we’ve no word yet on new Maschine hardware, we wouldn’t be surprised if MK4 was just around the corner.
Native Instruments has released Komplete 15, the latest version of its colossal virtual instrument bundle, sounds and effects, along with a new version of the beloved software sampler Kontakt
What’s new in Native Instruments Komplete 15:
Kontakt 8 – NI calls this “the biggest update in years” for Kontakt. New Chords and Phrases Tools offer smart features for sparking new ideas. Plus they can be paired with your favorite Kontakt instruments to unlock new creative possibilities.
Komplete 15 updates NI’s mega-bundle of music software with a broad variety of new content that includes a new flagship instrument, Kithara. Included in Komplete 15 Collector’s Edition, Kithara is a cinematic collection of guitars and string instruments that covers everything from guitars and mandolins to rare and exotic instruments such as the cuatro and ronroco, four of which can be layered in each patch.
The samples in Kithara’s library have been processed with an array of effects and sound design techniques to create unique and modern-sounding presets that can be further transformed using granular processing and an array of effects that includes delay, distortion and a lo-fi effect, while a flexible modulation system gives you plenty of scope for designing rhythmically evolving sounds, or hooking Kithara up with aftertouch-equipped controllers like NI’s Kontrol series for expressive performances.
Komplete 15 comes in four different tiers: Select, Standard, Ultimate and Collector’s Edition. Select is divided into three editions: Beats is aimed at beatmakers working in hip-hop and R&B, Band features sampled instruments for songwriters, and Electronic is angled towards dance music and electronica.
Komplete Standard brings you 95 instruments and effects, while the Ultimate tier includes more than 150 instruments and effects and 70 Expansion sound packs. The bumper Collector’s Edition gives you over 290 instruments and effects, and more than 150,000 sounds in total.
Among the new Kontakt instruments in Komplete 15, you’ll find Valves Pro, Fables, Vocal Colors, Schema: Dark & Light, Upright Bass, Session Percussionist, Alicia’s Electric Keys, Action Woodwinds, and Acoustic Sunburst Deluxe, along with an array of instruments from NI’s Play series.
Alicia’s Electric Keys – Alicia Keys’ CP-70 electric grand piano has been one of the cornerstones of her sound. Now, you can bring this instrument into your own productions, and you can dive into Alicia’s own custom effect chains to transform parts into ethereal pads, guitar-like tones, and beyond.
Guitar Rig 7 Pro – it features guitar and bass amp simulators, studio effects, and pedals, plus over 100 new rack presets.
Vocal Colors – an “expressive vocal engine that infuses the emotion of the human voice with incredibly innovative modulation features.”
Standard, Ultimate and Collector’s Edition all come with NI’s amp simulator and effects rack Guitar Rig 7 Pro, iZotope mastering software Ozone 11 Standard and vocal synthesizer VocalSynth 2, and the new version of the brand’s popular software sampler Kontakt.
iZotope Ozone 11 Standard features “cutting-edge processing” and AI-powered workflows to get your music release-ready.
A “massive step up” from its predecessor, Kontakt 8 is equipped with a revamped interface and three new features that make this industry-leading sampler an even more versatile music-making tool: Leap, Tools and Conflux.
Leap is a tool for transforming loops and one-shots that makes it easy to turn a basic sample into a new hook, riff or texture. Shipping with 12 curated ‘Leap Expansions’, loop packs geared towards specific genres and styles, Leap will also let you load in and manipulate your own samples and trigger its effects in real-time with the black keys on your keyboard.
Tools is a suite of generative MIDI tools aimed at sparking creativity and helping you come up with new musical ideas. Kontakt 8 introduces two new Tools: Chords for chord sequences and Phrases for melodies. Third-party developers will be able to develop their own Tools for use in Kontakt.
Conflux is a new hybrid instrument that blends sampling with wavetable synthesis, expanding Kontakt’s capabilities beyond that of a conventional sampler instrument for the first time.
Order Komplete 15 before September 30 and you’ll get iZotope’s AI-powered mixing tool Neutron 4, which would ordinarily set you back $249, for free.
Komplete 15 Select is priced at $99/€99, Standard at $599/€599, Ultimate at $1199/€1199 and Collector’s Edition at $1799/€1799. Reduced prices are available for those upgrading from a lower tier. Kontakt 8 can be purchased outright for $299/€299.
iZotope has announced the releases of a new plugin that it says is the “world’s first” intelligent tube saturation plugin, utilizing machine learning to help you quickly and easily imbue your mixes with “depth, warmth and character”.
Plasma is a dynamic saturator that applies adaptive tube-modelled saturation to your mixes and masters. By analyzing the makeup of your mix and identifying precisely where in the frequency spectrum to add saturation – and when to add it – Plasma aims to make the process of applying saturation simpler and more intuitive.
Plasma’s ‘Flux Saturation’, iZotope’s name for the plugin’s intelligent saturation algorithm, can be guided by selecting one of 24 target profiles which help the plugin tailor its processing to a specific mixing task or type of audio. The effect can be fine-tuned even further with Attack and Release dials, along with an Overdrive control.
Frequency Handles on the plugin’s central visualizer can be used to manually determine which frequencies the saturation will affect, while Channel Modes can be used to apply saturation to Mid or Side portions of the audio or to focus exclusively on transients or sustained elements. Plasma ships with 49 presets that cover a variety of mixing and mastering applications.
Plasma is the first instalment in iZotope’s Catalyst Series, a series of “purpose-built” and easy-to-use plugins aimed at helping you quickly solve common mixing issues and ensuring you remain in the creative flow.
iZotope Plasma is available now for macOS and Windows in AAX/AU/VST3 formats, Priced at $49/£49. Find out more on iZotope website.
