At the AES Convention in New York, Native Instruments made is an update to its professional DJ software. Version 2.5 features a new, state-of-the-art time stretching engine for creative mixing and can now smoothly adjust a
track's speed without changing the pitch (and vice versa) and perform
tempo changes of up to 30% and pitch changes of six semitones without audible artifacts. The update also can be synchronized to or control other computers or
sequencers via either MIDI clock and the network-based OSC protocol for synchronized performances across the room or across the Internet. Traktor DJ Studio also now includes improvments for live performances and library management. It is available as a $50 update; full licenses are $200.



Intakt for loop-based production



Intakt, due in November, offers beatslicing, time stretching and classic sampling. It can also load REX files and synchronizes loops automatically to song tempo. Intakt integrates first class effects and a 1.2GB loop library, which offers thousands of drum and instrument loops from Zero-G and East West. The software is based on the Kontackt sampling engine with support for up to 128 stereo voices, professional sound quality with 32-bit processing, and up to 96kHz sample rate support; it offers modulation, effects, filters, tempo-synced LFOs, flexible configuration, and keyboard-based mapping. It runs on Mac OS X and supports VST 2.0, ASIO, Soundmanager, FreeMIDI, OMS, Audio Units, Core Audio, and RTAS.



Kontakt supports Mac OS X, new import formats



Kontakt 1.5 features a newly developed Beat Machine divides any percussive loop into individual hits using its advanced peak-detection algorithm. Drum loops can be effortlessly synced to the host sequencer without any loss in sound quality. The individual slices can be mapped on the keyboard and played as individual sounds and MIDI files can be easily imported into the host sequencer to directly edit or rearrange each loop into breaks, fills, and all-new grooves.




NI has also improved Kontakt's time stretching and pitch shifting engineL Time Machine II, which is available in addition to the original Time Machine from KONTAKT 1.2, provides clean, clear and smooth time stretching and pitch shifting. Kontakt 1.5 offers integrated "Transient Copy" technology, VST automation, drag & drop from the Finder, locking zones, and fine-control of master tuning. The Mac OS X version can be used standalone or as a plug-in with Core Audio, Core MIDI, Audio Units, VST 2.0 and RTAS and offers import of REX, EXS MK II and Samplecell (Digidesign) formats. It is due at the of October for $200; online updates will be $30 for a limited time.





NI Komplete: The Native Instruments Collection



Native Instruments is also offering Komplete, a comprehensive software bundle created for worldwide retail distribution. It includes the full versions of Reaktor Session, Kontakt, Battery, Absynth 2, Vokator, NI-Spektral Delay, FM7, B4 Organ and PRO-53. This collection of nine world-class music instruments and effects provides musicians and producers with a complete selection of tools. NI Komplete runs on both Mac OS and Windows and can be used both as standalone instruments (for example while playing live) and as a plug-in with all professional host sequencers. It is $1,500. (All products except for NI-Spektral Delay, Battery and PRO-53 support both Mac OS 9 and OS X. The Mac OS X updates for PRO-53, Battery, and Spektral Delay will be available to NI Komplete users as free downloads.



NI also announced a new partnership with the Berklee College of Music, the world's largest independent music college for the study of contemporary music in America. Berklee will install NI's complete line of software instruments on all college-owned computers: "Beginning in Fall 2003, Berklee has required all entering students to have an Macintosh laptop computer outfitted with software designed to support their music education and coursework. Advanced students in four of the college's five technology-rich majors are also acquiring Native Instruments titles to support existing curriculum."



In addition NI will provide a sample-playback sound library to Sibelius, its music notation software. The package bundles Kontakt Player Silver sample player and Sonic Implants' sound libraries to provide Sibelius 3 with a
powerful sound-generation engine and high-quality set of instrument samples. The Silver Edition contains 20 instrumental sounds covering a useful selection of brass, woodwind, strings, percussion, voices, and other symphonic categories.

by MacNN Staff