117 Native Instruments Hidden Synths You DON'T KNOW you Have! 😲

In the Reaktor Factory Library there are over 1000 synths, effects and other files all contained in a zipped archive. Many users are unaware of these files. I show you where they are and how to access them.
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Equipment used:
Reaktor
S49 Keyboard
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#Electronic_Music​ #Synthesizers

[@JoeSim8s]

Great video, Reaktor is super-underrated! And Komplete is full of super-cool stuff that is often passed-by just because is "old": for instance, Absynth is one of my favourite synths, a one-of-a-kind

[@IanWaugh]

Hi Joe - Thank you very much. Yes, there are so many interesting instruments for Reaktor I have yet to explore. We're continually told that new is better but there are tons of amazing older synths out there. Totally agree about Absynth - very strange decision to drop it from the new line-up. The developer still seems to be supporting it so why remove it? Just coz it's old, they say...😢

[@telumatramenti7250]

I love Absynth IV, but could not install it even in Windows 7 compatibility mode or any others, in such a way that it wouldn't immediately crash after opening. Wonder if this is possible, because I'm using a dual-boot Windows 7/Windows 10 machine just to be able to use that version.

[@MrQuuze]

@@IanWaughsome these older ones have much more useful sounds to my taste than modern NI stuff.

[@IanWaugh]

@@MrQuuze I think you're right. Some of the recent expansion releases seem a bit so-so...

[@MrQuuze]

@@IanWaughi like sounds stay their "area" i mean such sounds what i mean is easier layer together than one key have all possible things sounds.

[@tengoodquestions]

I love Reaktor and will never leave it alone. I remember having the confidence as a beginner to start using a daw and had decided to go on the deep end and give it a go. Years later and i sort of get it.

[@tengoodquestions]

I use it in combination with Soundtoys

[@IanWaugh]

Yes, it's an amazing piece of software although it takes a little time to get to know it 👍

[@knuftobor]

I started out using Native Instruments Generator which later became Reaktor. Many older software apps had the ability to export the sound and I had recorded several loops from Reaktor. I still have all of the Libraries from the older versions but I could not load them anymore as newer versions of Reaktor came out. I have always wanted to go back to these older Ensembles that I made loops from because years later, I wanted to make some changes and now here they are!!! Thanks Ian! I've never noticed this folder!

[@IanWaugh]

Glad it helped 👍 I remember Generator. Wasn't it the firt or one of the first pieces of NI software?

[@AynsleyGreen]

Metaphysical Function inside of Reaktor is like an automatic ambient machine

[@IanWaugh]

Hi Aynsley - Yes, it's great! 😊 There are many drone and generating ensembles for Reaktor - very impressive.

[@crysstoll1191]

Yep, i've been using them since some of them were new. Reaktor is my fav.

[@IanWaugh]

You are one of the insiders 😊 It's incredibly powerful but, alas, I now find my feeble brain is not up to the task 😢

[@Divuar]

I think people should talk more about the amazing things we used to have in the past. Absynth is one of my all time fav virtual synths ever, not to mentioned currently discontinued ReBirth. This collection is an another proof. Thanks for this video, will totally use those. It's important to buy less and use the things you already have.

[@IanWaugh]

Hi - Yes it is, although I get my fair share of G.A.S. 😱 Absynth is also one of my faves. It was probably removed simply because of its age rather than lack of merit but an odd and fairly senseless decision 😲

[@Divuar]

@@IanWaugh Agree! Btw, it is still possible to run Absynth on Windows and even on newer Mac (if you use AU and not VST, runs very good for me).

[@IanWaugh]

@@Divuar I'm on a PC and it still shows up in Komplete Kontrol 👍

[@telumatramenti7250]

Hi! You said you were using Reaktor since 5 version. Are any of these available in Reaktor 5 as well? I installed everything on my C drive, just don't seem to see any extras. Thanks.

[@telumatramenti7250]

Never mind. Found them only after running a "search". Much thanks!👏

[@IanWaugh]

Hi - These are in the Factory Library folder. They are called legacy patches and contain patches from 3 and 4 but I'm not sure when they were included with the Factory set. It may not have been until later. If it's not in the folder, you probably don't have it but you could double check wiith Native Access to see where the files have been placed and also do a search for the file on your drive. You could also ask NI tech support - I've generally found them helpful.

[@telumatramenti7250]

@@IanWaugh I simply searched for them. Yes, I have them. Tried Travelizer II and a number of FM engines. Not bad for something this old. I'm a hardware guy through and through but I have a weak spot for NI when I make Ambient tracks. Once again, thanks!

[@IanWaugh]

@@telumatramenti7250 You're welcome, glad you found them. Yes, lots of nice ambient stuff in NI instruments 👍

[@mike2884]

I have about 2000 reaktor ensembles. About 1200 are midimapped to my bcr 2000 knob box (needs repair ). If i could only pick 3 music software for my life it would be reaktor, reason, and reaper as my DAW. The blue matrix factory ensemble has a "glitch" . The "fixed" version is on the user library still i believe.

[@IanWaugh]

Wow Mike - awesome! I did a little Reaktor programming waaaay back - very powerful stuff - but have fallen out of the habit 😢

[@mike2884]

@@IanWaugh I only have one lifetime. So I didn't go deep in the programming. But did learn enough to customize basic things as needed . One could spend a lifetime exploring reaktor alone. I'd say 50 percent of my time is using reaktor stuff. 15 percent reason stuff. The rest a mix between other plugins and stuff like kontakt etc. Lenin ( made by Ernest Meyer) is one of my favorite monstrous reaktor ensembles. It's probably one of the most crazy complex ensembles I've experienced.(should be on user library still ) One could spend 20 lifetimes just on that alone lol....amazing polyrhythmic stuff with the biggest modulation matrix I've ever seen to this day.

[@IanWaugh]

@@mike2884 Thanks, Mike, I'll check that out. Yes, one lifetime isn't long enough to explore all the things you'd like to try... 😊

[@digitalzips]

On my mac mini M1 I cannot connect my Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2 to Reaktor. It is shown in the audio and midi devices but set to off. The only input device shown in the main screen is Mouse area and the connect tab is greyed out so I can’t change it.

[@IanWaugh]

Strange. I'm not a Mac user so can't offer any suggestions but NI's support is usually responsive if you open a ticket.

[@ikarsai]

I bought komplete 14 select and it seems I have only factory 2 which have only 4 synths I could not find the zip file. Any help would be appreciated, Thanks

[@IanWaugh]

Hi - It's likely that the zip files are only included with the more advanced versions of Komplete and/or the full version of Reaktor.

[@ikarsai]

@@IanWaugh: Thanks I just bought reactor 6 in a sale and I find these hidden gems. Thanks a lot!

[@IanWaugh]

@@ikarsai Awesome! Have fun 👍

[@dawvideokanal7369]

Reaktor is just confusing. I stopped using it since years. As example if used as VST, many things inside Reaktor not saving with the project and set to default after reloading. So I needed to start saving inside Reaktor with snapshots, but using snapshots is so confusing and not really intutive as the whole program.

[@IanWaugh]

Yes, it is a bit techy and I never got around to fully understanding it. I mainly use the presets 😊

[@telumatramenti7250]

As DAWs go Reaktor does have a somewhat steep learning curve. It takes about a month to start figuring out your workflow, like how to properly map MIDI (so that it doesn't all go to channel 1 by default), save Ensembles and Presets as VSTs, and build patches from scratch. But it does have some very powerful tools (even by modern standards) like Massive 1.1 and Vectory drum machines and awesome, deep, analog-sounding FX, such as Space Master algorithmic reverbs. I get a massive kick from using Reaktor VSTs in Ableton Live when I work on Ambient tracks or play live.

[@IanWaugh]

@@telumatramenti7250 Brave man 😊

[@telumatramenti7250]

@@IanWaugh LOL

[@JeffyG]

Thanks Ian - Great video. I've been rediscovering the old synths in the Komplete bundle. Prism is cool, Form is nifty but FM8 and Super 8.... meh. Then just trying some of the Reaktor instruments, it leaves me wondering if they are useful or different? There are so many new synths (some free) from NI, Arturia, and others, I have a hard time imagining if there's any need for all these Reaktor instruments. I did unzip the legacy file and browsed through a few and found they sounded pretty much the same as Spark. I presume the 'extra' legacy synths are not *.nks tagged so you wouldn't find them through the standard browser or Komplete Kontrol? In fact, this is a rather big issue across the industry. I have over 100,000 presets or patches, and about 40,000 are from Native Instruments alone. Try finding something! There is no way to browse presets across multiple vendors. There isn't even agreement on standard tags. The closest thing we have is the NI *.nks standard and a number of NI partners that comply. I'm waiting for a 3rd party to take on this challenge with a generic preset browser. Your thoughts?

[@IanWaugh]

Hey Jeffy - Thank you. Yes, it is a massive problem. NKS seems to be the nearest solution we have so far but unless everyone gets on board with it there will always be gaps. Everyone got on board with VSTs... I think there's probably some politicing involved but I'm not aware of any alternative solutions. Freelance Soundlabs produves NKS files for unsupported synths which begs the question why won't the developers do it? I'm afraid I have many more than your 100K presets and now will (almost)never buy a synth unless it is NKS-compatible (kzbin.info/www/bejne/mX2yiZanZ7Zom5Y

[@davemerkury]

Thank you sir!!! Oh my goodness...i've been sitting on sounds!!! smh....NI!!! WHAT IS GOING ON? LOL

[@IanWaugh]

Hi Dave - I know! Weird how NI doesn't publicise these more... 😲

[@davemerkury]

@@IanWaugh Yeah, it sucks because an user won't know what they really have and possibly waste money on another plugin when they have one.

[@IanWaugh]

@@davemerkury Yes. But at least WE know now 😊

[@Klaviar11]

Oh, this was not abandoned. NI are a bit annoying in that regard making new versions not compatible or deprecating libraries (and now even Absynth - not sure if I retain it after update or changing PC). I missed these machine, i.e. drum synth with presets by Rob Acid

[@IanWaugh]

Shame about Absyntj but if you already have it, it should stay in your account.

[@706erRick]

Anyone know how to add these libraries

[@IanWaugh]

If you double-click on an .ens it should open in Reaktor.

[@bastarddonthemove]

GODDDmode activated!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@IanWaugh]

I'm sure that means something but not sure exactly what...

They are not hidden, those are the ones that I use

[@IanWaugh]

Good for you 👍 But, alas, not all users know they are there, especially if they came late to Reaktor 🤔