Kontakt vs. Komplete vs. Komplete Kontrol: a beginner’s guide to Native Instruments

If you’re interested in learning music production and want to start using Native Instruments tools, but aren’t quite sure where to start, read on. In this blog, you’ll learn the key differences between Kontakt, Komplete, and Komplete Kontrol and how each product can enrich your music production workflow.

Let’s break down each one of these tools within the NI ecosystem so you can decide which ones belong in your music production toolkit.

Jump to these sections:

• • What are Kontakt, Komplete, and Komplete Kontrol?
  • Kontakt
    • Kontakt vs. Kontakt Player
    • What is NKS?
  • Komplete
    • Dive in for free with Komplete Start
  • Komplete Kontrol
  • Go further with NI Expansions

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What are Kontakt, Komplete, and Komplete Kontrol?

Kontakt, Komplete, and Komplete Kontrol are three of the most recognizable names from Native Instruments. But when you’re getting started in the NI ecosystem, the differences between them can be a bit confusing. So let’s break down those differences.

Kontakt is a virtual instrument platform and sampler. Komplete is the world’s leading music production suite. Komplete Kontrol is a tool that allows you to organize your music production workflow.

Going beyond these basics, we have NI Expansions, Play Series instruments, and NKS technology that help round out our music production tools and virtual instruments. All of these are designed to help you on your music production journey. Let’s do a deep dive into each of them.

Kontakt

Kontakt is Native Instruments’ flagship software sampler and virtual instrument platform. It has multiple uses in music production. As a sampler, it allows producers and beatmakers to record, edit, and manipulate audio with a high degree of control. Kontakt is also a virtual instrument builder that provides powerful design tools for creating custom instruments. As a host platform, it allows the ability to play the world’s largest selection of professional virtual instruments and sample libraries.

Thousands of third-party developers and sound designers create instruments for Kontakt, allowing access to a wide range of sounds – from traditional acoustic instruments like pianos, strings, and percussion, to modern electronic textures and ethereal soundscapes. Listen to some of these below:

Kontakt is an industry standard in music production, sound design, and media scoring due to its versatile uses. It is widely used by music producers working across genres, composers for film, television, and video games, and sound designers who require advanced tools for shaping and developing custom sounds.

Kontakt is also an exciting way for DJs and live performers to integrate virtual instruments and sampled material into live settings.

Kontakt vs. Kontakt Player

There are two versions of Kontakt – Kontakt and Kontakt Player.

Kontakt Player is the free version that can run NI Kontakt instruments and officially licensed instruments from third-party developers. Kontakt Player is available in the free Komplete Start bundle. It’s a great option if you’re just starting out or on a budget, as you can download it and start using free Kontakt instruments.

Here are two audio examples made with free Kontakt instruments by third-party developers, Memoire Piano and Neverland.

Of course, the full version of Kontakt runs Kontakt instruments as well. Additionally, it offers powerful creation tools.

If you’re using Kontakt, you’ll want to check out the Play Series instruments, a collection of easy-to-use virtual instruments by Native Instruments. They come with ready-to-play sounds and a simple interface, making it quick to browse presets, play melodies, and create music without complex setup. The Play Series includes a variety of sounds and genres, including hip hop, techno, pop, and more.

What is NKS?

Many Kontakt libraries are NKS-ready (Native Kontrol Standard). This means their controls and functions are automatically mapped to NKS-compatible hardware and software, including Komplete Kontrol, Komplete Kontrol keyboards, and Maschine hardware.

NKS provides a deep connection between software and hardware, and more specifically, a consistent workflow by enabling features such as tag-based preset browsing, pre-mapped parameter controls, and Light Guide integration. NKS allows you to browse instruments, access key parameters without manual mapping, and use visual feedback on keyboards to highlight playable ranges, drum zones, or key switches. As a result, Kontakt instruments become easier to navigate, perform with, and integrate into larger production or performance setups.

Komplete

Komplete is a versatile software suite that offers music producers, composers, and sound designers a full set of tools for modern music creation. The bundle includes an extensive collection of virtual instruments, effects, and sound libraries, ranging from synthesizers and sampled instruments to drum machines and professional mixing and mastering tools.

Komplete is available in several editions – Select, Standard, Ultimate, and Collector’s Edition. Each of these offers different levels of content and expansion options.

Komplete integrates seamlessly with everything in the NI ecosystem, including hardware like Maschine and Komplete Kontrol keyboards.

While you don’t strictly need Kontakt to use everything in a Komplete bundle, many of the best parts of Komplete require Kontakt to launch. That includes diverse instrument libraries, samples, and expansions. Kontakt is included in every Komplete bundle, though, so this should never be a problem.

Dive in for free with Komplete Start

For those just starting out, Komplete Start is a free introductory bundle that includes a selection of instruments, effects, loops, and samples.

Using Komplete Start, you can create and compose with professional-quality sounds without paying anything.

Listen to an example made entirely with free virtual instruments included with Komplete Start:

Komplete Kontrol

Komplete Kontrol is Native Instruments’ all-in-one software that makes it easy to browse, play, and control virtual instruments and sounds from the Komplete library. It’s a free plugin that runs in any DAW that organizes all your instruments, effects, presets, loops, and samples. It works closely with Komplete Kontrol keyboards and Maschine hardware, allowing you to control instruments with real-time feedback, play melodies, trigger samples, and adjust key settings all from one place. Komplete Kontrol includes helpful features like tag-based browsing (so you can quickly find sounds), pre-mapped controls for easy tweaking, and Light Guide integration, which shows key switches and playable ranges directly on the keyboard.

NKS also makes it possible to integrate our many partnered creators’ instruments into your Komplete Kontrol workflow. It’s one of the easiest ways to centralize your production workflow.

Go further with NI Expansions

If you’re looking to expand your sonic palette and use cutting-edge, genre-specific sounds, you’ll want to explore NI Expansions.

Created by top artists and sound designers, Expansions include presets, drums, samples, and loops that work with any DAW. They’re designed to integrate with Komplete, Maschine, and Play Series instruments, giving you ready-to-use sounds in various genres like electronic, hip hop, pop, and cinematic. Expansions make it easy for producers to quickly access fresh sounds and build tracks without creating every element from scratch.

Start producing using Kontakt, Komplete, and Komplete Kontrol

Whether you’re getting into music production or are an experienced producer who wants to start using Native Instruments’ products, Kontakt, Komplete, Komplete Kontrol are all essential tools that will help you to create and use amazing sounds in your productions.

The NI ecosystem of virtual instruments is accessible to you now, no matter your budget or experience level. Download Kontakt, Komplete, and Komplete Kontrol and start making music today.

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