The Kontakt libraries Rezident used to bring guitars and bass into his mix

Rezident’s debut album Feeling Fades is loaded with emotional nuance and sonic detail, but the production choices behind it are grounded in a tight, personal toolkit. The Berlin-based producer has built his reputation on melodic textures and clean, expressive arrangements, and for most of this record, Kontakt and Komplete libraries played a central role in sketching out everything from guitars to basses.

Instead of chasing massive expansion packs or falling into too many choices, Rezident leans into a practical, repeatable process. Libraries like Rickenbacker Bass and Electric Sunburst ended up shaping key moments on the album, including tracks like “Muse” and “Our World.” But even more than that, they let him stay locked into the flow of songwriting and avoid distraction when inspiration hits.

In this interview, he explains how libraries fit into his writing workflow, what helps him decide when a plugin is worth the investment, and why staying organized might be one of the most underrated skills a producer can have.

Jump to these sections:

• How Rezident uses specific libraries to add character to non-guitar tracks
• Why saving presets and organizing sessions protects the creative flow
• The difference between experimenting and finishing, and how Kontakt helps with both
• Tips for producers trying to find their sound and stop chasing the gear race
• Mixing habits and versioning strategies that keep his tracks balanced and consistent

Let’s get into it.

Try out some of Rezident’s techniques using the Kontakt Player that’s included in the free Komplete Start bundle, a collection of pro-grade instruments, effects, and more.

Get Komplete Start free

Do you think it’s more important to focus on libraries that expand your range or ones that really nail the core of your sound?

I don’t think any library can fully nail someone’s sound. While having access to a big sound library can be very useful and inspiring, overall it’s more important to have a few go-to tools that you really know inside and out.

Pro tip from Rezident: Throughout working on a track, I regularly take 30 minutes to organize the session – naming tracks, reordering, and clearing out unused plugins. A clean session makes the process feel less overwhelming.

What’s a library you’ve bought that ended up being way more useful than you expected?

I was surprised by how much I’ve used the Rickenbacker Bass and Electric Sunburst libraries. In Feeling Fades, the guitar in Muse comes from Rickenbacker Bass, and the lead guitar in Our World was made with Electric Sunburst.

I’ve always loved the idea of playing the guitar but never got around to learning how to play, so having access to these libraries has been very fun – especially for sampling and further editing.

Pro tip from Rezident: Some of my favorite sounds come from bouncing synths and effects to audio and then messing with them. It helps capture moments and place them exactly where they work best.

What’s your take on balancing creativity with the sheer volume of tools available in Kontakt?

When I already have an idea in my head and just need a sound fast, I stick to the tools and packs I’ve been using forever – that way, I don’t break the flow when finishing a track. But other times, I love messing around with new sounds, plugins, and presets.

Honestly, that’s how a lot of my demos start, exploring something new and trying it for the first time.

Kontakt’s library can feel massive, but I think the trick is to have a few favorites and really know them, then use the rest as a playground for inspiration. Over time, you just naturally build up a solid toolkit.

Pro tip from Rezident: I always save my DAW session under a new name before every session and export audio for each version. It’s easy to lose the original vibe when mixing, and I often return to earlier versions that feel better.

How much of a producer’s sound do you think comes from the tools they use versus how they use them?

I think good gear will speed up the process, but at the end of the day, creativity is what really shapes the sound. A lot of iconic sounds have come from pushing tools beyond their intended use, experimenting, breaking the “rules,” and seeing what happens. It’s all about how you use them.

Pro tip from Rezident: Regularly mixing at low volume gives you a completely different perspective on the track. It helps place elements properly and avoids ear fatigue.

A lot of producers worry about overspending on tools – how do you decide what’s worth the investment?

I remember checking out the prices of software and gear when I was younger, especially the stuff my favorite producers were using, and knowing there was no way I could get my parents to buy it for me.

There’s so much gear out there. It’s exciting, but at the end of the day, I’d say we all know it’s not what really matters. I’d even say that figuring out your own workarounds with whatever is available will lead to a more original sound than just grabbing a huge collection and then not spending any time really using it.

I do buy new plugins or gear pretty often – but only if it genuinely excites me or sparks inspiration. Especially considering how much more affordable digital gear is compared to the analog originals (if you can even find them), I usually find it pretty easy to justify buying a plugin that I’m excited about.

Pro tip from Rezident: It’s crazy how different a track sounds when I step away from the screen. I love taking a walk and listening on headphones. Playing a track for someone else, even in silence, always helps me hear it differently.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a producer who’s just starting to figure out what their sound is?

I’m not sure there’s a shortcut to it.

It’ll come to you over time. Making music isn’t just something you do alone at home, the inspiration comes from life outside of music. My sound started to take shape when I left my hometown to study audio and media at college, spending time with friends, going to parties, and organizing events. Being in that environment with people who shared similar interests and experiences opened up many new ideas and ways of thinking.

Start using Kontakt to elevate your tracks

Rezident’s debut album Feeling Fades is already out on Anjunadeep, and it delivers exactly what fans have been waiting for. Across twelve tracks, he balances emotional depth with precise, detail-focused production, pulling from a few trusted Kontakt libraries to shape guitars, basslines, and ambient textures that feel lived-in and intentional.

Tools like Electric Sunburst and Rickenbacker Bass helped shape the backbone of tracks like “Muse” and “Our World,” but it’s the workflow that holds it all together – saving versions, bouncing to audio early, and building a session that stays organized from idea to final mix.

For Rezident, sound design isn’t a search for something new, it’s a way to stay focused on what already works. Feeling Fades proves that you don’t need more to make something meaningful; you need a setup that keeps you moving.

Get Komplete Start free