NATIVE INSTRUMENTS
Jun 1, 2000 12:00 PM, Remix Staff
Reaktor 2.3.1 Whereas many software synth packages provide virtual simulations of existing hardware products, Native Instruments' Reaktor takes the concept of a software synth to its logical extreme, offering features and benefits that are difficult or impossible to achieve with hardware. Reaktor is a completely modular synthesizer and sample player featuring analog modeling, FM, sample playback, and granular synthesis, all of which you can combine to form hybrid synthesis engines. You can make Reaktor as simple or complex as you want it to be. Whether you're looking to create your own modular synths and samplers or to experiment with new and unusual sounds, Reaktor provides you with plenty of creative options.
Reaktor is a host-based software synthesizer that runs on the Mac OS and on Windows 95, 98, and NT computers. You're going to need a fast CPU and an ample amount of RAM to get the most out of this processor-intensive application. Overall polyphony and multitimbral capacity depends not only on the computer but also on the complexity of the Reaktor patch. Sampling rates range from 22.05 kHz to a mind-blowing 132.3 kHz, but the higher the sampling rate, the greater the load on the processor. The program supports ASIO, allowing you to route separate sounds to separate outputs on an audio card with ASIO drivers. You can also use Reaktor as a VST plug-in, and it supports DirectConnect, which streams Reaktor's audio output directly into Pro Tools.
MODERN MODULAR Reaktor's most powerful feature is its fully modular architecture, which allows you to create your own custom synth- or sampler-based instruments. That doesn't mean it's only for tweak-heads, however. Native Instruments has thoughtfully included more than 100 Ensembles, each one like a separate synth or sampler, for those who lack the inclination to dig underneath the hood. The NI-Favourites Ensembles folder contains several impressive virtual synths and samplers that will give you a good idea of the software's capabilities. Some of my personal favorites include 4Dex, which combines two sample-loop playback devices and two sample sequencers, all synched to the same clock; Triptonizer, a grain-table synth that lets you wildly manipulate and mutate samples; and Uranus, a full-blown 3-oscillator, 2-LFO, 2-filter synth featuring dozens of exceptional patches. All of these Ensembles have a selection of knobs and switches for modifying patches, which you can save, name, and access from a pull-down menu. The library of Ensembles includes synths, samplers, step sequencers, drum machines, effects processors, and even a basic recorder that puts performances onto a hard disk.
Reaktor synths consist of four elements: Ensembles, Instruments, Macros, and Modules. Basically, Modules build Macros, which in turn combine to make Instruments; you can put together a collection of Instruments as an Ensemble. The Insert menu provides a huge selection of Modules for building Macros, Instruments, and Ensembles. You'll find numerous mixers, oscillators, samplers, sequencers, LFOs, envelopes, filters, delays, shapers, audio modifiers, and event processors. Although you can configure an Ensemble using Modules alone, the Instruments and Macros make it easier to build complex patches. Reaktor comes with several ready-made Instruments (various synths, samplers, effects, analyzers, and so forth) and Macros (amplifiers, envelopes, filters, LFOs, matrixes, mixers, resonators, and the like), so you can easily start creating your own Ensembles.
The Ensemble's Structure window shows the configuration of the various Modules, Macros, and Instruments that make up an Ensemble. This is where you should go when you want to develop your own Ensembles or modify existing ones. Reaktor makes it easy to put together various elements to create new synths: just select an Instrument, a Macro, or a Module from the Insert menu and paste it into the Structure window. To designate the audio path, simply click on an output and drag the pointer to the desired input to link elements. You need to know a few basic synthesis concepts before attempting to create your own Ensembles, but the manual has several helpful tutorials that point you in the right direction.
TRES BIEN ENSEMBLES With all of these options and flexibility, Reaktor is a sound designer's dream-but you don't need a degree in audio physics to take advantage of its awesome sounds. You can customize sample playback synth patches by loading your own stereo or mono AIFF and WAV files into them, making it possible to manipulate your sounds in ways you never imagined. The included Ensembles provide a wide variety of tones, ranging from simple sawtooth-wave analog synths to distinctive new sounds unlike any that a hardware synth can produce. On its Web site, Native Instruments also offers an ever-growing selection of Ensembles created by Reaktor users. Owning this software is like having access to a large collection of synths that gets bigger and better by the day.
I cannot think of a time when an investment of less than $500 provided so much sound-creation power. Granted, you'll need a pretty rockin' computer to make the most of Reaktor, but even after adding in the price of an Apple G4 or a high-speed Pentium III machine, you'll still be spending far less than you would on many hardware synths that don't offer half the options. After working with Reaktor for a few weeks, I found it hard to go back to using a regular hardware synthesizer again
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS Reaktor 2.3.1 $169
PROS: Incredibly flexible and versatile synthesis architecture can create an amazing variety of distinctive sounds. Inexpensive. CONS: Processor intensive. Overall Rating (1 through 5):5 Contact: tel. 49-30-2838-8640; fax 49-30-2838-8641; e-mail info@native-instruments.com; Web www.native-instruments.com
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