Native Instruments announced five new products recently; two new synths and three updated versions of their popular synth/sampling line:

Massive (above) is a new analog-style synth, featuring “a high-end audio engine, flexible signal flow, wave scanning oscillators, innovative and intuitive features, drag and drop modulation assignment, integrated step sequencers and effects section, KORE integration” and more. FM8 (below) is a new FM-style synth, featuring “award-winning FM synthesizer, optimized user interface, graphical sound morphing for evolving sounds, versatile arpeggiator, high-quality effects, full-matrix modulation, KORE integration” and more. Also updated are Absynth 4, Battery 3 and their Komplete bundle.

I love using Reaktor 5 to create my own simple, modular synth and effects experiments, but I rarely use any of its pre-built synths and samplers. Many of NI’s instruments seem to me feature-heavy yet singular in their use—as if they’re designed to create a certain type of song or style of music. And, their numerous presets often have a distinct, trendy ‘NI’ sound. But, their complexity can lead to new and stunning sound exploration in able hands— it’s all about the tweaking, after all. it’s nice to see them pay attention to the usability and user interface of their tools as they expand their lineup in new directions. Read more