January 24, 2006 The primary interface for the operation of software instruments both in the studio and on stage is evolving rapidly, and this week’s announcement from computer-based audio production pioneer Native Instruments might well prove to be a significant landmark. KORE, is heralded by Native Instruments as “the world’s first Universal Sound Platform” and was created to unify all the elements of sound production – “one solution that finally makes everything come together.” Native Instruments’s founder Stephan Schmitt believes KORE will be “a significant step forward for musicians and producers in many ways, and that it will make their individual process of creating and performing music much more efficient, convenient and fun.” KORE won’t be available for another three or four months, and there’s not enough information available yet to substantiate those claims, though its release will be watched closely by all performers and producers who work with software instruments and effects. KORE includes a next-generation hardware controller offering hands-on control with what is claimed to be an unprecedented analog feel, finally turning today’s software synthesizers and samplers from applications into true instruments.
The development of KORE opens up significant new possibilities for the operation of software instruments both in the studio and on stage. It also marks the first host system by Native Instruments.
As a Universal Sound Platform, KORE operates both as a stand-alone instrument host and as a plug-in in every major sequencer. By integrating all VST- and AudioUnits-based software instruments and effects into a single, unified interface, it provides greatly increased control, overview and ease of use in all creative situations. Native Instruments’ range of instruments and effects is naturally supported but so too are a range of third-party products. The seamless integration with KORE’s advanced hardware controller gives hands-on control with unprecedented analog feel, finally turning today’s software synthesizers and samplers from applications into true instruments.
Addressing the issue of ever-growing sound libraries in today’s software synthesizers and samplers, KORE enables musicians to finally access the right sound quickly in every situation. An integrated database holds the sounds of all software instruments on a computer, and allows for searching for them according to musical categories like genre, articulation or texture. KORE comes equipped with categorization data for each of the over 11,000 preset sounds of all NI software instruments and sound libraries, making it an especially powerful framework for the NI KOMPLETE 3 bundle.
KORE also marks the introduction of a versatile performance platform with a wealth of advanced live features, finally making software instruments stage-ready for keyboard players and other live performers. Sophisticated layer and split configurations involving any combination of instruments and effects can be created and recalled easily, while a powerful Performance Manager allows for seamless switching between different scenes and sound sets on the fly – either manually, pre-programmed or remote-controlled.
KORE also bridges the compatibility gap between different systems with the introduction of the KoreSound format. This revolutionary universal file format can include complex sound, routing, configuration and categorization data, laying the foundation for easy and reliable transfer even of complex sounds between any set-up and system, and between studio and stage.
KORE also marks a new step in hardware controller design and integration. With its high-resolution, touch-sensitive knobs and “Organic LED” (OLED) display technology, the KORE controller turns a computer-based set-up into a powerful tactile instrument. Bi-directional communication between controller and software gives quick context-specific overview even in critical live situations, with the integrated USB 2.0 audio interface making KORE a complete solution for all musical applications.
