NI’s Kinetic Metal Puts Cauldrons, Typewriters, Swords In Motion

Native Instruments this week introduced Kinetic Metal, a new instrument to help producers and sound designers create “ethereal sound beds, shifting textures, and delicate, tonal percussion.”

Comprised of over 200 multi-layered patches running in NI Kontakt 5*, Kinetic Metal combines sampled “unconventional” metal objects with artificial waveforms. The result is a broad range of atmospheric textures, mallet-like lead sounds, and delicate percussion. Two large, easy-to-use modification wheels allow users to quickly manipulate the sound. An auto-motion feature (explained at around 3:20 in the video, at the bottom of this story, as being “like an LFO on steroids“) allows users to set one or both of these wheels turning on their own, giving producers freedom to focus on performance.

Dude, that’s metal. No, seriously.
NI_KINETIC_METAL_vibrating_coilsKinetic Metal’s patches were created by sound designer Jeremiah Savage. For over a year, Savage recorded a huge inventory of unconventional samples, (rotary phones, typewriters, grammophones, swords and old military gas tanks, etc.) choosing the best of them to create the sound palette of Kinetic Metal.

Big wheels keep on turnin.’ Each patch is made up of a combination of four of these sampled sounds, plus four artificial waveforms. The four most distinct ‘personalities’ of each custom patch are set as starting points on Kinetic Metal’s Forge wheel. Turning the Forge wheel continuously, clockwise or counterclockwise, morphs the sound through different combinations of these four ‘personalities.’ An additional eight sliders in the interface allow manual adjustments to the level of each sample and waveform in the mix, allowing precise customization of each patch’s overall sound.

Kinetic Metal’s FX wheel provides another level of sound manipulation, controlling a set of custom effects that are mapped to blend together as the wheel is turned. Like the Forge wheel, the FX wheel has four main settings.

The combination of the FX and Forge wheels provides a broad range of possibilities for sonic sculpting. Producers can also design their own combinations by adjusting any of the eight effect knobs linked to the FX wheel — the new setting automatically maps to that position on the FX wheel for instant recall within the session. The Motion button turns Kinetic Metal into a dynamic performance instrument, freeing producers to play chords, melodies or percussion while the textures morph automatically.

System Requirements. Kinetic Metal runs in Native Instruments’ Kontakt 5 and the free Kontakt 5 Player.

Pricing and Availability. Native Instruments’ Kinetic Metal is available from the NI Online Shop for $99 US / 99 Euro /  9,800 Yen. Additional information on Kinetic Metal can be found at Native Instruments’ website.

*and the free Kontakt 5 Player.

8 thoughts on “NI’s Kinetic Metal Puts Cauldrons, Typewriters, Swords In Motion

  1. Yeah here’s the thing- As soon as the kids grow out of the sample -n- loop library phase that NI hooks them with every time, the better off EDM will be. Play close attention to the video. See those mics? Get one, and start making your own sounds. And stop whining about “workflow” while you’re at it. And pull your pants up.

    This message brought to you by the users who are tired of upgrading Kontakt every year- just to get the latest NI fix. Suckers. Looks like a Hollow Sun release anyways.

    1. I’m with you. I won’t rant over it severely, but I’m personally anti-NI for their general company behavior. So are two friends who had similar experiences. Hollow Sun and others offer great tools, but I’m not willing to struggle with Kontakt to have those libraries. Its too much of a troublesome monopoly for me. I have other options and I’m not missing out on anything crucial over it.

      I also agree that having so many tools present themselves like toys can make you a bit lazy, forgetting to apply them more directly AS tools. I have to remember to avoid hypocrisy as much as possible in this. I use some synth-y devices, so I’m all-in there, but I also contend that you’re miles ahead if you woodshed a little so that you can engage your instruments better. Going beyond just simple solo lines and one-finger techno chords can enhance everything else you do. I encourage you to take a step up from there. It really pays off and sometimes adds inches to your willie.

  2. I am a Reason user and love it. Even though I may not be the target for this product (not a fan of Rewire) it is beautifully made and the price is OK.
    Yet I do not understand people trashing a product because it will make them lazy somehow. The dude complaining here is pointing at a microphone that cost way more than $99. Not including all the places you need to record those sounds, travel expenses, or simply paying for a good sound engineer. And who knows some Foley artists, bringing all that metal trash to a studio and record over and over until that perfect coin drop take.
    Obviously using a computer instead of hand writing and walking to the post office, or using a smart phone instead of walking directly and talk to someone does not make you lazy.

    Please do not use public transportation that will make you lazy too.

    1. You could get this for $99, but for not much more you could get a used Zoom handy recorder or a cheap large-diaphragm condenser microphone and just record stuff in your spare time. The advantage of something like a Zoom is that you can carry it around all the time. Building the habit of just recording and editing stuff on a regular basis is the best way to acquire a library of distinctive sounds.

      It’s not that this sort of product will make you lazy, but that the marketing promising exotic sounds like swords or cauldrons is a bit misleading – sure those things sound good, but do the contents of your shed or your kitchen. The famous Star Wars ‘light saber’ sound, for example, was obtained by holding a microphone up to a flourescent tube light and adding some effects to the recording. There was nothing special about the sound source; Ben Burtt’s ‘secret sauce’ was his willingness to listen closely to ordinary, ‘boring’ sounds that most people take for granted.

  3. I understand what he’s saying, and I think you missed the point. The “dude” isn’t pointing at a mic. He is suggesting that you buy one of any kind and learn how to sample your OWN sounds. This way, you are truly making your OWN music, and not relying on NI, or anyone else, for your fix. His last point makes total sense as well. As a Reason user, you can certainly load a NN-XT patch from 7, and it will play in 2.5. Let’s just see you do that with this release in any older version of Kontakt.

  4. So you mean people can’t enjoy the work made by NI & get a Zoom at the same time? Marketing is made so people can buy stuff and know about stuff. If you become lazy using those tools because of marketing that’s beyond anyone’s responsibilities but your own. His point was the more people are using those kind of tools the lazier they get.

  5. This is a silly discussion. I don’t understand why it has to be an either-or proposition. I think there’s a time and place for every tool out there, and it really depends on personal preference. People who try to impose their way of making music as somehow “superior” than someone else’s strike me as people who make art for reasons other than art itself.

    Back on topic – I think this library sounds sweet. I own Acoustic Refractions and Sonic Fiction Kore packs from Jeremiah Savage and I have to say those have some awesome sounds. You can immediately tell how much care went into selection, recording, and programming of the sounds. Hats off to Jeremiah. Truly inspiring work and it looks like this library won’t disappoint either!

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