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Each of Kontakt 4's seven library categories now has its own skin.

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For those unfamiliar with Kontakt, it's a plug-in and standalone sampler for PC and Mac with a bundled library (43GB in the latest release). Over time, it's developed into one of the most powerful programs of its kind, and can deliver everything from simple mapped hits to full-on multi-layered, modulated, filtered and effected patches.

Structurally, it can run up to 64 individual instruments within its multi-part framework, and uses a modular architecture and workspace for the addition of processing and effects. It includes a variety of sample playback modes, including RAM-based and direct-from-disk, and offers complex real-time timestretching/pitchshifting.

It can import pretty much any sample format, including some original hardware sampler flavours (for example, it loads sounds from Akai CD-ROMs that are normally unreadable by your OS), and also supports loop formats such as Acidized WAV and Apple Loops.

A few months ago, v3.5 surfaced, with a revamped sample playback engine, vastly improved multiprocessor support, enhanced ability to address large amounts of memory and enhanced MIDI learn options. These extras complemented the already impressive features added in version 3, such as instrument Performance Views, which enable the designing of graphical interfaces for Kontakt patches.

Performance Views

One had to wonder where NI could go with v4, and inevitably, it's a combination of refinement and new stuff, with the most immediately obvious improvement being the upgraded Performance Views. What began in v3 as a neat idea has now really come of age, both visually and in terms of functionality.

Each of the seven library categories has its own skin, but beyond this, features are instrument-dependent, ranging from ready-made EQ controls and playback randomisation to velocity response curves and one-touch, scale-specific chord harmonising. You can also select articulations for many of the orchestral patches.

However, it's the Urban Beats category that we found most impressive, with its separate tabbed interfaces for hits, loops and the groovebox. The latter even enables pattern-style programming. We'll concede that much of this was in Kontakt 3. But the improved graphics and feature tweaks have given the library a genuine ROMpler feel, while retaining the full back-end flexibility.

However, there's no simple way of combining the new or 'upgraded' sample content with that from previous versions - if you're upgrading, you'll be reinstalling sample content that you already have, which is a pain.