Kontakt 7.7 - now with ads [FIXED BY NI]

[Guy Rowland]

Not a satirical post. Who'd have thought we'd live to see the day?

ADDED Simplified application header for efficient access to key functions
File, Library and View have dedicated text labels
Single View / Rack View toggle is now found in View menu
Options is now found File menu
ADDED Text search enhancements to full-screen Browser, allowing searches across full or partial names of libraries, instruments, presets, tags and more
ADDED Search results display additionally available libraries in “New Instruments for you” panel
ADDED Option to display fullscreen Browser for new Instances in Rack view under Options > Interface (note: Browser is always shown in Single View)
ADDED 50% zoom setting
IMPROVED Double-clicking a preset in Files tab, Libraries tab or Quick-Load will now replace the preset loaded in the currently selected slot, instead of adding it to the Rack
IMPROVED Access fullscreen Browser by clicking Kontakt logo in application header (About Box accessed via NI logo)
FIXED Browser text entry no longer intercepted by DAW when Kontakt is hosted as a plug-in inside of Logic Pro
FIXED Intermittent CPU spikes on macOS (introduced in Kontakt 7.6.1)
FIXED Regression in KSP message logging performance when Developer Options are enabled (introduced in Kontakt 7.5.0) causing CPU spikes in certain 8dio libraries
FIXED RAM footprint no longer increases after prolonged use
FIXED Instrument focus strip in instrument header now updates when using previous / next buttons within edit mode
FIXED Correct visual state for Library button when instantiating Kontakt
REMOVED "Batch resave" and "Batch collect/Compress samples" options in File menu no longer appear when Kontakt is hosted as a plug-in

The New Instruments For You section is at the bottom of the main Kontakt browser, a row of adverts for things you don't own. Clicking on one takes you to the webshop. Have your credit card ready.

You can collapse this, but not completely - the headline still remains, taking up pointless space.

I really don't think I'm a luddite, but I suddenly have the urge to buy an acoustic guitar and retreat to a nice cave somewhere.

EDIT 21/11/23 - NI has added a preference option in 7.7.1 to entirely remove "New Instruments For You".

[Lawrence]

Start an 80s band!

[wst3]

I think I'll take my acoustic guitar to a nice cabin on a lake in Maine!

I'm not going to give up on Kontakt, and they know that, many of us have too many hours and too many dollars tied up in it.

I think that's the part that irks me most - they know we'll tolerate the ads because there are no great options... yet.

[Morendo]

Something like Kontakt becoming adware even for those who bought a full version is an incredible slap in the face!
As well to those smaller sound library develops who would not get featured.
Native Instruments is slowly dismantling their own flagship platform.

[GR Baumann]

... one word... Disgusting!

[ok_tan]

Disrespectful

[Lawrence]

Because they can.

[Linos]

Unprofessional. I hope Native Instruments get a lot of backlash and have to take back the decision.

Now would be a good time for Incirios to release. I've been a beta tester, and it promises to be a great alternative to Kontakt.

[IFM]

I despise the new browser and have it set up to default to the old way, especially since I have a lot of libraries that are not going to show up unless I look in the old file browser. The addition of ads does piss me off. The point of paying for a license should mean I don't have to deal with adware. Plus, for any composer who's using a dedicated offline machine, how will this affect it?

Are the much bigger things to worry about? Yes. At least I don't have to look at them in the old view.

[Guy Rowland]

For anyone else bothered by this, I've started an NI forum thread. Please do add your voice:

https://community.native-instruments.co ... ads#latest

[Geoff Grace]

Done.

This new advertising "feature" is disrespectful to paying customers and distracting while working. It's the worst public relations mistake made by a company in our industry since the Waves debacle earlier this year.

Thanks for starting this thread and that one, Guy.

Best,

Geoff

[Guy Rowland]

Cheers Geoff.

The ad in Native Access is really obtrusive and annoying, but as it's a product manager I can shrug. But this does feels... contaminated (not wanting to be over-dramatic, but it's horrid). I agree with the word disrespectful.

[bbunker]

I posted as well, although I thought I'd post here and see if any of our German friends can speak more on this.

There were additions to the BGB in the last year or two requiring the maintenance of digital products through update, and codifying the requirements of companies to update and service those products. Since there is no agreement and has been none in the EULA regarding advertising, isn't adding it after purchase a violation of the requirement to maintain service?

[Malachistos]

Any Product with adds and ingame purchases should be considered free to play.

(I don't mind paying for Kontakt of course.)

I was already miffed at the shop button on the UI.
But Ads are something else.

[Guy Rowland]

People power is not yet dead.

Adil_NI

We’d like to let you know that we’ve heard your feedback loud and clear, and will release an update to Kontakt in the next week or two that includes the ability to hide the “New Instruments for you” panel.

Our intent in adding this feature is to help people discover new instruments and sounds for Kontakt. We’ve heard from customers that many of them (especially those who are relatively new to music production) struggle with exploring the vast range of sounds and instruments that are available for Kontakt. The “New Instruments for you” panel aims to reduce this struggle – by providing suggestions from both third-party developers and Native Instruments in response to your searches.

We also recognise that for those of you who already have the instruments you need, this can be distracting. To that end, we are adding an option to disable the “New Instruments for you” panel in Kontakt 7.7.1 (along with a fix for a crash when replacing a loaded instrument or sample in Edit View), which we will release within the next two weeks.

Until this update is available, you can use the “Set current view as default” function in the VIEW menu to hide the “New Instruments for you” panel when Kontakt is running as a plug-in in a DAW. More information on how to use this function is available in this article: https://support.native-instruments.com/ ... 9260981533

In future versions of Kontakt, we’ll continue to work on ways that help people explore, manage and get the most out of their instrument collection. We’re working on things like audio previews and downloads for instruments you already own but haven’t installed - allowing you to get the sounds you need without breaking your creative flow. More to come.

Thank you, as ever, for your candid feedback. I hope this shows you that we’re listening to you, and that we take your feedback incredibly seriously.

https://community.native-instruments.co ... ove-ads/p4

Thanks to everyone who spoke up, and thanks to NI for listening.

[playz123]

. But no mention of Native Access though, so perhaps we are stuck with the ads there in the future?

[Guy Rowland]

. But no mention of Native Access though, so perhaps we are stuck with the ads there in the future?

I suspect so - and they are spectacularly ugly, aren't they?

Still, at least that doesn't interfere with my day to day work.

[Geoff Grace]

Thanks to everyone who spoke up, and thanks to NI for listening.

I’m glad to hear it. Thanks for getting the ball rolling, Guy!

Best,

Geoff

[Guy Rowland]

NI has added a preference option in 7.7.1 to entirely remove "New Instruments For You", out today.

Good. Next, the ability to restore double-click loading into an empty slot on the rack please.