Native Instruments Kontakt 8 Crossgrade
Software Sampler (Download)
Crossgrade from Native Instruments or third-party Kontakt player libraries (does not apply to Play or Scene series or Leap) or Komplete Select to Kontakt 8.
Crossgrade version: Requires a registered Native Instruments Komplete Select licence or a Native Instruments or third-party Kontakt Player library that is not part of the Play or Scene series and is not a Leap standalone product. Komplete Select alone does not qualify.
- Examples of qualifying products: Native Instruments Session Strings Pro, Session Horns Pro, Symphony Series, Alicia’s Keys, Noire, Una Corda, Straylight, Pharlight, Ashlight, as well as third-party Kontakt Player libraries such as Heavyocity, Output, and Spitfire Audio, provided they are licensable as Kontakt Player
- Sample-based software sampler for playing, editing and developing virtual instruments
- Extensive factory library with acoustic, orchestral, band, synth and vintage instruments
- Instrument engine with sample playback control, zone and mapping editor, round robin support, time stretching and DFD streaming
- Scripting system for creating complex playable instruments and multi-instruments
- Integrated modulation and effects section with flexible routing
- Chords and phrases as tools for creating harmonies and sequences for compatible Kontakt instruments
- Leap as an integrated engine for performative playback and manipulation of loops and phrases
- Conflux as a hybrid instrument for combining samples with wavetable, FM and ring modulation oscillators
- Integration with Native Instruments hardware such as Komplete Kontrol keyboards and Maschine systems
- Requirements: Qualifyed Kontakt Player Product expect Play-, Scene- or Leap-Serie
- Version: 8
- Shipping Format: E-Mail
- License validity: perpetual
- Copy Protection: Online Activation
- Simultaneous Activations: 2
- Windows: from 10 (64-Bit)
- Mac OS (64 Bit): from 12
- CPU min.: Apple Silicon, Intel Core
- RAM min.: 4 GB
- HD Storage min.: 50 GB
- add. System requirements: Internet Connection for Installation and Activation
- Stand-Alone-Software
- AAX native 64-Bit
- AU 64-Bit
- VST3 64-Bit
- NKS
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Available since September 2024
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Item number 601033
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Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
Industry standard, further refined
For over two decades, Native Instruments Kontakt has set the benchmark in software sampling and virtual instrument design. Kontakt Version 8 further refines that legacy with improved performance, a redesigned interface, and a powerful new browser that makes navigating vast sound libraries faster and more intuitive. The updated engine introduces graphical and workflow enhancements, including a new Side Pane for instant access to instruments and tools. Hosting thousands of instruments from both NI and independent developers, Kontakt 8 remains the creative backbone for everything from orchestral production and film scoring to electronic music and experimental sound design. Available as a full version, free Kontakt Player, or as part of Komplete 15, it continues to be trusted by professionals worldwide for its realism, flexibility and limitless sonic exploration.
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Hybrid sampling and synthesis
At the core of Kontakt 8 is Conflux, a new hybrid instrument that blends high-resolution sampling with wavetable, FM and phase-modulated synthesis. Its redesigned engine supports dual LFOs, rich modulation and onboard flexible effects - ideal for creating evolving textures and layered sonic landscapes. A new category of interactive Tools introduces features such as Chords - triggering full harmonic progressions from a single key - and Phrases, which generates editable melodic motifs with timing, velocity and playback control. The revamped Library Browser presents six intuitive tabs - Instruments, Combined, Tools, Leap, Loops and One-Shots - alongside a new Combined preset format for saving multi-instrument setups with embedded Tools, macros and layers. Whether sketching ideas or building intricate patches, Kontakt 8 provides a creative environment that rewards both spontaneous inspiration and deep programming.
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From inspiration to execution
Kontakt 8 bridges the gap between traditional sample playback and modern synthesis, appealing to a broad spectrum of musicians, producers and content creators. Tools like Chords and Phrases enhance the creative process by turning single notes into expressive harmonic or melodic content, complete with strumming, inversion, humanisation and playback control. Designed for real-time use, the new Leap module provides a drag-and-drop environment for triggering and manipulating loops and one-shots using effects, time-stretching and re-pitching. The full version includes twelve dedicated Leap Expansions, while the free Kontakt Player includes one, with support for user-imported samples and Maschine content. Whether layering cinematic textures, remixing stems or rehearsing ideas live, Kontakt 8 makes exploration intuitive - and performance dynamic.
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About Native Instruments
Native Instruments is a Berlin-based company, founded in 1996, which specialises in products for computer-assisted music production. The company develops a wide variety of products: software solutions such as Komplete, which hosts a huge range of virtual instruments that emulate both acoustic and electronic instruments in hi-fi quality, and Reaktor, which lets you create your own virtual instruments – through to hardware products such as beat-making and DJ controllers. Native Instruments' goal is to inspire and encourage musicians with its innovative products. To this end, more than 500 people are employed at the company's headquarters in Berlin and at other locations including Los Angeles, Toronto, Tokyo, London, Paris, and Shenzhen. Since 2023, the manufacturers Plugin Alliance, iZotope, and Brainworx have also been part of Native Instruments.
Advanced development tools
Kontakt 8 is designed for professionals at every level of music production - from composers and sound designers to virtual instrument developers. Its vast library includes hundreds of factory sounds and playable instruments, such as the new Piano Uno and Conflux, and full compatibility with thousands of third-party libraries. The new Complete Instrument Building Toolkit 1.0 introduces expanded scripting, UI design and wavetable synthesis, while SDKs for Tools, Leap and FX enable the creation of advanced instruments with integrated sequencing, gesture-based control and modern visual interfaces. Kontakt 8 remains fully compatible with major plug-in formats (VST3, AU, AAX) and integrates tightly with Native Instruments’ Komplete 15 and S-Series MK3 controllers. Whether designing instruments from scratch, developing custom libraries or refining a workflow, Kontakt 8 reaffirms its role as the universal platform for next-generation sampling and virtual instruments.
In the spotlight
Full Version, Crossgrade or Update?
The full version of Kontakt 8 unlocks complete access to editing, scripting and instrument-building tools, along with the entire Factory Library and support for third-party content. Existing Kontakt 7 users can choose the Update option, retaining their current libraries while gaining the benefits of the redesigned interface and expanded feature set. Owners of a qualifying Native Instruments product can opt for the Crossgrade option, providing the full Kontakt 8 package at a reduced price. All three editions share the same augmented engine, creative tools and streamlined workflow. More than just an update, Kontakt 8 further evolves the software sampler into a full-fledged creative instrument - powerful, precise, and primed for the next generation of music production.
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