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Kontakt 8 Crossgrade by Native Instruments sampling platform interface
Native Instruments·Kontakt Instruments

Kontakt 8 Crossgrade: Sampling Platform Upgrade by Native Instruments

Rated 4.6/5 on Plugin Boutique (16 ratings)

Kontakt 8 Crossgrade is a plugin from Native Instruments that provides the Kontakt 8 sampling platform as an upgrade route for eligible existing owners. It runs as a standalone application on Windows and macOS and adds new tools for melodies, loops and hybrid sound design.

REQUIRESKontaktHost player sold separately
StandaloneWindowsmacOS64-bit
AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique
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01Overview

Kontakt 8 Crossgrade is the Kontakt 8 sampling platform from Native Instruments, offered as a crossgrade for existing owners of eligible products. It centers on Kontakt, a platform that hosts both bundled and third-party sample-based instruments. The release adds new MIDI tools, a loop and sample playback tool called Leap, and a hybrid instrument called Conflux.

Best for

  • Melody and sequence ideas
  • Loop-based beat making
  • Genre-specific sample packs
  • Hybrid sound design
  • Building custom sample instruments
Requires
Kontakt
Store
Plugin Boutique
02Key features

What you get

  • Chords and Phrases Tools for MIDI melodies and sequences
  • Randomization features to spark new ideas fast
  • Leap for fast playback of loops and samples
  • 12 Leap Expansions for specific genres and styles
  • Conflux hybrid instrument with wavetable, FM and ring modulation
  • Kontakt 8 Factory Library 2 with over 900 instruments
  • Deep NKS integration for browsing and previewing instruments
  • Hardware integration with Kontrol keyboards and Maschine
  • Improved tools for building your own instruments
03In depth

New Tools for Melodies, Loops and Hybrid Sounds

The Chords and Phrases Tools generate MIDI content and offer randomization for building melodies and sequences. They work with any Kontakt instrument, so they can be added to the sounds you already use.

Leap is built for playing and manipulating loops and samples quickly. It ships with 12 Leap Expansions, curated packs for specific genres and styles, including Afrobeats, Latin Trap, Platinum Pop, Progressive Trance and Soul Gold.

Conflux combines samples with wavetable, FM and ring modulation oscillators, letting you shape organic and synth-based sounds in real time.

Library, Hardware Integration and Building Your Own Instruments

Kontakt 8 Factory Library 2 includes over 900 instruments. Native Instruments says the platform also hosts thousands of third-party sample-based instruments, and NKS integration gives quick browsing and preview of hundreds of instruments.

The software works with Kontrol keyboards and Maschine, and it includes improved tools for building your own instruments inside Kontakt.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

DeveloperNative Instruments
TypePlugin
CategoryKontakt Instrument
RequiresKontakt
FormatsStandalone
Operating systemsWindows, macOS
Architecture64-bit
05FAQ

Questions, answered

What do I need to use Kontakt 8 Crossgrade?

Kontakt 8 Crossgrade requires Kontakt. An internet connection is needed to install and activate the product, and once installed, it can be used offline.

Which operating systems and formats are supported?

Kontakt 8 Crossgrade is available in Standalone format for Windows and macOS, as 64-bit software. On Mac it supports macOS 12, 13 and 14, and on Windows it supports Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit).

Does Kontakt 8 Crossgrade work with my existing Kontakt instruments?

Yes. The Chords and Phrases Tools are described as working with any Kontakt instrument.

07Developer

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