Leap Expansion 80s New Wave preset pack artwork for Kontakt

Leap Expansion - 80s New Wave: Kontakt Preset Pack by Native Instruments

Leap Expansion - 80s New Wave is a Kontakt expansion pack by Native Instruments with vintage synth basses, arpeggios, analog pads and drum machine sounds inspired by 80s synth-pop.

REQUIRESKontaktHost synth sold separately

All presets for Kontakt

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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01Overview

Leap Expansion - 80s New Wave is a sound pack from Native Instruments built around the sound of 80s synth-pop. It covers synth bass lines, pulsating sequences, lush analog pads and classic drum machine sounds. The pack runs inside Kontakt and includes Leap's performance effects, which let you twist pitch, warp speed and slice loops from the keyboard. The developer presents it as a portal for trying new genres, textures and palettes.

Best for

80s synth-pop production
Synth bass lines
Arpeggio sequences
Retro drum programming
Analog pad layers
Retro film and game scores

Developer: Native Instruments
Category: Expansion Packs
Requires: Kontakt
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Synth bass, lead, chord and arpeggio sounds in an 80s new wave style
Drum machine and percussion sounds in 80s synth-pop character
Analog-style pads and ambient textures
Leap performance effects for pitch, speed and loop slicing
Around 0.4 GB total download size
Built for Kontakt

03In depth

What the 80s New Wave sounds include

The pack is organized into instrument categories. It includes 24 synth sounds, 21 bass sounds, 14 synth leads, 11 arpeggios and 10 pads, along with 30 drum sounds and 8 chord and 8 percussion sounds.

The rest of the library adds guitar, piano, flute, organ, strings, vocals, sound effects and ambience, giving producers more textures beyond the core synth-pop palette.

Native Instruments describes the sound set as vintage synth basses, pulsating arpeggios, analog pads and iconic drum machine sounds that capture the bold, futuristic energy of 80s synth-pop.

Leap performance effects and workflow

Leap is the performance layer that comes with its expansions. Native Instruments says it lets you twist pitch, warp speed and slice loops at the press of a key.

The developer positions these playful performance effects as a way to spark inspiration and happy accidents, making the creative process feel fluid.

The pack requires Kontakt to run, so it fits producers who already work with that sampler.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

Developer	Native Instruments
Type	Preset pack / expansion
Category	Expansion Packs
Requires	Kontakt

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What do I need to use Leap Expansion - 80s New Wave?

You need Kontakt, either the free Kontakt Player or the full Kontakt version. The pack runs on Windows 10 or 11 and macOS 13, 14 and 15.

What are the system requirements?

You need an Intel Core i5 or equivalent CPU or Apple Silicon, 4 GB of RAM (6 GB recommended), Direct 3D 11.1 graphics support (Feature Level 11_0) or higher, and 2 GB of free disk space. It supports ASIO, Core Audio and WASAPI.

How many sounds are included?

The pack includes 30 drum sounds, 24 synth sounds, 21 bass sounds, 14 synth leads, 11 arpeggios, 10 pads and sound sets across 17 instrument categories.