Folktek Kontakt
- Thread starter D Halgren
- Start date
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D Halgren
Senior Member
It seems that they are doing an update on both volumes for Kontakt 6. There really isn't much info on any of it. I did see a blurb by @charlieclouser so maybe he has some thoughts, or maybe it's just a secret weapon 
charlieclouser
Senior Member
Yeah, I have their sample libraries as well as a few of their real-world hardware instruments (Euphonos Field, Illuminist Garden, etc.).
The hardware instruments can take a while to get into the zone with - put your DAW in loop record mode and make sure you have plenty of empty disc space! But they are strange and unique and wonderful and I appreciate what they're doing, and I like supporting outsider sound artists like them.
I initially got the sample libraries as kind of a way to get a taste of some of the other instruments to help decide if I wanted to plunk down for more hardware, and there's a lot of cool stuff in there for sure - and the price is a bargain compared to the hardware! Of course, it's a whole different thing - when you're working with the hardware you fiddle and experiment and move in some direction in a natural way, but with the sample libraries you're just flicking through the stuff going, "no... no... no... ooh, that's kind of cool." And, like the hardware, the samples benefit from using a LOT of processing after the fact, so a good approach is to set up a ton of plugins (or route to your H-9000 or whatever) and THEN start flicking through the stuff.
So the libraries are a good choice for anyone who's sick of the same old "pad machine" or "Boards of Canada style" Kontakt libs and wants a little more of an "outsider" approach, but the Folktek stuff is right on the line between noise and music. Their sounds are NOT huge and mega-crazy - more like tiny and delicately glitched out. So more "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" than "Sicario". But if you know that going in and are still curious, the price is not too crazy.
The hardware instruments can take a while to get into the zone with - put your DAW in loop record mode and make sure you have plenty of empty disc space! But they are strange and unique and wonderful and I appreciate what they're doing, and I like supporting outsider sound artists like them.
I initially got the sample libraries as kind of a way to get a taste of some of the other instruments to help decide if I wanted to plunk down for more hardware, and there's a lot of cool stuff in there for sure - and the price is a bargain compared to the hardware! Of course, it's a whole different thing - when you're working with the hardware you fiddle and experiment and move in some direction in a natural way, but with the sample libraries you're just flicking through the stuff going, "no... no... no... ooh, that's kind of cool." And, like the hardware, the samples benefit from using a LOT of processing after the fact, so a good approach is to set up a ton of plugins (or route to your H-9000 or whatever) and THEN start flicking through the stuff.
So the libraries are a good choice for anyone who's sick of the same old "pad machine" or "Boards of Canada style" Kontakt libs and wants a little more of an "outsider" approach, but the Folktek stuff is right on the line between noise and music. Their sounds are NOT huge and mega-crazy - more like tiny and delicately glitched out. So more "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" than "Sicario". But if you know that going in and are still curious, the price is not too crazy.
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D Halgren
Senior Member
Thanks, I always appreciate your knowledge and opinion! Maybe I will take the plunge at some point. I wish they had more media around for the libraries, like a walkthrough, or something.
