The most popular German brand of musical software and hardware Native Instruments is one of the founders of such virtual musical instruments (VSTi) and plug-ins era – they started the epoch of gadgets for digital audio workstations (DAW).
Stephan Schmitt, musician and engineer, founded the Native Instruments brand in 1996 in Berlin. The impetus for creating his own company happened to be the desire to focus on software synthesis, which, with the growth of PC popularity, seemed a much more promising occupation than building and purchasing massive synthesizers. Before the foundation of his own enterprise, Stephan was engaged into designing of mixing consoles and was thinking about how to turn a modern computer into a musical instrument. The idea materialized in a new project called Generator. The software instrument, developed together with the programmer Volker Hinz, generated sound in a variety of ways, and also offered incredibly flexible processing. In 1996, the novelty managed to attract enough attention to become one of the most important Musikmesse showpiece and to persuade Schmitt and Hinz to follow their vision of the modern music market. "Generator", which became the first product released by a very young Native Instruments brand, worked on Pentium. Producers of electronic music liked this instrument, simplifying and speeding up the process of creating tracks as much as possible.
A year later the company got even more serious, being registered as Native Instruments GmbH. The brand's developers continued to improve the commercially successful Generator, adding full-functional sampling features, as well as releasing new virtual instruments: Dynamo, Transformator and Reaktor.
In 2000, the team took risks and get down to computer reproduction of the legends of the musical world Hammond B3 and Sequential Circuits Prophet 5. B4 and PRO-5 once again proved the professionalism of Native Instruments masters, and also became an example of the tact and respect with which the designers approached the cult instruments.
In 2002, a company’s branch was established in Los Angeles, registered as Native Instruments Inc. Such high-profile products as Traktor DJ Studio and Kontakt and Battery samplers were developed.
The brand also owns one of the most famous software instruments - Guitar Rig, which was released in 2004. Guitar Rig not only turned the process and possibilities of electric guitar recording upside down, but also brought the company onto the hardware music market, launching a real USB controller to the virtual instrument in 2005.
The company that released the guitar software, VSTi and DJ equipment, officially divided its activities into three independent branches. In 2006, Audio Kontrol 1 was introduced - the first audio interface (external audio interface for working with high conversion parameters, the front panel of which featured convenient assignable controllers), Massive - a wavetable virtual synthesizer (+ using the additive type of synthesis), as well as Kore software stand-alone host, which appeared to be the subject of a lively discussion among the NAMM show participants. In 2007 came the second generation of Kore product, incorporating the most important utilities and instruments of the company.
A year later, Native Instruments released the first vinyl-emulation system developed for Traktor software and for integration with the Audio 8 DJ audio interface - Traktor Scratch eclipsed the brand's competitors on the DJ gear market.
Being recognized as the best DJ product by the International Dance Music Awards in 2009, Traktor Scratch Pro will hardly ever leave the Top 100 DJ equipment rating.
Today the company offers TRAKTOR SCRATCH A10, which allows you to spin digital files on 4-track decks, using tight vinyl- and CD-control. The developers tried to simplify their legendary digital vinyl system as much as possible, making integration with the TRAKTOR AUDIO 10 even more perfect. The product includes TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO 2 software with patented Remix Deck technology - the latest version of advanced DJ software. TRAKTOR SCRATCH 10 gives complete freedom to DJs, providing multi-functional remix features. Total control of all processes is provided thanks to the 10-channel TRAKTOR AUDIO 10 interface, which allows you to expand your setup with TRAKTOR KONTROL F1. Auto Detection and configuration of NI audio interfaces will prepare your workplace in seconds.
Among the products released by the brand today there are the new ones, such as Thrill – an instrument for performing mystical atmospheric sounds, noises and hybrid textures in real time, MASCHINE JAM - a system for advanced step sequencing, sound sculpting and song sketching, including Smart Strips and Perform FX, as well as KOMPLETE 11 ULTIMATE - a first-class kit for audio production, which includes more than 18,000 sounds, 500 GB of instruments and effects.
Native Instruments produces KOMPLETE KONTROL S88, an advanced smart keyboard with 88 weighted keys with a hammer mechanism, Komplete Kontrol software, NKS support.
Products for digital DJing include the flagship TRAKTOR PRO 2, TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 and TRAKTOR KONTROL S5.
Maschine “groove supplier” includes such products, as the recently released MASCHINE JAM, its predecessor MASCHINE and LONDON GRIT, a gloomy and chilling tour around the underground grime scene.