Native Instruments Kontakt – A full platform for music creation

Q: Do I need Kontakt if I already own Komplete?

Every edition of Komplete includes Kontakt, and most of the included instruments run inside it. Owning Kontakt ensures you can use everything in Komplete and expand with countless third-party libraries across every genre. Kontakt is the sampler, player, and platform, while Komplete is a bundle of instruments and effects that Kontakt plays.

A full platform for music creation

Kontakt is where musicians find the right sound at the right moment. Trusted by millions, it's a platform of virtual instruments that offers powerful tools and a growing library ecosystem to keep your creativity moving.

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Built for people who make music and put it out there

From film scores to park jams, from bedroom beats to full studio sessions, musicians everywhere are bringing Kontakt to life. Watch our latest artist feature to learn how producer Hunna G made Kontakt with his audience.

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Make Kontakt with real sound

Kontakt 8 comes loaded with over 900 instruments, from full orchestral sections to choirs, drums, synths, world instruments, and more. Because Kontakt is the industry standard for developing your own libraries, you'll have access to thousands of partner and indie libraries trusted by pros.

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Make Kontakt with performance

Kontakt isn't just about sound, it's about feel. Humanized performances and expressive instruments respond with the nuance of real players, so your music breathes with life.

Make Kontakt with creativity

Kontakt gives you the tools to move from a quick sketch to a complete track. Start with a riff or chord, expand it into progressions and variations, and shape it into a finished arrangement.

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Make Kontakt with Leap

Leap is Kontakt's fun, performance-ready sampler that captures ideas as they happen. Load loops, one-shots, or kits and start reshaping them in real time. It combines the spontaneity of a looper with the freedom of sampling, so you can experiment and turn impromptu moments into tracks without slowing down.

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Smart tools for instant creativity

Just like you, we’re always building and adding. In Kontakt 8.6, we’ve introduced new tools to spark inspiration  and help you jump straight into making music.

Transform simple chords into moving, rhythmic patterns that drive your track forward.

Spark inspiration with ready-to-play musical phrases that adapt to your style.

Lock in groove with customizable rhythmic patterns that add momentum and flow.

Add natural variation to timing and velocity for more organic, lifelike performances.

Instantly trigger rich, full harmonies from a single key or pad.

Shape major and minor voicings, choose roots, and stack extensions to craft chords your way.

Explore new scales and modes that push your music in unexpected directions.

Shape dynamics and feel by dialing in how hard or soft your sounds respond.

Start free with Kontakt Player Upgrade to Kontakt 8

The ecosystem the industry builds on

Kontakt is the platform the industry builds for. Independent developers and leading sound houses design instruments specifically for it, and with the full version of Kontakt you can unlock them all. From cinematic scores to club-ready beats, the Kontakt ecosystem grows every day.

Third-party developers

Kontakt enables the creation of thousands of sample-based instruments from hundreds of top builders like Audio Imperia, Spitfire, Slate + Ash, Teletone Audio and many more. Many of these are made for the free Kontakt Player, so you can explore even before purchasing the full version of Kontakt.

Explore the sounds inside Kontakt

Discover the breadth of sounds and tools included with every Kontakt purchase.

Included with all Kontakt purchases – The Kontakt Factory Library comes packed with everything you need to get started. Thousands of meticulously recorded samples across more than 900 individual instruments and new combined presets powered by Chords and Phrases.

Orchestral – The comprehensive, integrated collection of sampled strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion, all taken from Orchestral Tools's flagship Berlin Series, recorded at Teldex Studios Berlin.

Acoustic – Get creative with flutes, dulcimers, recorders, bagpipes, fiddles, a hurdy gurdy, and gongs and percussion with editable MIDI patterns. 60 meticulously recorded instruments for unique character and depth.

Band – Whether it's rock, funk, jazz, or soul, find the authentic sounds you need with a range of acoustic and electric sounds, different articulations, and playing styles.

Beats – Find your flow and lay down rhythmic patterns fast. Choose from 288 pre-made Grooves across 90 kits, or free-play your own rhythms. Use MIDI drag and drop to export patterns into your DAW.

Choir – Choral vocals spanning soprano, alto, tenor, and bass ranges, with high-quality patches including vowels (Aah, Eh, I, Ooh, Uh, Mmm) and sustain, marcato, staccato, and staccatissimo articulations.

Synths – All the pads, leads, arps, and basses you could ever need, including evolving cinematic textures. From earliest vintage gear to sci-fi FM and modular rigs, a huge range of electronic sounds.

Vintage – 292 deep-sampled electronic instruments delivering the rich, timeless warmth of analog synthesis, tube compression, and tape saturation from the most sought-after synths and drum machines.

Leap Expansions – An ultra-fast and playful new way to manipulate audio files in Kontakt. 12 included Leap Expansions: curated packs of construction kits, loops, and samples for specific genres and styles.

Curated picks for every kind of musician

Whether you're producing beats, writing songs, scoring films, or exploring global traditions, Kontakt has the sounds and tools to match the way you make music.

For producers

Beats

Drum kits, loops, and MIDI patterns designed for modern production.

Synths

All the pads, leads, arps, and basses you need, plus evolving soundscapes, vintage gear, and futuristic tones.

Vintage

Classic synths, drum machines, and retro tones.

For songwriters

Band

Authentic rock, funk, jazz, and soul instruments, from guitars and bass to full drum kits with groove patterns.

Hybrid Keys

Blended pianos, synths, and keys with rich textures and modern twists, perfect for warm chords and airy atmospheres.

Hot Vocals

Contemporary R&B and pop vocals with polished lead lines, harmonies, and hooks.

For composers

Orchestral

Strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion from Orchestral Tools' Berlin Series, recorded at Teldex Studios Berlin.

Choir

Rich soprano, alto, tenor, and bass vocals with expressive vowel sounds and dynamic articulations for film and classical scoring.

Conflux

A hybrid instrument that layers samples with synthesis, creating evolving textures and cinematic atmospheres.

For every genre

Disco & Funk

Funky guitars, basslines, and soulful grooves.

80s New Wave

Vintage synth bass lines, pulsating sequences, lush pads, and iconic drum machines capturing the essence of the era.

Platinum Pop

Melodic hip hop and pop kits with smooth keys, guitars, and brass.

Instruments from around the world

Latin Trap

A fusion of hip hop, trap, and drill with traditional Latin rhythms like reggaeton and Brazilian funk.

Acoustic

Dulcimers, hurdy gurdy, bagpipes, flutes, fiddles, gongs, and percussion.

Afrobeats

Vibrant kits filled with electric keys, rhythmic guitars, bass, and rich percussion blending traditional African and contemporary sounds.

Make Kontakt yours

Kontakt comes in two flavors. Player gives you a free way in. The full version unlocks every tool, every sound, and every possibility.

Kontakt Player

Free to download

✅ Comes with Factory Selection 2 (~50 instruments, ~6 GB)
✅ Can load all licensed Kontakt libraries (requires serial activation)
✅ Access to new creative tools (Leap, Chord Mode, Humanizer, etc.)
✅ Works as standalone or plugin (VST3, AU, AAX)
❌ Cannot load non-licensed / "DIY" libraries
❌ No full editing or instrument building

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Kontakt 8

Full version • Upgrade

✅ Includes Factory Library 2 (1,000+ instruments, 50 GB)
✅ Full instrument building/editing (sampler, scripting, modulation)
✅ Access to new creative tools (Leap, Chord Mode, Humanizer, etc.)
✅ Load any Kontakt-compatible library (licensed or unlicensed)
✅ Build & customize your own instruments from scratch
✅ Deeper integration with Komplete Kontrol & hardware

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FAQ

Kontakt Player is the free version of Kontakt. It gives you access to a selection of high-quality instruments and any third-party libraries officially licensed for Kontakt Player. The full version of Kontakt goes further: it lets you use thousands of additional "independent" libraries, customize sounds in detail, and even build your own instruments.

Every edition of Komplete includes Kontakt, and most of the included instruments run inside it. Owning Kontakt ensures you can use everything in Komplete and expand with countless third-party libraries across every genre. Kontakt is the sampler, player, and platform, while Komplete is a bundle of instruments and effects that Kontakt plays.

Kontakt isn't just a sampler: it's a platform. With unmatched realism, a huge ecosystem of sounds, and advanced tools like Leap, Kontakt gives you both instant inspiration and deep creative control.

Kontakt is available on its own or as part of Komplete bundles, which deliver massive collections of instruments and effects at unbeatable value. Once you own Kontakt, you unlock access to an ever-growing world of instruments from Native Instruments and top third-party developers.