NI REAKTOR Blocks - Thoughts?

[razor7music]

Hey All--

I've been downloading the free NI REAKTOR stuff--the player, the blocks, the presets. I haven't really gotten into messing with it yet, and then I got this email from NI with a how-to video, so I thought I'd check it out.

I know I'm missing something. I am an NI fan, but I just can't see spending this much time to build my own synth when there are so many out there that just need tweaks to suit your taste. I mean, after the demo in the video, the synth example still sounds like a Casio from Radio Shack to me.

What am I missing?

[msmcleod]

I gave up on writing synth sounds a while back.

I had a short delve back into it, when I was preparing for playing keys with a Marillion tribute band (which never happened in the end), and I tried to replicate as much as the sounds I could with my Korg X5D & Casio CZ1 to keep my rig as light as possible.

But nowadays as you say, there's just so many good soft synths out there with 1000's of presets, I just don't have the time or patience. I may tweak them now and then, but writing new sounds / creating new synths from scratch... nope.

I guess the NI Blocks stuff is geared at those who would love get a bunch of Eurorack modules if they could afford them (or had the space).

[wetdentist]

i use Blocks ALL THE TIME, and i don't build my own synths, as they come with pre-built ones.  i do tweak the presets.  also, the full version of Reaktor 6 comes with a bunch more pre-built modular synth Blocks.  indispensable.

[razor7music]

2 hours ago, wetdentist said:

i use Blocks ALL THE TIME, and i don't build my own synths, as they come with pre-built ones.  i do tweak the presets.  also, the full version of Reaktor 6 comes with a bunch more pre-built modular synth Blocks.  indispensable.

I just have Reaktor Player 6. Maybe that's why I have to build my own?

[wetdentist]

for awhile, i only had Reaktor 6 Player, but it came with 3 pre-built Blocks modular synths, each with about 20-30 presets that could be tweeked and saved.

[razor7music]

5 hours ago, wetdentist said:

for awhile, i only had Reaktor 6 Player, but it came with 3 pre-built Blocks modular synths, each with about 20-30 presets that could be tweeked and saved.

Thanks! I'll look for those 3.

[wetdentist]

upon further review, looks like that 3 number is outdated.  now it's 1 (Bento), but it's contained in a larger pack with other Blocks (Blocks Prime & Blocks Base).  i guess NI thought they were giving away too much for free & cut it down.  today i have been over at the NI site, taking account of what i own, and what i will be owning twice once i download my new Komplete 12 updates, and have noticed that their Blocks freebies have changed

[razor7music]

2 hours ago, wetdentist said:

upon further review, looks like that 3 number is outdated.  now it's 1 (Bento), but it's contained in a larger pack with other Blocks (Blocks Prime & Blocks Base).  i guess NI thought they were giving away too much for free & cut it down.  today i have been over at the NI site, taking account of what i own, and what i will be owning twice once i download my new Komplete 12 updates, and have noticed that their Blocks freebies have changed

OK. I think I'll probably just uninstall Blocks. I don't have a use for it.

 

Thanks

[paulo]

After a long and ultimately unsatisfying first day, I mentally filed most of the Reaktor stuff under Can't Be Bothered.

 

[abacab]

It appears that they have discontinued the Reaktor Factory Selection for the Player. But you can buy Blocks Primes for $99 and get 50+ preset racks. I still have the Factory Selection R2 and Reaktor Blocks Wired that I received for free in the past.

Install the free NI Komplete Start bundle and you should get some cool  instruments, as well as many other sounds (includes over 6 GB of instruments, effects, loops, and samples).  https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/bundles/komplete-start/

This includes Reaktor Blocks Base (24 patchable blocks and over 30 inspiring and educational racks). https://www.native-instruments.com/en/reaktor-blocks-quickstart/

[abacab]

I just checked again and the free Blocks Base comes with about 35 free pre-wired racks. It appears to be a replacement for the previous Blocks Wired and Reaktor Factory Selection.