Native Instruments Holiday Giveaway: Free Supercharger and Traktor Remix Sets

Native Instruments, a leading manufacturer of software and hardware for computer-based music production and DJing, have launched their annual holiday giveaway as a thank you to all users who have shown their support for the NI products this year. Until December 31, two special gifts are available for download from the Native Instruments website. Producers get SUPERCHARGER – a versatile compressor effect delivering warm, colorful, tube-style compression, modeled from a one-of-a-kind hardware unit. NI’s DJ community gets four new Remix Sets for TRAKTOR’s Remix Decks based on some of the latest MASCHINE Expansions. Native Instruments are also giving away a $25 / 25 € / ￥ 2,500 e-voucher for the NI Online Shop.

More info about the gifts:

SUPERCHARGER  is  a  superb  character  compressor  with  a  simple  but  powerful  interface, which makes compression easy to use, even for the inexperienced user. SUPERCHARGER delivers warm, responsive tube compression. The effect is particularly simple to use, with just a few clearly laid-out controls providing a wide range of sounds from subtle warmth to complete devastation. The input knob and convenient visual display allow producers to set exactly the right input level to drive the compressor. Once the input level is set, producers can quickly dial in a wide range of compression effects using a single ‘Compress’ knob. The Compress knob is a macro knob, automatically adjusting multiple parameters including make-up gain, the responsiveness of the release control, and the degree of saturation. This means that each position of the dial provides an ideal setting. Punch and Dirt buttons deliver added impact and saturation. SUPERCHARGER complements the existing range of KOMPLETE studio effects with harmonically-rich tube sound, and is optimized for use in MASCHINE.

SUPERCHARGER is  part  of  Native  Instruments  KOMPLETE  Instruments  &  Effects  series.  It has been designed for use with your host software.

SUPERCHARGER Requirements:

Mac: Mac OS X 10.7 or 10.8 (latest update), Intel Core Duo, 2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended)

Windows: Windows 8, Windows 7 (latest Service Pack, 32/64 Bit), Intel Core Duo or AMD Athlon 64 X2, 2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended)

Supported interfaces: AU, VST, RTAS, AAX 32- and 64-bit

Tips: What is a Compressor

Technically speaking, a compressor is an audio processing unit that reduces the dynamic range of  an  incoming  signal,  i.e.  reduces  the  level  difference  between  the  signal’s  quiet  and  loud sections.  This  way,  it  can  help  to  increase  the  perceived  loudness  of  a  signal  and  attract  the listener’s attention.

For  many  studio  and  live  music  applications,  the  usage  of  compressors  is  inevitable:  they  let you “glue” the individual instruments of an instrument group together and make them “sit” in the  mix  more  naturally,  which  is  particularly  helpful  when  mixing  drum  recordings.  Compression  can  also  stretch  the  decay  phase  of  instruments,  mostly  drums,  and  add  sustain  to  the tone of the electric guitars.

However, compression can be used for a wide range of applications. Here are just a few examples:

• Electric guitars and basses: Compression is applied to picked string instruments in order to smooth the varying intensity of the individual strokes, thus increasing the perceived overall level. At extreme settings, you can get a ”wall of sound” effect!
• Drums: Adding compression to a bass drum or snare track will add punch and help define its sound in your mix.
• Vocals:  Adding  compression  to  vocals  can  make  them  sound  more  balanced  by  levelling the soft and loud sounds in the voice.
• Mixing/pre-mastering:  A  slight  compression  applied  to  the  overall  mix  (or  some  specificsubgroups) can add cohesion between the various instruments

 

Four new TRAKTOR Remix Sets provide essential loops and samples from the MASCHINE Expansions ELECTRIC VICE, PULSWERK, LAZER DICE, and STATIC FRICTION. TRAKTOR Remix Sets are premium-grade loop and one-shot sample packs, configured for use in the Remix Decks in NI’s flagship TRAKTOR PRO 2 DJ software. Using Remix Decks, DJs can explore new expressive possibilities and live remixing. All four TRAKTOR Remix Sets are available together as a free download.

Download Free SUPERCHARGER and Traktor Remix Sets

Make some joyous noise over the holidays – download Supercharger and the Traktor Remix Sets today. These special offers are available for free from the NI website. Customers are recommended to act quickly – from January 2014, SUPERCHARGER will cost $49 / 49 € / ￥ 4,800, and the e-voucher expires on December 31, 2013.