Intro to Reaktor: Sound Design Tutorial

This intro to Reaktor begins with some basic setup file management info and then goes through some of the navigation required to begin using a synth. Before really diving in though, Evan explains the difference between Ensembles and Instruments and how this is important. It is also pointed out that you need to be aware of your volume levels when building your own instruments from scratch, as you can easily be surprised and caught off guard by loud and potentially damaging noises throughout the process. Knowing all of these things, and remaining aware of them, will help you get started with your sessions without much hassle.

He chooses the synth Junitik, because it is a very simple interface and easy to both navigate and use. With all of the main features you expect to see in a subtractive synth, he quickly covers the envelope, filter cutoff and resonance, etc. He also takes the time to point out the Info button at the top of the window. This is used to get more information about different features by simply hovering over them. Next, Snapshots (or presets) are discussed as well as how to create and save new snapshot banks to expand your collection of sounds you can load into the synth. Note that if you are using an ensemble rather than an instrument, there is more than one snapshot menu option to be aware of. Each instrument in the ensemble will have its own bank(s).

Working with Ensembles in Reaktor is much like working with multis in Kontakt. It allows you to load up more than one element into the Reaktor window, like a synth and a delay effect. Having both of these running at the same time in Reaktor mean that you can continue building and shaping your sounds and then save (and load) them as ensembles. This is a huge step forward for any new user of Reaktor, and is often met with a mention of it’s similarity to the program Reason in some ways. The Function tab, found in the left-hand sidebar, shows you all relevant data and settings associated with the different elements of your ensemble that is currently loaded. You can also make changes to the instruments here.

Showing how to add a new instrument to an existing ensemble is also covered. Simply dragging a filter effect into the Reaktor window is not enough. It still needs to be routed, depending upon how you plan on using it. Switching to Structure View gives you the chance to look at the inner workings and routing of everything contained in the ensemble. For those of you who are power users of Logic Pro will see a definite similarity to the Environment window that you can use to create custom switches and their routings, etc. This is a very powerful feature and it’s what really allows you to create your own unique instruments and ensembles with Reaktor.

Only the very basic have been shared here in this intro to Reaktor, and the surface has yet to even be scratched. We are looking forward to bringing you the very best in everything Reaktor for years to come, and want all of you to be involved! We would love to hear from you with requests, ideas, feedback, etc. And for those of you who are looking for a way to share your own sounds and tutorials with the world, we can help! Drop us a message before you leave the site today. Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers,
OhmLab