Instruments and Tools

In the side pane browser or in the Library browser, double-clicking a factory or user kit from the Leap category will load the kit into Leap.

In the side pane browser or in the Library browser, double-clicking a sample from the Loops or One-shots category will open a new empty Leap kit and load the sample into its first sample slot.

Dragging and dropping samples from the side pane browser’s Loops and One-shots categories, or from a folder on your desktop:

In a Leap instance in Group mode, you can [Ctrl]-click the desired key in the Keyboard section, select Browse from the context menu, and choose a sample to load it into that slot.

Macro preset selector: Selects a set of eight Macros. You can click the preset name to open a menu where you can select another Macro preset, or you can click the little left and right arrows to quickly switch to the previous or next preset from the list. Each Leap Expansion provides its own Macro presets. The Macro preset selector will collect the Macro presets available in every Leap Expansion installed on your computer.

8 Macro controls: Adjust the various effects available in the selected set. The first six Macros adjust six curated effects made for live performance. The last two Macros adjust your kit’s global send levels to the delay and reverb send effects, respectively.

Group/Single Mode switch: Switches between the Group mode and the Single mode.

Follow: Available only when the Edit page is displayed. If Follow is turned on, you can select each sample by playing its corresponding key on your keyboard. For example, this can be useful when adjusting the same parameter for multiple samples: you can quickly select the samples in a row using your keyboard, and for each sample adjust the desired parameter.

Quantize: Quantizes the start time of the triggered samples to the next time division. By clicking the displayed value you can select another time division to which the incoming notes should be quantized. Or you can deactivate the input quantization by selecting Off from the menu. This input quantization applies both to incoming MIDI notes and to your clicks on the sample slots, but does not affect the black keys (Perform effects) nor the Single mode. For the quantization to work, the playback must be active in your DAW (if Kontakt is running as a plug-in) or in the Master Editor (if Kontakt is running as a standalone application).

Black keys (upper row): Each key represents a Perform effect. The effect is turned on as long as you hold the key depressed (either in this Keyboard section or on your MIDI keyboard). You can configure the Perform effect assigned to each key on the Perform FX page.

White keys (lower row): Each key represents a sample slot. Each sample can be triggered by clicking the slot or pressing the corresponding key on your MIDI keyboard. The slots are numbered from 1 to 16. As a reminder, the first key of each octave is indicated below the keys (by default C2, C3, and C4). Various icons and actions are available on the slots depending on their content and playback mode.

Start Key: Adjusts the lower end (or start key) of the key range used by Leap. This allows you to adapt Leap to the physical key range available on your MIDI keyboard. You can set the Leap range to start either on the C or on the F key in any octave from 0 to 4.

Tonality: Specifies a global tonality for both Group mode and Single mode. In Group mode, the samples for which the Global switch is turned on in the Tuning section of the Engine panel will be transposed to match this global tonality. You can adjust the tonality using two menus: the Key menu on the left sets the root note of the scale, and the Mode menu on the right selects its scale mode between Major and Minor. Click either menu to select the desired value.

Tonality Lock: When the Lock is active, the Tonality values remains untouched when you load another kit.

Group/Single Mode switch: Switches between the Group mode and the Single mode.

Sample info: Shows the number (1 – 16) of the selected slot and the name of its sample.

Octave: Transposes the key range available in the Keyboard section by octaves (from -2 to +3 octaves). This key range is indicated by a different color on Kontakt’s on-screen keyboard and on the Light Guide of the Kontrol S-Series keyboards.

Black and white keys: Trigger the sample at different pitches. As a reminder, the first key of each octave is indicated below the white keys (by default C2, C3, and C4).

Scaled: When activated, all the played keys will be quantized to the scale defined by the Tonality control: If you play a note outside that scale, it will be quantized to the nearest note within the scale.

Tonality: Specifies a global tonality for both Group mode and Single mode. In Single mode, this global tonality serves as a reference when quantizing the pitch of the played notes using the Scaled switch. You can adjust the Tonality parameter using two menus: the Key menu on the left sets the root note of the scale, and the Mode menu on the right selects its scale mode between Major and Minor. Click either menu to select the desired value.

Tonality Lock: When the Lock is active, the Tonality values remains untouched when you load another kit.

GRID: Selects the mode used to set the beat grid. Selecting Off deactivates the grid completely. In Fix mode the grid uses a fixed time duration between beats throughout the sample. In Auto mode Kontakt sets the beats automatically by detecting the transients in the sample. If you have loaded a REX file, an additional REX mode lets you use the grid information stored in the REX file.

WIDTH (grid in Fix mode only): Selects the duration between beats, measured in fractions of the sample duration according to its playback speed. The available values go from 1/1 to 1/64. For example, selecting 1/8 will create by default 8 beats across the sample.

THRESHOLD (grid in Auto mode only): Adjusts the sensitivity of the transient detection. Increasing THRESHOLD will result in detecting more beats.

SNAP TO: Selects what the start, end, and loop markers should snap to when you move them across the sample. Selecting Off deactivates snapping completely. Selecting Grid will let the markers snap to the beats, which allows rhythmic samples to start and loop perfectly on the beat. Selecting Zero-X will let the markers snap to the nearest position where the audio signal crosses the zero value, which reduces possible clicks between samples or at the looping transition.

Type section: Selects a playback engine and configures its dedicated parameters. Refer to Type section for more information.

Tempo section: Adjusts the tempo-related settings of the sample. Refer to Tempo section for more information.

Tuning section: Adjusts the tonality of the sample. Refer to Tuning section for more information.

Playback section: Adjusts how the sample should be played. Refer to Playback section for more information.

Perform FX switch: This switch is on by default. If you turn it off (switch to the left), the sample will not be processed by the Perform effects. For example, with this switch you can prevent a pad sound or texture from being processed by a time-synchronized Perform effect that might only be suitable for the drum samples of your kit.

Macro FX switch: This switch is on by default. If you turn it off (switch to the left), the sample will not be processed by the global effects controlled using the Macros.

Filter section: Adjusts a filter applied to the sample. Refer to Filter section for more information.

Amp section: Adjusts the envelope of the amplification stage. Refer to Amp section for more information.

Output section: Adjust the output stage including global volume, pan, and effect levels. Refer to Output section for more information.

Perform FX switch: This switch is on by default. If you turn it off (switch to the left), the sample will not be processed by the Perform effects. For example, with this switch you can prevent a pad sound or texture from being processed by a time-synchronized Perform effect that might only be suitable for the drum samples of your kit.

Macro FX switch: This switch is on by default. If you turn it off (switch to the left), the sample will not be processed by the global effects controlled using the Macros.

Effect icon: Switches the effect on or off for the corresponding key. When the effect is off, its icon is grayed out and the effect will not be triggered when you press the key.

Effect icon: Switches the effect on or off for the corresponding key. When the effect is off, its icon is grayed out and the effect will not be triggered when you press the key.

Effect icon: Switches the effect on or off for the corresponding key. When the effect is off, its icon is grayed out and the effect will not be triggered when you press the key.

Effect menu (down arrow): Selects a Perform effect for that key. You can choose from the following effects: Gater, Beat Masher, Beat Slicer, Reverse Grain, and Transpose Stretch. If you select None, no effect will be assigned to the key.

Rate: Adjusts the rate of the gating effect.

Sync (note icon): Synchronizes Rate to Kontakt’s main tempo. When Sync is on, Rate can be set in note values relative to the main tempo of Kontakt (which is the tempo of your DAW if Kontakt is running as a plug-in). In that case Rate is measured in note values and can be set to Off, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, and 1/32.

Noise: Adjusts the amount of hissing noise added to the signal.

Wet: Mutes the input signal so that only the effect signal can be heard. When combined with the Noise control, the Gater can be used as a rhythmically gated noise source .

Shape: Adjusts the hold and decay times of the gating effect’s contour.

Stutter: Sets the gating time to a 3/16 note, producing a stuttering effect.

Mix: Blends between the input signal and the effect signal.

Effect icon: Switches the effect on or off for the corresponding key. When the effect is off, its icon is grayed out and the effect will not be triggered when you press the key.

Effect menu (down arrow): Selects a Perform effect for that key. You can choose from the following effects: Gater, Beat Masher, Beat Slicer, Reverse Grain, and Transpose Stretch. If you select None, no effect will be assigned to the key.

Gate: Grabs and plays slices of audio from the internal buffer. When turned fully to the left, the effect is bypassed. When turned right towards center position, increasingly longer slices are played. When set to center position, the full buffer is played. When turned right from the center position, increasingly longer slices of audio are cut, creating a gating effect.

Rotate: Shifts the audio from the buffer relative to its original position in steps of 1/8 notes.

Wrap: Restarts the effect from the start of each bar independently from the Length setting.

Length: Adjusts the length of the audio from the internal buffer, measured in note values.

Reverse: Reverses the playback direction of the audio from the internal buffer.

Mix: Blends between the input signal and the effect signal.

Effect icon: Switches the effect on or off for the corresponding key. When the effect is off, its icon is grayed out and the effect will not be triggered when you press the key.

Effect menu (down arrow): Selects a Perform effect for that key. You can choose from the following effects: Gater, Beat Masher, Beat Slicer, Reverse Grain, and Transpose Stretch. If you select None, no effect will be assigned to the key.

Buzz: Creates a rolling beat effect by repeating beats from the current pattern. Turning the control to the right increases the rate of repetition.

Pattern: Selects a pattern from the group set using Style. The first pattern in each group plays back the unaltered audio from the buffer.

Gate: Gates the audio based on a rhythm derived from another pattern, creating infinite variations through combination of the playback and gating patterns. When activated, the Buzz control is inactive.

Style: Selects one of five groups of patterns.

2 Bars: Extends the audio used from the buffer to two bars. Otherwise only the first bar of audio is used.

Mix: Blends between the input signal and the effect signal.

Effect icon: Switches the effect on or off for the corresponding key. When the effect is off, its icon is grayed out and the effect will not be triggered when you press the key.

Effect menu (down arrow): Selects a Perform effect for that key. You can choose from the following effects: Gater, Beat Masher, Beat Slicer, Reverse Grain, and Transpose Stretch. If you select None, no effect will be assigned to the key.

Pitch: Adjusts the pitch of the audio from the internal buffer. When turned fully to the right, the pitch is unaltered. Turning Pitch to the left pitches the audio down.

Grain: Adjusts the size of the grains used to process audio from the internal buffer. Interesting effects can be achieved when combined with the Speed control.

Invert: Plays the grains in reversed order.

Speed: Adjusts the playback speed of the grains used to process audio from the internal buffer. When turned fully to the right, the playback speed is unaltered. Turning Speed to the left reduces the playback speed.

Forward: Inverts the playback direction to forward.

Mix: Blends between the input signal and the effect signal.

Effect icon: Switches the effect on or off for the corresponding key. When the effect is off, its icon is grayed out and the effect will not be triggered when you press the key.

Effect menu (down arrow): Selects a Perform effect for that key. You can choose from the following effects: Gater, Beat Masher, Beat Slicer, Reverse Grain, and Transpose Stretch. If you select None, no effect will be assigned to the key.

Amount: Adjusts the amount of time-stretching. Turning Amount to the right slows the audio from the internal buffer down until it freezes using a single grain.

Size: Adjusts the size of the grains used to process audio from the internal buffer. When turned fully to the left, large grains of 333 ms length are produced. When turned fully to the right, small grains of 5 ms length are produced. The Size control only has an effect when Grain is activated.

Grain: Activates grain size adjustment using the Size control. When deactivated, the grain size is automatically optimized for best pitch-shifting results

Key: Adjusts the pitch of the grains used to process audio from the internal buffer in semitones. When turned fully to the left, the grains are pitched down by 60 semitones, or 5 octaves. In center position, the original pitch is maintained. When turned fully to the right, the grains are pitched up by 12 semitones, or 1 octave.

2 Bars: Extends the audio used from the buffer to two bars. Otherwise only the first bar of audio is used.

Mix: Blends between the input signal and the effect signal.

Time: Inaccuracies in the timing of the notes. As you drag the slider to the right, the individual notes of the chord tend to be triggered out of time.

Velocity Max: Inaccuracies in the maximum velocity of the notes. As you drag the slider to the right, the individual notes can get louder as their original velocity.

Velocity Min: Inaccuracies in the minimum velocity of the notes. As you drag the slider to the right, the individual notes can get softer as their original velocity.

Skip: Inaccuracies in the note trigger. As you drag the slider to the right, more notes tend not be skipped.

Reverse switch: Turns the reverse playback on or off.

Reverse Range menu: Selects the part of the phrase(s) that should play in the reverse direction, the remaining part playing forward. This control affects the playback only if the Reverse switch is on. The available entries are Whole (the whole phrase plays reverse), First Half (first half reverse, second half forward), Second Half (first half forward, second half reverse), and Both Halves (first half reverse, then second half reverse).

Loop switch: Turns the looped playback on or off.

Repetitions slider: Specifies how many times the phrase(s) should be looped. This control affects the playback only if the Loop switch is on. With the slider at full left (inf, default value), the playback is looped forever. The remaining values range from 1 to 99.

Play Until menu: Selects where the loop should end and jump back to the beginning. This control affects the playback only if the Loop switch is on and if the phrase’s play range is shorter than a full cycle (see Phrase Wheel). Two entries are available from the menu:

Randomize button: Sets random values to all the continuous parameters from the Edit section. This button mirrors the bigger Randomize button available outside the Phrase Edit mode. If the Global switch on its right is on, the Randomize button shows all the phrase colors to remind you that it will affect all of them. If the Global switch is off, the Randomize button shows only the color of the selected phrase to indicate that it will affect only this phrase.

Global switch: Specifies whether your edits will apply to the seven loaded phrases (button on) or only to the selected phrase (button off). This button mirrors the Global switch available outside the Phrase Edit mode.

Close button (cross icon): Closes the Phrase Edit mode.

Rotate: Delays the entire phrase by an adjustable amount. All the notes rotate on the Phrase Wheel as you adjust the knob. This parameter is also available in the Quick Edit controls, available when the Phrase Edit mode is off.

Note Length: Shortens or extends the length of all notes by moving their end points.

Quantize: Adjusts the quantization applied to the notes. At full left (default setting), no quantization is applied. The more you turn the knob to the right, the closer the notes get from the time divisions selected in the Quantize Step menu.

Quantize Step menu: Selects the time division to which the notes can be quantized. The available values range from 1/1 (one whole note, corresponding to one full circle) to 16th (one sixteenth note).

Bend: Bends the time line toward the beginning or the end of the sequence. From the default center position (no bending), turning Bend to the left will speed up the beginning of the sequence and slow down its end, whereas turning it to the right will slow down the beginning of the sequence and speed up its end. In any case, the total duration of the sequence stays untouched.

Invert: Switches the pitches between the notes used in the phrase. For example, the first inversion will transpose the lowest pitch to the 2nd-lowest pitch, the 2nd-lowest to the 3rd-lowest, … , the 2nd-highest pitch to the highest, and the highest pitch to the lowest. When turning the knob to the right from its default position at full left (no inversion), you will successively activate every inversion possible. The more pitches are used in the phrase, the more inversions will be available. This parameter is also available in the Quick Edit controls, available when the Phrase Edit mode is off.

Transpose: Transposes all the notes in semitones. The available values range from -12 to 12 semitones.

Tilt: Puts the velocities on a time slope centered on the current mean of all velocities. From the default center position, turning Tilt to the left uses a raising slope (early notes get softer and late notes get louder), while turning Tilt to the right uses a decreasing slope (early notes get louder and late notes get softer). The slope becomes steeper as you move the knob further away. For example, this tool is useful to create crescendos.

Flip: Modifies the gap between high and low velocities. From the default center position, turning Flip to the left accentuates the velocity differences between notes by amplifying the higher velocities and attenuating the lower velocities. The other way around, turning Flip to the right attenuates the higher velocities and amplifies the lower velocities: At first this reduces the velocity differences between notes, but turning the knob further to the right leads up to a complete velocity inversion, the soft notes being played loud and the loud notes softly.

Min: Adjusts the lowest velocity available. Increasing the Min value shrinks the range of available velocities upward. The possible values go from 0 (default value, knob at full left, no lower velocity limit) to 100 (all the notes are set to the maximum velocity).

Max: Adjusts the highest velocity available. Decreasing the Max value shrinks the range of available velocities downward. The possible values range from 100 (default value, knob at full right, no upper velocity limit) to 0 (knob at full left, all the notes are set to the minimum velocity).