themkI
A canvas for exploring the beautiful imperfections of an old machine
A deeply sampled electro-mechanical keyboard from the ’70s, captured with 16 dynamic layers - including release samples across all dynamics, plus detailed mechanical layers.
Expanded into sound design sources using Eurorack modules and tape loops, it moves between expressive playing and evolving textures, tonal fragments and noise layers.
All of this is housed in an MPE-compatible engine with two independent looping and granular cores, designed for both slow, evolving textures and fast bursts of sound - and further expandable by loading your own samples.
Go ahead, embark on an adventure far from well-worn paths.
An exploration of a '70s classic
We’ve long wanted to capture the essence of this electro-mechanical instrument - and by essence, we mean all the mechanical clicks, noises and beautiful imperfections of a machine over 50 years old.
At first, we saw it as a natural evolution of our Cassette series, taken a few steps further: 16 dynamic layers, with release and mechanical samples - all still passed through tape in the end. Then, out of curiosity, we loaded the raw samples into the Tapes engine and started exploring - and it quickly became clear how the instrument should take its final shape.
The result? A deeply sampled, expressive instrument - a playground of evolving textures, all housed in an engine built for discovery and experimentation.
Just the way we like it.
The Source Material
Core instrument: DI
Captured clean through a Universal Audio tube preamp and Apogee Symphony. Pristine sound that’s perfect for catching every little imperfection.
Core instrument: deck A
Recorded on an old cassette deck used in schools, adding noticeable noise (especially on the transients) and a little bit of saturation.
Core instrument: deck B
Captured using a malfunctioning old Polish Unitra cassette recorder (the same we used in our Cassette series), introducing a healthy dose of wow and flutter, along with other tape imperfections.
Core instrument: mechanical layer
The mechanical side of the instrument was captured in detail using a combination of condenser and contact mics, bringing out both the internal movement and subtle surface noise.
Key presses and releases were recorded across 6 dynamic levels with natural variation, alongside the sustain pedal - adding a responsive layer of clicks, movement and imperfections that follows every note.
Sound design sources
All sound design material originates from the core instrument itself, transformed through a chain of modular processes: resonators, physical modelling, filters and granular effects - with some sources further shaped by tape loops.
Rather than separate layers, these feel like extensions of the original sound - stretched, reformed and reorganised into evolving textures, pulses and tonal fragments.
Field recordings
A wide range of additional material was recorded outside the instrument - from hardware and tape noise to vinyl, industrial environments and natural ambiences.
These layers introduce space, movement and subtle detail, blending with the instrument to create a broader, more open sonic palette.
Sound Engine
Two independent granular engines
While themkI builds on the engine introduced in Tapes.01, it’s not meant to be version 2. Instead, it takes things in a different direction, better suited to the sampled material.
Animated mode (known as Swarm mode in Tapes) now features polyphonic modulation, with each layer running on its own independent engine (which also makes it MPE compatible). This setup allows you to combine standard polyphonic playback (Single mode) with sequenced / granular, two Single modes or two sequenced / granular.
We’ve also introduced a system of instrument modes, 16 at the moment, designed to keep things simple and fun while still encouraging deep sound exploration.
Two independent polyphonic sequencers
Each layer has its own 16-step sequencer, available in both Animated and Single mode, where it can act as a voice-specific modifier. For example, you can set it to play one sound source on notes 1–3, another on notes 4–6, shift every third note up an octave, reverse every fifth note, detune the last few notes, or set a unique sample start position per note. The list goes on.
Another example, first layer might play single notes with a classic ’70s soul vibe, while the second is faded in via the mod wheel or an MPE controller, scanning through the waveform in a granular fashion or playing micro-loops with duration and position set by the voice sequencer / modifier.
Update 1.1
Version 1.1 brings sharper contrast for better visibility, along with new GUI colour options. Customise the look using the new menu in the top-right corner of the Options section.
Sound Sources
Core: 3 sources
Core: 3 sources
The core instrument was first recorded clean and then re-recorded through cassette to capture different tonal characters. This gives you three distinct source flavours:
- DI – direct signal recorded through a tube preamp for the cleanest version of the instrument
- Deck A – recorded on an old cassette deck used in schools, adding noticeable noise and gentle saturation
- Deck B – captured on a malfunctioning vintage Polish Unitra cassette recorder, introducing wow, flutter and other tape imperfections
Each note includes 16 dynamic layers, along with 16 layers of release samples, allowing the instrument to respond naturally to playing dynamics.
Mechanical: keys on / keys off + sustain pedal
Mechanical: keys on / keys off + sustain pedal
This layer captures the tactile side of the instrument - the sound of keys being pressed and released.
The mechanism was recorded using condenser and contact microphones, capturing both the acoustic detail and the internal vibrations of the instrument. The final result is a blend of all recording sources.
Each note includes 6 dynamic layers and 6 release layers, along with 4 round robins to reduce repetition. Additional pedal noise samples are also included, recorded with 4 round robins.
Sound Design: 60 sources
Sound Design: 60 sources
Beyond the core instrument, themkI includes a collection of 60 additional sound sources, designed for layering with the main instrument or explored on their own.
These sources are organised into 6 categories:
- Stacked
- Tape Loop
- Pulses
- Mechanical
- Slices
- One-shot
Each source includes up to 5 dynamic layers.
Noise / Texture: 126 sources
Noise / Texture: 126 sources
Hardware
- DI
- Deck A
- Deck B
- Delay 01
- Delay 02
- Delay 03
- Delay 04
- Delay 05
- Delay 06
- Delay 07
- Delay 08
- Delay 09
- Delay 10
- Gx 01
- Gx 02
- Gx 03
- Gx 04
- Modular 01
- Modular 02
- Modular 03
- Modular 04
- Modular 05
- Modular 06
- Modular 07
- Modular 08
- Modular 09
- Modular 10
- Modular 11
- Sn
- Ts Two 01
- Ts Two 02
- Ts Two 03
- Ts4 01
- Ts4 02
- Ts4 03
Tape Loops
- Tape Loop 01
- Tape Loop 02
- Tape Loop 03
- Tape Loop 04
- Tape Loop 05
- Tape Loop 06
- Tape Loop 07
- Tape Loop 08
- Tape Loop 09
- Tape Loop 10
- Tape Loop 11
- Tape Loop 12
Vinyl
- Vinyl 01
- Vinyl 02
- Vinyl 03
- Vinyl 04
- Vinyl 05
- Vinyl 06
- Vinyl 07
- Vinyl 08
- Vinyl 09
- Vinyl 10
- Vinyl 11
- Vinyl 12
- Vinyl 13
- Vinyl 14
- Vinyl 15
- Vinyl 16
- Vinyl 17
- Vinyl 18
- Vinyl 19
- Vinyl 20
- Vinyl 21
- Vinyl 22
- Vinyl 23
- Vinyl 24
- Vinyl 25
- Vinyl 26
Industrial
- Air Absorber
- Bike
- Bus Station 01
- Bus Station 02
- Bus Station 03
- City 01
- City 02
- City 03
- Clock 01
- Clock 02
- Crowd 01
- Crowd 02
- Elevator
- Engine
- Hammering
- Jack Hammer
- Lamps
- Machine
- Metal Stairs
- Residental 01
- Residental 02
- Scrub
- Mall
- Steam
- Steps 01
- Steps 02
- Steps 03
- Train
- Tram 01
- Tram 02
- Workshop
Natural
- Ant Hill
- Birds 01
- Birds 02
- Birds 03
- Birds 04
- Crickets 01
- Crickets 02
- Forest 01
- Forest 02
- Grass Hopper
- Rain 01
- Rain 02
- Rain 03
- Rain 04
- Rain 05
- Rain 06
- Storm 01
- Storm 02
- Storm 03
- Storm 04
- Waves 01
- Waves 02
Who is themkI for?
themkI is built around a deeply sampled electro-mechanical instrument, extended into a wider palette of textures and sound design layers.
At its core is a highly detailed instrument, carefully tuned to feel natural, responsive and alive under your fingers - making it equally suited for expressive playing and sound design work.
It works especially well for:
Film and TV composers
Expressive tones and evolving textures for cinematic scoring.
Music producers
A playable instrument combined with a wide palette of sound design sources.
Keyboard players and session musicians
A deeply sampled instrument that responds with nuance and dynamic detail.
Sound designers
A rich source material for creating textures, pulses and tonal fragments.
Specifications
Works in free Kontakt Player 7.10.7 (or higher) - Kontakt Player download
10.50GB Size (after NCW compression)
500 Presets
12507 Samples
System Requirements
macOS: 12, 13, 14, and 15 (latest update)
Windows: 10 or 11 (latest Service Pack)
Intel Core i5 or equivalent CPU, or Apple Silicon
At least 8GB of RAM
An internet connection is required to download, install, and activate the product. Once installed, product can be used offline.
FAQ
What is themkI?
What is themkI?
ThemkI is a deeply sampled electro-mechanical keyboard instrument for Kontakt Player, built from a classic ’70s electric piano and expanded into textures, tonal fragments and sound design layers.
Do I need the full version of Kontakt?
Do I need the full version of Kontakt?
No. ThemkI runs in the free Kontakt Player, so the full version of Kontakt is not required.
Which DAWs are supported?
Which DAWs are supported?
ThemkI works in any DAW that supports Kontakt Player, including Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase, Reaper and Studio One.
Installation & Downloads
Installation & Downloads
Downloads are managed through Native Access 2.
After purchase, you will receive a license key which can be registered in Native Access to download and install the instrument.
1. Download Native Access 2
If you don’t already have Native Access 2 installed - or if you're unsure whether you have the latest version - download it from the Native Instruments website.
2. Install and Open Native Access 2
Follow the on-screen instructions to install the software.
Once installed, open Native Access and log in with your Native Instruments account.
If you don’t have an account yet, you can create one during setup.
3. Register Your Product
In Native Access, click Add Serial in the bottom-left corner of the window.
Enter the license key provided with your purchase and click Add to register the product.
4. Find the Instrument
After registering, the instrument will appear in the Available tab under the Not Installed section.
5. Install the Instrument
Locate the instrument in the list and click Install.
Native Access will handle the download and installation automatically.
6. Launch in Kontakt
Once installation is complete, open Kontakt in your DAW or as a standalone application.
The instrument will appear in your library and is ready to use.
Can I use themkI on two computers?
Can I use themkI on two computers?
Yes. Your license can be activated on up to two computers simultaneously, as long as both are used by the same person. Installation and activation are managed through Native Access.
Can I load my own samples in outlines?
Can I load my own samples in outlines?
Yes. ThemkI allows you to load your own samples into each of the four sound design slots. Presets can also be saved with your custom samples for later recall.
What kind of sounds does themkI include?
What kind of sounds does themkI include?
ThemkI includes a deeply sampled electric piano, sound design sources derived from the core material, as well as texture and noise sources.
Is themkI a good instrument for keyboard players?
Is themkI a good instrument for keyboard players?
Yes. ThemkI is built around a highly detailed electric piano, carefully tuned to feel natural, responsive and expressive, making it suitable for performance and recording.
Is themkI suitable for cinematic music and film scoring?
Is themkI suitable for cinematic music and film scoring?
Definitely. ThemkI is designed for composers and works well for cinematic scoring, offering expressive tones alongside evolving textures and layered sound design.
Can themkI be used for sound design and ambient music?
Can themkI be used for sound design and ambient music?
Yes. Themki is well suited for sound design, ambient music and experimental production, thanks to its extended sound sources and evolving textures.
Does themkI include presets?
Does themkI include presets?
Yes. ThemkI includes a collection of 500 presets designed as starting points for building musical ideas and exploring the instrument.
