Native Instruments Massive X Player is a new free version of its wavetable Synthesizer plugin with tons of morphing fun.
When Native Instruments announced the successor to its hugely popular Massive Synthesizer plugin, expectations were very high. Massive X, unfortunately, still falls short, as many aspects aren’t perfect: no wavetable import, a rather uninspiring UI, basic sound browsing, and more.
But there is progress in development, which is a positive point. And the first step Native Instruments is taking is called Massive X Player, a free version of the plugin that introduces a powerful new morphing feature.
Native Instruments Massive X Player
Massive X Player is a new, free wavetable Synthesizer for macOS and Windows. Native Instruments has taken the Massive X engine, stripped it down, and made it very accessible for everyone in a new Player version.
The presets are compatible with both versions. This means that if you craft sounds in Massive X, you can also use them in Player.
However, instead of having countless parameter options of the big version, Player only offers eight pre-mapped macros assigned by the sound designer. For example, this can be the wavetable position, pulse-width, cutoff, resonance, or the FM amount.
Massive X Player isn’t just a preset player. This version introduces a brand new morphing engine available in both versions. With this, you can animate the macro parameters with an X Y pad and shift between them in real time.
But it goes further. It also hosts animators that are animation shapes you can move through. Once selected, a cursor automatically moves through the parameters. It also gives you the option to set the speed and whether it retriggers – an exciting feature to apply on a per-note basis.
Additionally, you can find in each corner of the XY pad a randomization function. Hit Randomize in each corner of the morpher for happy accidents and quick results. Use it to spark ideas, break patterns, and make each sound your own in lightning speed.
Native Instruments ships Player version with 60 presets to get you started right away. It also includes the Bass Music Essentials Expansion for free.
I would have liked a few more sounds here than just 60. But don’t forget that if you use the morpher, you get endless new sounds out of the 60 presets as it morphs in real-time through synthesis parameters.
First Impression
It’s taken a long time, but there’s finally some movement in Massive X development. I’m happy to see that. I don’t know if Massive X needs a dedicated Player version, but the morphing function is a powerful new feature.
Native Instruments Massive X Player is available now as a free download. It’s now part of the Komplete Start bundle, a free plugin suite with synths, instruments, effects, and loops.
It runs as a VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel and Windows.
More information here: Native Instruments
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