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June 18, 2023

Evolve Mutations 2: The Ultimate Kontakt Instrument for Movie, TV and Game Composers

Native Instruments Evolve Mutations 2 v1.2.0 (KONTAKT): A Review

If you are looking for a powerful and versatile instrument for creating cinematic music, you might want to check out Native Instruments Evolve Mutations 2 v1.2.0 (KONTAKT). This is a sequel to the popular Evolve Mutations library, which offers a collection of expressive instruments, rhythms, and ambiences for movie, TV, and game composers. In this review, we will take a closer look at what Evolve Mutations 2 has to offer, how to use it, and what are its pros and cons.

Native Instruments – Evolve Mutations 2 v1.2.0 (KONTAKT)

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What is Evolve Mutations 2?

Evolve Mutations 2 is a Kontakt Player-based instrument that contains over 300 presets based on 2 GB of exclusive high-quality samples. The material is organized into four categories that provide the crucial elements for powerful scores:

Rhythmic Suites include stirring percussive and tonal loops complete with individual slices and keymapping.

Percussive Kits allow the creation of original percussive beds.

Stings & Transitions support a composition with striking and suspenseful transitional elements.

Tonality & FX provide a range of highly expressive, evocative instruments and pads.

Evolve Mutations 2 is more than just a sequel, as it features completely new and unique sounds that are not found in the original Evolve Mutations library. It also introduces the new Trigger FX feature, which allows you to apply different sound treatments to your sounds on the fly using the keyboard.

Evolve Mutations 2 is a collaboration between Native Instruments and Heavyocity, a sound design house that specializes in cinematic sound libraries. Heavyocity is also behind the acclaimed Evolve series, which includes Evolve, Evolve Mutations, Damage, AEON, Gravity, Vocalise, Scoring Guitars, NOVO, FORZO, Mosaic Series, VENTO, and ASCEND.

What are the features of Evolve Mutations 2?

Over 300 new and unique presets

Evolve Mutations 2 offers a wide range of sounds that can add depth and impact to any dramatic piece of music. Whether you need pulsing rhythms, atmospheric pads, aggressive stingers, or haunting melodies, you will find something that suits your needs in this library. The sounds are designed to be layered and combined to create complex sonic textures and moods.

The presets are divided into four categories:

New user interface and effects section with Trigger FX

Evolve Mutations 2 has a sleek and intuitive user interface that allows you to access and edit the parameters of each preset with ease. You can also switch between different views depending on your needs: Main View, EQ View, Filter View, ADSR View, and Master FX View.

The Main View shows the most important controls for each preset, such as volume, pan, tune, filter cutoff, filter resonance, attack, decay, sustain, release, and effects. You can also see the waveform of the sound and the key mapping of the slices or sounds.

The EQ View allows you to adjust the equalization of the sound using a graphical display and four bands: low shelf, low mid, high mid, and high shelf. You can also turn on or off the EQ for each sound.

The Filter View allows you to apply a low-pass or high-pass filter to the sound using a graphical display and two knobs: cutoff and resonance. You can also turn on or off the filter for each sound.

The ADSR View allows you to modify the envelope of the sound using a graphical display and four knobs: attack, decay, sustain, and release. You can also turn on or off the envelope for each sound.

The Master FX View allows you to apply global effects to the sound using four slots: delay, reverb, chorus, and distortion. You can also adjust the master volume and pan of the sound.

One of the most innovative features of Evolve Mutations 2 is the Trigger FX feature, which allows you to apply different effects to your sounds on the fly using the keyboard. You can choose from eight effects: Lo-Fi, Rotator, Delay, Flanger, Phaser, Filter High Pass, Filter Low Pass, and Filter Band Pass. Each effect has its own key assigned on the keyboard (from C0 to G0), which you can press to activate or deactivate the effect. You can also adjust the intensity of each effect using a knob on the interface.

The Trigger FX feature gives you a lot of creative possibilities for transforming your sounds in real time. For example, you can use it to create glitches, stutters, sweeps, modulations, or variations in your rhythms or melodies.

How to use Evolve Mutations 2?

Requirements and installation

To use Evolve Mutations 2, you need to have Kontakt Player 5 or higher installed on your computer. Kontakt Player is a free software that allows you to play Kontakt-based instruments without having to buy Kontakt itself. You can download Kontakt Player from Native Instruments' website.

You also need to have at least 2 GB of free disk space and 4 GB of RAM to run Evolve Mutations 2 smoothly. The library is compatible with Windows 7 or higher (32-bit or 64-bit) and Mac OS X 10.9 or higher (64-bit only). It supports VST, AU, AAX, RTAS, ASIO, CoreAudio, and WASAPI formats.

To install Evolve Mutations 2, you need to download it from Native Instruments' website using their Native Access application. Native Access is a tool that helps you manage your Native Instruments products and updates. Once you have downloaded Evolve Mutations 2, you need to activate it using your serial number that you received when you purchased the product. You can do this by opening Native Access, clicking on the Add a serial button, and entering your serial number. Then, you can install Evolve Mutations 2 by clicking on the Install button and choosing your preferred location.

Loading and browsing presets

To load Evolve Mutations 2, you need to open Kontakt Player and click on the Libraries tab. You will see Evolve Mutations 2 among your available libraries. You can click on it to open the browser window, where you can see the four categories of presets: Rhythmic Suites, Percussive Kits, Stings & Transitions, and Tonality & FX. You can click on each category to expand it and see the subcategories and presets within it.

You can also use the search function to find a specific preset by typing its name or a keyword in the search box. You can also use the filters to narrow down your search by category, subcategory, mood, or tempo. You can also sort the presets by name, date, rating, or popularity.

To load a preset, you simply need to double-click on it or drag and drop it into the rack. You will see the interface of Evolve Mutations 2 with the preset loaded and ready to play. You can also load multiple presets at once by using the multi-rack mode.

Editing and customizing sounds

Once you have loaded a preset, you can edit and customize it to suit your needs and preferences. You can use the different views and controls on the interface to adjust the parameters of each sound. You can also use the keyboard to play or trigger the sounds.

For Rhythmic Suites presets, you can use the keyboard to play or trigger individual slices of the loop. Each slice has its own key assigned on the keyboard (from C1 to B4), which you can press to play or stop the slice. You can also use the mod wheel to crossfade between two different loops within the same preset.

For Percussive Kits presets, you can use the keyboard to play or trigger individual sounds of the kit. Each sound has its own key assigned on the keyboard (from C1 to B2), which you can press to play or stop the sound. You can also use the mod wheel to change the volume of each sound.

For Stings & Transitions presets, you can use the keyboard to play or trigger the sound across its tonal range. Each sound has a tonal range that spans from C1 to B4 on the keyboard, which you can press to play or stop the sound at different pitches. You can also use the mod wheel to fade in or out the tail of the sound.

For Tonality & FX presets, you can use the keyboard to play or trigger the sound across its tonal range. Each sound has a tonal range that spans from C1 to B4 on the keyboard, which you can press to play or stop the sound at different pitches. You can also use the mod wheel to change the timbre, volume, or effects of the sound.

For all presets, you can use the Trigger FX feature to apply different effects to your sounds on the fly using the keyboard. You can choose from eight effects: Lo-Fi, Rotator, Delay, Flanger, Phaser, Filter High Pass, Filter Low Pass, and Filter Band Pass. Each effect has its own key assigned on the keyboard (from C0 to G0), which you can press to activate or deactivate the effect. You can also adjust the intensity of each effect using a knob on the interface.

You can also use the effects section to apply global effects to your sounds using four slots: delay, reverb, chorus, and distortion. You can adjust the parameters of each effect using knobs and switches on the interface. You can also turn on or off each effect for each sound.

Using Trigger FX and other effects

The Trigger FX feature is one of the most innovative and fun aspects of Evolve Mutations 2. It allows you to transform your sounds in real time using different effects that you can trigger with the keyboard. You can use it to create glitches, stutters, sweeps, modulations, or variations in your rhythms or melodies.

To use the Trigger FX feature, you need to select one of the eight effects from the drop-down menu on the interface: Lo-Fi, Rotator, Delay, Flanger, Phaser, Filter High Pass, Filter Low Pass, or Filter Band Pass. Each effect has its own key assigned on the keyboard (from C0 to G0), which you can press to activate or deactivate the effect. You can also adjust the intensity of each effect using a knob on the interface.

Here is a brief description of each effect and what it does:

Lo-Fi: Reduces the bit depth and sample rate of the sound, creating a distorted and noisy sound.

Rotator: Modulates the pan and volume of the sound, creating a rotating and swirling sound.

Delay: Adds an echo or feedback effect to the sound, creating a repeating and bouncing sound.

Flanger: Combines two copies of the sound with a slight delay and modulation, creating a phasing and sweeping sound.

Phaser: Applies a series of filters with varying frequencies and phases to the sound, creating a notching and swirling sound.

Filter High Pass: Cuts off the low frequencies of the sound, creating a thin and bright sound.

Filter Low Pass: Cuts off the high frequencies of the sound, creating a dark and muffled sound.

Filter Band Pass: Cuts off both the low and high frequencies of the sound, leaving only a narrow band of frequencies, creating a resonant and nasal sound.

You can use these effects individually or in combination to create different sonic textures and moods. For example, you can use Lo-Fi and Filter Low Pass to create a gritty and dirty sound, or use Rotator and Delay to create a spacious and ambient sound. You can also experiment with different intensities and timings to create subtle or dramatic changes in your sounds.

Besides the Trigger FX feature, you can also use the effects section to apply global effects to your sounds using four slots: delay, reverb, chorus, and distortion. You can adjust the parameters of each effect using knobs and switches on the interface. You can also turn on or off each effect for each sound.

Here is a brief description of each effect and what it does:

Delay: Adds an echo or feedback effect to the sound, creating a repeating and bouncing sound. You can adjust the time, feedback, mix, sync, ping pong, filter type, filter cutoff, filter resonance, filter envelope amount, filter envelope attack, filter envelope decay, filter envelope sustain, filter envelope release, filter envelope velocity sensitivity, filter envelope key tracking, filter envelope invert polarity, filter envelope loop mode, filter envelope trigger mode , and filter envelope reset buttons.

Reverb: Adds a spatial and ambient effect to the sound, creating a sense of depth and distance. You can adjust the size, pre-delay, damping, mix, low cut, high cut, diffusion, modulation rate, modulation depth, and early reflections buttons.

Chorus: Combines two copies of the sound with a slight delay and modulation, creating a thick and rich sound. You can adjust the rate, depth, mix, phase, feedback, low cut, high cut, and stereo width knobs.

Distortion: Adds a harmonic and saturation effect to the sound, creating a distorted and aggressive sound. You can adjust the drive, tone, mix, low cut, high cut, and type knobs.

You can use these effects individually or in combination to enhance or alter your sounds. For example, you can use Reverb and Chorus to create a lush and spacious sound, or use Distortion and Filter High Pass to create a crunchy and edgy sound. You can also experiment with different settings and levels to create subtle or dramatic changes in your sounds.

What are the pros and cons of Evolve Mutations 2?

Evolve Mutations 2 is a powerful and versatile instrument for creating cinematic music. It has many pros and cons that you should consider before buying it. Here are some of them:

Pros

High-quality and diverse sounds: Evolve Mutations 2 offers a wide range of sounds that are suitable for various genres and styles of cinematic music. The sounds are well-recorded, well-designed, and well-organized. They cover the essential elements for powerful scores: rhythms, percussions, transitions, and tonalities.

Easy to use and integrate with Kontakt Player: Evolve Mutations 2 is easy to install and activate using Native Access. It runs smoothly on Kontakt Player 5 or higher, which is a free software that allows you to play Kontakt-based instruments without having to buy Kontakt itself. You can also use Evolve Mutations 2 as a standalone application or as a plugin in your DAW.

Flexible and creative sound design possibilities: Evolve Mutations 2 allows you to edit and customize your sounds using the different views and controls on the interface. You can also use the Trigger FX feature to apply different effects to your sounds on the fly using the keyboard. You can create complex and dynamic sonic textures and moods by layering and combining different sounds.

Cons

Requires a lot of disk space and RAM: Evolve Mutations 2 requires at least 2 GB of free disk space and 4 GB of RAM to run smoothly. This might be an issue for some users who have limited storage or memory capacity on their computers.

Some sounds may be too specific or niche for some projects: Evolve Mutations 2 offers a lot of sounds that are designed for cinematic music production. However, some sounds may be too specific or niche for some projects or genres. For example, some sounds may be too dark or aggressive for lighter or happier scenes or songs.

No option to import or create your own samples: Evolve Mutations 2 does not allow you to import or create your own samples. You can only use the samples that are provided in the library. This might limit your creative options if you want to use your own sounds or samples in your music.

Conclusion

Evolve Mutations 2 is a great instrument for creating cinematic music. It offers a collection of expressive instruments, rhythms, and ambiences that can add depth and impact to any dramatic piece of music. It also features a new user interface and effects section with Trigger FX that allows you to apply different sound treatments to your sounds on the fly using the keyboard. It is easy to use and integrate with Kontakt Player 5 or higher.

However, Evolve Mutations 2 also has some drawbacks that you should be aware of before buying it. It requires a lot of disk space and RAM to run smoothly. Some sounds may be too specific or niche for some projects or genres. And it does not allow you to import or create your own samples.

If you are looking for a powerful and versatile instrument for creating cinematic music, you might want to check out Evolve Mutations 2. It is available for purchase from Native Instruments' website for $119 USD.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about Evolve Mutations 2: Q: Do I need to own Kontakt to use Evolve Mutations 2?

A: No, you do not need to own Kontakt to use Evolve Mutations 2. Evolve Mutations 2 runs on Kontakt Player 5 or higher, which is a free software that allows you to play Kontakt-based instruments without having to buy Kontakt itself. You can download Kontakt Player from Native Instruments' website.

Q: Can I use Evolve Mutations 2 with other DAWs or plugins?

A: Yes, you can use Evolve Mutations 2 with other DAWs or plugins that support VST, AU, AAX, RTAS, ASIO, CoreAudio, or WASAPI formats. You can also use Evolve Mutations 2 as a standalone application.

Q: How can I get more sounds for Evolve Mutations 2?

A: If you want to get more sounds for Evolve Mutations 2, you can check out the other products in the Evolve series by Native Instruments and Heavyocity. These include Evolve, Evolve Mutations, Damage, AEON, Gravity, Vocalise, Scoring Guitars, NOVO, FORZO, Mosaic Series, VENTO, and ASCEND. These products offer different sounds and features that complement Evolve Mutations 2.

Q: How can I learn more about Evolve Mutations 2?

A: If you want to learn more about Evolve Mutations 2, you can visit the official website of Native Instruments or Heavyocity. There you can find more information, demos, videos, tutorials, and reviews of Evolve Mutations 2. You can als

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