Native Instruments Bandstand
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| Type | GM software synthesizer & MIDI Player |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Native Instruments |
| Release date | 2005[1] |
| Standards | General MIDI |
| Parts | 16 |
| Max polyphony | 256[2] |
| Effects | Reverb (6 Types), Chorus (6 Types), EQ (7 Types), Limiter (5 Types)[3] |
Native Instruments Bandstand is a General MIDI synthesizer and MIDI player software developed by Native Instruments in 2005. Bandstand was Native Instruments's take on a General MIDI module, with the sample playback engine being based on Kontakt 2[4].
It boasted 2.5 GB sample set designed by Native Instruments, with additional sounds being licensed from Sonic Reality, Best Service / Peter Siedlaczek, Big Fish, The Badroom, Soundwarrior, Sound Ideas & Modo Bierkamp (with a list in the manual crediting the sample authors of each preset)[5]. Bandstand uniquely features many tuning and pitch options directly in the front panel, as well as quantization and humanization features to influence how it plays back sequences.
Despite being a GM1 synth, Bandstand also supports and responds to GS, XG & GM2 controllers, as well as the controller extensions in Edirol Hyper Canvas alongside its own controller extensions.[6] It is also a MIDI player software capable of loading and playing back (Type 1) MIDI files with its sampleset.
Bandstand was available as a standalone application, and as a VSTi, RTAS, DXi2 & AU plugin. Even after it was discontinued from sale, it was still able to be activated and authorized through Native Instruments Service Center until May 31, 2020 when Native Instruments discontinued Service Center's product activation services, making it now impossible to activate it legitimately.[1]
Oddities
- Unlike other GM modules, Bandstand's samples are uncompressed and streamed, so whenever selecting a patch or performing a program change, there is always a momentary delay for it to load the instrument.
- The sound library for Bandstand as well as the setups/"presets" are actually just unencrypted Kontakt sampler files (.nkis and .nkms) and can be loaded directly in Kontakt.