ROAD TEST
Native Instruments 40 ’ s Very Own Keys & Drums Play Series Instruments
By Clifton David Broadbridge
In May 2022 , Native Instruments released 40 ’ s Very Own , a collaboration with Drake ’ s longtime producer Noah “ 40 ” Shebib . The collection includes two new instruments for the company ’ s Play Series , 40 ’ s Very Own Keys and 40 ’ s Very Own Drums , with all the sounds recorded and processed at his legendary SOTA Studios in Toronto . Being a long-time fan of his work and having the opportunity to spend a few hours at SOTA with him a few years back , I was very excited to check out these collections and use them on productions of my own .
40 ’ Very Own Drums This collection includes 15 individual kits , each with 16 one-shots and patterns . The library was recorded and assembled by 40 and his team using a variety of sources . My first experience with the drums was the Queen Alley Kit , the default preset , which I loved right away . The low-end was massive and punchy with everything fitting together perfectly . Because this library has been so meticulously treated with EQ and processing , I found that very minimal EQing was required on my end . I found that the kit presets were unique and offered a great variety of kicks , snares , toms , claps , percussion , hats , FX , and percussive hits as well as mix-ready low subs and basses . What is also great is that the preset patterns are all available on the keyboard for quick reference of each kit ’ s flavour and variety .
The main interface gives you many useful ways to tweak individual sounds in the kits . Included is Saturation , Crush ( bit crush ), Mix Up , Reverb , Delay , and 40 ( which is a multi-function knob that includes some of his favourite goto modifications batched into one knob ). Also available is tune and level , as well as an LPF ( low pass filter ) and HPF ( high pass filter ), pitch , pan , vel curve , attack , hold , and decay .
The FX section of the interface is pretty cool and is divided into three sections — Insert FX , Global FX , and Send FX — with the choices of saturation , transient , tape Saturation , lo-fi , filter , cabinet , and limiter , as well as different reverb choices on the Send FX section .
40 ’ s Very Own Drums blend some of my favorite elements of Maschine , including kit layout on 16 pads , with the simplicity of Battery , NI ’ s staple drum sampler for Kontakt . The sounds are modern with modified classic samples with the dark , moody vibe that 40 is known for . This pack really inspired me and gives me a new set of creative sounds and tools to use in my productions .
40 ’ s Very Own Keys I normally start a beat or a song with a lead line or something harmonic , so needless to say , I was really curious what was in store for the Keys library .
It ’ s packed with 150 presets that blend bass , leads , mallet , organ , pads , keys , percussion , classic synths , electric pianos , grand pianos , as well as sequences . The sounds are very textured and lean towards introspective and psychedelic . The pads and leads could easily be used in a modern , surreal indie sci-fi movie , while some of the keys would sound right at home on The Doors ’ records . I personally connected with many of the presets and found myself getting lost in creativity right away . Although 40 is known for his trailblazing productions in hip-hop , this pack feels like the work of an artist losing himself in sound design and creating something cool and unique from the source samples and trying to push the boundaries .
One of my favorite presets is Crypto Highway from the Keys list , which combines a keyboard with a synth that expands and quickly fades . The initial setting has a tape-like hiss that gives it a very cool retro vibe . Many of the sounds have saturation and other textured effects that can be easily modified with the included controls on the interface : Attack , Release , Noise , Distortion , Reverb , 40 , and Volume . Again , the 40 knob is his signature batch of effects in one knob meant to make space for the artist when turned up .
Also included is a Sound section that gives the user a ton of ways to modulate the source , as well as a great variety of FX , macros , and a sequencer that is extremely fun and easy to use .
To top it all off , he included 40 ’ s Very Own Preset Manifesto , written and curated by 40 himself , where he breaks down every preset and gives a quick “ how to play ” description . I found this to be pretty cool because I approached some of the sounds quite differently and it gave me a new perspective that comes right from the source .
Of course , at the bottom was a note saying , “ Never stop , always innovate , keep on breaking the rules .” Honestly , it was inspiring to read
DRUMS INTERFACE
KEYS INTERFACE
that , given it comes from someone who has achieved so much yet grew up on the same Toronto streets , with no money , and in shit apartments , just like myself and many of my friends .
Having owned every Native Instruments Komplete collection right up to the newly-released Komplete 14 Ultimate Collector ’ s Edition , as well as Maschine + with every expansion and a Komplete Kontrol S61 keyboard , I can say with all confidence that the 40 ’ s Very Own collections sit amongst my top-five favourite products in NI ’ s ever-expanding library . The drums get into territory that Maschine users will appreciate and that I think should be included with future Kontakt drum libraries , while Keys offers creative , innovative , and sometimes quite beautiful-sounding textures and samples that have been crafted with care and introspection .
If you want to hear a song I recorded , mixed , and produced by the Toronto artist David Morrison using primarily 40 ’ s Very Own Keys and Drums , go to
www . soundcloud . com / cliftondavidbroadbridge .
Clifton David Broadbridge is a Canadian engineer , producer , and musician now living in Crossville , TN where he has a recording studio and is the president and part owner of John Cruz Custom Guitars . For more information , go to
www . cliftondavidbroadbridge . com .
22 CANADIAN MUSICIAN