Introduction
An .nki file is an instrument for Kontakt, the sampler from
Native Instruments and the most
widely used platform for commercial sample libraries. An instrument describes how
samples are mapped across the keyboard, its groups, effects, user interface and the
scripts that control playing behaviour.
The format is proprietary and undocumented. Commercial libraries are often encrypted so that they open only in the full Kontakt or in the free Kontakt Player for licensed products.
Structure
An instrument file is binary and usually refers to samples stored elsewhere, by path.
Several related extensions belong to the same system: .nkm for a multi
(several instruments together), .nkb for a bank, .nkc and
.nkx for monolithic sample containers used by libraries, and
.ncw for Native Instruments’ own losslessly compressed sample files. The
internal layout differs between Kontakt versions and is not publicly known in
detail.
Links
Software
- Kontakt and Kontakt Player – Native Instruments’ sampler and its free player, which load NKI instruments (Windows, macOS)