NEKTAR / AURA Physical Controller

NEKTAR/AURA is a physical controller with excellent operability.

■Physical Controller

Make your own beats!
Nektar AURA is a powerful tool for beat making and performance. With 16 super sensitive pads with RGB illumination, a step sequencer, pad repeat engine and amazing plug-in control, it brings an exciting drum machine style workflow to any DAW or external MIDI setup.

Play & Perform
Play your groove with AURA's 16 super sensitive velocity and aftertouch pads. Use pad repeat and more to liven up your performance and record it to your DAW.

Step Sequencer
AURA has a built-in step sequencer. Program beats directly on the unit and tweak parameters in real time - the sequencer is also designed to work with external MIDI gear.

Control Your Plugins
Enjoy creating kits with VST, VST3, and AU instrument and effect plug-ins. AURA's display shows you all the information you need, so you'll never get lost in control. Maps for many popular plug-ins are included, and you can easily create your own with the graphic map editor.

Smooth Access to Sounds
Nektarine's powerful database lets you load plug-ins and patches from AURA's patch browser for instant access to your sounds.

Unleash the Groove
A great choice for finger drumming, AURA's RGB illuminated pads can be triggered with a light touch. Plus, when combined with the included Nektarine software, which includes mappings for many VST, VST3, and AU instruments, you'll enjoy both high playability and intuitive control.

The 16 pads support 4 velocity curves with adjustable bias parameters to suit your playing style, aftertouch, pitch bend and pad pressure with assignable MIDI CC. You can even assign individual MIDI channels to each pad and route incoming MIDI notes to other MIDI notes for advanced customization.

AURA also features a pad repeat engine. Create rolls and percussive lines that are difficult to play by hand. It's instantly accessible with a dedicated on/off button and settings menu, and it also has a wealth of real-time parameters to control groove and speed - use the 8 pots for quick customization.

Looking for a trap-inspired hi-hat line? Toggle the repeat rate in real time with the 6 RGB LED buttons just above the display. Vary the repeat rate with the LED buttons and control the velocity with pad pressure to create truly dynamic rolls.

Other parameters include Gate, Accent Interval, Accent Velocity Offset, Swing, Trigger Mode and Clock Source.

Creating Beats
The built-in step sequencer is the perfect tool for creative beat making. Press the ""SEQ"" button on AURA and the 16 LED buttons below the pots will turn into the beloved classic 16-step programming interface. 16 ""collections"" that can store up to 16 patterns give you plenty of space for your groove ideas (each pattern can handle 16 steps x 4 parts, up to 64 steps in total).

The unique feature of AURA's step sequencer is ""interaction"" and ""improvisation"". Parts can be triggered at any time in any combination, making it extremely intuitive to create new variations. Each pattern and each part that composes a pattern can have a different length, making it easy to express polyrhythms.

AURA handles one pattern per pad. Simply load your favorite instrument plug-in into an empty slot in Nektarine and the new sound will play along with the corresponding pad and pattern. And you don't have to stop the sequencer to do this.

Domestic import only! Includes the full version of UVI Digital Synsations, packed with digital synth sounds!

■Main specifications
Hardware
- 16 RGB color-illuminated, velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads
- 8 sturdy pots (360 degree rotation)
- 320x240 pixel TFT color display with 4 soft buttons
- 16 RGB LED buttons
- 8 Nektarine buttons for direct access to patches, mixer, pad setups, plug-ins, and more buttons

- 6 mode buttons

- 7 transport buttons

- MIDI programmable pads, switches, and pots

- 16 presets to store all internal settings

- Sturdy housing with aluminum top

Step sequencer

- Management in ""collections"" consisting of up to 16 patterns

- Patterns consist of up to 4 parts (up to 64 steps in total)

- Dedicated programming interface with 16 RGB buttons and part selection buttons

- Real-time performance functions (solo, mute, instant start options, etc.)

- Program any group at any time Trigger sequence parts by combining them

-Independent settings for each part (play rate, step length, velocity, accent, gate, swing, etc.)

-Wide range of editing functions, even down to the step level

Repeat Engine
-8 real-time adjustable parameters, including note length, accent level, interval, and repeat rate
-Dedicated repeat rate setting and repeat on/off button
-Display button for instantly assigning pad pressure to velocity
-Tap tempo
-Operates with internal or external clock

Connections
Footswitch connector: 1/4"" TRS jack (MIDI configurable)
MIDI out connector
USB port (USB bus powered)

Dimensions and weight
Dimensions: 30.1 cm (L) x 23.1 cm (D) x 4.5 cm (H)
Weight: 1.4 kg

System requirements
Mac OS X 10.7 or later, Windows 7 or later (please also check the system requirements for your DAW)
Host applications supported by AURA DAW integration
Ableton Live 10 Suite
Apple Logic Pro X + Garageband (for Mac)
Bitwig 8-Track + Studio
Cockos Reaper
MOTU Digital Performer
Presonus Studio One 4
Reason Studios Reason
Steinberg Cubase + Nuendo

Nektarine
Mac and Windows compatible, AAX, AU, VST, VST3 Works as a plugin or standalone
Can load VST, VST3, AU plugins
16 slots for instrument plugins
Each instrument slot has choke, volume, pan, mute/solo, send 1-4
4 plugin slots for insert FX per instrument (VST, VST3, AU)
4 plugin slots for send FX (VST, VST3, AU)
Store patches for instrument and effect plugins, as well as Nektarine multipatches
Browser settings are remembered per plugin slot
All pad, plugin and patch management controlled from AURA
Control page editor to customize plugin maps or create new ones
Full parameter feedback: display updates in real time
Scale and chord modes to help you build tracks
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