Kontour

Kontour is a phase modulation synthesizer from Native Instruments, designed by founder Stephan Schmitt. Its core pairs two sine oscillators with phase modulation, ring modulation, and extensive waveshaping, feeding into a tunable comb filter, state-variable filter, and feedback routing for complex, organic textures. The instrument excels at expressive, responsive sound design—from mallets and plucked or bowed strings to distorted, aggressive noise. Four macro controls in the Performance View put radical tweaking at your fingertips, while the Motion Recorder lets you automate custom modulations and evolving soundscapes. Ideal for hobby producers and sound designers seeking a performative synth that reacts to subtle parameter changes, Kontour suits electronic, cinematic, and experimental genres. It runs as a plugin in major DAWs on Windows and macOS, offering a distinctive alternative to conventional subtractive synths.