“It does something most sampled guitars don’t: it sounds like someone is actually playing it.”
Adrian Earnshaw (Composer, pianist)
“What makes this special aside from some of the techniques or articulations that you don't find in a lot of other guitar sample libraries is the Auto HO/PO and the Slide Chain.”
Ruben Carrillo (HIFIMIDI) Performance-Driven Design Nylis is built around a performance-first philosophy, emphasizing intentional articulation control and precise musical input. While maintaining a high level of player-driven expression, the instrument also includes intelligent performance behaviors such as automatic hammer-ons/pull-offs and a slide chain system, allowing for smooth and natural transitions without sacrificing control or predictability. Every musical gesture is still triggered with intention by the player, ensuring consistent and expressive phrasing. Core Articulations (Pick-Based) All core articulations are performed using guitar pick (plectrum) technique, delivering clarity, focused attack, and strong transient definition. This makes Nylis especially effective in rhythmic contexts, layered arrangements, and situations where articulation precision is essential. Included pick-based articulations: Sustain Palm Mute Hammer-Ons & Pull-Offs (Half-Tone / Whole-Tone) Trills (Half-Tone / Whole-Tone) Interval-Based Slides (±1, ±2, ±3) Open Chords Percussive Chords Guitar FX Expressive Sustain (Finger-Plucked) Nylis includes two dedicated Expressive Sustain articulations performed with finger technique, designed for lyrical and intimate passages. Neutral Mode: Downstroke finger movement across all strings Directional Mode: E–A–D downstroke (thumb-style) with G–B–E upstroke finger movement These articulations provide a more organic and expressive sustain response for melodic phrasing and ambient textures. Auto HO/PO Automatic hammer-on, pull-off and slide transitions during legato-style playing, without manually switching to the dedicated interval articulations. Slide Chain Engine Automatically transforms large intervals into smooth, multi-step slide and legato transitions for natural, guitar-like movement. When active, it uses slide and hammer-on/pull-off samples to create fluid intermediate steps. Interval Control via CC3 Hammer-ons, pull-offs, trills, and slides feature real-time interval control using CC3, allowing seamless switching between: Half-Tone (semitone) Whole-Tone Minor Third This enables fluid melodic movement while maintaining full control over interval width during performance. Chords & Percussive Performance Nylis includes a dedicated set of true recorded open and percussive chord articulations, designed for realistic strumming, rhythmic definition, and percussive nylon guitar textures. All chord articulations are performed with guitar pick to ensure clarity and strong transient response. Natural Playback Behavior All articulations are based on real recorded performances, preserving natural timing, string interaction, finger noise, and physical response. Multiple velocity layers and round robins are used where appropriate to avoid repetition and enhance realism. Optional Internal Controls Nylis includes subtle internal controls for shaping performance without altering the core sound: Hall Reverb (CC91) Chorus / Stereo Width (CC93)
Release Noise Control (CC21) All internal effects are disabled by default, ensuring a clean and flexible starting point.
The Auto HO/PO system allows automatic hammer-on, pull-off and slide transitions during legato-style playing, without manually switching to the dedicated interval articulations. When the feature is enabled, Nylis automatically detects overlapping notes played on the same string and triggers the appropriate transition sample.
The Slide Chain function enables chained slide transitions for larger intervals, creating smooth and realistic movement between notes. When enabled, Nylis automatically breaks larger intervals into a sequence of smaller slide and legato transitions, instead of jumping directly to the target note. This results in a more natural, guitar-like movement across the fretboard.
Recording and Sound Quality Nylis was recorded in 96 kHz / 24-bit true stereo resolution, capturing detailed transients, natural string response, and a wide dynamic range. The instrument was recorded using a spaced pair (A/B) stereo setup with two Neumann KM184 condenser microphones, providing natural spatial depth, realistic left-right imaging, and authentic room interaction. This approach results in a wide, detailed, and immersive stereo image suitable for both intimate solo performances and layered arrangements. Signal chain used during recording: Neumann KM184 (A/B spaced pair) Avalon 2022 AD preamp Avalon VT-747SP analog compressor / EQ All articulations were captured as real guitar performances, preserving natural timing, finger noise, string friction, and physical interaction with the instrument. Library Content 7,609 high-resolution stereo samples 11.1 GB uncompressed / 6.2 GB NCW Multiple velocity layers depending on articulation Up to 8 round robins depending on articulation System Requirements Full version of Native Instruments Kontakt 6.7 or later (Kontakt Player is NOT supported) Windows 10 or later / macOS 10.15 or later Minimum 8 GB RAM recommended
Recent Updates & Improvements v1.4 • Expanded Expressive Sustain articulations (neutral & directional) with two additional velocity layers (very soft and extremely soft), extending the dynamic range and allowing for more detailed control in low-dynamic melodic playing • Expressive Sustains now feature 4 velocity layers, improving nuance and responsiveness • Added 1,167 new samples (2.3 GB / 1.1 GB NCW compressed) • Expanded library to 7,609 samples • Total sample pool: 11.1 GB recordings (6.2 GB NCW compressed) v1.3 • Added Slide Chain (multi-step slide transitions) for improved realism in large interval legato playing • Updated Sustain Picked (high velocity) samples with enhanced stereo image and improved dynamic consistency and balance v1.2 • Optional Auto Hammer-Ons / Pull-Offs for 1–2 fret intervals • Slide transitions for 3-fret intervals for smoother legato-style melodic playing • Added 1.15 GB of new recordings (600 MB NCW compressed) • Expanded library to 6,433 samples v1.1 • New performance vibrato system controlled via the Modulation Wheel (MIDI CC1) • Enables expressive, real-time vibrato shaping on sustained notes
You can purchase Nylis at the following stores.
