Karyn I got my start with a few NI products I had purchased separate. I had Kontakt,Guitar Rig and a few others.First I crossgraded Kontakt to the newest versions a few times. Initially I didn't think I needed or wanted Komplete. A false assumption on my part was to think that it was primarily geared for electronic artists. While this is partially true..there's so much more and you can use those techno/electronic things at times. I tend to make prog rock sounding things and those current electronic instruments fit in there just fine.
I think my crossgrades helped me out some in buying Komplete. The deal to outright buy Komplete isn't really a bad one when you consider all that it has in it. I think an upgrade to Komplete 10 Ultimate will run me something like 399.00 in US currency( correct me if I'm wrong).....I held off temporarily because I'm getting a new computer soon and my $$ is going there for now :) I did get a 25.00 voucher from NI when I bought Komplete 10. Hmmm...that's still around 375.00.Quite a lot for an addition to an already existing program.
I think I'll end up with K10 ultimate eventually. I don't particularly want to load twice onto another computer as it is now. I still like my hardware keyboard as a midi out and a sound source...so for me I'm not entirely sold on the idea of that controller yet. I mean...I can still select sounds with my computer. Maybe at some point in the future I'll spring for one as a side thing but probably not my main player. In the plug-in that controls Komplete offers midi learn then you can use almost anything to control it. It might take a few seconds longer to do but I'm ok with that right now.