Kontrol S-Series MK3 - Feeling like a beta tester. :(
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It is not compatible. Sometimes new things don't work with old things. Which is as true as time is old. We wanted to introduce new capabilities, and those are not compatible with the technology inside MK1. This has all been explained many times over in the dedicated Kontrol MK1 EOL thread, we really don't need to re-hash it here in what was intended (I believe) as a thread about Kontrol S MK3.
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Kontrol S MK3 shifting to an embedded device is the opposite strategy I personally was hoping for in the evolution of NI controllers. I have described elsewhere in the NI Community my thoughts on the advantages of keeping the "brains & display" separate from "dumb" devices optimized to primarily transfer human motor skills into performance data,
But "my" personal vision is not how NI chose to go... and I am curious to see where they take this embedded approach.
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I'm pleased it is becoming more embedded, people have been asking for this since the first models came out 10 years ago. A controller/performance keyboard should be able to function independently of a computer. It's taken 10 years and 3 models for NI to take that on board but now they have this is a step forwards. The way it should be imho is anything MIDI and MIDI 2 related including smart assist features, scales, arpeggiation, aftertouch, MIDI templates, velocity calibration, lightguide etc, should be embedded. Only NKS1/2 related functions need to require the computer. I think the problem is initially those things were all jumbled up together, making the actual keyboards very limited functionally without Komplete Kontrol also running, now they are becoming less interdependent.
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Agree 100%. If those are implemented for standalone mode, I might be tempted to get the keyboard just for those, DAW functions and Kontakt integration. We shall see ;)
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The embedded approach doubles-down on the problem of product obsolescence.
By committing a feature such as Play Assist to the on-device processing, NI will find itself again painted into a corner and unable to provide a competitive product.
Play Assist in particular is vulnerable to a huge shift in what many users will want and expect in AI-assistance. As music elements become more and more "aware" of each other in a musical context, there will be huge opportunities for AI to become a helpful "partner" in fleshing out arrangements and performances.
The on-device CPU will probably not be up to the task, nor the on-device display large enough to convey choices for the users contextual decision-making between elements.
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Interesting - I think the opposite is true.
By building such functionality on device, it will be there forever beyond even end of life, no matter what changes around the product (e.g. new DAWs, new OS).
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There is a lot of scope for development in play assist that many other arranger keyboards have been able to do for years, look at Korg Karma for example. The current versions of the arp etc in PA don't even scratch the tiniest bit of the surface of what Karma can do. It's important for musicians to have a keyboard that they can use with their other hardware and on stage, up till now The Series I and II range have not really been great at that, if Series III has greater MIDI and MIDI functionality built in that would be a huge improvement. Arturia seem to understand this better with the CV connectivity and built in sequencing of some of their keyboards.
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I'd also say this... while the current version of Play Assist does what it does, and the first version of standalone will do just that, I would expect the feature to evolve with time given what I know is being researched internally.
This comment comes to you from a former member of the team that spearheaded AI assistive technology at iZotope from 2016 onwards, and is now at Native Instruments collaborating with both teams to consider how we can improve Play Assist in future.
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I love this list! It helps me clarify quite cleanly:
- MIDI templates - currently working on making this embedded
- Play Assist - currently working on making this embedded
- MIDI 2 - already embedded
- Aftertouch - already an embedded functionality (may add more calibration settings in future)
- Velocity calibration - already an embedded functionality (may add more calibration settings in future)
- Light-guide settings - already embedded
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Oh yeah it’s lula code sorry
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I guess what I'm expecting in AI assisted in "Play Assist - type functions" is pretty ambitious... and whether the on-device processing will be up to the task.
From smart articulations, to give me a "Paul McCartney" bass line, to give me an Gregorian chant backing choir.. I see collaboration with an AI studio musician/arranger being a lot of creative fun ahead. Many users will dive deep into this fun-zone.
And even if the on-device cpu IS up to the AI task, I'd still think the limits of the on-device display and it's navigation would be woefully inadequate.
But I'm aboard for the journey of the current S-MK3... it will be a fun ride until it hits this wall (IMO).
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Don't you mean Lua?
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Even so, this has nothing really to do with the technological incompatibility that led to Kontrol S MK1 EOL as we added the new frameworks - so I'm not really sure what they're getting at exactly.
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Okay, now THAT was funny. 😂
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I think I can see the vision for the future. I'm in it for the long term. Let's DO this!
Reminder: It's coming up on a month since we got KK 3.0.3. Just sayin'. 😉
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