Kontrol S61/S49 MK3 Velocity Response

Jeremy_NI

@j222 @trusampler Can you try the firmware updater for the MK3 keyboards? https://www.native-instruments.com/en/specials/komplete/kontrol-update

If there's an upate available try and update, see if the issue still occurs.

Also, since there is also a section for velocity curves in the MIDI templates (keybed) try to create a new template, this will reset to default.

Jeremy_NI

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/187332#Comment_187332

I don't see any support request related to your keyboard. Have you contacted us with another email address/NI account? I suggest you do before claiming that we don't acknowledge issues. Here's the link: https://bit.ly/NI_support_Kontrol

trusampler

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/187369#Comment_187369

I did the update yesterday before I shot videos and sent to our tech support but the new template I haven’t attempted yet, I’ll give that a go thanks Jeremy_NI

trusampler

Hi Jeremy,

I just confirmed, that a new template, with linear settings do not fix it in my case. My issue is specific to my board it seems. If I set the keybed to respond to linear, and slam down on the keys (forte) playing, I cannot reach 127 at all.This has been confirmed by tech support as well.

I'm hoping NI can ship me out a new QC unit that has been tested to work correctly, tech support confirmed mine indeed has an issue.

My biggest thing is I can't afford much downtime, and need 88 keys for my work.

Jeremy_NI

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/187395#Comment_187395

Ok, then hardware issue it is. Sorry about that.

trusampler

no problem, I’m able to at least learn the new Kk version in the meantime. Thanks

j222

@Jeremy_NI, I have a support ticket now, and am waiting for response now that I've added more detail in the ticket. I did try creating a new midi template and that did not help. I am seeing velocity number ranging from 1 to 127, but not sure if linear. Certainly the sound and response is not even close to linear, it's pretty much unplayable. Can someone help with reverting back to Hardware Connection Service 1.8.4 (from 1.8.6)? I know it seems unlikely, but the issue seems to have started around when I updated to that version, so I'd like to reverting unless someone else has some suggestions. Sorry if I'm double posting in the ticket and in this thread, but I really need help with this asap please. Thank you!

Thank you.

Jeremy_NI

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/187766#Comment_187766

Please continue the troubleshooting with my colleagues, they're the specialists.

j222

Hi @trusampler , I've been working with NI Support for almost a month now, and recently swapped for a new S61 MK3, but the velocity issues remain. I describe it as:

On linear velocity, it feels like a very very hard velocity setting. On Soft 3, it approaches what kind of feels like linear velocity, but still does not seem right.

In addition to the above, the velocity responses are not consistent. Sometimes one note will blurt out as 127, while other notes hit with similar force seem to be around 60. Sometimes when playing 3 or 4 notes back and forth in quick succession, one or two notes will barely sound out at all. But quick light staccato hits will easily reach 127.

Since the velocity issues you described were somewhat similar (except I don't see much of a difference between white and black notes), wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing your experience since your last post. (or if anyone else has a similar experience to share)

[Also, just wanted to mention that initially the response felt very different (quite good and consistent), but there were a few firmware updates, original version was 1.84, then updated to 1.86 (Oct 28), then 1.87 (nov 4). Somewhere within that Oct 28 to Nov 4 time period is when the velocity issues became very noticeable. Admittedly the timing of the firmware updates could just be a coincidence, so it's added to the confusion of trying to troubleshoot the root cause. ]

Thanks!

wunderba

If it's genuinely a hardware problem - I don't see how a firmware revision could fix it - e.g. how do you know if the user didn't deliberately hammer the third of the C Major scale on purpose and play the rest of the notes quietly?

The only fix I can think of at this point would be to release a Windows/MacOS utility which would request that the user play chromatically across the entire board with as much consistency and as evenly as possible - maybe two or three times to get a rough average.

Then it would narrow down on "outlier" notes that are hot after, and internally downweight/upweight the velocity curve on those *SPECIFIC NOTES*. 

Finally the user plays chromatically across the board again and this feedback loop would continue until a satisfactory and more importantly *consistent* velocity curve was finally set at a firmware level.