Komplete Kontrol plugins not loading in Ableton anymore!

Hello, I wonder if anyone can help? I was using Komplete Kontrol a couple of years ago on an old intel MacBook (DAW Ableton).
I've since ungraded to an M1 Max MacBook. When I open the old Ableton files on my new Mac, none of the Komplete Kontrol plugins load. There's a button to press called 'configure' but when I press and then try to load an instrument or sound I juts get a pop up saying "Loading issue, could not be loaded".

I tried downloading Native Access for M1 chips and redownloading the software via there, but it keeps saying 'Download Failed", and when I try to rescan plugins in the Ableton preferences it doesn't load KK either.

I'm using Ableton V11 btw.

Please help!

Thank you :-)

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Accepted answers

JesterMgee

Yep, likely reason especially if you use the latest v3 of KK is that the VST2 plugin is no longer available and 90%+ of plugins don't migrate to VST3 form VST2.

The more pressing issue is that I believe there is no VST2 option on macoS with V3 of KK.

VST2 does not work on macOS M1 based systems anymore, unfortunately this has been common news for close to 2 years and something people needed to be aware of. However it is possible to get VST2 plugins to appear by running your software in Rosetta compatibility mode and this is the procedure you will need to follow:

If you installed V3 of KK you will likely need to uninstall that and then install the previous v2.9. I would kind to suggest to just stick with this version for now. Get v2.90 Here
Once installed you need to launch KK standalone using Rosetta mode (google if you don't know how) then do a plugin scan and confirm you have BOTH the VST/VST3 versions of each plugin. Likely if you have installed these all new, you didn't install the VST2 versions so you may have to go back and reinstall all your plugins to get the VST2 versions. Once you can see both VST2 and VST3 versions of plugins listed you can then launch Ableton in Rosetta mode.
With Ableton running in compatibility mode it will allow the VST2 version of KK to be loaded and in turn, KK can now load the VST2 versions of each plugin you have and hopefully your projects open.
If you open a project with success you can now open each instance of KK and swap out the VST2 version of the plugin with the VST3 version. You will of course need to either take note of the preset used or save out the preset file from the plugin. Don't bother saving the NKS file for the plugin as it will stioll load the VST2 version. VST2 and VST3 just were not made to upgrade easily, at least most devs never cared to assist us. Some plugins will work, most don't tho.
Once you feel you have switched all the plugins out, try launch Ableton in normal mode and see if your project opens.
Other things you need to be aware of, if you had any automation recorded for the plugins this may now not match whatever parameters you had especially if you did not load the plugin via a NKS preset. That is unfortunately a more difficult thing to explain and my time is up for today's lessons.

One thing macOS users always need to be aware of is issues between major system updates, there is ALWAYS some kind of issue and you need to research as much as possible for the software you use in preparation before you hit these issues because it is a LOT of leg work now to roll bacl and do things the hard way but it should be possible to fix most things.

Just FYI, this is not specifically a fault of NI, this is a combination of the EOL of VST2 and also Steinberg for seemingly making such a terrible format with VST2/3 to have it not even compatible.

All comments

Uwe303

Hello,

of course you have to install kk via native access first. Mac sonoma, if you use it is also not officially supported yet with all products but I guess you have the security settings issue described here:

https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360016913977-Native-Access-Error-Message-Installation-Failed-Mac#:~:text=Open%20your%20Mac's%20System%20Preferences,the%20list%20and%20are%20activated.

And/Or this:

https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/15604117672349-Native-Access-Error-Message-Download-failed-macOS#:~:text=Turn%20off%20Private%20Relay.,again%20and%20reactivate%20Private%20Relay.

Mumu

Wow @Uwe303 appreciate the fast response! I'll give that a try, thank you!

Mumu

@Uwe303 Sadly it's still not working. I was able to reinstall the software via Native Access but when I try and load a patch in Ableton I still get "Loading Issue, Could not be Loaded. Please open the standalone application to rescan or rescan manually in plug-in preferences" . Can't see anything to rescan in Native Access, and rescanning in Ableton settings doesn't seem to do anything either!

Mark Oxley

Did you save your Ableton projects using VST2 plugins including Komplete Kontrol? It's possible that Ableton is looking for VST2 plugins but doesn't know where to find them now since all the recent changes in NI software updates have switched plugins to VST3.

JesterMgee

Yep, likely reason especially if you use the latest v3 of KK is that the VST2 plugin is no longer available and 90%+ of plugins don't migrate to VST3 form VST2.

The more pressing issue is that I believe there is no VST2 option on macoS with V3 of KK.

If you installed V3 of KK you will likely need to uninstall that and then install the previous v2.9. I would kind to suggest to just stick with this version for now. Get v2.90 Here
Once installed you need to launch KK standalone using Rosetta mode (google if you don't know how) then do a plugin scan and confirm you have BOTH the VST/VST3 versions of each plugin. Likely if you have installed these all new, you didn't install the VST2 versions so you may have to go back and reinstall all your plugins to get the VST2 versions. Once you can see both VST2 and VST3 versions of plugins listed you can then launch Ableton in Rosetta mode.
With Ableton running in compatibility mode it will allow the VST2 version of KK to be loaded and in turn, KK can now load the VST2 versions of each plugin you have and hopefully your projects open.
If you open a project with success you can now open each instance of KK and swap out the VST2 version of the plugin with the VST3 version. You will of course need to either take note of the preset used or save out the preset file from the plugin. Don't bother saving the NKS file for the plugin as it will stioll load the VST2 version. VST2 and VST3 just were not made to upgrade easily, at least most devs never cared to assist us. Some plugins will work, most don't tho.
Once you feel you have switched all the plugins out, try launch Ableton in normal mode and see if your project opens.
Other things you need to be aware of, if you had any automation recorded for the plugins this may now not match whatever parameters you had especially if you did not load the plugin via a NKS preset. That is unfortunately a more difficult thing to explain and my time is up for today's lessons.

Just FYI, this is not specifically a fault of NI, this is a combination of the EOL of VST2 and also Steinberg for seemingly making such a terrible format with VST2/3 to have it not even compatible.

Kymeia

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/134562#Comment_134562

And Live does not support VST2 to VST3 migration even if Komplete Kontrol does

kevindetroit

After loading everything on back to my 2019 intel iMac i9 I still couldn't get Ableton 12.1b6 to load VST2's of Komplete Kontrol…

Till I followed Jester's workflow and downloaded the older Komplete Kontrol (I just overwrote the newer Komplete Kontrol as I plan to migrate back to the M2 silicon chip after bouncing it all down or copying the VST settings and saving in AU) RESCANED AND IT WORKED. A BIG THANK YOU!

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