Komplete Kontrol 3 Not finding 3rd Party NKS Plugins

DirtyJawa · 2024-05-14T20:39:31+00:00

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There seems to be a bug with the factory scanning of Komplete Kontrol 3+. I have the latest versions of u-he, Plogue, and Synapse Audio 3rd party plugins installed (VST3 and NKS presets included) on my desktop (windows 10) and laptop (windows 11). I have the latest version of Komplete Kontrol installed on both also.

Prior to today, I had Komplete Kontrol 2 installed, and it saw ALL of my 3rd party plugins. I updated to Komplete Kontrol 3, and the results of the factory scan varied GREATLY between both computers.

In Kontrol 3, my Desktop found all of my u-he, Plogue, and Synapse file locations and stored them as factory file locations. However, it only displays Synapse Audio presets in the browser.

Kontrol 3 on my laptop found only the Plogue file locations, not the u-he or Synapse. It only displayed Plogue presets. When I click Rescan on factory locations, it blips for a second and acts like it did nothing.

Both installation settings are identical. There appears to be a major bug inscanning 3rd party NKS with Komplete Kontrol 3.

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Vocalpoint

@DirtyJawa

"Prior to today, I had Komplete Kontrol 2 installed, and it saw ALL of my 3rd party plugins. I updated to Komplete Kontrol 3, and the results of the factory scan varied GREATLY between both computers"

Is there a specific reason (outside of actually owning a new MKIII device) that made you change to KKv3?

KKv3 has actually less function that KKv2 - and unless you own a MKIII device - there is little reason to install it.

As far as your issue - not aware of any problems with third party plugins with KKv3 - if there was - we were have heard about that loud and clear over the last 6-8 months. Most likely a path issue somewhere.

DirtyJawa

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/153885#Comment_153885

Actually, there's another post about it going back to last fall that had two users affected with a similar description and no resolution.

I just purchased a MK3 and I used to have a MK2. This is the reason I want this working.

I'm going to continue to post on this, because it's not as intuitive as it should be, so others with this ignored issue dont struggle like myself and the other poster did.

My desktop finally started seeing all the plugins again the next time I loaded the software after posting this. This gave me hope.

After multiple reboots, the laptop didn't see Synapse or u-he. I reinstalled Synapse (same settings and file path as I had before), and KK 3 found Synapse but not u-he.

I tried relocating u-he, as it doesn't have an Uninstall option. This didn't help. I deleted the VST extensions and data files, then reinstalled VST3 and NKS presets in the same location using the latest installer. The data and VST3 are in the same folder as Synapse.

After reopening the software and rescanning, u-he products did not show up.

Vocalpoint

Toss up a screen cap of your paths in KKv3 if you can.

I do remember this happening to me once about 2 years ago with KKv2 - I had to delete the KK database and rebuild it from scratch - and then everything worked fine.

Also know that you cannot have KKv2 and KKV3 installed at the same time - which also maybe adding some fuel to the fire here.

DirtyJawa

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/153893#Comment_153893

I never had KKv2 installed on the laptop. KKv3 is the first NI product other than Access that I've placed on the laptop. So I don't mind deleting and rebuilding the database.

KKv3 recognizes the u-he Zebra plugins, but it doesn't recognize the NKS files or previews. I added them as user locations, and when I try to load them, it says "Zebra2 cannot be loaded." Not sure if it's because there is a difference between a factory and user NKS Preset or what.

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

C:\SoundData\u-he

The u-he Presets are .NKSF format.

20240514_174157.jpg

20240514_174232.jpg

Kymeia

If you are on Windows you need to use the VST2 to get full NKS functionality with u-he plugins.

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/153893#Comment_153893

The u-he NKS materials are separate installers - and are not added when installing the plugin. They are on the u-he site.

EDIT: Kymeia is bang on as well. Zebra is VST2 only for NKS. Diva and others are VST3

And in all my standard u-he installs - I never deviate with their installers - I let the installers go to Default always and have never had any issues - and I have 5 u-HE synths - all installing to the default standard Windows C:\UserName\Documents locations.

In my last DAW in 2021 - I tried to go all crazy with custom plugin locations and it was a disaster - espeically with a few like u-HE. When I built my new DAW here 4 months ago - it was all default locations and it has never worked better.

Another key point - ALL these standard locations are picked up automagically by KK - (Assuming there is some registry key or some other pointer somewhere) so it all just works here.

Your call on what you need to do.

DirtyJawa

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/153896#Comment_153896

Thanks for that input. I noticed this is true. The NKS preset files only open the VST2, and it won't open the VST3. I installed the VST2, and I can open Zebra from the User folder of presets... but Factory still doesn't see it.

DirtyJawa

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/153897#Comment_153897

The part that doesn't make sense is that my Desktop sees the u-he plugin installed in E:\SoundData, but it doesn't see it in C:\SoundData on my laptop.

Also, NKS presets come with the Zebra installers. The NKS previews for legacy soundsets are a separate download/install, and I already installed those too. I installed them similarly on my desktop as my laptop. The only difference is the drive and the windows version (10 vs 11). Same installers and method.

I used custom file paths because I use multiple machines and it makes backups easier. Also, I use multiple drives.

DirtyJawa

Problem Solved with a work-around.

NATIVE INSTRUMENTS: Please update Komplete Kontrol 3 to search for custom installation locations of 3rd party partner Factory NKS data, or allowusers to specify location to search. This would save a lot of headache.

Kontrol 2 was able to find custom locations without an issue, but 3 needs the plugin installer to specify the installation path somehow. Synapse Dune 3 uses an actual installer/Uninstaller and must update NI of its data location. U-he products do not do this. My Desktop's Kontrol 3 software only found my custom u-he location because it searched the old Kontrol 2 database.

For my laptop, which had Kontrol 3 ONLY, no history of 2.. this was my workaround.

I deleted the Kontrol database several times, but it made no difference. Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol 3 was refusing to look for custom file locations for u-he Software.

I deleted all my u-he data again, and I deleted the database. I had to reinstall my u-he plugins with the DEFAULT install location for the data folder. I could still customize my plugin folder (since I can specify folder locations).

Additionally in Windows at least, u-he plugins won't load from NKS presets unless the u-he VST2 location is known by Kontrol. So you must install VST2 and tell Kontrol where it's at.

Kymeia

NATIVE INSTRUMENTS: Please update Komplete Kontrol 3 to search for custom installation locations of 3rd party partner Factory NKS data, or allowusers to specify location to search. This would save a lot of headache.

It can already do that for user NKS, you just add the paths in settings/library/user. Factory paths are added by the installer, if it’s not doing that then contact u-he support. Once the path is there you can manually put additional content in the same folder and it will show in Factory but there is the usual risk of it getting deleted by plugin updates as it’s a Factory location

Kymeia

Additionally in Windows at least, u-he plugins won't load from NKS presets unless the u-he VST2 location is known by Kontrol. So you must install VST2 and tell Kontrol where it's at.

Yeah that’s a u-he issue, they prioritised VST3 NKS on Mac because Mac users can’t use VST2 anymore on Mac silicon. I’d get in touch with their support, the more people asking the better

At least KK3 still supports VST2 (although only in Rosetta mode on AS Macs), you just have to add the plugin path

Kymeia

afaik u-he do give users the ability to specify the default NKS content location in their plugins. Not sure if that then updates the path in the KK library, not at my computer right now but will check later

Kymeia

Checked now - sorry that's just for user presets it seems

As others have said you really should stick to the defaults for factory content, this is a good example of how not doing so can lead to problems

DirtyJawa

Thanks for all the follow-up, Kymeia. NI needs to be paying you (well). There'd be a lot of PO'd customers without your support here on these boards. Migrating to Komplete Kontrol 3 with a new 88 key on Windows has been chock full of small, frustrating hiccups. Your support, links, and User library has helped tremendously in making it much more understandable and seamless.

I must say that using Diva is an absolute pleasure on the Kontrol 3, with the edit function accessing the sections of the synth by pages. I'm enjoying its sound and integration so much that I'm contemplating selling some hardware analog synths.

Plugin Alliance was the other one that was a pain (for something that's supposed to be part of the Komplete bundles). I don't understand why NI hasn't prioritized getting their plugins that are included in Komplete into the Factory NKS library and Native access. It works well with your user library files though. :)

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