MIDI Templates..what was the fuss all about?

Okay, I'll admit I've never used them before so I was very intrigued to examine them and figure out how I could potentially use them. I'll admit they're a powerful feature..under the right circumstances and situations. But after messing with them for a day I'm not sure what value they'll bring to me specifically.

I can certainly understand their application for people that have other external keyboards and synths. But I depend entirely on my NI plugins for my sounds, so I don't see any of that applying to me. I only rarely work with even the synths from NI and mostly deal with sampled instrument libraries.

I suppose I could find a use possibly in automating my DAW (Ableton), but I'd have to give that some thought given my typical workflow since I mostly develop things on a stem by stem basis with different instruments in each project and I'm not sure it would necessarily improve my workflow for the investment of time. I'll probably explore creating templates for controlling multiple aspects of some of the more advanced cinematic libraries like Sequis, Arkhis, Lores, etc. to see if there's an advantage over what's already been mapped by NI on the keyboard.

The one thing I'll probably do is use it to synchronize MIDI control signals that automate stage equipment during live performances rather than just dropping in the small stems into one special track used for triggering and synchronizing my Morningstar MC8 MIDI footswitch controller within each project in time with the music. That way I can record those controls as I playback the tracks. But that's a pretty simple application.

I am intrigued with the keyboard assignments which could save me some time I suppose working on multiple tracks at a time. But that's the only one that immediately intrigues me.

So am I missing something big given my type of usage?

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Kymeia

I’m not a great MIDI user, preferring to work mostly with KK hosted NKS plugins, but I do have some hardware synths and some virtual instruments (like the ones from MOOG) that are standalone not VST plugins, so it is useful for those. Also I can now more easily switch between different mappings for the touch strip as I have it setup for Expression for some instruments and Breath for others

I think the MIDI editor now in Kontrol is very powerful, in some ways, ironically, more powerful than the NKS editor in KK. For one thing you can use the buttons, not just the knobs, you can also move user pages around which is a longstanding FR for the NKS editor.

Maciej Repetowski

I have a lot of Logic Pro keyboard shortcuts mapped to buttons (to show mixer, plugin GUI, horizontal and vertical zoom, etc.) and also currently selected track volume and pan are assigned to rotary encoders. Plus, cutoff and resonance for virtual instruments, on another two encoders. All nicely named, very handy. Then, when mixing, I switch to DAW control and use this and transport is always working anyway. 100% happy.

Of course, if one is heavy Komplete Kontrol or Kontakt user, MIDI mode is perhaps not very useful, but for people like me, who use many different VIs and maybe one or two tracks with Kontakt per song - it is a blessing.

Matthew_NI (on leave until November)

@DunedinDragon

Here is my opinion on the "fuss" so to speak.

We focused the new device on new capabilities at launch
We did not carry forward all existing features of MK2, at launch
We prioritized what did and didn't arrive at launch on account of relative usage levels
MIDI Templates didn't make the cut
The keyboard at launch satisfied most, and most new users
It did not satisfy existing power users, who still very much matter, even if in the minority, as in upgrading to get the new features, they were forced to accept losing some of the old features, such as MIDI Templates
Some users purchased only to find out later that MIDI Templates were not included (yes, the product page never claimed as much, also yes, it is understandable as to why a user would incorrectly assume a new product has every feature of an old product)
You will have seen a lot of valid critiques from such users in forums such as this
We were pretty public about our plans to follow up with MIDI Templates post launch, to satisfy these users, for the simple reason they do very much matter
It then took us longer than anticipated to complete that work, which further increased frustration amongst users who rely on and were patiently awaiting the feature

In other words, the "fuss" was warranted frustration voiced by users who depend on this feature, and had to wait months for it to arrive.

TLDR below

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MIDI Templates are not used en masse.

A majority of users use the NKS integration only, and/or the generic MIDI input without any sort of customization. It sounds like perhaps you are closer to this type of user.

A smaller group of users rely extensively on MIDI Templates, whether that be in our keyboards, or partner and competitor keyboards, for the reasons mentioned above: more specific, fluid, and direct control over other non NKS content (software plug-ins, software DAWs, or hardware) or custom to-taste control over NKS content.

A smaller group of users than that actually create such templates, for the consumption of others.

When we launched Kontrol S MK3, which is a major shift, and a tech platform on which we plan much longevity, we chose to focus on introducing the first version of some of our most hotly request features, that prior hardware wasn't capable of implementing, such as Direct Connection to Kontakt, and the capabilities introduced by NKS 2. We prioritized the efforts this way, in order to cater to the majority of the use cases we serve, and thus brought Kontrol S MK3 to market.

Introducing a generational shift also means each implementation is effectively brand new, ground up. So, whilst Kontrol S MK2 had the capability to utilize MIDI Templates edited in Komplete Kontrol, one could not simply inherit that for free with Kontrol S MK3. Nor was this the goal: by design, we seek to implement features for Kontrol S MK3 on-device, such that they live forever. For instance: now that MIDI Templates are on-device, no matter what happens (e.g. an OS breaks something, Kontrol S MK3 reaches end of life, NI explodes), Kontrol S MK3 will always be fully customizable and capable MIDI Controller. Longevity is key - and a response to some of the ways we've been criticized in the past.

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