Is KK3 Prime Time Ready yet?

FilmCompos3r
FilmCompos3r Member Posts: 29 Member

I dipped my toes into the new MK3 and KK3 ecosystem back and January on Cubase and was treated with heaps of corrupted projects, horrible system instability, and the need to rebuild my system drive to get back to a clean installation of KK2.

I’m, perhaps stupidly, thinking of trying again now that the software is more mature. What are peoples experiences? Is KK3 stable? Is it loading your old projects? Are the majority of S61 units shipping with even velocity responses now?

Also, general question - in my own tests I’m finding that loading KK2 projects in KK3 generally leads to success now, but that if I save that project and try to open it on a KK2 machine all plugins will not load. Is that just the way of things or is there a way to load KK3 sessions in KK2 machines?

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Comments

  • DunedinDragon
    DunedinDragon Member Posts: 931 Guru
    edited September 14

    I got my MK3 in January and have had no instabilities I couldn't easily fix on it or with KK3 on my Windows 10 Ableton 11 setup. But I'm fully configured with all of the most current versions of KK, Kontakt and Native Instruments.

    The underlying VST architecture has changed with the MK3 and the updated KK, Kontakt and Native Instruments directly support those. The MK3 will still work with older VSTs, but not the reverse with the MK2 since it doesn't incorporate the capability for them. Again, you could still work with the older plugins in your MK3 based DAW project, but you may have to use an older version of Kontakt to get them loaded.

    Most NKS compatible plugins that are either older or aren't directly licensed as NKS plugins such as those from 8DIO, Spitfire or Impact Soundworks will still work in the new KK or Kontakt if they're just loaded as .nki instrument files from the file system.

  • FilmCompos3r
    FilmCompos3r Member Posts: 29 Member

    thanks! Yes I’m aware of the VST2/VST3 transition, and that caused heaps of issues that I’ve sorted through, but on top of that I was dealing with constant crashes of the Komplete Kontrol plugin, graphical corruption…just the works.

    I’m quite hesitant to upgrade now since as soon as I transition a project to KK3 there’s no going back to KK2 if I start getting crashes and such, so I’m really hesitant. Then again, I can’t stay on KK2 forever, so I’m just hoping this is the right time.

  • JesterMgee
    JesterMgee Member Posts: 2,915 Expert
    edited September 15

    There are plenty of issues I see about the place, especially if you are a Logic user where there seems to be a major GUI problem. I've seen others having some navigation issues/crashing with Cubase but can't really comment on that but issues are still being raised rather constantly.

    For me, the more pressing problems are the downgrade in browsing capability, the slower navigation speed, the truncated preset names, the increased need to click on things rather than have info displayed conveniently, the reduction of useful info on-screen (no way to see presets and the GUI of the plugin anymore) and the loss of sub banks which is still not even slightly hinted from NI as being an "issue" or that it is being addressed making me think they simply dropped it for user libraries.

    From my tests and comparisons of the workflow in both applications, it is IMHO that KK V3 is not as efficient in use as KK V2 and maybe not everyone will agree, some have a loyal following or simply don't notice certain things, but KK V2 gets the job done with half as much fuss and clicks and a much faster workflow if you can deal with the shortcomings and more simple (but snappier) interface. Sadly KK V2 has a major issue which they never addressed where in Ableton Live half of all plugins do not show a GUI which would be the ONLY reason I would ever upgrade.

    It's also been pretty clear that focus for KK V3 is on adding new features for the MK3 (or adding in lost function from V2 still….) and not addressing problems or requests for anything suggested that affects anyone else that is not using an MK3 so clearly it is for new users, not existing users. We still do not see accessibility, DnD of files or even the ability to delete NKS files from the browser, all basic function that was in KK V1 10 years ago so there is still basic catch-up work to do!

    In regards to reverting back to KK V2, if you use the V3 version of KK in a project you likely will NOT be able to roll back to KK V2 so this will be the deciding factor if you actually update. If I were you I would make (as you already should be anyway) a fork/version of any projects you have saving a new version for the V3 of KK just in case you decide you have to roll back. Personally, unless you really have a need I would resist the temptation to update for some time yet. Bug fixes are rolling out super slow and seems new releases with new features are causing more issues for people. Search the forums here first, you will see 90% of the posts from the last 2 months are mostly related to issues and problems of some kind rather than the usual general questions.

    Just for kicks, let's have a look at what 1 year of updates for KK looks like.

    TBH, that is not a great deal of fixes/updates for a 12 month period as I would think a large round of fixes would have been done not long after release

    3.3.1 - 2024-08-02
    FIXED Issue that caused connection issues for some Kontrol A, M and SMK2 keyboards.
    3.3 - 2024-08-01
    ADDED Support for latest version of Kontrol S MK3 OS 1.7
    ADDED Quit button for macOS standalone application
    ADDED Komplete Kontrol now supports parameter ID remapping as defined in VST3 SDK
    3.2.1 - 2024-03-25
    FIXED Issue causing an erroneous disconnection error message to display in Studio One when used with Kontrol S MK3
    FIXED Issue causing no user interface to display for certain VST3 plug-ins in Ableton Live (Please update to the latest version of any affected plug-ins, and also perform a plug-in rescan in order to properly evaluate this fix)
    3.2.0 - 2024-03-05
    ADDED Sonoma Compatibility
    ADDED VST3 Toggle parameters with “isBypass” flag set show up as power buttons on Kontrol MK3
    ADDED Publishing of unmapped plugin parameters for automation
    FIXED KK PluginEditor has wrong position after moving to different screen
    FIXED Lightguide unexpectedly resets when loading presets from NKS partner plugins
    FIXED In LOGIC, the KPI view is drawn on top of rest of KK UI when scrolling
    FIXED HiDPI issues on Windows in the Plug-in view when moving KK to different screen
    FIXED Cubase Flicker And Crash When Focusing On Another App and Back Again
    FIXED Enter search text not responding when browser is resized in Logic
    3.1.2 - 2024-02-13
    FIXED An issue causing a crash in Cubase when showing/hiding user interface(s)
    3.1.1 - 2024-01-29
    FIXED An issue causing an empty black window in Logic Pro
    FIXED An intermittent crash when showing or hiding the user interface on Windows 10 and 11
    3.1.0 - 2023-12-18
    ADDED The Komplete Kontrol browser can now be resized
    ADDED The design of the MIDI learn parameter menu has been updated to match the rest of the application
    ADDED The icon of the plugin scanner has been updated to the latest version
    FIXED An issue where the Decay parameter of the Sampler was falsely stated as Demo
    FIXED An issue that lead to delayed response when adjusting parameter knobs for some Arturia plugins
    FIXED An issue that lead to empty lines showing in the MIDI-learn parameter menu
    FIXED An issue that lead to NKS2 resources not being identified correctly on case sensitive file systems
    FIXED A bug on Windows that resulted in a white bar appearing when the menu is opened
    3.0.3 - 2023-11-21
    FIXED NKS2 plug-ins made with JUCE are not detected as NKS2 plug-ins
    3.0.2 - 2023-11-03
    FIXED Some users experiencing CPU spikes when using Komplete Kontrol in large DAW projects without having the Kontrol Mk 3 NIHardwareConnectionService installed
    FIXED A bug that led to more RAM being used than required, affecting users with a large amount of Komplete Kontrol instances in a DAW project
    FIXED The Komplete Kontrol Sampler and Audio module parameters jumping values when being selected from Kontrol Mk3 keyboards
    FIXED Unable to name sections in Native Map when users created NKS1 user presets
    FIXED One-shot and Loops not appearing in the correct section of the browser
    3.0.1 - 2023-10-26
    FIXED Komplete Kontrol 2 VST2 not loading in DAW projects after installing Komplete Kontrol 3
    FIXED Lightguide not working for some VST2 NKS1 plug-ins

  • JesterMgee
    JesterMgee Member Posts: 2,915 Expert

    Now, just for a little comparison, Ableton Live releases V12 last year and here is just the last 5 months of updates they have pushed out (it's so many it wont even fit in a single post…:

    12.0.25 Release Notes

    August 29, 2024

    New features and improvements

    • Added Control Surface support for Arturia KeyLab mk3, Novation Launchkey mk4 and Novation Launchkey Mini mk4.

    12.0.20 Release Notes

    Aug 6, 2024

    No Live specific release notes, please refer to the release notes of Push 3 (Push 2.0.20 with Live 12.0.20).

    12.0.15 Release Notes

    July 23, 2024

    No Live specific release notes, please refer to the release notes of Push 3 (Push 2.0.15 with Live 12.0.15).

    12.0.10 Release Notes

    June 28, 2024

    New Features and Improvements

    • ​​​Live's authorization code has been reviewed and simplified (without functionality change) and now uses a JSON format for the unlock file.

    12.0.5 Release Notes

    June 5, 2024

    New Features and Improvements

    Accessibility 

    • Accessibility: Mixed state of a control is now exposed to screen readers as "Mixed Value". For example, in a multiple clip selection, where loop is on in some clips and off in others, the state of the Loop switch in the Clip View will be announced as "Mixed Value".
    • Accessibility: Screen reader announcements in the MIDI Note Editor now use a description of the time selection which is made specifically for screen readers, instead of using the generic description from the Status Bar. Additionally, times can be announced in seconds by enabling the “Speak Time in Seconds” option in the Accessibility menu, otherwise they will be announced in bars.
    • Accessibility: The Step Input Mode of the MIDI Note Editor now includes announcements for screen readers.
    • Accessibility: When the new option “Speak Time in Seconds” in the Accessibility submenu of the Options menu is enabled, time announcements in the Arrangement View timeline will be announced in milliseconds formatted as: hh:mm:ss:ms.
    • Accessibility: When arming tracks is disabled, the reason why will now be announced by screen readers. When any other menu command is disabled, screen readers will announce the command and “command not enabled”.
    • Accessibility: Added a new “Speak Extended MIDI Note Description” command to the Accessibility submenu within the Options menu. By default the command is enabled, but if deactivated, parameter names (e.g., "Duration", "Velocity", "Probability") are omitted in the screen reader announcements, as well as any probability values that are set to 100%.
    • Accessibility: When downloading Packs, the download status is now announced by screen readers.
    • Accessibility: Added basic keyboard navigation support and screen reader announcements for tabs in Live devices and Clip View.
    • Accessibility: Error messages displayed in the Status Bar are now announced by screen readers.
    • Accessibility: In the Stacks MIDI Tool, changes made on selected chord pads are now announced by screen readers.
    • Accessibility: The MIDI Note Editor now uses "MIDI Note Editor" as a role description for screen readers and is named based on the current clip and time selection.
    • Accessibility: Added some small improvements for keyboard navigation and screen reader announcements for a number of Live devices.
    • Accessibility - Added some improvements for MIDI Note selection announcements:
      • When selecting a MIDI Note with the keyboard while a note is already selected, the word “Select” will be omitted from the announcement.
      • When the note selection is expanded using the keyboard to include another note, there will be a unique “Add Note” announcement describing only the additional note.
      • Collapsing the note selection using the [Esc] or [Enter] key is announced as “All notes deselected”.
    • Accessibility: The Chord Selector Pads in the Stacks MIDI Tool now have unique labels for screen reader announcements.
    • Accessibility: Status indicators in the Modes and Monitoring control groupings are now accessible to keyboard and screen reader users. Activating them with the Enter key or pressing them via screen reader will cause Live to announce the time in seconds since the last message which caused the LED to flash.

    Arrangement View 

    • In the Arrangement View, when the mixer is not focused, the [CTRL][ALT][I] (Win) / [CMD][ALT][I] (Mac) keyboard shortcut will toggle the visibility of the In/Out section, while the [CTRL][ALT][R] (Win) / [CMD][ALT][R] (Mac) keyboard shortcut will toggle the visibility of the return tracks.
    • The volume section of the mixer in the Arrangement View can now be resized by dragging its top border, like in the Session View.
    • Scrollable automation lanes in the Arrangement View will now only respond to mousewheel if their lane is highlighted.

    Browser

    • In the Plug-Ins label of the browser, VST2 plug-ins are no longer displayed with an expandable folder icon.
    • In the browser, Creator tags for VST2 plug-ins are now automatically assigned.
    • It is now possible to group plug-ins into a folder based on the Creator tag in the Plug-Ins label of the browser. To do so, right-click on a plug-in and select “Group by Vendor.” If a plug-in does not have an assigned Creator tag, it will be displayed in a flat list below any grouped plug-ins.
    • The browser’s Plug-Ins label will now by default show plug-ins grouped by their Creator.
    • When deleting a tag, the confirmation dialog will now include a note informing the user that the tag is used in one or more custom labels.
    • In the browser, the context menu option "Show in Places" is now accessible when filtering or using Similarity Search inside Places and the Packs label.
    • Users can now reorder labels in the browser’s Library section, except for the All label, which is fixed.
    • Added additional tags to content in various legacy Packs.
    • Updated the Core Library:
      • Added Demo Set presets by Chuck Sutton.
      • Added new and refined Meld presets (Note Pitch Bend and Mod Wheel mappings).
      • Added tags for Devices and FX Racks like "Mixing & Mastering", "Vintage Emulation", "Live Control", "Performance & DJ"
      • Refined the Demo Set.

    Clip View

    • When the Clip View is focused, the [ALT][+/-] keyboard shortcut can now be used to zoom in and out of the MIDI Note Editor.
    • Accessibility: Added screen reader support for audio clip markers in the Sample Editor, including warp markers, start and end markers, and loop start and end markers. Markers can be navigated with the [Tab] key and moved in time with left and right arrow keys.
    • Previously, undoing changes in MIDI Tools via the Undo command could be slow if the tool’s parameters had been significantly changed. Now, the undo action happens instantaneously.
    • It is now possible to drag up and down in the Strum Transformation’s display to adjust the value of the Tension parameter.
    • In the MIDI Note Editor, when key tracks are folded, any tracks that are left empty after applying Fit to Scale will now be automatically hidden.
    • In the Arpeggiate, Connect and Ornament MIDI Tools, the velocity and chance deviation values from the original notes are now applied to any new notes that are added from the note transformation.
    • The Arpeggiate, Ornament, Connect and Shape MIDI Tools now only generate notes in active key tracks when using Drum Racks.
    • When applying changes in the MIDI Note Editor with Arpeggiate, Connect, Stacks, or Ornament’s Grace Notes option with the key tracks in a folded state, the folded and unfolded key tracks will be updated dynamically in response to the changes in the MIDI Note Editor.
    • Holding [Shift] while pressing the Page Up or Page Down key will scroll the MIDI Note Editor vertically by one key track up or down.
    • In the Time Warp MIDI Tool, it is now possible to type values into the Breakpoint Time and Breakpoint Speed parameter fields using the keyboard.
    • The [CTRL][ALT][L] (Win) / [CMD][ALT][L] (Mac) keyboard shortcut can now be used to show and hide the Clip View and Device View.
    • The Add Interval Pitch Tool now works with key tracks when using Drum Racks.
    • When using the ×2 or /2 buttons or the Stretch dial in Clip View, the time selection (if any) will now be updated to stay in sync with the changes to note lengths.
    • It is now possible to type in values (for pitches you can type a note number, e.g., 60 instead of the note name e.g., C3, and using spaces for text input is also supported, e.g., "Hi Hat") using the keyboard for the following MIDI Tool parameters when they are focused:
      • Seed - Min/Max Pitch or Key Track, Min/Max Duration
      • Shape - Min/Max Pitch
      • Rhythm - Pitch, Duration
      • Arpeggiate - Rate
      • Connect - Rate
      • Shape - Rate
      • Stacks - Root, Inversions
    • In the Velocity lane, the Ramp Start Value control is now editable when a single note is selected in the MIDI Note Editor. When multiple notes are selected that start at the same time, only the Ramp End Value control is deactivated.

    Devices

    • The Velocity MIDI effect is now easier to navigate using the computer keyboard. When using the [Tab] key to move focus through the controls, tabbing will go through each parameter in a column from top to bottom, and when the end of a column is reached, tabbing will move between columns from left to right.
    • The Pitch control in the Pitch device is now less sensitive when adjusting it with the mouse.
    • The Shepard’s Pi oscillator type in Meld has been optimized to use fewer CPU resources.
    • It is now possible to access device header tabs when navigating with the computer keyboard.
    • In Meld, added an Info View description for modulation sources, which appears when the user is hovering over the column headers in the Modulation Matrix.
    • The parameter dials in the CC Control device no longer respond sluggishly to mouse movements.
    • Some improvements for the Meld device:
      • The scaling of the global volume control has been improved.
      • The mixer meters now show the summed volume of the engine.
      • Aliasing artifacts in Meld’s Noisy Shapes oscillator are now reduced.
      • In Meld, the default envelope attack time value is now 1.00 ms.
      • Additional software text descriptions have been added for Meld’s oscillator macro controls, filters, and filter type parameters.
    • In Drum Racks, it is now possible to spell note names as MIDI numbers in the MIDI Note Editor. These numbers are also indicated in the Status Bar’s description of the drum pads.
    • After dropping something onto a Drum Rack pad, that pad will become selected.

    Interface

    • Added some improvements to context menu entries in the Live UI:
      • The text of the entries is used more consistently in the different places where they appear, respecting the singular/plural forms whenever possible.
      • The "Crop" command is now available in the loop brace's context menu.
    • The "Crop" command can now be invoked in the Arrangement or Clip View with the [CTRL][Shift][J] (Win) / [CMD][Shift][J] (Mac) screenshot.
    • The Info View description is now shown for more context menu items.
    • When using any of the keyboard shortcuts for Similar Sample Swapping, the corresponding Swap to Next/Previous Sample buttons will flash to indicate the swap is being performed.
    • Made some improvements to Live’s UI:
      • The width of the Main track in the Session View can now be increased to allow for longer scene names.
      • The text editor for cue points is now wider by default, to allow for longer cue names.
    • The mixer peak hold time was reduced from 10 seconds to 2 seconds.
    • Highlighting and selecting tracks when using Solo and Track Activator buttons now work in a consistent way:
      • A track is highlighted when it is soloed in the Session or Arrangement.This behavior can be stopped by using the debug option NoHighlightOnSolo.
      • In Drum Racks, the chain is now selected when its pad is soloed. This behavior can be stopped by using the debug option NoHighlightOnSolo.
      • In Drum, Instrument, and MIDI Effect Racks, a chain is only selected if the chain's Solo or Track Activator buttons are turned on.
    • Live’s Preferences menu has been renamed to “Settings”.
    • If the Show Scroll Bars option in the Display & Input Settings is set to "When Scrolling", the scrollbars are now also displayed after hovering over the scrollbar area for a fraction of a second.
    • The “Show Scroll Bars” option in the Display & Input Settings now includes a “Follow System” entry. When selected, the display behavior of scrollbars in Live will match whatever is specified in the OS system preferences.
    • When using the up and down arrow keys to adjust volume or level parameters in dB, values now change consistently in increments of 1 dB (or 0.1 dB when fine-tuning with the [Shift] modifier).
    • Updated software text in various areas of Live.
    • Updated the What’s New in Live Help View lesson.

  • JesterMgee
    JesterMgee Member Posts: 2,915 Expert

    Cont….

    Bugfixes

    Live Bugfixes

    • The Scale Mode toggle in the Control Bar now has an outlined focus frame when it is focused using keyboard navigation.
    • Fixed an issue that could cause Meld’s limiter to distort.
    • The Filter On/Off toggle in the Corpus effect no longer displays incorrect text.
    • Made the following minor adjustments to Roar’s UI:
      • Correct background colors are now used for the breakout view meters.
      • The filter types labels now use all capital letters.
    • In Session View, when hovering above the chain volume sliders in an expanded chain mixer, the cursor is changed to a double-arrow to indicate that the volume section can be resized by dragging up or down.
    • Accessibility: Improved screen reader announcements for note velocity.
    • The UI panel in the Tuning section now uses the correct color.
    • If the Show Scroll Bars preference is set to When Scrolling, scrollbars will now be shown when scrolling occurs while dragging and dropping content.
    • Accessibility: Fixed a bug where changing the label section in the browser using object navigation from a screen reader wouldn’t update the content list.
    • Fixed an issue in Roar where animated UI widgets such as the shaper curve or filter curve would flicker at large buffer sizes.
    • It is no longer possible to tag factory Packs via the Tags Editor.
    • Fixed an issue where, depending on the total number of samples, performing with Round Robin in the Other mode would seemingly skip a sample.
    • Fixed a bug where the expanded view was missing a focus outline even when it was the active view.
    • Fixed a couple of small issues in Meld:
      • The Engine A/B Volume parameter can now be mapped to macros as normal.
      • The Oscillator Type list now wraps around when using the Previous and Next buttons.
    • When entering the name of a non-existent tag while searching for tags with the # symbol, a warning message is now displayed informing the user that a tag of that name does not exist. If the user presses Return at this point the search input will not be saved as a tag but remain in the search field as a plain text.
    • When applying a note transformation via a MIDI Tool that produces no visible change (such as quantizing a note that is already on the grid), a step is now generated in the undo history.
    • When running a similarity search from within an existing search, the browser will now scroll back to the top of the list of results instead of remaining at the position of the previous search.
    • Fixed a bug that prevented audio tracks over 2 GB from being frozen or consolidated.
    • Accessibility: Fixed an incorrect accessible name on the audio editor timeline in Clip View. Also cleaned up excess speech when navigating the audio editor.
    • Fixed an issue where adding a tagged item to the User Library or Collections would not display the associated tag in those locations until Live was restarted.
    • Fixed a bug in the Arrangement View mixer where double-clicking on a device in the browser to load it onto a selected Rack chain would insert the device after the Rack itself instead of the selected chain.
    • Fixed some UI layout issues in Live’s Settings that caused some translated text to be cut off.
    • Fixed a bug in Plug-Ins Settings that caused Live to scan for plug-ins even after canceling the folder chooser that opens after enabling the “Use VST2 Plug-In Custom Folder" or "Use VST3 Plug-In Custom Folder" option.
    • Fixed a bug where built-in devices that were saved to the Collections label in Live 11 would be shown as unloadable folders when displayed in Live 12.
    • Fixed a crash that occurred after dropping a sample onto a selected Drum Rack Pad that already contained an instrument.
    • Fixed two small bugs in the Roar device:
      • Values for the Blend parameter can now be set and adjusted using arrow keys.
      • The Noise modulator no longer resets to 0 when the device is reactivated.
    • Fixed a crash that occurred when simultaneously selecting time or tracks in the Arrangement View while moving through tracks in the Arrangement mixer.
    • Fixed a bug where the oscillator transpose parameters on Push didn't have an effect when Meld was following the clip scale.
    • Fixed an issue that prevented cropped or reversed samples from being swapped out when using the Swap to Next/Previous Similar Sample buttons in Simpler.
    • Accessibility: The status of playing clips in Session View (e.g., playing, triggered, stopped) is now available via screen reader announcements.
    • When using a second window, the Clip View’s height will no longer reset after selecting an empty clip.
    • Accessibility: Screen reader announcements for track names now include their status, e.g., armed, soloed or frozen.
    • Roar now uses the correct UI colors when it is a part of an inactive group.
    • The browser now displays the message “No results” or “No content” more reliably.
    • Reduced the gap between Preference Page Chooser rows.
    • The CC Control MIDI effect is now available in all Live editions.
    • Accessibility: Added the following fixes:
      • Fixed a bug that caused some sliders to be inaccessible.
      • Fixed an issue that caused some sliders to be excluded from the "Speak Min and Max Values for Sliders" accessibility option.
      • Fixed a bug which caused some hidden controls to take screen reader focus.
    • Missing separator lines in the Audio and Link, Tempo & MIDI Settings pages have been re-added.
    • In the Connect MIDI Tool, the correct Info View description is now shown for the Spread control when hovering over the space surrounding the control.
    • In the MIDI Note Editor, the time selection is now updated when inverting the note selection.
    • Accessibility: Fixed the following issues:
      • The controls in a device’s expanded view are now wrapped in a group.
      • Fixed a bug which caused some buttons to not have a name.
    • Fixed a bug where resizing the Arrangement mixer in a second window while the Clip and Device Views were expanded caused the second window to briefly and erratically change in height.
    • When quantizing note ends, if the nearest quantization point is over or before the note start, the note will now be quantized to the next quantization point. This prevents invalid note lengths.
    • Removed an internal-use parameter mistakenly displayed in envelope choosers for Analog, Electric, Collision, and Tension.
    • The Similar Sample Swap controls are now hidden in nested Drum Racks (i.e., a Drum Rack within a drum pad).
    • Fixed an issue where a multiple clip selection would start in a different clip slot than expected.
    • Fixed an issue that caused name fields in the CC Control device parameters, Rack macros, and Drum pads to be displayed slightly off-center.
    • When clicking on a slot or scene in the Session View while the mixer in the Arrangement View was visible in another window, Live would scroll the Session View erratically and potentially start to drag content, leading to things like unwanted reordering of scenes or moving of clips. This behavior is now fixed.
    • The rows in the MIDI Input section of the Link, Tempo & MIDI Settings are now aligned correctly.
    • Corrected the height of the bottom margin of a second window.
    • Fixed an issue that cause saved User Labels to display no results if the custom tag that was used to generate the contents within the label was renamed.
    • Fixed an issue on Windows that could cause Live to sporadically crash when exporting video.
    • Fixed a bug where the mixer volume section would disappear and it would be impossible to resize the mixer when the Live window was made smaller.
    • Fixed a bug that prevented the [E] key actions (e.g., note splitting) from working in the MIDI Note Editor when in Live’s second window.
    • The device insert marker in Rack devices now uses the background color of the divider line between devices.
    • Fixed a bug where using Undo on moving warp markers would undo the movement in very small increments, requiring a lot of undo steps to get back to the previous state.
    • Fixed a crash that occurred due to invalid note lengths in the Arpeggiate MIDI Tool.
    • CC 119 is now part of the list of available CC Messages in CC Control.
    • In the Phaser-Flanger device, the color of the separator lines between different UI elements is now more visible in dark themes.
    • Fixed an issue that occurred when using the Stacks MIDI Tool with a Drum Rack, where the Chord Root parameter would correctly refer to drum pads on the first chord's root pitch parameter, but would use note names instead after adding a new chord.
    • Fixed an issue with multi-clip editing where selected notes in non-focused clips would remain selected when interacting with the Velocity or Chance editors, even though those editors don’t show notes in non-focused clips.
    • Fixed a bug that prevented users from deleting automation breakpoints using the Delete command in the context menu.
    • Fixed a bug where extending the note selection with the shortcut [OPT][Shift] + down arrow key would not work correctly when two notes with the same pitch were selected.
    • Fixed an issue where the device expanded view would reopen after dragging it closed.
    • Accessibility: When using the Stacks MIDI Tool, the C# note on the Root Pitch dial is now announced as “C sharp” (previously the “sharp” was omitted).
    • Fixed an issue with spacing below the transport bar becoming too large when resizing the Clip View or device expanded view all the way to the top.
    • Accessibility: In MIDI Tools, the key names in pitch controls are now announced using the note name along with their corresponding spelling preferences (i.e., sharp, flat) and tuning options.
    • Fixed a UI issue that occurred when duplicating a device with an expanded breakout view.
    • Fixed a bug that could cause the Indexer to freeze while analyzing certain MP3 files on Windows.
    • Folder names containing the | character can once again be used in the browser.
    • On Windows, fixed an issue where the Status Bar would get cut off when the Live window was made smaller.
    • Fixed a few issues in the Recombine MIDI Tool:
      • The Rotate display doesn’t silently catch focus anymore, the focus goes to the Rotation Steps parameter.
      • If the number of rotate steps exceeds the maximum available, the selected bar is centered and is not displayed wider than usual.
      • After making a time selection, the bars in the Rotate display update correctly.
      • Fixed the software text for the Shuffle parameter.
    • Fixed a bug in the Arpeggiate MIDI Tool where generated notes would sometimes start at the edge of the input time range, causing generated notes to fall outside of the range.
    • When selecting a new lane to add from the lane selector in the MIDI Note Editor, the newly selected lane becomes the active lane and the controls at the bottom of the Editor are updated accordingly.
    • Updated the UI color of the Seed, Time Warp and Recombine MIDI Tools when the panels are deactivated.
    • Fixed an issue where Live could be installed on Windows computers that did not meet in the minimum system requirements, but would not start when the program was launched. Now, it is no longer possible to install the program at all if the system requirements are not met.
    • A grid settings chooser is no longer displayed in the header in unwarped audio clips.
    • Fixed some small issues when using the Add Interval option with Drum Racks or sampled instruments:
      • When not all key tracks are in use, Add Interval no longer generates notes on unused/invisible tracks.
      • The Interval parameter no longer shows a unit, e.g., “st” or “sd.”
    • Fixed an issue where the text in Live’s Settings would be cut off in some languages.
    • Fixed an issue that caused vertical scrolling to move too fast when adjusting values in the MIDI Note Editor’s MPE and Envelopes view modes.
    • When using the Fold mode in the MIDI Note Editor, the Seed, Shape and Rhythm MIDI Tools will no longer automatically shrink key tracks by hiding unused tracks.
    • Fixed a performance regression that occurred when resizing tracks in the Session View with Sets containing hundreds of scenes.
    • Accessibility: Fixed a bug where toggling a checkable menu entry would incorrectly announce the new checked or unchecked state of the menu entry.
    • Fixed an issue on Windows where the title bar of Live’s window would be cut off when launching the program with a window size larger than the available screen size (for example, if the display scale setting was changed on Windows).
    • Fixed an issue where the Info View descriptions for parameters in the Euclidean and Velocity Shaper Generators were duplicated or missing in some cases.
    • Fixed an issue where the “Follow System" option for the "Show Scroll Bars" preference in Display & Input Settings was ignored when starting Live for the first time.
    • Fixed a crash that occurred when redoing the action of moving a group track that contains an Instrument Rack device.
    • The Randomize Velocity option now works as expected again.
    • Fixed the following keyboard input issues: 
      • Typing a space as the first character no longer enters edit mode on enumeration value sliders and doesn't block the global play/stop command. 
      • Typing a value that is outside of the available choices now correctly has no effect. Previously, the invalid value would be stuck in the edit field.
    • Fixed a crash that would sometimes occur when moving tracks with the keyboard using the [CTRL] (Win) / [CMD] (Mac) key with arrow keys.
    • Accessibility: Fixed a bug that caused Live to lose focus in the Settings dialog.
    • The Pitch effect will now always appear the same width regardless of whether it is locked to a control surface (i.e., regardless of whether the hand icon is showing in the title bar).
    • Fixed a bug where a Similarity Search could not be triggered using the View menu or the context menu in the browser when the file has not been analyzed in the background.
    • Fixed a bug that caused slowed installation times when replacing an existing installation on Windows.
    • Fixed a visual issue where text would be cut off when renaming Arrangement locators.
    • In the Max for Live API, the performance when calling API functions with large dictionaries as inputs (e.g. apply_note_modifications) has been greatly improved.
    • Fixed a crash that occurred when moving a group track and then undoing that action in certain scenarios.
    • Fixed a crash that occurred when dropping a file into the File Manager when replacing missing files in a Set.
    • Accessibility: Fixed an issue that prevented the Live 12 Trial from being authorized when using certain screen readers on Windows.
    • Fixed a crash that occurred when replacing a missing sample in Simpler via the File Manager.
    • Fixed a visual issue that caused the initial layout of the Main track to be misaligned when the “Show Scroll Bars” option was set to “When Scrolling”.
    • Fixed a crash that could occur when quitting Live.
    • Updated the bundled Max version to 8.6.2 hot fix release 3191a3e. This fixes the following issue: Live no longer requires admin credentials when launched from a secondary user account.
    • Fixed an alignment issue in Live’s Audio Settings when the warning dialog about configuring inputs/outputs was shown.
    • Fixed a bug in the Stacks MIDI Tool that caused the Root parameter to behave erratically when using Drum Racks. Now the parameter stops at the last pad in the Rack as expected.
    • Fixed a crash that occurred when resizing multiple clips on different tracks, undoing the action, and then resizing again.
    • Fixed a crash that could occur when resizing the video window on Windows.
    • Fixed a bug where chain lists in Racks would become slightly misaligned when switching the Show Scroll Bars option between When Scrolling and Always.
    • Fixed a crash that would occur in rare cases when audio with infinite volume was routed into Live.
    • Fixed the behavior of commands when the content menu is opened via the computer keyboard in audio and MIDI clips so that auto-warp commands, such as Set 1.1.1 Here or Warp From Here, now use the current position of the insert marker.
    • Fixed a bug where some Live Clips based on locked Racks, such as Grain Slap 136 bpm.alc, would fail to open in certain Live editions.
    • Fixed a bug that prevented options in the context menu of audio and MIDI clips from working as expected when the menu was opened using the computer keyboard and a clip start marker or the loop brace was selected.
    • Fixed a bug where navigation with the arrow keys from a scene to the clip slots was not possible if return tracks were folded. Now the selection is moved to the last track before any hidden return tracks.
    • Fixed a bug that caused the Crossfader horizontal slider to be misaligned if the Main track was wider than the default size. Fixed a bug where a configured plug-in parameter value would become locked when clicking in the middle of the parameter’s horizontal slider.

    Max for Live Device Bugfixes

    • Max for Live patches located in nested subfolders in the User Library will now correctly be listed in the Max for Live label as well.
    • Unmapping a Max modulation source from a Max for Live parameter now clears the modulation value.
    • Fixed a bug where the GUI of a Max MIDI Tool would remain accessible and editable even when the selected track was frozen.
    • Fixed visual glitches that occurred after clicking away from a Max for Live device or MIDI Tool, such as unnecessary triggering of note selection or drag behaviors in the MIDI Note Editor.
    • Fixed a bug that affected the load time of Live Sets containing certain Max for Live devices.
    • Fixed an issue where renaming a Max for Live file in the User Library made it impossible to load the same file from the Max for Live label.
    • Fixed the following issue with Max for Live devices:
      • Modulators can now only have one Map button active across all devices.
      • In DS devices voices are now never muted before the end of envelopes.
      • In Note Echo, fixed a bug where C-2 would not be echoed.
    • Fixed a bug that caused the Save As dialog to be shown every time a user-created Max for Live MIDI Tool was saved using the regular “Save” command due to the default Max MIDI Transformation.amxd and Max MIDI Generator.amxd presets being marked as read-only.
    • Fixed a bug in DS Clap where the first note played after adding the device would have an unexpected sound.
    • Improved performance of Sets containing Max for Live instruments and audio effects.
    • In MPE Control and Expression Control, fixed an issue where two-breakpoint curves with the second breakpoint at the maximum values (127 127) would be slightly off.
    • Fixed a crash that occurred when loading certain Max for Live devices with MIDI routings.
    • Fixed a bug that would display the class name of a Max for Live MIDI Tool in the Status Bar instead of the Tool's actual name.
    • The default save locations for Max for Live MIDI Tools are now set to User Library/MIDI Tools/Transformations and User Library/MIDI Tools/Generators.

  • JesterMgee
    JesterMgee Member Posts: 2,915 Expert

    Cont….

    Max for Live

    • Updated the bundled Max to version 8.6.2:
      • Max 8.6.1 Max for Live Improvementsamxd~: fixes issues related to setting a parameter with another parameterlive.* UI objects: improved unfocus behaviorlive.remote~: normalization fallback for Live 11 and earlierMax for Live: device window always opens on a displayMax for Live: modulator mappings are saved/restoredParameter: clip modulation mode attribute defaults to 'Additive'selector~/gate~/etc: fixed issues when audio is off in the Max for Live editorWindows multitouch: fixed touch / drag in Max for Live devices
      • Max 8.6.2 Max for Live ImprovementsDynamic Colors: loadtime performance improvementsjit.gl.text: fixed crash when freeing (fixes VectorMap crash)Live.routing: sends if the port has no DeviceIO objectsMax for Live Device: dependency files are extracted to the correct locationMax for Live Device: fixed issues with file reorganizationMax for Live: Updated LOM documentation to the state of Live 12.0.x.SVG: loadtime improvements
    • Users will now be able to see a live.line object in the Max for Live MIDI Tool templates, which indicates the lower visual boundary of a Max for Live Generator or Transformation.
    • Users who create their own Max for Live Note Transformations or Generators can now access the scale name when working with MIDI Tools, using the scale_name key. When there is no active scale, the value of the scale_name key will default to "Chromatic".
    • In the Max for Live API, added a new get/set/observe Song.scale_mode property that gives access to the Scale Mode toggle in Live.
    • The Max for Live window can now be opened from the View menu, even when there are no Max for Live devices in the Live Set. The associated keyboard shortcut is [CTRL][Shift][Alt][M] (Win) / [CMD][Shift][Alt][M] (Mac).
    • In Max for Live API, the Track class now has a gso property called back_to_arranger, which works similarly to Song.back_to_arranger but provides access to the Single Track Back To Arrangement feature.
    • Max for Live modulator devices now use less CPU power.
    • The following Looper properties are now available in the Max for Live API:
      • record
      • overdub
      • play
      • stop
      • clear
      • undo
      • half_speed/double_speed
      • half_length/double_length
      • record_length_index/record_length_list
      • overdub_after_record
      • loop_length
      • tempo

    Session View

    • In an unfolded Session View Instrument Rack chain, dragging and dropping a device into the empty area below clip slots, will now only replace or insert the device in the chain where the new device is being dropped onto, rather than the parent chain.
    • Updated the behavior of the Scene Tempo and Scene Time Signature fields in the Main track:
      • Scene Tempo and Scene Time Signature fields in the main track are now visible by default.
      • The View menu Scene Tempo and Time Signature entry is now the main control for toggling visibility of the Scene Tempo and Scene Time Signature fields, with the state dictating whether extending the main track will re-display the fields.
      • The Scene Tempo and Time Signature command is now also available via the main track’s context menu.

    Setup

    • Removed the restriction of eight hours of maximum recordable sample length. Live should now be able to record audio continuously for approximately 17 hours.
    • The audio test tone will now automatically stop when the Settings window is closed.
    • Made the following changes to the Windows installer for Live:
      • The installer now supports HiDPI.
      • Two nested installers are no longer shown and all user interaction is done in one installer interface.
      • The Start menu entry is now installed per machine, i.e., for all user profiles. Previously, the entry would only appear in the Start menu of the installing user’s profile, even though Live was installed for all users.
      • Added a Launch button on the success page of the installer, which allows to directly launch the installed version of Live.
      • Fixed an issue where the icon of the Start menu shortcut was a placeholder until rebooting.
      • Fixed a bug where when replacing an existing installation, the entry listing the previous installation would remain in Windows's "Add/Remove Programs".

    Tuning Systems

    • The tuning system name displayed in the Tuning section of the browser and the Info View header no longer shows the “.ascl” or “.scl” extension. Note that Live Sets created in 12.0 that have a tuning system loaded will still display the tuning system name with the corresponding file extension until the tuning file is reloaded.
    • When a tuning system is loaded and the Bypass Tuning toggle is enabled on a MIDI track, the Track Tuning MIDI Controller Layout and Configuration options are now greyed out.
    • It is now possible to adjust the lowest and highest notes in a tuning system, allowing for a range of fewer than 128 notes. When setting the lowest note, the total number of notes is maintained, and the highest note is shifted to keep the range intact. Setting the highest note lets you decrease the range to less than 128 notes. If you attempt to increase the highest note beyond the current 128-note range, the lowest note will automatically adjust to maintain the maximum range of 128 notes.
    • If a custom controller layout becomes invalid due to switching to a tuning system with incompatible values, the invalid values will now be grayed out in the layout customization dialog.

    12.0.2 Release Notes

    April 18, 2024

    Live - Bugfixes:

    • Accessibility: Fixed an issue that prevented the Live 12 Trial from being authorized when using certain screen readers on Windows.

    12.0.1 Release Notes

    March 14, 2024

    Live - New features and improvements:

    • When accessing the Live Manual through the Help menu, users will now be redirected to the version of the manual corresponding to the version of Live they are using.

    Live - Bugfixes:

    • Content from the Orchestral Strings, Session Drums Club and Session Drums Studio Packs is now correctly authorized in Live Standard.
    • Fixed broken links in the German language version of the "What's New in Live" lesson.

    I mean, this is what could be possible with some actual effort.

  • FilmCompos3r
    FilmCompos3r Member Posts: 29 Member
    edited September 15

    good points. I suppose I still owe it to myself to try KK3 out a bit, knowing that I’ll probably have to downgrade back to KK2. After the initial debacle I made a separate system drive just dedicated to KK3 testing 😂 but as I have a MK1 keyboard I can’t really give it a full shake down, and really don’t want to get too far with it knowing I may need to manually revert back all my instruments

    I’m equally concerned about the black key velocity issue - I’m no pianist but definitely noticed it on my s61 mk3, and if that’s not sorted I guess I’ll just stay with my trusty mk1 indefinitely. Works perfectly, and I get all the functionality I need/want from the Komplete Kontrol ecosystem. I can’t state strongly enough how unimportant color graphical banners are to me! Or the mixer functions. Now if they had made that big color screen a touch display and maybe integrated an x y pad into it and some virtual drum pads or something that’d be something else but as it stands it feels really underutilized.

  • JesterMgee
    JesterMgee Member Posts: 2,915 Expert

    Yeah I hear Ya.

    The important aspects to me are first and foremost reliability and low system impact, something KK2 has well over KK3. The new graphic framework for V3 requires a significant more amount of system resources which over multiple instances can cause a lot more overhead, something many discovered when they updated and it bought their systems to a standstill.

    Second is efficiency in browsing and using the interface. I had grown so accustom over 10+ years of having the plugin, browser, search filters and controls in one convenient and efficient view, no stupid mouse clicks to switch between views, no cluttering of the interface with empty greyed out tags, just what you need to get things done. It was one of the best examples in the industry of how to make something super efficient and powerful but seems that focus was lost and it's just a damn shame.

    I can't comment on the black key velocity. I have an MK3 keyboard but have literally not even connected it up as that would mean having to use V3, that is how utterly disappointed I am with the software, I couldn't even be half excited to connect up a new keyboard.

  • nicholasbinder
    nicholasbinder Member Posts: 15 Member

    For all the upcoming features in Live 12.1, we'd need a dedicated thread… Also, I find it fascinating that NI just closed the KK3 roadmap thread a few weeks ago, promising we'd see a new one "in the coming days", and now again.. nothing. It's frustrating.

    So, if you want a properly supported and updated product, I'm not sure KK3 is the way to go. If it can do what you want right now, you're good, otherwise I wouldn't buy it.

  • Matthew_NI
    Matthew_NI Product Team Posts: 1,372 mod

    I wouldn't say nothing. I would point out we shipped MIDI Templates, and are about to release Play Assist (currently in beta).

    Then… it's onto the next features!

    KK3 is properly supported and updated.

  • BIF
    BIF Member Posts: 946 Guru

    Thank you, @Matthew_NI. Looking forward to Play Assist.

    It's super easy for people (on the outside looking in) to make unfair assumptions, and then for others to make their own decisions (financial decisions too!) all based on that unfair assumption.

    Ableton and Native are different companies, each with their own different ownership structures and business challenges. Ableton is still German-owned. Native is owned by Francisco Partners, which is American, and is based in California.

    Yes, I get it, the old practices of removing features and having catastrophic product launches; that's unacceptable. But NI has been trying to turn things around since then. These things take time, and seriously, if it's really true that "so many things" are broken with KK, then we should expect the fixing to take some time. Yes, more time than anybody expects. Sorry, that's just facts.

    Another thing that just gets conveniently ignored is the increased involvement that the _NI team members have been exhibiting here and in the other forums. Just yesterday, I was doing a bit of Sunday reading, and I found several posts from prior days from an _NI person who said they OPENED A TICKET on behalf of the person who was having a problem.

    That never happened in the "bad old days". You know, the days when Guitar Rig hadn't seen an upgrade for 10 years. Hell, back then we'd be lucky if an _NI person would just be honest with us in the forums, and even then it seemed to only happen when it was time to tell us they were killing Kore or Rig Kontrol. The rest of the time, we just got ignored.

    Today, they open tickets for us!

    The KK MK3 launch was an unmitigated disaster, and that's inexcusable. I think NI and its corporate owners know this now, and everybody is trying hard to earn back our trust.

    But yeah, it's long-past time for us to start showing some grace. Just don't screw it up, Native Instruments! 🤨

  • LostInFoundation
    LostInFoundation Member Posts: 4,461 Expert

    Real facts are:

    Slow development (of things that should have been there from day one and based on which they advertised new MK3 and convinced people to buy it. And that now they are using to say “we are developing it”, while in facts they are just running after what they missed, using the time that could bring to real development to instead catch their being late).
    This is probably due to underemployment and few developers having to jump from one task to another simply because…they are too few.

    The “old” practices of removing features and having catastrophic product launches is not so old… in facts related to one of their latest launches of one of their latest products, just some months ago (well…effectively is now almost one year…and that is exactly the time it took them to deliver (not yet) the aforementioned things that should have been there from day one. Remember that, as stated directly by them, MK3 was being worked on since years…and nonetheless they released it incomplete).


    As said, I’m not completely blaming the developers, since the problem is probably there are simply not enough of them…and recognizing this is how I show them grace.

    But users telling these things to other users asking for help in deciding is not “making unfair assumptions” and influencing decisions. It’s informing someone of the situation. Up to them to decide then.

    For sure, since also the financial decisions aspect has been mentioned, if I must help someone about finances, it would be another user like me who must decide how to use his hardly earned money in the best way and not helping a big company like NI hiding the problems they are facing.

    If NI developers will ask for opinions on how to spend their hardly earned money, I will be by their side ☺️

  • nicholasbinder
    nicholasbinder Member Posts: 15 Member

    Didn‘t know about Play Assist. That‘s very good to hear!

  • JesterMgee
    JesterMgee Member Posts: 2,915 Expert

    In all fairness, shipping MIDI Templates should have been done on day 1 since let's be honest, it is a basic and core feature that was always included in KK since the day of launch. It's like releasing a new model car only to release the ability to unlock the trunk after a year+

    While Play Assist (whatever it is) may be a fun/interesting tool/gimmick, it's seemingly at the cost of addressing actual bugs/limitations and the point I was making above is the sheer obvious lack of resources NI appear to have with little to show for a full 12 months of work now compared to most other companies I see with new releases of products and active beta programs. This has been a constant for years and is what is so frustrating not knowing if anything we say is even taken seriously. Sub Banks for instance, that was an issue raised in Beta (by multiple people) before KK was even released and seems like it would be literally a 5 minute fix but still has yet to even be acknowledged.

  • Skijumptoes
    Skijumptoes Member Posts: 71 Helper
    edited September 17

    How do we stay up to date on the Play Assist development? Do you have a rough expected release date?

    I've searched for an update on where things are, but there is no updated post as you did a month or so back. It does help keep users in the loop so would be nice to have… Doesn't need to be anything overly long as the last one, just current focus and approximate timeframes would be really nice to know.

    I purchased an S88 Mk3 on the back of the previous post you made, knowing that MIDI templates were on the way - so they are well worth doing for potential buyers to see.

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