Komplete Kontrol 3x Updates Roadmap ?
Comments
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I haven't been kicked out or anything, I stopped Beta testing when the MK3 released and I just didn't see the point in wasting my time further on bugs and issues that were never going to be fixed. I'm at a stage I don't care what happens moving forward, unless the browser improves I have no further interest in the latest software.
After all, there are more NI software users using other hardware than there are using NI hardware… why not help everyone?
I'd say there is likely more potential for revenue by selling more software via partners than it helping anyone. Not sure I can imagine a board meeting where the topic is "how can we help more people today"
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We're not radio silent - but we also aren't building every request. The frustration lies somewhere in between, perhaps.
I can be specific too: let's take the above example of tags. Over any given time period (30 day, 3 months, 1 year, etc) we can see that 94% of the content loaded in Komplete Kontrol or Kontakt is loaded without the use of tags (tagless usage), and that the number of users using tags is lower even than the 6% of tag usage. That surprised me too - tags are so ubiquitous in so many of the DAWs and plug-ins we use. But I hear similar things when I talk to peers at other companies who track this sort of in-product usage. But when you combine a minimally used feature with ongoing user research that indicates even targeted improvements to the tagging experience wouldn't inspire greater usage, those feature requests have to be weighed against other feature requests coming in from elsewhere, often in greater volume, or affecting a greater number of users. And they may not be prioritized. This is inevitably frustrating, especially to those who asked for them, and I fully recognize that.
To be even more specific to the sub tag example mentioned a few posts earlier; "Arp" centric tags are 0.005% of all content loaded, and this pattern is repeated across most of the character type tags a user might user in addition to an instrument.
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in that case, how many users do you think would like to connect 2 x NKS /kk compatible devices at the same time in the studio, especially since NKS has been opened up?
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Why not both?
Our user base is vast, but this is something to be continually earned, not taken for granted.
Returning customers who continue to buy instruments that are interesting or relevant to them are a majority of our business.
New customers are important too, but like any business, we seek to do enough to inspire those new customers to return again.
Regardless of which a user is - it's unquestionably useful to them if their hardware can integrate more directly with the software they're using. But of particular interest to the majority I mention above.
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Not very many.
Most users tend to build their setup around a single MIDI keyboard controller.
Some will build around a single MIDI pad controller.
In both cases, this is true even if they own other MIDI capable devices (as so many are).
It's a much smaller audience that uses multiple controllers of either/or description simultaneously. Speaking for myself – I have a weighted, a semi weighted, and a mini controller. I also have multiple pad controllers. I recognize that I'm in the minority but I like to flip between these, sometimes ideally simultaneously.
Since you asked what I think: I think it's likely to result in an uptick of requests, and from power users - who might be in the minority by default, but matter a great deal in many cases nonetheless. Whether it rises enough to require attention is definitely something @Chris_NI and team are thinking about.
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Thank you for your response.. are going to get bug fixes such as slow loading times on kontakt libraries. Launch times .. if we cannot get above mentioned will see improvements on the software not the additions which I'm looking for but faster accessing the software which has pledged us for years..
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Yes we'll continue to work on that.
Late last year we shipped an update to Kontakt 7 that made it load up to 600% faster.
We're currently working on Kontakt 8.2 (due out next week) that contains ~60 bug fixes, features, and improvements. Some of which address performance, such as this one:
"FIXED Severely slow wait times when Save/Load-ing DAW projects containing Kontakt"
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I'm sorry I meant komplete kontrol loading kontakt libraries.. yes I agree kontakt 8.1 is alot faster.. will the next komplete kontrol update address loading times with libraries.. Thank you again
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Hi Jester,
Yes i definitely am in a similar boat. I bought into the Komplete Kontrol system at v1 Mk1. Then upgraded to v2 Mk2 used it for many years, finally dumped it for a few years as it was like pulling teeth to get any new features. I’ve been requesting KK to be multitimbral and have the ability to have fx chains as well.
I then upgraded to v3 Mk3 not too long ago. I actually thought they had turned a new page, by some of their claims.
At this point Komplete Kontrol should be a stable multitimbral Vst that has all the features the majority of their loyal user base have requested. Especially by those like you and Kymeia who have kept it alive in many ways.Komplete Kontrol needs at least a similar approach to development as the Kontakt TEAM seems to get.
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Matt, thanks for the comment, makes sense to who ?
Clearly some of the design choices in v3 do not make sense to alot of us.
So who’s this making sense for? The NI customer base who have faithfully invested and supported the product, or someone who thinks their making genius moves, yet clearly is not and is going against the will of those supporting.
When were we the customers asked anything at any point on what development choices should be made ?
My point is exactly what you brought up, these recent design choices DO NOT MAKE SENSE!1 -
So @Matthew_NI … what are the chances of making Kontrol Sxx MK1 machines continuing to be supported if the decision to EoL them was made BEFORE the decision to embrace other companies hardware with NKS1 functionality? My S88 Mk1 remains fully functional and fulfills all my requirements - I would love to be able to avoid it being sent to landfill…
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The initial 3rd party hardware integration is not going to be the same experience you're used to with SMK1, MK2 or MK3.
The 3rd party hardware integration is uni-directional: it sends control messages out (and we receive them and do useful things with them). It is not bi-directional, so we're not communicating back to the hardware things it's unable to properly display, like parameter names, visualizations, artwork, navigation, and snap-to values. It's useful, but more limited than you're used to with Kontrol S MK1.
Later this year we're releasing an SDK for a deeper integration closer to the more modern keyboards - although a lot of the currently available 3rd party hardware can't handle this, some will, and some forthcoming products will too.
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How are you quantifying "alot of us"?
There is no evil genius at work here, maniacally ignoring any and all feedback in order to go against the will of anyone. That wouldn't be a sustainable business practice whatsoever. We could look to recently downtrodden social networks by way of example.
As I've outlined; we continue to listen to, respond to, and work with a very diverse and extensive userbase. We prioritize accordingly. See the tagging example above. Some of the suggestions raised here are also things we intend to do when priority allows.
The design choices do not make sense to you, right? They may not make sense to some others. But usage has increased significantly as a consequence of the changes we've introduced, and that's no accident. We can't make everyone happy - and I know it's frustrating to come here, align with your peers here on various requests, only to have those requests go unaddressed. I hope I've done and continue to do enough to explain why we've taken any actions we've taken. And indeed, with the resources we have, focus is important too. For much of last year, that focus was more on bringing Maschine back to life, after getting Kontrol S MK3 to a healthier place, and Komplete Kontrol to a significantly more stable place. This year… well, the outlook is in the capable hands of Chris. Who's outlined the next few months, but not the full year yet.
You're in our beta program. You'll be privy to a lot more information over time than we can share here. I'm also trying to reach out and meet in person, as I'd love to chat.
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"The 3rd party hardware integration is uni-directional (sends messages out). It is not bi-directional, so we're not communicating back to the hardware"
Oh wow, that's a huge limitation alright. It will help in terms of pre-mapping, but you'll need some sort of Pickup mode so, even with endless encoders on a launchkey mk4 or SL MK3, because of parameter jumps etc.
Thanks for clarifying this. Until other manufacturers adopt that new SDK, there is going to be little point in such integration in the meantime.
How about simultaneous connection of 3rd party NKS hardware partners and Kontrol S MK3? Will that also conflict for the moment because both require Komplete Kontrol, or will that not be an issue?
I recently got the Roto Controller by Melbourne Instruments, which is a fab concept, so it would be interesting to see if they do work with Native Instruments as regards NKS compatibility and that (and future products). Their mappings saved to the device and the way it remembers a plugin without the need of a wrapper like KK make it a perfect companion for the time being to a Kontrol S MK3 and/or an Ableton Push3 (soon will work directly plugged at the back of a Push 3 Standalone, why not incorporating that at the back of a Maschine+….)0 -
Thanks for your reply but TBH @Matthew_NI increased functionality wasn't what prompted my question, because I'm very happy with what I have now.
What I wondered was IF your more recent decision to integrate with 3rd party hardware would also influence and perhaps trigger a rethink about taking the Kontrol S MK1 series OFF their "death beds" and placing them on their "life beds" again!
As you can probably tell it still narks me deeply, that an S88 controller that I bought less than a decade ago for a shade over £1k will eventually become landfill. I am trying to think of the environmental impact of things more and more these days.
H
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