NAMM 2025: Introducing the NKS Hardware Partner Program

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Comments

  • LostInFoundation
    LostInFoundation Member Posts: 4,709 Expert
    edited January 22

    Not all. I’m an Akai user. I’m not happy.

    Btw: I still have my Maschine MK1. I always kept it and it’s in plain sight in my studio because it was, imo, one of those things that marked a “moment in time”. One of those things that in future should be in a museum.

    Does someone want to buy it? 😔

  • Matthew_NI
    Matthew_NI Product Team Posts: 1,623 mod

    I don't see things merely from a business perspective - apologies if it came off like that. At the end of the day, people want to make music, or at the very least enjoy the process of making it (I'll admit, I start more music than I finish). And a lot of people continue to find enjoyment in our products when creating their art. That's a combination of new and existing customers. Depending on the release, the ratio can swing wildly from one to the other. All users matter.

    The comment about predecessors was not intended as a slight on any one person - but rather a recognition that for some years a number of products were not updated frequently or extensively enough - something that a group of us have worked tirelessly now to address, with a bunch of updates.

    We can't change the past, but we are building a future.

    To your question about Maschine +. Yes there will be an update fixing things including external audio interfaces, and yes that will work with Maschine + and Maschine 2, so no, you won't have to upgrade to Maschine 3 unless you want to. You will also have the option to upgrade to Maschine 3, but won't be forced to. You tagged the right guy to go deeper on the subject though, so I'll leave it at that and stay in my lane 😉

  • Matthew_NI
    Matthew_NI Product Team Posts: 1,623 mod

    Yes please. Imagine a world in which companies come together to do just that…

  • djneural
    djneural Member Posts: 38 Helper
    edited January 22

    Thank you for these clarifications.

    Regarding 1. Not sure I have yet registered my Korg, Keystage, does that make me eligible ? Regarding 2. yes I was relating to the MPC integration.

    Now I understand better the way you've done this. It explains why Akai improved its sampler/keygroups engine in V3 to be more on par with what Kontakt does and hence allow some NI content to be adapted to the MPC. That's makes total sense, because we don't necessarily need full port of Kontakt into the MPC when it already have a multi-sample engine in there.

    Now regarding MIDI 2.0, I understand NKS goes well beyond than auto-mapping, it also includes the browsing & UI integration, which obviously cannot be done through the MIDI protocol. So does make sense to open NKS with partnerships so this becomes a sort of standard, while still keeping MIDI 2.0 in mind. I'd really like to see more MIDI 2.0 support in NI plugins and not only NI ones actually.

    At the end, this announcement is about opening the distribution channel of NI software/content products further. More choice on more platforms can only be good for the users and for NI.

    I still have my M+ which I use along with the MPC and a Roland Verselab MV1 which I love using too, so I hope we will see NI continue its efforts on the hardware space, even if I realize it's much more costly and risky for NI or any company. But I guess if the software/content strategy pays off, NI will be able to afford this risk 😉

  • LostInFoundation
    LostInFoundation Member Posts: 4,709 Expert
    edited January 22

    Thank you for the answer (finally).

    BTW: I REALLY want to update to Maschine 3. And I will. Once I will see a reason for. And NI behaving towards its users and therefore deserving more of my money.

    At the moment, I will probably use my Force and MPC Live 2 more, since Akai seems more healthy than NI.

    And while doing it, I will cry thinking I would like to use my Maschine more, if only NI…


    Since you are willing to give more answers: is NI working on what people is really complaining here? Aka are you working to give YOUR users what you are giving to Akai (more products for Maschine+)?

    Or is it materially not possible because M+ can’t handle it?

  • Matthew_NI
    Matthew_NI Product Team Posts: 1,623 mod

    I think it was lost in the shuffle, because we've definitely mentioned that a few times. Things also can and do get lost in the forums. And maybe some got lost with me moving over to Kontakt too - apologies if so.

  • PK The DJ
    PK The DJ Member Posts: 2,186 Expert

    I certainly wouldn't mind an internal SSD or M.2 storage option, and the onboard warping and pitch correction of my MPC and/or Push. Push has got ADAT too.

    The M.2 in my Push got swapped out for a larger one not long after I bought it.

  • LostInFoundation
    LostInFoundation Member Posts: 4,709 Expert
    edited January 22

    I edited my previous post with a new question, which I think is really important for this thread (about M+ obtaining something or not).

    I would also dare to say that it would have been the way to do it: announce NI products working on a MPC WHILE saying what will happen to M+ on that regard, being it a yes or no (I understand that it being a no would cause a lot more complaints…but that is called honesty…one of the remarks smudging NI’s name)

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 5,394 mod
    edited January 22

    I'd really like to see more MIDI 2.0 support in NI plugins and not only NI ones actually.

    I expect that the future will bring more MPE and since MPE as far as I know require Midi 2.0 then it is highly likely that the future could bring more 'Midi 2.0' . I personally would not be surprised at all if we at some point in the future are going to see use of MPE in more N.I. devices , could even be some sort of 'innovative' MPE use (?)

    Also Quote Matthew_NI , March 2024 : Expanding the MIDI 2 implementation on Kontrol S MK3. Yes, this is limited until DAWs and content manufacturers implement MIDI 2 more widely and robustly. But I expect this to expand greatly, since MIDI 2 has some compelling capabilities. 

    Also quote Matthew_NI , May 2024 : As @Kymeia says - NKS and MIDI 2 can be complementary to one another.

    NKS1 and NKS2 can provide a highly customized experience, with artwork (including in future, dynamically changing artwork for greater usability), parameter groups for ease of navigation, audio pre-hear, and so on.

    MIDI 2 offers some similar benefits in that it allows products to communicate and easily map to one another. For non NKS products in particular (such as external hardware, and yes software too) this will be a big usability upgrade.

    P.S. : Ref. : Are Kontrol S-Series keyboards compatible with MPE?
    MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) is an industry-wide extension to the MIDI protocol that allows additional signals to be sent on individual keys. Some plugins can receive multiple different MPE messages. Because Kontrol keyboards feature polyphonic aftertouch, they are compatible with MPE plugins that are able to receive polyphonic aftertouch signals.

  • MorrisEd
    MorrisEd Member Posts: 165 Pro
    edited January 23

    Nothing dropped for Maschine or the Kontrol MK3 today.

  • Beatsandmore
    Beatsandmore Member Posts: 193 Advisor

    I read to much my head hurts.. NI must have something up there sleeve.. the NKS partnership will bring more revenue.. until then all we keep hearing is coming soon..

    If the product is taking to long to deliver to thousands of paying customers then changes need to be made again at NI.. I will say it again if you cant beat them join them..

    Akai is listening to most of what we are asking for.. and what wasn't delivered they are transparent and working on it and it does take years to come out.. that sounded angry but it wasn't just tired of coming soon 😆

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