Would you buy NI Komplete Kontrol S49 MK3 as a Maschine user?

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  • JesterMgee
    JesterMgee Member Posts: 2,973 Expert
    edited April 16
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/146876#Comment_146876

    The keyboard itself is actually pretty good, as is the workflow that was developed for the MK1/MK2 and KK V2. What is usually the part that people dislike is the current software, unless you have a different reason, would be nice to know but "Komplete Kontrol" overall before V3 was released was great for workflow, just a shame someone thought the way KK V3 works was a good idea and at the same time, dropping dozens of features including VST2 support. That is what has really impacted things...

  • Matthew_NI
    Matthew_NI Product Team Posts: 1,454 mod
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/142784#Comment_142784

    I certainly believe in the idea that a product should be continually updated post-launch.

    Sure, there are a lot of happy users (we can barely keep the S88 in stock!) who enjoy Kontrol S MK3 for what it already is and does.

    But I must (as you say) acknowledge that for some users, they feel Kontrol S MK3 doesn't have enough at launch, and want just a few more features before taking the plunge. As you said, "I will wait to see it doing it".

    I can also add some clarity to the Maschine integration question, as I can see why what I've said and Simon has said may appear to be confusing.

    It is true that we have no plans to bring back the deep integration Kontrol S MK2 had with Maschine. This involved dedicated hardware buttons on the Kontrol S MK2 itself, as well as visual screens representing pages in Maschine, again shown in Kontrol S MK2. This was really a lot of work for us to build and support, yet rarely used.

    What Simon has mentioned elsewhere, and I in a few places, is that we're open to adding back at least a basic integration similar to DAW Control with other hosts (think: transport controls, mixing, maybe browsing). The earliest this would happen is Q4 2024, but no hard promise, as there are other things we intend to build first.

  • Matthew_NI
    Matthew_NI Product Team Posts: 1,454 mod
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/146876#Comment_146876

    I'm sorry to hear that you feel this way.

    Is this specific to MIDI Templates and/or Maschine integration, or something else?

  • Maciej Repetowski
    Maciej Repetowski Member Posts: 674 Guru
    edited April 16

    I’m usually quite critical of NI, but Kontrol Mk3 is an amazing piece of hardware, Kontakt integration is great - I went to my local music shop and played with it again recently.

    Now, once MIDI Templates and Play Assist are on hardware - I will be buying it and I will post a photo of it in my studio as a proof :)

    As for Maschine, best to use Maschine controller or use the software (as I do) as a drum plugin in a DAW.

  • LostInFoundation
    LostInFoundation Member Posts: 4,498 Expert
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/147220#Comment_147220

    Thank you for clarifications

  • Warempel
    Warempel Member Posts: 23 Member
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/147220#Comment_147220

    Thank you for clarifying the intentions in relation to Maschine. This confirms that I am right to abandon the NI platform. As a songwriter, I find the integration of instrument control (playing and sound) and substantial DAW control on a single controller or device essential. the Mk2 keyboard provided this for the Maschine DAW. The Mk3 never will. So it will be either Ableton with an Arturia or Novation controller, or an MPC key.

    A real shame, because the Maschine workflow is the best on the planet…

  • Matthew_NI
    Matthew_NI Product Team Posts: 1,454 mod
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/147305#Comment_147305

    If you feel that a different combination of tools does that thing you need, so be it. Maschine still does what it does, and takes MIDI input from controllers, much like the other solutions you outlined.

    FWIW, the Kontrol S MK3 already integrates with Ableton, much like the other controllers you mentioned. And the Kontrol S MK2 is also still a supported product, so you may continue to use that with Maschine if you wish.

  • jakubpatok
    jakubpatok Member Posts: 67 Advisor
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/147220#Comment_147220

    Honestly, I'd definitely pick MK3 over MK2 if MK3 had transport controls, mixing and browsing inside Maschine. I definitely don't need a pattern editor inside the keyboard as I have my Maschine MK3, but I'd like to at least choose the sound while using Maschine software or press play to hear the song that I'm working on. The browser in Maschine software is greatly similar to the Komplete Kontrol/Kontakt browser so it's a logical step to include that as well. I hope that this will be implemented in Q4 of 2024 so maybe I'll buy the MK3 for Christmas? I'm waiting for some more news on it.

  • BIF
    BIF Member Posts: 1,003 Guru

    I think @MorrisEd makes one good point above, and that is that anybody in the market for any kind of controller should consider the wider universe of controllers out there. I'm not planning to get rid of my MK3 anytime soon, no. But even though I have a MK3, I'm always on the hunt for something better, faster, more efficient to learn/use, more reliable, etcetera...even if that something might be an old piece of equipment that's been sitting on a shelf for the last few years.

    Keep an open mind, always! 😁

  • Richard Vetro
    Richard Vetro Member Posts: 20 Member

    I have both. Kontrol S61 MK3 and Maschine MK3.

    I use the Maschine as a drum sequencer not as a DAW.

    Most of the time I am using Cubase midi channels to do the programming.

    So, The actual arranger within the Maschine software is not very useful to myself.

    What I like about the Maschine is the software inserts per sound and the options of kits available to work with.

    The Integration is not a deal breaker for me.

    It would be if the Kontrol S61 MK3 had pads on it.

    I purchased the Sk61 MK3 for the NI ecosystem integration.

    It's just unfortunate that the keyboard is virtually useless as midi controller.

    Without the ability to create midi templates, now I have to use a Nektar P1 to as a DAW controller for Cubase. My Arturia Keylab MKII did it all.

    Now I'll probably revert back to the Arturia keyboard for a faster workflow.

  • Super8boy
    Super8boy Member Posts: 89 Helper

    @Matthew_NI I must say that saw integration (for Ableton Live at least) is a regression on the mk3 imho. clicking the large rotary knob left/right to select the track you are working on is extremely clunky.

    To such an extent I would be totally annoyed if I didn’t have Push3 (and Push2 which by the way do work simultaneously together unlike my KK mk3 and KK mk2 products…)

    May I suggest you revisit that daw integration and make use of Shift keys, clickable rotary knobs as well as buttons + this large screen in order to enable improve daw control and especially track navigation, selects/mutes/solos etc

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