Komplete Kontrol MK3 with KK 2.9 Possible at all ?

The Komplete Kontrol app is in constant development and gets updated in-between . However that does not mean that it will receive what (not mentioned) features that you want

This is the latest Komplete Kontrol road-map discussion thread by Matthew_NI : Kontrol 2024 outlook: what was, what now, what next? Quote : Matthew_NI : We're constantly enhancing features and revisiting old ones. Many of you have asked for clarity on certain issues, or for a clearer roadmap in general, so let's dive in.

Other than that then your guesses are as good as anybody else's since Matthew_NI is not in the habit of spilling the beans ahead of time 😉

trusampler

I read that thread, but nothing there seems to echo the list of what others have been asking about here, in terms of browser pinning,editing our own banks etc.. Is there a reason why these aren't top on the list ?

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/193069#Comment_193069

The only reason I would think - is that this type of work is well down the list of things to do right now.

It has been a very busy last few months and with all the resources working on Kontakt 8, Komplete 15, Traktor and now especially the new Maschine v3 - something has to wait.

trusampler

Right,good point they must be over worked and too tired to add a few lines of code that already worked in Komplete Kontrol 2.9 to Komplete Kontrol v3.
I guess we can also assume the management at NI has Misallocated some funding on paying for better developers as well.
Each one of those products you listed above has had mediocre updates. Wait what ? Take a guy like KV331 and look at what he’s done with Synthmaster 3. He’s one guy ! Or TALs developer. A complete beast of a developer.

It’s funny to me that some of the smaller developers / companies in the business can pump out solid releases , add features and not break working features, yet our beloved NI counterparts still can’t seem to get a grip on their own products.

Based on the money they received in 2017, there should be absolutely No reason each product NI sells couldn’t have their own set of GREAT developers working on these products. Maybe NI doesn’t wanna come off the right money to pay for better developers ?

Facts : in 2017 Berlin-based Native Instruments has announced a €50 million investment from private equity firm

EMH Partners

NI says that the funds will be used to accelerate international growth, as well as the development of new digital services, and ‘to unlock the future of music creation for all music lovers.

Anyone else scratching their heads yet ?

How is this possible that Komplete Kontrol doesn’t have their own set of great developers working on it alone. For the money NI were given in 2017 they could have outsourced the best developers in the business, working on dedicated apps alone.

So the question remains do we need new management and better developers at Native Instruments yet ?

Code that worked fine in a previous product last year is now replaced with inferior code and less features, and called an upgrade.

This blows my mind we can accept these excuses.

Vocalpoint

Nice review.

Except the part about whatever happened in 2017 was completely nullified when the company was sold again to Francisco Partners in March 2021.

Their direction is their direction.

But no is saying you have to accept it.

Just use KKv2.9.6 and forget about what is or what is not happening with V3.

VP

trusampler

MY POINT was to understand the level of money being invested here and the development and management seems at odds with their quality of services.

Did NI lose the developers who worked on v2 to v3 or something?

They seem like two completely different ways of thinking in terms of workflow.

You’re probably right, Maybe that’s the best option at this point!
Upgrade to Downgrade.

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/193104#Comment_193104

My thoughts have been consistent on the company.

Since 2021 - this is about maximizing shareholder value and ensure products are “good enough”

NI is not looking to set the world on fire with heavy new cool functionality like the good ole days. They are looking to remain relevant and sell product. While meeting budget at all times.

But expecting all sorts of new functions on something that is free like KK - is wishful thinking. KKv3 has been the way it is for easily a year now. I am not holding out any hope that it will magically gain feature parity with v2 - so things like drag and drop, revised filtering and side displays and all that - highly unlikely.

Makes no sense (from the owners box) to spend on that when they can be working on existing (but especially new) products with that have a real price tag and generate real revenue.

I just think "good enough" and that tracks for me.

VP

trusampler

I think there’s a misunderstanding on what’s Free here.Native Instruments specifically sells Komplete Kontrol Hardware along with the KK software integration as a package.
I seriously doubt anyone would use Komplete Kontrol if it were software only.
The software should mimic the hardware. At least that’s how it’s sold and marketed to customers.
My only problem with the software is when they offer a feature working in v2.9 that suddenly doesn’t exist in the upgrade to v3. That’s actually a downgrade!
And they fail to mention the loss of this functionality in their marketing due to poor management and or lack of quality development.

Oh well, apparently the masses don’t care about losing features, so it’s likely just my problem now. ;)

Vocalpoint

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/193115#Comment_193115

Trust me. I agree with you. KKv3 IS several steps backward. But it’s still a non revenue generating item.

Using the keyboard as a shield for it still makes little sense. Once I buy one of these keyboards - that is it for cash flow. It is a one time thing. Hard to convince anybody to use time, talent and resource on free software.

VP

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/193115#Comment_193115

My only problem with the software is when they offer a feature working in v2.9 that suddenly doesn’t exist in the upgrade to v3. That’s actually a downgrade!

And they fail to mention the loss of this functionality in their marketing due to poor management and or lack of quality development.

they must be over worked and too tired to add a few lines of code that already worked in Komplete Kontrol 2.9 to Komplete Kontrol v3

It has all become "the art of the possible" and the 'developers' such as e.g. Matthew_NI are doing a tremendous job when considering both workload and how much that they have to balance resources. Also then it is possible that for purpose of overall goals set by N.I. owners (?) or N.I. Officers then pressure drizzle from the top so that developers are not always free to control the path that they want to take or to choose what goals to pursue. As for reinventing software into new generations and for the features of the software then I think that it both becomes a question of making and 'carving out' what is the most basic and most necessary parts of the software first but also then a question of after that then prioritizing the features and the order of necessity of implementation. Also then as part of it all then it is possible that N.I. have had to rewrite most or all of the GUI code to be able to deliver interfaces that could maybe scale better on modern monitors , I don't know but if so then for some features then it would most likely not be just a question of copying a few lines of codes from old to new..

trusampler

When copying code, the better understanding of this is. It’s been known to work effectively before, so re compiling this in the newer software shouldn’t be a mystery to the developers.
I know too well on how bad management can make developers look bad. My beefs not with them, but rather the overall design choices being made from upper management. There’s something to be said for smaller developers who can have total control over their programming environment.

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