Softube NKS instruments not showing up on KK S88 MKII Keyboard

ralphonz
ralphonz Member Posts: 15 Member
edited March 27 in Komplete Kontrol

Hi everyone,

Recently purchased a KK S88 MKII for all the piano players coming to my studio. I was also hoping it would double up as a nifty production tool - and it does for the most part.

However, Softube's NKS-compatible plugins aren't showing up in the keyboards browser. I can load them using the computer as VST2 or 3 (using the little arrows/menu thing in Complete Kontrol) and they work fine and display on the keyboard, but I can't select them from the keyboards browser.

Other vendors appear in the keyboard browser such as Waves, so why not Softube? What am I missing?

Best Answers

  • Vocalpoint
    Vocalpoint Member Posts: 3,642 Expert
    Answer ✓

    SoftTube dropped "official" NKS support long ago - so I am sure that is the cause.

    The only way I have been able to use any of my SoftTube stuff via my S61MKII is via the cool folks at Freelance Sounds - who built out some cool user packs to make several SoftTube instruments available via NKS.

    VP

  • Kymeia
    Kymeia NKS User Library Mod Posts: 5,621 mod
    Answer ✓
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/43863/softube-nks-instruments-not-showing-up-on-kk-s88-mkii-keyboard

    Yeah Softube removed NKS from their product installers - whether that is a glitch, decision to end support or because they are finally updating them to support VST3 no one knows yet

    In the meantime most are available in the NKS user library or through Freelance soundlabs

Answers

  • Vocalpoint
    Vocalpoint Member Posts: 3,642 Expert
    Answer ✓

    SoftTube dropped "official" NKS support long ago - so I am sure that is the cause.

    The only way I have been able to use any of my SoftTube stuff via my S61MKII is via the cool folks at Freelance Sounds - who built out some cool user packs to make several SoftTube instruments available via NKS.

    VP

  • Kymeia
    Kymeia NKS User Library Mod Posts: 5,621 mod
    Answer ✓
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/43863/softube-nks-instruments-not-showing-up-on-kk-s88-mkii-keyboard

    Yeah Softube removed NKS from their product installers - whether that is a glitch, decision to end support or because they are finally updating them to support VST3 no one knows yet

    In the meantime most are available in the NKS user library or through Freelance soundlabs

  • ralphonz
    ralphonz Member Posts: 15 Member

    Dman, I must've missed that. Everything I read said Softube supported NKS.

    Major spanner in the works! I thought companies were finally getting close to a control standard so desperately needed. What a shame.

    I'll reach out to Softube support, see if they can shed any light on things going forward.

  • ralphonz
    ralphonz Member Posts: 15 Member

    I think I'll also point out that product pages for Sotube Modular and Volume 6, both feature a section entitled "NKS-Ready"

    https://www.softube.com/modular - at the bottom of this page for example, just before the reviews….

    Honestly. I get so sick of this sort of thing. As I bought the MKII second hand (obviously) there's no going back.

  • Kymeia
    Kymeia NKS User Library Mod Posts: 5,621 mod
    edited March 27
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/218558#Comment_218558

    They were early starters supporting it but have not had NKS for any of their more recent plugins, nor had they updated the old ones that did have NKS, so they didn’t work for example on Apple Silicon or in VST3
    However I created NKS versions myself of most of the Fx that had NKS to support VST3 and also Heartbeat, and Freelance did the same for all their synths (non of which came with NKS to start with apart from Modular and Heartbeat)

    Between those the only one we don’t have updated NKS for is Modular because it’s a huge job no one wants :)

  • ralphonz
    ralphonz Member Posts: 15 Member
    edited March 27

    I just found this on the FabFilter forum:

    "The problem with NKS is that if we integrate it, there is a legal requirement from NI that they must validate our plug-ins before we can release them. We don't want to make our release schedule dependent on NI because this would essentially let them have a veto on when we can release a new plug-in or update. We've voiced our concerns but they didn't want to change their terms, so that's where we are."
    https://www.fabfilter.com/forum/add-comment?id=2837

    So what gives NI? Why so greedy? Surely you could verify certain developers that are well established without this kind of control.

    After reading this I'm really regretting my purchase. It's like Eucon all over again but worse. I mean Eucon is great, but the licensing restrictions make it so limited. Way to go capitalism.

  • Kymeia
    Kymeia NKS User Library Mod Posts: 5,621 mod

    I think it’s more about quality control. Afaik NI do not charge for the license and Fabfilter don’t say anything about money, just wanting to have tighter control of their release schedules

  • ralphonz
    ralphonz Member Posts: 15 Member

    @Kymeia , thanks for filling me in there. Yeah, I can imagine doing an NKS for modular being a big job to say the least. 🤣

    I'll definitely check out the user library when I have the time. I'm sure there'll be a coffee coming your way 😉

  • ralphonz
    ralphonz Member Posts: 15 Member

    @Kymeia I mean, the way it was phrased sounded like FabFilter were afraid that NI would veto a release just because it suited them in terms of competition.

    Maybe I'm being cynical because I'm a little upset my softube synths won't work with my new keyboard though 😅

    On the plus side I'm digging through your user library. It looks awesome! You've clearly put a ton of work into it. Glad I posted on here just to discover that!

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