Kontrol MK3, it’s Complicated!

[@DylanParisMusic]

for whatever reason every time I said the name of the keyboard I said it wrong so I fixed in post I’m sure no one will notice Anyway here’s my album: dylanparis.bandcamp.com/album/theres-something-better Album is also on Spotify, Apple Music, and basically everywhere you can buy or stream.

[@carlosfedericolopezspindol3103]

It is really clear, you have now mixed feelings about NI. You are not completely happy, your inner you don't like to say the name correctly. :)

[@gonzalodossantos3176]

I'm curious, what did you say

[@Saintknick]

How in the hell would NI know how many people actually used the keyboard and the Maschine together they are full of it. NI just says that to help them sleep at night, they know they screwed us, they will announce a new maschine that will fully integrate with the kontrol mk3. That way people will be forced to upgrade. More sales..they don’t fool me

[@DylanParisMusic]

They have analytics software that monitors how people use their products. I’m fairly certain it’s opt in and anonymous. Many many companies do this for wide data gathering.

[@hvhvgitaar]

@@DylanParisMusicso if its opt in, it doesn’t give a full picture.

[@Wak3UpAm3r1ca]

​@@hvhvgitaarcorrect, but it's most likely a representative enough sample to get an accurate percentage

[@DylanParisMusic]

Agreed with both of these, because it’s opt in it may miss some datapoints but most surveys are not a collection of every possible data point but rather a queried sample. In this case the sample size is likely huge but could be missing some users (including potentially me I don’t usually opt in to tracking unless required for functionality)

[@trackmusic252]

Nope if it don't work with the machine it's not worth buying

[@amaan6999]

Always loved that you keep it real!

[@DylanParisMusic]

Thank you! 😊🙏

[@smokinjoe45]

There are rumours of a firmware update that will add Maschine functionality. What I can say for sure is that I've been using controller keyboards for years and many of them promised to free me from the computer and they would integrate with Logic beautifully and I was always disappointed. This keyboard is the best feeling keyboard of all of them, the polyphonic aftertouch is bonkers, I love the large screen, I love the way it integrates into Logic. I also know that it's great because it does what a great instrument promises to be: a source of inspiration. When I'm doing my thing, it just makes it so easy to just keep going and not getting stuck in the weeds. Love it and loved your groove too!

[@DylanParisMusic]

Agreed! It feels the most like turning software into hardware that a midi keyboard has for me, similar to the push 3 but with a nicer screen UI for adjustments

[@GerenM63]

Really a nice commentary. I'm one of the folks who has a Mk1 Komplete Kontrol, and I admit to being less than thrilled that NI have dropped support for it with little or no advance warning. But, like you, I also understand that being that the Mk3 is a completely different hardware platform from the Mk1, and that made backward compatibility impossible. I haven't yet gotten a Mk3, though I fully intend to. I did come up with a possible workaround for using the Mk1, though, that might allow it to work alongside a Mk3 -- It's possible to use the Maschine 2 software as a plugin to Ableton Live and use that with the Mk1 Kontrol keyboard. And it seems to runs alongside Komplete Kontrol Mk3 software just fine. Yes, it's clunky. No, it's not exactly efficient. But it's possibly a workaround. I have seen in one of NI's videos that the Mk3 hardware is also significantly different from Mk2, so there will likely come a point where Mk2 hardware is also sunsetted and/or EOLed because there will be things that NI wants to do that it just can't support. As someone who works in a highly technical field for my "day gig", I understand all to well why it happens. I've also been using NI products for a /very/ long time -- I bought Reaktor when it first came out, and I beta tested Absynth when they first bought that, and I beta tested the first version of Traktor. So, I know that the folks at NI don't make decisions that are going to negatively affect users lightly. The pros really do have to outweigh the cons with them. I'll also note that the Controller Editor still works alongside the new version of Komplete Kontrol, so it's still possible to add custom setups to the Mk1 Kontrol leyboards, and store multiple presets within the controller itself. So while you do loose the transport controls, you do still have the page controls, preset controls and the knobs all still work. That still could make for a decent second controller in a larger setup. Cheers!

[@DylanParisMusic]

Appreciate your insight and thoughts on this! That workaround is cool although I’m not sure it would work if the maschine software requires the mk1 supported komplete kontrol driver package to recognize the keyboard

[@GerenM63]

@@DylanParisMusic yeah, I haven’t yet been able to test it yet with a Mk3 keyboard attached alongside the Mk1. The /software/ all works together, though, and Live/Maschine does see the Mk1 keyboard with the Komplete Kontrol 3 software installed.

[@GerenM63]

@@DylanParisMusic I actually found (buried deeply) on the NI website that you cannot use two Kontrol keyboards of any series on the same computer -- at least when using Komplete Kontrol. They do say you can us other MIDI controllers, though, alongside a Mk3. I would bet that if you pre-configured the Mk1 or A or M series controller, and then connected it using the 5-pin MIDI instead of USB, they'd work side-by-side. Of course, the older controller wouldn't have DAW control or and of the NKS/Komplete Kontrol functions.

[@DylanParisMusic]

@GerenM63 that sounds right to me, it wouldn’t know it was a kontrol mk1 at that point so it would just be simple midi

[@supremeuppercut]

Great video. Thanks Dylan!

[@DylanParisMusic]

thanks for watching!

[@jacksp8de]

I love this keyboard. Was annoyed about the Maschine integration but I can’t remember the last time I used Maschine. However if I did want to use it again I can’t access the play assist features which sucks. I sold my mk2 too so looks like I’ll be using this with Ableton almost exclusively.

[@DylanParisMusic]

I'm hopeful that they'll get play assist working on the device itself in the future, but I wouldn't recommend anyone buy it for future updates, only for what it is now

[@jacksp8de]

@@DylanParisMusic Yeah I’m loving it though. I’m going to do a review on it soon

[@GODenWord]

I remember how huge hype was when mk1 apeared. "This is feature", "this is revolutionery". But the reality is if people only knew that it is 10 year support and then it is brick. The guy says 10 years it is long? No it is not long. It must be life time couse we are garbaging our planet!!!

[@CARLTONMOXLEYUnknownpianist]

What software are you using to edit? I'm going to use da Vinci resolve but first I got break my way back into iMovie first I hate editing I like live.

[@DylanParisMusic]

This was edited with LumaFusion on the m2 iPad Pro

[@rickvestuto]

Please do a video with the new update and controlling your MPC using the Komplete Control as a standalone Best, Rick

[@GerenM63]

I do have a couple of questions for you: 1) I know that the Mk3 will connect directly to Kontakt 7 without using the Komplete Kontrol software. What about an Arturia or other NKS2 plug-in? 2) If you use an NI NKS or NKS2 plugin other than Kontakt 7, or an Arturia or other NKS2 plugin, do you need to wrap them with Komplete Kontrol? Thanks! And, again, great commentary.

[@DylanParisMusic]

1. Right now only kontakt 7, in the future maybe more but I don’t think any are guaranteed right now. 2. For now yes, but I haven’t noticed a real performance hit layering a ton of them. Thanks for watching!

[@MusicWizard85]

Call me easily impressed but I love how the MK3 can color code scales or keep you in a specific key, etc. I love the lights over the keys. Cool features you don't see on a lot of other gear.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Agreed, the lights and screen on this one are really top notch. As are the metal encoders and wheels

[@hvhvgitaar]

The Mk2 has the same feature, except the LED lights are smaller and less in your face.

[@DylanParisMusic]

I prefer the LEDs on the mk3 over the mk2 for sure

[@GerenM63]

That's been a great feature of the whole Komplete Kontrol series since Mk1. I really like having visual indications of key splits.

[@Mr.Facebox]

Im freakin pissed about the lack of integration with Maschine! It was the only way to have Standalone NI synths while using the M+. Im sticking to MK2 & M+

[@DylanParisMusic]

Understandable! At this point I’m pretty sure I’m gonna hold on to my MK2 as it also works off of normal usb power without needing an adapter for things like the iPad Pro

[@OnlyWayOutIsThrough]

If you're getting software support for music hardware that's 10 years old or more, count yourself lucky. Most companies phase out product support much sooner. Typically only major software companies like Microsoft or Adobe support their products for decades. My major complaint with the MK3 is that they STILL haven't implemented custom midi templates, which is a feature present in the MK2 series. They said it was coming in Q1, but it didn't.. and as far as I've found, there's no updated timeline available. The maschine integration isn't a big deal to me since I use a push 2, but I could see how that would gripe some people since it's another feature that was there before and has now been removed.

[@smokey5100]

They just released the new Maschine software at it has a little n now like the S-Series that gives me hope that Maschine integration is on the way. This would be a great Christmas present if we woke up on xmas and a new firmware made the controller compatible with Maschine. Come on NI hook us up!!

[@DylanParisMusic]

That would be rad! I hope they've listened to the community feedback on that!

[@djobed.utrecht]

Hi Dylan, Ive been saving a few years before I bought the s88! mk3. I do have a Maschine mk3 and figuring out how to make all work within ableton as I was use to only use Maschine 2 software. Yes I'd love to have faders and more integration with Ableton... But, the keyboard is amazing!! I really like the feel, the key's, and how its works with all NKS software. I know for sure I'll be having fun with this midi keyboard a looooong time :)

[@CrisCozy]

I suffer from OCD so all the wires are driving me nuts. Great review 💯

[@DylanParisMusic]

Hahaha I’m so sorry, I am terrible about cable tidiness

[@CrisCozy]

@@DylanParisMusic No worries 💯

[@IamSavoiiMusic]

It doesn't support 'maschine' but NOT "at all". For example, you can purchase an expansion pack and while the maschibe kits arent available, the battery kits are, if you have it, AND, you can use the built in audio/sample editor/player to play ALL of the Maschine loops, samples, etc. The sounds used for the battery kits and the raw samples are the SAME as maschine, you just don't get the presets and the flexibility. You wont have it organized in a maschine preset. But look at it like this, you will have MORE access to the expansion kits with an mk3 s61, for example then if you didn't have it. At the end of the day, I am looking to buy either a maschine mk3 or micro just because I want that usability to access my expansions EASIER. But that doesn't mean I cant use the same samples provided to maschine software that are actually available to me as raw wav files and/or through Komplete Kontrol vst plugin in my MK3 S61. To be clear, maschine isn't supported, but you can still use machine expansions with your Kontrol S61/S49.

[@XELOhh1]

They need alot of work on this keyboard it doesnt work in all the DAWs that th MK2 works in.The keys dont feel better than the MK2 I know they did the polyphonic keys but it doesnt feel better .. I dont like what thy did with the pitch wheel in the MK3 its not as snappy as the MK2.. the fact that now i have to hit shift more to do things that had there own buttons on the MK2 make no scense to me.. its like they went backwards.. but to each his own .. im glad you are enjoying the keyboard.. question do you think its better than the MK2?

[@DylanParisMusic]

This is super fair! I prefer the metal wheels but I do see how they are probably slower compared to the lighter plastic ones! As far as if it's better, that is trick and very subjective but for me I do prefer it to the MK2. I wish it worked with Maschine but I'm still probably gonna let go of my Mk2 and keep the Mk3. I may keep the MK2 as a live performance keyboard though.

[@XELOhh1]

@@DylanParisMusic that's what's up.... What DAW do you use?

[@DylanParisMusic]

I use Ableton, integration there is pretty solid overall

[@seanmatthews5279]

First time Kontrol user, jumping in at MK3 and it has totally changed my workflow. I almost bought the Maschine+ at the same time, but caught Loopop's review in time. Id be extremely p@ssed if I was already in the Maschine workspace and saw NI drop support on their newest controller. IMHO, I suspect there's new Maschine hardware in the works that will integrate with the MK3 Kontrol in totally new ways.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Yeah I feel mixed as I am a light maschine user who paid for my plus, it would be nice if it supported maschine still but I usually use keyboards for the keys if I’m connecting them to a groove box so it’s not the end of the world for me personally but I totally understand why others are upset

[@jackc8120]

Were you able to update the initial firmware on windows computer? no matter what I do I am unable. Thanks

[@DylanParisMusic]

I was, it took a few tries though

[@jackc8120]

@@DylanParisMusic please let me know how did you do it? No matter what i do i just cant update the firmware

[@DylanParisMusic]

I just used the normal app for updating following their guides on the website, I’d say if you’re having issues still reach out to their support team directly for sure

[@IDONTPLAYENT]

Can you arm an Ableton track with the keyboard? I haven’t figured that out yet

[@DylanParisMusic]

Good question, I’m not sure off the top of my head but I would hope so.

[@SNAPAVELI]

Are the semitone transpose functions working?

[@DylanParisMusic]

I believe so, you have to use komplete kontrol right now but it works as advertised when using the play assist modes

[@SNAPAVELI]

@@DylanParisMusic ok! It won’t transpose midi to daw?

[@DylanParisMusic]

I believe it doesn’t currently do that without running through komplete kontrol in your daw as a vst

[@Curious_Skeptic]

Well, glad to hear this update! Slowly coming to mpc world. NI is pretty much an endless money grab. I can buy just about any mpc gear and it's still usuable and compatible. Screw NI. Eastwest vsts, output arcade, who needs NI!

[@judor5705]

Are you aware of all the VST2 vs VST3 debacle (both on Mac and PC) and the temporary fix that Native Instruments have suggested in forums to install Komplete Kontrol 2.9.6 then 3.0.1 (making copies of the .dll files for them to be be overwritten), for the DAW to scan either the VST2 or the VST3 folder when opening older projects, as a lot of people's older DAW projects with Komplete Kontrol and wrapped VST2 versions becoming broken... Definitely something worth talking about.😉

[@DylanParisMusic]

oooooof, that is brutalll i had not heard about that one

[@trackmusic252]

It shows the company doesn't care.

[@davdcl499]

Does the keybed feels the same or better than the MK2?

[@DylanParisMusic]

I think it feels better, the polyphonic after touch is cool although I don’t have a ton of plugins that use it

[@Ahmad-Mounir44]

It's not complicated. It's flawed

[@Monsterism]

Dylan where can I cop the Akira tee from?, everything I seen are bootlegs. Hook a bro out.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Pretty sure this one is a bootleg but I got it from parallel vintage

[@Monsterism]

@@DylanParisMusic nice thank you mate

[@samuelhof2192]

The badest thing is KK 3.3.2 is still not usable in the same way as KK 2.9.6. it‘s a huge downgrade in terms of performance, usability and features. How bad does a company get when they‘re not even caoable if keeping theexisting functions working in the same way. The machine integration to skip i can handle, but thatthe browser is very laggy and slow is a huge problem and the overall usability is just worse then in 2.9.6.

[@solidrecords]

I’m thinking NI Is coming out with Maschine MK4 that will work with Komplete Kontrol MK3.

[@DylanParisMusic]

I don't have any insider info on this but I would be SHOCKED if that never happens

[@colorofsound]

so can't even record basic midi into Maschine with it?

[@DylanParisMusic]

I haven’t tested this, it’s possible it would work for only that

[@sadarahurh8794]

Komplete Kontrol software sucks. Especially the GUI screen on a computer.

[@EvansCrayton]

Its funny how you read all these reviews but when you do a google search you find out all the problems this thing has just getting it setup. But you won't find. a youtube video telling you that part. Shame on you content providers.

[@DylanParisMusic]

This generally comes down to not everyone having the same issues. I can’t speak for anyone else making videos but if I encounter an issue I talk about it in the video. See this week’s Polyend Play Plus video as an example for that.

[@gazza1252]

Maybe do the mea culpas at the end of the video not the start. Just sayin. Or not at all.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Gonna open my next video with an apology for the apology

[@gazza1252]

@@DylanParisMusic Please don’t worry my friend. Just do solid content - no need to apologise for anything.

[@musikone1780]

I'm gonna, not subscribe. Thanks, but no thanks. The dancing emojis' were over the top.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Hahahahaha noted

[@electedmusic7685]

I don't understand anything, can't you work from maschine within the daw? problem solved, you choose the sounds and record the midi inside the daw, so why work in maschine if you can work better in your daw, and you already record the maschine instruments as vst. I never liked maschine, only to play, but to produce? I wouldn't stop buying this beauty of a keyboard just because it doesn't work with maschine outside of the daw. That's nonsense, if they are going to eliminate maschine, it's because hardly anyone uses it, I don't understand this commotion and sadness over that nonsense haha, I already have the kontrol 61 mk3 in my house, and it's beautiful. I turn it on and play, I don't need a maschine, I work with Cubase Pro 12.

[@DylanParisMusic]

Yeah I mean, if you don't like Maschine then obviously them removing the integration is not a con lol For people who do like Maschine, it's a bummer

[@ags911]

Surely the idea is for the user to have a Machine controller designed specifically for the software anyway? I guess they should have asked their users which features they would like them to include.

[@slumphouseent.]

A waste of time hearing the beat that long . Thumbs down for that

[@DylanParisMusic]

Ah bummer, sorry you weren’t feeling that part! I like to showcase what I actually do with the gear but it’s not possible to make something that works for everyone without watering it down to something that truly appeals to no one. I hope you’re able to find some videos on this that appeal to you more! Didn’t mean to waste your time at all