New Native Instruments controllers!

Timo · Post by **Timo** » Thu Sep 04, 2014 7:06 pm

That glossy plastic around the knobs looks like a fingerprint magnet.

Komplete Kontrol keyboard controller prices in the UK:-

S-61 = £569.00,
S-49 = £479.00,
S-25 = £399.00

No software other than drivers are included, not even player software, so you'd need to buy Komplete 9 or 10 for integration.

For that price I'd want pitch & mod wheels (or even better a joystick) AND ribbon controller(s), not just 2 ribbons in place of where the mod wheels should be.

You also need to plug the controller into the mains electrics via wall wart to use it.

However, unlike the Korg Taktiles, it does have aftertouch.

Kevin Nolan · Post by **Kevin Nolan** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 12:56 am

8 knobs, no faders, no pads and no tactile modulation / pitch bend wheels (needed for orchestral sample work)

Stupid lights above keys that look tacky, cheap and kitch.

Why would anybody pay that money for such a pathetic controller when there are a plethora of significantly better spec'd controllers for half the money.

Tschury · Post by **Tschury** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 2:25 am

Kevin Nolan wrote:8 knobs, no faders, no pads and no tactile modulation / pitch bend wheels (needed for orchestral sample work)

Stupid lights above keys that look tacky, cheap and kitch.

Why would anybody pay that money for such a pathetic controller when there are a plethora of significantly better spec'd controllers for half the money.

I had a similar first impression, which got much better by watching this review:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/m-y7vJWzfBg" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 2:32 am

I do like it and I always said if someone came out with a great semi weighted board I would definitely be willing to pay more, more in this case seems more then I would be willing to pay. Seems like something to wait and see if it goes on sale, or just wait for the mk2 version. Watched the Mac Pro vids review and it looks more inviting now but still to expensive.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:32 am

I agree. On both counts

I would hope they bring the cross-instrument category navigation to regular Komplete users too though. It seems silly to tie that to a keyboard. Even if I should get one, what about when I'm on the road and want to work on a mix without the keyboard there?

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 2:26 pm

Currently there are quite some reviews around, and they all indicate that the controller is specifically designed to controll the komplete collection...

Sadly no mention of how usefull this controller will be for other VSTs and DAWs. However not offering any features for other VSTs would kill much of the usefullness for most of us..

( however full integration with Maschine is promissed )

Hugo · Post by **Hugo** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 11:54 pm

Wow, I was pretty amazed by that demo. Can't afford it right now, but I'll definately get it at a later point.

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:29 am

As I understand it the board does nothing, all the magic is in the software, without that it is just a midi controller with some software to assign cc#. The control s software, or whatever it is called i think is tied to a Komplete download. I am not sure about maschine.

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 9:36 am

Bertotti wrote:As I understand it the board does nothing, all the magic is in the software, without that it is just a midi controller with some software to assign cc#. The control s software, or whatever it is called i think is tied to a Komplete download. I am not sure about maschine.

I think the software comes with the hardware, asit is not part of komplete 9 yet still works with komplete 9

Biggest problem with the software is the it does not really support non native VSTs, however, as you said in those cases it functions as a standard midi controller... On top of that the unit has full controll schemes for Live, Logic, cubase and a 4th daw.... Best use however seems to be in combination with maschine, but not much is known about this integration yet.

Best part however seems the build in (software) arpeggiator, which should help tremendous for giving owners the feeling of a hardware builld instrument.. Only the arturia keylab comes close to this kind of integration...

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 9:57 am

I want cross-VST sound category browsing without the keyboard!

BillyHank · Post by **BillyHank** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:40 pm

This controller keyboard is designed for the new and yet to be released Komplete 10.

It has so many more functions tied to the Komplete software package that it will be the computer based system everyone has been predicting for years.

It has been rumored for some time that Korg is about to release a new keyboard that will run the Komplete software and other VST's as well.
Could that be the Pa3X replacement or is it to be a Kronos replacement?

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:51 pm

SanderXpander wrote:I want cross-VST sound category browsing without the keyboard!

That would mean the death of hardware workstations for sure....

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:56 pm

BillyHank wrote:This controller keyboard is designed for the new and yet to be released Komplete 10.

It has so many more functions tied to the Komplete software package that it will be the computer based system everyone has been predicting for years.

It has been rumored for some time that Korg is about to release a new keyboard that will run the Komplete software and other VST's as well.
Could that be the Pa3X replacement or is it to be a Kronos replacement?

Only if it has cross instrument/vst sound category browsing... Just adding VST support will not cut it, it needs vst integration..

Somehow that just doesnt sound like Korg...

Kevin Nolan · Post by **Kevin Nolan** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 9:48 pm

BillyHank wrote:This controller keyboard is designed for the new and yet to be released Komplete 10.

It has so many more functions tied to the Komplete software package that it will be the computer based system everyone has been predicting for years.

It has been rumored for some time that Korg is about to release a new keyboard that will run the Komplete software and other VST's as well.
Could that be the Pa3X replacement or is it to be a Kronos replacement?

What computer based system everyone has been predicting for years? What are you talking about?

An Arturia, m-audio or AKAI controller can have about 4 times as many parameters mapped to their physical controls with outrageous ease; offering faders, pads, knobs, modulation wheel and pitchbend wheel (and in the case of the Arturia, multiple pedals and breath controller). That includes NI instrument mapping!

With 8 knobs and nothing else, and user-specific mapping of parameter to controls (for any original artist worth their salt) it is always going to be the case - always - that manual mapping will have to be done. Only on this, you get about 1/4 of the realtime control available even to 5-10 year controllers you can buy for $50 on ebay.

What's this offering that everyone has been predicting - I'm all ears (and who is "everybody" and what have they been "predicting"?)

Kevin.

Bachus · Post by **Bachus** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 7:36 am

Kevin Nolan wrote:
BillyHank wrote:This controller keyboard is designed for the new and yet to be released Komplete 10.

It has so many more functions tied to the Komplete software package that it will be the computer based system everyone has been predicting for years.

It has been rumored for some time that Korg is about to release a new keyboard that will run the Komplete software and other VST's as well.
Could that be the Pa3X replacement or is it to be a Kronos replacement?

What computer based system everyone has been predicting for years? What are you talking about?

An Arturia, m-audio or AKAI controller can have about 4 times as many parameters mapped to their physical controls with outrageous ease; offering faders, pads, knobs, modulation wheel and pitchbend wheel (and in the case of the Arturia, multiple pedals and breath controller). That includes NI instrument mapping!

With 8 knobs and nothing else, and user-specific mapping of parameter to controls (for any original artist worth their salt) it is always going to be the case - always - that manual mapping will have to be done. Only on this, you get about 1/4 of the realtime control available even to 5-10 year controllers you can buy for $50 on ebay.

What's this offering that everyone has been predicting - I'm all ears (and who is "everybody" and what have they been "predicting"?)

Kevin.

I think what makes this Kontroller special is the integration between hardware and the komplete software package, which gives it a certain workflow that feels more like a hardware synth then like a piece of software.. its the same what makes maschine such a great tool, the integration and workflow that make your software feel much more like what we love about the hardware stuff..

I think in the end it will be for stuff like thius that software/hardware combination is the way to go in the future. Sadly this piece of hardware only seems to be created Komplete, while all non NI vsts perform sub par with this interface.. The forst one however that creates a piece of hardware that allows you to have your whole VST collection under such close controll, will be a winner.

The only product i know that offers such an experience is the Arturia Kaylab, which is much much cheeper then the NI and on top of that comes with over 5000 sounds integrated in the software. The price of teh Komplete Kontroll however is far from realistic.

Lets see how the software part of both these controllers develops further intoo the future..