NKS compatibility?

[lilo]

Arturia controllers are very attractive but as far as I know are not NKS compatible. Most plugins now come with NKS settings, and this is a real plus for NI keyboards (and a real downside for others). This is today what is putting me off any other brand than NI for controllers, but this is not a situation I appreciate. Would it be possible to make Arturia keyboards NKS compatible? Is this an open standard, are there any impossibility related to rights? Thanks to shed some light on this.

[lilo]

Can anyone from Arturia please provide some info? Thanks.

[LBH]

Hi,

What excactly do you mean by NKS conmpatibility? Arturias and other generic controllers can be used to control Komplete Kontrol Software, that's the software you have to use to use NKS files.

NKS is a Native Instrument format. This also have an impact on how they work with NKS. Komplete Kontrol Software is needed to use NKS files, so you ie load Arturias software into the Komplete Kontrol Software to have it working, and then you don't use Arturia own presets/ preset system.

What's the upside for NI and downside for others?
Sound like you over estimate NKS a lot. Are you sure you know how it work?

It's not Arturias respponsibility to teach you about other vendors format or if it's an open format. It's informations you allready can read about on the web.
Also this forums is'nt Arturia support. Arturia only sometime reply to posts in the forums. It's only possible to give you available informations. And keep in mind that manufactors only tell they will release something, when they actually is about to release it in a short while.

[lilo]

Ok so let me rephrase this so my point is more understandable. What I need, and basically what probably everyone needs, is that when you load up a plugin, its main controls are automatically mapped to those of your keyboard controller, in the most "efficient" way, without requiring us to MIDI-learn manually. My understanding is that NKS was making this possible, but only with NI keyboards, and only with plugins supporting NKS. Is this right/wrong? What are the options we have to have this automatic mapping when using Arturia controllers?

[LBH]

I think you have far to high exspectations to NKS as it is. But that has nothing to do with compatibility.

Have a look at this video: Best way to midi map Arturia Minilab Mk2 in Komplete Kontrol using Memory Slots! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1AEzW2NS_c from just before 6:00 minutes.
Then  please tell me why it's a major issue to use midi learn in this context? It's done in seconds once, at that's it. After this when you change presets in Komplete Kontrol it work without using MIDI learn anymore.
It's also possible to link buttons for preset up/ down, plugins left/ right and Plugin pages back/ fourth the same way. Just link once - and then no more.

By doing this you can say, that any third party controller is compatible with NKS.

You need a NI Komplete Kontrol controller to not use MIDI learn for this, and to have more integration with the Komplete Kontrol application. But you will have to use MIDI learn for many things that's not working with Komplete Kontrol system anyway. That include DAWs buildt in applications as it is. I have in example not heard of any DAWs own synths that use NKS.
You have to use the Komplete Kontrol application to have NKS working. You have to work in NI's ecosystem and in example not use Arturias own presets and presets system, as that's two different things. NKS do not use Arturia presets, U-He presets, Tone2 presets and so on, and as such you in example don't use the excelent browser functionality from those vendors as it is.
Arturias applications presets browsers and Arturias internal preset system is poverful. That you don't use, when you use NKS.

I can suggest you watch this video: Komplete Kontrol vs Nektarine (Nektar Panorama T) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbRtT6ovfvE - Keep in mind the video is'nt completely new, so perhaps there have been slight changes. But it can help to see how things work, and i don't think there have been major changes with NKS, I have the Komplete Kontrol application btw. I can control it with my old Novation controller that btw is a automap controller that also was a system to have pre mapped presets, and it used the manufactors own presets as it just used automation patameters. Novation no longer have that system.
I don't think a perfect system that include all excist yet. I think it has to be a open system and not owned by a single vendor like NI.

To me it's vital for a good keyboard controller to be good to play. It shall in example have good velocity feel and a good aftertouch feel. And it shall have At least 9 sliders to use with a Hammond organ drawbar section. It shall also have some buttons and knobs. 9 of each or more. And there is more. Even the layout of the controller is important.
Why does Arturias controllers appeal to you?

[lilo]

Ok well, it's going to be complicated I think, I'm looking for automatic mapping you're telling me what's wrong with MIDI learn. Well, let's settle this
Thanks for the videos anyway, I'll look into them.

An open auto mapping system should be relatively simple to develop I think, even though not perfect since all controllers and controlled systems are different there would be no magic, but at least we could have auto-mapping that would make some sense. For this plugin/DAW vendors would need to abstract their controls into primary/secondary (or more) features and controllers define primary/secondary (or more) controls. This refined with the type of controller (knob, fader, pad etc.) to make the mappings more appropriate. There are certainly ways to make an open standard there but nobody seems to care as for vendors having a proprietary system helps them sell their own products. u-he recently released CLAP which is an open standard to replace VST/AU etc. and this is an awesome initiative, let's hope there will be a similar one for controller mappings, unfortunately this may never see the light of day if opposite to the manufacturer's interest. However some miracles like MIDI already happened so hope is permitted.