Woody is the man, marking a video as paid promotion without some whiny rant about anything and proceeding to make the review awesome (and honest) and earn a lot of respect to already highest level of respect he already had. Woody is an OG and a legend.
That silent smile on your face, after playing the parts with Poly Aftertouch, says everything that needs to be said regarding the power/expression/complete thrill of using Aftertouch. My music can't be completed w/o it (was a Arturia 88 key user). I am also a Maschine user. I never had keyboard control of Maschine, don't need it, won't miss it once i get this this new NI keys.
Poly aftertouch is definitely not an overrated feature- I've been searching in vain for years, its just so expressive. Looks like a really good keybed action too, maybe similar to the Access Virus TI in feel?
it's based on fatar tp\9s which is very widely used in many mid-range synths, yes I do believe access too. it's quite nice and premium actually, a step above the majority of controllers.
@@WoodyPianoShack If it's the same action as in the Kawai K5000, this would be my ideal keyboard controller. I've heard the Virus TI has the same/similar action to the Kawai, So here's hoping!
It's a lovely premium looking product and the fact that there is no KK wrapper required to use Kontakt is definitely step in the right direction. The screen also looks lovely and no issue for me it's not touch sensitive. I do hope they have sorted the issue where you can't fully use multiple KK boards at the same time. Presently if you have two or more in use, one has to be the master for the light guide, whilst others play a supporting role. I actually picked up a MK2 S61 a few weeks ago as were being sold off. I had seen a leaked image of the MK3 before buying but to me it didn't really offer enough for me to consider what would be a few hundred more. The MK1 didn't of course offer proper mod and pitch wheels, hence needed to make a change. NI bombard us with deals at the moment, (many I take up), but the lack of 3 or 4 faders (or touchstrips if they need to keep costs down) would have been a much stronger draw to buy this new version. When you consider things like MODX6 plus are only around £400 more and actually offer sliders and a fantastic synth included, I feel NI is pushing itself into the realm of only attracting NI die hards. AT of course is great to have, but not a show stopper if need to make any compromises financially. And with the recent cost of living crisis, many have to do just that Whilst you can understand why no pads, the lack of Maschine integration is also a worry. So whilst I completetely understand that NI want to move forwards , they need to be clearer to customers the route they are taking and not make them feel their current NI gear will all need be be changed as a job lot if choose to follow along. So far my purchase of the Mk2 is looking a wise one as the three units KK, Maschine Studio and Jam work really well as a team within my setup. Of course there is room for improvment like anything, but probably not enough to want to pay thousands more for.
I'm here 10 months later. I like the features of this keyboard. I own a Mk2 that I haven't used, but that will make a nice 'spare' now. :) Great video, Woody!! 🙂❤
i do not want to rewatch the video but i recall discussing the keybed. it is a quality fatar action, fine but not exceptional in terms of key length. only a few very expensive keyboards have long keys these days.
❤❤❤❤❤❤PROVVEDI A FAR DI CHE TUTTI I TUOI CLIENTI POSSANO RICEVERE UN CONTINUO CONFIRTO DI AGGIORNAMENTI SICURI E USABILITA DELLA MACCHINA A VITA!!!!!!! GRAZIE ADORATA NATIVE !!!!! E PER FAVORE STAMPA UN OTTIMO MANUALE DI INSEGNAMENTO ANCHE IN ITALIANO !!!! GRAZIE DI CUORE❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ DIO VI BENEDICA E VI PROTEGGA IN ETERNO!!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
The biggest negative is the removal of the Maschine DAW buttons. My hopes of having a single controller on my desk for composing and arranging have been dashed. I will have to stick with my Maschine Mk3 and a keyboard, although it won't be one from NI since I can control the plugins (and arrange, and mix, and ...) from the Maschine Mk3. I have the impression that NI is no longer interested in investing in Maschine. The Maschine software hardly gets any updates the last three years and development on the Maschine Plus in fact seems to have stopped completely, which is a great shame.
that seems to be a drawback that i have overlooked, so sorry for not bringing it up. although I have not used my keyboards much for maschine daw control. what are the functions of the missing buttons?
Not only did they remove the Maschine buttons but ALL integration with Maschine. No longer can play Sounds, Groups, Library Browsing, no mixer, no transport, no plug-in control, no visual feedback, no Arp, no scales, no chords, no maschine control at ALL. Absurd to support all other DAWs except their own.
Thanks for the demo Woody - I already have the the KK 61 MK2, only purchased about 12 months ago after the MK1 died - not sure this is in any way worth the upgrade price right now- but if anyone doesn't have a previous version of the controller, you could do far worse. As you say, they really ought to add their current audio interface into it, that would be fantastic. I guess we'll see.
good strategy, hold off any upgrade whilst we see what software features NI and their partners develop in the future. maybe we will see some killer app\feature.
Awesome demo, Woody! Thanks for the explanation in the middle on KK and NKS. It's a topic I'm aware of but still trying to understand and I appreciate the clarification!
glad to hear it was appreciated, i've been using KK for years, but still find it quite complicated to understand and explain, must be baffling for newcomers.
Thanks MUCHLY Woody. I 💯% agree that the lovely screen is largely wasted. We seem to have gone backwards since the Fairchild CMI as far as screen size is concerned. NI don't like faders. I do. So do bedroom producers. Plenty of room. Put additional faders in NI - IT'S A CONTROLLER KEYBOARD. Elephant in the room: MIDI 2.0 how will that affect NKS moving forward? Will they merge? Will this instrument be out of date in a year? Who can tell? Keyboard looked spongey to me? I have an S88 MKll fully weighted and the action is firm as anything for (mono) A.T. Also poly A.T. effectiveness depends on the instrument you are emulating/ playing? I bet it's good when conquered though. Won't be buying until I see what else is coming along the tracks. But I love it. I bet the phone is ringing off the hook now at Fatar with companies asking for quantity poly A.T. keybed prices.
to answer a specific question (great points btw) the keyboard is not spongey, i'm picky about that, dislike that feeling, this one feels good and remarkably quiet action.
I HAVE THAT SAME ISSUE WITH AKAI MPC'S ; NO FADERS..A QUICK FIX IS AN EXTERNAL CONTROLLER LIKE MIDI MIX (FOR MPC'S) AND/OR STUDIO LOGIC'S MIXFACE (FOR NI OR ANYTHING REALLY)..
Yeah - no faders is really the main reason I'm on the fence about this one - the official "excuse" of "we're focusing on the instrument side" doesn't really ring true, when 90% of NI's own instruments - and most other VST instruments - are using additional CC's, other than modulation - that means *faders are actually a part of the "instrument side" of things*. Will probably wait and see what Arturia bring up for mk3. MIDI 2.0... Supposedly Komplete mk3 is prepared for it according to the developers - but it has little if anything actually implemented yet, waiting for full operating system and DAW support. However, since quite a few MIDI 2.0 features are, in a way, "competing" with NKS2, I have a bad feeling that NI will be slow to actually implement them...
they are quite sparse, but remember there are pages, each with 8 knob assignments. so once you start configuring and using, it feels quite generous. and faders, their position never corresponds to the software value, which rotary encoder knobs don't suffer from.
One of the best demonstrations of this keyboard on here. It may not go into as much depth as some of them, but is much closer, I feel, to what my experience of unboxing and playing is goping to be like! I too, have been chasing polyphonic aftertouch for years, and have had a few keyboards that had it, but nothing that integrates like this. I have the Exprssice-E Osmose arriving at the end of this month, so I'm going to be spoiled for choice - but I like the way this integrates with the NK software. It means I can ditch my NI S49 Mk2 and a trio of Roli Lumis I've been using to get that poly aftertouch. Good one, Woody! 🙂
Thanks for the honest review and the full declaration of a paid promotion, Woody. The MK3 doesn't offer enough to justify an upgrade from my MK2, and I can't believe they still haven't incorporated a USB audio interface, but I guess they've at least moved the touch strip to the top of the control wheels where you can't accidentally bump it every few seconds whilst playing. Just 30 minutes of MK2 beta testing would've told NI that placement was a mistake. Aftertouch? Nice to know it's there. Poly aftertouch? I'm sure it looks good on the glossy brochure specs, but I'll never use it. Here's hoping for the MK4 in 2029 where NI has actually listened to their customers for once.
On NI's website, they do make a point of saying that the software is not complete yet and that new features are in the works, a similar situation to Yamaha with their new Montage M series.
The design looks nice. When it comes to midi controllers with audio interfaces built in, apprearantly IKmultimedia does exactly that. They’ve got a model with this feature (the iRig keys I/O). For some bizarre reason the audio input is mono only (output is stereo) by the looks of it. I got an iRig Pro I/O interface that I use as secondary audio interface for a microphone and it appears they built the same thing into that keyboard.
Addendum: when you mentioned audio interface wouldn't that be where the keyboard controller meets the traditional keyboard workstation? Like a keyboard version of the Push 3 🤔
not quite the same, i mean the plugins and sounds are not running on the controller, but on the PC as usual. But use the midi connection to stream the audio back to the controller keybaord, instead of a different usb audio device!
Imagine if NI made this MK3 board an integrated Maschine/Komplete controller that ran Massive X, Retro Machines, and Battery 4 standalone. Game over. They have so much to work with and never do anything cool.
I like what you've done with the video production, Woody. Some nice work. Not too sure about upside down shots, but the editing in general is really impressive. Imho anyway. Really good work, and still informative and entertaining. Nice stuff.
Could you give your opinion on the quality of the keys on the Roland A-500 Pro and Komplete Kontrol A-49 models compared to the model demonstrated in this video. big hug
Woody, can you check your Kontrol keyboard to see if the tops of the keys move upwards when you dig into aftertouch at the bottom of the keys? On my unit, it's like the key pivot for aftertouch is different from the pivot for the main action, as if the pivot is somewhere within the length of the black keys, so the keys sort of see-saw during aftertouch. My Quantum MK2, which also has the Fatar poly-AT keybed does not do this at all.
@@WoodyPianoShackAT not working with a know AT-capable synth is almost always a case of needing to switch Kontrol from poly AT mode to channel AT, as they send completely different MIDI messages. Switch it using the hardware settings menu on the keyboard, and I’m sure it will work with the D-05.
@@WoodyPianoShackhere is a video showing the difference in key action between the Quantum mk2 and the Kontrol mk3 - which both use Fatar keys. ua-cam.com/video/njlH4QEKgfs/v-deo.html
Im really confused about this unit so I have questions please #1 can I run komplete control on a new Ipad pro? #2 Does the Keyboard have sounds on it already or do you have to load them? # once I load an instrument does it stay on the Keyboard like a stand-alone Thank in advance, Best Rick
Good review, nice to get a different perspective on it. Am toying with the idea of purchasing, but there are three things holding me back, a) whether I'll use all the features, b) will it fit on my desk, and c) I'm just not a good keyboard player! Regarding c), maybe the easier ability to switch & tweak instruments and work with scales / modes etc might help. Also, regarding the size, it's good to see that there is space either side on top to put other devices (in my case, I'm thinking trackball mouse, Elgato Streamdeck, and some MIDI controllers - I have Monogram CCs). So, I'll keep thinking... oh, and it's pretty expensive too! But it does feel worth the price, and looks very solid, with so many playability options beyond the usual wheels... touch strip, foot pedals etc.
I dont think we get any of those parameter controls on the maschine mk3 screens (unless I'm mistaken) Just instrument presets. Maybe this will be introduced in a future maschine hw product. That would mean that there'd potentially be a chip onboard? The new kb controller is really nice. And tempting!! Enjoyyy! Great vid, ty.
I'm looking for the best value polyphonic aftertouch keyboard with hammer action. Thank you for this helpful video. I'm ordering the s88 tonight. I would like to know the name of that tune demonstrating the aftertouch. Does anyone know the name of that tune?
Can you create a new channel and insert an instance of Kontakt 7 (or 8)... OR an instance of Komplete Kontrol.... JUST from the S49 keyboard... or do you have to do that with the computer keyboard and mouse first, and only THEN can you control that instance with the S49 ???
@@WoodyPianoShack Thanks Woody, yeah to be honest I find it frustrating still having to do some things via the mouse n keyboard instead of being able to do it all from the controller, especially when they are marketed as devices which remove the “distraction” of looking at the screen etc. I went ahead and bought one anyway and am exploring its potential currently.
Woody, you are absolutely brilliant and always so honest about your reviews which is cool to see ... I have a brand new Apple MacBook Pro 14" and I will most probably invest in the KONTROL S-SERIES MK3 88 Keys as I love Classical and Jazz compositions mainly. I will have to get someone to set it up and learn how to use this DAW and software business :)
thank you. 49 it's my preference, the sweet spot for size and playability on something that you put on your desk. two handed playing is ok on a 49 but not less.
Woody! I noticed that there's an actual graphic for the CS-80V on your unit. Did you do anything special to get that happening. On mine, it's the just name and the parametes.
hello friend, can you confirm if previous versions of kontakt (first version of kontakt 7, kontakt 6) are displayed on the new screen of the ni s61 mk3, or is it necessary to have kontakt updated to the latest one?
Oh dear, I want one! For me I want something that can control non-native VSTs in FLStudio. Recently I've been installing a ton of VSTs to my DAW and didn't know what the NKS option was, and I only picked the VST3 options but if I got one of these...! Until I saw this I was kind of hung up on having DAW integration but now I think this is better as I mainly use non native VSTs that DAW integrated controllers would struggle to control anyway. Just hope all/more VSTs become NKS compatible soon.
I wouldn’t necessarily hold your breath for vst providers to add nks formatting. Native Instruments has very clear partnerships and competitors. I would also mention that many NI keyboard users are forced to use the device in midi mode to control non-native vsts. This is why NI had to introduce better mapping…because other controllers are getting easier and easier to program and the NI MK2 boards did not map much (only a few pages of the main items that couldn’t be changed). I say this as warning not to wrap yourself in their ecosystem. Like Woody said…the added NI software layers can be a real PITA to get set up and working.
Channel selector not working with ableton ( that’s not good at all), maschine integration has gone, not that I used it to be honest. Overall I like the new screen and poly aftertouch. Wonder if they now fixed coexistence problems with their kontrol s series. Try having two s series plugged in at the same time, mashine vst and komplete and kontakt vsts don’t like it at all! Especially with ableton AND after changing midi send channel on the two. I just don’t get it why would they not allow two to be connected to their vsts at the same time? Let’s hope they fixed.
thanks for filling in some of the gaps. maschine integration maybe gone, for now, not sure, i heard something from NI about market research indicating that the keyboard is not used much together with maschine, so not the highest prio on launch but it was on the future roadmap.
Hey Woody, that was a kool groove you made! Maybe you can help me out. I have the S88 MK3. My Play, Record and Stop button doesnt stay lit up! Any idea whats going on?
@@jwilliams986 you are welcome. Only if I start my daw the mk3 shows the function of the DAW Button. By pressing it, it starts showing channels in my cubase.
Muscle memory and physical knobs btns etc are better - but given theres so few physcial knobs and faders etc- compared with other MIDI controllers for example - arturia has 16 knobs dfro example AND fadrs - this is more reason to ALSO include touch - think Genos, PSR SX900 or Montage! best of both worlds! This MKIII release seems frankly half-arsed and unimaginatively iterative.
i think the big changes are under the hood, in the processors and new software, what NI were calling the tech stack. it will enable a lot of cool things in the future, or so they tell me. i think the trouble with faders is that they never reflect the value of the parameter, unless motorized. endless rotaries do not suffer from this.
Original Komplete Kontrol S49 MK1 had some metal in it and felt much more premium. Also OLED screens under each knob were more intuitive, one giant screen just not as intuitive. Definitely will skip this one. Btw; Judging by the SuperBooth and latest leaks, Korg MainStage will follow the design of original NI S49, but add MIDI 2 bi-directional communication, Poly Afterttouch, MPE and Audio Interface for half the price. PS; What a shame NI haven’t included “stand alone” functionality aka Machine Plus 😮
4:18 Not so. Not anymore. See Yamaha Montage M8x. Edit: Unless I misunderstood and you meant the only 88 key weighted action controller with Poly Aftertouch. I know The Montage M wasn't released when you made this video.
"Is this the future of controllers?" It might be, if NI could get it to work well enough to actually release it. I've been a heavy NI user for years, but it is bewildering that a software based company can have such clunky software. Don't even get me started on their customer service....or lack there of. I've had an order in for the 88 for months. My 88MK2 is having issues, so it's time to move on to the 88MK3.
The good lord NI Giveth with one hand - taketh away with another ( no MASCHINE buttons any more ). Frankly not impressed, Will keep my old KKS88 mk II for now.
Am I the only one who heard “beta” unit (bay-tuh for American pronunciation) as “beater unit”, like it was a used car? Yeah, we don’t say 0 or Z right, either, over here. 😜
Another bit of kit that does nothing until you connect it to the net and so it can call home. You should be able to plug this in and use it for midi straight away. This is not the line we should be going down. This could be literally switched off by "home" when new models come out and they want to stop access. I also don't think it's good long term for UA-cam reviewers doing basically free advertising for companies. A free device isnt fair payment for your services. Companies used to pay a lot of money years ago for advertising now they just give out gear and UA-camrs use their own revenue and costs to advertise their product. Remember the RRP price of a keyboard is no where near the real cost to make it so your being well short changed for your hard work. You should get paid to advertise or you should not do it for them. We need to protect ourselves and get paid for our time and skills.
_"This could be literally switched off by "home" when new models come out and they want to stop access."_ Er... No. Never happening. It would be a PR disaster, not to mention completely illegal.
If you buy this, could be second hand and then plug it in to a pc nothing will work. You have to have it connect to home via access and re register through licence transfer. Now what happens if they no longer support it? What happens if the company goes bust? If your internet is out for a period and you put this on a new pc you can't use it. It may be illegal now to turn off a product but it's where it starts it may not be in the future. If it's the norm because people are used to it it will happen. You have to have control of the things you have bought, especially if you use them to make money but in general. We have already let companies use our data to make money after we buy a product. We are literally paying them to use our Info to make money. If companies want my data in order to make money then they should be paying for it not the other way around.
@@Teeb2023It's not illegal. Terms and conditions may change without notice. It's been part of the agreement you sign, for many decades. As far as PR - if you have the previous model KK keyboard, which they just sold a bunch of, on sale, right before launching this... NI decided not to make it compatible for integration with the latest Kontakt. They knew that would be the case, but they were trying to sell out their remaining stock in the previous KK, so they didn't mention that decision until the new keyboard was launched. Of course they have an excuse for why they could make the older keyboard compatible with the newest Kontakt. They've made so many excuses over the years... it's cool to see this video, and polyphonic aftertouch is actually useful, if you play slower stuff... but I know enough to stay away. The company has good tech, but I don't want to have the label of "customer", in their minds.
@@GizzyDillespee Not illegal to deny a legitimate customer access to the hardware they've paid for? Since when? I seriously doubt that "terms and conditions" part would hold up in court in this case. _"Hi Mr Jones, we're very sorry but that car you bought 6 years ago has been superceded by this new model, and we've taken your keys so you can't drive it any more."_ Really?
thanks for making your points, actually it will work in dumb midi controller mode, to control external synths of your DAW\plugins. the only thing you need to install is the driver, at least on windows, and maybe some NI hardware connection service. and maybe their download manager app :) as for me, i don't need payment, i and many other youtubers are grateful just to get access to interesting gear, for the views and exposure. i can't really justify buying new products just for the purposes of making a video.
Even the box is a step backwards from the MK2 box. No gloss with graphics on it, just a puke colored standard cardboard box. NI doesn’t even provide a power supply. Less buttons than MK2 version & less screens. So cheap.
haha, yeah will be interesting to see if I end up using and appreciating poly at, or just a gimmick I ignore. not just for this keyboard, but poly AT in general seems to be a major trend for 2023.
All that empty space - no typical controls -like faders - or more knobs... and in 2023 - I'd have gladly payed more for touch screen support.. BIG MEH.
no thanks on the touch screen, for me personally. but i totally understand why many people would expect it in 2023. faders are an issue, they never match the software parameter value, more knobs, not necessary because you can have several "pages" of knob assignments. not trying to defend it, but that's my opinion anyways!
@@WoodyPianoShack the fader thing i agree Is an issue - partially solved by having LED bars next to each one - as foind often on workstations - or behringer - who put motorised faders on their ( rarely mentioned?? are they no good? ) midi controllers - knob wise though prefer not to page. and one thing i wish more controler vendors dif was having a dedicated mastr vol knob or fader. like on the AKAI MPC MINI. so useful.
Woody is the man, marking a video as paid promotion without some whiny rant about anything and proceeding to make the review awesome (and honest) and earn a lot of respect to already highest level of respect he already had. Woody is an OG and a legend.
wow, that means a lot to me, thanks.
“Honest” “paid promotion” You seem to have a high iq.
Woody is hip to the newest gear. I like how he embraces the new technologies.
Native Instruments needs to bring back Maschine support and integration ASAP!!!
Maschine support "What is that" Maschine 3 integration is a total fail with these new series keyboards sadly
That silent smile on your face, after playing the parts with Poly Aftertouch, says everything that needs to be said regarding the power/expression/complete thrill of using Aftertouch. My music can't be completed w/o it (was a Arturia 88 key user). I am also a Maschine user. I never had keyboard control of Maschine, don't need it, won't miss it once i get this this new NI keys.
Poly aftertouch is definitely not an overrated feature- I've been searching in vain for years, its just so expressive. Looks like a really good keybed action too, maybe similar to the Access Virus TI in feel?
it's based on fatar tp\9s which is very widely used in many mid-range synths, yes I do believe access too. it's quite nice and premium actually, a step above the majority of controllers.
@@WoodyPianoShack If it's the same action as in the Kawai K5000, this would be my ideal keyboard controller. I've heard the Virus TI has the same/similar action to the Kawai, So here's hoping!
@@Andronicus2007my sold Kawai K5000S had an awesome keyboard action.
It's a lovely premium looking product and the fact that there is no KK wrapper required to use Kontakt is definitely step in the right direction. The screen also looks lovely and no issue for me it's not touch sensitive. I do hope they have sorted the issue where you can't fully use multiple KK boards at the same time. Presently if you have two or more in use, one has to be the master for the light guide, whilst others play a supporting role.
I actually picked up a MK2 S61 a few weeks ago as were being sold off. I had seen a leaked image of the MK3 before buying but to me it didn't really offer enough for me to consider what would be a few hundred more. The MK1 didn't of course offer proper mod and pitch wheels, hence needed to make a change. NI bombard us with deals at the moment, (many I take up), but the lack of 3 or 4 faders (or touchstrips if they need to keep costs down) would have been a much stronger draw to buy this new version. When you consider things like MODX6 plus are only around £400 more and actually offer sliders and a fantastic synth included, I feel NI is pushing itself into the realm of only attracting NI die hards. AT of course is great to have, but not a show stopper if need to make any compromises financially. And with the recent cost of living crisis, many have to do just that
Whilst you can understand why no pads, the lack of Maschine integration is also a worry. So whilst I completetely understand that NI want to move forwards , they need to be clearer to customers the route they are taking and not make them feel their current NI gear will all need be be changed as a job lot if choose to follow along. So far my purchase of the Mk2 is looking a wise one as the three units KK, Maschine Studio and Jam work really well as a team within my setup. Of course there is room for improvment like anything, but probably not enough to want to pay thousands more for.
smart move to get the mk2 on sale, methinks! great way to try out the KK ecosystem, the basic functionality and feature set is still much the same.
Great demo great playing.
Looks a nice controller upgrade.
I'm here 10 months later. I like the features of this keyboard. I own a Mk2 that I haven't used, but that will make a nice 'spare' now. :)
Great video, Woody!! 🙂❤
I love the Poly AT on my Hydrasynth, and judging by your smile, I’m thinking it’s a feature you loved too!
❤❤❤❤❤meravigliosa per tutte le operazioni che si possono effettu ad reval suo interno!!!!!!!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤grazie!!!!! NATIVE !!!!!; TI ADORO!!!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤
Great demo! Polyphonic aftertouch will become a standard.
we'll have to see... remember when 3D tvs were the next big thing... :) but certainly a strong trend for 2023 :)
Looks like a really nice controller keyboard, especially if you're in the NI ecosystem.
That musical interlude 🔥🫨😮💨🔥
This is how reviews should be done, thank you!
Why didn't you do your usual discussion of the keybed, lever points, feel etc? What do you think about those things?
i do not want to rewatch the video but i recall discussing the keybed. it is a quality fatar action, fine but not exceptional in terms of key length. only a few very expensive keyboards have long keys these days.
❤❤❤❤❤❤PROVVEDI A FAR DI CHE TUTTI I TUOI CLIENTI POSSANO RICEVERE UN CONTINUO CONFIRTO DI AGGIORNAMENTI SICURI E USABILITA DELLA MACCHINA A VITA!!!!!!! GRAZIE ADORATA NATIVE !!!!! E PER FAVORE STAMPA UN OTTIMO MANUALE DI INSEGNAMENTO ANCHE IN ITALIANO !!!! GRAZIE DI CUORE❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ DIO VI BENEDICA E VI PROTEGGA IN ETERNO!!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Era : RICEVERE CONFORTO ....
Good presentation Woody, , Amazon's dropping mine off tomorrow. Thanks from Vancouer!
The biggest negative is the removal of the Maschine DAW buttons. My hopes of having a single controller on my desk for composing and arranging have been dashed. I will have to stick with my Maschine Mk3 and a keyboard, although it won't be one from NI since I can control the plugins (and arrange, and mix, and ...) from the Maschine Mk3.
I have the impression that NI is no longer interested in investing in Maschine.
The Maschine software hardly gets any updates the last three years and development on the Maschine Plus in fact seems to have stopped completely, which is a great shame.
that seems to be a drawback that i have overlooked, so sorry for not bringing it up. although I have not used my keyboards much for maschine daw control. what are the functions of the missing buttons?
Not only did they remove the Maschine buttons but ALL integration with Maschine. No longer can play Sounds, Groups, Library Browsing, no mixer, no transport, no plug-in control, no visual feedback, no Arp, no scales, no chords, no maschine control at ALL. Absurd to support all other DAWs except their own.
Thanks for the demo Woody - I already have the the KK 61 MK2, only purchased about 12 months ago after the MK1 died - not sure this is in any way worth the upgrade price right now- but if anyone doesn't have a previous version of the controller, you could do far worse. As you say, they really ought to add their current audio interface into it, that would be fantastic. I guess we'll see.
good strategy, hold off any upgrade whilst we see what software features NI and their partners develop in the future. maybe we will see some killer app\feature.
Hi does this have any built in sounds or I have to connect this with laptop or iPad?
Awesome demo, Woody! Thanks for the explanation in the middle on KK and NKS. It's a topic I'm aware of but still trying to understand and I appreciate the clarification!
glad to hear it was appreciated, i've been using KK for years, but still find it quite complicated to understand and explain, must be baffling for newcomers.
Thinking of buying this. So your review is important
Loved that groove!
Thanks MUCHLY Woody.
I 💯% agree that the lovely screen is largely wasted. We seem to have gone backwards since the Fairchild CMI as far as screen size is concerned.
NI don't like faders. I do. So do bedroom producers. Plenty of room. Put additional faders in NI - IT'S A CONTROLLER KEYBOARD.
Elephant in the room: MIDI 2.0 how will that affect NKS moving forward? Will they merge? Will this instrument be out of date in a year? Who can tell?
Keyboard looked spongey to me?
I have an S88 MKll fully weighted and the action is firm as anything for (mono) A.T. Also poly A.T. effectiveness depends on the instrument you are emulating/ playing? I bet it's good when conquered though.
Won't be buying until I see what else is coming along the tracks.
But I love it. I bet the phone is ringing off the hook now at Fatar with companies asking for quantity poly A.T. keybed prices.
to answer a specific question (great points btw) the keyboard is not spongey, i'm picky about that, dislike that feeling, this one feels good and remarkably quiet action.
I HAVE THAT SAME ISSUE WITH AKAI MPC'S ; NO FADERS..A QUICK FIX IS AN EXTERNAL CONTROLLER LIKE MIDI MIX (FOR MPC'S) AND/OR STUDIO LOGIC'S MIXFACE (FOR NI OR ANYTHING REALLY)..
Yeah - no faders is really the main reason I'm on the fence about this one - the official "excuse" of "we're focusing on the instrument side" doesn't really ring true, when 90% of NI's own instruments - and most other VST instruments - are using additional CC's, other than modulation - that means *faders are actually a part of the "instrument side" of things*. Will probably wait and see what Arturia bring up for mk3. MIDI 2.0... Supposedly Komplete mk3 is prepared for it according to the developers - but it has little if anything actually implemented yet, waiting for full operating system and DAW support. However, since quite a few MIDI 2.0 features are, in a way, "competing" with NKS2, I have a bad feeling that NI will be slow to actually implement them...
I’m surprised they didn’t provide any faders since they’re trying to make it like a synth. The physical controls seem a little sparse to me.
they are quite sparse, but remember there are pages, each with 8 knob assignments. so once you start configuring and using, it feels quite generous. and faders, their position never corresponds to the software value, which rotary encoder knobs don't suffer from.
@@WoodyPianoShack you make a very good point about them not reflecting the position as you page. Thanks
One of the best demonstrations of this keyboard on here. It may not go into as much depth as some of them, but is much closer, I feel, to what my experience of unboxing and playing is goping to be like! I too, have been chasing polyphonic aftertouch for years, and have had a few keyboards that had it, but nothing that integrates like this. I have the Exprssice-E Osmose arriving at the end of this month, so I'm going to be spoiled for choice - but I like the way this integrates with the NK software. It means I can ditch my NI S49 Mk2 and a trio of Roli Lumis I've been using to get that poly aftertouch. Good one, Woody! 🙂
so much appreciate that feedback, always my aim. have fun with the osm!
The reverse sticker removal 😂😂
Thanks for the honest review and the full declaration of a paid promotion, Woody. The MK3 doesn't offer enough to justify an upgrade from my MK2, and I can't believe they still haven't incorporated a USB audio interface, but I guess they've at least moved the touch strip to the top of the control wheels where you can't accidentally bump it every few seconds whilst playing. Just 30 minutes of MK2 beta testing would've told NI that placement was a mistake.
Aftertouch? Nice to know it's there. Poly aftertouch? I'm sure it looks good on the glossy brochure specs, but I'll never use it.
Here's hoping for the MK4 in 2029 where NI has actually listened to their customers for once.
well said,stick with your mk2 for now, NI are promising some exciting stuff ahead on the new platform so keep a watch on that!
On NI's website, they do make a point of saying that the software is not complete yet and that new features are in the works, a similar situation to Yamaha with their new Montage M series.
thanks, yes, this is what the devs told me also.
The design looks nice. When it comes to midi controllers with audio interfaces built in, apprearantly IKmultimedia does exactly that. They’ve got a model with this feature (the iRig keys I/O). For some bizarre reason the audio input is mono only (output is stereo) by the looks of it. I got an iRig Pro I/O interface that I use as secondary audio interface for a microphone and it appears they built the same thing into that keyboard.
the leaked upcoming korg interface has audio outs too, maybe a sign of the times.
Addendum: when you mentioned audio interface wouldn't that be where the keyboard controller meets the traditional keyboard workstation? Like a keyboard version of the Push 3 🤔
not quite the same, i mean the plugins and sounds are not running on the controller, but on the PC as usual. But use the midi connection to stream the audio back to the controller keybaord, instead of a different usb audio device!
Imagine if NI made this MK3 board an integrated Maschine/Komplete controller that ran Massive X, Retro Machines, and Battery 4 standalone. Game over. They have so much to work with and never do anything cool.
Joyful playing, enjoyed it, Woody! To my shame can’t remember the name of it (?). Need to learn smthg that can impress my wife finally 😂
you are probably referring to air on the g string, bach. have fun learning it!
@@WoodyPianoShack plz tell that bach dude, who gives a track name that ppl can't remember 🤣 TNX!
I like what you've done with the video production, Woody. Some nice work. Not too sure about upside down shots, but the editing in general is really impressive. Imho anyway. Really good work, and still informative and entertaining. Nice stuff.
haha, just checking if anybody is actually paying attention! thanks for the nice feedback!
Great review thanks Woody. It’s just called Kontrol S-Series now….they’ve dropped the “Komplete”. NIs naming system can be confusing to newcomers.
not just to newcomers, i can't keep up.
Could you give your opinion on the quality of the keys on the Roland A-500 Pro and Komplete Kontrol A-49 models compared to the model demonstrated in this video. big hug
really hard to describe actions in words, in a comment... :( the roland and a49 are both equally nice and the s far superior.
Woody, can you check your Kontrol keyboard to see if the tops of the keys move upwards when you dig into aftertouch at the bottom of the keys? On my unit, it's like the key pivot for aftertouch is different from the pivot for the main action, as if the pivot is somewhere within the length of the black keys, so the keys sort of see-saw during aftertouch. My Quantum MK2, which also has the Fatar poly-AT keybed does not do this at all.
will try to remember, AT not something I use much, although to my disappointment it didn't work with the d05, not sure what the culprit was.
@@WoodyPianoShackAT not working with a know AT-capable synth is almost always a case of needing to switch Kontrol from poly AT mode to channel AT, as they send completely different MIDI messages. Switch it using the hardware settings menu on the keyboard, and I’m sure it will work with the D-05.
@@WoodyPianoShackhere is a video showing the difference in key action between the Quantum mk2 and the Kontrol mk3 - which both use Fatar keys. ua-cam.com/video/njlH4QEKgfs/v-deo.html
Im really confused about this unit so I have questions please
#1 can I run komplete control on a new Ipad pro?
#2 Does the Keyboard have sounds on it already or do you have to load them?
# once I load an instrument does it stay on the Keyboard like a stand-alone
Thank in advance, Best Rick
hi rick, answer to all your questions is no. and this is just a (albeit sophisticated) midi controller, no sounds onboard, pc required for that.
Good review, nice to get a different perspective on it. Am toying with the idea of purchasing, but there are three things holding me back, a) whether I'll use all the features, b) will it fit on my desk, and c) I'm just not a good keyboard player!
Regarding c), maybe the easier ability to switch & tweak instruments and work with scales / modes etc might help. Also, regarding the size, it's good to see that there is space either side on top to put other devices (in my case, I'm thinking trackball mouse, Elgato Streamdeck, and some MIDI controllers - I have Monogram CCs).
So, I'll keep thinking... oh, and it's pretty expensive too! But it does feel worth the price, and looks very solid, with so many playability options beyond the usual wheels... touch strip, foot pedals etc.
After touch is great until you come to a passionate part of the music and all of a sudden, Beethoven is accompanied by tremolo birds.
I dont think we get any of those parameter controls on the maschine mk3 screens (unless I'm mistaken) Just instrument presets.
Maybe this will be introduced in a future maschine hw product. That would mean that there'd potentially be a chip onboard?
The new kb controller is really nice. And tempting!! Enjoyyy! Great vid, ty.
Do they have to wait for another BIG anniversary to get us Limited Edition in White?
I'm looking for the best value polyphonic aftertouch keyboard with hammer action.
Thank you for this helpful video. I'm ordering the s88 tonight.
I would like to know the name of that tune demonstrating the aftertouch. Does anyone know the name of that tune?
Oh well. I was able to click on it and it stepped me through to get my MK3 integrated with my DAW.😃
I wish someone would demonstrate the PA with something other than a synth. Everyone uses the same sound. I want to hear it with a woodwind or violin.
Can you create a new channel and insert an instance of Kontakt 7 (or 8)... OR an instance of Komplete Kontrol.... JUST from the S49 keyboard... or do you have to do that with the computer keyboard and mouse first, and only THEN can you control that instance with the S49 ???
you have to launch the software first on the PC, but no big deal...?
@@WoodyPianoShack Thanks Woody, yeah to be honest I find it frustrating still having to do some things via the mouse n keyboard instead of being able to do it all from the controller, especially when they are marketed as devices which remove the “distraction” of looking at the screen etc. I went ahead and bought one anyway and am exploring its potential currently.
Nice groove though Woody :)
Woody, you are absolutely brilliant and always so honest about your reviews which is cool to see ... I have a brand new Apple MacBook Pro 14" and I will most probably invest in the KONTROL S-SERIES MK3 88 Keys as I love Classical and Jazz compositions mainly. I will have to get someone to set it up and learn how to use this DAW and software business :)
the 88 looks very nice, i think sanjay c demonstrates it on his channel. and thanks for the kind words.
Great review, thanks. Do you think the S49 was the right choice with its compact size, or would you have gone for the S61 on second thoughts?
thank you. 49 it's my preference, the sweet spot for size and playability on something that you put on your desk. two handed playing is ok on a 49 but not less.
Woody! I noticed that there's an actual graphic for the CS-80V on your unit. Did you do anything special to get that happening. On mine, it's the just name and the parametes.
make sure you have updated plugins to latest versions, that should be all
@@WoodyPianoShackDefinitely on the latest versions. Do all of your Arturia instruments show on screen?
hello friend, can you confirm if previous versions of kontakt (first version of kontakt 7, kontakt 6) are displayed on the new screen of the ni s61 mk3, or is it necessary to have kontakt updated to the latest one?
hi, must have latest k7
cool but how does the keybed feel ?
very nice imho. it's one of the better fatar synth actions.
Does this new logo read as Con Troll? :p
Oh dear, I want one!
For me I want something that can control non-native VSTs in FLStudio. Recently I've been installing a ton of VSTs to my DAW and didn't know what the NKS option was, and I only picked the VST3 options but if I got one of these...!
Until I saw this I was kind of hung up on having DAW integration but now I think this is better as I mainly use non native VSTs that DAW integrated controllers would struggle to control anyway.
Just hope all/more VSTs become NKS compatible soon.
yes, i would think kk software works just as well in FL as other daws, if you're looking for that tight plugin integration.
I wouldn’t necessarily hold your breath for vst providers to add nks formatting. Native Instruments has very clear partnerships and competitors. I would also mention that many NI keyboard users are forced to use the device in midi mode to control non-native vsts. This is why NI had to introduce better mapping…because other controllers are getting easier and easier to program and the NI MK2 boards did not map much (only a few pages of the main items that couldn’t be changed). I say this as warning not to wrap yourself in their ecosystem. Like Woody said…the added NI software layers can be a real PITA to get set up and working.
Automagically ? That is pretty old school Haven't heard that one for quite some time :) Great presentation as always
haha, love that word! thanks.
Channel selector not working with ableton ( that’s not good at all), maschine integration has gone, not that I used it to be honest. Overall I like the new screen and poly aftertouch. Wonder if they now fixed coexistence problems with their kontrol s series. Try having two s series plugged in at the same time, mashine vst and komplete and kontakt vsts don’t like it at all! Especially with ableton AND after changing midi send channel on the two. I just don’t get it why would they not allow two to be connected to their vsts at the same time? Let’s hope they fixed.
thanks for filling in some of the gaps. maschine integration maybe gone, for now, not sure, i heard something from NI about market research indicating that the keyboard is not used much together with maschine, so not the highest prio on launch but it was on the future roadmap.
A TENET unboxing? 😂
Hey Woody, that was a kool groove you made! Maybe you can help me out. I have the S88 MK3. My Play, Record and Stop button doesnt stay lit up! Any idea whats going on?
i don't even know if mine stay lit up, and don't have it to hand.maybe normal, no idea?
Maybe it is not in DAW Mode?
I’ll check on that. Thanks for the suggestion.
@@jwilliams986 you are welcome. Only if I start my daw the mk3 shows the function of the DAW Button. By pressing it, it starts showing channels in my cubase.
How do I set to DAW Mode?
Muscle memory and physical knobs btns etc are better - but given theres so few physcial knobs and faders etc- compared with other MIDI controllers for example - arturia has 16 knobs dfro example AND fadrs - this is more reason to ALSO include touch - think Genos, PSR SX900 or Montage! best of both worlds! This MKIII release seems frankly half-arsed and unimaginatively iterative.
i think the big changes are under the hood, in the processors and new software, what NI were calling the tech stack. it will enable a lot of cool things in the future, or so they tell me. i think the trouble with faders is that they never reflect the value of the parameter, unless motorized. endless rotaries do not suffer from this.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤stupenda❤❤❤❤❤❤
can this controller use the roland d50 software ?
Original Komplete Kontrol S49 MK1 had some metal in it and felt much more premium.
Also OLED screens under each knob were more intuitive, one giant screen just not as intuitive.
Definitely will skip this one.
Btw; Judging by the SuperBooth and latest leaks, Korg MainStage will follow the design of original NI S49, but add MIDI 2 bi-directional communication, Poly Afterttouch, MPE and Audio Interface for half the price.
PS; What a shame NI haven’t included “stand alone” functionality aka Machine Plus 😮
I can imagine arturia keylab mk3 is on its way
I have kontakt 7 but it's not showing up on my keyboard's screen. But I am running as vst and not a standalone. Would that matter?
no doesn't matter, that is tricky to diagnose, but it should show up if you are on latest versions of everything.
Does it come
With 2 usb C cables?
No only with one
O it’s for other daw not maschen. But they stop the other controller
Usual Suspects yes 0:09
4:18 Not so. Not anymore. See Yamaha Montage M8x.
Edit: Unless I misunderstood and you meant the only 88 key weighted action controller with Poly Aftertouch. I know The Montage M wasn't released when you made this video.
That is a nice peice of music Woody , Sounds like whales.and trumpets mixed ,, reminds me of Enigma a Little I Love Love Enigma ,
Hoping that NI will implement Maschine functionality SOON!!!
"Is this the future of controllers?" It might be, if NI could get it to work well enough to actually release it. I've been a heavy NI user for years, but it is bewildering that a software based company can have such clunky software. Don't even get me started on their customer service....or lack there of. I've had an order in for the 88 for months. My 88MK2 is having issues, so it's time to move on to the 88MK3.
what is this keyboard stand?
probably roland ks
OK, I'm now starting to regret unchecking the "install .NKS files?" option on the bazillion plugins I've installed over the years. Ooops.
don't worry, we've all been done that!
The good lord NI Giveth with one hand - taketh away with another ( no MASCHINE buttons any more ). Frankly not impressed, Will keep my old KKS88 mk II for now.
Am I the only one who heard “beta” unit (bay-tuh for American pronunciation) as “beater unit”, like it was a used car?
Yeah, we don’t say 0 or Z right, either, over here. 😜
I heard beater too
Another bit of kit that does nothing until you connect it to the net and so it can call home. You should be able to plug this in and use it for midi straight away. This is not the line we should be going down. This could be literally switched off by "home" when new models come out and they want to stop access.
I also don't think it's good long term for UA-cam reviewers doing basically free advertising for companies. A free device isnt fair payment for your services. Companies used to pay a lot of money years ago for advertising now they just give out gear and UA-camrs use their own revenue and costs to advertise their product. Remember the RRP price of a keyboard is no where near the real cost to make it so your being well short changed for your hard work.
You should get paid to advertise or you should not do it for them.
We need to protect ourselves and get paid for our time and skills.
_"This could be literally switched off by "home" when new models come out and they want to stop access."_
Er... No. Never happening. It would be a PR disaster, not to mention completely illegal.
If you buy this, could be second hand and then plug it in to a pc nothing will work. You have to have it connect to home via access and re register through licence transfer. Now what happens if they no longer support it? What happens if the company goes bust? If your internet is out for a period and you put this on a new pc you can't use it.
It may be illegal now to turn off a product but it's where it starts it may not be in the future. If it's the norm because people are used to it it will happen. You have to have control of the things you have bought, especially if you use them to make money but in general.
We have already let companies use our data to make money after we buy a product. We are literally paying them to use our Info to make money.
If companies want my data in order to make money then they should be paying for it not the other way around.
@@Teeb2023It's not illegal. Terms and conditions may change without notice. It's been part of the agreement you sign, for many decades.
As far as PR - if you have the previous model KK keyboard, which they just sold a bunch of, on sale, right before launching this... NI decided not to make it compatible for integration with the latest Kontakt. They knew that would be the case, but they were trying to sell out their remaining stock in the previous KK, so they didn't mention that decision until the new keyboard was launched. Of course they have an excuse for why they could make the older keyboard compatible with the newest Kontakt. They've made so many excuses over the years... it's cool to see this video, and polyphonic aftertouch is actually useful, if you play slower stuff... but I know enough to stay away. The company has good tech, but I don't want to have the label of "customer", in their minds.
@@GizzyDillespee Not illegal to deny a legitimate customer access to the hardware they've paid for? Since when? I seriously doubt that "terms and conditions" part would hold up in court in this case.
_"Hi Mr Jones, we're very sorry but that car you bought 6 years ago has been superceded by this new model, and we've taken your keys so you can't drive it any more."_
Really?
thanks for making your points, actually it will work in dumb midi controller mode, to control external synths of your DAW\plugins. the only thing you need to install is the driver, at least on windows, and maybe some NI hardware connection service. and maybe their download manager app :) as for me, i don't need payment, i and many other youtubers are grateful just to get access to interesting gear, for the views and exposure. i can't really justify buying new products just for the purposes of making a video.
Even the box is a step backwards from the MK2 box. No gloss with graphics on it, just a puke colored standard cardboard box. NI doesn’t even provide a power supply. Less buttons than MK2 version & less screens. So cheap.
I cannot see any real tangible benefit. Poly aftertouch? so what...
haha, yeah will be interesting to see if I end up using and appreciating poly at, or just a gimmick I ignore. not just for this keyboard, but poly AT in general seems to be a major trend for 2023.
If you’re more than a one finger musician and have the right HW|VST connected you will come to appreciate the expression possibilities.
@@MuzixMaker Ouch! lol! Yes, I am more than a finger musician. Not worth trading in my Mk2.
Plastic, fantastic
No, thank you…
All that empty space - no typical controls -like faders - or more knobs... and in 2023 - I'd have gladly payed more for touch screen support.. BIG MEH.
no thanks on the touch screen, for me personally. but i totally understand why many people would expect it in 2023. faders are an issue, they never match the software parameter value, more knobs, not necessary because you can have several "pages" of knob assignments. not trying to defend it, but that's my opinion anyways!
@@WoodyPianoShack the fader thing i agree Is an issue - partially solved by having LED bars next to each one - as foind often on workstations - or behringer - who put motorised faders on their ( rarely mentioned?? are they no good? ) midi controllers - knob wise though prefer not to page. and one thing i wish more controler vendors dif was having a dedicated mastr vol knob or fader. like on the AKAI MPC MINI. so useful.
This seems like a waste of resources