Native Instruments today announced the release of the 2.0 firmware version for Kontrol S-Series MK3 keyboards. The update adds deeper DAW integration and enhanced accessibility for blind and visually impaired users.
Kontrol S-Series MK3 now offers a unified plugin view, letting you load and tweak both NKS and non-NKS plugins directly from the keyboard for seamless navigation and full parameter control.
The firmware 2.0 release adds plugin and extended control for the following five DAWs:
- Ableton Live: Ableton Instrument Racks are now displayed as container plugins that can be expanded or collapsed from the keyboard. Up to 16 macros per Rack can be controlled directly from the MK3. Customize plugin mappings via ‘Configure Mode’.
- Logic Pro: Up to 8 Logic Smart Controls are automatically mapped .
- Cubase: Customize plugin mappings with the Cubase Remote Control Editor
- Bitwig Studio: Bitwig Browser / preset navigation, named pages, and fully customisable mappings via ‘remote controls’ are available in Bitwig Studio. Furthermore, there’s an extensive library of user contributed pre-mapped plugins available on the NI forum. See also Bitwig controller extension doc.
- Digital Performer: Preset navigation
Support for Pro Tools, FL Studio, Studio One, and Reaper are planned in the coming months.
Accessibility Helper Support
Additionally, this firmware update introduces support for Native Instruments’ redesigned Accessibility Helper application, offering improved support for blind and visually impaired users, such as:
- Voice Feedback: Descriptions of all physical buttons, encoders, and navigation can be read out loud by the Kontrol MK3.
- Training Mode: All buttons and controls can be read out loud without triggering them, helping musicians learn the layout of the keyboard.
- DAW Integration: All new firmware 2.0 features are fully accessible, making non-NKS parameter control accessible for the first time.
- Hardware Synth Support: By loading a MIDI template onto Kontrol S-series MK3 and using the Accessibility Helper, hardware synth parameters are spoken aloud, providing an industry-first accessibility path for outboard gear.
- OS Integration: The feature respects language, speed, and other system speech settings from operating system accessibility preferences.
Kontrol S-Series MK3 owners can update their hardware in Native Access in the Updates tab, via the Hardware Connection Service.
Doesn’t work with Cubase 14. Even the basic functions like record button are no longer working after firmware update.
Different product but again, Native Instruments. C14 Pro and Maschine mk3 hardware. Complete waste of time. Nothing behaved as described in the manual.
It would be cool if we got a Maschine+ in keyboard format like MPC Key 37/61. 🙂
I don’t understand why Native Instruments didn’t just do the process with the software itself? Why wasn’t this done 3 years ago? Native Instruments has put themselves in the habit of doing barely anything, repackaging a small update and selling it as an upgrade for $200 on anything, when we already paid for it when we bought the product.
I use my Maschine mk3 and my Kontrol mk2, but I feel like NI keeps selling me gimmicks and is not putting the actual work in to make their products better. They just keep charging us massive amounts of money for the bare minimum and I’m over it!
Shut up and purchase another one of our rehashed sampler instruments please 😀
I’m still rocking Kontrol MK-1 so this is not available for me…
Strangely it is appearing my in NI as an available update but I isn’t … ?
PS; I have decided to update to ver 3 and now my Kontrol mk1 is not compatible with NI and every other daw…
What a a joke…
I am a Cubase 14 Pro user. I was on a Kontrol Mk2 and then upgraded to Mk 3. It never worked properly, so I am back with Mk 2. Next time Arturia Keylab Mk3?