September 27th, 2018

Party's over.

Files created by the upcoming Kontakt 6 (release Oct 1), due to encryption and new NI policies, will not be accessible by any program other than Kontakt 6 itself.

This means that you will not be able to translate, view, operate on, or audition Kontakt 6 NKI files within any third-party product such as Chicken System's Translator, Kontakt Assistant, or Constructor. You can only access/load/use them in Kontakt 6 - nothing else.

The Kontakt 6 extension will be the same - .nki/.nkm/.nkb. If you try to access those files in Translator, or any Chicken Systems product, you will get an error message.

Specifically, Native Instruments is no longer providing the Code Library (see below) they have provided us with to access NKI/NKM files since Kontakt 4.2. SInce version 4.2, Kontakt files have been been encrypted with 128-bit protection so they can not be reverse-engineered.

So... if you are interested in using Kontakt for authoring, or place some value in taking your information into some other format - such as EXS24, or SFZ, or your keyboard workstation (Motif, Kronos, Kurzweil, etc.), we advise keeping an older version of Kontakt around for creating accessible files. And if you use Kontakt 6, do not resave those nki's. Best Case: use a version v4.1 or less, giving you complete access. With v4.2-v5.8, you can access much of the information, but not modulators, filters, or effects.

Or choose not to upgrade to Kontakt 6. The majority of improvements are geared toward developers, not users, according to many experts who have seen the initial versions.

We believe this is a mistake on NI's part. This does not serve their user base well. Not all will care about this restriction - but we know, firsthand, that many will. We have strongly advocated to NI on the behalf of all Kontakt users, for the last eight years, about the importance of full access to ALL data, but those efforts have ultimately failed. Perhaps NI will reconsider their new position in the future.

We'd like to give you some background, but first please realize this isn't all about Chicken Systems. It's about YOU, being able to access your data and deal with it the way YOU want to deal with it, instead of NI controlling your creations. Of course it affects our products, but in turn that affects YOU.

NKI FIle History Lesson
Before version 4.2 all Kontakt files, with some engineering knowledge, could be read in full. Chicken have worked with NI since 2004, and knew from the company culture that they valued the file format being accessible - for the ability of getting things INTO Kontakt but also getting things OUT of Kontakt. Kontakt's editor - while having some love-hate aspects to it - still remains one of the best authoring programs around.

As NI grew in size and stature, things started to change. Most of the people that created Kontakt 1 and 2 went on to other things. Before long, as Kontakt v4.2 was being developed, NI informed us that they were changing the file format. We would no longer be able to read it, or figure out how to read it. This was because they were to encrypt it with 128-bit Secure Socket Layer technology, the same that protects your bank information, for example. It was a very intentional decision to lock everything up at that time.

The language NI used is "the new format is binary instead of text". That is technically true, but a binary format still can be reverse-engineered. What CAN'T be reversed is encryption, especially a 128-bit type. So from the very beginning, there was some kind of intent on NI's part to conceal user-composed data from the user.

But, At Least, A Code Library
Thankfully, for reasons we still don't understand - but have been very happy about - NI was willing to provide a code library that would read the forthcoming v4.2 files. They asked us, "what parameters do you want to read?" We said, kind of obviously, "all of them!"

The code library appeared, and it provided ALMOST everything. We appreciated it, and still do. What it DIDN'T provide was access to modulators (Envelopes, LFO's, Glide, and their routings), Filter choices and settings, and Effect selection and settings. Plus a couple other things, such as Slice information with Beat Machine nki's.

This began a HUGE pain for us - for eight years. We had to constantly explain to people that when they converting v4.2 or v5 nki's, all mod/filter/fx info would not be considered.

THIS IS A BIG DEAL! Drum sounds, in Kontakt, rely on the AmpEnv being set a certain way so the Note-Off is ignored, but no - can't read it. A Kontakt sound is so much more than the mapping, the SOUND is often created by the massive modular things you can do with the realtime engine. But - no access.

Another thing - something very relevant. Longtime Kontakt users know a very painful fact. Especially recently, newer nki's cannot be read by earlier versions of Kontakt - that is, no backward compatibility. Before v4.2, we were able to provide a solution in our products. Since we could read the full file, we coded some conversion routines where you could create an earlier file that would have literally all the information the new nki would have. But in v4.2 and after, since we could not read the full file, our conversion routines, although we preserved them, would lose all the mod/filter/fx info. Better than nothing, but sometimes very unacceptable.

(Plus, let us add, the code library excluded .nkb files - Kontakt Banks.)

Not Temporary, Now Permanent
Now, at the time v4.2 was released, we thought it would be several months to where NI would complete the code library. Those months stretched into years, then stretched to many years. To our inquiries, NI never said no, they were interested in completing it, it was a time and resources issue. They did do some minor improvements along the way, whcih was nice. We had face to face meetings about this problem, and on and on. But nothing ever happened.

Ironically, in one of those face-to-face meetings, they told us they were seriously looking toward Kontakt 6 to open the file format again. At the time - I mean, we don't know any better - we believed them. But ironically, the very opposite has happened - now the files will be completely inaccessible to anyone except via NI-produced applications.

How It Affects You
So... that's the story. But how does it affect you? You may not notice this limitation, nor care about it. You create a Kontakt 6 Instrument, save it, and load it back in Kontakt 6 with no problems. You buy a Kontakt library that says it only runs in Kontakt 6 and up, and it does. No problem. So, what's the problem?

This! You wake up one day and want to use WHAT YOU CREATED on the keyboard you gig with. Say you've spent a lot of time and you've created 10,000 instruments in Kontakt 6, even using Creator Tools. So you try to use Translator to convert YOUR CREATION into your keyboards format, and you find out you can't. Or, one day down the road a sampler comes out that really really interests you. Guess what, you can't use ANY of that former work, you have to start from scratch.

Or - let's take something different. You wish Kontakt 6 operated in a different way, you want to edit things a bit differently, or you need to make some automated adjustments that Creator Tools doesn't do, and you really hate Lua. You're stuck - you can only plead your case to ONE entity - NI - and they aren't likely to listen to you, unless you have a thousand people signed to your cause (not likely).

Steinberg did this back in HALion 3, but then (and now) there are very few HALion users. Kontakt is BY FAR the most dominant sample-playback engine out there, so it's very important for you to know that anything written in Kontakt 6 cannot be used with anything else.

Should We Expect NI FIles To Be Accessible?
Yes! Isn't it obvious that WAVE files should be read in any sample editor? Shouldn't it be normal that TXT files, or RTF files - gosh, or even Word files - be accessible to any word processor?

There isn't anything special about a NKI file - no innovation, no brilliance, no Einstein. It's just a record of the programming of a particular Kontakt object you use. And very often YOU COMPOSED IT. It's your creation, your sweat and blood. You deserve to be able to retrieve the full set of data in the way you choose.

Why Did NI Do This?
Does it matter why?

If NI VALUED the users ability to access the data they create, they would make it happen, by going back to the pre-v4.2 days and doing it that way, or finish and extend the code library to Kontakt 6 files. Simply put, if they VALUED the concept of publicly accessible data, it would happen. But, apparantly, they don't. Intentions mean nothing, results mean everything. They've had eight years, and times up - unfortunately times up for YOU.

So... Beware Of This Significant Kontakt 6 Limitation
Our goal by this article is to make you aware of this, because NI likely won't make any public announcement. Our suggestion is to keep a older version of Kontakt around - at very least Kontakt 5.8, or best - or in addition - Kontakt 4.1 or 3.5. Always keep in mind that the stuff you intend to have access to - for authoring, for custom editing, for other - do it in anything less than Kontakt 6. And just assume that anything written in Kontakt 6, you have no access to the data besides what NI gives you.

Link: http://www.chickensys.com/news/20180927/lockedin.php

 

Well, fuck them.

I'll take my piratey business elsewhere.

 

I suppose for people that hate Kontakts interface and prefer to use the samples in a different sampler then it's sad.
I personally don't mind the interface. I can work with it! I watched the vid for Kontakt 6 and there hasn't been an overhaul in the design as far as I can see but I wouldn't change it for anything else. It's still the best sampler that I've used by far.

 

I wonder if it´s some of the major Kontakt library devs that has forced NI to take these actions?!?!

Im thinking of SF´s sample engine (LABS) and Output´s new platform (Arcade) could be the reason why NI do this?!?

 

This does not mean it cannot be cracked to use new libraries. Only that files cannot be used elsewhere.

 

Well I did not see that one coming. Bad move, NI !

 

I've always just used KONTAKT as-is, only editing immediate parameters in the interface, and collect only the samples used in the project itself to save with the project file (if possible). I always had a bad felling about KONTAKT as well as it's support and longevity. I was right (to a point).

A group needs to start an open-source project to continue with a similar 5.xx kontakt-functioning sampler. <-- Would be great.

 

stick with v5 maybe ?

 

That's why I never learned Kontakt to its full potential since proprietary software is always a pain in neck! They change their policy and whatever you've learned vanishes into thin air cause they keep things secret! *uck this!

 

Yes, I'm all for an open-source sampler.
Time stretch, pitch detection, etc. all have open-source options.

If 3D can have Blender (which is or will be the best at what it does).
Samplers can definitely have a winning open-source option.

Something MODERN, and can receive scripting (e.g. LUA or Javascript).

 

The issue with open source alternative is obvious - some level of backwards compatibility with nki must be built-in, it's unlikely to expect whole industry shift to open alternative overnight.

 

Let's be honest, this was always going to happen with a group of developers who couldn't even SPELL. The word is CONTACT!!

 

That mean that SoundDesigner actually get paid and their work cant be stolen ?

 

Instead, I think it means that that they will sell more copies of Kontakt by forcing users to use their software rather than buying libraries for use in other samplers. I could be wrong, but I don't see any other justifiable reason why NI would do such a thing.

 

There is a huge difference to the early years, before around 2005, when NI marketed themselves as having some of the most innovative instruments - to a few years later, Komplete looks like 80% sample libraries, 10% stuff they made in Reaktor, and 10% Massive presets. IMO they are fools for not continuing to develop FM8, Absynth, and other great tech. But there are worse casualties in the music software world (coughreFXcough).

I agree. Just look around on github, there are some decent open-source sampler projects there. What made Kontakt innovative in its time was that it was the first sampler with built-in resynthesis for time stretching. The other stuff, mapping, envelopes, effects, etc were still really good but not unique.

IMO the industry is not going to shift. Sample library companies, by their very nature, are going to be concerned more about "rights management" ie protecting their IP. So I think we are starting to see a split between sampler-as-soundbank for orchestral work, scoring, etc - and sampler-as-instrument. The latter is starting to drive the innovation, and it is changing how samples are bought and sold as well. Like the brilliant samplers in Live, Bitwig, that new Serato thing, and smaller independent companies offering samples in small libraries, or by subscription.

The NKI lock-in is by design, and has been a long game. It's a game owned by the clout of publishing companies, and the biggest players in the music industry can afford to play in their sandbox. These are mostly not people with the time to design their own sample material, so they are not worried about accessing their work in the future. People who have already sunk a lot of money into this approach will go along for the ride as Kontakt turns more into a glorified rompler. Until some upstart with good connections and funding disrupts their business with newer tech that they were too slow to adapt to, like NI did back in the day.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LinuxSampler

 

I was expecting this and have resigned myself to using V5 in perpetuity. If I live another 30 years (highly unlikely) I will still not have exhausted the number of libraries I have.

 

I guess many third time librarys will require version 6 in a near future anyway you can use many different version of Kontakt in standalone mode and also in plugin mode
But i found out that after i upgraded to 5.7 (i think) and loaded an older renamed version of kontakt 5 it first loaded it with the right verion in my Daw (Reaper) but then next time i tried that it loaded the lates version no mather which of the renamed Kontakt vst i tied to load.

 

Let's face it: Most people prefer to use commercial libraries instead of painstakingly creating their own sampled instruments.
And commercial means that it's all about the money.
The only thing people can do is to avoid purchasing any commercial sample library that won't run below Kontakt version 6.
Anything else won't change NI's mind - let's not forget that NI is under pressure from sample lib manufacturers too.

 

sounds like a company from the EU he he...sry
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maybe to much high stakes contractors for libarys did dirt in the soup yes....
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they lost and will loose a big part of their users cause of that...
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you cant flee shit economics , everywhere. damn...
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wait they will come with only cloud saving of youre work in 7 years....

 

Last edited: Oct 3, 2018