Native Instruments (NI) has introduced plug-in support to a range of external brands to expand Native Kontrol Standard (NKS) to multiple new hardware units.

Previously, NKS was only available on NI products and allowed users to have more in-depth control of NI plug-ins, directly from their MIDI keyboards, Maschine devices and more. With NKS, parameters are automatically mapped to the hardware controls, and a version of the plug-in UI is presented on the MIDI controller’s screen, offering a seamless integration with existing plugs.

Now, users of Akai Pro, Korg, M-Audio, Nektar and Novation can directly use NKS technology and integrate NI plugs, and the dedicated hardware control, into their workflow. There are currently over 2,000 NKS-compatible instruments and effects from over 250 brands. “[This expansion] marks an important milestone in our mission to provide musicians with an open, connected platform,” said Simon Cross, Chief Product Officer at NI, “making professional-grade tools, instruments and technology more accessible to creators everywhere.”

The range of products that now support NKS include Akai Pro’s MPK Mini range, Novation’s Launchkey, FLkey and SL MK3, Korg’s Keystage and M-Audio’s long-running Oxygen Series. MPC users will also receive five MPC Expansions, curated by NI. These expansions add a range of genre-specific sounds and include the NKS control as standard. The expansions will be available mid-Feb. 

Find out more about these new partnerships and how NKS works on the Native Instruments website.