So if you look at the Korg logue SDK Github, there are dozens of free and paid 3rd party FX and custom oscillators for the NTS-1 MK1.
The MK2 has been out for a while now and there are only two custom oscillators available.
Don’t get me wrong – I love the NTS-1 as a super portable synth and fx unit, I use mine every day. But it’s sort of disappointing, because one of the things that attracted me to it was the promise of very flexible customization down the road.
Does anyone who perhaps has any involvement in the community of developers coding fx and oscillators for the Korg logue devices have any insight into the loss of interest into further developing these instruments?
My assumption is because the MK2 is not backwards compatible with programs written for the older logue devices. Perhaps there will be a spike of activity if Korg releases an updated version of Minilouge?
I have no direct involvement in the coding community. But I do know that Tim Shoebridge, who developed many mk1 oscillators/effects, was quite upset with Korg for lack of support, to the point where he dropped his prices drastically (only briefly, they’re back up again) and made a video (not sure if it’s still available) about it. I imagine Sinevibes, who sold their mk1 plugins for quite a lot, are going to do some for mk2, but I would be surprised if many third parties, especially solo developers, are going to make the effort. It’s really too bad.
I wrote a trivial mod for mk1, just to mix and pan two mono sources, because I had some monosynths but no small mixer. The framework is not too bad (C++, not my favourite to say the least, but if you are not ambitious, not too painful).
that is as good of an explanation as any, I suppose!
i wasn’t aware but thinking about it, it totally make sense – Korg sort of screwed some people in the process of putting out the MK2 and not ensuring backward compatibility.
I can’t claim to understand their justification for that, but a hunch tells me it’s about their bottom line.
It might be more benign than that. Backward compatibility is often a great deal of trouble, if one wants to move ahead with a new hardware architecture or new software frameworks. One could imagine Korg providing resources to port things forward (with some effort). But they never helped at all with mk1, after the initial SDK. No resources, no promotion, nothing. Quite possibly it is easier to develop for mk2. But who would take the risk, seeing what happened with mk1?
IMO, first reason is the lack of availability after anouncement. Second is the price. NTS-1 MK1 was cheaper then the MK2 is now. I know it has more, but still, NTS-1 was more afordable.
KORG would benefit from this platform more if they would provide simple visual tool to make your own oscillators, effects. Something like Reaktor/PD/Axolotli visual programming environment which would spit out logue compatible code.
What really puzzles me, that Korg implements new SDK for every device (and new version editor even for very similar synths). Why not make a single unified platforms?
