Native Instruments A Series User manual

MANUAL

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of Native Instruments GmbH. The software described by this docu-
ment is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media. No part of this
publication may be copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose,
without prior written permission by Native Instruments GmbH, hereinafter referred to as Native
Instruments.
“Native Instruments”, “NI” and associated logos are (registered) trademarks of Native Instru-
ments GmbH.
Ableton is a trademark of Ableton AG.
VST, HALion, Cubase, and Nuendo are registered trademarks of Steinberg Media Technologies
GmbH. ASIO is a trademark and software of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.
Mac, macOS, GarageBand, Logic, iTunes and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc.,
registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Windows, Windows Vista and DirectSound are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation
in the United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and use of them does not imply
any affiliation with or endorsement by them.
Document authored by: Jan Ola Korte, Christian Schulz, Gustav Sto. Tomas, David Gover, and
Nicolas Sidi
Software version: 2.0.4 (10/2018)
Special thanks to the Beta Test Team, who were invaluable not just in tracking down bugs, but
in making this a better product.
Disclaimer

NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH
Schlesische Str. 29-30
D-10997 Berlin
Germany
www.native-instruments.de
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS North America, Inc.
6725 Sunset Boulevard
5th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90028
USA
www.native-instruments.com
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS K.K.
YO Building 3F
Jingumae 6-7-15, Shibuya-ku,
Tokyo 150-0001
Japan
www.native-instruments.co.jp
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS UK Limited
18 Phipp Street
London EC2A 4NU
UK
www.native-instruments.co.uk
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS FRANCE SARL
113 Rue Saint-Maur
75011 Paris
France
www.native-instruments.com
SHENZHEN NATIVE INSTRUMENTS COMPANY Limited
5F, Shenzhen Zimao Center
111 Taizi Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen,
Guangdong
China
www.native-instruments.com
© NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH, 2018. All rights reserved.
Contact

Table of Contents
1 Welcome to KOMPLETE KONTROL ............................................................................... 10
1.1 Document Conventions ............................................................................................................... 10
1.2 Box Contents .............................................................................................................................. 12
1.3 System Requirements ................................................................................................................. 12
2 New Features in KOMPLETE KONTROL 2.0.4 ................................................................13
3 Setting up KOMPLETE KONTROL .................................................................................. 14
3.1 Connecting the Keyboard to the Computer .................................................................................. 15
3.2 Setting up the Stand-Alone Application ...................................................................................... 16
3.3 Setting up Host Integration ........................................................................................................ 18
3.3.1 Setting up Apple Logic Pro X and GarageBand .......................................................... 19
3.3.2 Setting up Ableton Live (macOS) ............................................................................... 19
3.3.3 Setting up Ableton Live (Windows) ............................................................................ 21
4 Software Overview ..................................................................................................... 24
4.1 Header ........................................................................................................................................ 25
4.2 Browser ...................................................................................................................................... 27
4.2.1 Library Pane .............................................................................................................. 28
4.2.2 Product Selector ........................................................................................................ 30
4.2.3 Files Pane .................................................................................................................. 32
4.3 Perform Panel ............................................................................................................................. 34
4.4 Plug-in Panel .............................................................................................................................. 34
4.5 Plug-in Chain Panel ................................................................................................................... 36
4.6 Plug-in Area ............................................................................................................................... 37
5 Keyboard Overview ....................................................................................................38
5.1 Perform and Edit Section ............................................................................................................ 41
5.2 Transport Section ....................................................................................................................... 42
Table of Contents
KOMPLETE KONTROL A-Series - Manual - 4

5.3 Navigation and Mode Buttons .................................................................................................... 43
5.4 Transpose Buttons ...................................................................................................................... 44
6 Global Controls and Preferences ................................................................................ 45
6.1 Instrument Views ........................................................................................................................ 45
6.1.1 Default View .............................................................................................................. 46
6.1.2 Additional View .......................................................................................................... 46
6.1.3 Edit View ................................................................................................................... 48
6.2 Switching Instances ................................................................................................................... 49
6.3 Transport and Tempo .................................................................................................................. 51
6.3.1 Resetting the Clock ................................................................................................... 52
6.3.2 Adjusting Tempo ........................................................................................................ 52
6.4 Adjusting Master Volume ............................................................................................................ 53
6.5 Preferences ................................................................................................................................. 54
6.5.1 Preferences – Audio Page .......................................................................................... 54
6.5.2 Preferences – MIDI Page ............................................................................................ 57
6.5.3 Preferences – General Page ....................................................................................... 58
6.5.4 Preferences – Library Page ........................................................................................ 60
6.5.5 Preferences – Plug-ins Page ..................................................................................... 65
6.6 Loading a Plug-in in Default State ............................................................................................. 68
7 Browsing the Library .................................................................................................. 70
7.1 Browser Basics ........................................................................................................................... 71
7.1.1 Product Types: Instrument and Effect ........................................................................ 71
7.1.2 About the Library and Meta-Information .................................................................... 71
7.1.3 Browsing the Library vs. Browsing Your Hard Disks ................................................... 72
7.2 Opening the Browser .................................................................................................................. 74
7.3 Loading Preset Files ................................................................................................................... 74
Table of Contents
KOMPLETE KONTROL A-Series - Manual - 5

7.4 Choosing Between Factory Content and User Content ................................................................ 76
7.5 Filtering Preset Files by Product ................................................................................................. 76
7.6 Filtering Product Preset Files by Bank ........................................................................................ 80
7.7 Resetting the Product Selection .................................................................................................. 82
7.8 Types and Modes Tag Filters ....................................................................................................... 83
7.8.1 Filtering Preset Files by Types and Modes .................................................................. 85
7.8.2 Selecting Multiple Tags from the Same Level ............................................................ 88
7.9 Working with Favorites ............................................................................................................... 89
7.9.1 Adding Preset Files to the Favorites ........................................................................... 89
7.9.2 Displaying Favorites in the Results List ..................................................................... 91
7.9.3 Removing Preset Files from the Favorites .................................................................. 92
7.10 Performing a Text Search ............................................................................................................ 93
7.11 Displaying Preset File Information .............................................................................................. 93
7.12 Auditioning your Preset Files ...................................................................................................... 94
8 Working with Effects .................................................................................................95
8.1 Opening the Plug-in Chain Panel ............................................................................................... 95
8.2 Adding Effects ............................................................................................................................ 96
8.3 Selecting Plug-in Slots ............................................................................................................... 99
8.4 Reordering Effects ...................................................................................................................... 99
8.5 Scrolling the Plug-in Chain ........................................................................................................ 100
8.6 Bypassing Effects ....................................................................................................................... 101
8.7 Removing Effects ....................................................................................................................... 102
9 Controlling Instrument and Effect Parameters ..............................................................103
9.1 About Pre-Mapped Instruments and Effects ............................................................................... 103
9.2 Adjusting Parameters ................................................................................................................. 103
9.3 Switching Parameter Pages ........................................................................................................ 104
Table of Contents
KOMPLETE KONTROL A-Series - Manual - 6

9.4 Customizing Parameter Mappings using the Plug-in Panel ........................................................ 104
10 Smart Play – Playing and Editing Scales and Chords ................................................... 107
10.1 A Note about Music Theory .......................................................................................................... 107
10.2 Activating the Scale Engine ........................................................................................................ 109
10.3 Selecting and Playing a Scale .................................................................................................... 110
10.4 Playing Chords ........................................................................................................................... 110
10.5 Editing Scales and Chords ......................................................................................................... 111
10.6 Setting the SCALE Parameters .................................................................................................... 112
10.6.1 SCALE Root Note ........................................................................................................ 112
10.6.2 SCALE Bank and Type ................................................................................................ 113
10.7 Setting the KEY MODE Parameter ............................................................................................... 120
10.8 Setting the CHORD Parameters .................................................................................................. 122
10.8.1 CHORD Mode ............................................................................................................. 122
10.8.2 CHORD Type ............................................................................................................... 124
10.8.3 CHORD Position ......................................................................................................... 128
11 Smart Play – Playing and Editing Arpeggiator Sequences ............................................ 129
11.1 Playing Arpeggiator Sequences .................................................................................................. 130
11.2 Editing the Arpeggiator .............................................................................................................. 131
11.3 MAIN Parameters ........................................................................................................................ 132
11.3.1 MAIN Mode ................................................................................................................. 132
11.3.2 MAIN Type .................................................................................................................. 133
11.4 RHYTHM Parameters ................................................................................................................... 133
11.4.1 RHYTHM Rate ............................................................................................................ 134
11.4.2 RHYTHM Sequence ..................................................................................................... 135
11.4.3 RHYTHM Swing .......................................................................................................... 136
11.5 OTHER Parameters ..................................................................................................................... 136
Table of Contents
KOMPLETE KONTROL A-Series - Manual - 7

11.5.1 OTHER Octaves .......................................................................................................... 137
11.5.2 OTHER Dynamic ......................................................................................................... 138
11.5.3 OTHER Gate ............................................................................................................... 138
11.6 ADVANCED Parameters ............................................................................................................... 138
11.6.1 ADVANCED Retrigger ................................................................................................. 139
11.6.2 ADVANCED Repeat ..................................................................................................... 139
11.6.3 ADVANCED Offset ...................................................................................................... 140
11.6.4 ADVANCED Inversion .................................................................................................. 140
11.7 RANGE Parameters ..................................................................................................................... 140
11.7.1 RANGE Min. Key ......................................................................................................... 141
11.7.2 RANGE Max. Key ......................................................................................................... 141
11.8 HOLD Parameter ......................................................................................................................... 142
12 Managing the Library ................................................................................................. 143
12.1 Saving Preset Files to the User Library ....................................................................................... 143
12.2 Deleting User Preset Files from the User Library ......................................................................... 145
12.3 Editing the Tags and Properties of User Preset Files .................................................................. 146
12.4 Working with the Files Pane ........................................................................................................ 149
12.4.1 Additional Results List Features List in the Files Pane .............................................. 150
12.4.2 Navigating to File Locations with the Location Bar .................................................... 151
12.4.3 Navigating to Recent File Locations .......................................................................... 152
12.4.4 Working with File Location Favorites .......................................................................... 153
12.5 Loading VST Plug-ins ................................................................................................................. 154
12.6 Installing NKS Instruments ......................................................................................................... 155
12.7 Importing KOMPLETE KONTROL-Compatible User Files ............................................................... 158
13 MIDI Communication .................................................................................................160
13.1 Host Automation ......................................................................................................................... 161
Table of Contents
KOMPLETE KONTROL A-Series - Manual - 8

13.1.1 Recording Automation ............................................................................................... 161
13.1.2 Automation IDs for the Perform Panel ........................................................................ 163
14 Host Integration ........................................................................................................165
14.1 Integration with MASCHINE ........................................................................................................ 165
14.2 Integration with Apple Logic Pro X and GarageBand .................................................................. 166
14.3 Integration with Ableton Live ...................................................................................................... 170
Index ........................................................................................................................174
Table of Contents
KOMPLETE KONTROL A-Series - Manual - 9

1 Welcome to KOMPLETE KONTROL
Thank you for choosing KOMPLETE KONTROL!
The KOMPLETE KONTROL software and its dedicated keyboard—the KOMPLETE KONTROL
A-Series—form a tightly integrated music production and performance system that brings all
the sounds from KOMPLETE and the Native Kontrol Standard (NKS) to the heart of your work-
flow.
KOMPLETE KONTROL offers advanced integration with a number of hosts and provides full
control of any Instruments supporting NKS, both from Native Instruments and partners. The
keyboard lets you browse your Instruments and Effects in an intuitive way and play them crea-
tively with KOMPLETE KONTROL’s unique Scale engine and Arpeggiator.
We hope you enjoy this fantastic instrument as much as we do.
—The team at Native Instruments
1.1 Document Conventions
This document uses particular formatting to point out special facts and to warn you of poten-
tial issues. The icons introducing the following notes let you see what kind of information can
be expected:
The speech bubble icon indicates a useful tip that may often help you to solve a task more effi-
ciently.
The exclamation mark icon highlights important information that is essential for the given context.
The red cross icon warns you of serious issues and potential risks that require your full attention.
Furthermore, the following formatting is used:
Welcome to KOMPLETE KONTROL
Document Conventions
KOMPLETE KONTROL A-Series - Manual - 10