Native Instruments S Series User 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.
Mac, Mac OS, 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 trade marks are the property of their respective owners and use of them does not im-
ply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.
Document authored by: Gustav Sto. Tomas, Nicolas Sidi, Jan Ola Korte
Software version: 1.5 (10/2015)
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.com
© NATIVE INSTRUMENTS GmbH, 2015. All rights reserved.
Contact

Table of Contents
1 Welcome to KOMPLETE KONTROL ............................................................................... 10
1.1 Where to Start? ........................................................................................................................... 10
1.2 Manual Conventions ................................................................................................................... 13
1.3 System Requirements ................................................................................................................. 15
2 Basic Concepts .........................................................................................................16
2.1 KOMPLETE KONTROL and KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES ........................................................... 16
2.1.1 The Browser and the Navigate Section ...................................................................... 17
2.1.2 The Perform Panel and the PERFORM Section (Smart Play) ....................................... 18
2.1.3 The Light Guide ......................................................................................................... 20
2.1.4 The Control Section and Instrument Parameters ....................................................... 21
2.1.5 The Transport Section and Your Host Application ...................................................... 22
2.2 Adjusting the KOMPLETE KONTROL Software Interface ............................................................... 23
2.2.1 Showing/Hiding the Browser ...................................................................................... 24
2.2.2 Showing/Hiding the Perform Panel ............................................................................ 24
2.2.3 Showing/Hiding the Plug-in Panel ............................................................................. 25
2.2.4 Selecting Instrument Views ....................................................................................... 25
2.3 Loading Plug-ins ........................................................................................................................ 26
2.4 Stand-Alone and Plug-in Mode ................................................................................................... 28
2.4.1 Differences between Stand-alone and Plug-in Mode ................................................. 29
2.4.2 Switching Instances .................................................................................................. 30
2.4.3 Configuring Your Host Application ............................................................................. 31
2.5 MIDI Mode ................................................................................................................................... 33
2.6 Preferences ................................................................................................................................. 33
2.6.1 Preferences – Library Page ........................................................................................ 34
2.6.2 Preferences – Plug-ins Page ..................................................................................... 38
2.6.3 Preferences – Hardware Page .................................................................................... 43
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2.7 Audio and MIDI Settings ............................................................................................................. 44
2.7.1 Audio and MIDI Settings – Audio Page ...................................................................... 44
2.7.2 Audio and MIDI Settings – Routing Page ................................................................... 46
2.7.3 Audio and MIDI Settings – MIDI Page ........................................................................ 47
2.8 Connecting External MIDI Equipment to KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES ..................................... 48
2.9 Incoming and Outgoing MIDI ...................................................................................................... 49
2.9.1 Incoming MIDI and Host Automation ......................................................................... 49
2.9.2 Outgoing MIDI and Host Control ................................................................................ 50
2.9.3 MIDI Mode and Stand-alone Operation ...................................................................... 51
2.10 Native Map ................................................................................................................................. 51
2.11 Controlling Parameters via MIDI and Host Automation ............................................................... 52
2.11.1 Recording Automation ............................................................................................... 52
2.11.2 Automation IDs .......................................................................................................... 55
2.12 Using Pedals with KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES ...................................................................... 56
3 Quick Start ................................................................................................................ 58
3.1 First Steps .................................................................................................................................. 59
3.1.1 Opening the Browser ................................................................................................. 59
3.1.2 Finding and Loading an Instrument Preset ................................................................ 61
3.2 Controlling Instruments .............................................................................................................. 70
3.2.1 Controlling Instrument Parameters ........................................................................... 70
3.2.2 More than Eight Parameters: Switching Parameter Pages ......................................... 70
3.3 Using Smart Play: Scale, Arp, and the Light Guide ..................................................................... 71
3.3.1 Selecting a Scale ....................................................................................................... 72
3.3.2 Playing Chords .......................................................................................................... 73
3.3.3 Playing Arpeggiated Chords ...................................................................................... 74
3.4 What’s Next? ............................................................................................................................... 75
4 KOMPLETE KONTROL Software Overview .....................................................................76
4.1 Software Interface Overview ....................................................................................................... 77
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4.2 Header ........................................................................................................................................ 79
4.3 Plug-in Panel .............................................................................................................................. 80
4.4 Instrument Area .......................................................................................................................... 83
4.4.1 Default View .............................................................................................................. 84
4.4.2 Additional View .......................................................................................................... 85
4.4.3 Edit View ................................................................................................................... 87
5 KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES Overview ....................................................................89
5.1 Keyboard Interface Overview ....................................................................................................... 89
5.2 MIDI Mode ................................................................................................................................... 92
5.2.1 Switching Controller Modes ....................................................................................... 92
5.2.2 Host Control in MIDI Mode ......................................................................................... 93
5.3 Stand-Alone Operation ............................................................................................................... 93
5.4 Host Control and the Transport Section ...................................................................................... 94
5.4.1 Transport Controls ..................................................................................................... 95
5.4.2 Automatic Track Focus and the Navigate Section ...................................................... 97
5.4.3 Switching between KOMPLETE KONTROL Instances ................................................... 100
5.5 Control Section ........................................................................................................................... 101
5.5.1 Control Section Controls ............................................................................................ 102
5.5.2 Native Map ................................................................................................................ 103
5.5.3 Controlling Instrument Parameters with the Control Section ..................................... 104
5.5.4 Controlling Smart Play with the Control Section ........................................................ 109
5.5.5 Controlling Touch Strip Settings with the Control Section ......................................... 109
5.6 Touch Strips ............................................................................................................................... 110
5.6.1 Pitch Strip ................................................................................................................. 113
5.6.2 Modulation Strip ........................................................................................................ 116
5.7 The Light Guide .......................................................................................................................... 121
5.7.1 Instrument Mapping .................................................................................................. 122
5.7.2 Smart Play Mapping .................................................................................................. 123
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KOMPLETE KONTROL - Manual - 6

6 KOMPLETE KONTROL Browser ..................................................................................... 124
6.1 Browser Basics ........................................................................................................................... 125
6.1.1 The Library ................................................................................................................. 125
6.1.2 Native Kontrol Standard ............................................................................................ 126
6.1.3 Browsing the Library vs. Browsing Your Hard Disks ................................................... 130
6.2 Searching and Loading Files from the Library ............................................................................ 131
6.2.1 Overview of the Library pane ..................................................................................... 131
6.2.2 Choosing Between Factory and User Content ............................................................. 134
6.2.3 Selecting or Loading a Product and Selecting a Bank ............................................... 134
6.2.4 Selecting Type and Mode Tags ................................................................................... 141
6.2.5 Performing a Text Search ........................................................................................... 150
6.2.6 Using the Result List in the Library Pane ................................................................... 150
6.2.7 Using Favorites in the Library Pane ........................................................................... 153
6.3 Loading and Importing Files from Your File System .................................................................... 157
6.3.1 Overview of the Files Pane ......................................................................................... 158
6.3.2 Using Favorites .......................................................................................................... 159
6.3.3 Using the Location Bar .............................................................................................. 160
6.3.4 Navigating to Recent Locations ................................................................................. 161
6.3.5 Using the Result List in the Files Pane ...................................................................... 162
6.3.6 Importing Files to the KOMPLETE KONTROL Library .................................................... 165
6.4 Saving Files to the User Library .................................................................................................. 166
6.5 Displaying and Editing File Information ..................................................................................... 172
6.5.1 Displaying File Information ........................................................................................ 174
6.5.2 Editing the File Tags and Properties .......................................................................... 174
6.5.2.1 Attribute Editor Basics ..............................................................................175
6.5.2.2 The BANK Page ..........................................................................................176
6.5.2.3 The TYPES and MODES Pages ....................................................................177
6.5.2.4 The PROPERTIES Page ...............................................................................180
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6.6 Browsing with the KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES ...................................................................... 181
6.6.1 The BROWSE Button and the Browser ........................................................................ 183
6.6.2 Selecting a Product and a Bank ................................................................................ 188
6.6.3 Selecting Type and Mode Tags ................................................................................... 192
6.6.4 Using the Result List ................................................................................................. 200
6.6.5 Using Favorites .......................................................................................................... 201
7 KOMPLETE KONTROL Smart Play ................................................................................. 204
7.1 Software Perform Panel Overview ............................................................................................... 205
7.2 Keyboard PERFORM Section Overview ......................................................................................... 210
7.2.1 SCALE Button Functions ............................................................................................ 210
7.2.2 ARP Button Functions ................................................................................................ 211
7.3 A Note about Music Theory .......................................................................................................... 212
7.3.1 Scales ........................................................................................................................ 212
7.3.2 Chords ....................................................................................................................... 212
7.3.3 Arpeggios .................................................................................................................. 213
7.4 Scale Engine ............................................................................................................................... 213
7.5 Scale Parameters ....................................................................................................................... 215
7.5.1 Root Note ................................................................................................................... 216
7.5.2 Scale Type ................................................................................................................. 217
7.5.3 Key Mode ................................................................................................................... 221
7.5.4 Chord Mode ............................................................................................................... 226
7.5.5 Chord Type ................................................................................................................. 228
7.6 Arpeggiator ................................................................................................................................. 231
7.7 Arp Parameters ........................................................................................................................... 233
7.7.1 Mode .......................................................................................................................... 234
7.7.2 Type ........................................................................................................................... 235
7.7.3 Rate ........................................................................................................................... 236
7.7.4 Sequence ................................................................................................................... 238
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7.7.5 Swing ........................................................................................................................ 239
7.7.6 Octaves ..................................................................................................................... 240
7.7.7 Dynamic .................................................................................................................... 241
7.7.8 Gate ........................................................................................................................... 242
7.7.9 Hold ........................................................................................................................... 243
7.8 Using ARP with a Sustain Pedal ................................................................................................. 243
7.9 Scale and Arp MIDI Output ......................................................................................................... 244
7.9.1 MIDI Output from the KOMPLETE KONTROL Stand-alone Application ......................... 245
7.9.2 MIDI Output from the KOMPLETE KONTROL Plug-in ................................................... 245
8 Troubleshooting – Getting Help ..................................................................................246
8.1 Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................................... 246
8.1.1 The KOMPLETE KONTROL Software Won’t Start .......................................................... 246
8.1.2 No Output from Your KOMPLETE Instrument .............................................................. 246
8.1.3 Latency Issues ........................................................................................................... 247
8.1.4 The KOMPLETE KONTROL Software Crashes ............................................................... 247
8.1.5 Updates ..................................................................................................................... 248
8.2 Getting Help ............................................................................................................................... 248
8.2.1 Knowledge Base ........................................................................................................ 248
8.2.2 User Forum ................................................................................................................ 249
8.2.3 Technical Support ...................................................................................................... 249
8.2.4 Registration Support ................................................................................................. 250
Index ........................................................................................................................251
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KOMPLETE KONTROL - Manual - 9

1 Welcome to KOMPLETE KONTROL
Thank you for choosing KOMPLETE KONTROL!
KOMPLETE KONTROL and its dedicated keyboard—the KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES—is
a tightly integrated music production and performance system for use with your VST instru-
ments, offering advanced integration and full control of KOMPLETE Instruments as well as any
instruments supporting the Native Kontrol Standard (NKS).
KOMPLETE KONTROL lets you browse your instruments in an intuitive way and play them ac-
cording to a vast amount of selectable scales and chords. You can also control your host soft-
ware with the KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES keyboard, and customize the functions of the
touch strips, knobs and buttons for use with other software utilizing the included Controller
Editor application. We hope you enjoy this fantastic instrument as much as we do. Now let’s
get going!
—The team at Native Instruments
1.1 Where to Start?
KOMPLETE KONTROL provides you with many information sources. The main documents are
meant to be read in the following sequence:
1. Komplete Kontrol Setup Guide
2. Komplete Kontrol Manual (this document)
The whole documentation set is available in PDF format and located within the KOM-
PLETE KONTROL installation folder on your hard disk. You can also access these docu-
ments from the Help menu in the Application Menu Bar or from the Help submenu in
the KOMPLETE KONTROL menu.
Please check the Service Center or the Native Instruments website regularly for up-to-
date and localized versions of these documents. You can start the Service Center by se-
lecting Launch Service Center from the Help menu in the Application Menu Bar or from
the Help submenu in the KOMPLETE KONTROL menu.
Welcome to KOMPLETE KONTROL
Where to Start?
KOMPLETE KONTROL - Manual - 10