NI KONTROL S Series User manual

Kontrol S-Series MK3 Manual

Table of Contents
1. Disclaimer ................................................................................................................... 1
2. Welcome to Kontrol MK3 ............................................................................................... 2
Document Conventions ............................................................................................... 3
3. Setting Up Your Keyboard .............................................................................................. 4
Connecting the Keyboard to Your Computer .................................................................... 4
Connecting the Keyboard to a Computer Without USB-C ............................................. 4
Connecting Pedals to the Keyboard ............................................................................... 5
Connecting External MIDI Devices to the Keyboard .......................................................... 5
Using the Keyboard as a MIDI Interface .................................................................... 6
Using the Keyboard as a Stand-Alone MIDI Controller ................................................. 6
Setting Up Stand-alone Applications .............................................................................. 6
Setting Up the Stand-Alone Kontakt Application ......................................................... 6
Conguring the Audio Interface in Kontakt .......................................................... 6
Enabling MIDI Control in Kontakt ....................................................................... 7
Setting Up the Stand-Alone Komplete Kontrol Application ............................................ 8
Conguring the Audio Interface in Komplete Kontrol ............................................. 8
Enabling MIDI Control in Komplete Kontrol .......................................................... 8
Setting Up DAW Control ............................................................................................... 9
Setting Up Apple Logic Pro ................................................................................... 10
Setting Up Ableton Live ........................................................................................ 10
Setting Up Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo ............................................................... 10
4. Keyboard Overview ..................................................................................................... 12
Top Panel ................................................................................................................ 12
Control Section .................................................................................................. 12
Keybed Section .................................................................................................. 13
Rear Panel ............................................................................................................... 14
5. The Browser .............................................................................................................. 15
Opening the Browser ................................................................................................. 15
Dening Your Search Criteria ...................................................................................... 15
Selecting and Loading a Preset ................................................................................... 17
Auditioning your Presets ............................................................................................ 17
Selecting a Slot for Loading the Preset ......................................................................... 18
Selecting a Product Type in Komplete Kontrol ............................................................... 19
Choosing Between Factory and User Content ................................................................ 19
Filtering Presets by Brand, Product, Bank and Sub-Bank .................................................. 20
Filtering Presets by Sound Type and Character Tags ...................................................... 21
Using Favorites ........................................................................................................ 22
Resetting Filters ....................................................................................................... 23
Quick Browse ........................................................................................................... 23
6. Controlling Instruments and Effects .............................................................................. 25
About Pre-Mapped Products ....................................................................................... 25
The Next-Generation NKS .................................................................................... 25
Legacy NKS ....................................................................................................... 25
Entering Plug-in Mode ............................................................................................... 26
Selecting a Slot for Controlling Its Preset ...................................................................... 26
Adjusting Parameters ................................................................................................ 27
Performance View .................................................................................................... 28
Navigating Parameters and Pages ......................................................................... 29

Edit View ................................................................................................................. 30
Opening the Edit View .......................................................................................... 30
Navigating Parameters, Pages and Groups ............................................................. 31
Classic View ............................................................................................................ 32
Opening the Classic View ..................................................................................... 32
Switching Parameter Pages .................................................................................. 33
Custom Parameter Mappings ............................................................................... 33
Organizing the Loaded Products ................................................................................. 34
Removing Products ............................................................................................. 34
Bypassing Effects in Komplete Kontrol ................................................................... 34
Reordering Effects in Komplete Kontrol .................................................................. 35
7. DAW Control .............................................................................................................. 36
DAW Integration in Apple Logic Pro .............................................................................. 36
Transport .......................................................................................................... 36
Edit .................................................................................................................. 38
Mixer ................................................................................................................ 38
Navigation ......................................................................................................... 40
DAW Integration in Ableton Live .................................................................................. 40
Transport .......................................................................................................... 40
Edit .................................................................................................................. 41
Mixer ................................................................................................................ 42
Navigation ......................................................................................................... 44
DAW Integration in Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo ......................................................... 44
Transport .......................................................................................................... 44
Edit .................................................................................................................. 45
Mixer ................................................................................................................ 46
Navigation ......................................................................................................... 48
8. Scales ....................................................................................................................... 49
Playing a Scale ......................................................................................................... 49
Playing Chords ......................................................................................................... 50
Editing Scales and Chords .......................................................................................... 50
Accessing the Scale Parameters ........................................................................... 51
Scale Parameters ..................................................................................................... 51
Scale Root Note ................................................................................................. 51
Scale Bank and Type ........................................................................................... 52
Key Mode Parameter ................................................................................................. 56
Chord Parameters .................................................................................................... 57
Chord Mode ....................................................................................................... 57
Chord Type ........................................................................................................ 58
ChordPosition .................................................................................................... 60
9. Arpeggiator ................................................................................................................ 62
Activating the Arpeggiator .......................................................................................... 62
Playing the Arpeggiator .............................................................................................. 62
Using Arpeggiator Snapshots on the Keyboard .............................................................. 63
Editing the Arpeggiator .............................................................................................. 63
Accessing the Arpeggiator Parameters .................................................................. 64
Main Parameters ...................................................................................................... 65
Main Mode ........................................................................................................ 65
Main Type ......................................................................................................... 65
Rhythm Parameters .................................................................................................. 65
Rhythm Rate ...................................................................................................... 66
Rhythm Sequence .............................................................................................. 67
Rhythm Swing .................................................................................................... 67

Other Parameters ..................................................................................................... 67
Other Octaves .................................................................................................... 68
Other Dynamic ................................................................................................... 68
Other Gate ......................................................................................................... 68
Gate Reset ................................................................................................... 68
Advanced Parameters ............................................................................................... 68
Advanced Retrigger ............................................................................................. 69
Advanced Repeat ................................................................................................ 69
Advanced Offset ................................................................................................. 69
Advanced Inversion ............................................................................................. 70
Range Parameters .................................................................................................... 70
Range Min. Key .................................................................................................. 70
Range Max. Key ................................................................................................. 70
Hold Parameter ........................................................................................................ 71
10. MIDI Mode ............................................................................................................... 72
Manually Switching To MIDI Mode ............................................................................... 72
Automatic Switch To MIDI Mode ................................................................................. 72
MIDI Assignments for the Display Controls ................................................................... 73
Using the Keyboard as Stand-alone MIDI Controller ........................................................ 74
Using the Keyboard with a Power Supply Only ......................................................... 75
11. Keyboard Settings .................................................................................................... 76
Hardware Settings .................................................................................................... 77
Keybed Settings ....................................................................................................... 78
Pedal Settings .......................................................................................................... 78
Selecting the Pedal Socket ................................................................................... 79
Selecting the Pedal Mode ..................................................................................... 79
Pedal Settings in Continuous Mode ....................................................................... 79
Pedal Calibration .......................................................................................... 81
Pedal Settings in Switch Mode .............................................................................. 81
Touch Strip Settings .................................................................................................. 82
Wheel Settings ......................................................................................................... 83
General Information .................................................................................................. 84
Resetting Your Device to Factory Settings ............................................................... 84
Usage Data Settings .................................................................................................. 85
License Information .................................................................................................. 85

1. Disclaimer
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 document 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 Instruments
GmbH.
Mac, macOS, GarageBand, Logic and iTunes are registered trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in
the U.S. and other countries.
Windows 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 afliation with or endorsement by them.
Document authored by Nicolas Sidi, Jan Ola Korte
Software version: 3.0 (10/2023)
Hardware version: Kontrol S-Series MK3
DISCLAIMER 1

2. Welcome to Kontrol MK3
Kontrol S-Series MK3 is an advanced MIDI keyboard controller that deeply integrates with Kontakt,
Komplete Kontrol, and your DAW, facilitating an intuitive connection to instruments, effects, and
your recording workow.
You can nd sounds quickly with intuitive on-screen navigation, and adjust them thanks to
intelligent auto-mapping using next-generation NKS technology. This direct connection means
no interruptions to your workow with not just NI instruments but thousands of partner sounds,
instruments, and effects.
The keyboard's polyphonic aftertouch enables you play sound parameters expressively with the
slightest pressure on individual keys. The Light Guide shows you key switches, key zones, scales,
and more, and Play Assist makes it easy to create a chord progression by playing single keys, or
map the white keys to a specic scale.
This document shows you how to set up your keyboard and describes all features in detail,
starting with the keyboard overview.
Thank you for choosing Kontrol. We hope you enjoy it!
WELCOME TO KONTROL MK3 2

Document Conventions
In this document the following formatting is used to highlight useful information:
Italics Indicates paths to locations on your hard disk or other storage devices.
Bold Highlights important names, concepts, software interface elements, and
hardware controls.
[Brackets] References keys on the computer keyboard.
Denotes a single step instruction.
Denotes the expected result when following instructions.
The following three icons denote special types of information:
The light bulb icon indicates a useful tip, suggestion, or interesting fact.
The information icon highlights essential information in a given context.
The warning icon alerts you of potential risks and serious issues.
Naming Conventions
We refer to the hardware as Kontrol MK3 keyboard, or just keyboard, and the software installed on
your computer as Komplete Kontrol.
The buttons above the display on the Kontrol MK3 keyboard are named Button 1 to Button 8. The
knobs under the display are named Knob 1 to Knob 8.
The buttons and knobs on the Kontrol MK3 keyboard
WELCOME TO KONTROL MK3 3

3. Setting Up Your Keyboard
This section provides basic setup information for using your keyboard in different situations: with
the stand-alone Kontakt software, the stand-alone Komplete Kontrol software, or with any of them
loaded as plug-in within a DAW.
Connecting the Keyboard to Your Computer
To connect the Kontrol MK3 keyboard to your computer:
1. Attach the round, barrel-style end of the included USB-C cable to the HOST USB-C socket on the
rear panel of your keyboard.
2. Attach the other end of the included USB-C cable to an available USB-C port on your computer.
3. Press the ON switch on the rear panel of the keyboard to switch it on.
→The keyboard is now detected by the operating system.
You can also connect your keyboard to a USB-C hub. In this case, make sure that the
USB-C port on your hub is identied to transfer both power and data. If in doubt, refer
to the documentation of your USB-C hub.
Connecting the Keyboard to a Computer Without USB-C
If your computer only has USB-A ports, you will need the following additional items (not included):
• A USB-C female to USB-A male adapter/cable
• A USB-C power supply (5 V, 7.5 W or higher, 1.5 A or higher) with its own USB-C cable.
To connect the keyboard to your computer, do the following:
1. Attach the round, barrel-style end of the included USB-C cable to the HOST USB-C socket on the
rear panel of your keyboard.
2. Attach the other end of the included USB-C cable to the USB-C to USB-A adapter/cable.
3. Attach the USB-C to USB-A adapter/cable to an available USB-A port on your computer.
SETTING UP YOUR KEYBOARD 4

4. Attach the USB-C power supply to the at, power-only USB-C socket on the rear panel of your
keyboard.
5. Plug the USB-C power supply into the wall outlet.
6. Press the ON switch on the rear panel of the keyboard to switch it on.
→The keyboard is now detected by the operating system.
Connecting Pedals to the Keyboard
The Kontrol MK3 keyboard provides four pedal inputs (in the form of 1/4" sockets) on its rear
panel: SUSTAIN, EXPRESSION, ASSIGN 1, ASSIGN 2.
The pedal inputs on the rear panel of the keyboard.
All four pedal inputs allow you to connect either a continuous or a switch pedal in order to further
rene your performance. You can precisely congure the behavior and the MIDI message assigned
to each pedal in the keyboard settings.
Connecting External MIDI Devices to the Keyboard
The Kontrol MK3 keyboard has dedicated MIDI sockets that allow you to directly connect other
MIDI devices using a 5-pin DIN MIDI cable. You can select the corresponding ports in your MIDI
software and use the keyboard as a MIDI interface, or use the keyboard as a stand-alone MIDI
controller.
The MIDI sockets on the rear panel of the Kontrol MK3 keyboard.
To connect your external MIDI devices:
1. Connect the device receiving MIDI signals to the MIDI OUT socket on the rear panel of the
keyboard using a 5-pin DIN MIDI cable.
2. Connect the device sending MIDI signals to the MIDI IN socket on the rear panel of the
keyboard using a 5-pin DIN MIDI cable.
→The MIDI device is connected.
SETTING UP YOUR KEYBOARD 5

Additional conguration might be required in the software depending on how you want to use the
MIDI devices connected to your keyboard, as described below.
Using the Keyboard as a MIDI Interface
You can use the keyboard as a MIDI interface to send and receive MIDI on your computer.
If the connected software (Kontakt or Komplete Kontrol) is running as a stand-alone application,
you need to open the MIDI page in the Options dialog (Kontakt) or in the Preferences (Komplete
Kontrol), and activate there the MIDI input/output corresponding to the MIDI socket(s) that you
want to use on the rear panel of the keyboard:
• MIDI input: The MIDI IN socket on your keyboard appears in your software as KONTROL S[xx]
MK3 (MIDI) (macOS) or MIDIIN3 (KONTROL S[xx] MK3) (Windows).
• MIDI output: The MIDI OUT socket on your keyboard appears in your software as KONTROL
S[xx] MK3 (MIDI) (macOS) or MIDIOUT3 (KONTROL S[xx] MK3) (Windows).
If the connected software is running as a plug-in in a DAW, the MIDI conguration is managed
by the DAW: You need to activate in your DAW the MIDI input/output corresponding to the MIDI
socket(s) that you want to use on the rear panel of the keyboard:
• MIDI input: The MIDI IN socket on your keyboard appear in your software as KONTROL S[xx]
MK3 (MIDI) (macOS) or MIDIIN3 (KONTROL S[xx] MK3) (Windows).
• MIDI output: The MIDI OUT socket on your keyboard appear in your software as KONTROL
S[xx] MK3 (MIDI) (macOS) or MIDIOUT3 (KONTROL S[xx] MK3) (Windows).
For more information, refer to the documentation of your DAW.
Using the Keyboard as a Stand-Alone MIDI Controller
You can also use the keyboard as a stand-alone MIDI controller: MIDI data is then directly sent and
received via the keyboard’s MIDI IN and MIDI OUT sockets. For more information, refer to MIDI
Mode.
Setting Up Stand-alone Applications
When you launch the Kontakt or Komplete Kontrol software from its installation directory, it starts
as a stand-alone application independently from a DAW.
By default, the application uses the standard audio interface of your computer. In order to use
another audio interface, and receive MIDI data from the keyboard, you need to congure the
application as described in the following sections.
Setting Up the Stand-Alone Kontakt Application
Conguring the Audio Interface in Kontakt
In Kontakt, do the following:
1. Click the gear icon in the Main Control Panel to open the Options dialog.
2. Click Audio to display the Audio page.
3. Select the hardware driver supported by your audio interface from the Driver drop-down menu.
4. Select the audio interface from the Device drop-down menu.
SETTING UP YOUR KEYBOARD 6

→The rst two outputs of your audio interface are by default assigned to the main outputs of
Kontakt.
Options dialog – Audio page.
You can congure more advanced audio routing in the Outputs section of Kontakt. For
more information, refer to the Kontakt documentation.
Enabling MIDI Control in Kontakt
In Kontakt, do the following:
1. Click the gear icon in the Main Control Panel to open the Options dialog.
2. Click MIDI to display the MIDI page.
3. Click Inputs to display the available devices for incoming MIDI signals.
4. In the KONTROL S[xx] MK3 row, click the Off label in the Status column and select the desired
port from Port A–D.
Options dialog – MIDI page (entries may vary on your computer).
SETTING UP YOUR KEYBOARD 7

This procedure activates incoming MIDI notes that you play on the keyboard. If you
wish to activate MIDI signals coming from the MIDI IN socket on the rear panel of
the keyboard, you have to change the corresponding status in the KONTROL S[xx]
MK3 (MIDI) row (macOS) or in the MIDIIN3 (KONTROL S[xx] MK3) row (Windows).
For more information on using the MIDI IN and MIDI OUT sockets on the rear panel of
your keyboard, refer to Connecting External MIDI Devices to the Keyboard.
Setting Up the Stand-Alone Komplete Kontrol Application
Conguring the Audio Interface in Komplete Kontrol
In the Komplete Kontrol software, do the following:
1. In the Komplete Kontrol menu click Edit > Preferences to open the Preferences.
2. Click Audio to display the Audio page.
3. Select the hardware driver supported by your audio interface from the Driver drop-down menu.
4. Select the audio interface from the Device drop-down menu.
5. Under Routings, select the left and right output channels that you want to use
for Komplete Kontrol’s master output in the Komplete Kontrol Out 1 L and
Komplete Kontrol Out 1 R drop-down menus.
Preferences panel – Audio page.
Enabling MIDI Control in Komplete Kontrol
In the Komplete Kontrol software, do the following:
1. In the Komplete Kontrol menu click Edit > Preferences to open the Preferences.
2. Click MIDI to display the MIDI page.
SETTING UP YOUR KEYBOARD 8

3. Click Input in the Devices section to display the available devices for incoming MIDI signals.
4. Click the KONTROL S[xx] MK3 checkbox to activate incoming MIDI signals from the keyboard.
Preferences panel – MIDI page (entries may vary on your computer).
This procedure activates incoming MIDI notes that you play on the keyboard. If you
wish to activate MIDI signals coming from the MIDI IN socket on the rear panel of
the keyboard, you have to click the KONTROL S[xx] MK3 (MIDI) checkbox (macOS)
or the MIDIIN3 (KONTROL S[xx] MK3) checkbox (Windows). For more information on
using the MIDI IN and MIDI OUT sockets on the rear panel of your keyboard, refer to
Connecting External MIDI Devices to the Keyboard.
Setting Up DAW Control
You can set up the Kontrol MK3 keyboard to integrate with a number of DAWs, enabling you to
control the transport, track selection, and mixer in your DAW directly from the keyboard’s Control
section.
The Kontrol MK3 keyboard integrates with the following DAWs:
•Apple Logic Pro: For information about setting up the keyboard for DAW control in Apple Logic
Pro, refer to Setting Up Apple Logic Pro.
•Ableton Live: For information about setting up the keyboard for DAW control in Ableton Live,
refer to Setting Up Ableton Live.
•Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo: For information about setting up the keyboard for DAW control
in Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo, refer to Setting Up Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo.
For information about integration with other DAWs, refer to the following article in our
Knowledge Base: How to Integrate Your Kontrol Keyboard with Your DAW
SETTING UP YOUR KEYBOARD 9

Setting Up Apple Logic Pro
Before you can control DAW functions in Apple Logic Pro from the keyboard, you must conrm its
automatic conguration as a control surface.
To set up the keyboard for DAW control in Apple Logic Pro:
1. Connect the Kontrol MK3 keyboard to the computer and make sure it is switched on.
2. Launch the Apple Logic application on your computer.
3. When asked for conrmation if you want to automatically assign controls of KONTROL S[xx]
MK3, click Auto Assign.
→You can now use your keyboard to control DAW functions in Apple Logic Pro.
For information about the DAW functions and how they are mapped to the controls on
your keyboard, refer to DAW Integration in Apple Logic Pro.
Setting Up Ableton Live
Before you can control DAW functions in Ableton Live from the keyboard, you must congure it as
a control surface in the Ableton Live Preferences.
To set up the keyboard for DAW control in Ableton Live:
1. Connect the Kontrol MK3 keyboard to the computer and make sure it is switched on.
2. Launch the Ableton Live application on your computer.
3. In Ableton Live, open the Preferences and go to the Link/MIDI tab.
4. Select Kontrol MK3 from the Control Surface drop-down menu in an unused control surface
slot.
5. Select KONTROL S[xx] MK3 (DAW) (macOS) or KONTROL S[xx] MK3 (Port 2) (Windows) from
the Input drop-down menu in the same control surface slot.
6. Select KONTROL S[xx] MK3 (DAW) (macOS) or KONTROL S[xx] MK3 (Port 2) (Windows) from
the Output drop-down menu in the same control surface slot.
For information about the DAW functions and how they are mapped to the controls on
your keyboard, refer to DAW Integration in Ableton Live.
Setting Up Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo
Before you can control DAW functions in Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo from the keyboard, you must
congure it as a device in the Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo Studio Setup.
To set up the keyboard for DAW control in Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo:
1. Connect the Kontrol MK3 keyboard to the computer and make sure it is switched on.
2. Launch the Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo application on your computer.
3. In Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo, open the Studio Setup from the Studio menu.
4. Click the + button in the upper left corner of the Studio Setup and select Kontrol MK3 from the
drop-down menu.
SETTING UP YOUR KEYBOARD 10

5. Set MIDI Input for Kontrol MK3 to KONTROL S[xx] MK3 (DAW) (macOS) or MIDIIN2
(KONTROL S[xx] MK3) (Windows).
6. Set MIDI Output for Kontrol MK3 to KONTROL S[xx] MK3 (DAW) (macOS) or MIDIOUT2
(KONTROL S[xx] MK3) (Windows).
→You can now use your keyboard to control DAW functions in Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo.
For information about the DAW functions and how they are mapped to the controls on
your keyboard, refer to DAW Integration in Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo.
SETTING UP YOUR KEYBOARD 11

4. Keyboard Overview
The Kontrol MK3 keyboard can be used to browse, control and play your products in Kontakt and in
Komplete Kontrol as well as to control supported DAWs.
The keyboard is available in three sizes: The S49 and S61 are equipped with the same top-quality
semi-weighted Fatar keybed with polyphonic aftertouch. The S88 comes with professional, fully-
weighted, hammer-action keys with polyphonic aftertouch, also made by Fatar. Beyond the keybed,
all keyboards come with identical features.
The following sections describe the top panel and rear panel of your keyboard.
Top Panel
The top panel of your keyboard includes the Control section in its upper part and the Keybed
section in its lower part.
Control Section
The Control section takes up the upper part of your keyboard’s top panel.
The Control section contains the following elements:
1. SHIFT: Lets you access the secondary functions of buttons labeled as such, for example, the
Redo function of the UNDO (Redo) button nearby. Buttons 1–8 above the display may have
secondary functions as well, depending on the current display. The SHIFT button lets you also
fast scroll certain lists, for example the Results list in the Browser.
2. UNDO (Redo): Lets you undo or redo your last action in supported DAWs. For more
information, refer to DAW Control.
3. QUANTIZE: Lets you quantize events to the step grid in supported DAWs. For more
information, refer to DAW Control.
4. Page buttons: The Page left/right buttons let you skip to the previous/next page of parameters
and thus remap the Knobs 1–8 under the display to another set of parameters.
5. PLAY ASSIST: Lets you switch the Scale engine and the Arpeggiator on or off and congure
their parameters. This button is active only when your keyboard is connected to the Komplete
Kontrol software.
KEYBOARD OVERVIEW 12

6. SETTINGS (MIDI): Lets you access the settings of your unit. Pressing SHIFT + SETTINGS
(MIDI) switches your keyboard to MIDI mode.
7. Display controls: The eight knobs under the display, the eight buttons above the display, and
the display itself are automatically assigned to parameters of the loaded product or selected
mode. The display shows the current assignments above each knob and below each button.
As the knobs are touch-sensitive, you can touch them to see additional information.
8. BROWSER: Opens the Browser, which lets you browse your libraries and load presets.
9. PLUG IN: Switches the keyboard to Plug-in mode, which lets you control the loaded presets.
10. DAW: Lets you control the mixer of supported DAWs. For more information, refer to DAW
Control.
11. 4-D encoder: The 4-D encoder combines the functionalities of a conventional joystick, a
button, and a continuous encoder. It can be pushed to the four directions: up, down, left, and
right, as well as being pressed and rotated. These aspects make it a multifunctional control
element that can be used for navigation, for adjusting values of parameters, and for controlling
products. For example:
• Entries in a list are browsed by turning the 4-D encoder.
• A selection is conrmed by pressing the 4-D encoder.
• The value of a highlighted parameter is adjusted by turning the 4-D encoder.
• The tracks in supported DAWs are navigated by pushing the 4-D encoder in the left/
right/top/bottom directions.
12. PREVIOUS/NEXT: Quickly loads the next or previous preset from the Results list without
opening the Browser.
13. Transport controls: Control the transport in supported DAWs. For more information, refer to
DAW Control.
Keybed Section
The Keybed section takes up the lower part of your keyboard’s top panel.
The Keybed section contains the following elements:
1. Keybed and Light Guide: The keybed enables you to play the loaded preset. The Light Guide
above the keybed visualizes the key mapping of loaded presets by color coding. Active and
inactive keys are indicated by the LEDs. The Light Guide also reects the Play Assist settings:
For example, when you select a scale or chord, the LEDs corresponding to the keys contained
in that scale or chord will light up, whereas inactive keys remain unlit. The Light Guide also
gives you visual feedback when you play back incoming MIDI note patterns from the DAW.
KEYBOARD OVERVIEW 13

2. Pitch and Modulation wheels: The Pitch wheel on the left lets you adjust by default the pitch
of the loaded preset. The Modulation wheel on the right lets you adjust by default the assigned
modulation parameter of the loaded preset. Both wheels can send MIDI Pitchbend, Control
Change or Program Change messages, as congured in the keyboard settings.
3. Touch Strip: The Touch Strip is an intuitive control element that gives you immediate control
over preset parameters. It sends by default MIDI CC #11 (Expression) messages. The Touch
Strip can send MIDI Pitchbend, Control Change or Program Change messages, as congured
in the keyboard settings.
4. FIXED VEL: Sets the note velocity for all keys to a xed value of 127. By default, the keys are
sensitive to velocity: The harder you hit them, the louder the sound will be. With FIXED VEL
activated, your keys play at the same volume no matter how hard you hit them.
5. OCTAVE (Semitone) down/up: Transpose the entire keybed an octave down/up. Pressing
SHIFT + OCTAVE (Semitone) down/up transposes the entire keybed a semitone down/up.
Rear Panel
The rear panel of your keyboard provides the following elements:
1. ON switch: Switches the keyboard on and off.
2. USB-C HOST socket: Connects the keyboard to your computer with the supplied USB-C cable.
3. USB-C Power socket: Allows you to provide additional power to the keyboard if needed. This
socket is for use only if the USB port on your computer or hub/dock cannot provide enough
power to the keyboard. For more information, refer to Connecting the Keyboard to Your
Computer.
4. PEDALS sockets: Connect up to four sustain or expression pedals to the keyboard. For more
information, refer to Connecting Pedals to the Keyboard.
5. MIDI IN/OUT sockets: Connect devices for MIDI control. For more information, refer to
Connecting External MIDI Devices to the Keyboard.
KEYBOARD OVERVIEW 14

5. The Browser
The Browser lets you intuitively explore your Kontakt or Komplete Kontrol libraries directly from
your keyboard. It provides a set of tools that enable you to nd presets with ease, both in your
factory and user content. You can lter by brands, products, banks, musical tags, Favorites and
factory/user presets to narrow your search. You can also audition presets before loading them.
Depending on the connected software (Kontakt or Komplete Kontrol), the Browser on your
keyboard will show presets for different types of objects:
• If the keyboard is connected to Kontakt, you can browse presets for your Kontakt Instruments.
• If the keyboard is connected to Komplete Kontrol, you can browse presets for your Instruments,
Loops, One-shots and Effects.
In the Browser, most workows equally apply to these different object types. Therefore, this
chapter refers to all object types as products: The Browser helps you nd and load presets for your
various products.
For more information on Kontakt Instruments, refer to the Kontakt manual. For more
information on the Instruments, Loops, One-shots and Effects that can be loaded in
Komplete Kontrol, refer to the Komplete Kontrol manual.
Opening the Browser
To open the Browser on the keyboard:
▶Press BROWSER on your keyboard to open the Browser:
→The Browser appears on the display.
Dening Your Search Criteria
This section provides an overview of the search workow in the Browser.
First of all, you will select the slot into which you want to load a preset:
▶Press Button 1 and 2 above the display to navigate to the desired slot: In Kontakt the buttons
will select the next/previous Instrument in your Multi; in Komplete Kontrol they will select the
next/previous slot in the Plug-in chain.
→The selected slot is indicated by the label under Button 1 and 2. You can now dene search
criteria for this slot.
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The Browser for the selected slot (here the Hypha Instrument in Kontakt).
In the right part of the Browser, you see a list of presets called the Results list. This is where
you will later select a preset and load it. The Results list contains all the presets matching your
search criteria. You can adjust the search criteria using the Knobs and Buttons under and above
the display. The Results list will evolve as you modify the search criteria to your needs.
The current number of presets in the Results list is indicated below the list.
A typical browsing workow would include some or all of the following steps. None of these steps
is mandatory, and you can perform them in a different order:
1. Komplete Kontrol only: If the rst slot is selected in your Plug-in chain, press Button 3 and 4 to
choose a product type (Instrument, Loop or One-shot).
2. Turn Knob 1 to select a brand (manufacturer).
3. Turn Knob 2 to select a product. The biggest part of the display shows the available products
as a grid of tiles. The tile for the selected product is highlighted.
4. Turn Knob 3 and 4 to select a particular bank and sub-bank for the selected product, if
available.
5. Turn Knob 5–7 to select Sound Type, Subtype and Character tags describing your presets in a
more musical way.
6. Press Button 5 (User Saved) to switch between factory presets and user presets.
7. Press Button 6 (Favorites) to limit your search to your favorite presets, which you have dened
beforehand using Button 7 (Set Favorite).
→The Results list shows all presets corresponding to the selections you make with these Knobs
and Buttons.
Above the Results list, the labels on a white background remind you the current
product, Sound Type, Sub-type and Character lters that you have selected.
The Browser on your keyboard is always in sync with the Browser in the connected software
(Kontakt or Komplete Kontrol), even if it is not currently displayed in the software: Any change
made in the Browser on the software side will be mirrored on your keyboard, and vice versa.
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