Guide to Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol Keyboards

There are several threads scattered around on the NI S series keyboards and Komplete Kontrol. I thought I would consolidate my findings into a single post in the hope of helping those using or considering buying a NI S series Keyboard.
 
I am only dealing with third party, non NKS  VSTi and Kontakt libraries as there are plenty of reviews and instructional videos that deal with integration with Komplete. This includes a good one by Groove 3. Information on non NKS integration is harder to find.
 
A word of caution some comments in reviews will refer to older versions of the Komplete Kontrol software and comments may not be totally accurate for the latest version. For example some reviews state that arpeggios and scales cannot be output from the KK plugin, this is not the case in the latest version.
 
My comments refer to version 1.5.1
 
General Comments.
When searching for a new controller keyboard, to replace my sick A-Pro 800 it became clear that whatever I bought would be a compromise.  I wanted “synth” type keys, not weighted piano type keys and this ruled out the 88 note versions, but in an ideal world I wanted more than 61 keys. Nothing matched those criteria.
 
As a heavy user of Kontakt the Native Instruments keyboards looked like they would meet my requirements most closely. I was particularly interested in the light guide mapping of keyboard zones.
 
Sometimes the light guide mapping of keyboard zones is a reminder why 61 keys is often too short when an instrument uses keyswitching.  So I will continue to use my AKAI LPK25 mini keyboard to supplement the S61 when I need real time access to keyswitches on certain instruments. Komplete Kontrol seems to handle the second MIDI input OK. Indeed keys on the second keyboard will even operate the scale, arpeggiator and chord modes.
 
The quality of the keyboard seems really good; the key bed feels better than my old A-Pro 800, which is also a nice key bed. My existing M-Audio expression and Hold pedals work without issue, but it worth noting the polarity of the hold pedal is the opposite to my A-Pro 800
 
The perform functions (scale, chord and arpeggio modes) were not on my list of requirements. It all seems to work as advertised and the scale can either be used as a guide or “mapped” so only notes in the scale can be played. I think they should add more scales and chords, (some have suggested user scales and chords).
 
The perform functions could be useful compositional tools, in Sonar chords and arpeggios appear in the MIDI track as the notes you have pressed on the keyboard. If you want the full MIDI it’s available on the MIDI out from the Komplete Kontrol plugin. This can be recorded to a second MIDI track for further editing.
 
Transport Controls in Sonar.
NI documentation indicates the Keyboard should be set up as a MCU surface however I could not get that to work. I found a solution in this thread http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3102650 Setting it up as a VS-100 surface seems to work. I have not tried to set anything up beyond transport controls.
 
Custom Mappings for Non NKS VSTi
Firstly, only 64 Bit VSTis can be loaded in the Komplete Kontrol software. When a VSTi is loaded in Komplete Kontrol the parameters will be assigned to the keyboards encoders. Depending on the VSTi the assignments may or may not be convenient, fortunately you can map your own templates. This video explains how to make custom templates https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIrlLzLEWDw
 
Additionally there is a sticky thread on the NI forums, this is rambling and confusing in places but I found a lot of it to be helpful. Users have posted their templates for a number of popular VSTis. https://www.native-instruments.com/forum/threads/mapping-templates-for-non-nks-plugins.262959/
 
There does not seem to be a way of mapping key zones to the light guide in the Komplete Kontrol software for non NKS VSTis.
 
Mapping non NKS Kontakt Instruments. 
Until a preset has been saved these instruments have to be loaded in edit view. When you switch to edit view the full Kontakt GIU appears. I have not found a way to load an empty instance of Kontakt so I load any Kontakt instrument in the browser, enter edit mode, then delete it an load my chosen non NKS instrument.
 
As long as the developer has chosen to colour any zones or keyswitches on Kontakt’s virtual keyboard the light guide on the keyboard will light up with colours appropriate to the zones.
 
I could not workout how to assign encoders to parameters on Kontakt instruments. Its different to VSTis. B-Righteous provided the answer on the NI forums. “The parameter assignments are using VST host automation parameters.  Kontakt does not have anything assigned to host parameter IDs by default.  You have to open the Kontakt GUI and assign a knob to a host automation ID.  You do this by opening the automation tab in the upper left and dragging an ID to a knob.  Now it will appear as a parameter in KK.”
 
The numeric IDs correspond to the encoder numbers 0-7 are the eight encoders on page 1, 8-15 the eight on page 2 etc. Once mapped you will see a descriptive text under the virtual encoder in KK Software (and below the encoder on the keyboard). This text can be changed by unlocking the plug in panel and enabling editing. Anything too long will be abbreviated automatically.
This has to be done for each NKI you wish to map. I have retained the original NKI for all the ones I have edited saving the new one with a KK suffix.  A bit of thought is needed grouping parameters across the pages but once it’s done and saved in the NKI the mapping will always be recalled when you load the NKI in the KK software. Note that you can skip host parameter IDs and delete the corresponding virtual encoder. (the encoder on the keyboard will be disabled). This can be useful for separating groups of parameters etc.
 
Obviously it is much easier to do this for instruments that use the “snapshot” patch method than those that use multiple NKIs where each one will need to be edited. Of course not all instruments will really benefit from real time knob twiddling.
 
Parameters can be grouped by typing the name of the group on the line above the first encoder in the group. A dividing line is automatically added when you start a new group.
 
Once the host parameter assignments have been done, encoders have been renamed and any unused encoders or encoder pages have been deleted, save the NKI. Now go to the Komplete Kontrol file menu and select "Save As" and save the new pre-set.
  
The pre-set will now appear in the user tab of the KK browser, by default in the Kontakt bank. You can then assign meta data to the pre-set by going to the edit button on the bottom of the browser. This enables you to assign types and modes to aid filtering in the browser. You can also add the vendor name, author name and other comments.
  
I was pleasantly surprised to find I can now browse through the user pre-sets directly from the S61. I had assumed this feature was only available for NKS instruments.
 
See this post for more details inculding some screen shots

 
MIDI mode. 
Here the keyboard acts like any other keyboard controller. The Controller Editor software enables you to set up and load templates.
 
I suspect that a lot of the EastWest libraries will work better in MIDI mode as they rely heavily on keyswitching and that is not KK compatible.
 
It was not difficult to set up templates with key zones so the keyboard light guide can be used in MIDI mode. Of course the template will not change automatically so you need to load the template manually when you change instruments. As zones can be independently transposed it’s possible to transpose the key switches for some of the more awkward instruments such as those that have long gaps of unassigned keys between the switches and regular keys so that all the relevant keys can be displayed on the 61 note board.
 
For each template MIDI cc values can be assigned to each encoder, however unlike KK mode with its 16 pages of 8 encoders in MIDI mode it seems there are just two pages.
 
That's all for now. I may add more if something significant comes to light.
 
Edited 12 Feb - Saving Presets for non NKS Kontakt instruments.
Edited 15 Feb - some small revisions and note on 64 bit VSTi

Post #1 updated - Blue Text

I have made further edits to the first post (in Brown)

Thanks Glyn. Great for you to take notes like that and leave us with your trailblazer bread crumbs to follow.

Just picked up an S49. Thanks for helping to flatten the learning curve.

Another piece of the jigsaw has fallen into place. Its possible to add your own "type" tags in the browser. For example I was able to add "Mellotron" and "String Machine" to the Piano/Keys tag so I don't have to use "other" for these. I have also added electronic piano to seperate things like RMI piano presets from Rhodes and Wurlies and created an e-Grand tag.
 
I have also expanded the plucked strings section and will be working on others.
 
"Banks" for 3rd party Kontakt libraries works for instruments that use presets or snapshots, for example Hollow Sun's RMI Piano. BUT in other cases every NKI becomes its own bank, very messy!

Damn... I had sworn off these controllers. But I have come across one for a VERY reasonable price.... and this post.... bye bye money....

ProjectM
Money gone, package in the mail, bookmarked this thread. Cheers

Watch this space. I have learnt a lot more and I will be adding it when I get the chance.

With all the attention I have given to setting up my Kontakt third party libraries for Komplete Kontrol I had not checked how well the knob twiddeling would be captured in Sonar. Promped by a question on the NI forums where someone was having problems getting it to work in Acid I thought I had better give it a go.
 
No issues. Just enable write automation in the Komplet Kontrol VST header and twiddle away. Seems to work a treat. as long as you remember to enable read automation on playback

Thanks Glyn for all this helpful information, and for the PM's that answered my questions about its MIDI mode and using a regular midi keyboard controller with traditional mod wheels to expand the KK.

Glyn, allow me to thank you for all you're doing here. Highly appreciated.

Just got a new S61 from GC. I am elated.  I had been watching to see if GC or anyone ever discounted it, but sadly I never found the Komplete Kontrol keyboards ever discounted.  Even when GC sent 15% off discount coupons in the past, the NI products were always "excluded."  So this weekend GC sent a coupon for trade-in/trade-ups, and I saw the NI products were not excluded.  I dug out an old used Korg microkey that I used with a laptop now and then (only paid $25 for it on craigslist); I took it to GC expecting them to say "no".  To my surprise they gave me 15% off and a few extra dollars.  I now own a S61 and got it for under $595!!
 
Now I am reviewing this great thread that Glyn has posted and will use it as a guide to get the S61 up and running.