Korg Nano series (Kontrol, Pad, Keys)

Let me try to break down the steps for you.

***SETTING UP NanoKontrol STRIPS 1-9 (don't forget there are four scenes 9x4=36)***

-Make sure you've done all of the Korg USB and MIDI driver setup stuff outside of Sonar.

-In Sonar go to OPTIONS/MIDI DEVICES and check the box for "nanoKONTROL" (if you don't see it here then you didn't setup step one correctly)

-now go to OPTIONS/CONTROLLERS-SURFACES and click on the small yellow star looking button just down and left of the help button

-when you click on the yellow button you get a SETTINGS box to open. Change the "controller/surface" option to "Cakewalk generic surface" and choose your nanoKontrol in the input and output port options.

-now go to the main screen in Sonar and look at the black box in the top center of the screen and you should see your Cakewalk generic surface listed in that box.

-click on the button to the right of that black box called "controller surfaces properties".

-in the presets box change this name from "cakewalk generic" to something like "KORG NanoKontrol" and click the save button on the right. And remember to always click save after any changes you make in the selections below.

-change the number of strips to 32 (this is the max Sonar will do even though the NANO can do 9x4 with the scenes button). Now each number in the "configure strip number" box (1,2,3,4,5 etc.) corresponds to each strip (fader 1,2,3,4,5 etc.) on the Nano.

-lets setup strip ONE. In "parameter 1" select "Volume" then to the right select the "Controller" option right below "none" and above "NRPN" then CLICK AND HOLD THE LEARN BUTTON WHILE MOVING THE VOLUME FADER ON THE NANO. Now you should see the track ONE fader in Sonar move when you move the fader on the Nano. Go to the top of the box and click SAVE now to save this setting.

-Now go to "parameter 2,3,4,5 etc." and setup the options that you want the same way. I've got "Pan" for parameter two and "Mute" for three and "Record Arm" for parameter four.

-Now to setup strips 2,3,4,5 etc. you need to select "Configure Strip Number" and select the next strip "2" that you want to setup. Set each strip exactly like I showed you in the steps above.

-DONT FORGET TO SAVE these changes to your "KORG NanoKontrol" preset after every change you make.




***SETTING UP THE TRANSPORT CONTROLS (six transport buttons on the Nano)***

-Go to OPTIONS/CONTROLLERS-SURFACES again and now when you click on the small yellow star box, setup an ACT MIDI CONTROLLER. The reason I use ACT instead of the generic controller surface from above is that in the generic each transport setting is assigned to each strip (1,2,3,4,5 etc.). I don't want to set this up 32 times so the ACT controller allows you to have just one setup for the nano's transport buttons.

-Once your "ACT MIDI CONTROLLER" is setup go to the main screen in SONAR and in the black box (top middle center of the screen) select "ACT MIDI CONTROLLER" instead of the generic controller and click the button to the right to open up the properties box.

-Same thing as above, name your preset "KORG nanoKontrol" and click SAVE. Now you have a preset saved.

-Now click on the "OPTIONS" tab. In the "buttons" and "parameter" selection, select "B1" for button one (the nano's transport has six buttons so use B1, B2 , B3 etc.) and select the option you want in the box to the right. I've got "Transport/Rewind" selected for "B1" and "Transport/Stop" for button "B2" ect. I dont use the forward button on the Nano for forward so I assigned it to "bounce to tracks" and the Nano loop button is assigned to open up the "PRV editor". You can assign what ever you want to these buttons.

-Now click on the "Controllers" Tab (top left of box)

-now you should see the options you selected listed in the B1, B2, B3 etc. boxes. Click on box B1. It should now say MIDI LEARN. Click on the nanoKontrol button that you want it to learn to. So for "rewind" click the "rewind" button on the Nano. Shazzzammmmm!!!!!

-Do this for each of the Nano's transport buttons (six of them) and SAVE YOUR PRESET!!!!!



I hope this all made sense to you... This is exactly how I set my NanoKontol up so if you follow the steps it should work just fine. Let me know if you have any problems or questions. : )


*As a side note... If you want your faders on the Nano to stop the SONAR fader at 0db at the top of the slider range then open up the Nano Software and click on each Nano Fader MIDI CC# box and in the "UPPER RIGHT VALUE" option below select "101" instead of "127" for each of the nano's faders. Save your settings and don't forget to go to COMMUNICATIONS/Write Scene Data(set) to get your changes into the NanoKontrol. Changing this range means that when you push all of your NanoKontrol faders all of the way up, they stop at 0db instead of +6db. If you need to go higher on a track then just adjust the fader in Sonar with your mouse.

Thank you very much for a very detailed and accurate instructions. It works like a champ and I am sure it will be appreciated by numerous others. Thanks again. You just lifted a full week of frustration from my shoulders hehehe. :)

Yes I did. I bought all 3 at the same time. I love the nano pad, it works great with my battery3. I also like using it with Dimension Pro and use the pad mapping for effects. The roll and the Flam options do not add much to my drum programming but I guess it would help someone that is not familiar with the note values and drum rudiments. How do you use it with the PVR? Do you have the nano key? I am hoping to figure out how the CC mode works and perhaps use it to control triggers. I am slowly building up my DAW. My next acquisition will be a microphone. I read in the forum that someone got a $40 microphone that out performs some of the more expansive one. I think I am going to buy one and give it a try.

Thank you again for your help on setting up my nanoKontrol. It works great and it is surprising how quickly I've come to depend on it hehe.

What would you recommend for voice and acoustic guitar recording? I was considering a Sterling audio ST55 but it cost $199. I checked into the $40 the forum was refering to but the links are no longer existent. I have no clue when it comes to MIC but I was told that it was a good one for voice and Guitar. Any suggestions?

Hello, all.
Thanks for your informative postings. Would you know how Goblin's instructions would translate when trying to apply them to Sonar 6 Producer? I can't get to the point where I can "-change the number of strips to 32"
The Nano Kontrol doesn't show in the menu after the drivers are installed and the default settings within ACT doesn't appear to allow for exapnding the tracks past 8.
Thanks.
I also can't get some of the other button features to program through ACT like LOOP, F/F MUTE and SOLO.

Happy Holidays!
-Step

Treefight, You can create another controller in sonar with the nano control and have it learn the bus. Here is how I did it.
In sonar, go to console view. Go to OPTIONS/CONTROLLER SURFACES. add another controller (yellow star) and select ACT Midi Controller.
Be sure to select your NanoKontrol as the Input port and output port. Close that window then go to TOOLS menu and select the controller you just created.
In the preset box, select Korg microKONTROL (Scene 7) then change the name to something like Korg Nano Bus control then hit save.
Now, it is time to customize it.
Look for control group and select Bus.
click in R1 (you should see learn...) then rotate your pan#1, you should see value change. Repeat through R8
Click in S1... do the same thing using your slider 1-8. you should see your control change in sonar.
At this point you have the pan and volume for Buses.
I have not yet programed the 2 buttons for buses but my guess would be that you would create another generic controller and assign it different what you like.
I hope that helps you get your buses going.

In Studio six, there is this note, although I'm not sure it translates to the newer version of Sonar.
In the Control surface properties box:
Go to:
Rotaries Mode
Multi Channel--when this button is selected, the rotary knobs control multiple track or bus strips.
Channel Strip--when this button is selected, the rotary knobs control single track or bus strips.

BTW: If you find an ACT file for the Nano, let me know. I need to get all four scenes working PLUS the Mute and SOLO functions.

Treefight, I played around with the controls last night and noticed that while I am looking at the Cakewalk generic interface properties and slelect the busses view, some of the controls show up at the bottom (ie: eq etc). I think there may be a way to set it up to work the busses but I have not figured it out yet.

Thanks for the post.
This was very helpful to get things started.
Just received the Black Nano series (Key, Pad and Kontrol) from Korg.
These are small but very powerful controllers and the Black version looks really nice.

I tried all the suggestions in the other parts of this, but when I do nothing happens. I have the nano pad up and running and drumming away, and the M-Audio Ozone works fine for playing midi instruments, but the knobs do nothing. I've been playing music for 16 years and repairing computers for 10, but combining the 2 has posed some problems since moving beyond cool edit pro I've had some problems. From my knowledge of computers I was wondering if I was going to have to try to give them each a channel to run through before they operate independently or if I'm just really doing it wrong. If anyone can give me a hand I'd appreciate it.

thanks, absolutely great instruction, certainly saved some headaches, very much appreciated!

Can someone HELP ME.. this doesn't work! I've tried your setup and with the PAN knob I'm controllering pan/volume, plus volume doesn't reach to +6 or -INF.. pan only reaches 57% left and 100% right.. Channel 1 doesn't control anything at all. PLEASE HELP

I have a NanoPad, bought it second hand for $35.00 ... This was a great investment. The nice feature about the NanoPad is the X-Y control. I was able to figure out most things before I accidently broke it. One nice feature I found was that I could Program a midi track to "capture" the scene changes to 1,2,3 and 4.
I used the software that came with the controller to download changes to the controller while Cakewalk was capturing the data. They are SYSEX's and can be sent to the controller during song setup.

Gamma Goblin


Let me try to break down the steps for you.

Great post! You saved me a lot of time, thanks!

Marsh


What would you recommend for voice and acoustic guitar recording? I was considering a Sterling audio ST55 but it cost $199. I checked into the $40 the forum was refering to but the links are no longer existent. I have no clue when it comes to MIC but I was told that it was a good one for voice and Guitar. Any suggestions?

Not sure what your budget is, but I recently got an AKG Perception 420(between ~$2-300 online), and it's great. I used it for the demo recording of a new song, and I'm very happy with how it came out.


http://brentodell.com/demos/Truth.mp3  if you'd like to hear it in action.