I'm particularly interested in the S88 but any feedback from fellow Sonar uses about how Sonar intergrates with the NI keyboards in general even if not the S88.

mudgel
I'm particularly interested in the S88 but any feedback from fellow Sonar uses about how Sonar intergrates with the NI keyboards in general even if not the S88.

I'm not sure if Sonar has any other native support beyond the A-Pro series from Roland. I have an A-300PRO and the control surface plugin works well with Sonar.
 
In theory anything that supports Mackie Control protocol can be used with Sonar, but have heard that few manufacturers follow the spec exactly.  Probably the best info you will get on this topic will be from forum user azslow3.  Hopefully he sees your post and checks in here.
 
But if you are a heavy NI Komplete user, it looks like the Kontrol S is the way to roll as far as you main plugins go!

i have the s88 but haven't bothered installing the komplete kontrol driver yet. keybed felt a bit spongy for a bit coming from my old deck (kurzweil pc3x) but it has grown on me. 
 
There are a few users in the forum so i hope someone chimes in with Sonar/NI integration experience

Thanks.

Here you go http://forum.cakewalk.com/Guide-to-Native-Instruments-Komplete-Kontrol-Keyboards-m3368341.aspx
 

The controller apart from looking a bit as a general DAW controller was not thought to work as such:
https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/210280325-Important-Notes-about-KOMPLETE-KONTROL-Host-Integration
 
So "the best" integration possible compare to "other hosts" just include track selection / automatic track selection. Sonar falls into "other hosts" category, so only transport buttons can be used. If default transport buttons behavior is limiting, AZ Controller can extend it: http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,329.0.html (see the attachment at the very end of this thread). That is just "an example", it is possible to add "long press"/"double click"/"keep X pressed and press Y" to open more "slots" for possible actions.

I love my S88. As azslow3 says above, the only thing that isn't integrated into Sonar is automatic track switching, which is, when you change tracks in Sonar, The Komplete Kontrol software detects the change and switches instruments (onscreen) to match. This would requires that Sonar transmit data to the KK software driver when the track changes. It isn't a huge deal (to me). Everything else works great.
 
FWIW, I love the keybed. The aftertouch sensors are where the "sponginess" comes from, but it is not a soft sponginess. More like a hard rubber mat.
 
Regards,
Dan

azslow3
The controller apart from looking a bit as a general DAW controller was not thought to work as such:
https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/210280325-Important-Notes-about-KOMPLETE-KONTROL-Host-Integration
 
So "the best" integration possible compare to "other hosts" just include track selection / automatic track selection. Sonar falls into "other hosts" category, so only transport buttons can be used. If default transport buttons behavior is limiting, AZ Controller can extend it: http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,329.0.html (see the attachment at the very end of this thread). That is just "an example", it is possible to add "long press"/"double click"/"keep X pressed and press Y" to open more "slots" for possible actions.

Once I have the keyboard I'll be in touch about how your software might make intergration a bit better.

Dan. Thanks for sharing your experience. That's the sort of info I was after. I'm coming from a first generation CME UF8 and it's a very heavy touch keyboard with no finesse possible with the keyboards playing characteristics. It was never any type of controller keyboard as the driver was rubbish and promises of updates were never delivered.

dcumpian
I love my S88. As azslow3 says above, the only thing that isn't integrated into Sonar is automatic track switching, which is, when you change tracks in Sonar, The Komplete Kontrol software detects the change and switches instruments (onscreen) to match. This would requires that Sonar transmit data to the KK software driver when the track changes. It isn't a huge deal (to me). Everything else works great.
 
FWIW, I love the keybed. The aftertouch sensors are where the "sponginess" comes from, but it is not a soft sponginess. More like a hard rubber mat.
 
Regards,
Dan

Dan, if you already had an 88 note keyboard would you still get the S88 or would you be happy with the S61.

$400 difference in price is not to be sneezed at but I don't want to end up regretting getting the smaller one. I've got a First version CME UF88 which is getting quite long in the tooth. It doesn't have any real working bells and whistles. Drivers were never updated and were rubbish to start, so any controller use is very poor.

mudgel

dcumpian
I love my S88. As azslow3 says above, the only thing that isn't integrated into Sonar is automatic track switching, which is, when you change tracks in Sonar, The Komplete Kontrol software detects the change and switches instruments (onscreen) to match. This would requires that Sonar transmit data to the KK software driver when the track changes. It isn't a huge deal (to me). Everything else works great.
 
FWIW, I love the keybed. The aftertouch sensors are where the "sponginess" comes from, but it is not a soft sponginess. More like a hard rubber mat.
 
Regards,
Dan

Dan, if you already had an 88 note keyboard would you still get the S88 or would you be happy with the S61.

$400 difference in price is not to be sneezed at but I don't want to end up regretting getting the smaller one. I've got a First version CME UF88 which is getting quite long in the tooth. It doesn't have any real working bells and whistles. Drivers were never updated and were rubbish to start, so any controller use is very poor.

If I had a fully weighted, 88-key midi controller that worked well and felt good to play, I probably would have looked at something without keys altogether that I could stack on top of my keyboard. I was coming from a smaller Triton and really wanted a full 88 keys, as well as aftertouch.
 
But since you are even looking, you likely aren't happy with yours. Not sure I would want two keyboards though.
 
I will say, the velocity curves on the S88 are so much better than what I had available with the Triton. I can play far more dynamically than I ever could with a synth keybed.
 
Regards,
Dan