I am trying to find out what is and is not possible with the Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol hardware.

If I use Vienna Ensemble Pro to host some of my Kontakt instruments is there a way to still use Komplete Kontrol functions mainly the LightGuide? The ability to view keyswitches being one of the handiest options.

From what I understand for Komplete Kontrol to use its LightGuide functions the Kontakt instrument must be loaded inside a Komplete Kontrol plugin wrapper. However loading Kontakt via VEP in a DAW requires using the server plugin.

I doubt that I could load VEP server plugin inside the Komplete Kontrol plugin. Theoretically could you load the Komplete Kontrol software on the slave computer with Kontakt loaded inside that?

Has anyone got both VEP and Komplete Kontrol? Have you got it working together, or is it impossible?

Yeah I thought that too. However NI reckon the keyboard must be connected directly to the computer with Komplete Kontrol loaded, so that rules out using with any Kontakt instruments on a Slave.

Whether it would work on the DAW computer that is using VEP is another matter.

Not sure I want to spend a load of money to find out not!

Everythings always compromises...

Shame because having a visual indicator for the Keyswitches and other Keys would be really handy.

In October Native Instruments updated Komplete Kontrol to 1.5, which also opened up the world to third party developers to start implementing the updated NKS format with their instruments to support Light Guide and full controller assignment.

I got the new Komplete Kontrol S88 keyboard and I'm loving it. The Light Guide and all the controller assignments are great! So of course I got excited to incorporate Komplete Kontrol into my orchestral template in Logic and open up all the possible keyboard integrations. So I set out to do a test. :)

My orchestral template in Logic Pro X 10.2 has 148 tracks. It uses Vienna Ensemble Pro 5 Server (on the same machine) and has all of these tracks connect to 8 instances of Vienna Ensemble Pro which host a lot of Kontakt instruments. The total load time of this session is relatively short (40 seconds) as Logic just connects to VEP and only really has to focus on loading all the mixer plugins.

So I created a whole new session where instead of using VEP to host my entire orchestra I loaded all the instruments individually inside of Logic in individual instances of Komplete Kontrol. All with an identical mixing setup. Well, as expected, the load time on this session was drastically huge: 3 min 15 sec.

So.... yeah. Not great. I want to keep using Vienna Ensemble Pro, because it makes my workflow much faster. However, I also REALLY want to use all the Komplete Kontrol software/hardware integration functions. Unfortunately at this point in time, it's one or the other.

Do we know if VSL is planning on updating VEP to integrate with KK and let us get the best of both worlds?

Well I took the plunge and got an S61. I did it with the intention of only using it with Keyswitch instruments outside of VEP and keeping my 1 track/1 articulation tracks via VEP.

However my only gripe is that I still have to move the register up/down to see many keswitches as 61 keys is still not enough to see them visible (I could not go 88 key as I have it in an under desk pull out and 88 would be way too wide for my setup).

So nice but not as practical as I had hoped, might have to settle for playing in an octave lower thwen transposing or doing keyswitches on a second pass!

As far as VEP integration not tried yet, but was hoping loading VEP inside KK then connecting to a server would work. But I suppose thats too much?

VSL need to work on this as their market might start to dry up a bit if you cannot use with KK. I think their market is already reducing as some Pro Composers are already ditching slave setups to 1 powerful Mac (I know guys like Christian Henson and John Powell are doing this as seen their studio setups on Spitfire Audio's Creative Cribs blog).

To make it short, you say when you press "shift + Instance" VI are complettly compatible with KK !

Parameters, light guide, keyswitches ....

Strange ! because VSL did not advertise to have modify VI and VE so it is compatible with KK

VSL have to modify VI and VE to send to KK the parameter's name, the key switches.......

It would be a great new !

Paul can you confirm ?

Originally Posted by: Janicek

the Controls are reserved for Kontakt, Maschine and Reactor instruments.

No It is also working with : (VSL please do not stay behind)

Confirmed partners using NKS technology

• Lounge Lizard EP-4
• Strum GS-2

• V Collection 4
• Matrix-12 V
• Solina V
• VOX Continental-V
• Spark 2
• modular V
• mini V
• ARP 2600 V
• Prophet-V
• CS-80 V
• Jupiter-8V
• Oberheim SEM V
• Wurlitzer-V

• Kwaya

• Cinematic Studio Strings
• Cinematic Studio Piano R

• Session Keys Grand Y
• Session Keys Grand S
• Session Keys Electric R
• Session Keys Electric S

• Leonid Bass

• GRAVITY
• Natural Forces
• Vocalise
• DM-307
• AEON Collection
• AEON Rhythmic
• AEON Melodic
• Master Sessions: Ensemble Drums
• Master Sessions Ethnic Drum Ensembles
• Master Sessions: Ensemble Metals
• Scoring Guitars

• Super Audio Cart

• Drum Direktor Cinematik

• Evolution Dracus
• Evolution Flatpick 6
• Evolution Steel Strings
• Evolution Strawberry
• Evolution Modern Nylon
• Evolution Stratocaster
• Evolution Rick 12
• Evolution Sitardelic

• REV X-LOOPS
• REV
• Signal
• Exhale

• Hummingbird

• Orchestral Essentials 1
• Swing!
• Symphobia 1
• Symphobia 2
• Lumina

• SubBoomBass
• Blue 2
• Raw
• Blade
• RG

• Cinematic Guitars Organic Atmospheres

• Heartbeat

• Array Mbira
• The Attic
• Box Of Tricks
• Broken Wurli
• Balinese Gamelan 2
• The Conservatoire Collection
• Clav
• EP73 Deconstructed
• Geosonics
• Glassworks
• Grand Marimba
• Haunted Spaces
• Hammersmith LE
• Hammersmith Pro
• Konkrete
• Novachord
• Ondes
• Ondioline
• Pan Drums
• Vibraphone
• Xbow Guitars
• Xtended Piano

• Archetype

• Tutti Vox
• Capriccio
• Sotto
• Orchestral Series – Woodwinds Ensemble

• Olympus Elements

• Chamber Strings
• Spitfire North 7 Vintage Keys

• Cyclop
• Factory

• Diva

• Arps
• Pads

• Aeris Vocal Designer

• Sparkle
• IRON

• Nave
• Largo
• PPG Wave 3.V
• Waldorf Edition 2

• XILS 4
• Syn'X 2
• PolyKB II

Originally Posted by: Janicek

Yes correct, however most of those are Kontakt based libraries (but thats not the point).

What I meant was that my method confirms you can access NKS functions (if the instrument has them) on a Komplete Kontrol hosted instrument, which Native Instruments could not confirm.

My point was that you need to press Shift and Instance buttons on the hardware keyboard to wake up the device to make it display NKS controls and Lightguide.

It just seems that something about hosting it inside VEP stops the Track Focus updating properly automatically. In my DAW Logic a regular Komplete Kontrol instance inserted into a instrument track will properly switch into NKS mode when the track is selected, but not this way.

But at least it works, pity Komplete Kontrol forces you to use one instance per instrument, there is no way to make a multi, so a bit of a waste in resources and means in VEP you must have one instance per track.

The KK will work with any AU but on limited bases, no keyswitching ......

I created a blank Logic project and added a few instances of VEP server. In each VEP project I added a KK instance, then I connected them up in Logic.

So normally in Logic when you switch tracks with KK inside Logic, the keyboard updates to each instrument (otherwise known as Track Focus).

However although all VEP connected KK tracks play correctly when selected, there is no Track Focus. The workaround is to either click the keyboard symbol on the VEP project relating to that track or press the Instance button on the keyboard. Both bring VEP to the front on monitor.

I have 2 monitors, but use both for my DAW choosing to display the Arrange window in one and various editor windows in the other. This means that when VEP comes to the front, I then have to manually switch back to the DAW after switching Instance in the KK popup window. Not workable in a large project and tedious.

Does anyone know a way to switch focus back to the DAW on a Mac using a shortcut or using the KK keyboard? Or a way to retain Track Focus inside VEP?