Keyboard Assist Button not working?

Richard Adkins

I'm following along on the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDm624ynDuk) "How to use everything in Kontrol S-Series MK3 MIDI keyboard controller | Native Instruments" on YouTube and when it gets to the part at 38:23 where, with Alicia Keys loaded, it says to push the Play Assist button, nothing happens.

My DAW is Ableton Live 11 Suit running on Windows 11, if that matters. I'm doing things just as the YouTube says I should.

Do I need an update for my Kontrol S88 MKIII, or is there something I may be doing wrong?

Thanks,

Rick

reffahcs

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/135684#Comment_135684

You're fine, I had the same confusion over Kontakt and Komplete Kontrol when I first started.

Kontakt is more than just a program to play instruments, it's a tool that is used to create instruments as well. These are sample based instruments, ie hundreds and hundreds of recordings of (usually, not not always) real instruments and then put together in Kontakt to build a realistic sounding instrument. Kontakt will only play Kontakt instruments, and it's not designed to work with any specific piece of hardware.

Komplete Kontrol as DunedDragon mentioned is specifically designed to work with the Kontrol Series keyboards, although you can actually use it with any MIDI device. It's purpose it to interact with the keyboard in a way that enhances the Kontrol keyboards. Otherwise it's basically a VST player. When you play a Kontakt instrument in Komplete Kontrol it loads Kontakt to play the actual instrument, but it's all transparent to the user to make things simpler.

Hopefully this helps clarify things, I was in the same boat when I first started with NI software.

Cheers

DunedinDragon

It worked just fine for me with the same setup as you describe. I'd suggest going to page 53 in the manual and follow those written instructions word for word. That's what I did and everything worked.

reffahcs

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/26976/keyboard-assist-button-not-working

If you were following along with the video, my guess is that you skipped some of the video and thus missed and important step.

mykejb

Seemed ok here too. Didn't actually read the manual but pushing the Play Assist button switched the keyboard display to show the Scale/Arp settings. This is with a S61 MK3, Komplete Kontrol 3.1.2 loaded into Ableton 11.3.21. Does the Play Assist work if you load Komplete Kontrol standalone?

Richard Adkins

I'll go through the video again and see if I missed a step.

Richard Adkins

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/135636#Comment_135636

Page 49+?

1. Scales

Richard Adkins

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/135641#Comment_135641

YES. If I load Komplete Kontrol standalone, it works. Now to figure out why it isn't working when my DAW is running.

mykejb

Is the Play Assist button dimmed before you press it, and does it go bright afterwards? And you're definitely in PLUG-IN mode when you're pressing the button, not DAW or MIDI mode?

Richard Adkins

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/135681#Comment_135681

It is always dimmed, unless I load Komplete Kontrol standalone.

I'm in PLUG IN mode. The display shows Alicia's Keys. Ect. (not in DAW or Browser)

Richard Adkins

OK, if I load Alicia's Keys via Komplete Kontrol, which is mentioned extremely briefly in the video, instead of Kontakt 7 things DO work as they should. How do I know when to load via Kontakt or Komplete Kontrol? Sigh.

That must be the "key", pun intended.

DunedinDragon

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/135684#Comment_135684

Most of the advanced features of the MK3 actually run inside of the MK3, not in the software plugin. That's why it won't work in Kontakt because KK is specifically designed to work with a keyboard controller rather than Kontakt which is more general purpose. The general features like transport and of course manipulation of the plugin values will all work in Kontakt. But things like the play assist or ARP run from inside the processor of the MK3, not the plugins.

reffahcs

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/135684#Comment_135684

You're fine, I had the same confusion over Kontakt and Komplete Kontrol when I first started.

Kontakt is more than just a program to play instruments, it's a tool that is used to create instruments as well. These are sample based instruments, ie hundreds and hundreds of recordings of (usually, not not always) real instruments and then put together in Kontakt to build a realistic sounding instrument. Kontakt will only play Kontakt instruments, and it's not designed to work with any specific piece of hardware.

Komplete Kontrol as DunedDragon mentioned is specifically designed to work with the Kontrol Series keyboards, although you can actually use it with any MIDI device. It's purpose it to interact with the keyboard in a way that enhances the Kontrol keyboards. Otherwise it's basically a VST player. When you play a Kontakt instrument in Komplete Kontrol it loads Kontakt to play the actual instrument, but it's all transparent to the user to make things simpler.

Hopefully this helps clarify things, I was in the same boat when I first started with NI software.

Cheers

mykejb

Most of the advanced features of the MK3 actually run inside of the MK3, not in the software plugin

Not at the moment - they're provided by Komplete Kontrol, which is why they don't work inside things like Kontakt. The next version of KK is expected to move some of the functionality onto the keyboard itself.

Richard Adkins

I'm still unsure when to use which, Komplete Kontrol or Kontakt 7?

Should l just stick to using Komplete Kontrol for everything? I'd hate that as I've been using Kontakt 7 for ages and love it, as well as I think I know it quite well.

reffahcs

Use Komplete Kontrol when you want to play VSTs while not in a DAW, or you want to use Play Assist. Use Kontakt when playing Kontakt instruments and don't need Play Assist.

mykejb

Komplete Kontrol if you want the Play Assist. If you don't need that you can use Kontakt for any Kontakt based instruments. KK is useful for third party stuff that comes with NKS integration, or for other third party products that you can get hold of NKS presets for.