How do I use all my VST instruments through Komplete Kontrol

Mwahlbeck

Hi! I have the Komplete A49 and I especially love using the key and chord and arpeggio feature.

But those features only work with Komplete Kontrol. Any time I load a different instrument in my DAW those features on the hardware are not available. How do I get my A49 to properly work with ALL my VST libraries. I would love to use the key feature (main reason I bought this) for all my libraries

skolarr

As far as I know, Komplete Kontrol will only work with VSTs that are NKS compatible (or those that have been formatted by a user to work with Komplete Kontrol). If your VSTs are NKS compatible, then you won't have to do anything. They will automatically load into Komplete Kontrol. Non-NKS VSTs will not automatically work with Komplete Kontrol. In that situation, you will either have create your own user library for that VST, which means manually loading each preset and parameter into Komplete Kontrol (that can take considerable time, especially if you have a lot of VSTs) or see if someone has already created a user library for that VST. You can find a lot of user libraries on this forum. You may be able to find some of you VSTs have a library created by a NI user so that you won't have to go through the trouble of having to create your own.

Mwahlbeck

Thanks! That gives me great insight. I notice some VSTs also don’t work on my macOS M1 so I’ll keep all this in mind.

Kymeia

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/28745/how-do-i-use-all-my-vst-instruments-through-komplete-kontrol

The Play Assist features (chords, scales etc) should work with any plugin that is loaded in Komplete Kontrol whether it is NKS compatible or not.

Check out the NKS User Library for information on how to map your own plugins to be controllable using the Keyboard knobs and create your own NKS, almost any plugin can be used with NKS features in Komplete Kontrol and many plugins have user made mappings already

https://community.native-instruments.com/categories/nks-user-library

denisbkk

You could also have the Komplete Kontrol standalone software running in the background. Don't load any plugin, just leave it empty, just open the arp, chord etc. functions, those will still work even when no plugin is loaded in KK. You can basically route anything through the standalone and then be able to use the arp/chord features in any other software that you send midi from KK to. You could even route hardware through it to use those features.

Mwahlbeck

Ok I must just be doing something wrong. The buttons on the A49 don’t work on any midi instrument except Komplete Kontrol. For example, if I load a VST plugin in an instrument track in Pro Tools or Logic Pro, the keys on the keyboard work fine but none of the mod buttons or key or browse.

the moment I change that instrument to Komplete Kontrol, suddenly everything magically works.

Kymeia

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/146538#Comment_146538

Yes the plugin actually either has to be loaded into Komplete Kontrol, not just controlled by the keyboard, or do what denisbkk said and route the MIDI out to the plugin (but then you would lose the more detailed control benefits of NKS)

Mwahlbeck

And what is the difference between Kontakt 7 Player and Komplete Kontrol? When I load either of them they show the same instruments?

im trying to understand this because there are a bunch of VST instruments I want to buy but im not sure what I have. Because in some tutorials, I see that third-party instruments automatically load with their images but that is not happening on my computer. I have to manually pick certain instruments, and other instruments it can’t even find.

I just don’t wanna waste money on a bunch of things I can’t even use

Kymeia

And what is the difference between Kontakt 7 Player and Komplete Kontrol? When I load either of them they show the same instruments?

The difference is what you asked about in this thread title, Komplete Kontrol loads plugins as well as Kontakt and Reaktor libraries, Kontakt only loads Kontakt libraries