Can I control external midi hardware (hard synths) with the MIDI OUT from Kontrol S61?

Gary J

I want to control both my virtual synths and my hardware synths at the same time with Kontrol M61. Connecting the MIDI OUT to a hardware synth does nothing. Why does it have a MIDI OUT if it doesn't work? Any help would be appreciated.

Orfu2003

Hi. There are a number of threads that deal with this issue. The long and the short of it is that when the controller is connected to, and powered over USB the MIDI din is effectively disabled. To control hardware directly with the Kontrol keyboard, you have to disconnect the “host” USB cable and power it via the “power only” USB port next to it. It is currently limited to very basic functionality, and only one default template (basically keys, pitch and mod. ) NI said they were “aiming” to provide a firmware update in the first half of this year that will allow custom templates.

Orfu2003

Hi. There are a number of threads that deal with this issue. The long and the short of it is that when the controller is connected to, and powered over USB the MIDI din is effectively disabled. To control hardware directly with the Kontrol keyboard, you have to disconnect the “host” USB cable and power it via the “power only” USB port next to it. It is currently limited to very basic functionality, and only one default template (basically keys, pitch and mod. ) NI said they were “aiming” to provide a firmware update in the first half of this year that will allow custom templates.

Gary J

Thanks for your input! Seems silly that a keyboard controller with physical MIDI In/Out connectors won't function as an integrated unit. Just about any controller on the market with MIDI connectors and USB can control software and hardware synths/instruments at the same time. This isn't new. NI should have had this long established functionality as a basic feature of their Kontrol keyboards. Hope they can figure it out and make it a part of a future update.

Maciej Repetowski

It is my understanding that you can direct MIDI data to physical MIDI Out in your sequencer (the keyboard works as MIDI I/O interface). At least on Mac, Mk3 controllers show up as 3 separate MIDI I/O ports: Main I/O, DAW I/O and EXT I/O. I presume (I don't have any hardware synths) that if you choose to send MIDI data to EXT Midi Output, it should control external synth or module, connected via MIDI cable. Worth a shot, I guess.

What does not work is keyboard working in standalone (MIDI, without DAW) mode and sending simultaneously data to USB C and MIDI Out, it's either or.

Midi interface functionality is there, I've just checked and confirmed with Logic Pro External Instrument plugin - one can select EXT Output as MIDI destination.