Seeking advice on keyboard combo to control Logic Pro 11 & NI Komplete Ultimate 15

OneResilientVet

Happy New Year to all & I wish God's blessings to every reader!

I'm getting back into music production and have been acquiring some gear. Currently have Apple MBP M2 Max, Logic Pro 11, Komplete Ultimate 15, Apollo Twin X Duo Gen 2, DT 770 Pro X headphones, Maschine MK3.

I'm looking for a weighted keyboard and also would like to have the controls for the DAW and NI Software. I was initially looking to buy the M-Audio Hammer 88 Pro. Yet after reconnecting with an old friend who owns a S49 (think it's the mk3), he mentioned the value of having the NI KK series for the benefit of the software control. After a more research… LoL. Now I'm considering a combo of either New/Used gear in order to have the weighted feel and software control. As I don't know if the S88 is the best route, and it appears better to have a combo for the versatility in keybeds, features, and DAW/software control. I was thinking of a double tier setup with 88 key on the bottom and 49 key above. Some of the options I was considering were:

• Older Synth like Yamaha KX88 or Roland M50
• M-Audio Oxygen Pro 49, NI A49, NI KK S49 mk2 / mk3

• M-Audio Hammer 88 pro
• NI A49, KK S49 mk2 / mk3

Of course there's many options for a combo, but just sharing some ideas for clarification. I'm also looking to add a synthesizer rack for other sounds that I like.

Some of the things I was considering to determine my decision was the features included in the oxygen pro series that seem very handy, since I don't currently play the keys well or know music theory.

• Smart Chord mode enables playing of enharmonic or custom chord voicings
• Smart Scale mode eliminates wrong notes making it easy to craft a perfect song
• Arpeggiator with Type, Octave, Gate and Swing controls

According to what I could find online, both the a49 and s49 comes with all these features, not sure if that's only in the mk3 version. I've read some mixed reviews in NI discussions about the issues with the s49 mk3, it almost seems like the mk2 might be better. Though maybe all the issues will sort out with future updates.

Also, from all the research I've done, a main theme has been, "You really have to try the gear out to know if you like the feel"… So I'm trying to narrow down some options for a focused search. And cost is surely a factor, as I initially intended to keep things on the lower end, yet I'll be moving overseas in the summer to an island, so I decided I don't mind spending a little more, maybe $1200. Especially if it means I can get 2 keyboards (one likely used, if not both) that offer me a solid setup that'll last 7-10 years before I have to consider the extra cost of shipping abroad to an island.

I also considered that if the NI A49 or S49 mk2/mk3 can do all the same things as the M-Audio Hammer 88 Pro (in addition to NI software control), possibly it's better to chose one of them and go with a different option for the 88 keybed.

I appreciate your support and advice. Thanks for taking the time to read and hopefully the information shared helps many more.

Kymeia

Only the Kontrol MkIII has smart play built in (note the ARP feature is still in beta), and also has the best integration with Komplete. It’s not perfect but nothing is.

However it doesn't yet allow for custom chords - try Komplete Kontrol which is free to see if the scale and chord options work for you

OneResilientVet

Kymeia,

Thanks for sharing some insight. I tried out Komplete Kontrol just using my laptop and it was difficult vs having a controller to really see how it works. However I found this video I'll share here that actually demonstrates the core capabilities of those features of smart Scales & Chords, along with the Arpeggiator.

Unable to post links so this video is on YouTube:

How to Use Komplete Kontrol Light Guide with Scale, Chord, & Arpeggiator Mode [ Keyboard Tutorial ] - 16 min.

I'm trying to understand how these features work as it appears that they're only able to be used when Komplete Kontrol software is open. I'm not sure if this is necessarily a problem, unless there's a clear work around. Let's say I want to control a rack synth, while using these features, but playing the keys on another MIDI controller or Synthesizer. Is it possible to run the signal in such a way to make this happen?

From what I understand if the all of the controllers have USB, for example, Motif Rack, KK S61 MK2, and Roland A-88, then could this be routed in your software or MIDI cables, to have the sounds you want, style of play you desire and the keys you want?

Because if this is true, than I don't really need to look at another controller, however it it's not, than it appears the S61 mk2 may be out of the running. As for the mk3 you mentioned, it seems like a bad option if you're going to work with a Maschine device, seeing that they removed the controls on the keyboard. However I'm still researching these things to know what are the "ultimate" abilities/limitations so I understand the full picture before buying.

Kymeia

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/203209#Comment_203209

The scale etc functions (smart play) are now mostly added to the MkIII (just ARP is still in beta) in the hardware so you won't need to just have Komplete Kontrol for those functions. Or another controller to work with MIDI hardware as that is also being added.

As to Maschine, tbh NI keyboards have never been well integrated with Maschine because it doesn't support aftertouch, the loss of the MkII Man dedicated buttons is a problem for some here for sure, but on the other hand the MkIII gains NKS2 support for performance (but not browsing although I am hoping that will come). So it's win some, lose others really but overall I still prefer the MkIII although it is far from perfect.

One area where the MkII does still shine though is in accessibility support - that is still on the roadmap for the MkIII