S88 MK3 - Help

L36.Sounds · 2025-08-10T20:06:22+00:00

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I am having difficulties getting sound out of my S88.

Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t.

Do I need to load Komplete Kontrol or Knotakt 8 or both to get any sounds out of the keyboard?

I have tried running both KK & K8 separately and together sometimes I get sound sometimes I don’t…. I’m getting frustrated and wanting to return it to the shop as not happy.

Have installed NA and added all serial number and downloaded and installed everything.

I’m new to this.

Any help appreciated.

thank you.

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Uwe303

Hello,

please read all info or watch some tutorials, normally you can play any instrument with the keyboard, it just sends midi note information and some other controllers ever vst instrument understands. If you use kk or kontakt you will have a much better experience, cause everything is mapped in groups of 8 encoders, you can browse all presets no matter what instrument (if they are nks ready). So if you open kk or kontakt stand alone what is not working or if you open an vst instrument in your daw or kk or kontakt what is exactly not working. Do you have a midi signal on the instrument track, normally there is an indicator showing midi signal.

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/47115/s88-mk3-help

Do I need to load Komplete Kontrol or Knotakt 8 or both to get any sounds out of the keyboard?

The Kontrol S88 Mk3 keyboard is an advanced Midi controller that sends Midi data and it does not make any sounds by itself. The sounds are produced by the software that is running on the computer.

Part of the keyboard being an advanced Midi controller is that if you have the Komplete Kontrol 3 app or the Kontakt 7 or 8 started as a standalone app or loaded as a plugin on a track in your DAW then the keyboard is capable of communicating directly with the Komplete Kontrol app or the Kontakt app using the keyboards built in N.I. Direct Connection technology which will also allow you to use the keyboard display when browsing sounds from running the app on the computer.

If the Komplete Kontrol 3 or the Kontakt 7 or 8 is NOT started as a standalone app or not loaded as a plugin on a track in your DAW then the keyboard is in pure Midi mode where it acts only as a Midi 1.0/2.0 controller (depending on keyboard setting).

Also the above mentioned functionality of course require that the keyboard has been correctly installed / setup on the computer. Reference : How to set up your Kontrol S-Series MK3

Please consult he manual on the downloads page , the Kontrol S-Series MK3 keyboard Learn page and the Kontakt 8 manual on the download page to learn more and to understand better.

mykejb

Running KK or K8 standalone should always get you sounds, as long as you have the MIDI settings correct. By default the keyboard MIDI isn't enabled so you have to go into the Preferences setting and enable it.

If you've done that and you're still not getting sounds when you're running standalone let us know and we can dive deeper.

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