How to create custom MIDI Templates with Kontrol S MK3

Kontrol S MK3 OS 1.7 was released on August 1st, 2024. This update introduces the ability to create, edit, save, browse, load, export, share, and import MIDI Templates on your device and/or desktop computer.

In addition to Matt Lara's excellent "How to" video, I thought I'd write a community post dedicated to explaining the features, and leave it open for questions, clarifications, and requests. It’s a bit long, so if you prefer a visual guide, you may watch the video here.

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What are MIDI Templates?

A MIDI Template is a file that defines the MIDI configuration of your Kontrol S MK3 keyboard. This file specifies:

• The type of MIDI data sent by each button, knob, pedal, touch-strip, wheel, and keyzone.
• The MIDI channel on which this data should be sent.
• How this MIDI data should be visualized on the keyboard's screen (parameter names, basic iconography, LED color schema, etc.).

Creating and editing custom templates gives users full control over the MIDI behaviors of their keyboard, beyond the factory settings. This is useful for two key scenarios:

1. Default MIDI Template:
   If you only need one configuration or want a generic fallback, you can edit or overwrite the included Default MIDI Template, or create your own. This allows you to define the predictable and consistent MIDI behavior you want for each button, knob, pedal, touch-strip, wheel, and keybed.
2. Specific MIDI Templates:
   If you use multiple external MIDI devices (e.g., hardware synths) or software MIDI devices (e.g., various plug-ins, DAWs), you can create and switch between as many templates as needed for each product, providing instant control.

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Using a MIDI Template

The Kontrol S MK3 always has an active MIDI Template. If you haven’t defined one yourself, it defaults to the factory preset (see image).

As mentioned above, the settings of the active template define the MIDI configuration of each button(s), knob(s), pedal(s), touch-strip, wheel(s) and keyzone(s).

When in NKS mode

• When connected to an NKS-compatible product such as Kontakt 7 (or higher), Komplete Kontrol 3 (or higher), or an NKS-compatible VST hosted inside KK3, the NKS content will override some MIDI configurations (e.g., buttons/knobs) in favor of the NKS 1/NKS 2 experience. However, other MIDI configurations (e.g., pedals, wheels) will persist.
• NKS parameter control offers higher resolution than MIDI 1*, which has a limited range of 128 values in most cases. For instance: adjusting a parameter like Cutoff will be much smoother via NKS than via MIDI.
• If you need to use buttons/knobs in MIDI mode while focused on NKS content, press SHIFT + SETTINGS/MIDI on the Kontrol S MK3 to force it into MIDI mode (see image).

*MIDI 2, which Kontrol S MK3 is generally compatible with, offers high resolution but this is not yet supported by Kontrol, or indeed widely supported by any content, DAWs or operating systems.

When in MIDI mode

• You can press Previous/Next buttons to cycle through the list of Templates or use the Left/Right arrow buttons to navigate through pages within a single template.

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Browse/Load/Manage a MIDI Template

To Browse/Load

• If you used version 1.7, you would have pressed SHIFT+BROWSER on Kontrol S MK3. After receiving feedback, we have revised this. The workflow is simpler, and as follows:
  • To enter MIDI Mode at anytime, just press SETTINGS/MIDI. (To enter SETTINGS, just press the button again when in MIDI Mode.)
  • This takes you to a page where you can browse the list using the Previous/Next buttons or the Large Encoder.
  • Load a template from the list using the Load button or the Large Encoder.

Note: Import/Export options are only available when connected to a computer with NI Hardware Connection Service installed.

To Manage

• You can Duplicate, Delete, or Rename templates directly from the list.
• When Duplicating or Renaming, you’ll be taken to a naming page.
• When Deleting, you’ll be asked to confirm.

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Create a MIDI Template

• When in the MIDI Template Browser, press the New button.
• You'll be taken to the naming page.
• Once you've given it a name, hit the Save button to create the template. You can always rename a template later.

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Edit a MIDI Template On Device

• When in the MIDI Template Browser, press the Edit button.
• Use the first two buttons to cycle between the four elements you wish to configure: Buttons & Knobs, Pedals, Touchstrip and Wheels, Keyzones.

Editing Buttons & Knobs Assignments

Page Management

• You can have up to 16 pages of Buttons and Knobs Assignments.
• To Add a page, press SHIFT + Add.
• To Duplicate a page, press SHIFT + Duplicate.
• To Move a page, press SHIFT + Move.
• To Delete a page, press SHIFT + Delete.

Button Assignments

• Use the Large Encoder (indent left/right/up/down) to select which Button to Assign (highlighted).
• For a selected button you may define the following:
  • Name
    • Press the Rename button to provide a Button name
  • Type
    • Control Change/Program Change/Note
  • MIDI Channel
    • 1 thru 16: the MIDI Channel on which Note and Aftertouch data will be transmitted
  • Number/Note
    • The CC value or Note number to be transmitted (does not apply to Program Change)
  • Modes and Values
    • Toggle: In this mode, the Button has two states, On and Off. If you press once, it switches to the On state — if you press again, it switches to the Off state. This can be useful for example for activating some effect, then deactivating it later. This is usually the default mode. In this mode, you find two numeric fields: Off Value defines the value for theOff state (from 0 to 127, 0 by default), and On Value defines the value for the On state (0 to 127, 127 by default). For the Note message type, since the Off state is predefined (it’s the MIDI Note Off message), you find instead a single Value parameter defining the velocity of the MIDI Note On message.
    • Gate: This mode is equal to Toggle with the difference that the state is active for the time the Button is depressed. In Toggle mode the state is activated until the next time the Button is pressed again
    • Trigger: In this mode, only one message is sent when you hit the Button. There are no On or Off states. For example, this can be useful for switching to another program (preset, patch…) or for triggering one-shot samples (e.g. drum sounds or any other envelope controlled sounds). In this mode, you thus find only one numeric field called Value, defining the value to be sent when you hit the control element. It goes from 0 to 127 (127 by default).
    • Incremental: In this mode you can configure the press of a Button to step through a list of values by choosing the size of the jump (e.g. 1-2-3-4-5, 2-4-6-8-10 or 3-6-9-12-15), and whether or not the values wrap around back to the beginning, or stop when they reach their minimum or maximum. Useful for cycling lists, or stepping through values.
  • Color
    • Define a color choice from a preset range of options.

Knob Assignments

• Use the Large Encoder (indent left/right/up/down) to select which Knob to Assign (highlighted).
• For a selected Knob you may define the following:
  • Name
    • Press the Rename button to provide a Knob name
  • Type
    • Control Change/Program Change
  • MIDI Channel
    • 1 thru 16: the MIDI Channel on which the CC or PC data will be transmitted
  • Number
    • The CC value that should be transmitted (does not apply to Program Change)
  • Modes and Values
    • Absolute: The most common MIDI CC assignment, this sends absolute values within the minimum/maximum range specified.
    • Relative*: Relative mode sends out values with a semantic meaning of +/-1, using 127 and 1 to represent +1/-1 to compatible software or hardware. You may also define the step size.
    • Relative Offset*: Relative mode sends out values with a semantic meaning of +/-1, using 65 and 63 to represent +1/-1 to compatible software or hardware. You may also define the step size to a value other than +/-1.

*This is a very specific implementation that should only be used if the parameter you're mapping to supports it (see that manufacturer's documentation to find out whether to use relative or relative offset mode, and the specified step value). In many cases, this is unsupported, and Relative mode cannot be arbitrarily used.

• Display Modes

Display modes allow you to remap/modify how a range of 0 to 64 to 127 is shown on the keyboard as follows:

• Integer: displays the value numerically, and in a standard fashion, 0 to 127 (from left to right).
• Bipolar Integer: displays the range numerically, from -64 to 0 (center) to +63.
• %: displays the range as a %, from 0 to 50 (center) to 100%.
• Bipolar %: displays the range as a % from -100 to 0 (center) to +100%.
• Bipolar 50: displays the range as a % from -50 to 0 (center) to 50%.
• General MIDI Volume dB: displays the range in dB per the MIDI spec, from -inf to -12dB to 0dB

Editing Pedals

• Pedal settings are now part of MIDI Templates.
• For info on how to configure these, refer to the Pedal Settings on page 79 onward in the Kontrol S MK3 manual.

Editing Touchstrip and Wheels

• Touchstrip and Wheel settings are now part of MIDI Templates.
• For info on how to configure these, refer to the Touchstrip and Wheels Settings on page 82 onward in the Kontrol S MK3 manual.

Editing Keyzones

• When in the Keyzones page, you may press Add a new Keyzone, or Remove to delete the currently highlighted Keyzone.
• If you have more than one Keyzone, push the Large Encoder left or right to switch between them.
• For a selected Keyzone, you may define the following:
  • Type
    • Off: Keyzone is inactive and will not transmit any MIDI
    • Note: Keys in the Keyzone are active and will transmit Note On/Off and (if applicable) Aftertouch messages
  • MIDI Channel
    • 1 thru 16: the MIDI Channel on which Note and Aftertouch data will be transmitted
  • Transposition
    • -127 to +127: the semitone or half note by which you'd like keys to be offset
  • Velocity
    • Global/Soft 1/2/3/, Linear, Hard 1/2/3: the velocity response you'd like that particular keyzone to have. Note that the Kontrol S MK3's Global velocity response is also indicated, and may be selected by default.
  • Keyzone Range (Low to high)
    • C2 thru G8: you can define any range within these MIDI note limits
  • Keyzone Color
    • Define a color choice from a preset range of options. Note that the Kontrol S MK3's Global Color selection is also indicated, and may be selected by default.

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Save a MIDI Template

• MIDI Templates save changes instantly, in real-time. There is no need to manually save, and no concept of Undo/Redo or Cancel without Save. Pressing the Done button simply exits Edit mode, preserving the current template settings.

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Import/Export a MIDI Template

• Ensure you’re connected to a computer with NI Hardware Connection Service running.
• Navigate to the MIDI Template browser by pressing SHIFT + BROWSER.
• To Import:
  • Press Import. A window will pop up on your computer where you can add or drag/drop multiple MIDI Templates.
  • Once your selection is complete, send them to your keyboard, and they will appear in the list.
• To Export:
  • Press Export. Select the templates you wish to export from your keyboard.
  • Continue, and a window will pop up on your computer where you can define the folder location for the exported templates.

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Edit a MIDI Template on your computer

• We have intentionally left the format open. MIDI Template files can be edited in any plain text editor, as demonstrated in Matt Lara's video. This allows for faster edits, bulk naming, and the introduction of non-standard characters not available on-device.

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Add custom artwork to a MIDI Template

• Users may now add custom artwork to their MIDI Templates. Note: this is available as of version 1.8. If you do not see version 1.8 of the firmware and NI Hardware Connection Service available yet, it will hit your account soon.
• Convert the image to base64 encoded text with a free tool like this: Base64 Image Encoder 
• Copy the output from the free tool and paste into the MIDI template .kmt file as shown below. Note that "hide_template_name" is set to true.

• Save, and then Import the MIDI Template to your device.

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FAQ

"What is a .kmt file?"

• Kontrol S MK3 saves MIDI Templates in an open, editable text format. .kmt stands for Kontrol MIDI Template. Although we do not provide official support for this, the more technically inclined will find these files can be edited in any plain text editor for greater flexibility and custom characters.

"Why can't I access the MIDI Template functionality on my Kontrol S MK3?"

• It is possible you're running outdated software on your device.
• Please ensure you have installed Kontrol S MK3 OS 1.7.6 or higher, via the provided link.
• Please ensure you have installed NI Hardware Connection Service 1.7.6 or higher, via Native Access 2.
• See the following article for additional troubleshooting.

"Why don't I see the Import/Export option on my Kontrol S MK3?"

• For this to appear, Kontrol S MK3 must be connected to your computer via USB.
• Additionally, NI Hardware Connection Service must be updated (see above) and running. Check your Activity Monitor/Task Manager to ensure NI HCS is running.
• If not, unplug Kontrol S MK3, plug it in and turn it on again.
• If it is running already, try killing/stopping the process, and reopening as described.

"Why can't I send MIDI out via the 5 pin DIN port at the same time as using MIDI over USB?"

• This is a current limitation due to timing and sync issues.
• You can use either MIDI via DIN or USB, but not both simultaneously.
• We hope to resolve this in future.

"How do I set up NRPN?"

• NRPN (Non Registered Parameter Numbers) refers to non-standardized MIDI CC messages. Manufacturers can use these non-registered numbers any way they wish, they just need to document the usage, so that users can themselves use it.
• Kontrol S MK3 all standardized messages, but does not yet support NRPN messages.

"When I change a parameter value directly on my synth, will this change to the parameter value be reflected on the Mk3 display?"

• Yes! If your instrument sends the updated MIDI value for a parameter then it will be reflected on the Kontrol S MK3. Please consult your DAW manual to ensure that remote MIDI control is enabled for the Kontrol S MK3 output port.