Native Instruments Midi Controllers & Cakewalk

[Nobletonmusic]

I was curious about the feel of the keyboard used in the more expensive S-series controllers, compared to the A-Series. I was able to play a S-49. The feel is really great for a velocity sensitive keyboard. I have not found any of the A-series to try out. At the site they talk about Pro-Grade Fatar keybeds in the S-series.. In the specs for the A-61 they call the keyboard "custom NI keyboard". I read an article from Oct 2018, where the designers talked about the A-Series. They mentioned staying away from that plasticky feel. "It’s a proper semi-weighted keybed with a bespoke design using a weight and spring mechanism, built in the same way as keyboard models that are usually in much higher price brackets." I'm wondering if the keyboard of the A-series feel the same as the S-series ?

Would anyone know? Thanks.

[Nobletonmusic]

Wow, Craig .. you are the expert in all things CbB and digital recording in general. I remember reading your articles way back when I first started using Cakewalk. Not sure if you would go back as far as my first Cakewalk product Cakewalk 6, but certainly I remember you from the Sonar days.

I look forward to reading your article and learning even more about Komplete Kontrol & CbB integrations. I will check out the links you posted.

Thank you so much. That goes for everyone who has contributed to this post, that started by me simply wanting to know, if I bought a Komplete Kontrol midi interface would it work well enough with CbB?

Edited December 31, 2019 by Nobletonmusic

[Pluto Gabo]

On 12/31/2019 at 1:10 PM, Craig Anderton said:

I've been playing with it some more, and found out how to use some of the DAW functions as well, as well as assign buttons to features like screensets and views. It's too much info to put in a post, so I'm going to write up a complete description for my Cakewalk column in Sound on Sound magazine.

Hi Craig! With MIDI-OX, is it possible to reprogramme a Roland DP-10 pedal with CC messages to allow for half-pedalling (or half-damper) when using a Roland A800-Pro midi controller? I don't think the A800 natively supports half-pedalling and I'm hoping MIDI-OX could provide a work around. Thanks to anyone who might have the solution!

[Alio Loco]

I have just purchased an NI A61. 

The keyboard is working but the transport controls &  all knobs etc are not.
Can anybody at all help me with A61/Cakewalk integration? I feel so alone.

I just need to know if there are preferences I can change for my keyboard to work properly? Or have I made a huge mistake?
Even if there is a way for me to individually bind buttons and knobs.

Thanks,
Alex

[corta arterias]

Hi im new at DAWs and MIDI. How do i get my Komplete Kontrol mido A49 to work. ? Im so lost

 

[scott kawasaki]

Hi Folks - this is very helpful and I'm making a decision on whether to get a Yamaha MX49 or Komplete a49. 

with Craig's suggestion above, does this mean that the transport controls on the a49 like record, quantize, loop, etc...will work with Cakewalk as well?

[Donnieb]

On 12/30/2019 at 4:15 PM, Craig Anderton said:

HEY!! You  CAN use the Komplete Kontrol keyboard as a general purpose MIDI controller with Cakewalk! (At least I was able to do so with my S49 Mk2). Cakewalk's MIDI Device preferences should check ALL Komplete Kontrol Options: -1, EXT-1, and DAW.

Install MIDI-OX,  open it, leave it open, and  under Options > MIDI Devices,  choose Komplete Kontrol - 1  for MIDI Input and Komplete Kontrol EXT-1 for MIDI output.  If you choose the Komplete Kontrol -1  input for MIDI, you can have instruments and such respond to the MIDI.

You can even switch back and forth between controlling an instrument loaded in  Komplete Kontrol, and something that's just loaded as an instrument in Cakewalk.  To control  a Cakewalk instrument (or effect), press the keyboard's MIDI button, and choose Komplete Kontrol -1 for the input.

To get back to Komplete Kontrol, press the Plug-In button.  Now the knobs control the instrument in Komplete Kontrol.  Is this cool, or what?

Hey Craig.  Thanks for all you do in this forum!  You're truly an expert! 

Question: I tried your solution for my NI Komplete Kontrol M32, and I get an error message that there isn't enough memory to install the M32 as an output device.  I have 32GB of RAM and I'm definitely not getting close to using it all...I'm wondering if you've had experience with this before. 

Thanks

Donnie

 

[user 905133]

@DonniebAre you talking about something like this? If so, in my experience it is because a device [or a port] is trying to be accessed by two pieces of software--an error message rooted in Windows and having nothing to do with your PC's available memory. 

PS: Compare your use of ports with what Craig posted:

Notice how MIDI-OX is being used to take KOMPLETE KONTROL - 1 and route it to KOMPLETE KONTROL EXT - 1.  In this way, Cakewalk and MIDI-OX are not trying to access the same port.

Edited July 10, 2020 by User 905133
(3) To add "@donnieb" to trigger a notification; (2) To add an explanation based on Craig's post; (1) To add "[or a port]"

[Bobby Abbott]

Having trouble triggering Komplete Kontrol as a plugin with the S49 keyboard on an existing project.  The keyboard plays the sample just fine, but as soon as I hit play on Cakewalk DAW, the keyboard no longer triggers the sound, but just sputter's occasionally throughout the song.  It seems like other midi messages are overloading the keyboard.  It also seems like the octave changes on the sample.

[msmcleod]

30 minutes ago, Bobby Abbott said:

Having trouble triggering Komplete Kontrol as a plugin with the S49 keyboard on an existing project.  The keyboard plays the sample just fine, but as soon as I hit play on Cakewalk DAW, the keyboard no longer triggers the sound, but just sputter's occasionally throughout the song.  It seems like other midi messages are overloading the keyboard.  It also seems like the octave changes on the sample.

This sounds like you've got a MIDI feedback loop somewhere.

One of your VSTi's is probably echoing the MIDI it's receiving back out, and another is picking it up, causing MIDI feedback.

Go through each of your synths, and make sure the "Enable Midi Output" is unchecked, e.g.:

 

[Bobby Abbott]

Well, that fixed that issue, THANK YOU!  Responding nicely now.  My BFD3 had its MIDI Output enabled.  Still working through setup with Cakewalk.  The S49 responds fine with Komplete Kontrol stand-alone, but still not getting any sound when inserting an instance into the DAW.  

UPDATE:  Good to go now.  Simply clicked my Echo Input button on the KK track, although hearing quite a bit of latency.  Not used to these new-fangled keyboards with no analog outs.  Typically, I monitor analog outs while recording, to bypass listening to latent midi output inherent in huge projects at 96K.  For future projects, I may go back to 48K.

Edited April 14, 2021 by Bobby Abbott