Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2

223

Keyboard Controller

  • For all virtual instruments
  • Fatar keyboard with Aftertouch and 61 semi-weighted keys
  • Ergonomic Pitch and Mod Wheels plus Touch-Strip
  • Pre-configured mapping for all Komplete instruments as well as hundreds of NKS-compatible (Native Kontrol Standard) instruments from leading third-party providers
  • Full VSTi support
  • Tag-based preset browsing: Find sounds quickly and preview them instantly
  • Two high-resolution colour displays for browsing, sound tweaking and more
  • Light Guide: RGB lights above each key signal drum cells, key switches, chords, keys and more
  • Smart Play: Recognise keys and inversions with the Light Guide, play chord progressions and arpeggios using single keys or any key using white keys only
  • Seamless integration with Maschine hardware/software
  • Intuitive control of Logic Pro X, Ableton Live, Pro Tools (2021.10 and later) and GarageBand
  • Two freely assignable inputs for foot pedals
  • MIDI in/out
  • Power supply via USB 2.0
  • Dimensions (W x H x D): 1006 x 84 x 297 mm
  • Weight: 6.55 kg
  • Register your hardware to download Komplete Kontrol software, Komplete Select and Ableton Live Lite for free (11 high-quality software instruments and effects: Massive, Monark, The Gentleman, Drumlab, Reaktor Prism, Scarbee Mark I, Retro Machines, Vintage Organs, West Africa, Solid Bus Comp, and Replica)

System Requirements:

  • macOS 10.12, 10.13, 10.14, 10.15 (latest update), Intel Core i5, 4 GB RAM
  • Windows 10 (current service pack), Intel Core i5 or equivalent CPU, 4 GB RAM
  • USB 2.0 connection
  • Internet connection for product activation and download
  • Graphics card with support for OpenGL 2.1 or higher
Available since September 2017
Item number 421566
Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
Aftertouch Yes
Split Zones 16
Layer function No
Pitch Bend / Modulation Yes
Rotary Encoder 9
Fader (Amount) 0
Pads 0
Display Yes
MIDI interface 1x In, 1x Out
Pedal input Yes
USB-port Yes
Mains Operation Yes
Battery Operation No
Bus-Powered Yes
Dimensions 1006 x 297 x 84
Weight in kg 6,5 kg
Special Features NI Komplete Integration
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£415
Free shipping incl. VAT
In stock within 5-7 weeks
In stock within 5-7 weeks

This product is expected back in stock soon and can then be shipped immediately.

Standard Delivery Times
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Perfectly coordinated

The Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S61 MkII is the ultimate control centre for any DAW-based studio. It takes working in a software-supported studio to an unprecedented level thanks to several features: The seamless integration of software instruments and effects, as well as extensive visual feedback using two colour displays and the keyboard's innovative Light Guide. This is complemented by the high-quality, semi-weighted keyboard with 61 keys - a true pleasure for recording tracks. Working with software instruments has never been more comfortable and intuitive.

Every detail in view

The Komplete Kontrol S61 MkII is perfectly tailored to the instruments and effects of the Native Instruments Komplete Suite. Software instruments can be easily controlled using the keyboard's controls, and tedious parameter assignments are a thing of the past. Presets from Komplete and NKS plug-ins can be browsed and previewed directly on the Komplete Kontrol S61 MkII. It's not just the two high-resolution displays that provide a great overview: The buttons are illuminated in different colours, and the Light Guide above the keyboard shows the positions of sounds, keyboard zones, etc., so you always have everything in view.

Seamless integration

The Komplete Kontrol S61 MkII is not only an intuitive control centre for the instruments and effects of the Komplete package as well as NKS-compatible plug-ins from other manufacturers. It also offers deep, seamless integration with the following DAWs: Apple Logic Pro X, Garageband, Ableton Live, PreSonus Studio One, and Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo. Transport, mixing, and editing functions of the recording software can be operated comfortably by keyboard, so that reaching for the mouse and looking at the computer screen can be frequently avoided. The Komplete Kontrol S61 MkII also works perfectly with the Native Instruments MASCHINE software. No matter which DAW or working method you prefer, with this keyboard you have everything perfectly under control.

About Native Instruments

Native Instruments is a Berlin-based company, founded in 1996, which specialises in products for computer-assisted music production. The company develops a wide variety of products: Software solutions such as Komplete, which hosts a huge range of virtual instruments that emulate both acoustic and electronic instruments in hi-fi quality, and Reaktor, which lets you create your own virtual instruments - through to hardware products such as beat-making and DJ controllers. Native Instruments' goal is to inspire and encourage musicians with its innovative products. To this end, more than 500 people are employed at the company's headquarters in Berlin and at other locations including Los Angeles, Toronto, Tokyo, London, Paris, and Shenzhen.

Infinite configuration options

When used in conjunction with Native Instruments Komplete or Maschine as well as the Logic Pro, Garageband, Studio One, Cubase and Nuendo DAWs, the Komplete Kontrol S61 MkII can fully exploit the potential of the deep integration between software and hardware. Of course, it can also be used to operate other software instruments and MIDI devices. Each control can be individually assigned and named, making it easy to create presets for different instruments. With two pedal inputs, pitch and modulation wheel, touch strip, and eight assignable buttons and knobs each, it offers plenty of controllers for extensive control tasks.

In the spotlight: Light Guide

The Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S61 MkII is equipped with an innovative Light Guide. This consists of a chain of multicoloured LEDs located above each key on the keyboard, which display a variety of information depending on the status of the keyboard, thus improving overall clarity. As an example, the Light Guide shows where key switches and key ranges are located in the selected preset. In conjunction with the Smart Play functions, it can also display useful tips and tricks such as chords and notes that match the key.

223 Customer ratings

4.6 / 5

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131 Reviews

S
Very good for some use cases
Shinyuu 21.06.2018
I'm using this keyboard with Ableton Live and NI's Komplete Ultimate and the experience is very different between those two.

I'd start with stating that this keyboard has an amazing look & feel. The keys are exceptional and very pleasant to touch, the aftertouch feels just right. modwheel is solid and the touch stripe is unobtrusive and handy for a bunch of orchestral use cases. The screens allow you to do a good chunk of work without reaching for the mouse. The only hardware issue is that encoders are very close to each other so if you have big fingers you'll have to be careful.

Now, all the magic is contained within NI's own instruments. If you're a heavy used of Reaktor and Kontakt you'd feel at home. The keyboard has a few extra buttons for Maschine too but it doesn't come with a software so those would sit unused (which is sad given I'd love a few more buttons for ableton integration).

As soon as you leave the NI world ? e.g. to use your DAWs built-in instruments (NI is massive et al but I like my Ableton's synths) the keyboard changes. It still retains the basic DAW navigation features but now it's a VERY DUMB midi controller. No chords magic, no arp, everything is contained within the NI toolset (which is sad given how good the built-in arp is). You're left with eight encoders and the piano strip.

To sum it up: it's 10/10 for NIs toolset (unsurprisingly). The LED guide, the instrument picker ? everything is smooth and polished to let you focus on the music.

As soon as you're back to your DAW it's 6/10. It's not too bad ? e.g. you can do arp with ableton and you can load your other VSTs within the KK's tool so that they would avail of the extended feature set. It's just that the keyboard doesn't feel as capable anymore. Low-level Novation instruments would easily beat it in terms of raw midi capabilities.

Bottom line: worth the money if you are heavily investing into NI instruments too.
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R
lovely
R_S_A 01.08.2019
Hey. I bought it half a year ago. S61 MK2 I use it just for training on the piano using Cubase. My first MIDI keyboard=)

Looks very decent. high-quality plastic coated with matte black paint, the buttons on the control panel are very pleasant to the touch, and have a backlight that does not hit the eye. Work responsive.
Knobs nice and very accurately work when setting any parameters or recording automation, as well as when you touch them from above(have sensors) - show other parameters.
2 display on which all clearly visible, you can configure the brightness, when setting to 100% they are very bright=)
Komplete Kontrol the provides a huge amount of content to create music - personally, I really like "a Gentleman" and "Massive".
Keys with aftertouch - the possibility gives to creativity of ideas=) the keys of very nice material very quiet and have a pleasant sound when you press or just touch.
LED GUIDE is a cool feature.
For six months I have 2 times updated the firmware MIDI keyboard. and also very often go out on bug fixes any products from Native Instuments.
Recommend!

My first MIDI keyboard - which I really like.
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GB
Excellent Keyboard....but...
GF. Big 17.01.2024
I needed a new midi controller. My Novation SL61mKII is past its prime, so I took a look to see what was available in my price range. I wanted a Fatar keybed, and this was the least expensive option for a 61 key controller. After asking about this keyboard to some friends, I was told that NI is fairly abrupt in ceasing support for the software that controlls this keyboard. As Thomann seems to be clearing the mk2s out to make way for the already available mK3, it made sense to determine the limitations of this unit. I am on a Mac, so every year there is an OS update, and sometimes these updates break things, and sometimes developers cease to release new versions to keep up with the OS changes. That is what I've been told will happen with this unit, probably within a couple of years. After NI stops official support for this product, I will have to be careful with my MacOS updates if I want to keep the integration software working.
That is just a point of consideration for anyone considering this model.
The Komplete Kontrol software is the key to this ecosphere. Installation was easy (worst part was downloading stuff @1.7 mbs/sec).
I cannot help but think the software's potential is under-explored. NKS libraries vary in what they will let you do on the keyboard. One of the main things it does is present presets on the keyboard for a given instrument, but some instruments don't offer their presets on the keyboard, so be aware of that.
The filtering system is also a bit clunky. I can't just access a particular collected instrument, rather have to sort by patch characteristics, and that could be better.
Further, many of the parameters that are shown to be available for modification do not adjust when the knob is moved.
They keyboard itself is excellent, no complaints. Integration with Logic Pro was simple, but limited.
I would buy this keyboard again. I recommend it, but be aware of NI's history of canceling software support.
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The best MIDI Keyboard for NI users
ptme 21.06.2023
While the build is really solid and the keyboard has decent out of the box integration with DAWs (tested with Cubase), where this keyboard really shines is when you use it with the Komplete Kontrol software from Native Instruments.

Being able to select and configure your VST instrument (as long as it NKS compatible) without even looking at your computer screen is a game changer and makes your workflow way better.

However, if you are not in the Native Instruments ecosystem and/or not planning to enter it, a lot of the benefits of this keyboard quickly fade and you’ll definitely be better off with something else.
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