Since the inception of the Kontrol smart keyboard controllers, Native Instruments has embarked on an uncompromising odyssey to bridge the physical and digital divides, seamlessly integrating their cutting-edge NKS technology with nuanced, tactile control that makes any Virtual Instrument feel as real as possible. With the Kontrol S Mk3 controllers, they’ve elevated the series to new heights of expressivity, available in 49-, 61-, and 88-key options and loaded with cutting-edge Fatar keybeds developed in collaboration with Native Instruments to ensure that the highly detailed polyphonic aftertouch captures every nuance of your sound. While the S49 and S61 feature semi-weighted keys, the S88 boasts one of the world’s first widely available hammer-action polyphonic aftertouch controllers, blending worlds of sound, form, and function like never before. Producers and keyboardists are amazed by this keyboard’s comprehensive control, not just for expanding the DAW integration of its predecessors to go far beyond simple transport controls, but for its future-minded design via MIDI 2.0 compatibility and USB-C MIDI.
With the Kontrol keyboard controllers, expressivity has never been more nuanced. Onboard polyphonic aftertouch provides detailed control of each note, letting you engage changes in pressure and velocity across chords to elicit evocative passages and progressions. A deeply customizable suite of modulation-wheel assignment options enables you to masterfully manipulate pitch, cutoff, vibrato, and virtually any additional parameter found within your plug-in of choice. If impressive flexibility with the modulation and pitch wheels wasn’t enough, you’ll find a dedicated Touch Strip nearby, facilitating a new dimension of uninterrupted expressivity. What’s more, because each keybed was developed in collaboration with Fatar, it captures not just the nuances of each manner of expression, but is fully calibrated for the extreme resolution of MIDI 2.0 and the creative possibilities that it affords on any manner of instrument or control.
The face-lifted Kontrol keyboard’s interface maximizes depth of control while streamlining the user experience with excellent ergonomics. A rugged, durable housing comprises CNC-machined anodized aluminum that’s been bead blasted for a frame that’s as sturdy as it is aesthetically satisfying. Its vivid, full-color display enables detailed control of any NKS instrument. At the same time, its eight knobs, 4D encoder, and versatile soft switches can be tailored for virtually any performance, composition, or arrangement functionality your DAW has available. Instrumental integration goes further than ever, thanks to the newly reimagined Light Guide: RGB backlighting accompanies every key, button, and encoder, as well as the touch strip and pitch and modulation wheels. Use these to stay in key, assign zones and switches, indicate scales, and much more to let you focus on the most important aspects of your playing.
Native Instruments has prioritized integration with each iteration of the Kontrol S Smart Keyboard Controllers, and the Mk3 continues this capacity for accommodation with more customization than ever before. Its USB-C bus-powered architecture supports MIDI connectivity over USB for seamless use with your DAW. The onboard 5-pin DIN MIDI I/O vastly expands interoperative possibilities well beyond the digital frontiers of your NKS virtual instruments, transmitting polyphonic aftertouch data for compatible instruments and devices. You’ll also find a quartet of 1/4-inch TRS jacks for flexible pedal usage: one for sustain, one for expression, and two assignable inputs that can facilitate any number of supplementary control or expression options.
