Native Instruments Kontrol S61 MK3 MIDI Keyboard Controller

About: Native Instruments Kontrol S61 MK3 MIDI Keyboard Controller

Kontrol is an advanced MIDI keyboard controller available in three size options. Stay in the flow with an intuitive connection to instruments, effects, and your DAW, plus immersive navigation on a high-res screen. Choose from 49 or 61 semi-weighted keys, or 88 fully weighted hammer-action keys, all with polyphonic aftertouch as standard.

Features

• Mod controls - Metal-touch pitch and modulation wheels with central illumination.
• Touch strip - Add expression to your performance with an intuitive touch strip.
• Light Guide - Stay in key with a redesigned Light Guide that pinpoints notes with a light above each key.
• DAW control - Seamless integration with all major DAWs.
• Connections - USB, MIDI, and bus-powered USB-C, plus four assignable pedal inputs including a default sustain and default expression.
• High-res screen - Full-color glass display for intuitive browsing, tweaking, and mixing.
• Anodized aluminum encoders - Precision tweaking for all your sounds, pre-mapped to key instrument and effect parameters.
• Immersive connection - Unparalleled software integration with direct connection to Kontakt, plus next-generation NKS technology for thousands of instruments, effects, and sounds.
• Refined industrial design - Our best-ever playing experience forms the forefront of Kontrol’s industrial design and build.
• Advanced keys - An industry-leading keybed from Fatar with polyphonic aftertouch as standard. Get 49 or 61 semi-weighted keys, or 88 hammer-action keys.

Virtual instruments meet the real world

Kontrol brings the world’s best virtual instruments to life in a genuinely immersive experience. Whatever you’re playing, get in-depth control thanks to an unparalleled direct connection to Kontakt. Find sounds quickly with intuitive on-screen navigation, then adjust and play them with intelligent auto-mapping that understands the parameters.

The widest choice of quality sounds

Kontrol’s deep instrument integration is powered by a redesigned NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) technology. It’s our plugin standard that’s used across the industry so you can access thousands of premium instruments, effects, loops, and samples, from both NI and our partner developers, all precisely mapped to your keyboard controls.

Introducing polyphonic aftertouch

Take expression one step further with the slightest pressure on individual keys. Bring new layers of nuance to your playing with cutoff, pitch, vibrato, and much more, without reaching for an extra encoder or dial.

All three models come complete with polyphonic aftertouch on an industry-leading keybed developed in collaboration with Fatar. Plus, the S88 is the world’s first widely available controller keyboard to combine polyphonic aftertouch with weighted, hammer-action keys.

Deeper into your DAW

Smooth integration with all major DAWs means you can keep your eyes on your keyboard and away from your computer screen. Hit record, stop, and rewind on the keys, mix and edit, and see all your project’s channels on the display.

Keys that fit you

Choose between 49 or 61 semi-weighted keys with the S49 and S61, or get a full piano feel with 88 hammer-action weighted keys on the S88.

Highly visual

See switches, key zones, scales, and more lit up in front of you with the intelligent Light Guide. Chord Mode lets you create a progression by playing single keys, while Easy Mode maps the white keys to whichever scale you need.

Plug and play

Get connected to whatever you need with USB-C power and connectivity, MIDI in and out, and four assignable TRS pedal inputs including a default sustain and default expression.

Built to last

All three models are built from the same premium materials with a large glass screen, touch-sensitive anodised aluminum encoders and modwheels, and redesigned tactile buttons.

Included software

You’ll be ready to go from day one with a load of sought-after virtual instruments and effects, plus post-production tools to finish your final tracks.

The package includes Kontakt 7, Komplete 14 Select, Komplete Kontrol, and a voucher for any NI Kontakt instrument of your choice. Plus get iZotope Elements Suite, Ableton Live Lite, Hypha, Guitar Rig 7 LE, and more.

Specifications

• Hardware
  • A high-resolution 1280 mm x 480 mm color screen with glass surface
  • CNC machined, bead blasted and anodized aluminum, 8 x encoder caps, 1 x 4D encoder cap, 2 x wheels (pitch and mod)
  • RGB illuminated pitch and mod wheels
  • New button-islands that form a continuous dustproof control surface and are grouped by function.
• Inputs and outputs
  • Bus-powered USB-C
  • USB MIDI
  • USB-C port
  • 4x assignable TRS pedal inputs including a default sustain and default expression
  • MIDI in and out
• DAW integration
  • Kontrol has advanced integration with the following programs, with further integrations currently in development:
  • Ableton Live (11.3.11 or higher)
  • Bitwig (5.0.10 or higher)
  • Cubase
  • Digital Performer (11.22 or higher)
  • FL Studio – coming soon
  • Logic Pro (10.6 or higher)
  • Pro Tools (2023.12 or higher)
  • Studio One (6.5 or higher)
• Compatible plug-in formats
  •  macOS (64-bit only): Stand-alone, VST, VST3, AU, AAX
  •  Windows (64-bit only): Stand-alone, VST, VST3, AAX
• System requirements
  • MIDI 2.0 (requires MacOS 13.5 or higher)
  • MIDI 1.0 (with MacOS 12 or higher)
  • Intel Core i5, Apple M1 (and equivalent or higher)
  • macOS 13 (Ventura) or higher (Sonoma compatibility coming soon)
  • Windows 10 or 11 (latest service pack) or higher
  • 8 GB RAM
    • An internet connection and a graphics card that supports OpenGL 2.1 or higher Direct 3D 11.1 (feature level 11_0) or higher are required to download and activate this product and associated content. Once installed and activated, the product can be used offline
• Dimensions (WxDxH) -  38.09 x 12.72 x 3.39 in (967.4 x 323 x 86 mm)
• Weight -  13.23 lb (6 kg)

What’s included

• USB-C cable
• Komplete Kontrol and Komplete 14 Select software, plus a load of instruments and effects
• Setup guide and documentation as downloads

Kontrol comes with a USB-C cable. It is bus-powered meaning the USB cable draws power directly from your computer, so there’s no need for an additional power supply. If your computer does not have a USB-C port, you can use your own USB adapter and power supply.

Use the adapter to connect the provided USB-C cable from the keyboard’s HOST port to your computer’s USB-A port. Then connect a USB-C power supply (5V, 7.5W or higher, 1.5A or higher) to the keyboard’s USB-C power supply port.