How to set velocity curve on Komplete A61?

Hey everyone! Just took delivery of this keyboard - love it so far, but I can't seem to find this "Hardware" tab I see mentioned with regards to adjusting velocity curves in the Kontrol app, and I don't really wanna bash the thing too hard when I do finger drumming. Any ideas? Thank you!

 

You can set fixed velocity with shift + oktave down, or in the sampler under velocity/mod wheel set volume down to 10 to 20 percent, same for drum synth under modulation set velocity to 10 to 20. For all other instruments you have to look for a similar parameter. Unfortunately there are no general velocity settings for a series keyboards only the mentioned fixed setting.

Uwe

 

Oh wow so no global velocity curve settings at all? Man that's kind of painful to hear. This is my fifth keyboard this year (owing to a very bad run of luck with pitch wheels!). I don't know if I have the appetite to go through another change. I mean I can use MIDI plugins to set custom curves, but that's a hassle doing it for every single instrument I create. Really, really surprised that this isn't part of the feature set. Any word on it being added in an update?

 

I don't know if this is planned but I would also love to see it in the future.

Uwe

 

Yeah really surprised. TBH it's not something I would've looked into or researched before purchasing because every controller keyboard I've owned has had this option. Even the cheapest, nastiest ones! But now that I look I see people have been asking for it for quite a long time and there's been no new info. I guess I'll just ride it out and see. I feel like I'm having such a hard time with keyboards haha. Maybe it's a sign I should be playing more guitar...

 

Yeah guitar is great and you can even play drums with a guitar via midi pickups or something like that. And yes even my 20 year old evolution keyboard had this function and it's just a bit of code and should be easy to implement. I am a lucky one that I cannot play keyboard so it doesn't bother me I just use it to get some other melodies then with the 4x4 controllers but if you are a keyboard player with a learned technique/velocity I guess it can be absolutely annoying to have to press hard as you never had done before.

Uwe

 

I like to do this kind of thing on keyboard:

It's pretty much all I know as far as drum programming goes so I'm not down for changing to pads (I have a Maschine MK3 here too). So I'll see how I get on with it over the coming days, using MIDI plugins.

 

Nice performance - with cubase its really easy to compress midi velocity but I guess in every other daw too. And with maschine just press shift +oktave down as mentioned.

Uwe

 

Thanks Yeah I think I'll manage. I mean mostly I use Reason 11, and I have a cool Player rack device for that for velocity offset and curves. Studio One also seems to have some decent options in this regard, as does Cubase. As I said I'm just a little disappointed that I have to do anything outside of the keyboard but, here's hoping they come through with an update!

 

Does not being able to set the velocity setting apply to the S series keyboards as well?
I think I‘ve read you can change the velocity scaling in the setup page...

 

From what I can tell, the S series have an additional "Hardware" tab in the Kontrol application. For some reason that's not present in the A series. *shrugs*

 

Correct that tab is missing for a series, mybe by purpos, that keyboard players have a reason to buy s series, but that's just a guess.

Uwe

 

Between several messages sent to support begging for such feature and other messages around the web that i´ve seen it´s not looking good. Some say its coming in the future, others say it isnt, others say there is no plan for it. It´s honestly ridiculous that the A series does not have velocity curve options when cheaper keyboards and keyboards from 20 years ago already had such features. Its not even an overly complicated one; it´s standard in every keyboard. I love Native Instruments but this is just outrageous. I sold my Alesis midi keyboard to pre order an A series one and once again support the company but i cant use it at all. I literally have to punch the keys to get decent velocity, even after downloading the latest update. It´s even worse that we are kind of being ignored over such a simple feature. I was going to purchase an S series and keep the A series to produce while travelling but because of this i won´t purchase an S series. This type of behaviour shouldnt be compensated. Very disappointing, specially when using komplete ready libraries makes it so much easier and fast to produce. Fingers crossed that Native Instruments realizes that even to the A series are a budget option, they still should have velocity curve optiond or at least, an update to have it so that we dont literally have to press keys extremely hard to get a decent velociy.It affects hardware longevity, playabilty/expression, making it not fun/inspiring/effective to use. Granted we can raise the notes velocity in our daws post recording its still a simple feature that could be quickly added.

 

The lacking of the ability to select different velocity is a debacle.
For people working in Ableton Live, you could use this tweak to change the curve.
Insert the Velocity plugin and change the curve to something that suits you better.
It helps in being able to play the A-Series without a hammer.

 

I saw just now that there was a firmware update available and a new version of Kontrol that adds configuration of the keybed for the A series.

Unfortunately it seems that this is limited to MIDI channel assignment, as well as some controls over pedal and knob behaviour.

I have to use a MIDI curve Player (I'm a Reason guy but it's similar to what you suggested Jan) in front of every instrument. Or, if I use another DAW like Cubase or Studio One, both of which only have velocity offsets and not adjustable curves, I lose all my dynamics. If I just play it as is I have to press this thing SO hard. I'm gonna break it. So disappointed, still. Yeah it was cheap. For 61 decent feeling keys and passable NKS integration. But I feel like I'm making music in spite of the keyboard. Not because of, or with it. I've got another keyboard just sat propped up against the wall with another issue. And don't have the time, money or inclination to go through the process of replacing or servicing either of them.

Ugh. It's whatever I guess. NI are clearly capable of updating these things. They're choosing not to. It's not making me want to buy an S any more than I did before.

 

No, exactly… me neither.

 

I was considering this board but now I know I won't be buying it, and I will be actively discouraging others from buying it too. No velocity curves = fail. Sorry, but it's true. Doing this in firmware adds almost $0 to the product cost as it's just a bit of code and maybe an extra 1 or 2 buttons. Lately NI is beginning to deliberately remove features from their gear to lure customers into buying their more expensive stuff. Same thing with Komplete bundle vs individual product prices. Totally unacceptable.

 

Unfortunately it's not just NI that are doing this. I recently picked up a Keystation MK3 and it also had this features missing, despite earlier Keystations I've purchased in the past having it. But I was really disappointed that the A61 omitted this. No reason for it that I can discern beyond trying to get people up to the S. In the end I just got my MPK249 repaired and am using that for everything now. Feels great, tonnes of features, and cheap. It is what it is I guess!

 

While some DAWs (e.g. Ableton Live and FL Studio) provide the tools to adjust the velocity curve, some still don't (e.g. Studio One), so who is responsable for implementing this? It's common for vendors to point fingers at each other when they can. IMO in this case it's fair to point the finger at NI since their other keyboards have this feature and it's not like they didn't know.

 

Reason is my primary DAW and I've got a couple of great Players (MIDI tools) for that. Ableton has curves but oddly enough it doesn't seem to include an offset (so you can add to quiet keyboards, which my A61 definitely was). Had to make my own MAX MSP preset for that. Cubase has offset but no curves.