Ableton Live Guide: Sending MIDI from the Komplete Kontrol Plug-in

This article explains how to route MIDI from Komplete Kontrol to a separate Instrument Track or MIDI Track in Ableton Live. This is useful for sending the Komplete Kontrol Smart Play features (e.g. Arp / Chord / Scale) to additional software instruments loaded in Ableton Live, or external hardware devices.
Banner_Live_KK_Diva_Pop.png

Click below to expand your choice of instructions:

  Routing Komplete Kontrol MIDI to Another Instrument
  Track
  1. Load the Komplete Kontrol plug-in on a MIDI Track in Ableton Live.

    Note for macOS users: The VST version of the Komplete Kontrol plug-in must be loaded. This setup will not work with the AU version of the plug-in.

  2. Choose Create > Insert MIDI Track in the Ableton Live menu bar to create an additional Instrument Track. This will receive MIDI from the initial Komplete Kontrol Instrument Track.
    Live_Menu_New_MIDI_Track.png

    Note: You can add as many additional Instrument Tracks as you want, just be sure to apply the following steps to each new plug-in that you load.

  3. Load another software Instrument into the new Instrument track you created. In this example, we select the third-party plug-in Diva.
    Insert_Diva.png
  4. In the Instrument Track (containing Diva), set the MIDI From drop-menus to 1-Komplete Kontrol and Komplete Kontrol, respectively.
    Diva_MIDI_From.png
  5. Set the Monitor section of the Diva Instrument Track to In.
    Diva_Monitor_In.png
  6. Record Enable the first Instrument Track containing the Komplete Kontrol plug-in.
    Diva_Track_REC_Enable_KK.png
  7. Enable one of the Komplete Kontrol Smart Play features (e.g. Arp / Chord / Scale) with your Komplete Kontrol hardware, or open the Komplete Kontrol plug-in window to activate one of the performance features. In this example, the ARP (Arpeggiator) is active.
    Enable_KK_ARP.png
  8. Play some MIDI notes, and you should now hear the Komplete Kontrol Smart Play features (e.g. Arp / Chord / Scale) through the plug-in loaded in the additional Instrument Track (e.g. Diva).

    Note: It is not required to have a preset loaded in the Komplete Kontrol plug-in to send its Smart Play features to the additional Instrument Track. You have the option to run Komplete Kontrol empty or have a Komplete sound preset loaded for additional sound layering.

  Routing Komplete Kontrol MIDI to an External Hardware Device
  1. Load the Komplete Kontrol plug-in on a MIDI Track in Ableton Live.

    Note for macOS users: The VST version of the Komplete Kontrol plug-in must be loaded. This setup will not work with the AU version of the plug-in.

  2. Choose Create > Insert MIDI Track in the Ableton Live menu bar to create an additional MIDI Track. This will receive MIDI from the initial Komplete Kontrol Instrument Track, and relay the MIDI to your external hardware device.
    Live_Menu_New_MIDI_Track.png

    Note: You can add as many additional MIDI Tracks as you need, just be sure to apply the following steps to each of the MIDI Tracks you create.

  3. In the MIDI Track, set the MIDI From drop-menus to 1 Komplete Kontrol and Komplete Kontrol, respectively.
    MIDI_Track_MIDI_From.png
  4. Use the drop-menus under MIDI to select the MIDI Output port and MIDI Channel you want to use for sending MIDI to your external hardware device. In our example, on the first drop menu under MIDI To, we select Komplete Kontrol S49 MK2 (Port 2). On the second drop menu under MIDI To, we select Ch. 1 (MIDI Channel 1).

    Note: This setting will vary, depending on which MIDI Interface you are using, and which MIDI Channel your external MIDI sound source is set to receive on.

    MIDI_Track_MIDI_To.png
  5. Set the Monitor section of the MIDI Track to In.
    MIDI_Track_Monitor_In.png
  6. In most cases, you may wish to monitor or record the audio from your external MIDI sound source into Ableton Live. To do this, choose Create > Insert Audio Track in the Ableton Live menu bar.
    Live_Menu_New_Audio_Track.png
  7. In the Audio Track, set the Audio From drop-menus respectively to Ext. In, and the audio interface input that your external MIDI sound source is connected to. In our example, we choose the first stereo pair of inputs (1/2) from the list, since our external MIDI sound source has a stereo pair of outputs connected to the first set of inputs of this audio interface.
    Audio_Track_Audio_From.png

    Note: This setting will vary, depending on which Audio Interface and configuration you are using.

  8. Set the Monitor section of the Audio Track to In.
    Audio_Track_Monitor_In.png
  9. Record Enable the first Instrument Track containing the Komplete Kontrol plug-in.
    MIDI_Track_REC_Enable_KK.png
  10. Enable one of the Komplete Kontrol Smart Play features (e.g. Arp / Chord / Scale) with your Komplete Kontrol hardware, or open the Komplete Kontrol plug-in window to activate one of the performance features. In this example, the ARP (Arpeggiator) is active.
    Enable_KK_ARP.png
  11. Play some MIDI notes, and you should now hear the Komplete Kontrol Smart Play features (e.g. Arp / Chord / Scale) through your external MIDI sound source.

    Note: It is not required to have a preset loaded in the Komplete Kontrol plug-in to send its Smart Play features to your external MIDI sound source. You have the option to run Komplete Kontrol empty or have a Komplete sound preset loaded for additional sound layering.