Seize Kontrol of Your Sound Like Never Before

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. You also get NKS 2 (Native Kontrol Standard 2), which provides a level of software integration you can't find anywhere else. Producers and keyboardists at Music Experience 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

Mk3: an elevated expressive experience

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.

Komplete integration, designed for the future

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.

Keep yourself connected in any rig

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.

Includes an expansive software library

Your purchase grants you access to an expansive software suite to further enhance the controller’s functionality. The software bundle includes Native Instruments’ sensational Komplete 15 Select and so much more. And thanks to the NKS 2 standard, your new Kontrol S keyboard controller integrates perfectly with each piece of software. With its impressive free software bundle and deep integration, it’s hard to go wrong with a Kontrol S keyboard controller.

• A free Kontakt instrument of your choice
• Komplete 15 Select
• Komplete Kontrol
• Stradivari Cello
• Guitar Rig LE
• Elements Suite
• Hypha
• Ableton Live Lite

What Native Instruments Says...

The world’s best sound library at your fingertips

Kontrol is a revolutionary MIDI keyboard controller that places a vast ecosystem of world-class sounds directly under your hands. With a comprehensive included software package and a free Kontakt instrument of your choice, Kontrol lets you stay in the creative flow while seamlessly controlling instruments, effects, and your DAW. Browse, tweak, and perform everything from synths and drums to orchestral libraries, scoring tools, and effects directly from the keyboard using the high-resolution display. Available in 49- and 61-key semi-weighted versions or an 88-key fully weighted hammer-action model, every controller features expressive polyphonic aftertouch for detailed musical control.

Virtual instruments meet the real world

Kontrol brings virtual instruments to life through an immersive, hands-on experience powered by deep Kontakt integration. Quickly find sounds with intuitive on-screen navigation, then shape them naturally using intelligent auto-mapping that instantly understands instrument parameters. This tight connection transforms software instruments into responsive, performance-ready tools that feel like real hardware.

Bring your DAW plugins to life

Take direct control of plugins and effects chains from leading DAWs including Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Bitwig Studio, and Digital Performer. Kontrol enables hands-on parameter control, streamlined navigation, and advanced customization with user-defined macros, letting you manage complex effects chains, instrument switching, and creative workflows without breaking concentration.

The widest choice of quality sounds

At the heart of Kontrol is the redesigned Native Kontrol Standard (NKS), an industry-wide plugin format that unlocks access to thousands of premium instruments, effects, loops, and samples. Sounds from Native Instruments and top developers like Arturia, Heavyocity, Korg, Output, Spitfire, and u-he are precisely mapped to the keyboard’s controls, ensuring consistent, intuitive operation across your entire library.

Introducing polyphonic aftertouch

Polyphonic aftertouch adds a new level of expression by responding to pressure on each individual key. Shape cutoff, pitch, vibrato, and other parameters with subtle finger movements, adding depth and nuance without reaching for extra controls. All three Kontrol models feature polyphonic aftertouch on an advanced Fatar keybed, with the S88 standing apart as the world’s first widely available controller to pair polyphonic aftertouch with weighted hammer-action keys.

Deeper into your DAW

Seamless DAW integration keeps your focus on music rather than the computer screen. Record, stop, rewind, mix, and edit directly from the keyboard while viewing channel and project information on the built-in display. This streamlined workflow helps you move faster and stay immersed in the creative process.

Keys that fit you

Choose the playing experience that matches your style. The S49 and S61 offer responsive semi-weighted keys ideal for production and performance, while the S88 delivers an authentic piano feel with fully weighted hammer-action keys. Each model is designed to provide maximum control, comfort, and expressivity.

Plug and play versatility

Kontrol is built for flexible use in any setup. MIDI templates enable standalone control of external synths, drum machines, and hardware instruments, while Play Assist features let you use MIDI-compatible software and hardware without Komplete Kontrol software. USB-C power and connectivity, MIDI I/O, and four pedal inputs — sustain, expression, and two assignable — ensure seamless integration in studio or stage environments.

Built to last with powerful included software

Every Kontrol model is constructed from premium materials, featuring a large glass display, touch-sensitive anodized aluminum encoders, responsive mod wheels, and redesigned tactile buttons for durability and precision. Included software gets you creating immediately, with Komplete 15 Select, Komplete Kontrol, a voucher for any Native Instruments Kontakt instrument, plus iZotope Elements Suite, Ableton Live Lite, Hypha, Guitar Rig 7 LE, and more — everything you need to produce, perform, and finish professional tracks from day one.