When you want easy, customizable control of your software, reach for the Touch Innovations Kontrol Master, a programmable controller for your apps, plug-ins, and more. The splendor of DAWs and audio apps is bountiful and far-reaching, yet there seems to be a consistent complaint regardless of the user’s age or experience. Wielding a mouse/trackball/trackpad and keyboard to interface with software and modify parameters such as faders and pans consistently disheartens people, like a vast, gray cloud of doldrums blocking rays of inspiration. Users want an effective way to control virtual knobs and buttons with real knobs and buttons, and they want it to be simple. Sure, there are plenty of controllers on the market. However, a controller with a steep learning curve or difficult configuration risks being forced into early retirement. The Kontrol Master is designed for simple integration into your setup, efficient default functionality, and user-friendly programmability. Install its software (compatible with Mac OS X, Windows, and Ubuntu), connect it via USB to your computer, then launch the software. Done!
The feel of a controller is decidedly important. The Kontrol Master features 10 customizable arcade-style buttons and a high-resolution aluminum knob in a lightweight, heavy-duty, injected ABS enclosure. The large, circular buttons are color-coded and arranged for ergonomic access. The buttons’ switching mechanisms are reliable to 10,000,000 cycles and the projected life span of the controller is beyond 100,000 hours. 100,000 hours is well beyond 11 years! For accuracy when adjusting wide-range parameters such as faders and filter settings, the Kontrol Master’s knob utilizes an optical encoder and a concave depression, which enables smooth single-finger rotation. You can also adjust the knob sensitivity in the Kontrol Master’s setup software.
The default functionality requires no programming. Imagine looking longingly into your screen at a virtual pot, slider, or fader. Just hover your cursor over the item, hold one of the white buttons, then take the Kontrol Master’s knob for a spin. Each of the three white buttons is dedicated to a different type of action. The left white button enables control of horizontal sliders and switches. The right white button provides control of vertical sliders and switches. The center white button allows you to adjust objects that rotate (dials, wheels, and knobs). So, if you want to move a fader, hover your cursor over the fader, hold the right white button, then turn the knob! Below the white buttons are two orange buttons, designed for use in setups with multiple video monitors. The left and right orange buttons give you the ability to quickly throw your cursor to the left or right monitor, which saves you from having to drag your mouse across the vast visual real estate of your displays. Moving to the right of the white and orange buttons, you’ll find red, blue, and green buttons in a row. These are programmed to send shortcut commands: Shift+1 (red button), Shift+2 (blue button), and Shift+3 (green button). The effect of Shift+1-3 depends entirely on the software being used. Propellerhead Reason, Apple Logic, Ableton Live, and Avid Pro Tools, just to name a few, will respond differently to those shortcuts. Lastly, there are two yellow buttons below the red, blue, and green ones. They behave as modifiers for the other buttons. Holding the left or right yellow button before pressing another button will trigger different shortcuts. For example, left yellow + red/blue/green = Shift+4/5/6. Right yellow + red/blue/green = Control+Z/C/D.
Customization of the button functions is simple and accessible via the Kontrol Master’s setup software. Each button has a drop-down menu, allowing selection of its desired function. You can specify different actions for the key when pressed, alone and with the yellow buttons. These actions can be preset functions, custom keyboard actions, or MIDI messages. This opens doors to myriad ways to operate your software more efficiently.
Back to the basics, though. If you don’t want to spend tons of time learning how to use a controller and you do want something that smoothly merges into your workflow, pop into the B&H SuperStore or head to our website to check out the Kontrol Master!
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