The S49 Mk 2 runs perfectly fine off USB bus power but there’s still an on/off button at the back - no yanking the USB cable to turn it off. The full-size S88 keyboard comes with weighted keys. There’s a certain thickness about how the keys feel - a delicate balance between springy and weighty, with satisfying travel. The keybed itself is by Fatar and I love it.

Also, the pitch/mod controls are wheels rather than sliders, while a single touch-sensitive slider underneath gives an extra expressive option. The Mute/Solo and Select buttons above the screens even have multiple backlight colours. Matte black suits it well and the backlit rubber buttons ensure visibility on a dim stage. It feels solid and has reassuring weight. FEELING OF KONTROLĮveryone who tried the S49 comments on its build quality. The row of buttons above and eight touch-sensitive encoders underneath help you navigate on-screen parameters swiftly, but more on that later. The new Mk 2 models have doubled up the visual feedback with the addition of two full-colour, high resolution screens. It can also light up a scale of your choosing if you forget how to play piano. a drum machine’s individual sample notes appear in a different colour to loops. Breaking up instruments categorically across the keyboard - e.g. The key illumination feature could have looked poxy, something a beginner might need to find Middle C. The most noticeable feature was the Light Guide. The first round of Komplete Kontrol keyboards were an all-round hit as Native Instruments delivered a physical interface for its NKS paradigm.

Having played with the Komplete Kontrol S49 Mk 2 for a few months now, I can say these are the most intuitive, unobtrusive, inspirational MIDI keyboards I’ve ever reviewed. It was a relief to discover that rather than lobbing a grenade into my setup, Native Instruments was fighting the battle on my behalf. The battle to find a free-flowing compositional experience can shift right under your feet new software, new gear, new instruments, integrating anything new can break your flow in an instant.

Komplete s49