Session Keys – Quick Start Guide

Session Keys — Quick Start Guide

This guide takes you through your first steps with Session Keys.

System Requirements
• Native Instruments Kontakt 5 or FREE Kontakt 5 Player. Version 5.2.1 or higher.

Installation
1. Once you have downloaded Session Keys, unzip the file and copy its contents to a drive on your computer
2. In the KONTAKT browser, click on the Libraries tab and select Add Library.

3. A file selector box will open. Browse to your Session Keys Library and select it.
4. The library box will automatically appear in the Libraries tab. Note that the Session Keys box displays an
Activate button which indicates that the product has not yet been activated on this computer.
Native Instruments’ ServiceCenter application, which is described in the Native Instruments documentation, is used for
the activation process.

! Please note that a working internet connection is required for immediate activation.

5. Click Activate to open the Product Activation window and enter your product serial number here. Click Activate
to confirm.
Your library is now activated and ready for use.

First Glance
Once the instrument has been loaded, you are ready to go. Do this:

Load a Sample Set

D Select one of the two available, differently recorded, complete sample sets by clicking the corresponding
Sample Set button. The currently selected sample set button is highlighted.
Clicking the left button loads the Clicking the right button loads the Studio
Concert samples which were samples which were captured with the
captured with the piano lid open piano lid removed and a special studio
and a classical microphone setup. microphone setup.

D Play to check out the sound. Open the Tonality and Effects pop-up dialogs to shape the sound to your liking.

Use the Pentamorph

D While you play, try the Pentamorph. Click into the pentagon shape and drag up or down.
The Pentamorph is a pentagon-shaped fader that lets you quickly and seamlessly morph between with the five
different sound characters in each sample set. It is located in the Piano section at the bottom right side of the window.
The Pentamorph is a great tool for creative sound design, especially when used in conjunction with the Animator (see
below) or the Smart Chord function and effects.

• You can also directly jump to one of the sound sets by clicking its name.

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Session Keys – Quick Start Guide

Use the Animator

The Animator contains pre-programmed MIDI phrases — grouped as songs — which you can use to apply the
respective playing styles to the chords you play.
Song section. Here you can load, name, store, add and delete Animator Browser. If you double click a MIDI phrase here, it will be
songs and assign the current Sound preset to the current song assigned to the selected “white” key in the phrase selector

Phrase selector.
Here you can
select phrases for
direct use or
replacement.

On/Off button.
Used to activate/
deactivate the
Animator.

1. Select the Animator by clicking on its tab in the lower left of the window.
2. Activate the Animator by clicking the Off button so that it lights up and changes to On.
3. Open the pop-up menu in the Song section, select a song and click any of the named “white keys” in the Phrase
selector. Now play your chords and they will be played back with the selected playing style.
Select another phrase. Check out how the sound changes when you use the Pentamorph and/or effects.
q Selecting another phrase can also be done by key switches, pressing one of the white keys in your
keyboard’s C-2 octave.
4. Use the Modulation and Pitch Bend controls to change phrase complexity and dynamics.
5. Activate the Smart Chord function, described below, and use it together with the Animator.
6. Use your sustain pedal to hold Animator playback for as long as you wish.

Use the Smart Chord Function

Smart Chord lets you trigger musically correct chords by pressing one white key or one pad on your external
MIDI controller keyboard or other hardware such as Native Instruments’ Maschine. By pressing additional
modifier keys or pads (the black keys on your keyboard or certain pads on your pad controller), you can
generate chord inversions and add interval notes to the chords.
1. Activate the Smart Chord function in the top right corner of the window, select a root note and a chord map from
the Smart Chord drop-down menus.
2. Play one of the white keys on your keyboard. Additionally press one or more black keys to introduce a chord
inversion or add interval notes. These are visible in the two pop-up dialogs, mentioned below.
• Smart Chord setup is done via the two drop-down menus and two pop-up dialogs — Pads and Keys — that you
can open by clicking the corresponding tabs in the Smart Chord section.

Read On
You have just caught a short glimpse of what Session Keys can do for you, but there is more.
Please read the manual to find out and have fun!