Table Of ContentD E L O R A S O F T W A R E ™
by Harmony Systems, Inc.
vKA
Akai APC40 control surface for Kyma VCS
CLIP LAUNCH/SESSION OVERVIEW SCENE TRACK CONTROL
LAUNCH
Switches 1-8
Rotary 1-4
Switches 9-16
Switches 17-24 Rotary 5-8
Switches 25-32
PAN SEND A SEND B SEND C
BANK SELECT TAP TEMPO
v
< >
STOP ALL CLIPS SHIFT V NUDGE - NUDGE +
DEVICE CONTROL
TRACK SELECTION
Fader 1-4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 MASTER
Fader 5-8
CUE LEVEL
CLIP/TRACK DEVICE ON/OFF
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 MASTER
DETAIL VIEW REC QUANTIZATION MIDI OVERDUB METRONOME
PLAY STOP REC
© 2010 Harmony Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Under the copyright laws, this manual may not be copied, in whole or part, without the
written consent of Harmony Systems, Inc. Your rights to the software are governed by
the accompanying software license agreement.
Delora Software and vKA are trademarks of Harmony Systems, Inc.
Other company and product names mentioned in this manual are trademarks of their
respective companies. Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes
only. Harmony Systems assumes no responsibility with regard to the performance or
use of these products.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this manual. Please contact De-
lora Product Support ([email protected]) should you have questions regarding in-
formation in this manual.
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Delora Software™ by Harmony Systems, Inc. - vKA
D E L O R A S O F T W A R E ™
by Harmony Systems, Inc.
Table of Contents
Introduction to vKA! 4
vKA in Summary 5
How it Works 6
Limitations 10
Requirements! 11
About Your License! 12
Installation! 13
Updating vKA! 14
Set-Up! 15
Run the vKA Preference Pane and Enter Your License 16
Setup the vKA Preference Pane 17
Run vKA 19
Enable Kyma’s VCS 20
Troubleshooting with the Preference Pane 20
Additional Set-Up for Ableton Live! 23
Configure Ableton Live 23
Using vKA! 27
How the VCS Uses the APC40’s Controls 27
Important Notes About the VCS 33
Getting the Most Out of vKA With the Kyma VCS 34
Removing vKA! 37
Troubleshooting! 38
Acknowledgements! 40
Delora Software™ by Harmony Systems, Inc. - vKA
Introduction to vKA
Symbolic Sound’s Kyma X sound design workstation and environment is a powerful yet
flexible tool for creating, or discovering, fantastic new sounds. A user can interact with
a Kyma system using typical personal computer devices: mouse or trackball, keyboard,
and the display monitor. But Kyma also offers another means of interaction that can be
far more satisfying: a physical control surface with faders, knobs, switches, and lights.
Kyma’s control surface support is through its “Virtual Control Surface”, often simply
referred to as its “VCS”. Kyma sounds are, by their very nature, unconstrained to a spe-
cific arrangement of knobs, faders, and other control elements. Yet Kyma does a re-
markable job of automatically creating a usable VCS setup for each sound that you can
modify as necessary.
The VCS is often controlled with simple mouse movements. Where it really shines
though is when coupled with one of the supported hardware control surfaces. If you do
not have one of these VCS-compatible controllers then you are missing a lot of the joy
of physical interaction with your Kyma creations!
However, not many hardware devices work seamlessly with Kyma’s VCS. The grand-
mother of all VCS controllers is the MotorMix. But these are getting harder and harder
to find. The VCS also supports the affordable Behringer BCF2000, though its very na-
ture limits the VCS support to only a subset of what is possible.
Harmony Systems’ Delora vM2 product in 2009 expanded Kyma VCS support to in-
clude the JazzMutant Lemur, an innovative, forward looking controller that pioneered
multitouch technology. vM2 combined with the Lemur provides arguably a superior
interaction with the Kyma VCS over even the MotorMix. Unfortunately Lemurs are ex-
pensive.
vKA is the latest addition to the Delora Software “V Family” of control surface solutions
that work together with Kyma’s VCS. vKA transforms the popular, affordable Akai
APC40 into a VCS controller. It delivers most of the features of the VCS in an intuitive,
easy to use manner. If you already own an APC40 (and if you regularly use Ableton Live
you really should!), vKA represents an inexpensive addition to your Kyma studio that
will pay for itself in time saved and the pleasure you gain from using Kyma in a hands-
on matter. Furthermore, since Akai manufactured its APC40 to withstand the rigors of
live performance, vKA may well be the best option if you like to use Kyma on stage.
Delora Software™ by Harmony Systems, Inc. - vKA
The APC40 is by some measures a dedicated control surface for Ableton Live. Harmony
Systems designed vKA so that it works in concert with Ableton Live. You can continue
to use the APC40 with Ableton Live, even at the same time you are controlling a Kyma
sound. vKA keeps track of messages from both Ableton Live and Kyma’s VCS. A simple
button press toggles you at any time between Live and Kyma. This seamless sharing
between Live and Kyma means you can have one less controller surface taking up valu-
able desk space in your studio, or in your performance setup.
vKA has built-in support for Symbolic Sound’s new “MIDI-over-OSC” feature now sup-
ported in Paca(rana) based Kyma setups. vKA can communicate directly with the Pa-
ca(rana) without the use of a physical MIDI interface! This saves the expense of a MIDI
interface on your Mac and one for your Paca(rana), plus MIDI cables. In addition, vKA
provides a utility virtual MIDI port named “Paca(rana)” that sends MIDI to and from your
Mac using the previously mentioned “MIDI-over-OSC” feature. Sequencers, Max/MSP,
and other music software can send MIDI directly to and from the Paca(rana) sound
computation engine without requiring a MIDI interface.
vKA in Summary
•Native OSX user agent program that is compatible with Intel and G5 Macs running
Leopard or Intel Macs using Snow Leopard.
•Transforms the Akai APC40’s MIDI commands to and from appropriate Kyma’s
VCS control messages.
•Supports Symbolic Sounds’ Capybara sound engine and Paca(rana) family of
sound engines.
•Works with a direct MIDI connection to the sound engine, or optionally with the
Paca(rana) using its “MIDI-over-OSC” network MIDI protocol.
•Provides a “virtual MIDI port” when used with the Paca(rana) and “MIDI-over-OSC”.
This affords MIDI applications direct communication with the Paca(rana) without
requiring additional MIDI or USB interfaces.
•Retains Ableton Live APC40 compatibility.
•Easy one button switching between controlling Ableton Live or Kyma VCS.
•Can be used with Harmony Systems PacaMidi utility to further expand the Pa-
ca(rana)’s MIDI connections.
•"Set up once and forget about it" ease-of-use.
Delora Software™ by Harmony Systems, Inc. - vKA
How it Works
vKA is a small, light-weight OSX application that run unobtrusively in the background.
It is easy to set up, and once you have done this you can pretty much forget it’s even
there. You do not really even need to understand what is happening “behind the
scenes”.
So what is happening “behind the scenes”? vKA is a “native” OSX application that is
technically a “user agent” program. This is a special type of OSX application that does
not require (nor offer) any direct user interface. Its operation is fully under OSX’s direc-
tion. vKA can automatically start when you log into your OSX account. If OSX detects
any type of problem it can automatically restart vKA. If you need to manually control
vKA’s operation, or adjust its few settings, it has a control panel available through
OSX’s System Preferences, just like you control your mouse, keyboard, and other OSX
components. There are, however, very few settings. In fact when used with a Paca(rana)
set up is pretty much automatic!
A brief comment about vKA being “native” - vKA was created using OSX’s standard de-
veloper tools and languages. It does not require a special “run time” or other unique
components for it to operate. It is literally “built for OSX”. This ensures smoother op-
eration, less processing and memory demands, and better overall compatibility. Since
vKA was created with the same tools Apple uses for its applications you can expect a
smoother transition when OSX, or your Mac, changes in the future.
Delora Software™ by Harmony Systems, Inc. - vKA
vKA
Paca(rana) mode
Akai APC40
USB
Mac
vKA
CoreMidi
(OSX "user agent")
APCA Cbolenttoronl LSivuerface App-to-App vKA APCvirtual MIDI port vKA "engine" Paca(rana) virtual MIDI port App-to-App (MLIoDgI iAc,p Lpilvicea, teiotcn)
MIDI-over-OSC
port
Network connection
Paca(rana)
This diagram highlights how vKA works when in the “Paca(rana) mode”. The vKA “en-
gine” monitors MIDI traffic from the Paca(rana) for VCS related messages. These mes-
sages are transformed into an appropriate sequence of APC40 messages. This is done
so that the APC40 provides the necessary “faders” (more on this in a moment), rotary
controls, switches, and lights that the VCS requires. Likewise vKA interprets APC40
messages into VCS user actions, like moving a fader or setting a switch. All of this
works so that the user can use APC40 rotary controls and switches to change the VCS.
vKA provides an OSX CoreMidi compatible “virtual MIDI port” that applications like
Logic, Ableton Live, or any other application that supports CoreMidi, can use to send
MIDI to and from a Kyma sound. This VKA feature is like gaining a USB MIDI interface
for free! In fact since the Paca(rana) normally also needs a USB MIDI interface you are
getting two for free. PacaMidi, another Harmony System product, is a “virtual MIDI in-
terface and patchbay” that not only replaces these physical USB MIDI interfaces but also
provides MIDI merging and routing support for two external MIDI devices. You can use
PacaMidi along-side vKA if your MIDI set up requires these extra features.
What has been described thus far is sufficient to transform the APC40 into a VCS con-
troller. But vKA does not stop there. You probably would like to continue using your
Delora Software™ by Harmony Systems, Inc. - vKA
APC40 to control Ableton Live without switching cables, settings, or running “MIDI
pipes”, “MIDI patchbays”, or other applications. vKA “virtualizes” the APC40 so that
Ableton Live and the Kyma VCS can both use it at the same time.
vKA provides a second virtual MIDI port named “vKA APC”. If you set Ableton Live to
find the APC40 on this port instead of the APC40’s actual port then vKA can keep track
of Ableton Live. You switch between “VCS mode” and “Live” mode using one of the
APC40’s buttons.
When you are controlling the VCS vKA continues to monitor MIDI arriving over the “vKA
APC40” virtual port. It takes note of the commands and remembers what these com-
mands did. If you then switch to controlling Ableton Live, vKA makes sure that the
APC40’s lights and rotaries are where Live expects them to be. Meanwhile vKA still lis-
tens to VCS commands arriving from the Paca(rana) (or Capybara) and takes note of
those. When you switch back to VCS mode vKA makes sure that the APC40 reflects the
current VCS settings.
Delora Software™ by Harmony Systems, Inc. - vKA
vKA
Capybara mode
Akai APC40
USB
Mac
vKA
CoreMidi
(OSX "user agent")
ort
Ableton Live App-to-App PCDI p
APC Control Surface KA Aal MI vKA "engine"
vu
virt
CoreMidi
USB
External USB
MIDI I/O
MIDI
Capybara
This diagram illustrates the differences when vKA operates in “Capybara mode”. What
this really means is that a physical MIDI connection is used to send and receive MIDI
with the Capybara (or Paca(rana) should you choose to use conventional MIDI with it).
No application virtual MIDI port is available (the “Paca(rana)” virtual port). The reason
this is omitted is that there is already a MIDI interface connected to the Capybara and
any application can send and receive MIDI with that, even while vKA is operating. How-
ever the “vKA APC” virtual MIDI port is still provided as that is essential to sharing the
APC40 between the VCS and Ableton Live.
So how does the APC40 provide the necessary controls that the VCS expects? This is
covered in the Operation section but a few words are in order here regarding faders.
The VCS uses a “banking” strategy to allow eight physical “faders” to control a some-
Delora Software™ by Harmony Systems, Inc. - vKA
what unlimited number of VCS settings. Button presses are used to change what sound
setting is currently assigned to one of the eight “faders”. This is how many DAW con-
trol surfaces work so you are probably already familiar with it.
The problem with these “bank changes” is that the physical controls have to somehow
adjust to reflect the current VCS value. Controllers like the MotorMix or BCF2000 em-
ploy motorized faders that move the fader handles to the correct value. vM2 accom-
plishes the same feat by commanding the Lemur’s virtual faders to also update. Unfor-
tunately the APC40’s faders are not motorized, making them inappropriate.
What the APC40 does have is sixteen endless rotary controls, each with an “LED ring”
that can be set to show a current value. Essentially these rotaries can be used like a
conventional “potentiometer” (or knob). When you adjust one of them the LED ring will
show the new value. Likewise when the VCS adjusts one it will also then show the cur-
rent value.
vKA’s engine uses the APC40’s “Device Control” group of eight rotaries as VCS faders.
You will find that the operation is accurate, smooth, and intuitive. In a short time you
will reach for one of these “knobs” whenever you wish to adjust a VCS fader.
For now, the APC40’s physical faders are unused by the VCS. That way they remain
fully available to Ableton Live without the undesired consequences when switching be-
tween VCS and Live mode.
Limitations
vKA only provides a subset of the VCS functionality you would find if you used a Mo-
torMix or vM2 with a Lemur. This is not unlike using the BCR2000 (except vKA pro-
vides many additional features). In practice what is “missing” is probably not some-
thing you will miss. The APC40 was chosen because it is one of the few physical con-
trollers available that can provide a substantive VCS experience.
Delora Software™ by Harmony Systems, Inc. - vKA
Description:Leopard or Intel Macs using Snow Leopard. • Transforms the Logic, Ableton
Live, or any other application that supports CoreMidi, can use to send. MIDI to
and
