vKA turns your Akai APC40 hardware controller into a Kyma Virtual Control Surface, delivering most of the features of the VCS in an intuitive, easy to use manner. Since the APC40 was designed as a control surface for Ableton Live, vKA has been designed to allow use of the APC40 with Ableton Live even while you are controlling a Kyma sound. vKA has special “smarts” that enable it to alternate between “Live mode” and “VCS mode” without missing a beat. Thus, vKA with the APC40 may well be the best option if you like to use Kyma on stage.

This diagram shows how vKA uses certain APC40 controls (in yellow) to achieve Kyma VCS functionality.
Requirements
  • Mac OSX 10.5 or higher. Compatible with Leopard and Snow Leopard. G5 Macs are supported on Leopard only.
  • Akai APC40 Ableton Controller.
  • Symbolic Sound Kyma software and firmware version 6.81 or higher with Capybara or Paca(rana) sound engine.
  • To be used with Kyma Capybara (or Paca(rana) without the MIDI Over OSC feature), vKA requires a Firewire, USB or other physical MIDI interface connecting the Kyma hardware to your Mac.
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 Paca(rana)’s MIDI connections.
  • "Set up once and forget about it" ease-of-use.

More questions? Read our FAQ section on vKA

Want more information? Download the user manual.