Rotor K2 - User Manual

Rotor K2 gives you eight standard MIDI controls plus Ableton Mode, allowing you to instantly capture and control parameters in Ableton Live without manually MIDI-mapping each one.

Rotor K2 has three operating modes:

Default Mode — 🔴 Red
Performance Mode — 🔵 Blue
Ableton Mode — 🔴 🔵 Red + Blue

To switch between modes, press and hold either encoder for 3 seconds.

Quick Reference

DEFAULT — 🔴

Turn 1 / 2 → MIDI Controls 1 / 2
Press 1 / 2 → MIDI Controls 3 / 4

PERFORMANCE — 🔵

Turn 1 / 2 → MIDI Controls 5 / 7
Press + Turn 1 / 2 → MIDI Controls 6 / 8
Double-click → Toggle sensitivity

ABLETON — 🔴 🔵

Select parameter → Choose a parameter in Ableton
Press 1 / 2 → Capture selected parameter
Turn → Control captured parameter
Double-click → Toggle sensitivity

MODE

Hold either encoder for 3 seconds → Change Mode

DEFAULT MODE — 🔴

Default Mode provides four MIDI controls using the two rotary encoders.

Turn Encoder 1 → MIDI Control 1
Turn Encoder 2 → MIDI Control 2
Press Encoder 1 → MIDI Control 3
Press Encoder 2 → MIDI Control 4

The encoder buttons operate as toggles, making them ideal for turning effects or other parameters on and off.

Example

Map Encoder 1 to a reverb:

Turn Encoder 1 → Reverb Dry/Wet
Press Encoder 1 → Reverb On/Off

This lets you activate the effect and adjust its amount from the same encoder.

PERFORMANCE MODE — 🔵

Performance Mode provides four additional continuous MIDI controls.

Turn Encoder 1 → MIDI Control 5
Press + Turn Encoder 1 → MIDI Control 6

Turn Encoder 2 → MIDI Control 7
Press + Turn Encoder 2 → MIDI Control 8

Holding an encoder while turning it gives you immediate access to its second control.

Example

Encoder 1 could control:

Turn → Filter Frequency
Press + Turn → Filter Resonance

Encoder 2 could simultaneously control:

Turn → Delay Amount
Press + Turn → Delay Feedback

This gives you four continuous controls without changing modes or MIDI mappings.

Sensitivity

Each encoder has two sensitivity settings.

Standard provides precise control for smaller adjustments.

Fast increases acceleration when the encoder is turned quickly, making it easier to move across a parameter's full range.

Double-click either encoder to toggle its sensitivity.

The LEDs will flash twice to confirm the sensitivity has changed.

Sensitivity is independent for each encoder.


ABLETON MODE — 🔴 🔵

Ableton Mode provides a faster way to control parameters in Ableton Live.

Instead of entering MIDI Map Mode and manually assigning controls, simply:

Select → Press → Turn

Capture a Parameter

  1. Click the parameter you want to control in Ableton Live.

  2. Press Encoder 1 or Encoder 2.

  3. Turn the encoder.

The selected parameter is now captured by that encoder.

You can click elsewhere in Ableton Live and the parameter will remain assigned to the Rotor K2.

Change a Captured Parameter

There is no need to clear an existing assignment.

Simply select another parameter in Ableton Live and press the encoder you want to reassign.

The newly selected parameter replaces the previous assignment.

Encoder Sensitivity

Double-click either encoder to toggle between its two sensitivity settings.

The LEDs will flash twice to confirm the change.

Each encoder's sensitivity can be changed independently.


Recording Automation in Ableton Mode

Ableton Mode is designed to make recording hands-on automation fast.

First, capture the parameter you want to automate:

Select Parameter → Press Encoder

Then enable automation recording in Ableton Live, start playback or recording, and turn the encoder.

Because the parameter has already been captured, you can interact with other controls in Ableton without losing the Rotor K2 assignment.

This makes it easy to perform automation by hand rather than drawing automation with a mouse.


Installing the Rotor Controls Ableton Integration

Ableton Mode requires the Rotor Controls Ableton Integration.

Default Mode and Performance Mode operate as standard MIDI controls and do not require the Ableton Integration.

The same integration is used on Windows and macOS.

Windows

  1. Close Ableton Live.

  2. Download and unzip the Rotor Controls Ableton Integration.

  3. Locate your Ableton User Library.

Users\[Username]\Documents\Ableton\User Library\Remote Scripts

  1. Open the Remote Scripts folder.

  2. Copy the included Rotor Controls Remote Script folder into the Remote Scripts folder.

  3. Restart Ableton Live.

If a Remote Scripts folder does not already exist inside your User Library, create one.

macOS

  1. Close Ableton Live.

  2. Download and unzip the Rotor Controls Ableton Integration.

  3. Locate your Ableton User Library. By default, this is typically located under:

Users/[Username]/Music/Ableton/User Library/

  1. Open the Remote Scripts folder.

  2. Copy the included Rotor Controls Remote Script folder into it.

  3. Restart Ableton Live.

If a Remote Scripts folder does not already exist, create one.


Ableton Live Setup

After installing the Rotor Controls Ableton Integration, connect your Rotor K2 and open Ableton Live.

Go to: Settings → Link, Tempo & MIDI

Under Control Surface, select the Rotor Controls Ableton Integration.

Set: Input → Rotor K2

For the Rotor K2 MIDI input, use:

Track → ON
Sync → OFF
Remote → ON
MPE → OFF

Once configured, switch the Rotor K2 into Ableton Mode and you're ready to capture parameters.


Switching Modes

Press and hold either encoder for 3 seconds to switch modes.

The modes cycle in this order:

Default 🔴 → Performance 🔵 → Ableton 🔴 🔵 → Default 🔴

If you are pressing and turning an encoder during normal use, the Rotor K2 will not intentionally interpret that movement as a mode-change command.


Saving Your Settings

Rotor K2 automatically stores its settings in internal memory.

Your operating mode and sensitivity settings are restored when the controller is disconnected and powered back on.

No software configuration is required to save these settings.


Standard MIDI Mapping

Default and Performance Modes can be mapped using your DAW's normal MIDI mapping system.

In Ableton Live, enter MIDI Map Mode, select the parameter you want to control, and operate the corresponding Rotor K2 control.

Rotor K2 provides eight standard MIDI controls across Default and Performance Modes.

Ableton Mode is separate from these eight controls and uses the Rotor Controls Ableton Integration to dynamically capture parameters.

 

Troubleshooting

Rotor K2 isn't appearing in Ableton Live

Make sure the USB cable you're using supports data transfer. Some USB cables are designed for charging only.

Try disconnecting and reconnecting Rotor K2 or restarting Ableton Live.

Ableton Mode isn't controlling anything

Confirm that:

  • Rotor K2 is in Ableton Mode

  • Both red and blue LEDs are illuminated

  • The Rotor Controls Ableton Integration is selected as the Control Surface

  • Rotor K2 is selected as the Control Surface Input

  • You selected a parameter and then pressed the encoder you want to use

Remember:

Select → Press → Turn

Simply selecting a parameter does not capture it.

The wrong parameter is being controlled

Select the parameter you want and press the desired encoder again.

The previous assignment will immediately be replaced.

Double-clicking changes the encoder response

This is normal. Double-clicking toggles between the encoder's Standard and Fast sensitivity settings.

The LEDs flash twice to confirm the change.

 

Rotor K2

Tactile Control. Zero Clutter.

Designed and assembled in Chicago, Illinois.

Rotor Controls

www.rotorcontrols.com
Instagram: @rotor.controls
Email: evan.rotorcontrols@gmail.com