MIDI, sync & USB · K.O. II guide

11.1BasicsTE guide §10.2, §1.2

The EP sample tool

The EP sample tool runs in a web browser and talks to the K.O. II over USB-C. Drag audio files onto it to load them, drag samples off to save them, and back up whole projects before a gig or an update.

Connect the K.O. II to your computer with a USB-C cable.
Open teenage.engineering/apps/ep-sample-tool in your browser.
Drag files onto a slot to load them; drag samples out to save them to the computer.

What it does

Converts any sample rate and bit depth with a high-quality resampler before loading.
Keeps files below the K.O. II’s native 46.875 kHz at their own rate, saving memory — about 100 minutes of 11.025 kHz, 16-bit mono fits in 128 MB.
Names samples, so the name shows when you hold the pad in SOUND mode.
Trims and customises samples; since OS 2.5 trim points survive export and re-import.
Backs up and restores the whole device or individual projects, moves files between units and lets you share sample banks.

From the community

how to use the EP sample tool
teenage engineering education
Two-minute official walkthrough of the EP sample tool: connecting, assigning, editing, importing and backing up.

EP sample tool - backup and restore projects
teenage engineering education
Official one-minute guide to backing up and restoring single projects or everything with the sample tool.

The sample tool KO II EP-133 - Deep dive tutorial guide
XNB
Short tour of the EP sample tool’s library, pad assignment and sample editing view.

EP-133 K.O.II Update, Restore, & Backup
DECIMA1
Quick guide to local backup, restoring factory sounds and restoring a backup.

I built an iOS app for Teenage Engineering’s EP-133, EP-40, and EP-1320 samplers
Bad Bad Power | Best Friend for K.O. II creator
The developer of the third-party Best Friend app (iOS/Android) shows sample management, stems and backups.

This EP-133 KO II Tool Exports Projects In 5 Seconds
Bass Robotics™
Demo of Phones24’s EP-133 export-to-DAW tool for pulling projects off the device quickly.

11.2IntermediateTE guide §1.2, §14.1

MIDI in, out and thru

The K.O. II has MIDI in and out on 3.5 mm TRS jacks and also works as a USB MIDI device with clock and transport. It can be played from a keyboard or pad controller, sequence other instruments from its pads, and sync to or drive a clock.

Connecting

Gear with 5-pin DIN MIDI needs a 3.5 mm TRS-to-DIN adaptor (type A).
Gear with TRS MIDI can connect with a plain 3.5 mm TRS cable.
USB MIDI controllers need a host between them and the K.O. II — a computer or a dedicated USB MIDI host box.
The MIDI or USB icon lights when notes arrive.

MIDI settings (system settings codes)

Setting	Codes
MIDI clock	100 off (default) · 101 receive only · 102 send only
MIDI channel	110 receive all, send on 1 · 111–126 channel 1–16 · 127 off (only pads with a channel set)
MIDI thru	130 off · 131 on (incoming MIDI is passed on)
Reset controllers at stop	140 off (default) · 141 on

What it sends and receives

Message	Details
Notes	36–83 trigger the pads of groups A–D (MIDI note map); 0–127 in KEYS mode
Velocity	Sent and received
Pitch bend and mod wheel	Received, and they affect sample playback
Control change	See MIDI CC and controllers
Bank select (CC 0/32)	Reaches all sounds 1–999
Clock, start/stop, song position	Sent and received; song position counts from the song start (OS 2.5)
System exclusive	Identity request and reply (also over TRS since OS 2.5), plus TE’s own messages
Program change	Recorded and passed on, but no longer mapped to anything on the device (OS 2.0.2)

From the community

Teenage Engineering EP-133 KO ii - How to MIDI Sync with the Roland S1 & MiniLab 3 from Scratch
The Sound Test Room
Step-by-step MIDI sync with a Roland S-1 and an Arturia MiniLab 3, from cables to settings.

Using the MIDI Mode of KO II EP-133 - Tutorial Guide
XNB
Covers MIDI from a controller, to a DAW and out to a synth.

Tutorial: syncing the EP-133 KO II & OP-Z over MIDI (USB & TRS/3.5mm)
windowbed (James)
Compares USB and TRS MIDI and shows clock sync in both directions with an OP-Z.

EP-133 KO II Midi Sync Out Explained | Exporting Your Beat Projects To The Ableton DAW Step By Step.
Bass Robotics™
Tracking a K.O. II beat into Ableton over MIDI sync, a way to get finished ideas off the device.

11.3IntermediateTE guide §12.8

Playing the K.O. II from a MIDI keyboard

A MIDI keyboard or pad controller can play the K.O. II’s sounds. Normally each note triggers a pad; press KEYS and the keyboard plays the selected sound across its whole range instead.

Connect the keyboard to MIDI in with the right cable — see MIDI in, out and thru.
Play a few notes. The MIDI (or USB) icon lights to show the K.O. II is receiving.
Notes now trigger the pads; MIDI note map shows which note plays which pad.
To play one sound chromatically, select its pad and press KEYS.

From the community

11.4AdvancedTE guide §12.9

Sequencing other instruments

Any pad can drive an external instrument. Set its MIDI channel in sound edit, and the notes you play or sequence on it go out of the MIDI port (or USB) on that channel.

Connect the instrument to MIDI out (or USB).
Press SHIFT + SOUND to open sound edit.
Select the pad, then use − and + to reach the MIDI page.
Turn X to set the MIDI channel the pad sends on.
Turn Y to set the root note so the notes match your sample.
Play or sequence the pad — the notes go to the instrument.

From the community

EP–133 K.O. II - controlling external devices over midi
teenage engineering education
Official clip showing where each pad’s MIDI settings live so the K.O. II can play external synths.

EP–133 K.O. II playlist (teenage engineering education)teenage engineering education — TE’s education channel playlist for the K.O. II; short how-to clips rather than a full tutorial series.

11.5AdvancedTE guide §14.2

MIDI note map

Each group gets one octave of MIDI notes, starting at C2 (36) for group A. Within an octave the notes climb through the pads in the order . 0 ENTER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 — bottom row first.

Pad	Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
`.`	36 · C2	48 · C3	60 · C4	72 · C5
`0`	37 · C#2	49 · C#3	61 · C#4	73 · C#5
`ENTER`	38 · D2	50 · D3	62 · D4	74 · D5
`1`	39 · D#2	51 · D#3	63 · D#4	75 · D#5
`2`	40 · E2	52 · E3	64 · E4	76 · E5
`3`	41 · F2	53 · F3	65 · F4	77 · F5
`4`	42 · F#2	54 · F#3	66 · F#4	78 · F#5
`5`	43 · G2	55 · G3	67 · G4	79 · G5
`6`	44 · G#2	56 · G#3	68 · G#4	80 · G#5
`7`	45 · A2	57 · A3	69 · A4	81 · A5
`8`	46 · A#2	58 · A#3	70 · A#4	82 · A#5
`9`	47 · B2	59 · B3	71 · B4	83 · B5

11.6AdvancedOS 2.5+TE guide §14.5

MIDI CC and controllers

A few parameters respond to MIDI control change messages, so a controller’s knobs, mod wheel or pedal can play them.

CC	Range	Controls
1	1–127	Vibrato (mod wheel)
12	1–127	Effect parameter on X
13	1–127	Effect parameter on Y
64	1–127	Sustain pedal for key and legato sounds

Pitch bend and the mod wheel affect sample playback (OS 2.0).
With setting 141, the K.O. II resets controllers when the sequencer stops; since OS 2.5 that includes its own pitch bend and mod wheel state.
CC 12 and 13 and the sustain pedal arrived in OS 2.5.

11.7IntermediateTE guide §1.2, §16

Sync in and out

Separate from MIDI, the sync jacks send and receive a simple clock pulse — what Pocket Operators, modular systems and vintage drum machines understand. The clock is on the tip, start/stop on the ring.

Rate	In	Out	Use it for
1/8 note	200	210	Pocket Operators. Out, the clock is sent on both tip and ring so a splitter can sync two POs.
1/16 note (default)	201	211	Eurorack-style clock with start/reset on the ring, and another K.O. II.
24 ppqn (sync24)	202	212	Vintage drum machines with DIN sync.

From the community

11.8IntermediateTE guide §12.5, §12.6

Syncing with Pocket Operators

Pocket Operators sync with a plain audio cable. The K.O. II can lead — its sync out drives the PO — or follow, taking clock from the PO on one side of a split cable and the PO’s audio on the other.

K.O. II leads

Run a 3.5 mm cable from the K.O. II’s sync out to the PO’s input jack (left side).
On the PO, hold the function key under the rightmost knob and press BPM until the screen shows SY2 — it listens for sync on its input.
On the K.O. II, press SHIFT + ERASE, go to sync (syn) > out > 8 and press ENTER (or type 210).
Press play on the PO, then PLAY on the K.O. II.

Pocket Operator leads

Use a stereo-to-two-mono split cable on the PO’s output. Put the right channel (ring, red on TE cables) into the K.O. II’s INPUT and the left (tip, brown or white) into its sync in.
On the PO, choose SY1 the same way — it sends a sync pulse on the left channel.
On the K.O. II, set sync (syn) > in > 8 (code 200).
Press play on the PO, then PLAY on the K.O. II.

From the community

EP–133 guide: how toteenage engineering — Short recipes from TE: velocity sensitivity, scale changes, syncing with POs and drum machines, resampling a chord, sampling over USB audio.

11.9IntermediateTE guide §12.4, §12.7

Two K.O. IIs and vintage drum machines

The same jacks link a second K.O. II or a classic drum machine.

Two K.O. IIs

Set both units to 1/16 sync in and out (codes 201 and 211 — the defaults).
Connect the sync out of one to the sync in of the other with a 3.5 mm cable.

A drum machine leads

Connect the drum machine’s sync out to the K.O. II’s sync in. DIN sync machines need an adaptor or a special cable.
On the K.O. II, set sync (syn) > in > 24 (code 202).
Start both machines together.

To let the K.O. II lead instead, connect its sync out to the drum machine’s sync in and set sync > out > 24 (code 212).