How the Kontrol S88 keyboard helps Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith translate emotion into structure

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s upcoming album GUSH – slated for release on August 22nd – is rooted in physicality. Not in the usual way techno or ambient producers talk about movement, but in how sounds feel when they hit the body – when pressure, texture, and nuance turn into something you can actually sense. That’s what drives her process, and it’s why tools like Kontakt and Komplete Kontrol play such a central role in shaping the record.

Across GUSH, Kaitlyn moves through themes of flirtation, perception, and emotional signal. Some of it’s abstract. A lot of it is built around control – how velocity and aftertouch can shift attention, how layered harmonics can hold or release tension, and how each phrase finds its form through curiosity instead of rigid planning. The tactile workflow of a full-range keyboard and the harmonic depth of orchestral Kontakt instruments help make that feel immediate and expressive, not theoretical.

In this interview, Kaitlyn breaks down her compositional process, her approach to sound modulation and oscillator design, and how emotional states shape the way she builds structure and movement – both in GUSH and in her broader practice.

Jump to these sections:

• Why Kaitlyn starts most pieces on a full-range keyboard
• How she builds harmonic relationships before adding texture
• Using aftertouch and velocity to create dynamic attention shifts
• Her blend of hardware and Kontakt instruments for emotional layering
• Modulation tips and oscillator selection strategies
• Advice for producers learning to compose from a more embodied place

Scroll on for process-driven insights, tactile synthesis tricks, and a look at how GUSH takes shape from the inside out.

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When you sit down to create, are you chasing a physical reaction, or does it just happen as part of the flow?

When I create, I often find myself in a few different mindsets, each serving a unique purpose in my creative process. One of these is an “emptying and organizing” mindset, which is akin to free writing in a journal.

The goal in this stage is to clear my mind and create space for new ideas to flow. It’s all about maintaining momentum, letting thoughts pour out without judgment, and organizing them in a way that makes sense later. Another common mindset I tap into is the “in search of” mindset, which is driven by an inner feeling that something needs to be expressed. It’s like a subtle nudge that guides me to search for the right idea or form, and I embrace the process of discovery as I go along.

At the same time, curiosity plays a significant role in my creative journey. I remain open to spontaneous sparks that may emerge, serving as the seed for new ideas. I often liken my creative process to that of a farmer: I put in the effort to nurture and protect the growth of my ideas, much like tending to crops. While physical reactions often signal when I am particularly motivated or energized, I don’t actively seek them out; I simply allow them to surface and use them as indicators of where my energy is most engaged.

This process feels intuitive, with each mindset helping me cultivate creativity in its own distinct way.

Pro tip from Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith on understanding oscillator types and waveforms: The foundation of any synthesized sound lies in the type of oscillator and waveform you choose. Learn how different waveforms (sine, square, saw, triangle, etc.) interact and how they shape the sound’s harmonic content. Experimenting with these waveforms and combining multiple oscillators can help create more complex and unique sounds.

How does using a full-range keyboard like the Komplete Kontrol 88 help you translate sensation into MIDI performance more naturally?

I began my musical career as a composer and orchestrator, and my journey started with writing on the piano and classical guitar. For me, the ability to sketch out my ideas on the piano, or a full-length weighted keyboard, is an essential part of my creative process.

The tactile experience of playing and hearing the music come to life on the keyboard allows me to fully explore the nuances of my compositions. Whether it’s a simple melodic idea or a more complex arrangement, the piano serves as my foundation, helping me shape the direction of the piece before moving into other areas of production.

Once I have a solid piano composition, I then begin to expand it into a full production. The piano provides the core structure and emotional undercurrent for the piece, and from there, I can layer additional instruments, textures, and dynamics to bring the music to its fullest form.

This initial step of writing out the ideas on the piano is crucial because it gives me a clear vision of how the composition should evolve. It ensures that the heart of the music remains intact as I add more layers, keeping the integrity of the original concept while allowing for further creative exploration.

Pro tip from Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith on using filter modulation to add movement: Filters are crucial for shaping the tonal characteristics of your sound. To add movement, try modulating the filter cutoff with an LFO (Low-Frequency Oscillator) or an envelope. This can create evolving sounds, like a wobbly bass or sweeping pads, and add dynamic variation to your synthesis.

Do you tend to start with Kontakt’s orchestral instruments, ambient tools, or something less conventional when building emotional layers?

When building emotional layers in my music, I always start with the harmony, focusing on the interval relationships between the notes. For me, these intervals are what truly create the emotional foundation of the piece. Once I have a clear sense of the harmonic structure, I move on to deciding which textures will best convey that emotion.

This step is similar to orchestration, where I think about the specific role each sound will play in delivering the intended feeling. I ask myself a series of questions to guide the process: Who is the main storyteller? Who else is involved in the conversation? What is the nature of the interaction – does it involve tension, and if so, what kind of friction is present? These questions shape the way I approach sound creation, helping me to build a sonic landscape that reflects the emotional narrative.

In terms of sound production, I tend to start with hardware instruments, using them to lay down the core of the sound. This provides me with a tangible, hands-on feel for the textures I’m creating. Once I have the foundation in place, I blend these hardware sounds with soft synths, such as those from Native Instruments, to add further depth and complexity.

The combination of physical instruments and digital sounds allows me to shape a rich, multi-layered emotional atmosphere, ensuring that the music feels both organic and expansive. This approach helps me to build a sound world that evolves naturally, supporting the emotional arc of the composition.

Pro tip from Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith on master envelope control: Envelopes control the evolution of sound over time, and they’re essential for creating realistic and expressive patches. Pay attention to the Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release (ADSR) parameters. For example, a long attack time can create smooth, evolving pads, while a short decay and release can give sharp, punchy sounds like plucks or percussive hits.

How much does velocity and aftertouch play into the “flirtation” with sound that you’ve talked about to get expressive detail into your Kontakt performances?

Velocity and aftertouch are essential tools for me when it comes to creating different emphases in my sounds.

These elements allow me to control the intensity and dynamic shifts within a piece, giving me the ability to guide the listener’s attention in subtle ways. By adjusting the velocity, I can add weight or lightness to a sound, and through aftertouch, I can introduce variations that add texture and nuance.

This fine control over the physicality of sound is crucial for shaping the emotional landscape of a composition, allowing me to steer the listener’s emotional response.

In much of the “flirtation” that I reference in connection with my most recent album, the idea of emphasis is key to creating intrigue and engagement.

Flirtation, in this context, is about playing with attention – deciding where to invite the listener to focus, and where to allow their attention to shift. Just as in a conversation, where certain words or gestures are highlighted to convey meaning, I use these musical techniques to emphasize particular moments in the sound. It’s a playful interaction, where I manipulate attention through dynamic shifts, guiding the listener’s experience while keeping them engaged in the ebb and flow of the composition.

Pro tip from Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith on layering sounds for complexity: Don’t settle for a single synth sound when you can layer multiple voices or instruments together. Layering different sounds, whether it’s stacking several oscillators or combining different synth patches, adds richness and complexity to your sound. Use subtle detuning or panning for each layer to make the mix feel fuller and more immersive.

How do you know when a sound needs more texture, saturation, or color to really land emotionally?

I can tell when a sound needs “more” to land emotionally based on how it makes me feel in the moment. This emotional response is a guiding force in my creative process. When I was younger, I often felt overwhelmed by a strong sense of empathy – absorbing the emotions of others and the world around me in a way that was hard to manage.

Over time, I realized that I could channel this empathy into my music, transforming those overwhelming feelings into something constructive. By doing so, I learned how to control and direct my emotions through sound, which helped me navigate the intensity of my empathy without feeling weighed down by it.

Now, I use my sense of empathy as a tool in my creative process.

When composing, I tune into how certain sounds or harmonies resonate with me on an emotional level, and I adjust them to deepen the impact. By understanding my own emotional reactions to sound, I can refine the music in a way that feels intentional and authentic, allowing the emotions to land with clarity.

In this way, I take something that once felt uncontrollable and use it to enhance the emotional depth of my work, creating a more deliberate and powerful connection with the listener.

For producers who want to start composing from a more sensory or embodied place, what’s one change you’d suggest they try first in their workflow?

I love this question! For producers who want to start composing from a more sensory or embodied place, my first piece of advice would be to learn not to be afraid of feelings.

So much of music is rooted in emotion, and it’s important to embrace how deeply we, as humans, can feel. Each emotion has its own unique nuance, and instead of avoiding or suppressing them, I encourage producers to lean into those feelings. Let the emotion fully take its course and allow it to guide you on a journey. By embracing the full range of what you feel, you can deepen the emotional resonance of your compositions.

It really starts with a mindset shift – understanding that feelings aren’t something to be feared or avoided but something to be explored and celebrated.

Once you start embracing the incredible depth of emotion you experience, you can tap into a new level of creativity. Let your feelings shape the sounds you create, and trust that they will lead you to places of discovery and connection.

Composing from this embodied place can transform the way you approach music, making the process more organic and deeply connected to your own emotional landscape.

Wrapping it all up

Thanks to Kaitlyn for breaking down a process that’s as structured as it is sensory. What stood out most is how much weight she puts on feel – both in terms of physical interaction with her tools and the emotional shape of the ideas she’s chasing.

The details matter – oscillator pairings, harmonic intervals, subtle shifts in velocity – but the goal is always to create something that resonates on a deeper level.

GUSH feels like an extension of that mindset. It’s built around attention, where each sound isn’t just placed but felt. The tension and release come from how things interact, not how big or polished they are. And the gear – Kontakt, Komplete Kontrol, modular – serves that process without getting in the way.

For producers trying to build from a more intuitive place, this is the takeaway: clarity doesn’t mean complexity. It means listening closely, committing to what feels right, and letting that guide the structure.

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