Connecting the Korg nanoKONTROL to a digital audio workstation like Ableton Live, Reaper or Sonar allows you to mix tracks and control effects using the device. "Map" or link the faders on the nanoKONTROL to the volume sliders in the digital audio workstation, and then use them to fade tracks in and out of the mix. Link a knob on the nanoKONTROL to an audio effect's Wet/Dry control, and then twist the knob to change the degree to which the effect alters the sound. Several digital audio workstation include preset configurations for the nanoKONTROL; check your program's Options or Preferences section.
Although the nanoKONTROL doesn't have a piano-style keyboard, you can still use it to control parameters on a software synthesizer like Massive, Albino or Omnisphere. You could, for example, link a knob on the nanoKONTROL to the synthesizer's filter cutoff, and then twist the knob to open and close the filter. Map a slider on the nanoKONTROL to the Unison control on the synthesizer, and then raise the slider as you play to gradually fatten the synth's sound.
The Korg nanoKONTROL also works with DJ software like Virtual DJ, Serato Scratch and Traktor. Use the sliders on the nanoKONTROL to control the volume levels of different virtual turntables in the DJ program, or map the crossfader to one of the nanoKONTROL's sliders. You can use the knobs on the nanoKONTROL to bring in effects or change the pitch of a turntable, and then use the buttons to quickly mute and restart tracks.
If your audio software doesn't contain preconfigured connections for the Korg nanoKONTROL, use the KONTROL Editor to assign MIDI commands to the device's controls. Download and install the Korg USB MIDI driver and KONTROL editor from the Korg website, and and then launch KONTROL Editor. Click on one of the graphical representations of the nanoKONTROL's controls, and then assign a MIDI CC number to the control using the "Controls" section. Save the altered MIDI configuration, and then assign a control's MIDI number to a parameter in your audio program.