When the best gets even better

Keylab Essential has long been among the preferred USB/MIDI keyboards at the budget-friendly end of the scale, simply because you get more for your money on all parameters than you do with most competitors. Now ARTURIA is ready with the next generation with heaps of new features. The Keylab Essential MK3 is available with 49 and 61 keys in black and white.

The essential tools, at your fingertips

Like its predecessor, the Keylab MK3 features high-quality touch-sensitive keys, 8 touch- and aftertouch-sensitive pads with RGB colors, Pitch bend and modulation wheel, transport control knobs, 9 faders, 9 knobs, DIN MIDI out, and pedal input. But MK3 adds a number of very welcome and useful upgrades.

Full DAW integration

Like big brother Keylab MKII, Keylab Essential MK3 now has full DAW integration with 5 of the market's leading DAWs (Ableton Live, Apple Logigc Pro X, Steinberg Cubase, Image-Line FL Studio, Bitwig Studio) as well as MCU/HUI control for other DAWs. This means that you can use the mouse far less and control a wide range of mixer and menu functions directly in your favorite software.

An inspiring musical partner

When you want to experiment, or need a little extra inspiration, the Keylab Essential MK3 has some interesting tricks up its sleeve. Create fun, ever-changing melodies with the Arpeggiator, find exciting chord progressions with Chord Play, and always hit the right notes with Scale Mode. Now you also have two Pad-Banks (a total of 16), so that in Ableton you can e.g. can quickly switch between Clip Launch and Note Triggers. There is also a User Pad Mode which can be edited from the included MIDI Control Center software.

Even tighter integration with ARTURIA software

Part of what makes hardware so interesting is that you have direct physical control over your sound. The Keylab Essential MK3 bridges the gap between hardware and software with even better integration with the included Analog Lab V software, which offers over 2000 presets, all borrowed from the market's most comprehensive synth package, the V-Collection. Should you feel like upgrading to V-Collection, you can continue to use Analog Lab V - you just get many more presets available, as well as the ability to edit all parameters on all synthesizers.

Is there more?

Much more! In addition to the fact that an even larger software package is now included, the pedal input now also has the option to act as either Sustain, Footswitch or Expression, the USB port has been upgraded to USB-C, the large display has 4 associated context buttons that facilitate navigation and the greatly expanded Arpeggiator has been given presets, so you can save your favorite sequences. And the new, large backlit display provides better and more visual feedback.

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Specifications

• USB/MIDI controller keyboard
• 61 velocity-sensitive keys
• 8 velocity- and aftertouch-sensitive pads
• 2 programmable Pad Banks (16 pads in total)
• 9 faders and 9 pot meters
• Large backlit display
• 4 context navigation buttons
• Large navigation wheel with click
• Pitch Bend and Modulation Wheel
• USB-C port for computer (or PSU)
• YOUR MIDI Out port
• Control pedal input (Sustain, Expression or Footswitch)
• Programmable Arpeggiator with Hold
• Scale Mode
• Chord Mode
• Arp Hold Mode
• White

Included software

• MIDI Control Center
• Analog Lab V with over 2000 synth and keyboard sounds
• Ableton Live Lite
• UVI Model D Grand Piano
• Native Instruments The Gentleman Piano
• Loopcloud trial subscription
• Melodic trial subscription