Arturia has announced that KeyLab Essential, the most recent in their KeyLab line of controller keyboards, is now shipping.
Announced earlier this year at Musikmesse, the 49- and 61-note controllers offer intuitive performance controls, DAW integration and come with Arturia’s Analog Lab software.
Features:
- Software Specifications:
- Includes Analog Lab software with 5000 synth sounds
- Includes Ableton Live Lite
- Includes UVI Grand Piano model D
- Hardware Specifications:
- 61 keys with velocity
- Controllers: 1 clickable encoder, 9 encoders, 9 30mm faders, 6 transport switches, 4 command switches, 1 modulation wheel, 1 pitch bend wheel, 8 touch and pressure-sensitive pads
- Connectivity: MIDI out, USB, Sustain pedal
- Functions as universal MIDI controller
- Twin-line LCD screen
- MCU/HUI control compatibility
- Chord Play mode
- Analog Lab 2 integration:
- Select sounds, browse presets, switch parts, smart-assigned controls.
- Standalone or plug-in operation: VST, VST3, AU, AAX.
- Over 5,000 TAE® powered preset sounds from Arturia’s V Collection
- Ableton Live 9 Lite – record, layer, and edit sounds to create a finished song.
- UVI Grand Piano Model D – Sample-based software recreation of Steinway classic.
- Compatible with major Digital Audio Workstations: Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, FL Studio, Bitwig, Cubase, Ableton Live, Digital Performer, Studio One
Pricing and Availability. Arturia KeyLab Essential 49- and 61-key controller keyboards are available starting today, from retailers or directly from Arturia. The 61-key model retails for $299US, and the KeyLab Essential 49 retails for $249US.
To find out more about the Arturia KeyLab Essential, visit the Arturia website.
Considering the use this guy does of the keyboard, I think it could be completely replaced by a bunch of pads.
Now, Am I getting crazy or at 1:30 he plays a lower key resulting in a higher note (he goes down from a F# to an E but sounds like going up)?
Noticed the exact same thing
i would love a smaller version like the old school microkontrol
this comes close but i would enjoy mini keys.
Thoughts? Yea .. I bought the 49 key version, maybe its ok if your using it for Arturia’s stuff, but as a midi controller for hardware its weak, the preset dial and buttons don’t send any Midi CC’s so you can’t do program changes with it, however you CAN do program changes with the drum pads .. ehh .. ok. Another thing that buggged me, that probably won’t alot of people, is they stuck 8 of these big round adhesive rubber pads on the bottom, and the thing wreaks of chemical adhesive smell .. guess I have an over sensitive nose. I returned it and bought the Roland A-49 instead .. its cheaper, action is nicer, I can do program changes on my hardware synths properly, its more compact, and it doesn’t wreak of chemicals. I do like the looks of the Arturia, and if I was a big Analog Factory user I probably would have kept it.
There are three per-note controls in standard, old-school MIDI:
1. Attack velocity (control the start),
2 Release velocity (control the end), and
3. Polyphonic Aftertouch (control the sustain of the note in realtime).
In 2017, all three should come standard in a MIDI controller. And when a manufacture tries to sell something that only does attack velocity, those units should get carted over to Toys-R-Us where they belong.
Back the the drawing board, Arturia.
* Only 30mm faders ~ not long enough for fine control
* No Expression pedal input
* No X~Y touch pad or joystick
* NO AFTERTOUCH !!!
The hand-stitched rawhide carrying pouch they included is a nice touch but I can’t believe they thought sourcing the case out of elephant ivory would go down well in 2017. Understand your market!
Checked it out at Guitar Center yesterday. The action is ghastly. Black keys are squishy. And Arturia has the balls to bundle a Steinway sample? F off.
Arturia’s keys have always been awful, but then again, I went around and played about 20 keyboards at Guitar Center recently and couldn’t believe how poor 95% of them were.
Part of why keyboard actions smell like @$$ so often is that many, many people simply don’t play them AS keyboards these days. You have to kind of dig into a piano or organ to learn HOW to play it well, but most synth music has no such pedigree, or even a need for one. Naturally, the makers go cheap for the profits. Why yell at a Buchla person for not having piano chops s/he doesn’t need? I gotta say, though… I got so sick of crap keybeds, I picked a couple of synths & controllers that feel good to me and >>stopped buying hardware<<. I've gone 95% software. It has its issues, but its banished those moments when I realize an otherwise great tool has sh*t for keys. I'm glad you can still get good actions and find a middle ground that works. Just be ready to pay up for them.
It’s so funny that I deeply love my keystep and have no interest in everything else Arturia puts out.
I want a Keystep with 49 keys