I don’t see what’s improved over the older model, but I love my OG KeyLab Essential 61. It’s the right kind of simple. It’s a $200 keyboard with full-size keys. Sometimes I think I’m the only person in the world who likes hardware synth modules who doesn’t just hook them up to a KeyStep or a PC. It’s actually pretty nice having a decent keyboard for your cheap synths. Mine’s hooked up to a Roland JX-08, J-6 and a TB-3. And it’s awesome.
I am a beginner, big beginner coming from a Roland Juno G.I., and not knowing all that that keyboard could do. I went ahead and purchased this keyboard from Amazon given it was the cheaper option and had so many awesome features I had to pick one up it’s due to get here on Wednesday next week, but every video that I have seen makes it to wear any beginner can pick this up and learn how to use a DAW with ease
I actually got a minilab 3 for this to edit parameters and just be a nice small controller when I don't feel like bringing out a full keyboard. I found it surprisingly good to use, even though it's not exactly as good as using a synth directly (there's also a bunch of midi stuff you can't midi learn on the minifreak v) ... I think it really comes into its own using analog lab though :)
can you use any vst from arturia with the analog lab mode have your parameters mapped however you want, with the name displayed? it still isn't clear to me. analog lab in itself is not super useful as you have to edit each preset you make with their own controls and macro; I just want a standard mapping for each synth with the name displayed and the preset browsing
@@valdir7426 you can use all the analog lab presets from a single synth in analog lab mode, and then click into the synth to edit from there, if that works for you? There are also minilab midi settings in each vst, though you may or may not want to change them …
@@if_dots no I don't want to use analog lab; it uses a macro system that makes it useless; I want to be able to map synths however I want with a default mapping; not with macros; and not having to create a mapping for each preset.
@@valdir7426 you can make a midi setting that you can switch to across all the Arturia synths, and they all share midi presets so it should be pretty fast, and once it’s set I believe the synths remember what midi they were set to on subsequent opening - but I don’t believe you can have it be default in each synth without doing that switching.
@@if_dots I've been using it with another controller; but yeah I wasn't sure it worked with any particular plugin; and allowed for 'analog lab mode' with naming and all. but if it's just a matter of switching to another controller preset that's not an issue. thank you
Do you really think so? I personally can't stand the keybed on my Mk2 Keylab 61..I find the corners sharp and unpleasant, and the keys themselves a little bit too thin. I didn't realise how much I didn't like it until I used it live on stage for the first time. Never used it again for performance after that tour.
Hmmm...I was looking to purchase the MiniLab 3 but the Keylab Essentials Mk3 goes beyond! How about a comparison to see which one suits the needs and budget...like how much will be missed by saving about $100? And what about holding out for a new KeyLab Mk3 that is rumored to come out soon...would it be worth paying like $350 more? Perhaps good stuff for another video. Thanks for the tips and review of the features of the KeyLab Essentials Mk3! 🎹
Hi Starsky, I was wondering if it would be worth investing in a midi controller keyboard to use with my original Wavestate? With the new SE version, the aspect that really excited me was the inclusion of aftertouch, if I could simply download the new presets that have aftertouch then it would save a massive cash outlay to get the new SE version
if cash is an issue then definitely. I know a lot of people regard the originals as being desktops that happen to have a keyboard attached, and use a good quality controller keyboard.
as I understand they only do in DAW control and analog lab mode. DAW control still allows you to map any 16 parameters from any synth with the parameter name when using ableton.
I'm wondering why you got the bottom of the line keyboard for this purpose. The KeyLab MKII series (not the Essentials) give you so many more controls - 16 pads instead of 8; the same knobs and sliders but three different easily selectable banks of them (fixes the problem you mention at 11:00 in the video) and 10 user setups of the three banks; easier navigation between user modes, DAW, and Analog Labs; better keybeds; all-metal case; etc.
so if you use an instrument from the V collection aren't you supposed to be able to use the analog lab mode and map it however you like (analog lab mode on the keyboard but each separate vst in the daw?) it's a bummer they didn't add the possibility of making full templates with dedicated names appearing on the screen; like you can do with the novation sl mk3.
Planning to get this to use with Logic. How many preset banks does this device have in the preset mode? And does the transport controls work in preset mode?
I have novation laucnckey 61 ,after 4-5 years Mod wheel not worked. Changed the entire system (mod and pitch wheel are connected as one inside the instrument). After 1,5-2 years , pitch wheel starting giving wrong information as if some ghost was touching it.I will never buy Novation again
I’m deeply in to editing the Java bitwig scripts for the keylab. You can reconfigure what the knobs etc.. do based on the pads by a small program on the laptop which sends sysex messages back to synth to reconfigure. So you could do it now but it needs some programming. An app could be written for this. Perhaps someone has?
Was wondering why the essential 61 key seemed to be discontinued or harder to find recently. May have to pick this one up. Been needing a 61 key, all I have is a apcKey25 akai and keystep 37. Which is fine for playing in the tub.. but need some full sized keys again.🙃
It's live playing where the controllers are a godsend. I do use one or two in my studio, but bringing out hardware that's 30-40 yrs (or more) old isn't going to happen and I'm fine with the software emulations. A couple of cases, a laptop, and maybe one or two hardware synths for the feel if they have a specific workflow I like. Plus I'm too damn old to be lugging around all that stuff, ya know.
Great review. Sadly mine won't sync properly with logic. It is really glitchy when using it as a midi controller. I've tried updating the script and updating my Mac and logic but still no joy. It seems like a great piece of kit when it works
You can literally hear when keys are crap by the ring of the plastic when you hit them.🤣 Although this keyboard might be fun mapped to OPSIX native using the drawbars etc.
I’m a beginner and bought this to learn how to play the keyboard. I didn’t realise this doesn’t act like a keyboard, as you can only play one note at a time. Is there anyway to use this as normal keyboard? Play multiple notes at the same time. Thanks
Thanks Starsky 🙌. I wonder if Chord Mode allows you to play a chord of your own and save it to a pad. Play another chord and save it to the next pad, and so on. My old Korg M3 Workstation had that great function.
I know you can save custom chords when in Chord Mode and play them on the keys. I think you can assign chords to the pad and I think you can with its Keylab big brother. But if it doesn’t, that can make for a great firmware update.
I replayed the track as a backing track- you’ll notice it’s much quieter and the synth is still playing. I placed it so the timing was correct otherwise it jars.
How stupid IS stupid? VST in a box?! it misses one thing, a joystick, for both Arturia and Korg VST s that are made for one... Thats is why I use a Arturia, and A Native Instriuments and finally a Akai MPK just for better pads and Joytick. Great video!
It's missing aftertouch, DIN in/out and has definitely to many pads. They have had really good keyboard in the past (as the Analog Experience The Laboratory).
The Essentials range is the budget end of the market… as the name suggests it has the essentials not the ‘nice to haves’. I think you’re covered with their more high end offerings.
@@StarskyCarr Yes.... buty even the newest keyboards from the higher end are a little "plastiky"... the old one were metal and (almost) wooden. Wish they come back to the previous quality.
@@SmallWorldBigThings I read somewhere about plastics and chemicals or something - recent regulations - but that may not apply here - or maybe BS as I did read it on a forum.
@@StarskyCarr yes yes of course .:. Nothing electronic though sounds as good as direct to board , bass included. MIDI is worst for guitar ; everything thing sounds like cakewalk mixed it & it's fed via hose . Tech we shud regret "surpassing" : landline telephony ; organic chemistry ; & parameters set by analog recording that preserved actual tone etc🖖👾
Pecorino cheese is terrible in Caeser salad....if you add 3lbs of it. It is however pretty tasty if added gingerly. MIDI is a tool and is helpful, but to much with quantization on steroids is...lifeless. I find it most valuable for initial song writing ideas and auditioning sounds.
@@danielfisch389 …👍 plus there’s a subtext to these… aimed at those that might question my motives! An absurd conversation to head off the ridiculous at the pass😉
Goodness Starsky. You cover a helluva lot of ground and content in this 14 minute video
Fascinating stuff. A really quality upload. Thank you!
Nice man! Wasn't expecting my favorite Prince song to be played :) Thanks!
You are fit to be a leader, I could never pick 1 Prince song as my fav.
I don’t see what’s improved over the older model, but I love my OG KeyLab Essential 61. It’s the right kind of simple. It’s a $200 keyboard with full-size keys. Sometimes I think I’m the only person in the world who likes hardware synth modules who doesn’t just hook them up to a KeyStep or a PC. It’s actually pretty nice having a decent keyboard for your cheap synths. Mine’s hooked up to a Roland JX-08, J-6 and a TB-3. And it’s awesome.
I have the Mk2 and I love it! Great value for the money.
I am a beginner, big beginner coming from a Roland Juno G.I., and not knowing all that that keyboard could do. I went ahead and purchased this keyboard from Amazon given it was the cheaper option and had so many awesome features I had to pick one up it’s due to get here on Wednesday next week, but every video that I have seen makes it to wear any beginner can pick this up and learn how to use a DAW with ease
Good job, a good midi controller is vital. Arturia midi controllers are cool, the integration with V Collection sure gives them an edge..
Did they improve the feel of the keybed or does it still feel like wet cardboard like the last essentials?
I’d also add having one midi keyboard to control all those synths can make the workflow much easier/quicker
great vid as usual Ive been testing this one for 6 months before release
The keybed on my Essential 88 mkII is really great, but I believe that is a hybrid piano/synth keybed. I think the 49 and 61 are different.
Lack of a simple sequencer using the pads is a minus
That knob is a good idea. I would have liked those drum pads on the right. Personal preference...you can't please everyone!
I actually got a minilab 3 for this to edit parameters and just be a nice small controller when I don't feel like bringing out a full keyboard. I found it surprisingly good to use, even though it's not exactly as good as using a synth directly (there's also a bunch of midi stuff you can't midi learn on the minifreak v) ... I think it really comes into its own using analog lab though :)
can you use any vst from arturia with the analog lab mode have your parameters mapped however you want, with the name displayed? it still isn't clear to me. analog lab in itself is not super useful as you have to edit each preset you make with their own controls and macro; I just want a standard mapping for each synth with the name displayed and the preset browsing
@@valdir7426 you can use all the analog lab presets from a single synth in analog lab mode, and then click into the synth to edit from there, if that works for you? There are also minilab midi settings in each vst, though you may or may not want to change them …
@@if_dots no I don't want to use analog lab; it uses a macro system that makes it useless; I want to be able to map synths however I want with a default mapping; not with macros; and not having to create a mapping for each preset.
@@valdir7426 you can make a midi setting that you can switch to across all the Arturia synths, and they all share midi presets so it should be pretty fast, and once it’s set I believe the synths remember what midi they were set to on subsequent opening - but I don’t believe you can have it be default in each synth without doing that switching.
@@if_dots I've been using it with another controller; but yeah I wasn't sure it worked with any particular plugin; and allowed for 'analog lab mode' with naming and all. but if it's just a matter of switching to another controller preset that's not an issue. thank you
great demo sounds
Thank you for the review. It would be a great controller if it would have the same weighted Keybed as the Keylab 49 MKII (and 61 and 88)
Do you really think so? I personally can't stand the keybed on my Mk2 Keylab 61..I find the corners sharp and unpleasant, and the keys themselves a little bit too thin. I didn't realise how much I didn't like it until I used it live on stage for the first time. Never used it again for performance after that tour.
@@ianperesmusic which Board have you used after the Keylab MKII?
Hmmm...I was looking to purchase the MiniLab 3 but the Keylab Essentials Mk3 goes beyond! How about a comparison to see which one suits the needs and budget...like how much will be missed by saving about $100? And what about holding out for a new KeyLab Mk3 that is rumored to come out soon...would it be worth paying like $350 more? Perhaps good stuff for another video. Thanks for the tips and review of the features of the KeyLab Essentials Mk3! 🎹
Hi Starsky, I was wondering if it would be worth investing in a midi controller keyboard to use with my original Wavestate? With the new SE version, the aspect that really excited me was the inclusion of aftertouch, if I could simply download the new presets that have aftertouch then it would save a massive cash outlay to get the new SE version
if cash is an issue then definitely. I know a lot of people regard the originals as being desktops that happen to have a keyboard attached, and use a good quality controller keyboard.
Hi. Would you know how's the integration with MPC Beats? Thnx.
She better go. Song number one. Hersheys. I can sit back to this and make a song sound exclusive. Soon to own one.
It's a shame that the faders/pots don't indicate the parameters on that nice shiny screen. Hopefully in a future update ?
as I understand they only do in DAW control and analog lab mode. DAW control still allows you to map any 16 parameters from any synth with the parameter name when using ableton.
Thank you for the video🌼
I'm wondering why you got the bottom of the line keyboard for this purpose. The KeyLab MKII series (not the Essentials) give you so many more controls - 16 pads instead of 8; the same knobs and sliders but three different easily selectable banks of them (fixes the problem you mention at 11:00 in the video) and 10 user setups of the three banks; easier navigation between user modes, DAW, and Analog Labs; better keybeds; all-metal case; etc.
so if you use an instrument from the V collection aren't you supposed to be able to use the analog lab mode and map it however you like (analog lab mode on the keyboard but each separate vst in the daw?) it's a bummer they didn't add the possibility of making full templates with dedicated names appearing on the screen; like you can do with the novation sl mk3.
Planning to get this to use with Logic. How many preset banks does this device have in the preset mode? And does the transport controls work in preset mode?
Ive still not used a midi controller that gets close to the Novation 61 key SL MK111.
I have novation laucnckey 61 ,after 4-5 years Mod wheel not worked. Changed the entire system (mod and pitch wheel are connected as one inside the instrument). After 1,5-2 years , pitch wheel starting giving wrong information as if some ghost was touching it.I will never buy Novation again
Nice song choice :-)
I’m deeply in to editing the Java bitwig scripts for the keylab. You can reconfigure what the knobs etc.. do based on the pads by a small program on the laptop which sends sysex messages back to synth to reconfigure. So you could do it now but it needs some programming. An app could be written for this. Perhaps someone has?
Was wondering why the essential 61 key seemed to be discontinued or harder to find recently. May have to pick this one up. Been needing a 61 key, all I have is a apcKey25 akai and keystep 37. Which is fine for playing in the tub.. but need some full sized keys again.🙃
It's live playing where the controllers are a godsend. I do use one or two in my studio, but bringing out hardware that's 30-40 yrs (or more) old isn't going to happen and I'm fine with the software emulations. A couple of cases, a laptop, and maybe one or two hardware synths for the feel if they have a specific workflow I like. Plus I'm too damn old to be lugging around all that stuff, ya know.
Great review. Sadly mine won't sync properly with logic. It is really glitchy when using it as a midi controller. I've tried updating the script and updating my Mac and logic but still no joy. It seems like a great piece of kit when it works
You can literally hear when keys are crap by the ring of the plastic when you hit them.🤣
Although this keyboard might be fun mapped to OPSIX native using the drawbars etc.
My Moog Prodigy's keys are almost like an instrument in themselves - so much ringing from the springs.
@@StarskyCarr sample it and make a tune Starsky 😂
What’s better Spectrasonics or the Arturia Bundle? Debating on which one to get.
Do the CC map presets also work to control desktop hardware synths or is this pc only?
Surely parameters are named for pigments & v collection no? Mk3??
I’m a beginner and bought this to learn how to play the keyboard.
I didn’t realise this doesn’t act like a keyboard, as you can only play one note at a time. Is there anyway to use this as normal keyboard? Play multiple notes at the same time. Thanks
He clearly plays more than one note on the video. Double check you have it set up properly in your DAW/VST
@@Trippsy05 after messing about with it, I can do it. 👍
Thanks Starsky 🙌. I wonder if Chord Mode allows you to play a chord of your own and save it to a pad. Play another chord and save it to the next pad, and so on. My old Korg M3 Workstation had that great function.
Not that I can figure. Pads seem to be notes only. .. nice idea for an update.
I know you can save custom chords when in Chord Mode and play them on the keys. I think you can assign chords to the pad and I think you can with its Keylab big brother. But if it doesn’t, that can make for a great firmware update.
@@DerekPower yeah would be good for a future update. Currently it’s either note, or gate… just checking the control centre now.
@@StarskyCarr Arturia is more often than not very good at making their products better with firmware updates. =]
@@DerekPower I know the new Microfreak update was great. Looking forward to what they give us on the Minifreak.
why did the drums keep playing after you pressed stop?
I replayed the track as a backing track- you’ll notice it’s much quieter and the synth is still playing. I placed it so the timing was correct otherwise it jars.
IMO "Scales" option on regular keyboard is a crime against the music... :)
Haha… just throw your forearm down on the keys and hope for the best… 😂
Glad to see you're still practising your acting skills 🤣
What do you mean practising 😂😂😂 all professional stuff this!
How stupid IS stupid? VST in a box?! it misses one thing, a joystick, for both Arturia and Korg VST s that are made for one... Thats is why I use a Arturia, and A Native Instriuments and finally a Akai MPK just for better pads and Joytick. Great video!
It's missing aftertouch, DIN in/out and has definitely to many pads. They have had really good keyboard in the past (as the Analog Experience The Laboratory).
The Essentials range is the budget end of the market… as the name suggests it has the essentials not the ‘nice to haves’. I think you’re covered with their more high end offerings.
@@StarskyCarr Yes.... buty even the newest keyboards from the higher end are a little "plastiky"... the old one were metal and (almost) wooden. Wish they come back to the previous quality.
@@SmallWorldBigThings I read somewhere about plastics and chemicals or something - recent regulations - but that may not apply here - or maybe BS as I did read it on a forum.
But does it exist with 88 keys.
I’m actually typing this comment from my Arturia 61 Essentials Mk3… 😎
lol
Mixolodian … popular with the kids, that one …
Not a big fan of the looks, toe be honest... not sure why everything has to look like deluxe boutique these days.
Thought you were talking about me for a minute there! 😂
@@StarskyCarr Haha, no way. Sorry for the confusion. 😁
1 is a synth the other is a MIDI keyboard controller. you are comparing a apple to a orange
MIDI sucks the life out of synth music
it's rather useful though ... especially when you cant play all of them simultaneously ;)
@@StarskyCarr yes yes of course .:. Nothing electronic though sounds as good as direct to board , bass included. MIDI is worst for guitar ; everything thing sounds like cakewalk mixed it & it's fed via hose . Tech we shud regret "surpassing" : landline telephony ; organic chemistry ; & parameters set by analog recording that preserved actual tone etc🖖👾
Pecorino cheese is terrible in Caeser salad....if you add 3lbs of it. It is however pretty tasty if added gingerly. MIDI is a tool and is helpful, but to much with quantization on steroids is...lifeless. I find it most valuable for initial song writing ideas and auditioning sounds.
MIDI is just data. It’s the standard “sound-fonts” that create that reaction of “lifeless cheese”.
10 minutes after midi 2.0 comes out you’ll be complaining it’snotnas warm as midi 1.0 14:15
Pst………..ditch the theatrics.
Nah…. Gotta have fun. 😀
@@StarskyCarr I enjoy them !
@@StarskyCarr As Zappa asked "Does Humor Belong in Music?", his attitude was obvious. we should follow his example. 😎
@@danielfisch389 …👍 plus there’s a subtext to these… aimed at those that might question my motives! An absurd conversation to head off the ridiculous at the pass😉