I am amazed by the detail on your videos and the knowledge on the products you review. Being a proper narrator is not an easy task either. Excellent channel.
I love my Essential 88. As a synth player/programmer the key action is perfect for me. I also have the Essential 49 key version & the keys feel cheap on those. I've had mine for 3 years now with zero issues.
I sent back the Keylab 88 because the keys rebounded so SLOOOOOOWWWWWLY. I reviewed this on Sweetwater's site (maybe they saw this and heard from others about it). I see you playing smooth, soft stuff, so "feel" means nothing if the keys don't rebound FAST. I have an old Kurzweil that I can FLY across the key and bring out every nuance as I go; no waiting for the keys to come back. I wish I could put THAT action into something new. I may get the Keylab Essential so I can get the speed I need; I haven't found anything that satisfies yet. Thoughts?
I personally think the fact that the Keylab comes with soooooooo much more in terms of VST's.... Analog Lab and Piano V2 alone are worth spending more! Great review!
Man, I wish the essential had the sheet music and the laptop stand options. Great video as always. Very informative. Looking for an 88 key but not sure I can shell out that premium price yet.
I have an Arturia Keylab 49 Essential for synth stuff and a Nektar Impact GX61 for that "pianistic feel" when I'm studying. I was thinking in selling one of them, but I can't. Once you got in this "MIDI controller world" it's hard to get out, haha! Amazing video, dear Sanjay. Peace!
Just found out your channel when i was searching for a good midi keyboard to get. I was all satisfied with the 88mk2 for a personal and live midi piano but then i saw the essential and the price was a wow to me and i'm definitely more confused than ever on which to get. I'm a worship leader at my church and basically use Ableton live. arturia with all its functionality and integration with DAW's sold me but I use expression pedals to control filter cut offs of different pads and i'm not so much of mod wheel fan because i need all my hands on my keys during worship. I may be able to streeeeetch my budget for the mk2 but that's gonna be a way big stretch on me financially. i am not a trained classical pianist so the keys arent so much of an issue to me, infact i use the yamaha mx61 at my church and that has been good for me. The laptop stand, expression and different inputs and more pads to trigger sounds makes me say yea to the mk2. While the cheaper price point of the essential is just amazing but its limitation on expression pedal input, no laptop stand and fewer pads becomes limited on my side. What do you advice i do at this point? Please HELP!!!
I was able to try the the Essential at NAMM today. The keys felt nice to me but I’m not a trained pianist. I wasn’t able to compare it to the 88 key MKII but I liked it better than the Essential 49 key.
Thank you very much Sanjay - awesome comparison of the two. I have not decided yet which one I'll take, but I hear your reasons for the MKII. Thank. you!
Thank you for your really excellent reviews. I did a lot of research on keyboards and mainly due to what I found from your reviews I ordered the Arturia KeyLab mkII 49 49-key Keyboard Controller from Sweetwater (I love Sweetwater BTW) ....talked myself up from the Essential 49. It's coming Wednesday, can't wait. I have had a Yamaha P80 keyboard for years and 20 years ago messed around in Cubase. Coming back to this now using Logic. Should be fun! A lot has changed since then. ;-)
Very thorough comparison! I do agree that the top Keylab line feels much more robust and premium than Essential. Was about to get Keylab Essential but went for used MK1 Keylab 88 - never looked back. This thing is heavy and screams quality. I got almost the same price as for Essential so I am very happy about my purchase - the heavier weighted keys were definitely worth it. Now, gotta figure out how to operate all these buttons :D
just what I was looking for thanks! I don't know which one. I want to learn how to play but will mainly be using it for composing / scoring for film in Logic Pro X.
Man I sure wish they would just make another Arturia keylab essential 88 key mk3 but with HAMMER ACTION KEYS. Everything about the essential but the key feel of the mk2! That would be A DREAM COME TRUE!
Mk2 looks a bit heftier than essential . . Both are amazing. . For me personally, I may not need those extra controls that are associated with mk2. Hence, If I'll have to buy one of these I will always go for 88 essentials.
OK, I’ve read all comments and replies 🤪 My question is not answered, which is the following: I recently bought the MiniLab Mk2 and I love it. Reason of buying was to experience a MIDI keyboard and the software to see if I liked it and if my son would like it. He smashed all buttons and knobs and put his arm over the keys and it’s stayed intact. Very well build! My only gripe with it are the two clickable rotary knobs when selecting sounds. They are unreliable and prone to skip one or two sounds, which I find very annoying. So my question is: is that big selection rotary knob on the Essentials and on the NI A-series and the M32 a steprotary knob. I mean does it turn smoothly or does it give some kind of notch feedback that you have stepped on to the next sound? I do hope my question is clear. 😊 Thank you for the pleasant video’s 😊
Maybe, I have the good response : _Buy the cheapest Key Lab essential with 49 keys around 200€, and pair it with a large 88 keyboard with hammer actions. You may find a second hand device as 88 keyboard to remain under 350€. This may be the ultimate way to have 88 hammer touch keyboard with the nice controls of Key lab controller.
Arturia keylab essential 88 has a problem that is the velocity of the black keys are louder as compared to the white keys...this makes playing very difficult... I found three keyboard that has the same problem and all of them were returned. My friend in Australia also faced the same issue t......49 and 61 keys alo had the same issue..whereas mkii 88 is fine and has no issues and is perfectly balanced.. I don't know whether its a defect in that lot of production... PLEASE BE AWARE BEFORE BUYING IT AND CHECK YOUR KEYS TOO...!!! There's a pronounced imbalance between black key and white key's velocity...!!!!
@@SanjayC You're very welcome. After watching you I got myself a MK II 88! :D The keys ARE really heavy indeed, I was used to the Essential 66. And the keys are not that white, is that normal? But loving the feeling of a "real" piano and the extra octaves :D
I own this one and is absolutely a beast of a controller. Love the keys. I also own the roland Fp30x. The keys on the roland are better in my opinion. I wish it had that action. I am thinking to get rid of the roland and get me the studiologic numa x piano gt. I heard has the best hammer key action on the market.
I would like to use both, The essential 61 for the pop/rock pianos and percussion, the the mk2 for the classic pianos, it would be great to link both so you can mix drums/electrical pianos and classic piano.
Great side by side review. Thanks! I'm about to retire my Korg microKEYAir 61 for the Keylab Essential 88. People say that the hammer action on the Essential is frustrating for pianists. Is this true? I don't need the extra bells and whistles of the MK2 as I use the DAW a lot for playing/editing. Am I better off looking for another 88 controller? Is the Novation Launchkey 88 a better option?
It has always been like this: They lure you into buying the cheap one but you will soon notice it is utter trash and then buy the expensive one anyways. So buy the expensive one right away!
I am looking forward to try to play piano, as for someone who is at the beggining will the ESSENTIAL be enought ? I never intend to play on an big acousitc piano, so the key feeling isn't important. I mention that I don't want a piano with speakers, I want a midi that I can connect to PC and use it there. Also I like the Arturia desing. Even more I don't care much about the midi features. In my country ESSENTIAL is 60% cheaper than MK2
I've been thinking about an 88 key that wasn't hammer action and I think I found what I want. Great review but one thing that wasn't mentioned: It appears that the keys are shorter on the Essential vs the MK2. (5 inches vs 6?) Of course, this is to be expected on a keyboard that is semi-weighted/synth action. I might just have to order me one of these....
Hi! Would you recommend the essential 88, or the Studiologic Numa Compact 2X? I'm looking for a new keyboard with these kind of features and I'm stuck between these two. thanks!
Hi Sanjay, I love your reviews on keyboards. Could you review the Studiologic SL88 Grand ? I have read it is better than the Arturia Keylab 88 and Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 MK2 by being much closer to a real piano feel. I would love to have your educated opinion on it. Thank you
I really want to get my hands on both of these to tell the difference between the weight and “clicky-ness” of the keys… that’s really my deciding factor at this point
Great video. I watched the M Audio Oxygen Pro video as well. How would you (or anyone who tried both) compare the feel and quality of the keys between the Oxygen Pro and Arturia Essential. Or if anyone has some other recommendation in the price range.
Hi Sanjay, thank you for all your videos they are really useful for me, I'm just building up my first home studio and your videos made it easier! Now I'm fighting in making a choice about a midi keyboard and I would like to know what would be your advice about the Arturia essential 49, because I'm juste a beginner... is ti good for me or do you have something better in that same range of prices? thank you 🙏🏽
Hey sanjay Can help me with my problem I am really confused between Arturia Keylab 49 essential and novation 49 launckey mk3.... Which one should I buy Btw I keep watching your videos all day and still don't get tired😌😍
Hey Sanjay! I really like your quality videos, very much helpful in choosing the right product, but still I got a question to ask, should I buy Komplete Kontrol S88 or Arturia Keylab 88 MK2, for music production? please guide me to choose one!!
Thanks, Zayne. I think, for most people, the Keylab is a great all round keyboard. If you pair that with a Native Instruments M32, you'll have the best of both worlds!
Is aftertouch ever mentioned? Because let's just say I'm glad I did my damn research and figured out that the "Essential" doesn't have this bog-standard feature even though a ton of much cheaper and much *older* controllers do have it.
You should do the price comparison too. The S series of Komplete Kontrol is very expensive compared to the essential. Just bec of its screen. I guess the MK2 also has after touch.
The S Series is more comparable to the Keylab MK2 (not the essential). So those two are more similar in price. I do a similar comparison in this video th-cam.com/video/8Pqa_extYe8/w-d-xo.html
Just a word of warning from someone that has owned the essential series. Knobs and wheels quickly degrade with use, especially if traveling. You will soon find them to be completely unusable with frequent use :/
Thank you these great reviews! Question for you, does this midi keyboard produce it’s own sounds? Or does it have to be plugged in and run through a daw in order to produce sound?
Love these in-depth comparisons videos man! I need midi synth to aid my ableton live workflow + get beat making / sequencing so was thinking push 2 but everyone tells me to learn live first. So need a midi controller and now I’m torn between just 49key mkii, 61 key mkii or 88 essential. 88 mkii got me drooling though. Being piano player I naturally use wide range but trying to learn the limited range midi keys playing for recording. Background: NS3 88 for ocasional gigging tho main stage/midi kb gig isn’t improbable in future. But all are mainly for recording. 1) what would you suggest? 2) have you found 49 or 61 keys to be limiting your studio workflow? (If you’ve ever used those as main controller before) Thanks in advance!
I don't find that 49/61 keys are limiting. I can use them just fine to input my ideas and play pretty much anything I want. But if you're a pianist, you're really going to love to have hammer actions keys. If you are going to use this keyboard controller as your main keyboard, then get hammer action
I'm torn between which one to get. I have a Novation Launchkey 49, and the Arturia MiniLab MKII. I want to learn everything I would with a piano so I'm looking to buy an 88 key. Although I don't necessarily want it for playing "piano", more to learn more and play melodies to produce beats. Which would you recommend? I can't decide!
Don't sleep on the Nektar Impact LX88+. You'll get many of the same controls and features for about $320US. But... if I didn't have the Nektar, then I'd probably go for the Keylab Essential 88 for the included Analog Lab (more sounds = more options).
Wow nice video, can you please post a tutorial how to connect 2 to 3 midi board or workstation like korg and playing in one keyboard to trigger the arpeggios in other connected keys?? Thanks in advance
Sanjay C thanks for the reply. I have korg D1, korg pa 600 and korg m50. Now i have arranged a combi in my korg m50 and when i play chords in either D1 or pa600 it should trigger the particular midi channel (1-16). Is this possible???
Is it possible (and desirable) to use midi controllers such as Arturias above for life performances in conjuction with sound module such as Digitech Piano box? I am now to all the DAW and midi controlers thing, but I have the pianobox that bought years ago to ease a latency issue on Sibelius 7. So If I get any of the above would it be convenient enough to use the combo ocassionaly for live performances?
Hi, great comparison, exactly what I was looking for, I was wondering however if I can choose the sounds I want from the keylab essential display when the keyboard is connected to a sound module, in particular the V3 grand piano xxl that doesn't have an interface on the hardware itself, or can I only control the analog lab and daw sounds from the display?
Very interesting...thanks ! The best is KL 88 MK2 but....if I'd like not wheighted keys with ALL the controls and the DAWs integration of the KL 88 MK2 ? I've to downsize to KL 61 MK2 ?
I ordered my Essential 88 about a month ago. LOL, I still have about another month to go before it finally ships from the warehouse to the Guitar Center that I ordered it through. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait. I am stoked for sure!
Better off buying from Zzounds or AMS! They have a 2-day shipping thing . I’ve gotten tons of gear and instruments from zzounds and they’re always great!
@@SanjayC I am ambitiously to buy a Komplete Kontrol S88. That is my focus. But I am about to plan a second, complete white colored home studio, because I refurbished a late 2009, still very white MacBook with more RAM and 512 GB SSD. And because of that I am looking for a white keyboard that is available at a nice price. I took a look for the white Aturia Essentials before. You surprised me well yesterday, that there is a white 88 keys essential by Arturia now! ;-) So good to follow you and watch your channel! #WORD
Hi Sanjay.... can mk2 replace midi controllers like "Icon platform M" with its sliders and knobs? If it can then I'll not have to spend some extra cash on that. Please let me kow. Great demo.
Nice review, thank you! What about the key size on the Essential? Are they full standard size? Often in the semi-weigthed keyboards they tend to use sligthly smaller keys (both black and white ones and in both sizes X-Y).... That's crazy cause even just 0.5 mm each key... means 3 mm of difference in an octave!
@@SanjayC Thank you for your answer. In the meantime I found on Sound on Sound website that the span (horizontal size of the keys) should be standard (good thing!), as you said, whilst the lenght is about 1 cm less than usual piano-size keys: about 14 cm vs 15 cm. I ordered the keyboard today and I look forward to try it :) Have a great day.
Would the 88 Essential be something to keep in mind if I'm interested in learning piano And synth, and also want to be able to mess around with a bunch of sounds, or should I opt for a more traditional digital piano like a yamaha P-45? This would primarily be for messing around at home as a novice
@@SanjayC OK, now I'm really confused :) Aftertouch and pressure sensitivity are the same thing, or they were when MIDI was invented. Unfortunately different manufacturers used different words for the feature. On the Essentials page, the photo of the keyboard has a note (#7) where a popup says the keyboard has aftertouch, but the description of the keyboard just says velocity sensitive with no mention of aftertouch or pressure sensitive. The note (#1) on the pads doesn't mention either, but the descption says 8 touch and pressure-sensitive pads. Are they using 'touch' to mean something different than aftertouch (pressure) the way it's been used since MIDI was invented? They don't mention velocity in either place for the pads. Thanks!
![Arturia Keylab 88 Mk2 - [REVIEW]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wm3iGIjZYcw/mqdefault.jpg)
![Arturia Keylab 88 Mk2 - [REVIEW]](/img/tr.png)
![Arturia Midi Keyboards - Which one is best for you? [Best Midi Keyboards 4.0]](/img/n.gif)
I am amazed by the detail on your videos and the knowledge on the products you review. Being a proper narrator is not an easy task either. Excellent channel.
I love my Essential 88. As a synth player/programmer the key action is perfect for me. I also have the Essential 49 key version & the keys feel cheap on those. I've had mine for 3 years now with zero issues.
hi, now they released new update with Mk3 88 keys essential .
should I get it or Novation 88keys ?
What a grand comparison between the Keylab 88 Essential vs MK2. Plenty to think about! All the best at NAMM.
Thanks! :-)
Wow!!!!! Gorgeously captured!!!!! Man! This should be their ad -you shoot so beautifully!
Thanks!
I thought you did all Sanjays videos :)
Dan Drew 😂 NO, not all but I will help on certain projects/videos. Like most recently some shots/videos from Namm! But it’s mostly all him!
Yeez, thanks for this video! Think I will buy the Essential one
Woohoo! New keyboard coming to the studio!!
Yeah but more like bedroom studio 😅
Me too! Everything happens in my living room :-)
@@SanjayC , and you still live together with your wife?... 🤦♂️😂😂🤣 LOLsss
I'm getting closer to owning that 88 key price-wise...
This is your year! Get it! :-D Gear keeps getting better and more affordable, right?
@@SanjayC .... Yeah but I'm holding out to get lucky in a giveaway! ✌️😁
Haha! Stay tuned! ;-)
@@darrenewing1900 cho gkdjru
Excellent review. Very in depth, great visuals, demonstrations, and editing.
Thank you, Daimon!
Great video, very illustrative and helpful! Additionally, your voice and manner are, dare I say, comforting. Well done!
Wow, thank you!
Excellent comparison video SanjayC! Thank you!!
Thank you!!
I sent back the Keylab 88 because the keys rebounded so SLOOOOOOWWWWWLY. I reviewed this on Sweetwater's site (maybe they saw this and heard from others about it). I see you playing smooth, soft stuff, so "feel" means nothing if the keys don't rebound FAST. I have an old Kurzweil that I can FLY across the key and bring out every nuance as I go; no waiting for the keys to come back. I wish I could put THAT action into something new. I may get the Keylab Essential so I can get the speed I need; I haven't found anything that satisfies yet. Thoughts?
I personally think the fact that the Keylab comes with soooooooo much more in terms of VST's.... Analog Lab and Piano V2 alone are worth spending more! Great review!
Thanks. Yeah, both the keyboards come with excellent software
I loved komplete kontrol m32 but defect was the drum pads so I would vote keylab 88 essential. But still I love native instruments products.
Yes drum pads on the NI keyboards would be great.
I would love to see this MKII piano on black.
Man, I wish the essential had the sheet music and the laptop stand options. Great video as always. Very informative. Looking for an 88 key but not sure I can shell out that premium price yet.
Thank you TheAudioDabbler!
I have an Arturia Keylab 49 Essential for synth stuff and a Nektar Impact GX61 for that "pianistic feel" when I'm studying. I was thinking in selling one of them, but I can't. Once you got in this "MIDI controller world" it's hard to get out, haha!
Amazing video, dear Sanjay. Peace!
34 minutes late. Getting better. Your laptop computer looks like mine. I have the 2019 MacBook Pro 15.4 inch screen.
Yay! You're here early!
thank u thank u thank u for this! exactly the comparison I was hoping to c. great video as usual
Awesome! Glad I could make this for you. Which one do you think is better for you?
Just found out your channel when i was searching for a good midi keyboard to get. I was all satisfied with the 88mk2 for a personal and live midi piano but then i saw the essential and the price was a wow to me and i'm definitely more confused than ever on which to get. I'm a worship leader at my church and basically use Ableton live. arturia with all its functionality and integration with DAW's sold me but I use expression pedals to control filter cut offs of different pads and i'm not so much of mod wheel fan because i need all my hands on my keys during worship. I may be able to streeeeetch my budget for the mk2 but that's gonna be a way big stretch on me financially. i am not a trained classical pianist so the keys arent so much of an issue to me, infact i use the yamaha mx61 at my church and that has been good for me. The laptop stand, expression and different inputs and more pads to trigger sounds makes me say yea to the mk2. While the cheaper price point of the essential is just amazing but its limitation on expression pedal input, no laptop stand and fewer pads becomes limited on my side. What do you advice i do at this point? Please HELP!!!
I think if you get the Keylab Mk2, you won't need to buy another midi keyboard for a long time! And it feels excellent.
Sanjay C thank you 🙏🏾
I’m going with the 88 essential because I already have the 66mkii and I can have all the control with my daw, I just need the range of 88
That's cool...I'm a pianist and feel more comfortable with the full range as well.
this is the video ive been looking for!!! Watching now
I feel like you have a very calming face and voice. Subscribed!
Thanks, Sandesh! Did you just find my channel?
Thank you for this detailed comparison. It was exactly what I needed!
I was able to try the the Essential at NAMM today. The keys felt nice to me but I’m not a trained pianist. I wasn’t able to compare it to the 88 key MKII but I liked it better than the Essential 49 key.
Hey I’m at NAMM too. Say hi if you see me here!
So excited for the Eseential!
Yeah, price is great for 88 keys, I think
Thank you very much Sanjay - awesome comparison of the two. I have not decided yet which one I'll take, but I hear your reasons for the MKII. Thank. you!
MKII is definitely superior, especially if you're a pianist
Thanks so much for this video. Awesome information.
You're welcome!
Thanks for the review. Was on the fence. But you convinced me to get the essential
Thanks dude ! Very complete descriptions, not easy to found in others TH-cam videos.. thanks again
Glad it helped!
Thank you for your really excellent reviews. I did a lot of research on keyboards and mainly due to what I found from your reviews I ordered the Arturia KeyLab mkII 49 49-key Keyboard Controller from Sweetwater (I love Sweetwater BTW) ....talked myself up from the Essential 49. It's coming Wednesday, can't wait. I have had a Yamaha P80 keyboard for years and 20 years ago messed around in Cubase. Coming back to this now using Logic. Should be fun! A lot has changed since then. ;-)
Woohoo! Congrats!
Very thorough comparison! I do agree that the top Keylab line feels much more robust and premium than Essential. Was about to get Keylab Essential but went for used MK1 Keylab 88 - never looked back. This thing is heavy and screams quality. I got almost the same price as for Essential so I am very happy about my purchase - the heavier weighted keys were definitely worth it.
Now, gotta figure out how to operate all these buttons :D
Yeah, I actually started liking the heavier keys after a while.
just what I was looking for thanks! I don't know which one. I want to learn how to play but will mainly be using it for composing / scoring for film in Logic Pro X.
Thank you for a great review as I'm looking to replace my MPK249 |(AKAI). This was really helpful.
You're welcome
This is the perfect video ive been searching for
So happy to hear that!
Hey Sanjay, I'm late this time! I really like both! Fantastic video as always🤩
Hi Desiree! Yeah, they're both great depending on budget and needs. Thanks
Man I sure wish they would just make another Arturia keylab essential 88 key mk3 but with HAMMER ACTION KEYS. Everything about the essential but the key feel of the mk2! That would be A DREAM COME TRUE!
Mk2 looks a bit heftier than essential . . Both are amazing. . For me personally, I may not need those extra controls that are associated with mk2. Hence,
If I'll have to buy one of these
I will always go for 88 essentials.
Yes if you don’t need the extra features and key feel then Essential is the way to go. Do you have an Arturia keyboard?
@@SanjayC no, but I have had my hand on keylab 49 . .it felt great . . . ❤️❤️❤️
Love this guy he is very thorough...
excellent work, Sanjay, as always 😉
OK, I’ve read all comments and replies 🤪
My question is not answered, which is the following:
I recently bought the MiniLab Mk2 and I love it.
Reason of buying was to experience a MIDI keyboard and the software to see if I liked it and if my son would like it.
He smashed all buttons and knobs and put his arm over the keys and it’s stayed intact. Very well build!
My only gripe with it are the two clickable rotary knobs when selecting sounds.
They are unreliable and prone to skip one or two sounds, which I find very annoying.
So my question is: is that big selection rotary knob on the Essentials and on the NI A-series and the M32 a steprotary knob.
I mean does it turn smoothly or does it give some kind of notch feedback that you have stepped on to the next sound?
I do hope my question is clear. 😊
Thank you for the pleasant video’s 😊
Hi T Bakker. The rotary knob on both the Arturia and NI are step rotary. You can feel every notch you turn
Thanks for the vid
where can i find cracked version of that keyboard??
LOLOL!
try torrents... of tears.. lol
🤣🤣🤣
Maybe, I have the good response : _Buy the cheapest Key Lab essential with 49 keys around 200€, and pair it with a large 88 keyboard with hammer actions. You may find a second hand device as 88 keyboard to remain under 350€.
This may be the ultimate way to have 88 hammer touch keyboard with the nice controls of Key lab controller.
I have it, but you need a 3d printer
Have a good trip to NAMM
This video was very interesting 🧐
Love your videos :-)
Thanks, Gab! What are you creating this week?
at first i thought i just needed the small one. now i want the big one. good job lol
Yes! Get it!
Arturia keylab essential 88 has a problem that is the velocity of the black keys are louder as compared to the white keys...this makes playing very difficult... I found three keyboard that has the same problem and all of them were returned. My friend in Australia also faced the same issue t......49 and 61 keys alo had the same issue..whereas mkii 88 is fine and has no issues and is perfectly balanced.. I don't know whether its a defect in that lot of production... PLEASE BE AWARE BEFORE BUYING IT AND CHECK YOUR KEYS TOO...!!! There's a pronounced imbalance between black key and white key's velocity...!!!!
Now I know why they are so cheap. Bad quality.
Love it as always Sanjay!
Thanks, Lachlan!
fantastic review, right to the point and very clear. It just answered all the questions I didn't know I had! Thanks 😊
Thank you cassiofm!
@@SanjayC You're very welcome. After watching you I got myself a MK II 88! :D The keys ARE really heavy indeed, I was used to the Essential 66. And the keys are not that white, is that normal? But loving the feeling of a "real" piano and the extra octaves :D
I own this one and is absolutely a beast of a controller. Love the keys. I also own the roland Fp30x. The keys on the roland are better in my opinion. I wish it had that action. I am thinking to get rid of the roland and get me the studiologic numa x piano gt. I heard has the best hammer key action on the market.
Sanjey C. The most pleasant fella in music land.
I would like to use both, The essential 61 for the pop/rock pianos and percussion, the the mk2 for the classic pianos, it would be great to link both so you can mix drums/electrical pianos and classic piano.
So I'm now asking myself if I should buy a hammer keyboard or a shynth... Really hard choice (for my purse)
If you don't play the piano and don't need a very big dynamic range I wouldn't recommend spending money on the hammer action version.
Dope video 👏 loving your channel Bro 👊💪🔥🔥🔥. Love from the UK 🙏
Awesome! Thank you!
Great side by side review. Thanks! I'm about to retire my Korg microKEYAir 61 for the Keylab Essential 88. People say that the hammer action on the Essential is frustrating for pianists. Is this true? I don't need the extra bells and whistles of the MK2 as I use the DAW a lot for playing/editing. Am I better off looking for another 88 controller? Is the Novation Launchkey 88 a better option?
Thanks mate! Pretty useful for my decision which one I will buy.
Glad I could help!
It has always been like this: They lure you into buying the cheap one but you will soon notice it is utter trash and then buy the expensive one anyways. So buy the expensive one right away!
The mk2 is what I am looking for my dream keyboard *_* saving now
Yes, save up. Its worth it!
I am looking forward to try to play piano, as for someone who is at the beggining will the ESSENTIAL be enought ? I never intend to play on an big acousitc piano, so the key feeling isn't important.
I mention that I don't want a piano with speakers, I want a midi that I can connect to PC and use it there. Also I like the Arturia desing. Even more I don't care much about the midi features.
In my country ESSENTIAL is 60% cheaper than MK2
Breath control! Was in the first version.
Aftertouch?.
Thanks Man - really helpful.
You're most welcome :-)
I've been thinking about an 88 key that wasn't hammer action and I think I found what I want.
Great review but one thing that wasn't mentioned: It appears that the keys are shorter on the Essential vs the MK2. (5 inches vs 6?) Of course, this is to be expected on a keyboard that is semi-weighted/synth action.
I might just have to order me one of these....
I think the difference in since is no more than 1/8"
Your videos are amazing quality! Keep it up! Just subscribed :)))
love you dude
The upfaders should be located on the left side of the unit near pitch wheel and mod wheel, imo
Hi! Would you recommend the essential 88, or the Studiologic Numa Compact 2X? I'm looking for a new keyboard with these kind of features and I'm stuck between these two. thanks!
Hi Sanjay,
I love your reviews on keyboards. Could you review the Studiologic SL88 Grand ?
I have read it is better than the Arturia Keylab 88 and Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 MK2 by being much closer to a real piano feel. I would love to have your educated opinion on it.
Thank you
I really want to get my hands on both of these to tell the difference between the weight and “clicky-ness” of the keys… that’s really my deciding factor at this point
nice review as always, thank you Sanjay
Thank you Sandi!
Great video. I watched the M Audio Oxygen Pro video as well. How would you (or anyone who tried both) compare the feel and quality of the keys between the Oxygen Pro and Arturia Essential. Or if anyone has some other recommendation in the price range.
Hey Sanjay, I’m really confused between the arturia keylab 61 and the akai mpk 261, what do you think about them? and which is better? Thank you ❤️❤️
Nice video.......thats keys are so soft soundThat keyboard look awesome......Then how are you bro???... Any thing new today.....:)))
NAMM floor opens today! I’ll be posting all the updates from Instagram and a short video here. Make sure you follow my stories on Instagram @SanjayC!
@@SanjayC sure....I don't have insta...But I promise you bro ...... i download you then follow you.....
Yes...do it! You'll see a lot of cool stuff that I don't post on TH-cam! :-)
@@SanjayC sure i am eager to watch:))))))
SANJAY SIR HAVE A SOUND AND SAFE JOURNEY TO NAMM
Thanks so much! 🙏🏼
Hi Sanjay, thank you for all your videos they are really useful for me, I'm just building up my first home studio and your videos made it easier! Now I'm fighting in making a choice about a midi keyboard and I would like to know what would be your advice about the Arturia essential 49, because I'm juste a beginner... is ti good for me or do you have something better in that same range of prices? thank you 🙏🏽
Thank you, that was very helpful.
Hey man, just found your channel - totally love it
😊 Thanks for finding me!!
when playing are you able to hear the keys? thinking of buying one ( for the essential)
Hey sanjay
Can help me with my problem
I am really confused between Arturia Keylab 49 essential and novation 49 launckey mk3.... Which one should I buy
Btw I keep watching your videos all day and still don't get tired😌😍
Hey Sanjay! I really like your quality videos, very much helpful in choosing the right product, but still I got a question to ask, should I buy Komplete Kontrol S88 or Arturia Keylab 88 MK2, for music production? please guide me to choose one!!
Thanks, Zayne. I think, for most people, the Keylab is a great all round keyboard. If you pair that with a Native Instruments M32, you'll have the best of both worlds!
Is aftertouch ever mentioned? Because let's just say I'm glad I did my damn research and figured out that the "Essential" doesn't have this bog-standard feature even though a ton of much cheaper and much *older* controllers do have it.
You should do the price comparison too. The S series of Komplete Kontrol is very expensive compared to the essential. Just bec of its screen. I guess the MK2 also has after touch.
The S Series is more comparable to the Keylab MK2 (not the essential). So those two are more similar in price. I do a similar comparison in this video th-cam.com/video/8Pqa_extYe8/w-d-xo.html
MK2 won't fit under my Output desk and it's so close
Just a word of warning from someone that has owned the essential series. Knobs and wheels quickly degrade with use, especially if traveling. You will soon find them to be completely unusable with frequent use :/
Very interesting. Subscribed !
Thank you DEBERT Dominique!
Thank you these great reviews! Question for you, does this midi keyboard produce it’s own sounds? Or does it have to be plugged in and run through a daw in order to produce sound?
Love these in-depth comparisons videos man! I need midi synth to aid my ableton live workflow + get beat making / sequencing so was thinking push 2 but everyone tells me to learn live first. So need a midi controller and now I’m torn between just 49key mkii, 61 key mkii or 88 essential. 88 mkii got me drooling though. Being piano player I naturally use wide range but trying to learn the limited range midi keys playing for recording. Background: NS3 88 for ocasional gigging tho main stage/midi kb gig isn’t improbable in future. But all are mainly for recording.
1) what would you suggest? 2) have you found 49 or 61 keys to be limiting your studio workflow? (If you’ve ever used those as main controller before)
Thanks in advance!
I don't find that 49/61 keys are limiting. I can use them just fine to input my ideas and play pretty much anything I want. But if you're a pianist, you're really going to love to have hammer actions keys. If you are going to use this keyboard controller as your main keyboard, then get hammer action
does anybody know if the mark 2 will fit in the output platform desk keyboard tray im thinking it looks too big
I'm torn between which one to get. I have a Novation Launchkey 49, and the Arturia MiniLab MKII. I want to learn everything I would with a piano so I'm looking to buy an 88 key. Although I don't necessarily want it for playing "piano", more to learn more and play melodies to produce beats. Which would you recommend? I can't decide!
Don't sleep on the Nektar Impact LX88+. You'll get many of the same controls and features for about $320US.
But... if I didn't have the Nektar, then I'd probably go for the Keylab Essential 88 for the included Analog Lab (more sounds = more options).
Nektar has great DAW control, but I prefer the keys on the Arturia for sure. They feel more high quality.
Wow nice video, can you please post a tutorial how to connect 2 to 3 midi board or workstation like korg and playing in one keyboard to trigger the arpeggios in other connected keys??
Thanks in advance
Nice idea. I’ve never tried that but I should
Sanjay C thanks for the reply.
I have korg D1, korg pa 600 and korg m50.
Now i have arranged a combi in my korg m50 and when i play chords in either D1 or pa600 it should trigger the particular midi channel (1-16).
Is this possible???
Is it possible (and desirable) to use midi controllers such as Arturias above for life performances in conjuction with sound module such as Digitech Piano box? I am now to all the DAW and midi controlers thing, but I have the pianobox that bought years ago to ease a latency issue on Sibelius 7. So If I get any of the above would it be convenient enough to use the combo ocassionaly for live performances?
Excellent review
Hi, great comparison, exactly what I was looking for, I was wondering however if I can choose the sounds I want from the keylab essential display when the keyboard is connected to a sound module, in particular the V3 grand piano xxl that doesn't have an interface on the hardware itself, or can I only control the analog lab and daw sounds from the display?
i don't think you can get the V3 to display info on the Keylab. But it will play it of course
@@SanjayC ah, so I'd have to connect one more controller or get a tablet for the app then, that's unfortunate, thanks for getting back to me
how well does the essential work in mainstage? the controls, daw, instruments.. etc..? i mainly use mainstage and garageband
Very interesting...thanks ! The best is KL 88 MK2 but....if I'd like not wheighted keys with ALL the controls and the DAWs integration of the KL 88 MK2 ? I've to downsize to KL 61 MK2 ?
I ordered my Essential 88 about a month ago. LOL, I still have about another month to go before it finally ships from the warehouse to the Guitar Center that I ordered it through. Hopefully, it will be worth the wait. I am stoked for sure!
Wow congrats!!
Better off buying from Zzounds or AMS! They have a 2-day shipping thing . I’ve gotten tons of gear and instruments from zzounds and they’re always great!
Thank U 4 updating me :-)
Anytime! :-) Are you looking for an 88 key keyboard like this?
@@SanjayC I am ambitiously to buy a Komplete Kontrol S88. That is my focus. But I am about to plan a second, complete white colored home studio, because I refurbished a late 2009, still very white MacBook with more RAM and 512 GB SSD. And because of that I am looking for a white keyboard that is available at a nice price. I took a look for the white Aturia Essentials before. You surprised me well yesterday, that there is a white 88 keys essential by Arturia now! ;-) So good to follow you and watch your channel! #WORD
Hi Sanjay.... can mk2 replace midi controllers like "Icon platform M" with its sliders and knobs? If it can then I'll not have to spend some extra cash on that. Please let me kow. Great demo.
Nice review, thank you! What about the key size on the Essential? Are they full standard size? Often in the semi-weigthed keyboards they tend to use sligthly smaller keys (both black and white ones and in both sizes X-Y).... That's crazy cause even just 0.5 mm each key... means 3 mm of difference in an octave!
I don't have them open right now so I can't measure, but if I remember correctly, they are pretty much the exact same size
@@SanjayC Thank you for your answer. In the meantime I found on Sound on Sound website that the span (horizontal size of the keys) should be standard (good thing!), as you said, whilst the lenght is about 1 cm less than usual piano-size keys: about 14 cm vs 15 cm. I ordered the keyboard today and I look forward to try it :) Have a great day.
Would the 88 Essential be something to keep in mind if I'm interested in learning piano And synth, and also want to be able to mess around with a bunch of sounds, or should I opt for a more traditional digital piano like a yamaha P-45? This would primarily be for messing around at home as a novice
I think the Essential is good for that. Its going to come with lots of nice sounds, and will be cheaper than most digital pianos.
add plasteline at one end and magnet at another to create feel of real buttons.. :D
Thanks for the video Sanjay!
Q: Do the Essential keys and pads have aftertouch (pressure sensitivity) like the MK2?
They are pressure sensitive, but the Essential doesn't have aftertouch.
@@SanjayC OK, now I'm really confused :) Aftertouch and pressure sensitivity are the same thing, or they were when MIDI was invented. Unfortunately different manufacturers used different words for the feature. On the Essentials page, the photo of the keyboard has a note (#7) where a popup says the keyboard has aftertouch, but the description of the keyboard just says velocity sensitive with no mention of aftertouch or pressure sensitive. The note (#1) on the pads doesn't mention either, but the descption says 8 touch and pressure-sensitive pads. Are they using 'touch' to mean something different than aftertouch (pressure) the way it's been used since MIDI was invented? They don't mention velocity in either place for the pads. Thanks!
So by getting any of these MIDI Keyboard controllers, I can connect via MIDI to my Yamaha Digital Piano and use its sounds?